Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow, October 15, 2025
15 October 2025 14:07
1702-15-10-2025
Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates of the Kingdom of Morocco Nasser Bourita's visit to the Russian Federation
On October 16, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will hold talks with Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates of the Kingdom of Morocco, who plans to visit Moscow as Co-chair of the Russian-Moroccan Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation and attend the commission's eighth meeting.
The ministers will extensively review the current state and prospects of further consistent development of the bilateral relations and will discuss topical global and regional issues of mutual interest with an emphasis on the state of affairs in the Middle East, North Africa and the Sahara-Sahel region.
We have noted the regular and constructive nature of the Russia-Morocco political dialogue that shows proximity or concurrence of approaches to many vital issues of today.
Foreign Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yermek Kosherbayev's official visit to Russia
On October 22, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will hold talks with Foreign Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yermek Kosherbayev during his first official visit to Moscow in this capacity.
The foreign ministers will extensively discuss a wide scope of multidimensional bilateral cooperation in politics, trade, economy, cultural and humanitarian affairs, including in view of the upcoming state visit to Russia by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The ministers will specifically focus on Russia-Kazakhstan cooperation within Eurasian integration groups such as the CSTO, the EAEU, the CIS and the SCO.
The ministers will coordinate their approaches to the most important issues on the regional and global agendas, and exchange views on current international matters.
Ukraine crisis
The Kiev neo-Nazi regime continues to attack civilian targets, terrorising civilians in our country.
Over the past week, 104 people fell victim to Ukrainian artillery shelling and drone strikes which killed 21 and wounded 83, including six minors. Here are a few facts the international community mutst know.
Belgorod Region. On October 8, Maslova Pristan came under fire from a Grad multiple launch rocket system. The main strike hit a sports and fitness centre, killing three people, including a 25-year-old schoolteacher, and wounding twelve. The same day, three people, including a child, were injured in a rocket attack on Moshchenoye. On October 9, an eight-year-old girl and a truck driver were injured in drone attacks in Novaya Tavolzhanka and on the Belyanka-Surkovo motorway. On October 10, a married couple was injured in a drone strike in Graivoron. On October 10 and 11, four civilians were injured in attacks on three cars in Otradnoye, Maksimovka, and on the Yasnye Zori-Bochkovka road. On October 12, four people were injured in a drone strike on a commercial facility along the Rakitnoye-Belgorod motorway, and two ten-year-old boys were injured in Shebekino when a drone detonated near a residential building. On October 11 and 12, one person was killed and two were injured in attacks on Proletarsky. On October 13, a drone strike in Dorogoshch and near Bochkovka killed one person and injured a combine harvester operator working in a field.
Bryansk Region. On October 8, a civilian was injured in Khinel as a result of mortar fire.
Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). On October 11, a Ukrainian attack drone hit a bus in Gorlovka injuring seven people, including two teenagers. On October 12, another bus was targeted, injuring six among them a teenager born in 2010. In both cases, civilian infrastructure - including a kindergarten, residential, and administrative buildings - was damaged. On October 13, in Lozovoye and Gorlovka, one person was killed and two were injured by munitions dropped from drones.
Kursk Region. On October 11, a drone strike on a civilian vehicle along the Rylsk-Durovo motorway injured a married couple. That same day, in Biryukovka and Nizhnemakhovo, drones attacked a truck and a motorcycle killing two men. On October 11-12, four civilians, including a 15-year-old boy, were injured in the Belovsky District. On October 12, drone strikes on two vehicles along the Khomutovka-Kapinovka motorway and between Lomakino and Akimovka killed a 40-year-old woman and injured a 70-year-old woman and a 51-year-old man. One person was also injured in the village of Giryi as a result of a drone attack.
Kherson Region. On October 9, two people were killed in a Ukrainian shelling attack on Golaya Pristan and Zburyevka. On October 13, a 49-year-old woman was killed in an explosion of an enemy artillery shell in Golaya Pristan; a 51-year-old woman was gravely wounded in an explosion of a dropped mine in the village of Bekhtery; a UAV targeted a grocery store in Novaya Mayachka injuring two people. On October 14, an 80-year-old woman died in a shelling attack on the village of Novaya Zburyevka. An FPV drone wounded a lorry driver near the village of Chernyanka.
Looting is rampant in the portion of the region that is still controlled by the Ukrainian military that ransack private homes and set them on fire to cover the tracks. Many Kherson residents are in real danger of violence on the part of neo-Nazi occupiers.
Neo-Banderites will be held accountable for this. Russian courts continue to hand down sentences to Ukrainian neo-Nazis.
For crimes against civilians and Russian servicemen in the Kursk Region, captured Ukrainian militants have been sentenced to long prison terms. Among them, Oleg Artyukh (26 years), Alexander Mokriyenko (17 years), Vitaly Miletsky and Yaroslav Shchurov (16 years each), Taras Milyan, Vladimir Yareschenko, Dmitry Semenchuk, Bogdan Bodak, Artyom Kovalchuk (15 years each), and Alexander Babich (14.5 years).
For premeditated killing of civilians in Mariupol in March 2022, Azov militants Anatoly Kamyshenko and Yevgeny Vintovkin were sentenced to 22 years in prison, each.
A mercenary from Armenia, Armen Balyan, who was detained in Russia in October 2024, was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Legionnaires from Britain and Argentina, William Page and Sebastian Caceres, were sentenced in absentia to 14 and 6 years of imprisonment, respectively. Both have been placed on the international wanted list.
In his video address on October 8, Zelensky was quite clear about Kiev seeking escalation and plotting more terrorist attacks against our country, adding he had approved "SBU special operations" against Russia.
Clearly, these plans have been drawn up with the possible supply of US-made long-range Tomahawk missiles to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in mind. Potential deliveries were discussed by President Trump and Zelensky during October 11 and 12 telephone calls as reported by their respective press services. I will refrain from commenting on this. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov provided our country's detailed position on this matter in an interview with Kommersant, which will be released shortly. He provided a detailed account of approaches practiced by Zelensky and those behind him to escalating the conflict and supplying the types of weapons in question. Please note that comprehensive answers to these and other questions will become available soon.
To repeat what has been made clear many times, our country finds unacceptable the attempts to issue threats of terror or to speak to Russia haughtily from a position of strength.
On October 13, high-ranking Ukrainian envoys, Head of the Presidential Office Andrey Yermak, Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko, and Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council Rustem Umerov, left for the United States to lobby for the interests of the Kiev regime. Their mission includes finalising a mega deal for purchasing US weapons worth $90 billion to cover the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and signing an agreement for supplying Ukrainian-made drones worth about $10 billion to the United States. Discussing the Ukrainian Armed Forces' "attack capabilities," strengthening the national energy sector, and ratcheting up anti-Russian sanctions are on the agenda as well. All documents will be drafted in full for the upcoming October 17 meeting at the White House between Donald Trump and Vladimir Zelensky.
EU officials are seeking to contribute to the escalation of the conflict as well. On October 13, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas paid a quick visit to Kiev. She confirmed Brussels' willingness to provide Ukraine with military and financial assistance, since, as she put it, "Ukrainians inspire the entire world with their courage" and therefore need all the help they can get. To back up her words, the head of EU diplomacy responded positively to journalists' questions about EU's possible assistance in US-made Tomahawk missile deliveries. "We welcome all tools that make Ukraine stronger and Russia weaker," Kaja Kallas said.
Today, on October 15, the 31st meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (the Ramstein format) is held at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, co-chaired by the UK and Germany. Ukrainian media report that Ukraine's Defence Minister Denis Shmygal is going to present updated statistics on the draft in Ukraine and discuss further support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine with respect to the transfer of additional anti-aircraft defence systems and deployment of high-precision weapons supplied by NATO states to continue strikes deeper into Russian territory.
This is yet another compelling indication of the fact that both the Kiev regime and its Western curators lack political will to achieve peace.
By consciously prolonging the conflict, they are pursuing their own mercenary goals, wishing to prevent the collapse of the world order they created and to inflict as much damage as possible to our country without consideration for inevitable consequences, including for themselves.
Let's take a look at how they profit from this. On October 10, a British newspaper suggested, citing a document leak, that the actions of the former prime minister Boris Johnson who, in early April 2022, prohibited the Kiev regime from negotiating with Russia and demanded the hostilities be continued, show signs of direct material benefits. According to the media outlet, the former prime minister may have received one million pounds from businessman Christopher Harborne, the biggest shareholder of QinetiQ, a defence company that supplies drones and robots to Ukraine. The British media outlet reports that in September 2023, Boris Johnson took Christopher Harborne to Kiev on a private jet, to a closed meeting at a military technical centre. This scenario suggested by British journalists appears quite plausible.
