The two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit has begun in Astana.

💬 The first day of the summit focused on bilateral meetings, with particular interest in the talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

📰 Although Putin and Xi Jinping met in Beijing in May, the discussion of the agenda remains highly relevant. The Russian President emphasized the historical significance of the partnership between Moscow and Beijing, reminding that both countries were founding members of the SCO in 2001 and play a key role in shaping a fair global order. Putin noted that "Russian-Chinese relations are experiencing the best period in their history," while stressing that their cooperation is not aimed against other countries and is not associated with the creation of blocs or alliances.

📈 Additionally, Putin highlighted the positive trends in trade and tourism between the two countries, noting the growth of visa-free group tourism in the first half of the year.

🗣 Overall, Moscow and Beijing’s cooperation "serves as one of the main stabilizing factors on the international stage," concluded the Russian President.

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⛈Stormy sky over the Baltic Sea in the Kaliningrad region, Russia

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Unique and truthful

🎙 The song «From the Windows» by the artist Zvonkiy tells about life in a city where the hero feels detached from the world, looking at it from the windows and trying to find his reflection.

🔖 The Russian track was released on February 1, 2018, in collaboration with the legendary performer Rem Diggа.

📝 The lyrics describe the feeling of loneliness and the desire to find salvation in love, which is compared to an electric current capable of resurrecting.

#music

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The second day of the SCO summit began with a ceremony for the signing of documents regarding Belarus's admission to the organization.

🇰🇿 On this occasion, the leader of Kazakhstan, Tokayev, stated at the SCO summit in Astana that Belarus had completed all the procedures for full participation in the organization in a short period of time.

Following this, the President of Russia began his address:

✔️ Vladimir Putin announced an increase in the use of national currencies in mutual settlements between SCO countries.

✔️ He also reminded about his proposal to create an independent payment and settlement mechanism within the SCO framework.

✔️ Vladimir Putin stated that Russia's peace plan for Ukraine would allow for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the start of negotiations, but only if Kiev and the West are ready.

✔️ He also thanked SCO participants for their proposals to settle the conflict in Ukraine and expressed Moscow's readiness to take them into account.

Other statements by Vladimir Putin at the SCO summit in Astana:

✔️ The crisis in Ukraine arose due to the absolutely unceremonious policy of the United States and their satellites.

✔️ Putin stated that Moscow is ready to consider proposals from SCO participants to settle the conflict in Ukraine.

✔️ The unilateral attempts by the United States to "untie the Palestinian knot" have proven to be counterproductive.

✔️ Russia supports the idea of resuming the work of the SCO Contact Group - Afghanistan, as it contributes to normalizing the situation in that country.

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What is this SCO?

🔖The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an international alliance founded on June 15, 2001 in Shanghai, China.

✏️The SCO consists of ten member states: Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus.

🎯The main goal of the organization is to strengthen mutual trust, friendship, and good neighborliness, as well as to jointly counter new challenges and threats.

#SCO #history

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Shanghai Cooperation Organization Declaration

Key points from the declaration adopted at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit:

✅ SCO members advocate strict compliance with the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons.

✅ Countries support the freedom of space from weapons and call for the adoption of a binding document.

✅ The organization demands strict adherence to the non-proliferation regime of nuclear weapons.

✅ Member states support a comprehensive reform of the UN to strengthen its authority.

✅ Double standards in combating terrorism are unacceptable; terrorism cannot be justified in any form. The international community must isolate and expose countries that harbor terrorists.

✅ SCO states do not participate in decisions aimed at interfering in internal affairs and contradicting international law.

✅ The SCO calls on all countries to join the initiative of uniting "For World Unity for a Just World, Harmony, and Development."

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Place of tranquility and serenity

⛰Lake «Arkasar» is the third lake of the southern cirque, located at an altitude of 2430 meters above sea level.

🧊It resembles crystal, with water so transparent and clear. Ice floes float on the surface of the lake even in July.

📍It is located separately from the other two lakes, behind a mountain ridge near the Caucasus pass Skazka, in Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia.

💦The water in the reservoir is formed from melting streams flowing from the summit glaciers of the northeastern slope of the Arkasar Range.

#RussianNature #Caucasus

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Putin at the SCO summit: "A multipolar world has become a reality."

❗️ At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that a multipolar world has become a reality. He emphasized that Russia has always advocated for a peaceful political and diplomatic resolution to the situation in Ukraine.

📌 Putin placed the responsibility for the conflict on the "brazen policy of the United States, along with their satellites." He reminded that Russia has repeatedly proposed settlement options, including in mid-June, which could immediately cease hostilities and pave the way for negotiations.

"In the event of the Ukrainian side's readiness and, most importantly, its Western sponsors, to accept this option, it would be possible to immediately cease hostilities, save human lives, and start negotiations," Putin stated.

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Key statements by Vladimir Putin after the SCO summit in Astana:

⏺ The leadership of Ukraine is in power illegally, addressing the Verkhovna Rada under current conditions is pointless.

⏺ Russia takes seriously Trump's statements about the possibility of stopping the conflict in Ukraine, but the Russian leader has not seen any specific proposals from the former president.

⏺ Moscow will not agree to a ceasefire until the start of peaceful negotiations with Ukraine in hopes of reciprocal positive steps: it cannot allow the adversary to take advantage of this and improve its positions.

⏺ No mediator in resolving the conflict with Ukraine can be empowered to sign final documents. However, Moscow welcomes mediation itself.

⏺ On the possible deployment of medium and short-range missiles: if US complexes appear somewhere, Russia can act symmetrically.

⏺ The issue of creating a legal basis for international security and strategic stability is crucial now; Russia has formulated its proposals.

