📆 Today, on December 14, the world celebrates 63 years since the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.

✍️ The text reads that the UN “Solemnly proclaims the necessity of bringing to a speedy and unconditional end to colonialism in all its forms and manifestations.”

☝️The declaration was initiated by the USSR. Despite the resistance of France and the United Kingdom, which were interested in preserving their colonial possessions, the Soviet draft declaration was approved by majority vote at the UN General Assembly.

Owing to the efforts of Soviet diplomacy, the UN also established a Special Committee on Decolonisation (C-24). As a result, the UN began to play a key role in the acquisition of independence by former colonial territories.

❗️Having put forth the need for the unconditional elimination of colonialism in the world, the declaration became one of the main documents of that time and played a truly historical role. As a result of its implementation, about 750 million people were freed of the colonial yoke and over 80 new states emerged in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania. With time they began taking an active role in resolving major issues in modern world politics and the economy.

🇷🇺🤝🌍 Russia continues the Soviet cause of promoting global decolonisation, and facilitating the socio-economic, cultural and political development of the peoples that have shed the fetters of colonialism.

#UN #Decolonisation

The mobilization in Ukraine has entered a new phase.

❗️According to media, the Kiev regime is sending second-year female cadets to the front as UAV operators.

The proposal by Verkhovna Rada to use women at the front on an equal footing with men was made for a reason: the lack of reserves and the reluctance of men of conscription age to fight for the criminal Zelensky regime.

❓Who else is it ready to sacrifice for the Western interests?

📄 According to the results of a poll conducted by the All-Russian Center for Public Opinion Research VTsIOM:

✅ More than half of #Russians (65%) have a positive assessment of the current situation in the country.

✅ Every second Russian citizen agrees that things in the country are now moving in the right direction.

🎙 Russian Ambassador to South Africa H.E. Mr Ilya Rogachev:

💬 South Africa has always been Russia’s reliable partner on the African continent.

☝️ In such trying and turbulent times we attach special significance to our partnership in BRICS framework, which serves as a very important platform for intercontinental dialogue among rapidly developing like-minded states.

#BRICS #Russia #SouthAfrica

🎙 Посол России в ЮАР И.И.Рогачев:

💬 ЮАР остается надежным партнером России на Африканском континенте.

☝️ В текущих непростых геополитических условиях Россия уделяет приоритетное внимание сотрудничеству в рамках #БРИКС - объединению, которое служит платформой для диалога между странами-единомышленниками.

🇷🇺🤝🇿🇦

#Россия #ЮАР #БРИКС

🎙 Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (Moscow, December 12, 2023)

🔹 FM Sergey Lavrov’s schedule
🔹 Ukrainian crisis
🔹 International Day of Neutrality
🔹 Sweden’s assistance to Nazi Germany and Ukraine
🔹 President of Finland’s statements
🔹 Danish Ambassador Jacob Henningsen’s interview
🔹 Nazi marches and the glorification of Nazis in Europe
🔹 Dismantling the Soviet Army monument in Sofia
🔹 Day of Remembrance of Journalists Killed in the Line of Duty
🔹 Kiev regime’s repression against Gonzalo Lira Lopez, an American-Chilian journalist

and more...

📰 Read
📺 Watch

#Ukraine

• This far-fetched effort to support the Russian language scared neo-Nazi MPs to the extent that they drafted an even harsher law targeting the Russian language, and the Verkhovna Rada approved it on December 8, 2023. Vladimir Zelensky signed it the same day.

They have demonstrated all this haste in their legislative efforts not because they care for ethnic minority rights so much but because of their misguided belief that this document will create a pathway for the Kiev regime to achieve its coveted goal of joining the EU.

• If the European Union does not object to the adoption of this law in Ukraine that is not only discriminatory but is designed to eliminate the mother tongue used by millions of people, and an official UN language, it will show its true face, demonstrating that it could not care less about the democratic principles, humanitarian values, fundamental rights and freedoms of ethnic minorities.

#US

• The US and its European allies have been consistently destroying the system of international security, understood as a set of treaties and institutions. They have not supported any of our substantive initiatives.

