From the Kremlin

[Benjamin]

I've been having some trouble accessing the Kremlin site. Long load times and some timeouts.

Here is another wonderful speech from a few days ago. Putin values uncorrupted history and its preservation. At the end, he acknowledges the unseen 3rd party that profits from all sides of tragedy. Given the venue of the speech, as well as recent religious declarations in other speeches, you could say he is referring to the satanic party.

Meeting with historians and representatives of Russia’s traditional religions​

Vladimir Putin met with historians and representatives of Russia’s traditional religions at the Manezh Central Exhibition Hall.

November 4, 2022
18:00

Moscow

* * *



President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, Your Holiness,

Representatives of religious organisations of Russia.

We are meeting on National Unity Day.

I congratulate you and all citizens of our country, all the people of Russia on this holiday, which marks our common heartfelt devotion to Russia, our love for it, the unity of the multiethnic people of this country both in times of trial and in resolving large-scale development goals – these have always been the key moments in our history.

You know well that the origins of the holiday go back centuries, to the feat of the people who themselves rose up to fight for their country, cleared it of strife, betrayal and humiliation, united to end the Time of Troubles and restore legitimate authority and our unified statehood.

The key events, when people of different ethnicities and faiths united to save and benefit the Fatherland, reverberate and run through all of Russian history. We understand and honour the invaluable experience of our ancestors, their traditions and their precepts.

The history of our country is continuous, a constant stream. We must consider it in its entirety, with all its extremely complicated and even controversial periods.

For the state, the authorities, society and its citizens, it is crucial to have objective, complete knowledge of our past, both the distant past and the near and recent past. Everything here matters, especially today. This means there is a growing need for the work of highly professional historians, scholars, university professors, and schoolteachers.

I would like to emphasise that it is unacceptable to repeat the mistakes of the Soviet period when scholars’ conclusions were often adjusted to pre-set templates. Templates in general are not good, but in history they are especially bad.

Something similar is happening now in some countries in the West where much is determined by today’s radical-liberal agenda. To suit it, key historical events are presented in a completely distorted, inverted form, and the truth is cancelled.

Such a deliberately perverted attitude towards history, its loose treatment distorts people's consciousness, erodes values and undermines their footing in life. It is known that if someone wants to deprive a state of sovereignty and turn its citizens into vassals, they begin by rewriting the history of the country, depriving people of their roots, condemning them to oblivion.

We know that such approaches, unfortunately, work and lead to tragedy for the people. Such attempts have been used against Russia too, and they continue today, but we have firmly and quickly put up barriers to them. After all, Russian history and culture are the basis of our national identity, our mentality, traditional values, the upbringing of the younger generations and, most importantly, the foundation of our Russian statehood.

Our position on the preservation of historical memory and thus our sovereignty irritates some countries in the West. As a matter of fact, this has been the case for centuries. And today there are ongoing attempts to pull the ground from under our feet. These attempts, of course, cannot change the past; they are doomed to fail. It is impossible to deprive our country of the victories our ancestors achieved.

However, it is a point of honour for the state, society, and certainly for historians to defend our true history and our heroes, to raise the quality of history education. Notably, this subject is now taught to all university students and not just those majoring in the humanities. It is also important to competently and consistently work on history education beginning with families, kindergartens and schools.

Colleagues,

You have probably looked at it already, and now I have seen this exhibition [Ukraine: Seminal Tipping Points] with the young people I met this afternoon at the flower laying ceremony at the monument to Minin and Pozharsky. The content of this exhibition confirms the accuracy and relevance of Nikolai Karamzin's conclusion that the present is a consequence of the past.

For decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine experienced direct, overt interference from Western countries in its internal affairs. Actually, they tried to do the same in Russia, but, unfortunately, in Ukraine they managed to instill in the minds of millions of people the pseudo-values that led to the fact that they created an anti-Russia on this territory, sowing hatred, raping people's consciousness, depriving them of their true history. Everything was done to reshape the consciousness of millions, and they very skillfully tried to light the fuse to cause the fall of our country.