It is thanks to the artificially inflated anti-Russia hysteria that Western military companies continue to ink multi-billion contracts on which people like Boris Johnson capitalise, in tow with corrupt Kiev officials. Now, everybody is waiting for his response. This allegation is very serious. He must at least provide clear explanation as to his movements. Was there a representative of the British defence industry onboard flying to Kiev with Boris Johnson?
The number of deserters from the Armed Forces of Ukraine continues to grow progressively, with 19,044 deserters officially recorded in September 2025. The total number for 2025 is 162,000 while 285,000 have deserted since the launch of the special military operation. Considering the notorious ability of the Kiev regime's functionaries to intentionally rig data, this number may be significantly higher. We are currently quoting only their official data. Observers estimate the number of deserters to be at least 500,000. They also note that Bankovaya is unable to overturn the situation. Neither anti-retreat forces nor tougher liability for absence without leave are helping. Furthermore, some 1,500 young Ukrainians aged 18 to 22 continue to leave Ukraine daily and so far legally. Kaja Kallas's charges are such a great inspiration to the rest of the world.
The recent statements by Ukrainian army commanders about lowering the draft age to at least 23 and forming a parallel army of 16- to 18-year-olds so that in five years of training they become a well-trained new army, will not change the situation for Ukraine. Nobody is willing to die voluntarily for the Kiev junta. Vladimir Zelensky, however, is doing everything to bleed Ukraine white and deprive it of future generations for several decades, turning Ukraine into a scorched field.
Meanwhile, the West continues to manipulate the Ukrainian media landscape, including to downplay the enormous losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the front lines and continue the war to the last Ukrainian. Recently, it came to light that the European Union has allocated €6.6 million to support "independent" Ukrainian media initiatives. The funds are intended to strengthen frontline journalism, train "investigative journalism," and create 15 regional media hubs to combat "disinformation."
What is the source of disinformation in Ukraine? We have already commented on the Law on the Fundamentals of State Policy on the National Memory of the Ukrainian People that came into force on August 30. According to it, any attempts to challenge nationalist radicals' claims about Ukrainian resistance to "foreign domination in the 20th century" and the fight against "Russian aggression" are now seen as dissemination of false information about the history of Ukraine and equated with anti-Ukraine propaganda.
The Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance has been tasked with identifying such "violations."
In line with this law, on October 7, the institute published lists of persons and events which have related objects and facilities dedicated to them which contain or lack "symbols of Russian imperial policy."
The black lists cover the timeline until 1917 and include not only Russian state and military figures but also prominent cultural and artistic figures such as writers Ivan Turgenev, Konstantin Aksakov, poets Alexander Pushkin, Mikhail Lermontov, Vasily Zhukovsky, composers Mikhail Glinka, Modest Mussorgsky, Vasily Surikov, as well as navigators Semyon Dezhnev and Fabian Bellingshausen, and military leader Pyotr Bagration among others. Several Decembrists are also listed.
The "white list" includes individuals whose names can be assigned to objects or facilities. It features figures such as Nikolai Gogol, Nikolai Leskov, Vladimir Korolenko, Anton Chekhov, Alexander Kuprin, artists Ilya Repin, Karl Bryullov, Ivan Kramskoy, Ivan Aivazovsky, Decembrist Kondraty Ryleyev (his other comrades in the 1825 Senate Square uprising are blacklisted), educator Konstantin Ushinsky, and scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky. According to the institute, these individuals are recognised for supporting "ideas of freedom and humanism" and for not promoting imperial policy. By this logic, Alexander Pushkin did not support the ideas of humanism and freedom. That makes me wonder whether all participants in the "gathering" called the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance have a clearance from a psychiatrist.
In addition to the aforementioned, the so-called "experts" of this institute have now taken issue with the legacy of Ivan Susanin. He evidently troubles them deeply. They have dismissed Susanin and the Battle of Borodino as "mythologised propaganda of Russian imperialism." It unsettles them profoundly that the Sumskoy, Akhtyrsky, and Izyumsky Hussar Regiments participated in repelling the attacks of French aggressors near Moscow. This is history. How can one treat it thus? They are utterly incapable of reconciling themselves to the fact that a simple Russian peasant gave his life for the Tsar, yet did not betray the Motherland in the face of Polish and Lithuanian invaders. The Ukrainian Institute of National Memory has demanded the removal from public spaces of all toponyms associated with the memory of Borodino and the heroic deed of the great Russian patriot Ivan Susanin.
According to this "institute," the aforementioned lists will be supplemented with "new data on individuals and events from the periods of the Tsardom of Moscow, the Russian Empire, the Russian State, the RSFSR, the USSR, and the modern Russian Federation." These inventories are intended to serve as a kind of cheat sheet for local authorities - indicating which monument or street is subject to decommunisation, and which may be left untouched. All the individuals referenced are figures from our country's history prior to 1917.
In certain regions of Ukraine, even in the absence of such guidelines, an almost deranged zeal for derussification has emerged. For instance, in October of this year, officials in Nikolaev announced that they had already renamed streets bearing the names of historical and cultural figures who were not even subject to prohibition. They outstripped the target.
The Kiev regime, having adopted the ideology and practices of Ukrainian nationalist radicals, has effectively transformed into a neo-Nazi dictatorship. For it, a state of war and the application of the broadest spectrum of repressive measures against its own citizens are necessary as the sole means of preserving its dominance.
The aforementioned facts, among others we will address today, underscore the urgency of the tasks of denazification and demilitarisation of Ukraine, as well as the elimination of threats emanating from its territory. As the Russian leadership has affirmed, all these objectives will be fulfilled.
Briefing by Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry Rodion Miroshnik
On October 17 at 11 am, the Russian Foreign Ministry Press Centre will host a briefing by Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik, dedicated to the crimes of the Kiev regime against the civilian population of the Russian Federation from July to September of this year. A comprehensive review will be presented.
During this period, there was a marked increase in strikes on civilian infrastructure, a rise in casualties among peaceful residents, and active use of inhumane weapons by AFU militants.
New statistical data, testimonies from victims and eyewitnesses, as well as irrefutable evidence of the terrorist criminal nature of Vladimir Zelensky's regime, will be presented.
Moldova update
We are closely monitoring developments in Moldova, where the authorities persist in pursuing a destructive anti-Russian course detrimental to the country itself.
On October 11 this year, the republic's President Maia Sandu used an address at a ceremony marking the 35th anniversary of the Venice Commission to accuse Russia of a "hybrid attack on Moldovan democracy." Well, of course, a citizen of Romania would know best about the state of democracy in Moldova. As usual, no substantiating detail or factual evidence was provided - just baseless slogans.
Meanwhile, within Moldova itself, the country's leadership is engaged in what Moldovan political analysts and experts openly describe as a hybrid assault on the principles of freedom and democracy, alongside a rejection of national sovereignty. Let me cite a few examples.
The official authorities in Chisinau continue to suppress media outlets deemed inconvenient. On October 7, Moldova's Information and Security Service, absent any explanation or court ruling, blocked the independent website Gagauznews, which is recognised for its impartial coverage of domestic and international affairs. Yes, it did contain criticism of the ruling regime in Chisinau. They published diverse viewpoints. But, according to Maia Sandu - self-proclaimed defender and champion of democracy - no pluralism should be tolerated.
Despite Moldova's constitutionally enshrined neutral status, the authorities in Chisinau make no secret of their aspirations to join NATO's security architecture.
On October 6, a Bundeswehr advisory group commenced work in Chisinau under the intergovernmental agreement signed in May between Moldova and Germany on an assistance programme. Under this agreement, German advisers will provide support over the next four years for modernising the republic's military sector.
Furthermore, media reports indicate uncontrolled proliferation of firearms entering Moldova from Ukraine. Notably, crimes involving such weapons have increased by 150 percent over the first nine months of this year compared to the same period last year. Additionally, there has been a marked influx into Moldova of Ukrainian military deserters - as already mentioned today - from the AFU, as well as mercenaries fleeing the conflict zone in Ukraine. Clearly, this trend bodes ill for Moldovan citizens in terms of security and stability. Talk of democracy, protection, and safeguarding becomes entirely moot.
On October 8, the Moldovan government approved a new Military Strategy for 2025-2035. It explicitly states that "the continuation of the Russian Federation's military aggression in Ukraine, with potential spillover into the Republic of Moldova... represents the most serious security crisis in Europe in recent decades." While the first part is self-explanatory, one might even agree with the second - yes, indeed. But they ought to have specified who is truly to blame.
Instead, the document asserts that "the potential expansion of territories occupied by Russia poses a grave, direct threat to the security and statehood of the Republic of Moldova." Key elements of this strategy include plans to increase defence spending to 1 percent of GDP and align Moldovan military training with NATO standards.
The absurdity lies in the fact that the Chisinau regime lacks the resources to implement such policies. For instance, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has revised Moldova's GDP growth forecast for this year downward from 1.8 percent to 1.5 percent. Even this target appears unattainable, given that Moldova's GDP growth plummeted to 0.1 percent in the first half of the year. While Moldovan leaders pontificate about the republic's "European future," a third of its citizens live in absolute poverty. Under the current leadership, Moldova's economy is not merely stagnating - it is hurtling toward collapse. But why should any of this concern citizens of Romania?
