Russia: Weekly Report (25.03–31.03)

1. Preliminary results of the investigation into the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall 

The investigation into the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall, which killed more than 140 people, predictably remained a key topic in the public space. Throughout the past week, demonstrations took place in Russia to detain and interrogate terrorists, determine preventive measures for them, and also restore all the details of the terrorist attack that occurred on Friday, March 22.

At the same time, battles continued at the international level over those responsible for organising the terrorist attack. Despite several statements from Western countries about the involvement of one of the Islamic State cells in the attack, as well as direct statements from official representatives of the terrorist group Vilayat Khorasan, who took responsibility for the attack, the Russian authorities continued to blame the Ukrainian side for it. It is noteworthy that officials also joined the accusations in addition to regular statements from propagandists and several Russian media. So, on Tuesday, March 26, in a short comment to the press, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolai Patrushev said that “of course, Ukraine” was to blame for the terrorist attack.

On the same day, the Head of the FSB of the Russian Federation, Alexander Bortnikov, admitted that the Russian investigation had not yet established the mastermind of the attack, and its perpetrators were, as he put it, Islamist radicals. However, Bortnikov expressed his conviction that the Ukrainian special services had something to do with the terrorist attack. Similar indirect statements from senior Russian officials continued throughout the week.

Already on Sunday, March 31, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation published a statement in which they noted that the investigative actions allegedly carried out by the Russian competent authorities indicate that the traces of the latest terrorist attacks led to Ukraine. In the same context, the Russian diplomatic service recalled the murder of Daria Dugina and Vladlen Tatarsky, as well as the explosion on the Crimean Bridge in October 2022. In this regard, the Russian Foreign Ministry submitted to the Ukrainian authorities demands within the framework of the International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorism and the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism for the immediate arrest and extradition of all persons involved in these terrorist attacks. Moreover, Russian diplomats demanded the arrest of the head of the SBU, Vasily Malyuk, who, according to the Russians, “cynically admitted on March 25 that Ukraine organised the bombing of the Crimean Bridge in October 2022, which revealed details of the organisation of other terrorist attacks in Russia.”

Outcomes and outlook:

The tragedy at Crocus City Hall received a charge of politicisation from the very beginning. Literally hot on the heels, representatives of the security forces of the Russian Federation began to promote the version of the involvement of radical Islamists and the leadership of Ukraine in the terrorist act. Both Putin, Patrushev, and Bortnikov made hints about the involvement of the Ukrainian special services in the terrorist act, which allegedly acted as the real organisers of the incident. The statements of some Ukrainian intelligence service leaders were clearly inappropriate, as they added fuel to the fire without considering the possible consequences. It was essential for Russia to show the world community that Ukraine is a “breeding ground for extremism.” In this regard, Russia’s primary goal is to show through the investigation (perhaps even through the fabrication of evidence and the investigation itself) that any support for Ukraine at this time is “work to assist terrorists,” which can find a response and be replicated in the political environment of individual European parties on the eve of the European Parliament elections, and will also serve as an element of pressure on the current governments of the EU countries. In essence, Russia is preparing a platform for negotiations with the United States and NATO, strengthening its positions and base of arguments (previously, accusations of terrorist acts and assistance to terrorism were addressed to Russia, but now it is trying to play with the West using its methods).

2. Meeting on measures taken after the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall 

On Monday, March 25, Vladimir Putin held an online meeting with the heads of the Government, regions, special services and law enforcement agencies on measures taken after the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall concert complex. In particular, the Russian President once again expressed condolences to all the relatives and friends of those injured and killed as a result of the terrorist attack and also heard reports on the first results of the investigation.

Key theses:

• Putin: “I know that among those who are now sending words of sympathy to the victims’ families are people of different nationalities, from all regions of our country, of all ages, including children, schoolchildren and students. Those who planned this terrorist attack hoped to sow panic and discord in our society, but they were met with unity and determination to resist this evil.”

• Putin: “We know that the crime was committed by radical Islamists, whose ideology the Islamic world itself has been fighting for centuries. But we also see that the United States, through various channels, is trying to convince its satellites and other countries of the world that, according to their intelligence data, there is supposedly no Kyiv trace in the Moscow terrorist attack, that followers of Islam carried out the bloody terrorist attack, members of the ISIS organisation banned in Russia.”

