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⚡️ On April 8, Japan’s Ambassador to Moscow Akira Muto was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry and issued a protest over reports that Tokyo-based Terra Drone Corporation had entered into an investment agreement with a Ukrainian developer of combat drones.
The head of the Japanese diplomatic mission was told that Ukraine’s systematic criminal provocations involving UAV attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful residents on Russian territory give us every reason to regard such a step as openly hostile and detrimental to our country’s security interests, including the protection of civilians.
During the discussion of the current state of bilateral relations, the Russian side stressed that, as a result of the unfriendly policy pursued by official Tokyo – a course unfortunately continued by the new cabinet of Sanae Takaichi – relations between the two countries have deteriorated to an unprecedented low.
☝️ It was noted that, if the Japanese side is genuinely interested in resuming interstate dialogue, it must demonstrate this not in words, but through concrete actions and practical steps.
🔴 #LIVE: Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks at the 46th meeting of the Council of Regional Governors under the Russian MFA auspices
🔴 Ruptly
🔴 Russia's MFA Website
The Embassy has been approached by several Australian media outlets regarding the arrest of an Australian citizen from Adelaide who allegedly worked for the Ukraine military as a drone operator without authorisation.
The decision to initiate criminal proceedings against this individual, as far as we understand, has been taken in accordance with Australian law.
The Russian side considers him, as well as several dozen other Australians who had been and are fighting on the side of the Ukrainian armed forces, to be mercenaries.
According to Russian law, a mercenary is a person acting for the purpose of receiving material compensation and who is not a citizen of a state participating in an armed conflict or military actions, does not permanently reside on its territory, and is not a person sent to perform official duties.
Under Part 3 of Article 359 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Mercenarism”), participation of a mercenary in an armed conflict or military actions shall be punishable by imprisonment for a term of seven to fifteen years with or without restriction of liberty for a term of up to one year.
At the same time, we emphasise that granting Australian citizens authorisations to work for the Ukrainian armed forces would mean Australia’s direct engagement in the conflict.
🗓 On April 7, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov received in Moscow Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, a candidate for the post of UN Secretary-General.
Sergey Lavrov conveyed Russia’s position that candidates for the top UN post must strictly adhere to the principles of the UN Charter, pursue an impartial line in the interests of all member states, and work to adapt the Organisation to multipolar realities.
Rebeca Grynspan presented her campaign platform, focusing on approaches to addressing current challenges, organising the UN’s day-to-day work, and carrying out reforms aimed at fully restoring its effectiveness and operational capacity.
#UNCharterIsOurRules: Both Sides reaffirmed their commitment to the UN’s central coordinating role in world affairs.
🗓 On April 6, Reception House of the Russian Foreign Ministry hosted a meeting between the leadership of the Russia-Islamic World Strategic Vision Group and the Ambassadors to Moscow of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (#OIC) member states.
The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Head of the Republic of Tatarstan and Chairman of the Group Rustam Minnikhanov, as well as representatives of Russia’s federal and regional authorities and leaders of religious organisations.
The participants were briefed on the Group’s current activities and future plans. The programme of the 17th International Economic Forum “Russia-Islamic World: KazanForum”, due to take place in May 2026, was also presented.
In his address to the participants, Sergey Lavrov stressed the special importance Russia attaches to developing productive dialogue and strengthening comprehensive cooperation with friendly Islamic countries and the OIC, which brings them together.
👉 Sergey Lavrov’s remarks
The event also underscored the important role played by the Russia-Islamic World Strategic Vision Group, which marks its 20th anniversary this year, in expanding this partnership.
It was noted that a key unifying factor in our relations is a firm commitment to the goals and principles of the UN Charter in their entirety and interconnectedness, as well as a shared focus on building a just #MultipolarWorld that opens up new opportunities for equal interaction free from all forms of discrimination.
⚡️ Statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry on the situation in the Middle East (April 6, 2026)
The large-scale international crisis triggered by the unlawful and unprovoked aggression of the US and Israel against Iran continues to widen and intensify with each passing day.
The strikes are becoming ever more fierce and destructive. Their targets now include not only military objectives, but also civilian infrastructure, including, with increasing frequency, nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards.