Today we can see that one of the halls of the exhibition shows just how professionally this work was approached in some Western countries, they had worked on it for decades at the level of serious scientific centres with strong funding.

The clash with the neo-Nazi regime – Russia's clash with the neo-Nazi regime that developed in Ukraine – was inevitable, and had we not taken action in February, it would have been the same, only from a worse position for us. The situation in Ukraine was brought on by its so-called friends to the point where it became deadly for Russia and suicidal for the Ukrainian people themselves. And we see this even in the nature of the hostilities – it is amazing what is happening there; it is as if the Ukrainian people do not exist, they are thrown into the furnace, and that is it.

It is Ukraine and the Ukrainian people that have become the first and the main victims of breeding hate towards Russians and Russia. Meanwhile, everything is exactly the opposite in Russia, and you are well aware of that – we have always treated the Ukrainian people with warm respect. It has been like that despite today’s tragic confrontation.

Again, we took responsibility in order to prevent a much more difficult situation. We remembered and still remember what happened in 1941 when, despite intelligence reports on an inevitable attack against the Soviet Union, the necessary defence measures were delayed, and a heavy price was paid for the victory over Nazism.

Indeed, now it is also not easy; it is bitter because in fact the people are fighting each other. In fact, the confrontation is within the same people, just like after the 1917 upheavals when the people were set against each other.

Back then foreign powers were lining their pockets on our people’s tragedy. They did not care a dime about either the White or the Red armies; they were pursuing their own interests as they weakened and tore apart historical Russia. And today they are absolutely ruthless to the Ukrainian people as they send non-stop supplies of weapons and mercenaries there. They are promoting their geopolitical objectives at the expense of the Ukrainian people with goals that have nothing to do with the interests of the Ukrainian people.

Efforts to weaken, tear apart and destroy Russia are also ongoing. They underlie the developments in Ukraine. We will never let this happen. We will defend our Fatherland the way our heroic ancestors did.

Colleagues,

Before we move on to our conversation, I would like to note that the Russian Historical Society has marked the tenth anniversary of its reestablishment this year. It is gratifying that our hopes for this have been fulfilled. Members of the Russian Historical Society, including major academic institutes, universities, museums, archives, libraries and many highly-respected historians, are making a great contribution to promoting general Russian history, the culture of history and knowledge.

The Russian Military History Society, which will also mark the tenth anniversary of its re-establishment, is also conducting meaningful, useful and important work.

Once again, my congratulations to all of you on this holiday.

Thank you for your attention.

<…>

 

[Benjamin]

Before a face-to-face meeting, there was an unveiling of a bronze statue on a granite pedestal sculpted by Alexei Chebanenko of Fidel Castro that was installed in Moscow.

Meeting with President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez​

The President of Russia met with President of the Republic of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, who has arrived in Russia on an official visit.

November 22, 2022
16:10

The Kremlin, Moscow

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Comrade Diaz-Canel,

I am very glad to see you in Moscow again.

Relations between Cuba and Russia have been making steady headway in the three years since our previous meeting here.

I would like to note that we are also developing cooperation between our foreign ministries, parliaments and governments. State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin visited Cuba quite recently.

I know that this time you have a very busy programme here, in Russia, and are going to meet many of your colleagues.

The Intergovernmental Commission is working. It held its 19th session quite recently. We have big plans for cooperation between our governments with many joint projects up to 2030.

We have a great opportunity to analyse with you everything that has been done recently and what needs to be done in the current difficult conditions – but, after all, they have probably never been easy.

You know that the Soviet Union and Russia have always supported and support the Cuban people in their struggle for independence and sovereignty. We have always opposed any restrictions, embargoes, blockades and so on. We have always backed Cuba on international platforms. We are seeing that Cuba occupies the same position with respect to our country, to Russia.

All this is a result of the traditional friendship that was started by Comrade Fidel Castro. Today, we have unveiled a monument to him. I think this is a very good monument. I don’t know whether you like it or not. I think it is impossible not to like it. Indeed, this is a good memory of him, a true work of art. He is so dynamic, always in motion, moving forward. It definitely captures the look of a fighter that he had.