• Putin: “We know by whose hands this atrocity was committed against Russia and its people. We are interested in who the customer is. In the course of joint work between our intelligence services and law enforcement agencies, we need to get answers to several questions.”

• Putin: “Are radical and even terrorist Islamic organisations really interested in striking Russia, which today stands for a fair solution to the escalating Middle East conflict? And how do radical Islamists, who position themselves, by the way, as devout Muslims, professing so-called pure Islam, commit serious atrocities and crimes during the holy month of Ramadan for all Muslims?”

• Putin: “This atrocity can only be a link in a whole series of attempts by those who have been fighting our country since 2014 at the hands of the neo-Nazi Kyiv regime. And the Nazis, as is well known, never disdained to use the most dirty and inhumane means to achieve their goals. Especially today, when their advertised counter-offensive has completely failed. Everyone already recognises this and is not disputed. The Russian Armed Forces hold the initiative along the entire line of combat contact, and all the measures the enemy takes to stabilise the front do not bring success.”

• Putin: “You just need to follow the orders of your Western curators, fight to the last Ukrainian, obey the command from Washington and adopt a new law on mobilisation, create something like the Hitler Youth in its new edition, of course. To use this new weapon and additional money, a significant part of which can be stolen and put in your pocket, as usual in Ukraine today.”

• Putin: “Of course, we also need to answer the question: why did the terrorists try to go to Ukraine after committing a crime? Who was waiting for them there? It is clear that those who support the Kyiv regime do not want to be accomplices in terror and sponsors of terrorism. But there are a lot of questions.”

• Bastrykin: “On March 22 at 18:54, four criminals in a Renault car drove up to the building of the Crocus City Hall concert hall, where they began to wait for the arrival of spectators. At 19:58, terrorists armed with automatic firearms, while near the Crocus City Hall building, opened fire on visitors who were on the street. Having entered the lobby of the building and then into the concert hall, they continued shooting at all citizens they noticed, regardless of gender and age. Using gasoline they brought with them in plastic bottles, they set fire to the premises and left the building at 8:11 p.m. While leaving the parking lot in a car, the criminals at high speed hit pedestrians – a family with two young children. The children suffered serious injuries and were hospitalised.”

• Bastrykin: “All the attackers were detained on the territory of the Bryansk region during the pursuit along the highway leading in the direction of the Russian-Ukrainian border. During the inspection, two AK-74 assault rifles, more than 500 rounds of ammunition, 28 magazines with cartridges, and bottles with gasoline residues were found and seized at the scene of the incident. The inspection of the crime scene continues with the participation of forensic specialists and experts from the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation.”

Outcomes and outlook:

The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation is following the initially stated version of the investigation while actively tracking the “Tajik” and “Ukrainian” trail. At the same time, active actions began in the Tajik ethnic environment and other environments of immigrants from Central Asia (in particular, among the Uzbeks and Kyrgyz). Searches and other investigative actions in the Ukrainian environment may be next, especially among migrants who arrived before the war and in the first months of the war.

3. Extended meeting of the Prosecutor General’s Office board 

On Tuesday, March 26, an extended meeting of the General Prosecutor’s Office board was held in Moscow. Vladimir Putin also spoke at the meeting. In his Address, the Russian President recalled the tragic events at Crocus City Hall, thanked the Russian prosecutorial corps for their conscientious work, and identified key aspects of activity for the coming year.

Key theses:

• Putin: “This year, prosecutors must strengthen their work in several key areas. First of all, we are talking about protecting citizens’ labour, social, housing and other rights. All issues that determine the quality of life, the well-being of Russian families, and everyone should be your priority.”

• Putin: “Another unconditional priority, and I also spoke about this in the Address, is our young generation, its upbringing and formation. As you know, a new national project, “Youth of Russia,” will be launched. At the same time, it is important to strengthen the work to protect the rights of minors seriously. Do everything to protect children and adolescents from criminal attacks and from the risks of being drawn into a criminal and extremist environment. And, of course, it is the direct responsibility of prosecutors to regularly and thoroughly check compliance with safety requirements in educational institutions and places of children’s recreation.”