Particular concern is caused by the growing number of reckless attacks on the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, which have already resulted in loss of life. The shadow of a radiological catastrophe – one potentially more devastating than Chernobyl – now looms over the Persian Gulf region and the adjacent part of Eurasia.
The armed confrontation has already claimed the lives of thousands of innocent people, including women and children, and has inflicted suffering on civilians. Schools, hospitals and World Heritage sites are being destroyed. Diplomatic and consular missions are also coming under fire, in blatant violation of the fundamental principles of international relations and the relevant Vienna Conventions.
Enormous damage has been inflicted on global energy and food security. Critical logistics routes that had functioned without disruption before this criminal US-Israeli gamble have been blocked. Markets have been thrown into disarray, many countries are being forced to introduce fuel rationing, and experts are issuing grim forecasts of economic decline and surging inflation in vulnerable economies.
The situation caused by the unlawful and irresponsible actions of Washington and Tel Aviv is deteriorating rapidly and risks spiralling fully out of control.
We once again strongly call for an immediate cessation of hostilities. We welcome the efforts of a number of states, including Pakistan, Türkiye and China, to de-escalate tensions around Iran and pave the way for dialogue on a long-term and sustainable normalization of the situation in the Middle East.
We also draw attention to the April 2 statement by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in which he called on the US and Israel to stop the war that is causing immense human suffering and dire economic consequences, and on Iran to halt the attacks on its neighbours launched in the wake of the aggression.
We believe that there is still a chance for a political and diplomatic settlement of the conflict. The parties to the conflict must abandon the language of threats, unacceptable insults and ultimatums, and avoid actions that could plunge the entire region into irreparable chaos.
It is critically important not to undermine the remaining prospects for negotiations aimed at achieving a political and diplomatic solution. We call for this factor to be fully taken into account in the work of the UN Security Council.
Responsible members of the international community must prevent the Middle East from sliding into the abyss of an all-consuming war with long-term tragic consequences for the entire world.
☝️ Russia, together with its international partners, stands ready to do everything possible to that end.
⚡️Kiev regime committed another crime against Russian journalists.
On April 6, while on duty documenting the aftermath of a Ukrainian drone strike in Donetsk 🇷🇺, "Izvestia" correspondent Yevgeny Bykovsky was hit by a second targeted strike from a UAF drone and suffered a concussion.
📢 We draw the attention of #UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany to this crime and call for its condemnation in accordance with relevant decisions of the General Conference and Executive Board on Safety of Journalists.
💬 Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova:
In recent days, German media outlets have published a number of reports recalling that, as of January 1, 2026, a provision of the Conscription Act (Wehrpflichtgesetz, WPflG) entered into force in Germany.
From now on, all male German citizens between the ages of 17 and 45 are required to obtain a written permission from the Bundeswehr if they intend to leave the country for more than three months.
Previously, such restrictions applied only in a state of emergency – namely under the legally defined “state of tension” or “state of defence”. Now, however, they have become a permanent measure that also affects German citizens in peacetime. Moreover, the law covers all purposes of long-term travel abroad – whether for study, work, tourism or medical treatment. The Bundeswehr, admittedly, insists that as long as military service remains voluntary, such permits will supposedly be issued without difficulty. Experts point out, however, that with so many caveats framed around “if” and “for as long as,” German men could be grounded at any moment if the need arises – the legal mechanism for doing so is now in place.
☝️ Let me remind you: for years, German propaganda – spread through various disinformation outlets such as Deutsche Welle – has poured out streams of lies about Russia, casually branding it either a “country that uses police-state methods” or an “authoritarian regime”. In the end, it always comes down to the same incoherent bundle of Western clichés: “Time and again, the Russian police state strikes out against critics of the system”.
What is more, Berlin has long been in the habit of blaming its own miscalculations, mistakes and failures on external factors – shifting the blame, as the saying goes, from the sick head to the healthy one. One recent example reads as follows: “In countries with authoritarian regimes, such as Russia and China, prices in the military-industrial sector may be significantly below market levels, since defence enterprises are controlled by the state, which also acts as their main customer. As a result, Europe’s defence industry is losing out in efficiency not only to Russia and China, but also to the US...”
