Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow, December 1, 2021
1 December 202115:24
2476-01-12-2021
Advisory for Russian nationals going abroad
I would like to draw your attention to the comments made by Rospotrebnadzor Head Anna Popova who urged people to plan to stay at home during the holiday season and not leave the country, not cross the border.
The issue is that the newly identified virus strain made different countries of the world take urgent extraordinary measures. That caused, among other things, a partial logistics breakdown for transportation services. Flights are being cancelled, borders closed, partial lockdowns introduced.
This directly affects Russian citizens' ability to get back to Russia. At present our Embassy and Consulate General in the Republic of South Africa are helping Russian tourists (including those who went there on holiday) return home. The situation is extremely complicated due to flight cancellations (many flights have already been cancelled). Our diplomats and members of our missions in the RSA are doing everything necessary for our citizens to be able to come back home.
Regrettably, due to the unfolding epidemic situation, nobody can guarantee that a similar incident will not happen in another country or continent. Therefore, planning a trip abroad entails responsibility for such possible developments, unfortunately.
We strongly urge people, in view of the epidemic situation, to plan their itinerary and stay in foreign countries for the eventuality of a lockdown or cancelled flights.
We also ask everyone to follow information on the Foreign Ministry's site and on our social media accounts. I remind you that we have the «Зарубежный помощник» (Assistant Abroad) mobile application which offers updated information on emergency situations in different countries of the world, on citizens' whereabouts, and contact information for our missions abroad, and also lets you get in contact in case of an emergency.
Once again I want to draw attention to the statement made by the head of Rospotrebnadzor and all the Foreign Ministry's recommendations regarding worsening global epidemiological conditions which may cause lockdowns and prevent people from returning as planned or even leaving a country where a lockdown or new quarantine measures could be introduced.
We request that you responsibly plan your trips abroad and follow the latest information. The situation in the RSA where our citizens need help to return home leaves us no option but to warn our citizens that they may find themselves in similar situations.
Sergey Lavrov's upcoming speech during Government Hour at the Federation Council
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will begin to deliver his speech during Government Hour at the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly at 11 am. The event will be streamed online and will be available on all Foreign Ministry resources.
Sergey Lavrov's upcoming participation in an OSCE Ministerial Council meeting
We have already announced Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's participation in the 28th OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Stockholm.
We promised to update you on the bilateral meetings that are being coordinated. As for now, Sergey Lavrov plans to hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the OSCE Ministerial Council with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Swedish Foreign Minister, the OSCE Secretary General, the US Secretary of State, and the foreign ministers of Austria, the UK, Hungary, Spain, Serbia and Turkey. The schedule for several other meetings is being finalised now. We will keep you informed.
Sergey Lavrov's upcoming talks with Minister for Foreign Affairs, African Integration and Chadians Abroad of the Republic of Chad Mahamat Zene Cherif
Talks between Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Minister for Foreign Affairs, African Integration and Chadians Abroad of the Republic of Chad Mahamat Zene Cherif, who will be in Moscow on a working visit on December 6‒8, are scheduled for December 7.
The ministers plan to review a broad range of topical issues pertaining to relations between Russia and Chad, and discuss, in detail, possible ways of stepping up bilateral cooperation, including efforts to strengthen the political dialogue between the countries and promote ties in trade and the economy.
There will be an in-depth exchange of opinions on the international and regional agendas with a focus on resolving conflicts in Africa and consolidating the efforts to combat the terrorist threat in the area of Lake Chad and the Sahara-Sahel region.
We believe Mr Cherif's upcoming visit will help expand mutually beneficial cooperation between our countries.
"Summit for Democracy"
As we speak, the Foreign Ministry is publishing its statement (it will be available in Russian and English) in relation to the holding of the so-called Summit for Democracy. As you know, our Western partners, led by the US, are holding this event under the hypocritical pretense of uniting the developed democracies and separating undeveloped, underdeveloped ones or those that are not democracies at all. We have repeatedly commented on this issue. Now it is the time for a comprehensive statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan
The parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan took place on November 28, 2021. The absolute majority of international observers, including the members of the CIS monitoring mission, noted that the voting was free, open and complied with the national laws of the country.
Kyrgyzstan was provided comprehensive assistance in organising the voting for Kyrgyz nationals in the Russian Federation: 21 polling stations were opened in 16 regions, including 6 in Moscow. I would emphasise again that we provided all the necessary assistance.
We are sure that the results of the expression of will of the people of the Kyrgyz Republic will facilitate the strengthening of domestic stability and the country's democratic development under the rule of law, as well as the consistent growth of its economy and the wellbeing of the nation.
We hope that the new Kyrgyz Parliament will continue the policy of strategic alliance with the Russian Federation, stronger integration in the Eurasian space and greater joint efforts in the interests of peace and security in Central Asia.
