🇷🇺🎉🇿🇦 President of Russia Vladimir Putin sent Christmas and New Year 2024 greetings to President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa.

President Vladimir Putin wrote that the Russian Federation and South Africa enjoy friendly and constructive relations, as confirmed by the second Russia–Africa Summit.

💬 “I expect us to continue steadily expanding our mutually beneficial cooperation in various areas. We attach special importance to coordinating our efforts within BRICS. Russia intends to rely on South Africa’s best practices as we assume the chairmanship of this prominent and now expanded international association,” the Russian President said in his message.

#Russia #SouthAfrica #NewYear2024

📆 #OTD, on 15 February Russia observes the Day of Memory of the Russians who performed their duty outside the Fatherland or Day of Memory of Warriors-Internationalists.

🌟 It was established to commemorate all Russian/Soviet servicemen who participated in armed conflicts outside the country including those in Southern Africa.

☝️ In order to support the liberation struggle of the peoples of Southern Africa, in 1970s – early 1990s, about 14.000 Soviet military specialists were deployed in Angola and Mozambique, who were involved in organizing army and training African militaries.

🇿🇦 South Africa remembers Soviet contribution to the liberation struggle.

🕯 The names of 67 Soviet officers who helped fight apartheid regime are engraved on the Wall in “Freedom Park”.

Annually in December, a floral tribute ceremony is held on the site to provide people in South Africa, especially youngsters, with information about the deeds of their ancestors.

#Russia #SouthAfrica #SharedHistory #HistoryofRussia #RussianHistory

🎉 Today we celebrate the 32nd anniversary of Russia - South Africa diplomatic relations.

Since 2️⃣8️⃣ February 1️⃣9️⃣9️⃣2️⃣ we have gone a long way in developing cooperation.

🤝Traditionally friendly ties between our countries date back to the times of struggle against the apartheid regime.
Many prominent ANC members, stalwarts of revolution such as Josiah Gumede, Moses Kotane and John Beaver Marks visited the Soviet Union in 1920-1930s.

🤝 This line of interaction between our peoples continued well into 1960’s and 1980s when the USSR rendered assistance to liberation movements that fought against the apartheid, first and foremost – to South African Communist Party and ANC.

☝️ Soviet Union provided humanitarian, financial, organizational support, as well as training for military and civilian specialists among the black population of South Africa.

🤝 Russia is honoured with the fact that South Africans cherish the memory of those Soviet citizens who sacrificed their lives to assist the liberation struggle in the region of Southern Africa, including the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa.

🤝 The Russian section of the Wall of Names with the names of 67 Soviet military specialists was solemnly unveiled on 13 December 2018 in Freedom Park, heritage memorial complex in Pretoria.

🤝 Today, our countries enjoy a long-standing strategic partnership, efficiently cooperate both on the bilateral track and in international fora & organisations including #BRICS, #G20, at the UN & UN Security Council.

#Russia #SouthAfrica

🇿🇦 Today South Africa commemorates Human Rights Day honouring those who gave their lives for equal human rights for all in the country.

The 1960s were characterised by systematic defiance and protest against apartheid and racism across the country. In 1960 in Sharpeville 69 people died and 180 were wounded when police fired on a peaceful crowd that had gathered in protest against the Pass laws.

🕊This month in South Africa is a heightened period to mark Human Rights Month, commemorated under the theme, “Three Decades of Respect for and Promotion of Human Rights”.

☝️Situation with human rights in the present-day world is exacerbated by double standard approach to assessing various situations and phenomena.

Despite multiple discussions on and reaffirmations of the principle of universality of human rights at various levels and seemingly general understanding of the essence of the matter, the issue of human rights is still used by some countries to serve their political interests.

🇷🇺 Russia is of the view that politicization of human rights is absolutely unacceptable. There can be no “teachers” or “students” in this area.

❗️The issue of human rights is too serious to make it a "token" in geopolitical "games", to use them to impose one's own will upon others.

#HumanRightsDay #SouthAfrica

🎉🇿🇦 Congratulations on the Freedom Day!

Today marks the 30th anniversary of South Africa’s first democratic elections held on 27 April 1994.

☝️ These were the first post-apartheid national elections to be held in the country where all the citizens could vote regardless of race.

This holiday is commemorated every year to honour those who fought against the apartheid system, an embodiment of injustice and inequality.

We convey our warmest greetings to all the South Africans on the Freedom Day!

#freedomday #southafrica

#UNESCO has added five new African sites to the World Heritage List, including the Nelson Mandela Legacy Sites.

🇿🇦 These sites embody South Africa's rich heritage of human rights, freedom, and reconciliation.

🕊 Congratulations to South Africa on the inscription of these poignant sites, which bear witness to the struggle against apartheid and Nelson Mandela's enduring legacy of freedom, human rights, and peace.

#WorldHeritage #NelsonMandela #SouthAfrica #HumanRights