#Announcement

🗓 On September 15-22, 2024, the III Open World Astronomy Olympiad (OWAO) will take place in the Federal Territory “Sirius”.

The Olympiad is based on the best astronomical traditions, which brought together world-renowned specialists in the subject.

The event aims to strengthen scientific and educational partnerships with other countries as well as to identify talent in astronomy.

👉 The age of the Olympiad participants must not exceed 18 years, while the minimum age threshold is not established.

Not only captivating tasks but an extensive cultural program comprising lectures, creative and educational workshops and excursions are awaiting the participants. The program is available on the Olympiad website.

❗️Registration lasts until August 10, 2024.

#OWAO2024

🗓 On July 27, the Donetsk People’s Republic mark a tragic date, Day of Remembrance for Child Victims of the War, established on July 11, 2022 by an executive order of the Head of the Republic.

In 2014, the Kiev regime declared a real war to exterminate civilians in the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics. Since then, over 300 children were killed, and about 1,000 more wounded. These statistics are horrendous.

Unfortunately, the number of underage children, killed by Kiev-controlled military formations, continues to increase in Donbass and elsewhere. On this day, we also remember innocent victims from the Belgorod, Kursk, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol, including those killed or wounded by militants of the Kiev regime.

Apart from direct perpetrators and those who issued criminal orders, countries of the collective West that are providing Ukraine with lethal weapons and demanding that the Kiev regime fight until the last Ukrainian are also involved in crimes against children. The demise of Russian and Ukrainian children weighs heavily on their conscience.

The crimes of the Kiev terrorist regime, which is fighting defenceless children without a twinge of conscience, highlight its inhuman nature.

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❗️ Unfortunately, it is impossible to bring back the deceased children and to provide closure for their parents and relatives. However, it is necessary to expose their murderers who will be severely punished. Russian investigative agencies will take care of this. There cannot be, nor will there be, any statute of limitations for these barbaric crimes.

(Excerpt from MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's briefing on July 24, 2024)

⚓️ Today, on July 28, Russia celebrates Navy Day! Our country is among the world’s biggest naval powers and possesses everything it needs to protect our national interests in the world’s oceans.

The true origin of Russian naval traditions was the October 30, 1696 decree of the Boyar Duma on the construction of a regular fleet, accepted upon the recommendation of Peter the Great.

👉 For 328 years the ships of the Russian Navy and their crews have been guarding the borders and national interests of our Fatherland. The chronicles of our heroic Navy include triumphant naval battle victories, round-the-world cruises and great geographical discoveries.

The Navy Fleet of the Russian Federation is the successor of the Navy Fleet of Russia and the Navy Fleet of the Soviet Union. Structurally, the Russian Navy consists of five operational-strategic units: the Northern, the Pacific, the Baltic, and the Black Sea fleets and the Caspian Flotilla.

We are proud of the heroic history of the Russian Navy, and we cherish the memory of our naval commanders and sailors!

⚔️ July 28 marks the 80th anniversary of liberating Brest from Nazi invaders.

👉 In the first half of July 1944, as a result of the successful advance of the Soviet troops across Belarus, proper conditions were created for encircling the enemy’s Brest grouping.

Nazis made thorough preparations for the battles for Brest. They built entrenchments with a large number of pillboxes and minefields. Their defence system included the Brest fortress as well.

Hitler issued an order prohibiting retreat from these positions. Despite this, the Soviet troops liberated Brest in less than two days.

The liberation of Brest contributed to the success of the Lublin-Brest Offensive, which swept the enemy away from Soviet Belarus. The Red Army advanced westward up to 260 km deep and, having seized bridgeheads on the Vistula River, created favourable conditions for the subsequent defeat of the enemy in the direction of Warsaw and complete liberation of Poland.

The victory at Brest had a great symbolic, moral and political meaning. Forty-seven units and formations of the 1st Byelorussian Front which distinguished themselves for selfless valour in the battles were awarded the honorary name of “Brest.” A 20 artillery volley salute from 224 guns was fired in Moscow on the occasion of victory. In 1971, a memorial complex was built in Brest.

🙏 The immortal feat of the heroes who defended the Brest Fortress, who were the first to bear the brunt of the Nazi invasion and became another example of courage and fortitude for all Soviet people, will remain forever seared in our memory.

(Excerpt from MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's briefing on July 24, 2024)

🇷🇺 Address by Russia's President Vladimir Putin at the Main Naval Parade to mark Russia’s Navy Day (St Petersburg, July 28, 2024)

💬 Congratulations on Navy Day, a special day we always celebrate officially, with respect and love for our glorious Navy and pride for our country, a maritime power.

Russia acquired this crucial status due to its geopolitical standing, great geographical discoveries and an immense contribution to the exploration of the World Ocean, but most importantly, to the victories, hard work, determination, courage, and talent of our naval commanders and sailors.

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🌐 We are sincerely delighted to welcome the crews of warships from Algeria, India and China as well as representatives of dozens of other foreign countries and delegations that have arrived for the Main Naval Parade to celebrate with us today and congratulate our sailors and commanders.

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⚠️ The US administration and the German government made a noteworthy statement concerning their plans to deploy US long-range precision missile systems in Germany in 2026.

The missiles could reach ranges of major Russian state and military facilities, administrative and industrial centres, and defence infrastructure. <...>

If the United States implements these plans, we will consider ourselves free from the previously assumed unilateral moratorium on the deployment of medium and shorter-range strike weapons, including increasing the capabilities of the coastal troops of our Navy.

Today, the development of such systems in Russia is nearing completion. We will take mirror measures to deploy them, taking into account the actions of the United States, its satellites in Europe and in other regions of the world.

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👉 Today, we are paying increasing attention to Washington’s efforts to escalate tensions in connection with the flights by Russian strategic aircraft. Just to remind you, Russian strategic missile carriers have not performed any air patrols far from our borders since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russia thought this was no longer needed, with the world having changed and the Cold War becoming a thing of the past. However, the United States chose to ignore this unilateral gesture of goodwill and continued patrolling the space in the proximity of our borders.

So, since 2007, we have resumed such flights as a response to the increased activity from US strategic and reconnaissance aircraft in the regions that we believe are sensitive for us. The move has aimed, among other things, to ensure security in the Asia-Pacific region.

🎖 Today, I would like to particularly note that many naval crews are fearlessly fighting in hot spots along the engagement line during the special military operation. Just like their great ancestors, they fight to defend Sevastopol and other ports of the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, delivering devastating blows to the enemy and destroying its military facilities.

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#Announcement

🎙 On July 31, 2024 approximately at 11:00 am MSK (8:00 am GMT/ 10:00 am CEST/ 4:00 pm Beijing) Deputy Director of the Foreign Ministry’s Information and Press Department Andrey Nastasin will hold a briefing on current foreign policy issues.

For accreditation inquiries, please contact the Russian Foreign Ministry's Press Centre. Accredited journalists will receive detailed explanations on the technical aspects of submitting questions.

The Deputy Director will answer media questions received by the call centre.

❗️ Accreditation is open until 9:00 am on July 30.