CSTO Permanent Council's statement on military activity on the territory adjacent to the CSTO's zone of responsibility and its impact on Eurasian security
On November 30, 2021, the CSTO Permanent Council adopted a statement on military activity on the territory adjacent to the CSTO's zone of responsibility and its impact on Eurasian security.
In the document, the CSTO member states declare that the policy of military and political containment of the organisation's member states is unacceptable, and note that building up the existing, creating and deploying new military groups, military infrastructure and logistic solutions, and increasing the scale of military exercises in the areas adjacent to the CSTO's zone of responsibility lead to greater tension and undermine the efforts to create a common and indivisible security space.
They also note that provocative actions near the borders of the CSTO member states are unacceptable, as they may lead to dangerous incidents and the escalation of military and political tensions.
The full text of the statement is published on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation.
The documents will be distributed on international platforms, namely, the UN and OSCE.
I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly has launched its Telegram channel. We welcome our colleagues and will interact in this format as well.
Update on Ukraine
We receive many questions with a request to comment on the situation in Ukraine.
We are seriously concerned over Kiev's efforts at dismantling the Minsk process, and its de facto refusal to try to settle peacefully the conflict in Donbass.
On November 29 of this year, President Vladimir Zelensky submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a draft law to allow foreign armed units to come to Ukraine in 2022 for participation in multi-national exercises. This action directly contradicts article 10 of the Minsk Package of Measures providing for the withdrawal of all foreign armed formations from Ukrainian territory.
The draft law On the Principles of the State Policy of Transition Period has not been removed from the agenda, either. I would like to recall that we have repeatedly said that the adoption of this document will mean Kiev's withdrawal from the Minsk agreements. We do not see any other option. Instead of a special status and amnesty for the residents of Donbass, this document envisages forced Ukrainisation, screening of officials and the de facto complete "mopping up" of the territories in the east of Ukraine. Although President Zelensky said during the press marathon on November 26 of this year that this is "not a current issue," everyone understands that a decision on its approval may be adopted any time.
Kiev's efforts to subvert the Minsk agreements are most vividly on display at the contact line in Donbass. The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are building military power, and drawing up heavy equipment and personnel. According to some estimates, the strength of Ukraine's armed group in the conflict zone is already close to 125,000. This is half of the AFU personnel.
According to the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM), violations of ceasefire are recorded along the entire contact line rather than locally. On some days in the past few weeks, their number exceeded the maximums that the mission recorded before the additional measures on enhancing ceasefire entered in force on July 22, 2020. Heavy weapons banned by the Minsk agreements are being used increasingly. We have spoken about this more than once. Civilians are the hardest hit by the shelling by the Ukrainian military. It is strange that this is not seen by human rights champions in the Western countries, or observers and special rapporteurs assigned to international organisations. The absolute majority of destroyed houses and civilian facilities are located in Donbass districts. Where is the international human rights movement? Where are the champions of humanitarian law? What about articles in the leading Western media? The matter deals not just with one person who becomes a target of Western media campaigns. This is about the population of a region that has been suffering under the iniquity of the Kiev regime for many years. It is on the verge of a disaster. The Kiev regime is tightening its military power around this population and does not deem it necessary to conceal its real attitude to the Minsk agreements. What else should the Kiev regime do, how should it humiliate the residents of Donbass for the Western mainstream to turn its head to the residents of this region and start wondering what is really happening there?
A civil war is raging in the country. The population is suffering and dying from military adventures (we will talk about this later today). In these conditions, it is impossible to understand the cynical approach of the NATO countries and NATO as an association. They continue supplying Ukraine with arms and ammunition and sending their military instructors to it.
Recently, Western capitals have started making statements about their readiness to send troop contingents to Ukraine as well. London reported its intention to send up to 600 British military personnel to Ukraine. Rendering such assistance to the state where settlement is a remote prospect and the domestic conflict is far from being resolved, the West should understand that it automatically becomes an accomplice in the crimes against Ukrainian civilians.
Against this backdrop, the hysterical campaign in the media, unleashed by Kiev and its foreign patrons about Russia's alleged preparations for an offensive is simply a sidetracking manoeuvre, a fake excuse for the further militarisation of Ukrainian territory.
We urge the NATO countries to stop their provocations and encouragement of the Kiev regime's militaristic plans and do all they can to encourage Kiev engage in direct dialogue with Donetsk and Lugansk with a view to finding a sustainable peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian domestic conflict in line with the Package of Measures endorsed by a UN Security Council resolution.