The people of Moldova understand that the imposed Euro-integration project and alignment with NATO are robbing their country of a dignified future, transforming it into a lawless land of destitution. Judging by extensive media coverage, a sense of despair and profound distrust toward the authorities is growing in Moldovan society.
This situation is the inevitable outcome of the irresponsible Russophobic policies pursued by the official authorities in Chisinau.
Prospects for resolving the Gaza crisis following the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov commented in detail on the situation in the Middle East during a special news conference for journalists from the region.
It is also heartening to note that in recent days, there have been genuinely positive developments in Gaza. These shifts are linked primarily to the successful initial implementation of the Israel-Hamas agreement on a ceasefire and the exchange of detainees.
Substantive steps have been taken: the IDF has withdrawn its troops to the agreed lines, Hamas has returned all surviving Israeli hostages, and nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners have been released.
We hope the agreements on Gaza, reached with the mediation of Egypt, Qatar, the United States, and Türkiye, will be strictly and fully implemented. Key priorities include ensuring the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to all those in need, creating the necessary conditions for the return of displaced persons, and addressing the comprehensive destruction of the enclave's civilian infrastructure. We believe the outcomes of the summit held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on October 13 will also facilitate these tasks.
From the outset of the crisis in Gaza, Russia has been vigorously and consistently seeking to end the hostilities and launch a political and diplomatic process to resolve it. Together with like-minded nations, our country has helped prepare several drafts of relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Regrettably, these were all blocked by Western delegations, which prevented the Council from formulating a consolidated response. Nevertheless, we intend to continue closely coordinating our efforts with our partners, primarily in the region, and to contribute to collective work aimed at achieving long-term stabilisation in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict zone and the wider Middle East.
The logical outcome of this process, in our view, should be a comprehensive solution to the Palestinian problem based on a well-known international legal framework. We are convinced that implementing the two-state formula, as approved by the relevant UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, can bring a long-awaited and lasting peace to all the peoples of the Middle East - an outcome in which we are sincerely and deeply invested.
Finally, it is worth noting that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's forthcoming interview with the Kommersant newspaper also devotes considerable attention to Middle Eastern developments.
Situation in Madagascar
We have received numerous inquiries regarding the recent developments in Madagascar and the precautions Russian citizens should take to ensure their safety.
We are closely monitoring the situation in Madagascar with considerable concern. Reports indicate that the military has assumed control. The 2010 Constitution has been suspended, and all state bodies have been dissolved, with the exception of the National Assembly, which voted by a majority to impeach the president. Plans have been announced to establish a council, composed of military and gendarmerie officers, to serve as the executive branch during a two-year transition period. This council will be tasked with preparing the ground for the country's return to civilian rule.
We regard the events in Madagascar as an internal affair of that country. We call on all parties to exercise restraint and prevent bloodshed. At the same time, we firmly believe it is essential for the country to return to the path of democratic development as soon as possible.
We strongly recommend that Russian citizens defer all non-essential travel to Madagascar until the situation has fully stabilised. Russian nationals currently on the island are advised to avoid crowded places.
Adoption of UNSC resolution on Haiti
On September 30, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2793 to transition the Multinational Security Support mission in Haiti into the Gang Suppression Force. The Russian Federation, China, and Pakistan abstained during the vote on this poorly drafted document.
The opinion of the government of Haiti and other countries from that region who repeatedly asked us not to obstruct the approval of the US-Panamanian project was the decisive factor for Moscow when making this decision. Despite this decision, our assessment of this "product" has remained unchanged. We are convinced that under the pretext of taking immediate action to stabilise the deteriorating situation around Port-au-Prince and creating artificial urgency, the people behind it literally imposed on the Security Council a dangerous and ill-considered venture that risks sharing the unenviable fate of its predecessor.
We have many questions about this initiative that range from funding it and manning its contingents to prospects for winding it down. In our view, suppressing gangs is an extremely difficult objective to accomplish in Haitian realities and will not resolve the stalemate in that country. Efforts should instead be focused on addressing the underlying causes of that long-standing crisis, which lie in more than a century of destructive external interference in Haiti's internal affairs in the form of direct interventions and political engineering. Moreover, with the US connivance, the uncontrolled flow of illegal arms into Haiti continues unabated cutting against the existing UN Security Council arms embargo.
Considering the explosive situation in the Caribbean provoked by Washington's aggressive rhetoric and actions, we are particularly concerned with the status of the future Force as set out in UNSC Resolution 2793. In practice, it is independent of both national and international oversight and enjoys an almost unlimited mandate to use force against anyone whom the Haiti Partners led by the United States might choose to label as a gang.
Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that the authors of the resolution will not get "creative" and link their own military activities allegedly in the fight against drug cartels with the situation in Haiti. The allusions coming from the United States about supposed connections between the notorious Venezuelan drug cartels and Haitian gangs are an alarming sign. As usual, no evidence is presented to back up these claims. What we are seeing is an attempt to feel the place in order to, eventually, justify unlawful actions against a sovereign state under the cover of a UN Security Council mandate.
Such a scenario must not be allowed to unfold.
Dismissal of the case against Eagle S crew for damaging cables in the Gulf of Finland in December 2024 following recognition of lack of Finland's jurisdiction in the incident
It is a curious story. As you may recall, much was once said about the Eagle S tanker and its crew. The media widely linked the incident to the damage of an undersea cable in the Gulf of Finland in December 2024. So, what are we looking at today?
Reportedly, on October 3, the Helsinki District Court, which had been handling the case of three crew members of the Eagle S tanker allegedly responsible for damaging the deep-sea infrastructure in the Gulf of Finland in December 2024, ruled that it had no jurisdiction to consider the case. The prosecution, however, has by that time appealed this decision to a higher court, so the legal proceedings will likely continue.
Nevertheless, it appears that the earlier hearings that have been widely and thoroughly covered by the press clearly showed that there was no Russian involvement, no trace of a Russian foot or hand print in this incident despite Western attempts to find one.
As you may recall, the vessel in question is registered in the Cook Islands and is owned by a company based in the United Arab Emirates. There were no Russian nationals among the crew. So, the anti-Russia hullabaloo around the Eagle S has proven to be yet another false claim unsupported by any evidence. However, one can hardly expect anything different from our former Western partners who have elevated the "highly likely" phrase into a guiding principle of their foreign policy rhetoric and, indeed, practice.
The 2026 audit of the Russian Federation under ICAO's Universal Security Audit Programme Continuous Monitoring Approach
We have received inquiries from journalists about the audit of the Russian Federation under the continuous aviation security monitoring mechanism of the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) Universal Security Audit Programme (USAP) planned for 2026.
The questions varied from how we view it, why another audit, why this particular format, and so on. We requested input from experts and specialists and are now ready to provide a detailed commentary.
As a member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, the Russian Federation is obliged to adhere to ICAO standards, including standards aimed at protecting civil aviation from acts of unlawful interference, and to participate in ICAO audits conducted within the continuous monitoring framework of the Universal Security Audit Programme.
During such audits, ICAO experts assess a country's ability to ensure proper oversight of aviation security activities, as well as its level of compliance with the Standards of Annex 17 and the aviation security-related Standards of Annex 9 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation.
According to the Continuous Monitoring Manual, the type, scope, and frequency of audits conducted in a particular country are determined based on a risk-oriented approach. The audit cycle generally varies from three to 10 years, depending on each country's risk assessment. Audits may be carried out in full-scale format, involving the deployment of auditors to the country, or in a simplified document-based format without on-site visits.
Let us look at the situation with Russia. The country has previously undergone full-scale audits in 2006, 2011, and 2019, each time receiving high ratings once again confirming its status as a country that is capable of ensuring the protection of air transport against acts of unlawful interference, including those of a terrorist nature, in accordance with international standards.
It should also be noted that not all major aviation powers enjoy such high ratings as Russia. To de specific, according to the results of the ICAO audit conducted in 2023, the United States' level of compliance with ICAO standards stands at 70.67 percent, whereas Russia's score is higher at 89.74 percent. Moreover, three areas of significant concern related to the ineffective implementation of minimum security requirements were identified in the United States.
According to the ICAO electronic bulletin issued in January 2025, no audits of the Russian Federation under this programme were planned for 2025 or 2026.
However, in late June 2025, a newly released bulletin included Russia in the 2026 audit plan. At the same time, several countries that had been audited in 2018-2019 and had lower ratings than Russia were removed from the plan.
Among European states, the 2026 audit plan includes the Netherlands, Croatia, Slovenia, Denmark, and Portugal, which were last audited in 2017-2019 in the document-based format, without on-site visits by auditors. It should be noted that all EU member states are audited exclusively through the document-based format. In the European region, only Russia, Belarus, and Tajikistan have been scheduled for full-scale on-site audits in 2026.
