🇷🇺 Vladimir Putin has been inaugurated as President of Russia in a ceremony that took place at the Kremlin (May 7. 2024)

💬 In these solemn and crucial moments of assuming the office of the President, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the citizens of Russia across all regions of our country, as well as those living in the historical territories of Russia who have won their right to stand united with our Motherland.

I humbly honour our heroes, the participants in the special military operation, and all those who are fighting for our Fatherland.

I would like to thank you again for the trust you have placed in me and for your unwavering support. These words are directed to every citizen of Russia.

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🌐 We have been and will continue to be open to strengthening good relations with all countries that view Russia as a reliable and honest partner. Indeed, those constitute the global majority.

We are not rejecting dialogue with Western states. The choice is theirs: whether they intend to continue trying to contain Russia’s development, continue the policy of aggression, the relentless pressure they have been exerting on our country for years, or seek a path to cooperation and peace.

To reiterate, we are open to talks, including on security and strategic stability, but not to negotiations from a position of strength. We are open to a conversation without arrogance, conceit or exceptionalism – a dialogue on an equal footing and with respect for each other’s interests.

Together with our partners in Eurasian integration and other sovereign development centres, we will continue to build a multipolar world and an equal and indivisible security system.

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☝️ We stand as a united and great nation. Together we will overcome all obstacles and ensure that everything we conceive becomes reality. Together we win!

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⚡️ Foreign Ministry statement on the Russian Armed Forces’ exercises held to practice for the use of non-strategic nuclear weapons

💬 Regarding the upcoming Russian military exercises held to practice for the use of non-strategic nuclear weapons, we would like to point out that these drills should be viewed in the context of the recent militant statements made by Western officials and the highly destabilising actions taken by several NATO countries to increase military pressure on the Russian Federation <...>.

👉 The matter concerns above all the open declaration of support for and the provision of direct assistance to the terrorist attacks against Russia carried out by the Kiev regime with the use of increasingly more advanced Western weapons provided to it. <...>

Apart from the British and French long-range missiles, which have long been used in Ukraine, we have taken special note of the models of US-made ATACMS missiles, which have been recently sent to Ukraine and are capable of reaching targets inside Russia.

At the same time, attempting to build up multifaceted missile threats to Russia, the US has openly and manifestly launched the deployment of ground-based intermediate- and shorter-range missiles, which were previously prohibited under the INF Treaty, around the world. <...>

❗️We hereby expressly declare that we reserve the right to respond in kind, no matter where US-made intermediate- and shorter-range missiles are deployed, which would amount to the termination of Russia’s unilateral moratorium on the deployment of these weapon systems. <...>

These and several other actions by NATO countries actually show that they are deliberately trying to escalate the Ukrainian crisis all the way to an open military confrontation between NATO countries and Russia within the framework of their hostile policy of inflicting a “strategic defeat” on Russia.

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