The Donbass Tragedy website
The people of Donbass have been living under Ukrainian fire for over seven years. They register the death of every peaceful civilian. The majority of people in Donbass were killed or tortured to death by the Ukrainian military and government-supported nationalists from the volunteer battalions during the worst part of the conflict, in 2014-2015. At that time, local residents had to bury their dead neighbours in their courtyards. If the Western human rights organisations are not aware of this, Mr Stoltenberg should look into the matter. Maybe he will receive materials about life in Europe in 2021 and in the state which the Western countries and NATO have taken under their wing, and which is frequently mentioned in Brussels. People in Donbass buried their neighbours and family members in their courtyards, because the cemeteries were mined, if our Western partners do not know this. This is more than ordinary cynicism or humiliation; this is extermination. More graves of peaceful civilians buried by fleeing Ukrainian troops are being uncovered in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions. It should be said that the bodies are not found in the minefields between conflict areas within one state, which are designed to prevent enemy vehicles or military personnel from waging an offensive. These mines were planted to kill those who came to the cemeteries to bury their dear ones. Does the West know about this? If not, we will tell them about it.
Last week, the Donbass Tragedy online resource was launched at the initiative of public organisations in Donetsk and Lugansk to publish documentary evidence of crimes by Ukraine's security services and information about those missing during the conflict in eastern Ukraine. "This is a photo chronicle and witness testimony of the peaceful civilians whose life in south-eastern Ukraine has been destroyed by a new war. The goal of the project is to collect and demonstrate to the world the tragic stories of the people of Donbass. We invite you to share with us your photographs of people whose lives have been changed by the war. The world must know and remember this in order to prevent a repeat of this tragedy." These are powerful words! It would be great if they reached those who are increasing military activity and open provocations around Ukraine on land, sea and air. The website is available on donbasstragedy.info. It only has two pages: a photo gallery and a feedback section, which all residents of Donbass can use to share their stories and post their photographs.
I would like to remind you that in August 2021 the Donetsk and Lugansk authorities set up a joint interdepartmental commission to search for missing persons, authorised burial sites and mass graves of civilians. The commission will organise search parties in the areas where missing persons lived, collect information about them, compile a database of these persons and their relatives, and coordinate efforts to identify the remains and transfer them to the relatives. The results of examination will be forwarded to the related international organisations and legal authorities.
The photographs, videos and thousands of personal stories published on the Donbass Tragedy website will not just facilitate data classification, but most importantly, will give the general public access to objective information about the number of casualties during the conflict and possibly attract the attention, if not reach the conscience of those who are encouraging the build-up of NATO's military activity. They should know that what's at stake is lives, rather than the geopolitical goals of the alleged adversaries. This is about ordinary flesh-and-blood people.
The website is so far available only in Russian, but I believe every possible effort must be made to translate it into other languages.
Ukrainian organisations in Russia
We have taken note of the recent attempts by the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine and Ukrainian representatives in the OSCE to publicly accuse Russia of discrimination against ethnic Ukrainians and the closure of several Ukrainian organisations in Russia.
This is the height of cynicism and hypocrisy. While people are unable to bury their dead, and efforts are underway to find missing people and identify bodies found in mass graves, the Ukrainian delegation to the OSCE has decided to air the issue of alleged discrimination against ethnic Ukrainians in Russia. Who are you telling this to? If your audience is the international community, which you are pinning your hopes on, you should know that it has access to facts and has a clear understanding of what is taking place in the world. It is a lie, a tall tale that is hypocritical and cynical.
Although only one percent of people in Russia say that Ukrainian is their native language, all the necessary conditions have been created in Russia for the preservation of this ethnic minority's identity. I try to avoid the term "ethnic minority," but since we are using international legal terminology, this is what it is. There are about a hundred Ukrainian public associations in Russia, including national cultural autonomies and religious organisations.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry probably doesn't now this. Or doesn't want to know? They also forget to mention that the organisations that have been shut down violated Russian laws and were duly warned by judicial authorities about possible consequences. However, none of them took any corrective action. These organisations are the Federal National-Cultural Autonomy of Ukrainians of Russia, the Association of Ukrainians of Russia, the Siberian Centre of Ukrainian Culture Gray Wedge, and the Far Eastern Ukrainian Spiritual, Cultural and Educational Centre Prosvita.
The first two of these organisations were closed ten years ago, but our Ukrainian partners have decided to speak about this now.
The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine also mentioned the Library of Ukrainian Literature in Moscow, but it failed to add that it has always functioned as a state-owned cultural institution of Moscow, was financed by the Moscow city budget and had no relation to the Ukrainian authorities.