• Putin: “Increased demands are being made today to protect the rights of entrepreneurs and all participants in economic life. You understand how important a healthy, efficient economy is to us. This is always important, but today, it has special significance. We will consistently continue our strategic line of removing administrative barriers, expanding economic freedoms, supporting business activity, and creating favourable conditions for our companies.”

• Putin: “The work of prosecutors is justified when assets were acquired in circumvention, violating the law. Moreover, they are used to the detriment of the state. At the same time, I would like to emphasise that in each such case, you must act strictly according to the law, within the framework of clear legal procedures. I ask you to strictly suppress attempts to use the powers of the prosecutor’s office and other law enforcement agencies for personal gain, to put pressure on businesses, to participate in economic conflicts behind unfair competition, and various types of schemes for redistributing property.”

• Krasnov: “Another key task is to respect the rights of children left without parental care. There are 375 thousand orphans living in the country; almost 200 thousand adult citizens from this category have the right to housing but are not provided with it. The consistent work carried out by prosecutors contributed to the stable allocation of funding to purchase apartments for this category of people.”

• Krasnov: “Large families need special care. In many regions, they are faced with the problem of obtaining land for individual housing construction, which officials solve slowly and sometimes outright mockingly. Plots are sometimes provided in places where it is impossible to reach without a helicopter. Each of my on-site receptions broadens our understanding of the scale and severity of this problem.”

• Krasnov: “Last year, people were concerned about the general increase in the cost of living, especially the rise in food and motor fuel prices. Pensioners and other socially vulnerable segments of the population felt this most acutely. On my instructions, checks on the validity of prices for sugar, chicken eggs, and wholesale and retail markups on medicines were promptly organised. This made it possible to reduce tension in society significantly.”

• Krasnov: “The rising cost of utilities worries almost the country’s entire population. In the republics of Bashkortostan, Buryatia, Arkhangelsk, Voronezh, Moscow, Pskov regions and several other regions, facts were revealed that almost six billion rubles of illegal expenses were included in electricity tariffs, including for servicing premium cars, holding banquets and other expenses.”

• Krasnov: “A month ago, I signed a new order to organise supervision of compliance with labour laws. In essence, it is a “road map” in which, in addition to the issues of repaying wage debts, all other mechanisms and tasks for protecting the labour rights of our citizens, including vulnerable segments of the population, participants in a special military operation, members of their families and loved ones. Ensure personal control over its implementation.”

• Putin: “Our country, as you know, is fighting to protect its vital interests, for the right to independent, sovereign development. Unfortunately, our ill-wishers, our competitors, and our opponents forced us to defend these interests by force, to fight those whom they armed and trained to fight Russia on the territory of a neighbouring state. And in today’s conditions, everything we do, in all spheres of our life, should be dedicated to Russia’s success in this direction. This means that the prosecutor’s office retains the most important tools for achieving success. We must under no circumstances allow any laxity; we must encourage all government bodies, all citizens of the country to comply with existing norms and laws strictly.”

• Putin: “What would you like to just draw attention to? Of course, the prosecutor’s office is aimed at simply strictly monitoring the implementation of the laws, and that’s all. Still, I ask you to approach all these problems arising in the economic sphere flexibly. Don’t just act on the principle of “grab it and don’t let it go”, but rather engage in prevention. Conscientious participants in economic activity should be promptly advised where they can enter the danger zone from the point of view of violating the current law. We need to help people. But, of course, it is necessary to strictly punish those who deliberately commit these violations and engage in embezzlement.”

Outcomes and outlook:

As indicated earlier, Putin began forming a new entourage from among the security forces who were young and personally devoted to Putin. Prosecutor General Krasnov is one of these individuals. The fact that Putin decided to speak at the board of the General Prosecutor’s Office is a sign both for Krasnov (the president’s special trust) and for society (the prosecutor’s office in Russia will work at double speed, issuing a large number of high-profile cases and charges.

4. Telephone conversations of Vladimir Putin with leaders of African countries  

Over the past week, Vladimir Putin held several telephone conversations with leaders of African states. In particular, the Russian President had a conversation with the Chairman of the National Council for the Defense of the Homeland of the Republic of Niger, Abdurahamane Chiani, the President of the Transitional Period of Mali Assimi Goita, the President of the Republic of Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso, as well as the President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa.