These moves by the German government form part of Chancellor Merz’s strategy of militarising the country, as outlined at the Munich Security Conference. Plans had previously been announced to increase the size of the Bundeswehr from 184,000 to 260,000 personnel by 2035, while all men born in 2008 or later have already been required to fill out so-called “service readiness questionnaires”. The staffing problem, meanwhile, is apparently to be solved... by lottery. At the same time, audiences on the popular German political talk show Presseclub are being told that conscription is supposedly good for one’s health, because during the medical examination “they check the prostate”... As they say, two birds with one stone 😹
❗️ Having lost itself in its current militarist fervour, Germany appears to have completely forgotten the lessons of history.
The last time the German political elite set out to make their country the “leading military power in Europe”, it ended in a tragedy for all humanity.
#Announcement
🎙 On Wednesday, April 8, Russia’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova will hold her weekly briefing on current foreign policy issues.
🕐 1:00 pm MSK
🕙 10:00 am GMT
🕚 11:00 am CET
🕕 6:00 pm CST
For accreditation inquiries, please contact the MFA Press Centre. Accredited journalists will receive details on the technical aspects of submitting questions.
The Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman will answer media questions received by the call centre.
❗️ Accreditation is open until April 7, 10:00 am MSK
🎙 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks at a meeting of the Russia-Islamic World strategic vision group with ambassadors of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation member states (Moscow, April 6, 2026)
💬 I am pleased to welcome the Ambassadors of the member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, representatives of federal government bodies, members of the delegation of the Republic of Tatarstan, leaders of religious communities, and all our guests.
Interethnic and interfaith accord has always been, and remains, cornerstone elements of Russia’s centuries-old statehood. Alongside other traditional religions, Islam constitutes an integral part of the spiritual, historical, and cultural heritage of our country.
Among Russia’s unequivocal foreign policy priorities are the strengthening of mutually beneficial ties with the states of the friendly Islamic civilisation, as well as the promotion of dialogue with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which unites them.
A significant role in the development of Russia’s partnership with the OIC is played by the Russia–Islamic World strategic vision group, under the leadership of head of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov. This year, this platform – truly unique in its representativeness and thematic scope – marks its 20th anniversary. I would like to wholeheartedly congratulate all colleagues on this momentous occasion.
Over this period, our joint work has yielded tangible results. A trusted dialogue has been established on pressing issues of the international agenda, including the situation in the Middle East, which currently demands particular attention. Such contacts confirm the convergence or proximity of Russia’s and Muslim countries’ approaches to a wide range of global and regional matters.
We are united by our commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter in their entirety, completeness, and interrelationship. We advocate the construction of a just multipolar world order that opens new opportunities for the development of equitable cooperation, free from any form of discrimination or diktat.
We devote considerable attention to expanding trade and economic interaction with the Islamic world and to implementing joint investment projects. In mid-May, Kazan will host a large business event – the next, 17th International Economic Forum Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum. Relevant invitations are being sent through Russian diplomatic and trade missions in OIC member states. We would be delighted to welcome delegations from all your countries to hospitable Kazan.
Solid foundations also exist in the humanitarian sphere, as well as in culture, education, and science. Active contacts through religious leaders, along with youth and other public associations, help Muslims around the world to learn more about our country. In this regard, I would like to note particularly that Kazan has been declared this year’s Cultural Capital of the Islamic World.
I am confident that the planned events will serve to promote the achievements of the multifaceted and distinctive culture of the Tatar people and of Russia as a whole, and will strengthen friendship and trust between the Russian Federation and the Islamic world.
#KievRegimeCrimes
⚡️ Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rodion Miroshnik:
💬 In March, Kiev’s militants carried out dozens of attacks on medical facilities and on medical personnel directly performing their professional duty. Over the course of the month, 28 healthcare workers were affected by attacks carried out by Ukrainian militants, 10 of whom were killed.
These war crimes were committed deliberately, in blatant disregard for the norms of international humanitarian law, and have not met with any real condemnation from the Western sponsors of the Kiev regime. At international venues, those who bankroll the regime are doing everything possible to prevent any condemnation of its crimes – including the killing of medical workers.