I really remember our personal meetings very well, even the details. He was an impressive man. I remember how during our first meeting in his office when we were freely discussing the current situation during lunch, I was stunned by his attention to detail and his knowledge of the nuances of ongoing events, even if they took place far away from Cuba. He was aware of and could analyse everything happening in the world. It was very interesting and useful for me to have these meetings with him.

Relying on this firm foundation of friendship, we must certainly move forward and enhance our cooperation in the current conditions. I am very happy for us to have this opportunity.

Welcome!

President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez (retranslated): Thank you very much, dear President Putin.

To start off, fraternal greetings from the Army General [Raul Castro]. He asked me to convey this message to you before I boarded the flight to Russia.

This visit means a lot to us. First, it takes place at a time when both Russia and Cuba have been subjected to unfair unilateral sanctions and have a common enemy, a common source which is the Yankee empire, which manipulates a large part of humankind.

We have had first-hand experience in this regard being blockaded for more than 60 years now. And our first commitment is to continue to uphold the Russian Federation’s position in this conflict which, we believe has its origins, unfortunately, in the fact that the United States is manipulating the international community. We have discussed this before. You have been warning the world for a long time now that the fact that NATO was getting closer to Russia’s borders was unacceptable, and they have tried, in extraterritorial wars, as they always do outside their territory, to find an opportunity to present themselves as “rescuers” and “solvers” of all the situations that may arise in the world.

We constantly condemn the sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation and the sources of the ongoing conflict so that people are not misled and do not blame Russia for this, and we also condemn what Europe is doing, being completely subordinate to US interests.

We were invited to take part in the unveiling of the monument. This is a monument in motion. I think it reflects Fidel’s personality in the midst of struggle, just like we are in the midst of struggle today.

Before the visit, as you noted, there was a session of the intergovernmental commission. For several days now, in a very professional manner, with great depth, the working groups that are part of the commission have been making, I believe, a number of important decisions on key issues, and we will be able to move forward in our cooperation.

We appreciate all efforts of the Russian Federation and your role in orienting the world towards multi-polarity, in encouraging it to move in this direction. In this sense, you have a very strong leadership role. I would also like to exchange views on this.

It is simply surprising that under such complicated circumstances we are managing to maintain our political dialogue at the top level even if not face-to-face. This reflects our great political relations.

We had seven telephone conversations with you at the peak of the pandemic. And now, luckily, we can meet in person. I think we will be able to build up our exchange of views on both global and bilateral issues.

On the other hand, I was very interested in your speech on the reunification of a group of regions with Russia. You made a very meticulous, clear-cut analysis of the events since the Soviet Union’s disintegration, denouncing the role that the imperialist powers tried to play. You made a very thorough analysis of what is happening in the world. You made it clear that the world should come to its senses and described those who are imposing their rules on us. You explained why they impose these rules on us and why they violate them later.

I think this is very structured thinking and analysis, and it is worth sharing with the world. I was happy to listen to this speech. We have identical approaches and views on global issues.

I would like to say again that Russia can always rely on Cuba. We admire the history and culture of Russia and your leadership in many processes, and we will continue doing everything we can for our relations to grow stronger.

The principle of continuity and succession we follow is not just a slogan or a motto. We do want to continue promoting our relations with the Russian Federation.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much.

Please convey my best regards to Comrade Raul Castro.

 

[Benjamin]

This is just a meeting but a few selections fill out some of the story regarding the blocking of fertiliser and ammonia. If it wasn't so potentially tragic, it would be quite comical. Regardless, it's still very .

Meeting with Chair of RSPP Commission on Mineral Fertiliser Production and Trading Dmitry Mazepin​

Vladimir Putin held a meeting with Dmitry Mazepin, member of the Management Board Bureau of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) and Chair of the RSPP Commission on Mineral Fertiliser Production and Trading.

November 23, 2022
10:00

The Kremlin, Moscow

...