The following may come as a shock to Ukrainian diplomats, but the Library's stocks have been turned over to the Centre of Slavic Cultures. Its stocks have not been burned, closed or banned, but are available to anyone. The centre was established at the Margarita Rudomino State Library for Foreign Literature, and its stocks are regularly replenished, which the Ukrainian diplomats and representatives at the OSCE failed to mention, and available to the general public. Anyone can borrow these books. If the staff of the Ukrainian Embassy want to read books by Ukrainian authors in the Ukrainian language, they can join the library and make use of all its services, including interactive ones. The centre regularly holds cultural and educational events on the history, culture and literature of Ukraine, including jointly with the Moscow Council of Ukrainian Communities and the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation. We would like to invite everyone, but above all journalists, to provide broad coverage of the activities of these organisations.
It appears that Ukrainian diplomats can only use archaic and inaccurate examples and tall tales, because they have no pertinent information. This is probably an attempt to draw public attention away from the glaring violations of the rights of millions of Russian speakers in Ukraine, who make up 46 percent of the Ukraine's population, according to Ukrainian polls. And I certainly do not have to remind anyone how many more people in Ukraine use Russian and consider it as their native language. However, Russian speakers in Ukraine are denied the right to receive an education in their native language and have only limited access to Russian-language literature, television programmes and films. Russian has been banned in nearly all spheres of life in Ukraine. I hardly need to remind you about Donbass, where people have no time for films and libraries or anything else apart from survival.
In April 2021, the Kiev authorities adopted sanctions against the Office of the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), which worked in Ukraine in accordance with an intergovernmental agreement and Ukrainian legislation. As the result, the Rossotrudnichestvo office and the Russian Centre of Science and Culture in Kiev have been closed. How many times have they been attacked by local nationalists and thugs? How many protests have we made about this? How many people did the local far-right groups intimidate to stop them from visiting these offices? Our compatriots have been deprived of a place where they can meet or hold cultural, academic and educational events. Meanwhile, the National Cultural Centre of Ukraine in Moscow is still working freely. Don't the Ukrainian diplomats at the OSCE know this? They do, but they prefer to keep silent about it.
The organisations of Russian compatriots and their active members in Ukraine have to deal with more than ordinary red tape. They have been subjected to open pressure by both Ukrainian nationalists and law enforcement agencies.
We urge Kiev to respect international law and national legislation and to put an end to this policy of discrimination and forceful Ukrainisation of their own Russian-speaking citizens.
Update on Ethiopia
Military and political developments in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia continue to be a source of concern and remain in the focus of our close attention.
The federal forces and the armed units of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) continue fighting in the northern and northeastern areas of the country. During a recent counteroffensive, the government forces managed to establish control over a number of districts in the Afar Region. The information spread by some media about a siege of the capital is untrue. The situation in Addis Ababa is generally calm. The humanitarian access to the regions affected by the hostilities is being restored. After a month's interval, airlines have resumed humanitarian flights from Addis Ababa to Mekele, the capital of Tigray.
The military-political crisis in Ethiopia and a search for ways out of it were in the focus of attention during Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's talks with Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat on November 16 and his High Representative for the Horn of Africa region Olusegun Obasanjo on November 23.
We believe that to preserve unity and territorial integrity of Ethiopia it is necessary for all the parties in the domestic conflict to display political will and agree on a ceasefire, which should allow them to start the political settlement process and restoration of peace in that country.
50th anniversary of UN Volunteers
The UN Volunteers Programme (UNV) has continued fulfilling its important mission for 50 years now. It recruits volunteers to support the activities of the UN bodies in promoting development and conducting peacemakingoperations. Another important task of the UNV is to focus the volunteer movement on implementing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and help countries draft programmes, policy and laws aimed at encouraging the volunteer movement and facilitating its integration in national development strategies.
The UNV was established by UN General Assembly Resolution 2659 in 1970 and started working on January 1, 1971. It functions under the aegis of the UN Development Programme (UNDP). In all, the UNV has about 150 employees in its secretariat and about 7,200 volunteers involved in the work of 38 UN structures in 126 countries. About 17,000 online volunteers support UNV activities. They are not on the staff but are its reliable assistants.
Since July 2018, the Russian Foreign Ministry and the UNV have had an agreement on implementing the programme for the full funding of Russian volunteers' participation in the work of UN agencies. Under this programme, Russian volunteers are sent to national representative offices of UN programmes, funds and specialised agencies on a competitive basis every year. They are also dispatched to the offices of UN resident coordinators for work in the following areas: peaceful settlement, formation of social partnerships, environmental protection, energy, promotion of women's business opportunities, assessment of technical aid projects and resource mobilisation.
The 76th UN General Assembly will hold an event to mark the 50th anniversary of the volunteer programme: the UNV will present its annual report on the importance of the volunteer movement for building equitable and inclusive communities.
Transfer of Russian humanitarian aid for UN World Food Programme in Kenya
On November 22, Russia delivered humanitarian aid to its Kenyan partners in Nairobi. The aid was delivered as Russia's contribution to the UN WFP. It contained fortified vegetable oil worth about $1 million. The handover ceremony was attended by Micah Powon, Prinicipal Secretary of the State Department for Development of the ASAL, Kenyan Ministry of Devolution, Russian Ambassador to Kenya Dmitry Maksimychev and WFP Kenya Chief Lauren Landis.
