Владимир Путин принимает участие в церемонии открытия Международного военно-технического форума «Армия-2022» и Армейских международных игр – 2022

Подробнее – на сайте Кремля.

Владимир Путин обратился к участникам и гостям четвёртого фестиваля «Таврида.АРТ», проходящего в Крыму в бухте Капсель

«Все попытки отменить нашу культуру, отменить Россию тщетны. Это просто глупость. А те, кто думает иначе, к несчастью для них, не выучили уроки истории. Но историю делают люди. И сегодня это в том числе вы – молодые, умеющие мечтать и творить, работать и побеждать. Вам продолжать традиции культуры, обеспечивать преемственность поколений», – отметил, в частности, глава государства.

#Приветствия

📹 В воскресенье на «Первом канале» был впервые показан документальный фильм «Азов» головного мозга», содержащий эксклюзивные кадры и показания очевидцев. В нём представлены записи разговоров с пленными боевиками «Азова», сдавшимися в Мариуполе, и иностранными наемниками, а также комментарии экспертов и свидетельства мирных жителей, подвергшихся пыткам и издевательствам со стороны неонацистов.

👉 В фильме рассказывается об идеологии националистических батальонов, а также о процветающих в их рядах неоязыческих верованиях и о повсеместном использовании нацистской символики.

Автор фильма, журналистка и телеведущая Марина Ким, посетила место временного содержания пленных «азовцев» близ населенного пункта Еленовка (ДНР) буквально за несколько дней до удара ВСУ, нанесенного из американской РСЗО HIMARS и убившего более 50 военнопленных.

🇷🇺🇺🇸 Комментарий Посольства России в США:
🔹Обратили внимание на огульную риторику администрации о том, что действия России якобы не соответствуют статусу ответственной ядерной державы.
🔹Наша страна добросовестно выполняет взятые на себя в качестве ядерного государства обязательства и прилагает все усилия для снижения ядерных рисков. По российской инициативе подтвержден принцип недопустимости ядерной войны на двустороннем уровне и в формате «пятерки». Продлен Договор о СНВ на максимальный срок в пять лет. Был перезапущен диалог по стратегической стабильности, успешно развивавшийся до «заморозки» Вашингтоном в феврале с.г.
🔹На этом фоне странно слышать обвинения в безответственности, тем более от страны, в 1945 г. подвергшей атомной бомбардировке мирное население Хиросимы и Нагасаки. Эта бездумная «демонстрация мощи» унесла жизни свыше 450 тыс человек и практически стерла японские города с лица земли.
🔹Сегодня США продолжают действовать без оглядки на безопасность и интересы других стран, что способствует повышению ядерных рисков. Американские шаги по дальнейшему втягиванию в гибридное противостояние с Россией в контексте украинского кризиса чреваты непредсказуемой эскалацией и прямым военным столкновением ядерных держав.
🔹Это происходит в условиях целенаправленного развала Вашингтоном многолетней системы контроля над вооружениями и нераспространения. Односторонний выход Соединенных Штатов из Договора о ликвидации ракет средней и меньшей дальности и денонсация участия в Договоре по открытому небу нанесли существенный удар по режимам транспарентности и контроля за ракетно-ядерными вооружениями.
🔹Предлагаем Вашингтону внимательнее присмотреться к собственной политике в ядерной сфере вместо того, чтобы выдвигать необоснованные обвинения в адрес тех стран, чьи взгляды на мироустройство не совпадают с американскими.

🇷🇺🇺🇸 Comment by the Russian Embassy in the United States:
🔹We have taken note of the sweeping rhetoric of the administration that Russia's actions do not correspond to the status of a responsible nuclear power.
🔹Our country faithfully fulfills its obligations as a nuclear-weapon state and makes every effort to reduce nuclear risks. On Russia’s initiative, the principle of the inadmissibility of a nuclear war was confirmed at the bilateral level and within the nuclear "five" format. The START Treaty has been extended for a maximum period of five years. The dialogue on strategic stability, that was successfully developing before being "frozen" by Washington in February this year, has been restarted.
🔹Against this background, it is strange to hear accusations of irresponsibility, in particular from a country that in 1945 subjected the peaceful citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to atomic bombings. This thoughtless "demonstration of power" claimed the lives of over 450 thousand people and practically wiped Japanese cities off the face of the Earth.
🔹Today, the United States continues to act with no regard to other countries’ security and interests, which does contribute to an increase in nuclear risks. The US steps to further engage in a hybrid confrontation with Russia in the context of the Ukrainian crisis are fraught with unpredictable escalation and a direct military clash of nuclear powers.
🔹This is happening in the circumstances of Washington's targeted course towards dismantling the long-standing system of arms control and non-proliferation. The unilateral withdrawal of the US from the INF Treaty and the denunciation of its participation in the Open Skies Treaty have dealt a significant blow to the regimes of transparency and nuclear missile control.
🔹We suggest that Washington should take a closer look at its own nuclear policy instead of making unfounded accusations against the countries whose worldviews do not coincide with the American ones.

