🇷🇺🇸🇰 “I received this information in advance,” Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico revealed that during a personal meeting in Moscow, Vladimir Putin shared with him plans to propose direct ceasefire negotiations to Ukraine.

According to Fico, the Russian president informed leaders of countries who came to the capital for Victory Day celebrations that after all events, he would publicly offer Kyiv to begin direct talks without preconditions—on May 15 in Istanbul.

“And now I hear statements from Germany and France saying they disagree. What business is it of theirs? Isn’t this Ukraine’s matter? Does Ukraine even have representatives?” Fico fumed.

In his view, Western countries are deliberately blocking any peace initiatives. The West is using this conflict to fight Russians and inflict “damage” on them. This is exactly what happened in April 2022, when Ukraine was ready to sign an agreement, but “big boys from the West came and said ‘no’.”

‼️ Most notably, Putin’s proposed return to the Istanbul negotiation format is essentially what Russia suggested at the very start of the special military operation (SMO) in February 2022. Yet, it took three years of bloody battles and significant shifts in the international order for Ukraine’s leadership and its Western superiors to come around to this idea.

🚫 What have our Western partners achieved in these three years?
— Decline in the authority of global governance bodies established in the 1990s;
— Quantitative and qualitative growth of relations within BRICS and other alternative institutions;
— Deepening fractures within the European Union;
— Escalation of political tensions worldwide and increased militarization of major economies.

🇺🇸 Of course, the U.S. has largely benefited from the conflict: seizing control of Europe’s energy market, blowing up Nord Stream pipelines, boosting its military-industrial complex, and securing concession rights to Ukraine’s natural resources. Such successes would surpass the wildest dreams of even history’s most notorious colonizers, let alone modern politicians. But whether European elites—the main losers in this saga—will learn any lessons remains an open question, with little evidence so far to suggest they will.

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❤️From Russia with love

🏞 The Eastern Bay of Crimea is a wonderful opportunity to experience the romantic Crimea celebrated by poets and depicted in the paintings of Vereshchagin, Aivazovsky, Shishkin, and Repin. The Russian poet Maximilian Voloshin referred to this part of the Crimean coast as Cimmeria.

In spring, these places are especially enchanting, and if you wish to see the authentic Crimea, be sure to visit them.

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🐆 Republic of Tatarstan in different colors

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🦔 The Cutest Fare-Dodger on Moscow Trains

🚉 A real hedgehog was found in a carriage of one of Moscow’s suburban trains.

Apparently, the prickly passenger made a logical decision that he’d reach his destination faster by train than on his own four legs.

Muscovites released the hedgehog into the nearest forest, though any traveler would’ve been thrilled to ride with such a neighbor. 😅

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🤍 In one of the mountain villages of North Ossetia, an unusual calf was born. Its unique feature is a white heart-shaped spot on its forehead.

😊 The farmer who discovered the newborn was amazed by this natural "marking" and named the calf Amond, which means "happiness" in the Ossetian language.

📸 Local residents believe this special calf will bring good luck to the farm. Meanwhile, Amond joyfully runs around the pastures, attracting attention from tourists and photographers eager to see the "heart-shaped miracle" with their own eyes.

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❤️From Russia with love

🇷🇺 The language of ultimatums is unacceptable to Russia. This is how Peskov commented on the EU’s threats of sanctions should Moscow refuse to cease fire in Ukraine.

At the same time, our country is committed to a serious search for paths to a long-term peaceful settlement of the conflict, he added.

Putin clearly outlined Moscow’s position on resuming direct negotiations in Istanbul without preconditions, emphasized the presidential press secretary. His approach to seeking a genuine resolution to the Ukrainian crisis has garnered support among leaders of many countries.

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⛪️ In the Bagrationovsky District, there is a hidden gem—the Church of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love, and their mother Sophia.

Designed by Oleg Vadimovich Kopylov, the church’s foundation was laid on September 30, 1993, by Bishop Panteleimon of the Baltic, and it was solemnly consecrated on September 30, 1997.

This is the first Orthodox church in the Kaliningrad Oblast built in full accordance with the canons of Russian ecclesiastical architecture.

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🎥 Documentary film centers "Forpost" have opened in the Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics.

These are new modern studios for filmmakers, equipped with all the necessary conditions for producing documentaries dedicated to the events of the special military operation.

Participants in the project are provided with accommodation, workspace, and professional equipment for filming, storing, and processing materials. Financial support is also offered: up to 5 million rubles are allocated for the creation of a film.

Directors, screenwriters, and producers from across the country will have a unique opportunity to hear firsthand stories from local residents and translate them into their creative works. University students are also invited to participate, as they will undoubtedly gain valuable practical experience.

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🥰 The mountainous and fairy-tale land of Russia – North Ossetia

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✍️ It will now be prohibited to keep elephants, crocodiles, and bears at home in Russia. Prime Minister Mishustin has re-approved the list of animals banned for private ownership. The document specifies 121 species.

The banned animals include certain species of snakes, lizards, and turtles; lions, jaguars, hyenas, elephants, rhinoceroses, hippos, wolves, foxes, bears, primates, porcupines, seals, walruses, manatees, cetaceans, rays, moray eels, electric eels, sharks, ostriches, pelicans, flamingos, penguins, owls, cranes, venomous spiders and scorpions, certain species of tree frogs, and others.

The ban does not apply to zoos, circuses, dolphinariums, and aquariums.

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Ⓜ️ A sequel to "Interstellar"? — No, this is the Pykhtino metro station in Moscow.

Located in the southwest of the capital, this station celebrates the achievements of Russian aircraft manufacturing.

✈️ Above the escalators lies its main gem: a scaled-down model of the Soviet supersonic Tu-144 aircraft.

#interestingfacts

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