The hosts thanked the Russian Government and people for humanitarian aid, saying it was timely and much in demand.
New power transmission line from Russia to South Ossetia
On November 26, the Republic of South Ossetia hosted a ceremony of launching a new reserve power transmission line built with Russia's financial support. The ceremony was attended by President of the Republic Anatoly Bibilov, Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Rashid Nurgaliyev, Chief of the Russian Presidential Directorate for Interregional Relations and Cultural Contacts with Foreign Countries Igor Maslov, Russian Ambassador to South Ossetia Marat Kulakhmetov, other senior officials, as well as representatives of the public and the media. The launch of a new power transmission line from Russia to South Ossetia is of strategic importance for the republic because Russia is its only energy supplier. The line will provide the republic with reliable energy supplies, which is especially important in winter.
Russia will continue rendering all-round assistance to the socioeconomic development of South Ossetia.
The Tehran Conference anniversary
A conference of the leaders of the three allied powers - the USSR, the United States and Great Britain - was held in Tehran on November 28 - December 1, 1943. That was the first personal meeting between Joseph Stalin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. The opening of the second front in Europe was a key issue for Soviet diplomacy. After complex discussions, a document on the military decisions of the Tehran Сonference was signed. It created the framework for the landing of Anglo-American troops in Normandy, which was supposed to take place during May 1944. The document also reviewed coordination of military actions by the three countries, Turkey's participation in the war and assistance to partisans in Yugoslavia.
The parties reached full agreement on the issues of postwar cooperation and ways of ensuring international security. They signed a declaration of the three powers expressing confidence "our nations shall work together in war and in the peace that will follow." They also agreed that "as to peace -- we are sure that our concord will win an enduring Peace." They wrote in the declaration: "We recognise fully the supreme responsibility resting upon us and all the United Nations to make a peace which will command the goodwill of the overwhelming mass of the peoples of the world and banish the scourge and terror of war for many generations."
At the conference, the parties also outlined the contours of the postwar world arrangement and exchanged views on the future of Germany and the Polish issue.
Committed to the allied duty, the Soviet side announced its determination to enter the war in the Far East after the surrender of Nazi Germany.
The ceremonial presentation of the sword of honour, a gift from King George VI to the residents of Stalingrad for their heroic defence of the city, took place on the sidelines of the conference. It emphasised once again the Soviet Union's decisive contribution to the war against the common enemy.
The outcome of the Tehran Conference pointed to the productive military and political cooperation of the great powers of the anti-Hitler coalition, aimed at the victorious completion of World War II and establishment of lasting peace.
80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi troops near Moscow
On December 5, 1941, 80 years ago, the Red Army launched its counteroffensive against the Nazi invaders in the battle of Moscow. The main goal was to push the frontline as far away from the capital as possible. As a result of a large-scale regrouping of troops, the operation on the Red Army's side involved about 1,100,000 men, over 750,000 arms, 774 tanks and 1,000 aircraft. The strength of German troops was 1,700,000.
In the early hours of December 5, the troops of the Kalinin, Western and Southwestern fronts launched a joint offensive in severe winter conditions. Despite the enemy's desperate resistance, in the 11 days of hostilities, the Red Army managed to defeat the attack force of Army Group Centre and move forward by 65 km to 120 km along the entire frontline.
Soviet forces launched another offensive in early January 1942, pushing back German troops from Moscow by 100 km to 250 km. They liberated the Moscow suburbs and the Tula and Ryazan regions.
The Battle of Moscow is known for the massive heroism and self-sacrifice of Soviet troops. About 36,000 soldiers and officers were awarded orders and medals for their valour and courage during the battle, while 187 received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
At the approaches to Moscow, the Soviet troops managed to dispel the myth about the invincible Wehrmacht army for the first time since the start of World War II. The idea of a blitzkrieg was buried forever. The Battle of Moscow was of great strategic importance for the Great patriotic War.
On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the defeat of German troops near Moscow, the authorities decided to erect a memorial on perpetuating the memory of the fallen soldiers. A fraternal grave of Moscow defenders was found during construction work on the 41st km of the Leningrad Motorway. There were remains of a soldier in well-preserved uniform without documents. It was decided to transfer them to the Kremlin Wall.
On December 3, 1966, the authorities held a ceremony to mark the burying of the remains of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden. On May 8, 1967, a memorial was opened at the grave. It became to be known as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and the Eternal Flame was lit. Today, there is a permanent post No. 1 of the guard of honour of the Presidential Regiment at the tomb.