❗️ Ukrainian militants treat medical personnel as a military target and deliberately strike them, seeking to deprive the affected civilian population even of a chance of rescue and medical assistance.
Among those targeted by Ukrainian attacks in March were also medics in the Kherson Region. On 16 March, in Novaya Kakhovka, a drone struck an ambulance. As a result of the attack, a female patient and three members of the medical team were injured. The victims were hospitalised with blast injuries and shrapnel wounds.
#HistoryOfRussia
🗓 On April 6, 1654, the Great Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Duke of Russia Alexei I Romanov granted his royal charter to Hetman of the Zaporozhian Host Bogdan Khmelnitsky. The document secured Russia’s reunification with Left-Bank Ukraine.
In the late 16th and first half of the 17th centuries, the Polish-Lithuanian nobility increased pressure on the Orthodox population, descendants of the people of the Ancient Rus, living under the yoke of the predominantly Catholic Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
After the Brest Union was adopted in 1596, a significant portion of Orthodox clergy came under the authority of the Pope. Those who remained faithful to Orthodoxy became outcasts, losing hierarchical leadership, since the Metropolitan of Kiev, Mikhail Rogoza, also joined the Greek Catholics. In reality, the nobility pursued a policy of aggressive Polonisation and Latinisation of the population, depriving those who resisted of titles, lands, and subjecting them to persecution.
All attempts by the Cossacks to reach an agreement with the Polish king failed, as the existence of an Orthodox free community within the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was not part of the nobility’s plans.
Under the threat of losing their religious and national identity, a liberation movement gradually began to form among the Orthodox population of the Dnieper region, laying the groundwork for uniting supporters of freedom from the nobility’s oppression and for reunion with Russia.
From 1648, the Cossacks’ liberation struggle gained strong momentum. It was led by Hetman Bogdan Khmelnitsky, who repeatedly asked Alexei I Romanov for assistance, offering to place the Hetmanate under the “Tsar’s hand.”
On January 8, 1654, at the Pereyaslav Rada, it was officially declared that the Zaporozhian Cossacks would enter into the subjugation of the Russian state. On April 6, Alexei I Romanov signed the charter, which for the first time used the title of the Russian monarch as “the Great Sovereign of All Great and Little Russia.”
The decisions of the Pereyaslav Rada set a long-term course for the reunification of Russian lands; 140 years later, following the Second Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Empress Catherine the Great issued a manifesto incorporating the Right-Bank Ukraine and Little Russia into the Russian Empire, marking the natural and lawful return of historically Russian lands to the Russian state.
📄 Must-Read: Article by President Vladimir Putin "On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians"
🌐🇳🇬 "MGIMO Days" in Abuja
📍 On March 30-31, MGIMO representatives held a number of events in Abuja, as part of "MGIMO Days" in Nigeria, with over 150 participants - schoolchildren and their parents, students, media representatives, and youth leaders.
Among the members of the MGIMO delegation were:
✔Ekaterina Shuvalova, Advisor to the Rector's Office – Deputy Vice-Rector for Youth Policy, Social Work, and International Relations;
✔Valery Zhuchkov, MGIMO Analyst, Deputy Executive Secretary of the Program Committee for the "Russia–Africa: What's Next?" Forum;
✔Varvara Potapova, Chairperson of the Student Secretariat for the "Russia–Africa: What's Next?" Forum.
📚 University representatives spoke about MGIMO's educational programs, Russian language courses for foreign citizens, the International Olympiad for schoolchildren, and the InteRussia program.
In addition, the MGIMO delegation presented the "Russia–Africa: What's Next?" Forum and announced the International Youth Festival, which will take place in September.
▶️As part of the visit, MGIMO team met with Andrei Podelyshev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to Nigeria.
Mr. Podelyshev highly praised the university's efforts in attracting international students and developing youth exchanges, noting that humanitarian cooperation and the training of qualified specialists play a key role in the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Both sides confirmed their mutual interest in developing cooperation in the field of education, including through professional development programs for members of the Nigerian Parliament.
The Nigerian side expressed interest in organizing online lectures by MGIMO professors on the multipolar world and Russia's approach to shaping it.
