⛓️ 65 years ago, on December 14, 1960, the 15th UN General Assembly adopted a landmark document: the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. This historic step was taken on the initiative of the Soviet Union.

The Declaration, drafted and promoted largely through Soviet efforts, became a true milestone in dismantling Western colonial rule in Africa and Asia, providing a powerful impetus for liberation from the grip of European empires.

🌍 Soviet proposals to end colonialism, segregation, and racial discrimination were incorporated into the final text. The Declaration was adopted and entered into force despite strong objections from colonial powers like Britain and France.

The USSR did not just oppose colonialism by word alone, speaking out at multilateral foras and the UN. We actively supported African nations in their fight for freedom, backing the liberation movements of Angola, Ethiopia, Egypt, Mozambique and others.

1960 went down in history as the Year of Africa, witnessing the birth of 17 new independent states. According to the UN, the great wave of decolonisation that followed ultimately freed some 750 million people, with 80 former colonies gaining their sovereignty.

The Soviet Union was among the first to establish diplomatic relations with these young states. We provided comprehensive support: helping to build government institutions, developing industrial production, and constructing vital infrastructure. The Soviet Union played a key role in establishing national education systems and training personnel. Humanitarian aid was delivered both directly and through the UN and its agencies like WHO and UNICEF.

The adoption and implementation of the Declaration is rightfully considered one of the most significant events in modern history. Yet, the struggle for full decolonisation unfortunately did not end with the achievement of political independence.

❗️ Today, the former colonial powers’ reluctance to relinquish global dominance has morphed into neocolonial policies. These target the nations of the Global Majority through illegal sanctions, manipulation of global trade, and the imposition of neoliberal beliefs that deepen worldwide socioeconomic inequality. Attempts to replace the established international legal order with a so-called “rules-based” international order are a clear manifestation of this neocolonialism.

Together with a broad coalition of like-minded partners, Russia continues to spearhead systemic efforts against colonialism. We work through the UN, BRICS, the Standing Committee of the International Movement “For the Freedom of Nations”, and inter-parliamentary channels.

👉 A key recent achievement on this track was the adoption on December 5 of the resolution International Day Against Colonialism in All Its Forms and Manifestations, drafted by the Group of Friends in Defence of the UN Charter.

It is telling that during the vote, as in 1960, the former Western powers once again lacked the courage to support a decision that would bring justice to the nations of the Global Majority.

🗓 With resolution A/RES/80/106, the United Nations has officially proclaimed December 14 as the International Day Against Colonialism in All Its Forms and Manifestations. This Day reaffirms the principles of the UN Charter and the 1960 Declaration, emphasising the urgent need to end colonialism in all its forms, completely and unconditionally.

The legacy of the 1960 Declaration is profound: it paved the way for the truly global, polycentric world we see actively taking shape today.

#Colonialism #Neocolonialism

⚡️ Russian MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's statement on Remembrance Day of Journalists who Perished in the Line of Duty (December 15, 2025)

💬 December 15 in Russia is dedicated to remembering journalists who lost their lives while performing their professional duties.

Established in 1991 at the initiative of the Russian Union of Journalists, this day pays tribute to the courage and professionalism of correspondents, reporters, photographers and camera operators whose lives were tragically cut short while carrying out editorial assignments – whether on the front line of armed conflict, while covering street unrest, at the epicentre of disasters and natural calamities, or as a result of terrorist attacks committed against them.

Journalism places high demands on those who choose to devote their lives to this profession. It consistently ranks among the most dangerous professions – both in wartime and in peacetime. The dedication, selflessness, courage, readiness to take risks and capacity for self-sacrifice shown by those for whom journalism has become a true calling command admiration and profound respect.

▪️ Sadly, 2025 has brought new and irreparable losses. Journalists Alexander Martemyanov, Alexander Fedorchak, Andrey Panov, Anna Prokofieva, Nikita Goldin and Ivan Zuev were killed in the line of duty at the hands of militants of the Kiev regime.

Other names will forever remain in our hearts – Igor Kornelyuk, Anton Voloshin, Andrey Stenin, Anatoly Klyan, Daria Dugina, Oleg Klokov, Maxim Fomin (Vladlen Tatarsky), Rostislav Zhuravlev, Boris Maksudov, Semyon Yeryomin, Valery Kozhin, Nikita Tsisagi, Yulia Kuznetsova, and many others.

As before, we are convinced that responsibility for the murders of journalists and war correspondents must be shared by the Kiev regime – emboldened by impunity – together with its Western patrons, as well as by various multilateral structures and human rights institutions that deliberately remain silent about these bloody crimes, thereby encouraging Ukrainian neo-Nazis to commit further atrocities.