Overall, the audit plan covers countries previously audited in 2016-2019, with the exception of Iran (2012), El Salvador (2020), and Tuvalu (which has never been audited before).
The fact that the Russian Federation was included in the 2026 audit plan instead of countries with lower ratings from previous audits, or those audited before 2019 (for example, Israel was audited in 2015), raises questions.
Since the beginning of the special military operation in 2022, the Russian Federation has faced politicisation of international air law norms within ICAO, dictated by the collective West in an openly biased manner. The political motivation behind ICAO's decisions concerning Russia is now clearly traceable in matters of flight safety and creates significant risks that similarly politicised decisions may be taken in the area of aviation security following the 2026 audit under the continuous monitoring mechanism of the Universal Security Audit Programme.
The results of ICAO's 42nd Assembly Session held in Montreal, Canada, from September 23 through October 3, 2025, show the continuing dominance of the pro-Western bloc within the organisation, undermining confidence in ICAO. The organisation is increasingly shifting onto politicised tracks resembling a political forum rather than a specialised technical UN body established to effectively regulate processes necessary for the sustainable and orderly development of international civil aviation.
Choosing our country as a target for a full-scale audit in 2026 despite the availability of other options suggests a high probability that the results of the audit may be used to justify unfounded and politically motivated decisions.
Furthermore, we do not rule out the possibility that, by granting foreign auditors access to information on the state of the Russian Federation's aviation security and anti-terrorism protection systems, the data obtained during the audit could be used in a manner detrimental to our national security.
140th anniversary of Russian-Argentine diplomatic relations
October 22 marks the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Russian Federation and the Argentine Republic.
A detailed statement on this occasion will be published in due course.
The 17th Assembly of the Russian World
On October 20-22, Moscow will host the 17th Assembly of the Russian World, a major annual forum organised by the Russkiy Mir Foundation. This year's event will bring together approximately 350 participants from 106 countries, including prominent figures from science and culture, Russian Studies and Russian language teachers, philologists, translators, writers, journalists, public figures, diplomats, and representatives of the Russian diaspora and clergy.
As per tradition, the forum will be attended by representatives of the Russian state authorities, with welcome addresses sent by the country's highest officials. The Assembly will be opened by Presidential Adviser Yelena Yampolskaya, Chair of the Foundation's Supervisory Board. The plenary session, entitled The Fundamental Contribution of the Russian World to International Development: History, Modernity, Future, will be presided over by MGIMO Rector Anatoly Torkunov.
The Russkiy Mir Foundation systematically implements educational, cultural, and humanitarian projects. It supports public and non-profit organisations, professional associations, research institutions, media, and national federations of Russianists, all of which work to popularise the Russian language and culture. The Foundation also maintains a global network of Russian centres and offices abroad where the Russian language is taught.
The purpose of the Assembly is to explore ways to maintain the standing of the Russian language abroad and its status as a key tool for providing a wide foreign audience with objective and diverse information about Russia, its achievements, heritage, needs, and opportunities.
The event will feature a series of panel discussions to address a range of critical topics, including: The Russian language as a foundation of identity; The current standing of the Russian language; The contribution of Victory to the new world order: History and modernity; Russian symphony: Culture and art bridging peoples; A new media dimension: Expanding dialogue, building trust; Live translation vs artificial intelligence: Pros, cons, use cases; and Public diplomacy: Strengthening cultural unity.
The outcomes of the forum, along with its main objectives and trajectories for the development of international humanitarian cooperation, will be formalised in the Assembly's final declaration.
International Cooperation Forum
On October 26, the International Cooperation Forum will convene in Moscow at the Russia National Centre. Co-organised by the Federal Agency for the CIS Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo) and the Russian Znaniye Society, the forum will serve as the flagship event of the programme marking the centenary of public diplomacy, an anniversary observed this year.
It is worth recalling that public diplomacy constitutes a form of foreign policy engagement conducted by ordinary citizens, civil society organisations and movements, which aims to foster mutual understanding, friendship, and collaboration among nations.
The origins of this anniversary date trace back to the establishment of the All- Union Society for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries in 1925. Today, Rossotrudnichestvo continues this noble mission, having made an invaluable contribution to the development of multilateral ties for many years. It addresses a wide range of objectives, from facilitating cultural, scientific, and humanitarian exchanges to promoting the Russian language abroad, defending historical truth, and safeguarding traditional spiritual and moral values. Through the Agency's efforts, millions worldwide gain the opportunity to discover the real Russia, while our compatriots abroad maintain their connection to the Motherland.
This anniversary year provides a fitting occasion to reflect on the proud traditions of public diplomacy and to acknowledge its role in building bridges of friendship between nations.
The forum is expected to bring together over 2,000 participants from Russia and abroad, including foreign opinion leaders, eminent figures in culture and the arts, distinguished scholars, representatives of creative circles, heads of international organisations, statesmen, and diplomats from more than 60 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Key discussion topics will include cooperation in culture and science, the attainment of true sovereignty, fostering development more broadly, the fight against neocolonialism and neo-Nazism and the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Participants will also address pressing global challenges - such as hunger, illiteracy, lack of rights, and others.
The forum's convening, and the overwhelming global interest in attending, underscore that, despite sanctions pressure and attempts to discredit our country, Russia continues to attract those who share the values of good-neighbourliness, cooperation, and mutual respect.
We invite Russian and foreign journalists to cover this event (accreditation form and forum website link provided).
8th Global Forum of Young Diplomats
From October 23 to 28 this year, Moscow will host the 8th Global Forum of Young Diplomats. The event is organised by the Council of Young Diplomats of the Russian Foreign Ministry with the support of Rossotrudnichestvo and the Diplomatic Academy.
Since its inception in 2017, this forum has established itself as a unique platform for dialogue, aimed at strengthening professional networks among young foreign policy practitioners and enhancing bilateral and multilateral cooperation based on trust and mutual respect.
Over 130 delegates from approximately 60 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America are expected to attend. Speakers will include senior officials of the Russian Foreign Ministry, prominent public and political figures, and leading experts in international relations. The forum will feature a comprehensive agenda combining substantive discussions with cultural engagements.
The forum's central theme is The Diplomacy of Victory. A series of working sessions will address key aspects of the international agenda, including the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, emerging challenges and opportunities in digital technologies, and cooperation in youth policy, sports, education, and culture. Participants will also attend the International Cooperation Forum marking the centenary of public diplomacy.
The final day of the Global Forum will include an official ceremony to induct new members into the International Association of Young Diplomats. Established in 2021 at the initiative of the Council of Young Diplomats, the Association fosters collaboration among young foreign ministry professionals and currently comprises around 250 diplomats from more than 50 countries.
A news conference featuring organisers, speakers, and forum guests will take place tomorrow, on October 16, at 3 pm, at the Rossiya Segodnya media group press centre. Interested media representatives are cordially invited to attend.
First Russia-Venezuela forum
On October 28-29, Caracas will host the first-ever Russia and Venezuela: Strategic Partners bilateral business forum sponsored by the Russian-Venezuelan High-Level Intergovernmental Commission and the State Corporation Rostec.
The event will bring together representatives from the public administration bodies from both countries and leading companies with a stake in implementing joint projects. The discussions will focus on key areas of Russian-Venezuelan cooperation from energy and mechanical engineering to IT, logistics, and agriculture.
The Russian delegation will present advanced technologies and products to the Venezuelan side and explore investment opportunities in the Bolivarian Republic, as well as the local producers' areas of interest. Cooperation in tourism and expanded supplies of Russian equipment will be addressed as well.
In addition to the business programme, a variety of cultural and sporting events are planned, including a cybersport tournament between Russian and Venezuelan teams, an exhibition of digital paintings by contemporary Russian and Venezuelan artists, and a traditional Russian food tasting event.
The forum venue will feature a single multimedia space making it possible for the visitors - through 3D technologies - to go on a virtual tour to Russia and enjoy our country's landmarks.
Dialogue on Fakes 3.0
On October 29, Moscow will host the international forum Dialogue on Fakes 3.0. This well-established platform brings together experts in information verification, investigative journalists, university students, civil society members, media, and government agencies from around the world.
The forum is sponsored by the Foreign Ministry and made possible by the non-profit organisation Dialogue Regions. The principal partners are the TASS news agency, the New Media Workshop, and the Global Fact-Checking Network - an international association founded following last year's Dialogue on Fakes 2.0. Today, it has over 100 experts from 50 countries.