According to official statements of the parties, in all cases, the pace of development of cooperation in the trade, economic, energy and humanitarian fields, as well as general efforts to combat terrorism, were discussed. It is noted that the leaders of African states also expressed condolences to the Russian President in connection with the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall.

Outcomes and outlook:

Putin continues to intensify the African issue, trying to show that Russia has far-reaching plans to restore the influence on the continent lost after the collapse of the USSR. In fact, Putin has assembled a group of states focused on Russia and Russian foreign policy. Ascolta is designing a extensive project dedicated to Africa and the processes taking place in the region, including the degree of Russian influence on the continent.

5. Meeting with permanent members of the Security Council

On Friday, March 29, Vladimir Putin held an online meeting with permanent members of the Russian Security Council. According to official data, the main topic of the meeting was issues related to building and strengthening relations with significant partners in the international arena. The main speaker at the meeting was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergei Lavrov.

Also taking part in the meeting were Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Chairman of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko, Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, Chief of the Presidential Administration Anton Vaino, Secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin, particular representative President for Environmental Activities, Ecology and Transport Sergei Ivanov.

Outcomes and outlook:

The meeting with permanent members of the Russian Security Council was devoted to geopolitics: in fact, Putin updated the placement of pieces on the world chessboard. As he enters a new six-year presidential term, he wants to understand the main trends, risks, and opportunities, as well as Russia’s role and place. It needs short- and medium-term forecasts, an understanding of hazards, and resource bases. Therefore, this meeting is vital from the point of view of further positioning and goal setting.

6.  Interview with Sergei Lavrov for Izvestia 

On Friday, March 29, the Russian publication Izvestia published an interview with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. In the interview, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry voices another batch of incriminating theses against the West and repeats discussions about the new world order. Also, a significant part of the interview was devoted to the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall and accusations of Ukraine having connections with the incident.

Key theses:

• “The West is actively trying to convince everyone that the terrorist attack is the work of the Islamic State and that no one else needs to be suspected especially Ukraine. They speak directly and regularly about this country and its non-involvement. It becomes obsessive.”

• “We have repeatedly said that we do not make any final conclusions until the investigation is fully completed. The investigation is still working on the facts, and new circumstances are being revealed. But we simply do not have the right to exclude obvious versions. Moreover, those people who carried out terrorist acts fled to Ukraine when they were detained. The West is suspiciously actively convincing us, not only publicly but also in contacts through our diplomatic missions, that there is no need to suspect Ukraine. Without explaining why. Although, from the point of view of sound logic, answering the question of who benefits from this (this question is always asked when crimes are committed that have to be solved), we cannot exclude Ukraine.”

• “Yesterday, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine, Budanov, said: “The assertion that Ukraine committed the terrorist attack in Crocus is nonsense. Even though Russia is an enemy, I do not approve in principle of terrorist attacks against civilians.” From whose lips could such an assurance be received, but not from this man. In May 2023, he said, “These are people with a modified psyche (meaning Russians) who must be held fairly accountable. Fair responsibility in our understanding is only physical elimination.” This was said on air on the 1+1 TV channel. There are many other statements by Ukrainian officials, including Podolyak, Ermak, and former NSDC Secretary Danilov, including direct calls to destroy the “Russian people”. They say they don’t want Mykolaiv and Kharkiv to remain Russian cities in any way. And all the rest. There are threats to destroy Russians in Ukraine legally and physically.”

• “I am sure that the investigation has all these materials. Our Western colleagues, to whom we have spoken about this many times, are aware of these statements, not only about them. After the coup d’etat, the war of the Kyiv regime against its own people began. The signing of the Minsk agreements stopped it. After this, over the past years, the regimes of Poroshenko and Zelensky methodically adopted laws that destroyed everything Russian in Ukraine: first higher education, then secondary, then primary, culture, the media and much more. Cities adopted regulations prohibiting any events in Russian and any communication, even in stores and catering establishments. Not once in response to our thousands of appeals on each of these occasions to the Western countries supervising the Kyiv regime, which are now shielding Ukraine from all accusations to organisations such as the Council of Europe, the OSCE, to condemn and stop such a line, which directly contradicts Ukraine’s obligations under numerous conventions in the protection of the rights of national minorities, no public condemnation was made of these illegal actions.”