Владимир Путин обратился к участникам и гостям X Московской конференции по международной безопасности

«Коллективный Запад, так называемый коллективный Запад, целенаправленно разваливает систему европейской безопасности, сколачивает всё новые военные альянсы. Блок НАТО двигается на Восток, наращивает свою военную инфраструктуру, в том числе размещает системы противоракетной обороны и повышает ударные возможности наступательных сил. На словах это лицемерно объявляется необходимостью укрепления безопасности в Европе, однако на деле происходит как раз обратное. При этом выдвинутые Россией в декабре прошлого года предложения о мерах взаимной безопасности просто в очередной раз были проигнорированы».

Полная стенограмма обращения – на сайте Кремля.

🇷🇺🇺🇸 Комментарий Посольства России в США:
🔹Обратили внимание на очередную русофобскую эскападу Комиссии по международной религиозной свободе при конгрессе США. Претенденты в эксперты обвиняют нас в организации репрессий против сторонников т.н. «Православной церкви Украины» (ПЦУ), убийствах и пытках священнослужителей. Утверждается, что руководство Русской Православной Церкви оправдывает проявления жестокости.
🔹Подобные инсинуации не имеют ничего общего c действительностью. Глава РПЦ МП Патриарх Кирилл неоднократно выступал в защиту притесняемых киевскими националистами исповедующих православие украинцев.
🔹Усилиями Русской Православной Церкви пострадавшим мирным жителям в зоне конфликта было передано более 670 тонн гумпомощи. Из них более 380 тонн направлено в Донецкую, Луганскую, Горловскую, Харьковскую, Херсонскую, Запорожскую епархии. В Белгороде, Симферополе и Ростове-на-Дону открыты церковные центры помощи беженцам. В синодальный отдел Московского Патриархата по благотворительности поступило свыше 200 миллионов рублей, собранных в помощь жертвам ВСУ.
🔹В то же время в Вашингтоне предпочитают не замечать, как раскольники при поддержке киевских властей захватывают храмы, принадлежащие канонической Русской Православной Церкви, а также цинично присваивают имущество церковных приходов и общин. Осталось без внимания и решение руководства ПЦУ причислить «к лику святых» нацистского преступника Степана Бандеру. Это ли пресловутая американская забота о правах верующих?

🇷🇺🇺🇸 Comment by the Russian Embassy in the United States:
🔹We paid attention to another Russophobic attack by US Commission on International Religious Freedom. The candidates for experts accuse us of organizing repressions against supporters of the so-called "Orthodox Church of Ukraine", murdering and torturing clergy. It is claimed that the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church justifies the manifestations of cruelty.
🔹Such insinuations have nothing to do with reality. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has repeatedly defended Ukrainians who profess Orthodoxy oppressed by Kiev nationalists.
🔹Through the efforts of the Russian Orthodox Church, more than 670 tons of humanitarian aid were transferred to the affected civilians in the conflict zone. More than 380 tons were sent to the Donetsk, Lugansk, Gorlovka, Kharkiv, Kherson, Zaporozhye dioceses. Church refugee assistance centers have been opened in Belgorod, Simferopol and Rostov-on-Don. The Moscow Patriarchate Synodal Department for Charity received over 200 million rubles collected to help victims of Ukrainian military forces.
🔹At the same time, Washington prefers not to notice how schismatics, with the support of the Kiev authorities, seize churches belonging to the canonical Russian Orthodox Church and cynically appropriate the property of church parishes and communities. The decision of the leadership of the so-called Orthodox Church of Ukraine to canonize the Nazi criminal Stepan Bandera was also ignored. Is this the notorious American concern for the rights of believers?