This initiative is more relevant today than ever: the flow of fake information continues to grow exponentially, and the Western media mainstream is actively using it as part of a disinformation campaign directed against our country. In particular, in Europe, the drone hysteria is being whipped up systematically and deliberately; the Kiev regime, with the support of the Western media and, regrettably, the UN Secretariat, continues to circulate false claims about thousands of allegedly abducted Ukrainian children. The terrorist attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines remain uninvestigated despite the availability of evidence and serious journalistic research. Unfortunately, this issue is being deliberately sidetracked with fake claims. Fabrications about Bucha and the provocation staged there also continue their distorted existence.
Such an event is a necessity and is more than useful. This year, more than 2,000 guests from 80 countries will take part in it. They will discuss various aspects of countering disinformation at the international level.
The forum programme includes panel discussions, round table discussions, and educational sessions on urgent challenges. The agenda will cover generative AI and its impact on the media and the information landscape, the creation and countering of deepfakes, as well as the infiltration of fake content into education. Representatives of the Global Fact-Checking Network will present a study on fake narratives that circulated worldwide in 2025.
The forum has gained international traction and has been included in the calendar of UNESCO's Global Media and Information Literacy Week, which will take place on October 24-31.
The participants and media members can register or apply for accreditation on the event's website. The main sessions will be live streamed with links posted on the ministerial online platforms.
Answers to media questions:
Question: How would you comment on French President Emmanuel Macron's threat against Russia, in which he said that Russia would face serious consequences and pay a high price if it refused to continue negotiations on a settlement in Ukraine?
"If Russia persists in its obstinate warmongering and its refusal to come to the negotiating table, it will have to pay the price," Emmanuel Macron said.
Maria Zakharova: This is yet another crude attempt to impose on Russia the demands of the Kiev regime and its European patrons. We have been hearing such threats from Western politicians for many years, ever since the time when they claimed to support the Minsk Agreements and to be genuinely committed to the peace process that included France. It later turned out that all of that was nothing but empty talk. We've seen and heard enough to clearly understand what motivates official Paris.
The statements of Emmanuel Macron once again confirm that France is not genuinely interested in a good-faith, joint effort to find a long-term solution to the Ukrainian crisis. Instead, it is focused on escalating confrontation with Russia. It is clear to us that, under the pretext of "ceasefire" and "peace talks," Paris seeks to give the Ukrainian armed forces time to regroup, rearm and prepare for further escalation.
We can see a clear pattern: the worse things go inside France, the more aggressive its leadership's rhetoric towards Russia becomes. We recently saw another staged performance about the so-called shadow fleet, which, as it turned out, was linked to an unfolding - and now obvious - political crisis.
It seems that by ramping up anti-Russia rhetoric, official Paris is trying to make up for its own failures and divert the attention of French citizens from the domestic political turmoil that has engulfed the country in recent months. Political forces across the spectrum are now openly calling for the President's resignation as perhaps the only way to resolve the national crisis. It is clear that public discontent in France is growing, as ordinary people bear the brunt of the worsening economic situation. The Élysée Palace has responded with a predictably anti-Russia narrative, seeking to convince the public that their troubles stem not from the current French leadership, but supposedly from Russia.
Whatever President Macron may say, it is the French people who are paying the high price for his foreign policy "achievements." We are confident that ordinary citizens of France are fully aware of this.
Question: Earlier this year, Russian leaders held highly productive contacts with President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh and Prime Minister of Mongolia Gombojavyn Zandanshatar. How do you assess the outlook for further development of bilateral Russian-Mongolian relations, including infrastructure projects development?
Maria Zakharova: Russian-Mongolian relations continue to advance within the framework of a comprehensive strategic partnership. There is a well-established comprehensive, multi-level interaction, with the two countries implementing joint economic projects aimed at developing infrastructure and ensuring an uninterrupted supply of energy resources to Mongolia.
President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh's participation in celebrations dedicated to Victory in the Great Patriotic War in May of this year was an important event, as was Prime Minister Gombojavyn Zandanshatar's visit at the head of a large delegation to the 10th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in September. We expect that our joint work at the EEF will bring practical benefits in the form of efforts to implement agreements.
We proceed from the premise that the Mongolian Prime Minister will take part in the next meeting of the SCO Heads of Government Council scheduled for November 17-18 of this year in Moscow.
I would also like to note that the Russian Federation always builds its relations with its neighbours on the principle of non-interference in internal affairs. In recent decades, we have consistently maintained dialogue with Mongolia's leadership at the level of heads of state and government, as well as chambers of parliament, regardless of their party affiliation, provided they are committed to developing cooperation between our countries based on the principles of equality and mutual benefit using mechanisms resistant to external diktat and pressure, including from non-regional actors.
Question: Japan is again raising the issue of Russian "interference" in its domestic policies. Last time, the case in point was the "manipulation" of elections to the upper chamber of the Diet. Currently, the Japanese are accusing us of having derailed the Africa assistance programme following the international conference on African development held in Tokyo in August of this year. How would you comment on that?
Maria Zakharova: I would like to say that we commented on all these statements at length at our July 24 briefing. Our assessments from that time remain valid.
I can reiterate that Tokyo would do well to stop aping the West by churning out ever new Russophobic campaigns and return to its national problems that keep piling up. Instead, we see, unfortunately, the ruling elites in Japan and the media they manipulate departing from normal analysis, sober thinking, intellectual integrity and true care for people's interests towards demagoguery aimed at diverting the public from important internal issues rather than showing concern for the people.
All of this has resulted in an unprecedented crisis within the Japanese political class. This is obvious even today; this is a reality where they are unable to decide on the future course of action and what they should do with their national leadership. They had better address their own issues and problems. This is a universal piece of advice.
Question: On October 13, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas visited Kiev to discuss military and financial aid to Ukraine. During a joint news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga, she stated that Russia's economy is weak and that "time was once on Russia's side, but it is shifting to Ukraine now." Would you comment on that statement?
Maria Zakharova: President Putin spoke about this in detail in his October 2 address to the 22nd annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club. He provided the assessment of the Russian economy and its development outlook.
I would like to note that Kaja Kallas is probably unaware of the sanctions her department adopts against our country. Yet our economy continues to develop despite an unprecedented sanctions pressure.
The Russian economy is developing faster that the economies of the countries that have imposed restrictions on us, that is, EU countries. Let me remind you that Russia's GDP has increased by about 4 percent over the past two years, and our national debt was kept below 20 percent. Russia has joined the top three G20 countries in terms of growth, surging ahead of Brazil and Türkiye. According to the World Bank, the Russian economy becomes the fourth largest in the world and the largest in Europe in terms of PPP (purchasing power parity).
The EU representatives' allegations about the weakness of the Russian economy look especially strange against the backdrop of the plummeting living standards in Europe. If life was good in the EU, they could have jeered at us. However, considering their current situation, Ms Kallas should once in a while review the economic indicators of the association she represents. Let's help her.
The EU's economic growth was reported at 1 percent in 2024, whereas its industrial production declined. In 2025, its national debt in terms of GDP soared to the historically high 83.2 percent. European business has been left alone with its problems and is increasingly moving production abroad. Why is she not commenting on this? Problems are increasing in the social sphere. According to the EU's data, 27.5 million of EU citizens faced serious material problems in 2024, and about 47 million could not afford to heat their houses to an acceptable standard.
In the absence of economic success, Brussels continues to gamble on escalating the Ukrainian crisis. European bureaucrats are using the issue of Ukraine in an attempt to overcome internal division and fight political opponents. It is actually the only possibility to convince the people of the need for the unprecedented political and financial investment in Europe's accelerated militarisation at the expense of people's wellbeing, or justify the stagnation of the European economy as a result of anti-Russia sanctions and the failed socioeconomic policy of the current EU leaders.
The European political class is using the advantages of total censorship to blame system errors and drawbacks on the imaginary external enemy. We can see what they are doing in the information space. EU officials, such as Kaja Kallas, are using the situation to travel around the world on the EU taxpayers' money, spreading allegations that are detached from reality and refusing to answer the EU citizens' basic questions about reasons for the decline of the EU.
Question: How would you comment on US President Donald Trump's recent statements about a full end to the war in Gaza and his assertion that the era of terror in the Middle East is over?
Maria Zakharova: I would refer you once again to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's forthcoming interview in the Kommersant newspaper, which provides a comprehensive analysis of the situation in the Middle East, including statements from Washington. Should further assessments be required as the situation evolves, we will of course provide them. For now, we believe that interview offers a complete picture, a point also reflected in the Minister's recent news conference for Arab media.
It is important to consider the context in which this crisis unfolded. We have previously commented on President Trump's efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza. We support the American President's initiative, understanding that the successful implementation of the agreements to stabilise Gaza should pave the way for resuming the political process towards a Palestinian-Israeli settlement. This process must be based on the established international legal framework, including the implementation of the two-state formula. Achieving this goal will require significant effort, and can only succeed if all influential global and regional actors work together, guided by the relevant UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions.
It is clear to us that that the unresolved Palestinian issue - the central and most protracted conflict in the Middle East - has fuelled and continues to fuel radical sentiments in the region, creating a fertile recruiting ground for terrorist organisations.