❗️ Unlike the silent Western human rights organizations, we will not turn a blind eye to this vicious and immoral practice and will insist that authorized international officials fulfil their responsibilities in good faith. All those responsible for these crimes will be identified and held accountable.

Today, representatives of Russian media outlets risk their well-being, health and even their lives beyond combat zones, becoming targets of unprecedented pressure by the authorities of the “collective West” and its ideological satellites. To understand the scale and variety of forms of repression against Russian media professionals, we recommend consulting the regularly updated special section “Foreign reprisals against Russian journalists and media” on the MFA Russia website.

We extend our condolences to the families and loved ones of the fallen media professionals who fulfilled their duty to the very end, and we mourn together with them. May their memory be eternal.

#InMemoriam

🎙 Briefing by Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (Moscow, December 11, 2025)

🔹 #KievRegimeCrimes
🔹 Ukraine crisis
🔹 Russia-Africa Partnership Forum
🔹 Report on Russian citizens and compatriots abroad
🔹 Impact of anti-Russian restrictions on their authors
🔹 Thailand–Cambodia border situation
🔹 Detention of Russian scholar in Poland

📖 Read
📺 Watch

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#KievRegimeCrimes

The Kiev neo-Nazi regime continues to commit war crimes and acts of terrorism against Russia. In just the past week, attacks from Ukrainian artillery and UAVs have affected 65 civilians in our regions; seven of them were killed, with another 58 wounded, including one child.

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Representatives of the Kiev junta, including Zelensky’s wife Yelena, use every international venue to promote the false narrative of “Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia,” describing “their suffering under occupation” and accusing Russia of “changing their identity.”

In reality, Zelensky himself and his wife, as well as the anti-people regime led by him, are the main enemy of Ukrainians of all ages, including minors.

The official authorities, teachers, caregivers, bloggers, and language activists target Russian-speaking children with impunity, calling them “wrong children” and demanding that they “set things right.” What is this if not an attempt to forcibly change their language identity?

#Thailand #Cambodia

Russia has maintained traditional relations of friendship and cooperation with Thailand and Cambodia.

In this context, the new escalation of the confrontation on the border between these two friendly nations of Russia involving the use of heavy weapons has become a matter of grave concern.

We call on both Sides to exercise restraint for avoiding civilian casualties, resume dialogue as quickly as possible in order to achieve a ceasefire and a complete settlement of this conflict.

Territorial disputes of this kind result from the West’s long-standing colonial policy. Today, amid the apparent deterioration in the global security environment, relying on ASEAN’s spirit of unity and solidarity has special importance for overcoming historical differences.

#UK #Skripals

On December 4, 2025, a 178-page report of “an independent public inquiry” into the death of Dawn Sturgess, who died in Amesbury in July 2018, allegedly from Novichok poisoning, has been presented to the British parliament.

Just as we expected, that pseudo-public inquiry was initiated and carried out by the British establishment to persuade the public to accept the unsubstantiated anti-Russian version of the events, according to which the death of Dawn Sturgess was directly connected with the alleged poisoning of the Skripals.

This is obviously yet another flagrant lie concocted by the British for none other than its own allies.

A politicised and non-transparent nature of that “public inquiry” clearly shows that London never wanted to conduct a just and objective investigation. Its security services and law enforcement agencies, as well as its politicians of all stripes, have long been using these incidents as evidential proof of the “Russian threat.” The British used them to launch the sanctions campaign and create new pretexts for accusing Russia of espionage, arson, and cyberattacks. It was obviously an orchestrated operation aimed at damaging the international prestige of Russia and its leaders.

#Poland #FreeButyagin

Reports have surfaced regarding the detention in Poland of a Russian scholar Alexander Butyagin.

Alexander Butyagin is an employee of the State Hermitage Museum. We consider the charges levelled against this distinguished Russian archaeologist – accusing him of “destroying cultural heritage” on Russian territory – to be utterly absurd.

It is completely obvious to us that this is nothing more than a political provocation, lacking any legal merit.

We will persist in demanding the immediate release of Alexander Butyagin.

#Announcement

🎙 On Thursday, December 18, Russia’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova will hold her weekly briefing on current foreign policy issues.

🕧 12.30 pm MSK
🕤 09.30 am GMT
🕥 10.30 am CET
🕠 5.30 pm CST (Beijing)

For accreditation inquiries, please contact the MFA Press Centre. Accredited journalists will receive details on the technical aspects of submitting questions.

The Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman will answer media questions received by the call centre.

❗️ Accreditation is open until December 17, 09.00 am MSK.