I would like to say that I often drive by the Leningrad Motorway. I have been there many times since my childhood. These are the places where my ancestors, my grandfather and grandmothers lived. This is not simply a road - this is a road of memory and monuments. In our country, we cherish the memory of these events, the memory of all those who sacrificed their lives for the sake of our future. I do not want to make an appeal. Probably, look at it as my proposal and request. If you get a chance during these days, on the 80th anniversary, visit the monuments that stand along the Leningrad Motorway - from Moscow, Zelenograd to Solnechnogorsk and beyond. Show these monuments to your children, tell them about their history. Tell them that in the modern world, cutting-edge infrastructure may blend harmoniously with the history, memory and monuments of those times. Explain to them that it is not necessary at all to sacrifice the past to the construction of the future. They must co-exist only in harmony and mutual respect. There are very many monuments there. We even brought foreign correspondents there, telling them that those who destroy our monuments abroad claim that there is no room for the memorials of the past in the world of construction and infrastructure. We explained to them that such explanations have no grounds at all. We have specific examples of how history that is preserved in monuments will live on forever.
Answers to media questions:
Question: The other day you called the refusal of the Libyan High National Election Commission (HNEC) to allow Saif al-Islam Gaddafi to participate in the presidential election an act of discrimination. Are there any other aspects of the preparations for the election in Libya that worry Russia?
Maria Zakharova: I would like to remind you of our fundamental assumption. We have always supported equal opportunities for representatives of all Libyan political communities to participate in the electoral process. It is important that the preparation for elections is such that the results cannot be questioned. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke about this on November 12, 2021, at the international conference on Libya, a corresponding comment on the Libyan people's right to choose the best candidates for high posts in the country was published last week on the website of the Ministry.
So, our position is well known. It has not changed.
Question: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan officially declared Turkey's willingness to be a mediator for Russia and Ukraine while earlier he proposed holding a trilateral summit on Donbass. What is Russia's response to these proposals from Ankara?
Maria Zakharova: You are probably aware that the Russian President's Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov has already commented on the issue. I can only add that there are already well-established formats in the negotiating process for settling the domestic Ukrainian conflict: the Contact Group where Kiev, Donetsk and Lugansk interact with the mediation of Russia and the OSCE, as well the Normandy format to accompany its work. Breaking them makes no sense. On the contrary, they have to be encouraged, developed while the parties must be urged to implement everything agreed upon. With that in mind, we once again emphasise that Russia is not a party to the conflict and we will not allow any attempts to use nice-sounding phrases as a sort of "constructive ambiguity" which conceals an attempt to define our country as a party to the conflict. If there is a true commitment to peace, all false wordings and veiled phrases just damage the cause.
It must be clear that the problem with resolving the crisis in the southeast of Ukraine is not in the lack of negotiation formats. The problem is that Kiev does not fulfill the obligations it undertook under the Minsk agreements. Let me remind you that those agreements were not imposed on Kiev. They bear the signature of the Kiev government's representative. They were engaged in working out those agreements and made their intellectual contribution to the work, argued, stood up for their positions, agreed with some points, arrived at a consensus, thus they are absolutely a part of that international legal document.
Unfortunately, the problem is that Kiev is not fulfilling the obligations it undertook during those negotiations, in particular, the provisions of the 2015 Package of Measures, the agreements of the 2019 Paris summit of the Normandy format, and the 2020 Measures to strengthen the ceasefire.
We are grateful to President of Turkey Erdogan for his desire to contribute to the intra-Ukrainian settlement process. His efforts at persuading the Ukrainian authorities to abandon their aggressive plans for Donbass and to finally begin fulfilling the Minsk agreements in good faith through direct dialogue with Donetsk and Lugansk representatives could become an important step to that end.
As you saw from the diplomatic correspondence between the Russian foreign minister and his French and German counterparts, for some reason Berlin and Paris thought it possible to claim that contrary to the Minsk agreements, direct contacts of Kiev with Donetsk and Lugansk are not viable or possible. This is in direct conflict with the Minsk agreements, which are basically all about this. Maybe the Turkish side will be able to use their diplomatic practices and experience to urge the Kiev regime to engage in such direct dialogue with Donetsk and Lugansk as the latter have no objections to such a dialogue and contacts based on fulfilling the Minsk agreements.
We believe that with its well-developed relations with Kiev (by the way, Kiev does not deny that, just recall the recent press marathon event by Zelensky - he said directly that they have special relations with Turkey), Ankara could really contribute to that process. It is precisely such efforts that can make a real contribution to establishing peace in Donbass rather than deliveries of offensive weapons, including drones.
Question: In a recent interview with The Telegraph, former British Chief of the Defence Staff Nick Carter said Russia was a greater "threat" than extremism. However, he failed to specify what kind of threat, specifically, he was referring to. He just mentioned some "grey zone activity" where opponents can use "all the instruments of power," so long as they do not bring on a hot war. Can you comment on such accusations?