🎙 Excerpts from President Vladimir Putin's answers to questions from journalists and the people of Russia during the programme Results of the Year (December 14, 2023)

Talking points:

🇷🇺🇨🇳 Russian-Chinese relations are one of the essential guarantees of stability in the world. We see Western attempts to shift NATO's activities towards Asia, which goes beyond the organization's statutory goals.

Russia and China don’t create any blocs. Our friendship is aimed at benefiting ourselves, but not directed against third countries. The West is trying to be friends against someone. We are monitoring this closely, will respond jointly, promptly and effectively.

• Russia [and its partners] develops its integration projects solely on the basis of the principles of free will and mutual benefit for all participants. This creates conditions that increase our competitiveness in the global markets.

• If Moldova does not want to be a member [of the CIS], it is the decision of the Moldovan leadership. Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe. Until recently it was the poorest. Now Ukraine has taken that "honorable" place.

🎙 Excerpts from President Vladimir Putin's answers to questions from journalists and the people of Russia during the programme Results of the Year (December 14, 2023)

Talking points:

• Many European leaders pretend to emulate [tough stance of] General de Gaulle, who fought for France's interests, but in reality, they [succumbed to the US] are like Marshal Petain, who became submitted to the will of the invaders during World War II.

Almost everyone [in the EU] acts in this fashion, except Fico, Orbán. They aren't pro-Russian politicians, they're pro-national, protect their states' interests. Such people [like de Gaulle] are no more. This is due to dependence on Big Brother - US.

• Fundamental conditions to restore comprehensive [Russia-US] relations will be created when Washington starts respecting other peoples, other nations, seeking compromise, and stops trying to resolve their issues through sanctions and military actions.

• We and Turkey proceed from the fact that UN decisions on the establishment of a Palestinian state with capital in East Jerusalem must be implemented. It is extremely important. We need to create the fundamentals for an Israeli-Palestinian settlement.

• Everything that IOC's officials are doing with regard to Russian sport is a full perversion of Pierre de Coubertin's concepts. The Olympic Movement was created to bring people together.

• As regards the [Western] "rules-based order" — no such rules exist. [The West] changes them in favour of it own interests. Thankfully, enough nations want to live by the rules set out in fundamental international documents.

#Outcomes2023

🎙 Excerpts from the Ambassador H.E. Mr Ilya Rogachev's statement (13 December 2023):

💬 This year’s historical #BRICS Summit paves the way not only for the closer cooperation on a multilateral level, but also for a greater bilateral interaction.

🇷🇺🤝🇿🇦 I would like to congratulate our South African counterparts on their successful Chairship in BRICS and I hope that the next year’s Russian Сhairmanship will also become fruitful and meaningful for the enlarged grouping.

#BRICS #Russia #SouthAfrica

❓Do you know that…

The most widespread firearm in the world is the Russian military rifle #AK-47?

⚔️ Its name stands for Avtomat Kalashnikova in Russian, after its inventor’s name Mikhail Kalashnikov, and the numbers – for the year it was invented.

☝️ An estimated 100 million AK-47s and its modifications have been produced to date. AK-47 has made it even to the flag of Mozambique 🇲🇿, the gun symbolizes vigilance and defense.

#FactOfTheDay #RussiaTriviaFacts #DiscoverRussia

🎙Из выступления Посла России в ЮАР И.И.Рогачева от 13 декабря 2023 года:

💬 Состоявшийся в текущем году исторический саммит БРИКС открывает возможности для более тесного сотрудничества государств "пятерки" не только на многосторонней основе, но и в двустороннем формате.

🇷🇺🤝🇿🇦 Хотел бы поздравить наших южноафриканских партнеров с успешным председательством в #БРИКС в 2023 году.

☝️Уверен, что предстоящий российский год в БРИКС будет не менее успешным и содержательным для всего объединения в расширенном составе.

#БРИКС #Россия #ЮАР

🎙President of Russia Vladimir Putin at the annual news conference (Moscow, 14 December 2023):

❗️Compare the special military operation and #Gaza and you will see the difference: nothing of this kind is happening in #Ukraine.

☝️Everybody in the world can see it.