Dmitry Mazepin: ... At the same time, after providing the required amount of fertiliser to the domestic market, we have extra volumes left, which, historically, we used to export. However, since prohibitive sanctions were imposed on virtually all the owners of sanctioned companies, those companies have certainly been struggling with problems.

The main problem, I should say, was that a fairly large quantity of our produce got stuck in European ports. If you open the presentation, you will see that UralChem has 262,000 tonnes frozen in the ports of Estonia, Latvia, Belgium and the Netherlands, Acron has 52,000 tonnes and EuroChem – almost 100,000 tonnes.

This situation is truly challenging. All producers are facing this problem. We have tried various ways to resolve it and deliver the fertilisers, which are mainly intended for consumers in emerging markets, including Africa. For example, UralChem-Uralkali was the owner, and still is, of a port in Riga. The company owns several port terminals – in St Petersburg, in Ust-Luga and in Riga.

After the sanctions were imposed, we tried to sell the port in Riga, and we sold it to a Swiss trader. The Swiss trader came to Latvia, introduced himself and showed his documents. We proposed a deal – that we were ready to sell the port in Riga, which we built from scratch for 42 million euros, for the same amount. The money was to be remitted to Riga, and we voluntarily said, “You can freeze this money, only make sure that the port operates.” But the Latvian side began looking for ways to avoid resolving this problem.

Vladimir Putin: Looking for a pretext, right?

Dmitry Mazepin: Yes. For six months.

They honestly told us that we could appeal to the Latvian courts. So, we appealed to the Latvian courts, but the courts refused to consider this case. The Swiss trader wanted to take over the ownership of the terminal for six months but was not allowed to. Four weeks ago, they withdrew from the deal and returned the documents to us because they could not actually acquire it.

Regarding the blocked fertiliser, if you see that 262,000 tonnes have been blocked, this means that 55,000 tonnes are stored on a ship. In January, Uralkali loaded 40,000 tonnes aboard a ship in St Petersburg. In February, that ship docked in Riga and took on an additional load. Following sanctions, the ship anchored at a roadstead and has remained there for the past eight months. It is unable to either dock or sail away. We can only speculate about what is happening to the crew. [There's been a crew of sailors sitting on a ship for the past eight months doing nothing?!]

...

Dmitry Mazepin: Mr President, thank you very much for your support, because we have come against many obstacles.

There are three main issues: chartering vessels, insurance and payments. Banks are a super-big obstacle now, because even a low-level lawyer in a bank can block transactions. We have recently stopped using euros and dollars. For example, Brazil is paying us in yuan for the fertilisers we supply. We hope that the day will come when the BRICS countries will introduce a common monetary unit or will use their national currencies so that we will be able to use rubles. Since the yuan is a highly liquid monetary asset, developing countries are willing to pay in yuan. This is convenient for us, because we cannot use euros or dollars even though it is not our companies but their owners who have been sanctioned. All the owners have either gone out of business or have reduced their involvement to a non-controlling share, like I have done. [I suspect that by doing this, the business stays afloat. But, just a question, who owns the business?]
...

Dmitry Mazepin: ... Mr President, we have a question regarding the supply of fertilisers to Africa and emerging markets. It is about ammonia. You gave the go-ahead, and a grain deal was concluded in July; the Defence Ministry and Minister Sergei Shoigu, personally, signed a memorandum on grain transportation. That memorandum included a clause where countries, under the auspices of the UN, were to express support for allowing Russia to export the ammonia that we produced at TogliattiAzot, and unblocking the pipeline that connects Togliatti and Odessa.

We were encouraged by that. The Russian side was ready, and the pipeline on the Russian side was in working order. We had information that it could be used on the Ukrainian side as well. But time has passed, and there has been no progress. We hoped that, with the recent extension of the grain deal, this issue would be resolved as well. But I have to report to you that the Ukrainian side has put forward a number of political preconditions that are outside our competence, and we cannot proceed.

Still, I would like to report to you that starting from 2021, we have been developing an alternative route and a port in Taman. Investment in the project will total 50 billion. As many as 500 builders are working there at the moment. We hope that we will open the port in Taman by the end of 2023, and that will change the situation where the Russian Federation ...