Maria Zakharova: His statements were quite vague; he did mention some "grey zone activity." I do not know what kind of "colours game" our British partners are playing.
The British general's overall message is obvious - he is again presenting Russia as a key factor allegedly pushing London to build up and modernise its own military capabilities and project them onto remote theatres of military operations. We do nothing of the kind. Most importantly, in Russia, foreign ministers do not ride tanks; the military do. Foreign ministers are engaged in negotiation processes and peacekeeping. If anyone in the UK is annoyed by this, they had better take care of their own political actors, both domestically and abroad. It seems that the British authorities are frantically looking for an excuse to justify the scale of their destructive and destabilising activities in the Baltics, in Ukraine, and in other regions of the world. They also have work to do in historical retrospect. Iraq alone cost the world dearly; not to mention how the Iraqis had to pay for this scenario with the occupation of a sovereign state, in which Britain played a second, but no less destructive role. This "Russian threat" rhetoric is a convenient excuse for the Anglo-Saxon military lobby to request an increase in defence spending.
We believe these arguments are as far from reality as can be, and sound more like emotional conclusions inspired by a false perception of reality. Reproducing such confrontational attitudes again, the British military only confirm official London's policy of political confrontation and stepping up pressure on Russia.
This approach is unlikely to become a platform for normalising bilateral relations. Moreover, the growing anti-Russia tilt in the British political establishment will inevitably complicate our interaction with London on multilateral platforms while addressing current international and regional issues. There can be no dialogue from such positions. London used to know this. Perhaps they have forgotten, but we have refreshed their memory.
Question: Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said 27 Russian diplomats with their families would have to leave the United States on January 30, 2022; a similar number of people would leave on June 30. What is the reason for the massive departure of Russian diplomats from the United States, and will reciprocal steps be taken in relation to American diplomats in Russia?
Maria Zakharova: We have repeatedly commented on this topic. Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov seems to comment on it every day in fact. This is about America planning to expel another group of employees of Russian diplomatic missions in the United States. As a reminder, on October 29, I explained every small detail in response to a media question. I would say Ambassador Antonov described the situation very accurately by stressing that "our diplomats are being thrown out."
Less than a year ago, America introduced a three-year limit on long-term assignments for Russian diplomats at our Embassy in Washington and at Russian consulates general in New York and Houston. At the same time, 55 employees who had got a posting there before this innovation were retroactively ordered to leave, with their families, by January 30 (27 people) and by June 30 (28 people) next year. The Americans said their accreditations and diplomatic immunity would be cancelled from those dates.
What is this, if not expulsion? All right, they are given more than 24, 48 or 72 hours, but this does not change the fact. A situation where they dictate the termination of our diplomats' assignments and tell them to leave is unacceptable. It was not the United States that dispatched them there, but the Russian Federation. Our American partners have decided for us which of the Russian diplomats are to leave the United States and when, interrupting their activities. Restricting the term of diplomats' stay in the host country is an overt encroachment by the United States on the sovereign right of the states that have dispatched them; this does not fit in with diplomatic norms in any way. This is being done according to the laws written by the host party. Moreover, those who have already left or will have to leave the United States before the expiration of their assignment are prohibited from returning to work in our diplomatic missions there for the next three years.
Frankly, we regard this requirement as expulsion and intend to respond accordingly. All employees of the US Embassy in Moscow who have been here for more than three years must leave Russia by January 31, 2022. Let me emphasise that this was not our choice. This game was imposed on us by our American partners. We had spent a long time persistently trying to reason with them and direct them to a constructive solution to this matter, but they made their choice. If Washington does not abandon the three-year rule and does not agree to a compromise, by July 1, 2022, Russia will send away as many US embassy workers as is commensurate with the number of deported Russians announced by the State Department.
This is our way of strictly maintaining reciprocity, which is one of the basic principles of diplomacy.
Question: On November 29, 2021, talks on reviving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) resumed in Vienna. The fact that the negotiations have started is a positive sign, although the United States is still discussing a whole list of Plan B options in case these talks fall through. What is Russia's position regarding Plan B?
Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's permanent representative in Vienna, said that the United States confirmed its readiness to lift all the sanctions that contradict the JCPOA in return for Iran returning to full compliance. However, he also said that "in multilateral diplomacy the devil is in the details." The detailed list of the sanctions that could be lifted is being negotiated. What is on this list?
Maria Zakharova: A new round of talks to restore the JCPOA got underway on November 29, 2021, on a constructive note. This is what those involved in the process and the observers have been saying. We share this assessment.