Furthermore, it is crucial to recognise that persistent crises and instability often serve as catalysts for terrorist activity in the Middle East and North Africa. Historical experience, including that of the United States, demonstrates that combating international terrorism and countering the spread of extremist ideology require a comprehensive strategy. These challenges cannot be overcome unilaterally or by more "coalitions of the willing." This universal scourge can only be defeated through the concerted efforts of the entire international community.
In this regard, we reaffirm the need to strengthen the central coordinating role of the United Nations, built upon the established international legal framework and recognising the primary role of states. We believe it is unacceptable to exploit the issue of terrorism, or terrorist groups themselves, as tools of geopolitical pressure and interference in domestic affairs. Double standards must be rejected, and international counter-terrorism cooperation must be depoliticised.
Question: On October 13 and 14, Beijing hosted the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women. President Xi Jinping spoke in his address about the important role of women in global governance and called for enhancing their protection in conflict zones, where over 600 million women and girls are living. He also stated that China would promote the development of women's cause, including by channelling resources and launching projects to promote cooperation with interested countries and international organisations in strengthening women's potential. What does Russia think about these initiatives and their contribution to promoting women's development on the international scale?
Maria Zakharova: It is true that these days Beijing hosted a world summit on women's rights. The decisions adopted at that forum will certainly increase women's access to education and health resources, strengthen their role in the digital economy, and build up the international environment for women's harmonious development.
The forum has also boosted the Russia-China dialogue and helped coordinate practical measures in this area within the BRICS and SCO formats.
Our joint projects with China and other friendly states have demonstrated the particular effect of measures that are aimed at enhancing traditional family values and also create conditions for women's professional self-fulfilment. Russia has a comprehensive package of state support measures for families and childhood, accessibility of educational establishments, as well as re-training and advanced training programmes, which are open to all women. The idea is very simple: women must not be forced to choose between the family and career. The government is helping them combine both, choosing the course that is more important in the given periods of their lives.
It is extremely important that our leaders set the tone for strategic partnership and humanitarian exchanges, including those aimed at creating a favourable environment for the harmonious development of women and their involvement in addressing global problems.
The Women's Union of Russia maintains active cooperation with the All-China Women's Federation. They have signed a memorandum [of cooperation] and are promoting tutorship projects and exchanging best practices in the areas of women's and children's health, education and support for women's entrepreneurship. We are using the SCO and BRICS platforms to promote the common standards of human-centred solutions and to coordinate projects aimed at strengthening friendship between our peoples and offering Russian and Chinese women broader access to serving their societies and nations.
The Beijing summit has reaffirmed yet again that gender equality (or better said, true equality), family and family problems are issues of special concern for the government, as evidenced by the national programmes Russia and China are implementing in these fields.
Question: During the Monday news conference for Arab media, Sergey Lavrov said that Syria is interested in maintaining Russian military bases in its territory. Was this issue raised at official talks between Russia and Syria? Has Syria advanced any additional requirements to Russia? Does Russia hope to maintain its military presence at the same level as before?
Maria Zakharova: As you have said, Sergey Lavrov commented on this issue during his meeting with Arab media on October 13, 2025.
The Russian-Syrian agenda includes a broad range of bilateral cooperation issues. We also discuss our military presence in Syria, including in the context of the potential changes in the functions of the Russian military facilities there.
It is logical that such issues are discussed behind closed doors. They are the responsibility of the Russian Defence Ministry, and so, this is all I can say on this matter. The Russian-Syrian dialogue is ongoing, including between our military departments. We will update you whenever we can.
Question: US President Donald Trump has said that Russia will have to make peace with Ukraine or else he [President Putin] will face costs. What does the Russian Foreign Ministry think about such statements by the US President? Is this a figure of speech or a real threat?
Maria Zakharova: That's his style. This is obvious, and we have already answered this question.
As for our attitude to statements made in Washington, the entire package of measures, negotiations and various tracks, I will say it again - read Sergey Lavrov's interview which the newspaper Kommersant will publish today. You will find answers to absolutely all your questions there.
Question: US President Donald Trump stated that reaching a peace deal on Gaza would have been impossible without bombing uranium enrichment facilities in Iran. Apparently, he believes that diplomacy only works in concert with the use of force. Do you think he will have the same attitude toward the Ukrainian conflict?
Maria Zakharova: The principles and conduct of American foreign policy are a matter for US representatives to comment on. What I can state is that international law provides a comprehensive framework governing all measures states may take - from diplomacy, non-proliferation, and deterrence to the deployment of peacekeepers and, if absolutely necessary, the use of force.
These are not merely policy choices but legal obligations, as enshrined in the UN Charter and relevant Security Council resolutions. This is not a question of one side's perspective versus another's; it is a matter of established international law, which provides clear answers to these questions.
A wide range of tools is available, provided their application remains within the bounds of this legal framework.
Question: So, is the US violating this principle then?
Maria Zakharova: There have been repeated instances where this has been the case. Moreover, I recall that recently, a US representative stated at the UN Security Council meeting that Washington would be selective in implementing the Security Council resolutions, adhering to those that advance its interests and disregarding others.
Question: What is the Foreign Ministry's comment on the ongoing discrimination against Russian-speaking residents in Latvia and other human rights violations in the Baltic states? What measures is Russia taking to protect its compatriots?
Maria Zakharova: Our position on this issue is a matter of permanent and active record. We have consistently raised these concerns, not only to inform the international community but also to detail the concrete measures we have undertaken over many years - now decades.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is closely monitoring the latest outbreak of blatant Nazism in Latvia, including the inhumane decision to expel compatriots who have not confirmed fluency in the state language.
We strongly condemn this barbaric practice. This constitutes clear Nazism aimed against the Russian-speaking population - even though mass deportations have not been declared. Our compatriots can still utilise various administrative and legal mechanisms to protect their fundamental rights. Riga's practices are particularly outrageous in their targeting of the elderly; more than 3,000 have already been forced to leave the country. We have also witnessed targeted deportations, as in the cases of 75-year-old poet Lyudmila Mezhinsh and 82-year-old retired military officer Boris Katkov. What is it, a "neo-ghetto"? Such actions are unworthy of any nation that professes to be part of the civilised community - or one that claims to be civilised.
The Russian Embassy in Riga will continue to provide maximum assistance to our compatriots caught in this maelstrom of local Nazism. They are welcome in every corner of Russia. We have not only spoken about this repeatedly but have also backed our words with actions.
We are employing the full arsenal of diplomatic and legal instruments to highlight this problem at all relevant international forums and will continue to expose this policy - or rather, this neo-Nazi ideology of Latvian xenophobes. "Policy" is too good a word for that.
Our efforts are documented and systematic. We detail these criminal actions, including human rights violations and the persecution of compatriots in the Baltic states, as well as the dismantling of monuments to Soviet soldiers who liberated Latvia from Nazism during the Great Patriotic War, in our annual report "On the Situation with the Rights of Russian Citizens and Compatriots Abroad." The last report was released in December 2024.
These issues are also reflected in the joint report by the Russian and Belarusian foreign ministries, "On the Human Rights Situation in a Number of States," (the second issue dated June 2025) and the Russian Foreign Ministry's annual reports "On the Situation with the Glorification of Nazism, the Spread of Neo-Nazism, and Other Practices Fuelling Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance" (the most recent one was published in August 2025).
These documents additionally contain recommendations from international and regional human rights frameworks addressed to the governments in question, including the Latvian authorities.
Furthermore, we are pursuing legal avenues. As discussed in our briefing on October 30, 2024, we have filed pre-trial claims against Latvia through diplomatic channels for its failure to comply with the 1965 International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. This covers the systemic discrimination against Russian speakers and the glorification of Nazism. Should this diplomatic step fail, the matter will be referred to the International Court of Justice.
We will continue to bring objective information on this discrimination to the attention of the international community and will persistently engage with the heads of international organisations, seeking a substantive and appropriate response.
Question: It has been reported recently that lorries are lining up at the Russia-Kazakhstan border, including vehicles carrying cargo from China. Could you comment on this situation? What are the causes and what measures is Russia taking to resolve the issue?
Maria Zakharova: Kazakhstan is our strategic partner and key ally in Central Asia. Our countries have the longest land border in the world. Therefore, one of the priorities of our bilateral cooperation is creating a shared Eurasian transport and logistics framework that would provide for secure and reliable cargo transit as part of bilateral and international trade. We particularly focus on improving trans-border infrastructure, which includes renovating and upgrading checkpoints.
In view of this, the Russian Foreign Ministry closely monitors any reports of possible challenges for the border security system at the Russia-Kazakhstan border and promptly reacts to any difficulties through diplomatic channels.
According to the information we have, the majority of the lorries in question are currently parked on the territory of Kazakhstan close to international checkpoints and are not crossing the state border because they are waiting for "special instructions" from shipping companies. Among the numerous reasons listed is the alleged toughening of mobile group inspections by the Federal Customs Service of Russia.