#АнтифейкДня

🇺🇸 Масс-медиа США продолжают раскручивать маховик дезинформации вокруг Запорожской АЭС (ЗАЭС).

На этот раз России приписывают «воровство» украинской энергии. К такому умозаключению журналистам Wall Street Journal помогли прийти официальные должностные лица Украины, сотрудники ЗАЭС и некие «независимые международные эксперты».

☝️ Даже беглого ознакомления с этим очередным антироссийским вбросом достаточно, чтобы констатировать полную деградацию причинно-следственных связей в изложении авторов издания.

ВСУ постоянно обстреливают Запорожскую станцию и прилегающие к ней территории. Обстрелам ВСУ подвергается и Каховская ГЭС в Херсонской области, связанная с Запорожской станцией.

❗️ Вывод напрашивается сам собой: уничтожая энергетическую инфраструктуру, киевский режим подвергает опасности ядерного катаклизма многомиллионное население европейского континента при попустительстве Вашингтона. Находящуюся в тысячах километрах от такой угрозы Wall Street Journal это явно не интересует...

🇷🇺🇺🇸 Комментарий Посольства России в США:

🔹Как сообщила руководитель консульского отдела Посольства России в США Н.Ю.Шумова, проведен телефонный разговор с Александром Винником, находящимся в тюрьме «Санта-Рита», шт. Калифорния. Жалоб на состояние здоровья у него нет. В настоящее время он проходит карантинные процедуры.
🔹По словам А.Винника, его интересы в суде представляет государственный адвокат Дэвид Ризк. Очередное судебное заседание по делу назначено на 27 сентября.
❗️Продолжим внимательно следить за судьбой нашего соотечественника. Защита прав и интересов россиян, содержащихся в исправительных учреждениях США, является первостепенной задачей дипмиссии.

#AntifakeOfTheDay

👉 The US media continues spinning the flywheel of misinformation surrounding the Zaporozhye nuclear power station. This time, Russia stands accused of “stealing” Ukrainian electricity.

☝️ The Wall Street Journal reporters came to this conclusion by taking their cues from Ukrainian officials, plant workers and “international nuclear-power experts.” The choice of these would-be independent experts recruited by the local propaganda mouthpieces and their level of expertise are ironic.

Just glancing over this new anti-Russia story planted in WSJ is enough to state the abysmal degradation of the authors’ ability to establish cause-and-effect linkages.

❗️By destroying the energy infrastructure, the Kiev regime exposes millions of people on the European continent to the danger of a nuclear disaster with Washington’s connivance. Located thousands of kilometres away from this threat, The Wall Street Journal couldn’t care less about any of it.

!!!Уважаемые граждане Российской Федерации!!!
В период с 13 по 15 сентября в г.Майами (шт.Флорида) состоится выездная консульская сессия по вопросам оформления заграничных паспортов и актов о личной явке.
Подробнее на сайте Посольства https://washington.mid.ru/.../consulate/consul_sessions/
Просим ВНИМАТЕЛЬНО ознакомиться с размещенной информацией

🇷🇺🇺🇸 Комментарий Посольства России в США:
🔹Обратили внимание, что в ходе дискуссий на заседании постсовета Организации американских государств в Вашингтоне 17 августа была обозначена проблема растущей контрабанды оружия извне в раздираемую внутренними противоречиями Республику Гаити.
🔹Эксперты отмечают, что нелегальный трафик из Южной Флориды подпитывает криминальные банды, терроризирующие карибскую республику. Тем самым препятствует усилиям Порт-о-Пренса и международного сообщества по внутриполитической нормализации.
🔹Попустительское отношение американских властей к этой очевидной проблеме подрывает претензии США на роль гаранта региональной стабильности и безопасности.

🇷🇺🇺🇸 Comment by the Russian Embassy in the United States:
🔹We have taken note that during the discussions of the session of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States on August 17, the issue of a spike in weapons smuggling to the Republic of Haiti, affected by internal turmoil, was raised.
🔹Experts note that illegal traffic of arms from South Florida nourishes criminal gangs that terrorize the Caribbean republic. It impedes the efforts of Port-au-Prince and the international community aimed at the political normalization in the country.
🔹The US authorities’ negligence towards this apparent problem undermines Washington’s self-proclaimed status of regional security and stability guarantor.