• “Ukrainians have adopted laws and are putting them into practice. They contradict the current Constitution of Ukraine, which directly states that the state guarantees the rights of Russians (highlighted separately) and other national minorities in education, media, and culture. This duplicity of the West, which refuses to admit the obvious (that it is a racist Nazi regime), is of grave concern. The only explanation: Ukraine is “so,” a part, “the tip of the iceberg,” and the goal declared by the West is “to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia”—this is the main thing. It is confirmed quite regularly. It turns out that those who are ready to try to fulfil this goal for the West with their bodies are allowed everything, including direct support for the theory and practice of Nazism. It is sad”.

• “I heard the recent speech of President of Belarus Lukashenko. He said that (everyone knows) Belarusian and Russian special services and other law enforcement agencies cooperate closely on an ongoing basis. Lukashenko stressed that he is ready to continue. He discussed, according to him, this situation with President Putin. They stay in contact. So there are such opportunities through Russian-Belarusian cooperation. Moreover, Belarus is closely monitoring the development of the situation in Ukraine. The Ukrainian group stands on the border with Belarus, constantly projecting a threat to the security of this country. The West is also doing its best to gather troops closer to the borders of both Russia and Belarus. I am not aware of any other proposals for cooperation.”

• “If something was done through the channels of the special services and transmitted to us, it remained unannounced. I sincerely doubt that anyone will offer their cooperation.”

• “A lot of people talk about this. The term “World War III” is directly mentioned. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly responded to these Western statements. Our position was stated very clearly. We are ready for negotiations if they are serious and will be based on an awareness of the reality and legitimate security interests of the Russian Federation and other countries “drawn” into this. Our president has made this very clear.”

• “Remember how this topic has evolved, particularly with the North Atlantic Alliance. At first, before the special military operation and immediately after it began, the West unanimously called for urgent admission of Ukraine to NATO because Russia would never attack a member of the alliance. After time had passed, they changed the “plate”. Now, they are saying that Russia cannot be allowed to win in Ukraine because as soon as our country wins, it will immediately attack NATO countries. There is no logic at all.”

• “If you look at statistics on how the EU and US economies have looked over the past year, you can immediately see who is living at whose expense and who is profiting from the policies imposed on Europe by Washington. The United States is generally receding into the background, letting the European Union take centre stage.”

• “As for Macron’s ideas. His performance was clearly improvised. Then he and his retinue “played back” back. However, a few days later, Macron repeated the idea. And he also said that he would create a coalition with the participation of countries that would be ready for this. In response, NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg and a number of leaders of the alliance members carefully reminded him that decisions are made collegially and collectively in the bloc. They said he didn’t consult. It seems to me that French activity on this “front” is intended solely to provide PR for the president in a situation where he has unimportant affairs “at home”, and it is necessary to create some kind of distraction in the form of calls to “finish off Russia.”

• “Recently, Macron, in the same context, made a series of statements that President Putin is famous for not respecting agreements and obligations, so he cannot be trusted, and we must continue to rely on “Russia’s strategic defeat on the battlefield.” From the mouth of Macron and the Frenchman in general, the leader of France, Putin’s accusation that he does not comply with the agreement sounds very original. This is said by the country’s president, whose foreign minister in February 2014 and colleagues from Germany and Poland guaranteed an agreement between the President of Ukraine, Yanukovych and the opposition. The next morning, she was trampled. All administrative buildings were seized, and contrary to the creation of a national unity government to prepare for early elections, the creation of a “government of winners” was announced. That’s when a “wedge” was driven into Ukrainian society.”

• “If we talk about other “achievements” of France, we can remember a lot. As part of the EU, she promoted many decisions on conflict resolution, which no one would implement. And they tell us about the inability to negotiate. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Borrell says Russian President Putin cannot be trusted. And he also said that if they don’t “defeat” Russia now in Ukraine, the European Union will lose confidence in itself.”