Both sides agreed to continue developing inter-university relations through academic exchanges and reaffirmed their intention to sign a Memorandum of Understanding.
#KievRegimeCrimes
⚡️ Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rodion Miroshnik:
PHOTO FACTS & EVIDENCE of crimes committed by Ukrainian armed forces over the week of March 30 – April 5, 2026:
▪️ March 30 – a UAV strike targeted a farm building in the village of Arkhangelskaya Sloboda, Kherson Region.
▪️ March 30 – an FPV drone struck a civilian passenger car in the settlement of Oktyabrsky, Belgorod Region.
▪️ March 30 – a UAV strike hit a commercial facility in the village of Tavrovo, Belgorod Region.
▪️ March 31 – an aerial bomb struck a residential building in Vasilyevka, Zaporozhye Region. Three civilians were killed, including one child. Four more people were injured, among them one child.
▪️ April 2 – a massive attack involving fixed-wing UAVs targeted a horse farm in Akimovka Municipal District, Zaporozhye Region.
▪️ April 2 – a UAV struck the Church of the Dormition in the village of Novaya Zburyevka, Kherson Region.
▪️ April 2 – a fixed-wing UAV struck an apartment building in Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan.
▪️ April 3 – a UAV struck a civilian passenger car in Vasilyevka, Zaporozhye Region.
▪️ April 3 – a UAV struck the storage building of the Historical and Archaeological Museum in Kamenka-Dneprovskaya, Zaporozhye Region.
▪️ April 4 – a fixed-wing UAV struck the courtyard of an apartment building in Donetsk, DPR.
💬 Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova:
Zelensky "decorated" Kallas with the Order of Princess Olga, First Class, usually awarded to women for “outstanding merits”.
Kaja Kallas’s merits for the Ukrainians are indeed “outstanding.” She has demanded that ‘mogilisation’ (i.e. mobilisation to die, derived from the world mogila = grave) be ramped up; she has dragged women into the Ukrainian army, demanded that the Kiev regime reject any attempts to make peace, helped to turn the country into a weapon of war “till the last Ukrainian,” incited hatred, and boosted corruption through unchecked infusion of millions.
What relation is there between the EU’s policy that is devastating for Ukraine and the old Russian princess who was the first Christian ruler of Russia? Olga laid the foundation for our country to become Christian: she established contacts with the Byzantine Empire, promoted the Christian faith, and paved the way for baptising Rus' under her grandson Vladimir in 988.
The current authorities entrenched in Kiev are essentially obliterating Orthodox Christianity in Ukraine by persecuting the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, seizing churches in gangster-style raids with physical violence towards the clergy and parishioners, and taking over holy relics while priests and believers are being harassed by the media. The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly published reports with specific evidence of the Kiev regime’s crimes:
– Illegal actions by the Kiev regime targeting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), its clergy and parishioners
– The Human Rights Situation in Ukraine
And now Kaja Kallas, who supports the Kiev regime’s persecution of the church, has been presented with the Order of Saint Olga, Equal-to-the-Apostles, by heathens. Satanism as it is.
🔴 #LIVE: Briefing by Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on topical foreign policy issues
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🔴 Russia’s MFA website
🇷🇺🇹🇯 On April 8, 1992 – 3️⃣4️⃣ years ago – diplomatic relations were established between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan.
📃 Since then, our two countries have signed over 200 interstate treaties and agreements covering various fields of bilateral cooperation.
The cornerstone documents are the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan of May 25, 1993, and the Treaty on Allied Interaction between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan oriented towards the 21st Century of April 16, 1999.
🤝 Russia and Tajikistan maintain an active political dialogue. The strategic nature of Russian-Tajikistani cooperation is underscored by numerous meetings at the highest and high levels.
In October 2025, President Vladimir Putin paid a state visit to Tajikistan. This resulted in the signing of several bilateral documents, including the approval of a joint action plan to increase trade turnover 2.5-fold by 2030. The Leaders met again on December 22 in St Petersburg on the sidelines of the informal summit of CIS heads of state.