🇷🇺🇺🇸Ambassador Anatoly Antonov’s interview to the Russian channel «РОССИЯ 24». Part ONE

💬Evelina Zakamskaya: As of today, what is the political status of our relationship? Apparently, there is little that our leaders can discuss at this point. That being said, we have learned that Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs, intends to visit New York to participate in the United Nations General Assembly.
❓What impact, if any, it might have on the status of political relationship between our countries?

💬Ambassador Antonov: Thank you for this opportunity to share my vision of Russo-American relationship. I am compelled to admit that the political dialog between our countries is in a logjam today. Consequently, even domains of shared interest are adversely affected. Our contacts are sporadic. At the end of July Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke over the phone with the Secretary of State Antony Blinken. It was their first conversation in 6 months.
❗️We are convinced that finding solutions to global issues, let alone matters of our bilateral relationship, hinge upon a direct dialog between us. We are often asked these days, whether Minister Lavrov will attend UNGA at all. That gives us plenty of reasons to state that his attendance will be welcomed by many. It would be fitting to remind you of Minister’s recent trips to Asia and Africa. He was warmly welcomed there and had a plethora of meetings. Russia’s top diplomat frequents international fora, be it G20, SCO, ASEAN, CIS, CSTO. Examples abound and they are perfectly familiar to our audience.
🔹No doubt that the United States has often interfered with our official trips in the recent years, including the United Nations-bound ones. Cognizant of this, our Embassy has already demanded from the White House to comply with its obligations as a host country to the United Nations Headquarters. We requested immediate visa approvals for Minister himself and all the members of the Russian delegation. We will continue to insist on granting unimpeded access to all representatives of the Russian Federation participating in the 77th UNGA session.
☝️By the way, tomorrow I will be visiting State Department. This will be one of the key topics that I mean to address – fully-fledged and full-scale participation of the Russian delegation in the General Assembly work in New York in September.

🇷🇺🇺🇸Ambassador Anatoly Antonov’s interview to the Russian channel «РОССИЯ 24». Part TWO

💬Evelina Zakamskaya: How does the US view Russian energy cooperation with other countries? By the way, Germany has admitted today, that without Russian gas their supplies will run out in two and a half months.
❓What is the US stance on this and on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline? After all, they have been interfering with its progress for so long.

💬Ambassador Antonov: Let me stress this. Washington may do whatever it wants, seeking to portray Russian as un unreliable supplier – and it does pursue this line doggedly. Yet there is a strong disconnect between this narrative and the reality.
🔹Our buyers, including the ones you have just mentioned, have indeed run into predicaments. And the sole reason for these are the sanctions and restrictions that the United States has imposed or prompted others to. We have never imposed our supplies on anyone. Neither have we attempted to secure a short-term gain through it – which is something we have been accused of. We are ready to sell it to anyone willing to buy. To anyone, who is in the market for affordable and high-quality resources.
🔹Moving on to Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline now. It is operation-ready. Theoretically, putting it online would have opened up virtually all the supply bottlenecks caused by the erratic sanctions imposed against Nord Stream 1. Only one thing is missing. Political will. Pushing the button is all it takes for Europe to bring Nord Stream 2 to life. Yet, Europe yielded to unrelenting pressure of Washington and opted for expensive LNG instead. Washington’s preferred way of describing it is that it consists of “molecules of freedom”.
🔹If you think back to the Soviet era, you will see that this is history repeating itself. Back then, the United States also fought tooth and nail to dismantle our economic ties to Europe. For instance, back in 1960s we, together with the German partners, sought to launch a famous “Gas for Pipes” project. Essentially, it meant selling gas to Europe and being paid in large-diameter pipes. Americans put a lot of pressure on Berlin, yet the project was followed through.
🔹Now, Americans have left no stone unturned to make sure that Nord Stream 2 never sees the light of the day. And yet we persevered. Today though, Washington holds all the keys to this project. We may say everything aligned to Washington’s favor and it is now celebrating its victory.
❓It begs the question. Who’s the winner? America – no two ways about it. Who’s the loser then? Not only Russia, but Europe has also lost. It is European competitive edge, not the Russian one, that was dealt a heavy blow. United States today tries to label energy markets as “good” and “bad” ones. Nothing will come out of it, but rather destabilization of the entire energy industry, fuel price swings and spiking inflation.
☝️The US went as far as to propose introducing price caps for Russian oil. The goal is to strip Russia of its incomes. Washington seems oblivious to the fact that we are not going to sell energy at a loss. What will happen instead is another market pivot – a pivot away from the Western countries.