The meeting of the Joint Commission of the JCPOA was followed the next day by discussions within special working groups tasked with fine-tuning the list of synchronised steps by the United States and Iran to return to compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal as set forth in UN Security Council Resolution 2231. We hope that the efforts to find solutions will be gaining momentum.
No one is discussing the infamous Plan B or any other would-be options in Vienna. This is an inappropriate approach. The conversation is taking place in a completely different way. All the parties involved have a shared objective to reinstate the JCPOA as soon as possible within its original framework without any additions or exemptions and ensure that it remains operational.
It would be wrong to describe this situation as a deadlock. This is a wrong way of seeing things. The ongoing dialogue builds on the six preceding rounds, which took place between April and June 2021. This is what matters the most here. Russia has gone to great lengths to make this possible.
The JCPOA contains everything it needs to be fully implemented, while all the talk about a Plan B or similar scenarios only distract us from the substance of the matter. Instead of creating a more positive atmosphere, this makes it toxic.
Many details have yet to be agreed upon. We believe that progress by the United States on lifting the sanctions on Iran will make it possible for Tehran to "unfreeze" its reciprocal commitments, which it suspended in response to Washington's violation of the nuclear deal and UNSC Resolution 2231.
There is no other way around it. We will strive to revive the JCPOA in full as soon as possible, and see no viable alternative to this fundamental agreement, which took so many years and efforts to negotiate. We will not lend our support to those who oppose keeping the JCPOA in place, and who prefer instigating conflicts and refuse to cooperate.
Question: During his conversation with Ilham Aliyev on Friday in Sochi, Vladimir Putin said that Russia and Azerbaijan "will mark the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year. This is certainly a landmark and I suppose we should celebrate it befittingly." Is there any information on how Russia will celebrate this political and diplomatic anniversary?
Maria Zakharova: We have already issued a comment on this topic. We have almost finished coordinating the corresponding event plans which include both official and cultural celebrations. This information will become available soon. Next year we will be marking a series of 30th anniversaries of diplomatic relations with several post-Soviet countries.
We are working on this issue, and will keep you updated as soon as the event plan is approved.
Question: Russia and Slovakia have a citizenship agreement that was signed at the time when the Russian Constitution did not allow dual citizenship. This agreement is still in force and does not allow for providing the Russian citizenship to children born to a Russian parent. Such children were given the Slovakian citizenship after they were born. But now, when Russia allows dual citizenship, such parents who have Russian citizenship would want their children to have the Russian citizenship as well. Does the Russia-Slovakia agreement prevail over the updated Russian Constitution? Is it possible to receive the Russian citizenship in Slovakia for such children without the need to enter Russia?
Maria Zakharova: The Russian Federation and the Slovak Republic follow the Treaty between the USSR and the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic on the Prevention of Dual Citizenship of June 6, 1980, in accordance with the intergovernmental protocol on the inventory of contractual norms of October 31, 1995.
We would like to note that the adoption of Federal Law No 134-FZ On Amending the Federal Law On the Citizenship of the Russian Federation of April 24, 2020, which stipulates a simplified procedure for granting citizenship to foreign nationals and stateless persons does not affect Russia's international obligations outlined in the Treaty.
The Treaty does not prohibit Russian and Slovak nationals to have the citizenship of Slovakia or Russia as the second citizenship. It limits the possibility to receive two citizenships simultaneously when choosing the citizenship for a child, one of whose parents is a Russian citizen and the other is a Slovak citizen. It does not deny the child the opportunity to later receive the second citizenship on other grounds (at least the Russian law allows that, but it should be checked with the Slovak party).
The parents of a child born to a mixed marriage can jointly file an application and choose a citizenship for their child. At the same time, the Treaty does not prohibit the child to receive the other citizenship some time later through the process of naturalisation.
Question: There have been reports that some diplomats who leave the US can reapply for entry visas. If so, will these applications be processed through Warsaw?
Maria Zakharova: It depends on who exactly we are talking about. One of the prevailing rules of the United States is that if a diplomat has worked there for a certain period of time, they cannot apply for work in the US as an employee of the Russian foreign mission within the next three years.
I don't know how and where the Americans plan to issue visas. It is better to ask them. At the moment, I don't have information about any changes to the existing procedure.
***
I want to congratulate you on the first day of winter. In Moscow, it is marked by this season's first snow.
Please use the information we provided at the beginning of the briefing on planning trips abroad so that the winter months and holidays would not be overshadowed by problems that people may have due to the quarantine, epidemiological measures and lockdowns in some countries. Please plan your trips responsibly.
The website of the Russian Foreign Ministry has all the information in this regard and the recollections about 2020, when we organised a campaign to bring our nationals home. You can see each flight in pictures, facts and people's recollections. It is not something we want to repeat; it was a difficult time for everyone.
Please stay updated and remember that nobody knows where and when the borders may be closed for epidemiological reasons.
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