However, all the inspections by our customs authorities are organised in strict compliance with the regulation in place and are aimed exclusively at protecting Russia's economic interests, the lives and health of our citizens, and protecting the interests of the consumers of the imported goods. We can assure you that there are no obstacles for the free movement of cargo as part of mutual trade for honest foreign trade operators.
I would like to refer you to the comment by the Russian Embassy in Kazakhstan. Ambassador Alexey Borodavkin is maintaining contact with our Kazakhstani colleagues regarding this matter.
Question: Head of the National Security Bureau of Poland Slawomir Cenckiewicz claimed that, judging from cyber activities, Poland is allegedly at war with Russia. He accused Moscow of hybrid attacks, sabotage and attempts to disrupt water supply systems and other critical infrastructure across the EU. What would be Russia's comment on the statement by this Polish official?
Maria Zakharova: This is an amazing statement. First of all, it is not cyber activities one should look at but how Warsaw is involved in anti-Russia Russophobic activities in their hot phase, including the supplies of weapons to the Kiev regime - lethal armaments and not so lethal material supplies and money. These measures are not aimed at ensuring security but at ensuring that the "bosses" over Warsaw in the EU and NATO could handle tasks pertaining to inflicting a "strategic defeat" on Russia.
Doesn't Slawomir Cenckiewicz see or know that? Does he only need to analyse cyberspace? Why are they doing this? They are exploiting the topic of information security to stir up Russophobic sentiments.
The Head of the National Security Bureau has done exactly that in an interview with Financial Times. He accused Russia of some sort of hybrid operations. They are operating against us openly and are aware that the equipment, weapons and money supplied to the Kiev regime are used to kill civilians, including children, on Russian territory.
Clearly, no evidence supporting his claims was provided. Under the pretext of Russian cybersecurity threats, they are pursuing their own mercenary goals, such as scrounging money and resources for its own agency, grants and support from more technologically advanced allies. This is a rather common tactic in modern Europe.
We would like to emphasise that Polish authorities have not contacted us regarding alleged attacks through specialised channels, including the UN designated contact points. On the other hand, we have not received any response to our inquiries sent to Warsaw through the same channel regarding a certain incident. In other words, Polish officials are generously throwing out unsubstantiated accusations but when it comes to substantive discussions, they hide their heads in the sand.
Speaking about "aggressors" in cyberspace, we must certainly mention NATO. The alliance is open about implementing the practice of preventive offensive cyberoperations as part of their "flexible defence." It is not a secret that such measures are practiced during respective drills, not to mention all forms of support for Ukrainian hackers' crimes against the Russian state and its citizens.
Question: Many experts, political analysts, and the general public in Bulgaria have expressed serious concern over NATO's influence in altering defence-related laws in violation of Bulgaria's Constitution. Does this mean that the EU is preparing for war, or is this purely a political issue and yet another means for elites to profit? How does this threaten Eastern Europe's security?
Maria Zakharova: We have repeatedly underscored that any state's accession to the North Atlantic bloc entails the loss of its sovereignty in both foreign policy decision-making and military development directives. The steps being taken in Bulgaria to adjust national defence legislation once again affirm this. Everything is geared towards redirecting Bulgarian capabilities to the purported containment of Russia.
As for preparations for war, NATO officials, including Secretary General Mark Rutte, and the majority of European politicians tirelessly reiterate calls to ready themselves for an armed conflict with Russia, which they claim could occur within the next five to seven years. All this constitutes elements of a coordinated information and propaganda campaign aimed at shifting public focus from domestic issues to an external threat, consolidating society, and suppressing dissent and political opposition. They simply cannot act otherwise. This is a crisis of democracy. They cannot unite their societies around anything positive domestically to address internal challenges. The only way they can cobble together internal cohesion is by inventing an external enemy.
Such policies will lead to no good. They already have experience in this regard. The militarisation of Europe is a misguided and dangerous trajectory. We should be working to strengthen regional security, not dismantle it entirely to suit the ambitions of Western political elites - who fear losing their dominant position in international affairs - and the defence industry's pursuit of profit. This is a false path.
Question: Danish officials, including Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, recently accused Russia - without providing evidence - of sending drones near Copenhagen Kastrup Airport to destroy the kingdom's civilian aircraft. Has the Danish side been in contact with Russian authorities regarding this incident?
Also, should attention be drawn to the timing of this incident? It coincided precisely with the scandal exposing the Danish authorities' secret and forced sterilisation of hundreds of Greenlandic women.
How would you comment on this?
Maria Zakharova: I cannot comment on this matter. As for the timing - perhaps. Let me clarify what is and is not known regarding these unmanned aerial vehicles.
According to available information, Danish law enforcement continues to investigate the alleged flights of unidentified UAVs in Danish airspace.
No official requests on this matter have been submitted to us by Danish authorities through diplomatic channels. Denmark's leadership has openly admitted the absence of any evidence implicating Russia in these incidents. Nevertheless, Copenhagen and its affiliated media outlets actively exploit them to fuel anti-Russia hysteria. It is paradoxical, but you see what is happening.
Why are they doing this? To divert attention from internal problems, including revelations about official discrimination against indigenous peoples, economic struggles, and societal development issues. To distract their citizens from domestic challenges, pursue militarisation, and extract even more funds for military budgets to channel them into private defence industry corporations.
The Russian side categorically rejects these absurd and baseless speculations about involvement in the incidents. We expect Copenhagen to demonstrate a responsible approach henceforth and refrain from steps that risk escalating tensions on the European continent.
Question: The St Petersburg International Gas Forum ended last week. Your substantial and highly relevant dialogue with Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller during the plenary session was one of its highlights. Among other things, you noted the link between upholding traditional values and ensuring our country's comprehensive energy security. Could you please elaborate on the current objectives of Russia's information strategy in the energy sphere? What should domestic media focus on to support the Energy Strategy of the Russian Federation as it gets implemented?
Maria Zakharova: We addressed this issue in detail during the forum. With regard to the link between upholding traditional values and ensuring our country's comprehensive energy security, it is more than a link, but rather two aspects of a single approach. I would emphasise that point.
For Russia, using natural resources is not a matter of deriving profit to achieve a goal, but a matter of an outlook on the world and a narrative. It is about forming a responsible approach to international relations, among other things. It reflects the essence of our civilisational model, which is based on fostering an attitude of care towards nature and responsibility towards our people, our business partners, and our counterparts in international relations.
This understanding of responsibility implies fair distribution of natural resources, not using them as tools to exert pressure, or to promote colonisation or imperial ambitions. It is a matter of justice, of nurturing our uniquely generous spirit, and of upholding true values even when doing so runs counter to dominant approaches imposed by Western actors that openly or indirectly promote neocolonialism or neo-imperialism.
The goals of Russia's information strategy in energy remain unchanged and seek to ensure objectivity, to counter fake campaigns, and to dispel false narratives alleging that Russia supposedly "uses energy as a political weapon." In fact, our country has always stood for stability and predictability of global energy markets and for equal cooperation among all participants without politicisation or artificial restrictions.
In this regard, a special role belongs to domestic media, which fend off these attacks on the front of their own. They are capable of shaping an accurate picture of events based on facts as reject ideological and politicised clichés. This is not to say others cannot do the same, they can. But they are often smothered and pressured. They often give up, while ours stand firm and press forward.
It is about honest and professional coverage of the situation, including raising issues that the West prefers to keep silent about, such as the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, the consequences of the EU's refusal to maintain long-term energy contracts with Russia, and the actual cost of the green transition slogans, which have led to higher prices, deindustrialisation, and a decline in living standards in several EU countries, rather than sustainable growth.
The information support for Russia's energy strategy should aim to strengthen trust, protect national interests, and promote the truth about the actual state of affairs on the global energy market.
Timely, detailed, and wide-ranging coverage of key objectives, trends, and events in the domestic fuel and energy sector, including in the context of international cooperation and the building of mutually beneficial partnerships, is essential.
The global economy needs reliable energy supplies. We consistently uphold Russia's approaches to maintaining global energy security - both on multilateral platforms and in bilateral contacts with our partners - in the interest of peaceful development in accordance with international law.
We continue to view the global energy markets stability as our key objective. Its core components include the availability of sufficient energy resources at affordable prices and the proper condition of the transport infrastructure.
This stands in sharp contrast to the model promoted by the collective West. The unilateral restrictions imposed by these countries have affected around 40 percent of the world's hydrocarbon resource base and targeted not only Iran, Venezuela, and Russia, but consumers, too, including those on the growing Asia-Pacific markets. Why aren't we mentioning the fact that the targets also include EU countries and their consumers, such as households, businesses, and corporations?