🇷🇺🇺🇸Ambassador Anatoly Antonov’s interview to the Russian channel «РОССИЯ 24». Part THREE

💬Evelina Zakamskaya: I see. On a separate note, we have repeatedly discussed the tough life of Russian nationals serving time in American prisons. Several months ago, Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko was swapped for former US Marine Trevor Reed.
❓That being said, are there more prisoner swaps in the pipeline? And who might be a part of it?

💬Ambassador Antonov: That is a very sensitive and emotionally-loaded issue. Primarily, I want to join others in rejoice as they welcome Konstantin back home. Words fail me as I try to recount what he went through over his 12 years in captivity. His health condition has suffered badly. He was not offered a proper check-up in the US. Neither was he offered the required medication. About 2 weeks ago I met Konstantin in Moscow.
☝️Seeing him safe and sound, happy to be back home meant the world to me.
❗️Some other Russian nationals are going through same hardships as we speak. It took us a ton of effort to secure a physical check-up for Viktor Bout. Roman Seleznev is still denied proper medical care and Embassy requests are neglected.
🔹I emphatically affirm that protection of Russian nationals, who ended up being detained in American penitentiary system, is our top priority. We can never stand by idly, when fellow compatriots are in harm’s way.
🔹Just remember Maria Butina, our parliament MP! She was unfairly held in prison for over 18 months, abused, harassed and tortured. When it comes to putting Russians under psychological pressure, no holds are barred. No effort is spared to get a confession out of them. Failing to achieve that, they are threatened with long prison terms.
‼️This US administration is on a hunt for Russian nationals abroad. Since 2008, 58 Russians have been arrested abroad. Remarkably, international community and human rights watchdogs are silent about it.
☝️I personally and repeatedly approached the management of these organizations for assistance. And yet, the things have not budged an inch. We will never accept it. Instead, we will seek a safe passage home for all Russian detainees. And it is not hollow words for us – it is our concern. This is what we live for, it is our mission.

💬Evelina Zakamskaya: Your Excellency, how is Viktor Bout doing?

💬Ambassador Antonov: Not very good, really. And why would he? American prison is not exactly a pleasant place to be in. We hope to visit him soon. He is in a sorry state. Haunted by hopes of going back home.
❗️We are sparing no efforts to make sure it happens as soon as possible.

💬Evelina Zakamskaya: Are you still able to discuss these matters with American public officials?

💬Ambassador Antonov: We do stay in touch with them. We believe that these matters are best handled privately, away from unnecessary attention. As agreed by our leaders, these issues must be tackled by relevant authorities. This effort is under way now. And I believe that it is time for us to wait and see what comes out of it.

🇷🇺🇺🇸Ambassador Anatoly Antonov’s interview to the Russian channel «РОССИЯ 24». Part FOUR

💬Evelina Zakamskaya: The only remaining US-Russia treaty on nuclear arms control is the New START Treaty, Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which expires in 2026. Cognizant of the need to prepare for its extension, the parties seemed to be laying the groundwork.
❓Yet with start of the Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine this effort came to a halt. Having said that, President Biden has recently stated that he is ready to resume the talks on the matter immediately. What stands behind such statements?