#Ukraine #MiddleEast #Gaza #PresidentPutin

🎙 FM Sergey Lavrov’s answers to questions following the Government Hour in the Federation Council of the Russian Federation (Moscow, December 13, 2023)

❓Russian officials have already cited cases of US attempts to interfere in our presidential elections and predicted that they will become more intense as we approach March 2024. Does Moscow send signals to Washington via diplomatic and other channels that these activities are unacceptable?

💬 We talk about this publicly. Special services are monitoring attempts to interfere illegally in our domestic processes. We have nothing to hide. When we reveal such attempts, we present them to the whole world. There is no need for any diplomatic demarches.

<...>

❓ The UNGA has adopted a humanitarian resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. How far off is a real end to the conflict? Can Russia do something in this respect?

💬 We are doing all we can. We are resolving the immediate tasks of freeing people who were taken hostage or want to leave Gaza, being Russian citizens. This is our priority today.

In parallel, we consider it important to resolve humanitarian problems in a broader, more sustained way. I am referring to the provision of medical and other services, and delivery of humanitarian relief to those who remain in the Gaza Strip and cannot leave it for different reasons.

The third goal is a ceasefire. It is required not only for addressing humanitarian issues but on a permanent basis to deal with a problem that still has not been resolved after 75 years – this is the creation of a Palestinian state.

<...>

The perpetuation of the injustice against the Palestinian people that were solemnly promised a state in 1948 is fertile ground for breeding serious terrorist and extremist sentiment.

🌐 The only way to achieve a fair and permanent solution to this problem is to hold an international conference with the participation of the five permanent members of the UNSC, the Arab League, the OIC and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

📄 Read in full

🇿🇦 Happy Reconciliation Day, South Africa!

🔹This day is of great historical significance. It is a reminder that the country went through centuries of divisions and conflict. But instead of hatred and revenge, South Africans chose reconciliation and nation-building, as Nelson Mandela, the first democratically elected President of South Africa once said.

🔹This date was celebrated separately by various national groups in South Africa and was known as the day commemorating the Battle of Blood River in 1838 and the day of formation of Umkonto we Sizwe in 1961. The significance of all the traditions was acknowledged when the Day of Reconciliation was established.

👉 This year’s commemoration marks the 28th anniversary of the Day of Reconciliation and is held under the theme “Strengthening unity and social cohesion in a healing nation.”

💡The current year’s focus is on the critical role played by South African citizens in advancing democracy and ensuring that their voices are heard and incorporated into daily decisions aimed at improving peoples’ lives.

☝️ Reconciliation is also about each person taking the responsibility to fight racism, discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in the country and in the world.

🇷🇺🤝🇿🇦 On this day, we sincerely wish all South Africans peace, harmony and unity!

#ReconciliationDay2023 #UniteAgainstAllIntolerances

#Think4Yourself

❌ The Western officials accuse Russia of committing crimes against Ukrainian children simply for the fact that our country rescued them from constant shelling by the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Nazi battalions.

The evacuation of children from the Donbass orphanages to Russia during the times of danger was carried out with the consent and along with their official guardians. International relevant authorities could at any time check on every Ukrainian child currently staying in Russia. But they won't.

At the same time, high-ranking Western officials show no concern over the crimes committed by the Kiev regime against children, turning a blind eye to all the facts proving that Ukrainian authorities sell children for organs and into sexual slavery.

🎥 Watch the "Ukraine. Children For Sale" documentary and #See4Yourself the extent to which child trafficking is practiced by the Kiev regime under the watch of its Western puppeteers.

🇷🇺🇺🇳 Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the UN:

🎙 Statement by First Deputy Permanent Representative Dmitry Polyanskiy at UNSC open debate "Addressing the threat posed by diversion, illicit trafficking and misuse of small arms and light weapons and their ammunition to peace and security"

Read in full

💬 The situation in the world clearly demonstrates the importance of controlling transfers of conventional arms and military products, including small arms and light weapons (SALW). Risks of proliferation, illicit trafficking, and falling of SALW into the hands of terrorists and criminals grow almost daily.

Small arms and light weapons remain one of the widest used weapons in regional and localized conflicts. They surpass any other category of weapons in terms of the number of human casualties resulting from their use in combat.

<...>

The Russian Federation has consistently devoted considerable attention to issues of control over the supply of military goods, including with regard to SALW. We keep strengthening national legislation in this area and are ready to share relevant expertise.