📈 Russia remains one of Tajikistan’s key trade and economic partners. By the end of 2025, bilateral trade had grown by 24.8 percent, reaching approximately $2.5 billion. For several years running, Russia has held a leading position in terms of direct investment in the republic’s economy.
Bilateral cooperation in countering terrorist threats, as well as in the migration, humanitarian, and educational spheres, continues to flourish. In this context, mechanisms for interaction between relevant ministries and agencies are constantly being refined.
Our countries also work together effectively within the #CIS, the #CSTO and the #SCO, as well as other integration frameworks.
🎊 We extend our congratulations to our Tajikistani friends and colleagues on this shared anniversary!
#RussiaTajikistan
#KievRegimeCrimes
⚡️ Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rodion Miroshnik:
💬 Two children were killed and 10 more were injured in attacks by Ukrainian militants over the past week. In total, more than 170 civilians were affected during this period
A series of large-scale attacks on civilians and energy infrastructure during the major Orthodox feast of Palm Sunday lies on the conscience of Ukrainian militants.
The highest number of civilian casualties was recorded in the Belgorod, Kherson, Zaporozhye and Bryansk regions, as well as in the Krasnodar Territory. In these regions, civilian infrastructure and the civilian population came under drone, missile and artillery strikes by Kiev’s militants.
On March 30 – April 5, 176 civilians were affected by shelling carried out by Ukrainian Nazis: 151 people were injured, including 10 children, while 25 people were killed, among them two minors. In total, Ukrainian armed formations fired at least 3,301 munitions at civilian targets on Russian territory.
🇷🇺🇦🇪📞 On April 7, Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the UAE Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan had a telephone conversation.
The Ministers held a in-depth exchange of views on the ongoing unprecedented escalation of the military-political situation in the Persian Gulf area.
They stressed the importance of an immediate cessation of hostilities, which are causing loss of life and inflicting serious damage on vital civilian infrastructure, including in countries not taking part in the armed confrontation.
They reaffirmed their mutual commitment to maintaining close foreign policy coordination between Moscow and Abu Dhabi with a view to facilitating a peaceful settlement of the crisis in the Middle East on the basis of international law and with the unconditional consideration of the legitimate interests of the states of the region.
The conversation also touched upon a number of topical issues related to the further development of the Russia-UAE strategic partnership in line with the agreements reached during talks at the highest level.
#RussiaUAE
🇷🇺🇻🇳 President of Russia Vladimir Putin sent a message of congratulations to General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of Vietnam Comrade To Lam.
✍️ The message reads, in part:
Dear Comrade To Lam,
Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on your election as President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
The decision of the National Assembly has once again testified to your high political standing and the broad support for the course you are pursuing towards accelerating Vietnam’s socio-economic development and defending the country’s legitimate interests on the international stage.
I am confident that as President you will contribute to the further strengthening of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Moscow and Hanoi.
I look forward to continuing our constructive dialogue and close joint work on current bilateral, regional and international issues.
I wish you every success, sound health and well-being.
VLADIMIR PUTIN
🎙 Ambassador Andrei Kelin's answers to questions by RIA Novosti (6 April 2026)
UK's plans to seize trade vessels linked to Russia
🔹The UK's intention to seize civilian vessels linked to our country in British territorial waters is yet another deeply hostile move against Russia. Attempts to cloak acts of piracy in a semblance of legality do not withstand scrutiny.
🔹 The Labour government's aim is to inflict as much damage as possible on Russia. This has long been its standard policy. However, attempting to seize a single Russian tanker out of the many allegedly attributed to Russia will do nothing to stabilise sentiment in oil markets.
🔹 Any attempt by the UK to seize vessels associated with Russia is regarded as unacceptable and inadmissible. Such a decision will not go unanswered. Appropriate measures are being developed.
Conflict in the Middle East
🔹 The conflict in the Middle East has once again exposed London's cynicism. The British government pretends not to notice who started the conflict and who committed aggression. It criticises Iran for its retaliatory strikes, acting as though Iran had attacked first. At the same time, it turns a blind eye to war crimes against the Iranian civil population.
🔹 Allowing the Americans to use British bases to bomb Iran and deploying military aircraft to the region amounts to direct involvement, no matter how much Keir Starmer may try to spin it otherwise.