💬Ambassador Antonov: His bold statement was timed to coincide with the opening of the 10th NPT Review Conference – an international conference to discuss international efforts on arms control, non-proliferation and peaceful use of nuclear energy. The Conference has been up and running in New York for over a month now. In his introductory remarks, President Biden made this strong statement, signaling his readiness to immediately negotiate what he termed as a “framework agreement” that would supersede the New START Treaty.
🔹That being said, the US has not made any specific proposals available to us, to follow up on their initiative.
🔹Biden’s words have been widely broadcasted both in Russian media and here in America. However, you have failed to mentioned one important phrase that he ended his remarks with. Russia, he said, is expected to show good will. Now, what is that supposed to mean? One may only assume that this was an offhand reference to Russia’s special military operation.
☝️Now, that is an odd remark, coming from Americans. History of arms control talks, first between the United States and the Soviet Union, and then between the United States and Russia gives a proof-positive record of never yielding to pressure. Our negotiators have always demanded equitable dialog.
🔹We requested meetings to clarify the statements of President Biden and some of his Administration’s officials. So far, we have got no response. Still, I’m planning to meet people from the Department of Defense and Department of State shortly, to dot the i’s and cross the t’s and get to the bottom of what was really meant. To find out whether Americans are actually up for an equitable and mutually beneficial conversation on that matter.
🔹You know, these days we often hear that talking to Americans at all is a lost cause. That talks and negotiations are a waste of time. Let me tell you what I think.
🔹To my mind, without an earnest conversation between the US and Russia we will lose, the whole world and the international order will lose.
‼️Today, the New START Treaty is the benchmark for arms control treaties. It must be saved. It is bound to expire in 2026 and we need to decide, what comes the day after? What do we do when we wake up to a world without such a treaty. Bearing this in mind, I need to remind you of the words our presidents said in Geneva: nuclear war can never be won and therefore must never be fought.
🔹We desperately need a modicum of certainty. Something that is conspicuous with its absence in our bilateral relations today. We are ready to a frank conversation – that is what I gather from my communications with colleagues in Moscow. We just need to figure out, whether Americans are. All the more so, notwithstanding all the promises, all the key posture review papers of the US Administration which were to have been published in spring are still pending. We hope for them to be made public any day now. I very much expect to have contacts with my US counterparts.

🇷🇺🇺🇸Ambassador Anatoly Antonov’s interview to the Russian channel «РОССИЯ 24». Part FIVE

💬Evelina Zakamskaya: The pressure becomes clearer, and it builds up as Russia's special military operation in Ukraine goes on. What do you make of the way this pressure evolves? The United States has already spent ten billion US dollars on military support of Ukraine, particularly during Russia's special military operation.
❓Do you think that this pressure will continue to build up according to your impressions, feelings, and calculus?

💬Ambassador Antonov: We have to look at this from a broader perspective.
☝️The Americans believe that in 1991 they failed to follow through with their operation to precipitate Russia's downfall, to break it up and turn it into a third-class non-entity. After the 1990s, we began to raise from our knees, we strengthened our armed forces, made far-reaching political and economic steps. It irritated people here in Washington, it alarmed them and rubbed them the wrong way. Washington was only ready to see us as a second-rate sidekick, sticking to all of its policies.
🔹That is why our President's demand for security guarantees and the rejection of the rules-based international order came as a shock to Americans. The West chose to ignore the admonitions of the Russian President, believing it was possible to maintain a world order that benefitted them, but was detrimental to us. Naturally we rejected such an approach.
🔹But the special military operation seemed to be a kind of a trigger to impose the "sanctions from hell" as the Americans put it. And as we have been liberating the Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, Washington has come to realize that we're not bluffing. That our resolve is steadfast, and we are committed to accomplishing every single goal our President has set for us.
🔹Americans are not going to stop and are doing their best to form a front of loyal allies and states that, for one reason or another, are forced to obey Washington's orders. The pressure is being ramped up everywhere.
❗️Washington sends its emissaries to Asia, Africa, Latin America. They are tasked with persuading the states not to have any business with us. I would like to emphasize Washington's keen attention to the CIS countries. They are threatened and intimidated by sanctions. Washington is trying to force their hand and make them stop interacting with us.
‼️Washington is imposing sanctions that are causing serious economic damage for both Russia and the United States. We are talking high gasoline prices, high inflation, low economic development rate here. The important thing here is that Russia, the word "Russia", "the Russian problem" has become a politically-charged issue, especially now, when midterms are looming in November. The White House repeatedly claims that it has achieved every single one of its goals and that we are isolated. Contrary to that, most members of the international community continue to cooperate with us.
🔹On August 9 the Washington Post – and nobody can accuse this newspaper of cosying up to Russia – put it in no uncertain terms that two-thirds of the world population, living in various countries, have refused to support the Western sanctions. We see all US plans imploding. Look at the most recent examples. Look at the grand events that the Russian Ministry of Defense will be hosting today and tomorrow. Three major events: a conference on international security, Army 2022, International Military and Technical Forum and Army Games – will bring together 700 delegates from several dozen countries. I mean, what are we talking here about? Isn’t it a proof of authority as well as recognition of, by the way, not only Russian Defence Ministry but of our country in general?