We categorically reject illegitimate unilateral pressure on Russia, including in the energy sector. The West's sanctions policy is underpinned by a neocolonial push to gain economic advantage through non-competitive means and to drive other players out of the global energy markets. Such methods of competition seriously damage global energy security, contribute to price volatility and uncertainty, and disrupt the established supply chains.
We never stop to emphasise that Russia is a responsible participant of the global energy markets and is fulfilling its obligations to a tee.
Reliable and steady supplies of Russian raw materials make it possible for the friendly countries to support their economic growth, to meet social objectives, and to combat energy poverty. We remain open to cooperation with all interested parties.
The Energy Strategy of the Russian Federation to 2050 approved on April 12 lies at the heart of our country's energy policy. The document sets the goal of developing the national fuel and energy complex which is to achieve a whole new level that includes ensuring affordable and reliable supply of energy products and services for the households and the economy; to effectively realise the export potential; to ensure energy security, technological sovereignty, and competitiveness; and to achieve national climate policy objectives.
To implement the Energy Strategy, an interagency action plan is being drafted that sets out specific tasks for domestic and foreign media to focus on.
It is also essential to note that today, October 15, the 8th International Forum Russian Energy Week opened in Moscow and will run through October 17. According to President Putin, the forum has rightfully become one of the most prominent international platforms for discussing current issues related to energy and the fuel industry.
The event provides a convenient and effective venue where Russian and foreign officials, senior executives from major energy companies, and members of the expert and scientific communities exchange views in a friendly environment on industry trends and prospects, discuss challenges, examine energy transition issues and do so based on actual data, rather than in a politicised manner, and conclude new agreements and build new partnerships.
Question: In the context of the recent military parade in Pyongyang and the showcase of new DPRK weapons, how is the military technical cooperation between Russia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea developing? Can the Foreign Ministry confirm reports of planned supplies of BMD-4Ms and training of landing troops in the DPRK?
Maria Zakharova: Cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea continues in full compliance with the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Russia and the DPRK of June 19, 2024, and does not conflict with any international obligations of our state.
Question: US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff recently said that implementation of Donald Trump's Gaza ceasefire and Palestinian-Israeli peace plan may affect the resolution of the Ukrainian crisis. Does this mean that US President Donald Trump will, for example, propose a similar plan for Ukraine, with international administration in the new regions?
Maria Zakharova: Wait until Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's interview with Kommersant is released. You will read opinions regarding the intricacies of American efforts to settle various conflicts and implement strategies of various White House actors.
Question: Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth recently announced that the department is conducting an additional investigation into the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan under Joe Biden's administration. The investigation is to run until mid-2026. Russia was the first in the world to officially recognise the power of the Taliban in Afghanistan and plans to develop cooperation with it. What can happen if US officials declare there were violations in Joe Biden administration's executive orders?
Maria Zakharova: The meaning of your question is not quite clear. I have commented on Russia-Afghanistan relations many times. Having recognised the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in July 2025, we intend to develop mutually beneficial relations with Kabul in the bilateral and multilateral formats. This fully corresponds with the hopes and needs of our nations and serves the interests of strengthening regional security, specifically, with respect to counter-terrorist and anti-drug trafficking activities. This is a process with its own logic and prospective targets.
I do not think that the US investigation into the circumstances around the infamous withdrawal of the US troops from Afghanistan that you mentioned may have any relation to or affect Russia-Afghanistan relations in any way. You should better refer this question to Washington.
Question: Russia has a programme known as The Time of Heroes. Is the Foreign Ministry involved in this initiative? Do diplomats or experts from the Ministry provide training or lectures for programme participants? Additionally, can individuals who have taken part in the special military operation or The Time of Heroes programme later pursue employment with the Ministry?
Maria Zakharova: The Foreign Ministry places significant emphasis on supporting the soldiers and veterans of the special military operation. This commitment stems both from our functional duty to uphold the diplomatic front and from a sense of compassion and solidarity.
As part of this effort, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov traditionally meets with participants of The Time of Heroes programme; such meetings took place in May 2024, ahead of the first cohort, and in June 2025, prior to the second.
Beginning with the 2023/2024 academic year, an annual professional retraining programme in Urban Infrastructure and Territorial Development Management has been launched for veterans of the special military operation. The initiative is organised by the Main Administration for Service to the Diplomatic Corps (GlavUpDK) in cooperation with MGIMO University and the Centre for Patriotic Education of the Foreign Ministry, with the participation of the Council of Young Diplomats. Upon completion, participants are offered employment opportunities, including in various regions across Russia.
In the 2024/2025 academic year, the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation - supervised by State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Defence of Russia Anna Tsivileva - joined the programme. Over the past two years, more than 30 individuals have completed training under this initiative.
At present, several veterans of the special military operation are employed within the Foreign Ministry system, including in the central office, foreign missions, and regional branches. Feedback on their performance has been consistently positive.
Question: There's been a lot of discussion about the Nobel Peace Prize lately. It seems like it might be used as a political bargaining chip in the future.
Maria Zakharova: Oh, really? And do you believe it was ever completely open, transparent, and fair before?
Question: No, but this year it's especially obvious.
Maria Zakharova: I don't think so. This isn't unique to this year. If you look at the results over time and analyse the broader trend, the pattern becomes clear. How many times - and by how many countries - has this award been criticised for bias? I disagree with your view, and I always will.
Unfortunately, bias has almost always been present: we saw it decades ago, and we continue to see it today. The original meaning and inspiration behind the creation of the Nobel Peace Prize have been distorted over time. Increasingly, we witness a deviation from the principles on which the prize was founded.
In recent years, it has become evident that the Nobel Peace Prize is often used as a tool to promote the political interests of certain Western countries and to criticise regimes deemed undesirable. Despite frequent claims of impartiality by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, it is worth noting that its five members are appointed by Norway's parliament, reflecting the balance of political forces within it. Moreover, Norway itself is widely regarded as one of NATO's most active members, a "model student," leading in defence spending and the rapid growth of arms production.
Given the close ties between the Norwegian Nobel Committee and the country's leadership, it can hardly be regarded as fully independent in its decisions on international awards. This issue is not unique to this year; over the past decades, a mechanism has taken shape that effectively prevents true objectivity. Still, such a biased interpretation of Alfred Nobel's will aligns perfectly with the logic of those who chose to name the programme to arm Ukraine after renowned humanist Fridtjof Nansen.
It is difficult to predict what will happen next. For now, we can only assess the current situation. Since the inception of this prize, the criteria originally outlined by Alfred Nobel have been significantly - and in some cases, completely - distorted.
Question: President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held a meeting in Dushanbe. What key issues were discussed during the meeting between the presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan? What agreements were reached?
Maria Zakharova: President of Russia Vladimir Putin addressed this matter in considerable detail on October 10 during his concluding news conference, where he also responded to follow-up questions from journalists. I trust you have seen it.
The Russian side reaffirms its commitment to unlocking the full potential of the Declaration on Allied Interaction between Russia and Azerbaijan, which was signed at the highest level on February 22, 2022. Furthermore, just recently, on October 13, a trilateral meeting on energy, transport, and customs cooperation was held in Baku, involving Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran, with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexey Overchuk. Productive bilateral contacts with Azerbaijani counterparts were also held.
We remain focused on continued discussions with our Azerbaijani partners regarding the situation surrounding Russian citizens detained in Azerbaijan, with the aim of securing their prompt release and return home. A step forward in this regard has been the modification of the preventive measure applied to the head of the Rossiya Segodnya branch (Sputnik Azerbaijan), Igor Kartavykh.
Question: In what direction might cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan develop within regional integration processes, including the CIS?
Maria Zakharova: We are keen to deepen engagement with Azerbaijan across various regional frameworks - the CIS, the SCO, the CICA, as well as within the Caspian Five and the 3+3 Regional Cooperation Platform (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia + Russia, Iran, Türkiye), including in the context of shaping a modern Eurasian security architecture. We note the intensification of dialogue between Baku and the Eurasian Economic Union, exemplified by the well-established practice of Prime Minister Ali Asadov's participation as a guest of honour in meetings of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council. The most recent such event took place in Minsk on September 30 this year.
We assess our cooperation with Baku within the CIS framework positively. Our partners are highly active across multiple areas of sectoral collaboration. For instance, this year, Azerbaijan is hosting all three CIS thematic capitals: Gabala as the Youth Capital, Lachin as the Cultural Capital, and Ganja as the Sports Capital. From September 28 to October 8, the 3rd CIS Games were successfully held across seven Azerbaijani cities, featuring over 1,600 athletes competing in 23 sports disciplines.
We welcome Baku's accession to several outcome documents of the CIS Summit in Dushanbe on October 10. These include the statements by heads of state on cooperation in combating transnational crime and marking the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster. Azerbaijan also endorsed the adoption of the Cooperation Programme on Countering Terrorism and Extremism for 2026-2028 - a pivotal mid-term document outlining specific areas of joint work among CIS states to ensure regional security.
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