• “It is now difficult for me to analyse the background of the actions taken by Europe. There is no logic or focus on the long term. Now, as in other recent historical moments, everyone is not concerned with the prospects for development in the interests of their peoples, the world and the solution of global problems that are truly common to all of us. They are concerned with electoral cycles. Before the elections, they definitely need to say something that can then be “sold” to the voter. They are counting on liberal voters. This is such a liberal discourse, narratives that dominate in Europe among Christian Democrats, Social Democrats in their various guises.”

• “They will probably retain the majority in the European Parliament, elections to which are due to take place in June of this year. But there will probably be an increase in the number of parties speaking from national positions. They do not like Brussels’ persistent, intrusive course of usurping all powers in the European Union, not just those legally delegated to the European Commission by member states. We can see such a movement to preserve national identity and defend our sovereignty within the EU. These parties will receive additional votes in the European Parliament.”

• China is saying sensible things. When China published a 12-point plan to resolve the conflict in Ukraine in February 2023, we responded positively to this document. In contrast to Zelensky’s formula, which was insane from the point of view of diplomatic prospects, this Chinese document was based on an analysis of the causes of what was happening and the need to eliminate them. This plan is built according to the logic “from general to specific.” It states “disorder” in the security sphere in Europe and the world and that the reason for this disorder is the failure to comply with the UN Charter (this is also our position). Moreover, in the entirety of its principles, and not just by “pulling out” one provision of the Charter to the detriment of others. The Chinese document says that unilateral sanctions, which the West began to actively resort to long before the start of a special military operation, are also an irritant that must be eliminated. On this basis, it is necessary to agree to ensure (this was the key expression) equal security for all participants in the process. This is our position. How to put these principles into practice can only be understood by sitting down at the negotiating table. But not on the terms of the “peace formula”, which Zelensky and his “masters” in Europe, London and the United States have long repeated as an ultimatum, but based on a severe analysis of existing security problems, recognition of the realities on the ground and guarantees of legitimate interests security of the Russian Federation. For our part, we are ready to guarantee the legitimate security interests of other participants in the process.”

• “The realities “on the ground” are known to everyone. Firstly, this is the situation on the battlefield, and secondly, the legitimate, from all points of view (including international) interests of the population who live in Novorossiya and the Donbas. Their rights related to education, the media, the use of the Russian language, and the preservation of their history and memory of the Great Patriotic War were trampled underfoot by the Kyiv regime. It’s impossible not to acknowledge these realities.”

• “Regarding Zelensky’s decree banning negotiations with Putin’s government. Our President has repeatedly spoken about our readiness to enter into serious negotiations. But to make sure that this will be a truly serious process (or at least that there is hope that it will be a serious process), he told the Western backers of the Zelensky regime that he must first cancel the decree. This topic has already appeared. As for May 21st, let’s wait until then. There may be no need to admit anything.”

• “Unfortunately, we have what we have. This irreparable confidence of the United States in its own rightness, omnipotence, and impunity has led to US foreign policy now being led by people who do not know how to engage in diplomacy.”

• “In Moldova, President Sandu openly set a course for breaking relations with the Russian Federation. Whatever they say to the contrary, they say they want to be friends, but they say Moscow oppresses them – this is not true. Sandu has been turned into an instrument for developing geopolitical space by the European Union and, in the future, by NATO. Everything is heading towards this, although the Constitution of Moldova contains a neutral status.”

• “I will not make such predictions. We honestly presented all our assessments to the Armenian leadership. They know very well that we remain true to our commitments and that we are ready to continue to contribute to the normalisation of their relations with Azerbaijan and to complete this process. They know that against the backdrop of our sincere interest in stabilising the situation and restoring relations between Yerevan and Baku, the European Union and NATO are taking steps that complicate this process.”

• “Recently, the Azerbaijani leadership protested against some actions and statements, including those related to expanding the functions and composition of the EU mission in Armenia. It’s up to them to decide.”

• “We never give up our agreements. But lately, they haven’t contacted us. The last time I spoke with Armenian Foreign Minister Mirzoyan was in November 2023 at the OSCE ministerial meeting in the capital of Macedonia, Skopje. We suggested the meeting. They didn’t ask for it, but I once again confirmed to my colleague Mirzoyan everything that we are talking about now. They know our position. Our Ambassador Kopyrkin regularly reminds us of this position.”