🔹 The tragic events in Iran and across the region are, in part, the result of London's policy, which has aligned itself with anti-Iranian "hawks" in Washington and contributed to the collapse of the JCPOA. It is now crucial for the UK to set as many countries as possible against Iran.
Read in full
🌐🇰🇿 "Future Global Leaders' Workshop" in Astana by MGIMO and "Astana" Diplomatic Club: How It Was
📍 On March 29 a joint event organized by MGIMO University and "Astana" Diplomatic Club — "Future Global Leaders' Workshop" — took place at Business Center “Moskva”. The event brought together over 200 school children, university students, and young professionals interested in pursuing careers in international relations and diplomacy.
▶️The event was opened by Elizaveta Rudenko, Head of International Marketing at MGIMO University, and Kairbolat Sakhmetov, President of “Astana” Diplomatic Club.
Mr.Sakhmetov emphasized that such initiatives are of great significance in strengthening humanitarian cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan, as well as in fostering youth connections. They offer young Kazakhstani citizens the opportunity to learn about one of the premier universities for training international affairs specialists, with an eye toward future admission.
“Today, it is especially important to be able to
distinguish facts from opinions
, to
analyze current events
, and to
think strategically
. This is precisely what our alma mater teaches,” the diplomat noted. He also highlighted other advantages of MGIMO graduates, including
a strong corporate identity, a fundamental understanding of global processes, in-depth regional expertise, and excellent foreign language skills.
▶️
Sofia Melnikova, lecturer at the Department of Diplomacy and research fellow at the Institute of International Studies
, spoke about the key skills of an international affairs specialist in the 21st century and introduced the School of International Relations.
▶️
Maria Utkina, lecturer at the Department of Comparative Political Science and Deputy Dean of the School of Governance and Politics
, gave a lecture on the political leadership in the modern era, spoke about the necessary competencies in the digital age, and presented the educational programs of the School of Governance and Politics.
🕯 Condolences on the passing of Burdett “Burd” Sisler (April 14, 1915)
The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Canada expresses its sincere condolences on the passing of Burdett Sisler Canada’s oldest citizen and a veteran of the Second World War, who passed away at the age of 110.
Mr.Sisler belonged to a generation whose courage and sacrifice shaped the course of history. The Soviet Union and Canada fought as brothers in arms to defeat Nazism, to secure peace for future generations.
❗️We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, loved ones, and all Canadians.
🔴🔴No one is forgotten! Nothing is forgotten!
#Victory81 #WeRemember #Lestweforget
🎙 Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova’s response to a media question on joint Japan-Ukraine war drone technology cooperation project (April 6, 2026)
❓ Question: Japanese drone manufacturer Terra Drone Corporation has released a statement on its website confirming a strategic partnership with the Ukrainian developer Amazing Drones, which specialises in combat unmanned aerial systems. The Japanese company also openly stated that the deal forms part of a broader long-term strategy to enter the military products market, including attack systems. What can you say about this?
💬Maria Zakharova: Indeed, such information has been reported. Considering Ukraine’s relentless criminal provocations involving the use of UAVs against civilian assets in Russia, we view this step – clearly taken with the support of official authorities – as openly hostile and harmful to our country’s security interests, including the protection of civilians.
By assisting the neo-Nazi regime led by Zelensky, Japan is becoming increasingly embroiled into the conflict around Ukraine, thereby inflicting further damage to its relations with Russia, which have already significantly worsened due to Tokyo’s actions.
Clearly, such decisions do nothing to facilitate a swift resolution of the situation around Ukraine and only serve to prolong the hostilities.
☝️ A reminder: weapons posing a threat to our country and our citizens, as well as the production facilities that manufacture them on Ukrainian territory, are considered legitimate military targets for the Russian Armed Forces.
🛩 On April 6, 1966, in the sky over West Berlin, Soviet pilots Boris Kapustin and Yuri Yanov performed their immortal feat. The heroes managed to steer a falling experimental aircraft away from residential areas, choosing to stay in the plane instead of ejecting, thus preventing civilian casualties at the cost of their own lives.