🇷🇺🇺🇸Ambassador Anatoly Antonov’s interview to the Russian channel «РОССИЯ 24». Part SIX

💬Evelina Zakamskaya: There is one question I ask you during every single interview, and regrettably, each time your answer only grows shorter.
❓ Do Russia and the US still have any opportunities for cooperation left? And a follow-up question, if I may. How likely is it that the US would go so far as to name Russia, say, a state sponsor of terrorism?

💬Ambassador Antonov: The situation is deplorable. I am scrambling for words here, really. All the legacy of recent years has been razed to the ground. When we spoke two years ago, we discussed difficulties in our relations, when Donald Trump was the President. Here Russian diplomats were expelled, our property was seized, but today the situation is simply unprecedented. Had somebody said a year ago that it was possible to drive the relations between our two countries down so low, I would have just smiled back. However, here we are.
❗️Not only Russians but also compatriots, living here, today face discrimination simply for being Russians. They are intimidated, harassed, threatened. It is indeed a very sad situation that cultural, scientific educational ties have been severed. Official propaganda tries its best to demonize the Russian authorities. Every mention of our country's role in World War II is simply obliterated.
🔹This is the most disappointing thing of all. I know many ordinary Americans here who watch it all with bitterness, as they remember the battle brotherhood of the American and Soviet people during the World War II. And it is my firm belief that no global challenge can be addressed without the cooperation of the major nuclear powers, the permanent members of the Security Council.
🔹This, by the way, was clearly and distinctively stated by the Russian President in his opening remarks at the conference on international security. Nothing but breadcrumbs is what remains from our former cooperation. I could mention the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction but that would be subject to a huge reservation. Then there is the so-called deconflicting communications channel in Syria, perhaps, the peaceful space exploration. I know that US administration officials openly say that they are interested in our participation. Alas, that's all that comes to mind today. And other examples do not even merit the attention of your audience.
☝️Apparently, we have to wait out a little bit for all this “foam” of Russophobia to wane here in the United States. After all, we don't really need much from the United States. We seek them to recognize our national interests, show some respect and the willingness to talk to us on an equitable and mutually beneficial footing. We are not going to chase and beg anyone. We can make it without Coca-Cola. Our soft drinks are much better anyway.
🔹Still, it is my strong belief that steady and pragmatic relations between our two countries are in the interests of the peoples of Russia and the United States of America.

🇷🇺🇺🇸Ambassador Anatoly Antonov’s interview to the Russian channel «РОССИЯ 24». Part SEVEN

💬Evelina Zakamskaya: And the last question. We don't have much time left, but you did mention ordinary Americans.
❓ Hasn't American public got a Russophobia fatigue already? Isn't it tired of this anti-Russian rhetoric?

💬Ambassador Antonov: The Russophobia in the US is intense, but it mostly peaks in Washington, D.C., New York and other big cities. The farther away from the capital you go, the less interested people are in European affairs and the more questions they ask.
⁉️Why is the United States fighting with Russia? Especially today, when the economy is tight? Few people can even show Ukraine on the map, let alone Russia. People are mostly interested in their day-to-day life. How much do you have to pay for gasoline, for bread, for milk? How big is the pay check? Am I even going to keep my job tomorrow?
🔹Who are the ill-wishers? The media, of course. Turn on CNN on any given day, which is what I do day in and day out, and you will quickly learn that it's all Russia's fault, the so-called "Putin’s inflation", Putin’s price hikes on anything and everything. As far as Fox News is concerned, that is the mouthpiece of the Republican Party, they would scoff at those words and negatively react to the accusations against Russia, including the alleged collusion between the former President Trump and the Russian authorities.
🔹Crucially though, the media attitude to the special military operation is extremely negative. The political classes actively dislike our wish to create a new international order. And this is where they stand united. As much as I would love to, right now I cannot unequivocally tell you that people have grown tired of all this, but the first sprouts are there, to put it mildly. Some statesmen say this.
‼️For instance, Tulsi Gabbard, an influential Democrat, has bluntly said that the whole thing has nothing to do with the people of Ukraine or with defense of democracy. She said that the goal of all Washington actions is to change regime in Russia. She has hit the nail on the head.
☝️Let me also quote Henry Kissinger. Recently, speaking to the Wall Street Journal he said that we are on the brink of starting a war with Russia and China over issues that we have partially created ourselves. So, these are the sprouts I have just told you about. Political scientists, the colleagues I meet with, they talk reluctantly about them. We are still a long way from saying that the situation is under control.