<...>

❗️ Western countries continue to supply arms to Ukraine despite the fact that its leadership is simply unable to control the incoming shipments and arsenals.

<...>

👉 Russia has every opportunity to give a worthy response to any supplied weapons being used against us. However, we trust that the overwhelming majority of member states realize who bears the main responsibility for violating international agreements in this area.

🎙 Russian President Vladimir Putin’s answer to a question from the Moscow.Kremlin.Putin TV programme (December 17, 2023)

❓ Could you have been described as naive in the 2000s?

💬 Vladimir Putin: Yes, there was some naivety <…> I had the naïve idea that the whole world, and above all, the so called “civilised” world realised what had happened to Russia, that it had become a different country, that there was no longer any ideological confrontation, which meant that there were no grounds for confrontation.

If there were any negative elements in the Western nations’ policies towards Russia (among other things, their support for separatism and terrorism in Russia was apparent, I saw it as director of the Federal Security Service), I gullibly believed that this was just inertia in thinking and action: they were used to fighting the Soviet Union and kept on doing it.

<…>

Meanwhile, the reality was (I got a 100 percent confirmation of this later) that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, they thought that “we just need to be patient – and we will make Russia collapse, too.”

Such a big country by European standards, with the world’s largest territory and a fairly large population … “is generally redundant.” It would be better, as Brzezinski suggested, to split it into five parts and subjugate them separately, and to use their resources, but proceeding from the premise that all of them will lack weight on their own, they will not have their own voice or the ability to defend their national interests the way the Russian state is doing now.

It was only later that I realised that.

⚠️ The Kiev regime’s neo-Nazis continue delivering barbarous strikes on houses and social infrastructure in Russian regions.

Artillery attacks on cities in the Donetsk People’s Republic continue unabated, with dozens of munitions fired at them every day. Regrettably, there are civilian casualties.

▪️On December 6, two Emergencies Ministry employees were killed and another 11 taken to hospital after a follow-up Ukrainian artillery strike that caught them in the process of extinguishing a fire in the Budyonnovsky District of Donetsk.

▪️In the early hours of 8 December, a Grad multiple rocket launcher missile killed an 11-year-old boy in Gorlovka.

▪️On December 11, an artillery strike damaged the roof and smashed the windows of School No.71 in the Kuibyshevsky District of Donetsk.

▪️Russia’s Belgorod Region has been exposed to regular shelling since early December. On December 9, seven of its border municipalities were attacked with 42 munitions, including five drone-dropped explosive devices.

▪️On December 10, Ukrainian tanks were firing at areas in the Belgorod and Bryansk regions. On December 11, two villages in the Kursk Region were left without electricity following a Ukrainian artillery attack.

❗️Based on evidence collected by the Investigative Committee of Russia, courts in the Russian Federation continue passing sentences on Ukrainian nationalists implicated in grievous crimes against civilians.

#kievregime #warcrimes

🎙 President of Russia Vladimir Putin at the annual news conference (Moscow, 14 December 2023):

💬 Despite the current tragic developments, Russians and Ukrainians are essentially one people.

☝️ What is happening now is an immense tragedy; it is like a civil war between brothers who stand on different sides [of the conflict].

But overall, they are not, to a large extent, responsible for this.

#presidentputin #ukraine #russia #people

🕯 #OnThisDay, in 1941, Dmitry Lavrinenko, the most successful tank operator of the Red Army in the Great Patriotic War, was killed on the approaches to Volokolamsk. During two and a half months of ferocious fighting, he took part in 28 battles, destroying 52 Nazi tanks, a result no other Red Army soldier was able to surpass.

Lavrinenko took part in the Battle of Moscow and provided support to the famous Panfilov Division. He demonstrated great skill in driving a T-34 tank, the ability to manoeuvre between the clumsy German machines, and the capacity to make unconventional decisions during the battle for the capital.

The 27-year-old hero was killed in December 1941 by a bomb fragment when liberating the village of Goryuny during the counteroffensive near Moscow. Before his death, he destroyed an enemy heavy tank, the 52nd tank on his kill score.

🎖 Posthumously awarded with the Hero of the Soviet Union title.

#FacesOfVictory