• “Creating a state of Palestine is the only way to solve this problem sustainably for years to come. Moreover, it is the creation of the state of Palestine, as it was conceived in the Security Council resolutions within the borders of 1967, with the understanding that there could be some equivalent exchanges: the capital is East Jerusalem, the return of Palestinian refugees. Everything is written in these resolutions. If you look at the map, it is clear that we are extremely far from that configuration. Every day, by the way, we are getting even further. Just recently, the Israeli cabinet approved the creation of, I think, three thousand more settlements in the West Bank. It is already quite difficult to create a state there that will be logistically connected. This is because after adopting the relevant resolutions, the United States sabotaged their implementation for many years. Instead of working within the “quartet” of mediators (Russia, the USA, the European Union, and the UN), they tried to monopolise the peace process. Then, replace all the principles on which this process should be built. Instead of the well-known Arab Peace Initiative, supported by everyone in the UN and implying recognition of Israel by the Arabs after the creation of a Palestinian state, the Americans turned everything “upside down” and began to promote the “Abraham Accords”. Their meaning was that let the Arabs conclude agreements on diplomatic relations with Israel and then somehow think about Palestine. Those Arabs who agreed to this agreement (UAE, Morocco) constantly emphasised that they would normalise relations with Israel but did so solely on the basis that the creation of a Palestinian state based on the principles declared by the UN Security Council was inevitable and couldn’t do without it. All these promises turned out to be false.”

• “The main thing now is to stop the bloodshed. It is good that this resolution was adopted. But the Americans missed it, realising that if they vetoed this one, which was significantly weakened but at least called for a ceasefire, they would generally “lose face” in relations with the World Majority. But immediately, having passed this resolution, the US representative to the UN stated that this resolution was not binding. That is, the “carte blanche” was extended by this “package”. Resolution – yes, but it is not binding. It is urgent to stop the bloodshed, resolve humanitarian issues and immediately start the process of creating a Palestinian state.”

• “The Americans want to cheat here too. We know that they are now seriously discussing the option of submitting a resolution to the Security Council and the UN General Assembly on the admission of Palestine as a full member of the Organization. Now, they are observers there. That is, they want to proclaim the creation of a Palestinian state formally but not change anything on the “ground”. These “tricks” are known to us; nothing can be ruled out. I hope that the main stakeholders, primarily Arab countries and other countries of the Global South, understand the deceit of such forms.”

• “Now all diplomacy with the West is as follows: we still have embassies there; they have embassies in Russia. These embassies and consulates need to function. Issues of financing the activities of diplomatic missions and purchasing items, vehicles, and equipment necessary for their activities are discussed. These questions now form the main content of our contacts, particularly the Americans. Because of the sanctions, our embassies were under financial and economic siege.”

• “There are no positive agendas with Europe at all. You know about the refusal of European ambassadors to come to a meeting with me. We invited them on the eve of the elections to outline our vision of relations, to say that we proceed from the fact that they will not unilaterally interfere with the conduct of the election campaign or distort it in their actions. This is their choice. They are here and do not want to communicate with the Foreign Minister. We notified them that from now on, at any level, be it an ambassador, an attaché, or everyone “in between,” if they have an interest in communicating with the Russian authorities, we will consider each such request separately and decide whether to agree to such contact or not”.

• “But diplomacy is alive. It is now rapidly developing in our relations with the World Majority. We have a huge number of partners and, most importantly, bilateral and multilateral partnerships that are of significantly higher quality. For obvious reasons, we pay special attention to our common Eurasian continent. Here are the CSTO, the EAEU, and the SCO. These structures establish partnerships with other organisations in this space. This includes ASEAN, the League of Arab States, the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf, and other structures.”

Outcomes and outlook:

The interview with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov brought no new messages. He, as usual, focused on issues of relations with NATO, the United States, the war in Ukraine, and the development of relations within BRICS and other associations of the Global South. In any case, the interview is the result of Putin’s previous six-year term, a guideline for the upcoming tenure, as well as the result of the 20th anniversary of Sergei Lavrov’s tenure as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. Also, this interview was a continuation of the attempt to attract all possible tools to promote the idea of Ukraine’s involvement in the terrorist attack in the Moscow region. Earlier, leaders of several other areas made similar theses. Lavrov’s statements became an addition to this list and the diplomatic line.