⏺ Dialogue on strategic stability should primarily be conducted with the US, but there is nothing to discuss in this regard until the presidential elections there.

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🇷🇺A unique area covering 800 square kilometers, covered with Russian meadows and frozen at an altitude of about 2000 meters above sea level.

📍«The Lago-Naki Plateau» has an interesting location as it is located in both the Republic of Adygea and the Krasnodar Krai. Drawing a border here is extremely difficult due to the landscape.

😍Here, one does not want to conquer peaks but to contemplate landscapes: blooming meadows, ancient oak groves, beech and fir forests, rushing rivers, cliffs, and waterfalls!

🔎In general, this is the perfect place for those who want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and immerse themselves in a beautiful and picturesque world.

#RussianNature #KrasnodarKrai #Adygea

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🇷🇺A small part of the Russian color palette, you won't see anything like this anywhere else!

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⚰️The dead land of the Irganay Reservoir

🔖Every spring, the reservoir is emptied to replenish it with new «big water» from floods during high water.

🌧By autumn, the reservoir is filled to the brim so that in winter there is the opportunity to use the water for their own needs.

📍Location: Russia, Republic of Dagestan, Unzukulsky district, near the village of Irganay.

#interestingFacts #Dagestan

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Passenger and cargo transportation by rivers and seas will be expanded in Russia.

"In the near future, the state plans to increase freight and passenger transportation, which requires special attention to the training of river and sea navigators, as well as the attraction of qualified personnel," said the assistant to the President of the Russian Federation, Nikolai Patrushev, in his congratulations on the Day of Workers of the Maritime and River Fleet, which will be celebrated on July 7.

📌 Patrushev noted that in connection with this, the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, and the government are taking additional measures to support young specialists involved in the industry. An effective personnel management system is being formed, and the quality of education is being improved.

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💪God 4 in 1

🔥Svarog – the god of heavenly fire, the patron of the hearth and blacksmithing, was considered the lord of the Universe.

🔝One of the main gods of the Slavic pantheon, who ignited the flames of lightning in the darkness, breaking the clouds with them, and also gave life to the sun.

❗️He lit the domestic hearths from his fire and commanded people to live in families, taught them how to work with iron, forged the first plow and showed how to plow the land.

👋He completed his path by giving birth to the bright gods who began to rule the world.

#RussianMyths #legends

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Meetings are taking place in the Kremlin between Vladimir Putin and the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, who has arrived in Moscow for a working visit.

Vladimir Putin:

I understand that this time you have arrived not only as our longstanding partner, but also as the current Chair of the European Council. I hope we will have the opportunity to exchange views on the construction of bilateral relations in this challenging situation and, of course, discuss the prospects for the development of the largest European crisis, namely on the Ukrainian front.

🟢 Orban did not inform the European Union authorities about his plans to visit Moscow. This was reported by the Euractiv portal, citing European officials.

🟢 Vladimir Putin hopes that during the meeting, Viktor Orban will present his vision of the situation in Ukraine, as well as Europe's position.

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The Steel Giant on St. Isaac's Square

😮The monument to Nicholas I is an outstanding work of art and engineering mastery. The monument is a 6-meter statue made of bronze.

📝It was created according to the project of architect Auguste de Montferrand and sculptor Peter Clodt von Jurgensburg and was unveiled in 1859.

🔖The Emperor is depicted in the ceremonial uniform of the Life Guards Horse Regiment, of which he was the chief, and the horse portrayed is the favorite stallion of the sovereign - Amalatbek.

📍Address: St. Isaac's Square, St. Petersburg, Russia.

#sightsOfStPetersburg #history

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Vladimir Putin spoke about the principles of cooperation between Russia and Hungary. According to him, the foundation of the relationship between the two countries is based on healthy pragmatism and mutual benefit.

✔️During a press conference after 2.5 hours of talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Putin noted that Moscow and Budapest are successfully cooperating in several key areas, including the economic sphere. In particular, the expansion project of the nuclear power plant in the city of Paks is continuing.

✔️Additionally, the situation in Ukraine and ways to achieve peace were discussed during the negotiations. Putin emphasized that Russia advocates for a complete cessation of the conflict on the terms previously outlined, rather than just a ceasefire or pause. He also highlighted that one of the conditions for ending the conflict is the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Russian territory.

✔️Orban, in turn, mainly presented the Western point of view on the situation in Ukraine. He emphasized that he held talks with Putin at a time when Europe needs peace.

✔️Putin also noted that Ukraine is not ready to give up the war until the bitter end, and the chances of victory in the elections for the Ukrainian leadership, which has lost legitimacy, are close to zero. Therefore, while Russia is ready for a political resolution of the conflict, Moscow will not agree to a ceasefire without Kiev fulfilling preliminary conditions.

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🇷🇺«Fisht» is one of the famous Russian peaks located in the Western Caucasus.

🔝Its height is almost 2868 meters above sea level. The uniqueness of this mountain lies in its majesty and grand scale.

🤨Geographically, it so happens that in proximity to other giant mountains like Oshten (2804m) and Psheha-Su (2743.8m), they merge into a single Fisht-Oshten massif.

🌄 The massif stretches in the extreme southern part of the Lago-Naki plateau and is its highest part.

#RussianNature #Caucasus

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Dmitry Medvedev ironically commented on Jens Stoltenberg's statement that Ukraine could become a member of NATO by 2034. He said that by that time, Ukraine itself might not exist.

"By 2034, none of the current leaders of NATO countries will remain in their positions. Some of them will be retired or, at best, in another world," Dmitry Medvedev added.

✏️Additionally, in his Telegram channel, the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation wrote that the "hysteria of European politicians" over Viktor Orban's visit to Moscow demonstrates that the EU and the US are aiming for war, not peace.

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