Their fighter-bomber Yak-28, which had taken off from the Finow Airfield located 40 kilometers northeast of Berlin, lost both engines due to blocked fuel lines.
Only 30 seconds passed between the engine failure and the aircraft's crash. The plane was losing altitude over the densely populated city and the pilots, with incredible effort, managed to steer the Yak-28 toward Lake Stessensee. Knowing that ejection could disrupt the aerodynamics and cause a complete loss of control, Kapustin and Yanov decided not to abandon the falling Yak-28.
Until the very last seconds, the crew tried to save people on the ground, guiding the plummeting aircraft to the lake. The Yak-28 went into the water, and Kapustin and Yanov perished without abandoning their posts.
On April 8, 1966, a memorial ceremony was held and the remains of the pilots were handed over to representatives of the Soviet military group in Germany. Delegations from various cities in both East and West Germany attended the ceremony and German citizens who wished to pay their last respects to the heroes brought flowers throughout the day.
🌟 On May 10, 1966, Boris Kapustin and Yuri Yanov were posthumously awarded the Order of the Red Banner by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.
A memorial plaque was installed at the site of the crash. In Eberswalde and seven other cities in Germany, grateful residents erected commemorative signs. On March 30, 2001, a memorial was opened at the aviation museum at Finow Airfield.
Their sacrifice and eternal bravery of the Soviet heores continue to live on in the hearts of those who remember them to this day.
#Announcement
🎙 On Wednesday, April 8, Russia’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova will hold her weekly briefing on current foreign policy issues.
🕐 1:00 pm MSK
🕙 10:00 am GMT
🕚 11:00 am CET
🕕 6:00 pm CST
For accreditation inquiries, please contact the MFA Press Centre. Accredited journalists will receive details on the technical aspects of submitting questions.
The Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman will answer media questions received by the call centre.
❗️ Accreditation is open until April 7, 10:00 am MSK
⚡️ According to incoming information, during the protests on April 2-3, the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Damascus and the residence of the Head of Mission came under attack. The incident involved attempted intrusions onto the premises, as well as acts of vandalism against the national symbols of the UAE.
☝️ Russia strongly condemns this act, which constitutes a gross violation of the fundamental norms of international law, including the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
We call for a thorough investigation into this incident and for comprehensive measures to be taken to prevent such incidents from recurring.
🔴 #LIVE: Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks during the meeting of the Group of Strategic Vision "Russia – Islamic World" with the Ambassadors of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
🔴 X (ex-Twitter)
🔴 Russia's MFA Website
🔴 Ruptly
🇷🇺🇮🇷📞 On April 5, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran Abbas Araghchi spoke over the phone.
On behalf of Russia, Sergey Lavrov expressed hope that efforts taken by certain countries to de-escalate tensions around Iran would succeed for the sake of a lasting and sustainable normalisation of the situation in the Middle East, whereby the United States’ abandoning the language of ultimatums and returning to negotiations would be instrumental.
The Ministers spoke out against any actions, including within the UN Security Council, that could undermine the remaining chances for promoting political and diplomatic efforts to settle the crisis.
Both Sides stressed the importance of immediately ceasing the reckless and illegal attacks on civilian, industrial, and energy infrastructure, including the Bushehr NPP, which operates under the IAEA safeguards. They also noted that it was unacceptable to create threats to the lives and health of the power plant’s workers, or risks of a radioactive disaster for the entire region.
Sergey Lavrov offered his condolences following the death of the plant’s Iranian worker.
#RussiaIran
🇷🇺🇨🇳📞 On April 5, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China Wang Yi had a telephone conversation.
The Ministers discussed the situation in the Persian Gulf, as well as the international efforts to end the confrontation in this important region as soon as possible and launch a political and diplomatic dialogue.
In this context, ways to strengthen Russian-Chinese cooperation across international platforms and, above all, at the United Nations were discussed. The Ministers expressed satisfaction with Russia and China’s converging approaches on most issues on the global agenda, including the situation around Iran related to the unprovoked aggression by the United States and Israel against that country.
The Parties agreed to continue close coordination on the entire range of issues of mutual interest on the UN Security Council agenda, including through the permanent missions of Russia and China to the United Nations in New York.
#RussiaChina