Vladimir Putin: ... Didn’t a US company want to buy the product [ammonia] right there on the border between Russia and Ukraine?

Dmitry Mazepin: Yes, because the Ukrainian side asked us, how are you going to pay when there are no banking relations? We said that we were ready to sell the product at the factory gate, and use Transammonia, a large American trader. They agreed to buy it. They said, “We will ship it, we will deliver it.” They have been working on this market for decades. Still, the deal never got off the ground.

We hoped it would, and the UN has been feeding us promises that ammonia would be unblocked along with the new grain deal. But today I had a report that my people talked to the UN, and they were told, “The deal is already closed, sorry.”

Vladimir Putin: We will also work with the UN, with our colleagues from that organisation. We will see what we can do. ...

 

[Benjamin]

This is Putin's closing statement at the opening of the 10th National Congress of Judges. I only place this here because of his reference to Mount Olympus and the Olympian gods which brought up the memory of his reference to Satanism in a previous speech.

National Congress of Judges​

Vladimir Putin took part in the 10th National Congress of Judges.

November 29, 2022
14:35

The Kremlin, Moscow

...
Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much.

Here is what I would like to say to close this part of your work.

The economy is based on the railway and road network, the energy system in the broadest sense of the word, including power generation and gas supply, to name a few, and the financial system, which is the lifeblood of the economy that ensures capital flow throughout the economy and between individuals. This also includes the manufacturing industry, and all of that taken together makes it possible for the country to properly address social issues, to ensure an adequate level of material well-being for the people and the security of the state.

Then there is the spiritual sphere and culture. In the spiritual sphere, customary laws are widely used, that is, traditions that are passed down from generation to generation, although this also has its own charters and written rules.

One way or another, these relations, including relations between people and relations between citizens and the state, or the participants in economic activity, are ultimately regulated by law and legal norms.

However, the use of these standards and the final word on the use of these standards is in the hands of the courts, which are at the top of the Mount Olympus of the legal system. Deep down, it depends on specific individuals – you and your colleagues – it depends on how the law is applied and, ultimately, how it affects the areas of public and individual lives that I mentioned and more.

Please make sure you are true to these high Olympian standards, like those who still live there, according to well-known, ancient traditions, I mean the Olympian gods. Please do so, as it is critical to your practical work and society’s moral fibre. Please be up to this lofty status and the status of the Russian judicial system.

I would like to thank you for the high performance of the judicial system, your performance and that of your colleagues in recent years, and I wish you every success in this unique field that is extremely important for the whole country.

All the best, thank you. Good luck.

 

[Benjamin]

The last time these two spoke was Sept. 13, 2022.

Telephone conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz​

Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Olaf Scholz, at the initiative of the German side.

December 2, 2022
13:55

The discussion focused on various aspects of the situation around Ukraine. Vladimir Putin again explained in detail Russia’s fundamental approaches to the special military operation and pointed out the destructive policy of Western countries, including Germany, pumping the Kiev regime with weapons and training the Ukrainian military. All this, as well as their comprehensive political and financial support for Ukraine, leads Kiev to reject any idea of negotiations. In addition, it encourages radical Ukrainian nationalists to commit more and more bloody crimes against the civilian population.

The President of Russia called on Germany to reconsider its approaches in the context of the Ukrainian developments.

The Russian leader noted that the Russian Armed Forces had for a long time refrained from pinpoint missile strikes at certain targets on the territory of Ukraine, but now such measures have become an unavoidable and inevitable response to Kiev's provocative attacks against Russia's civilian infrastructure, including the Crimean bridge and energy facilities.

This list of incidents also includes the terrorist attacks against the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines. A transparent investigation into the circumstances of those attacks must be conducted and it must include the relevant Russian agencies.

Vladimir Putin and Olaf Scholz also touched upon certain aspects of implementing the July 22 Istanbul package deal on the export of Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea ports and the unblocking of food and fertiliser exports from Russia. The parties emphasised the need for bona fide comprehensive implementation of the grain deal, which implies the elimination of all barriers for Russian exports.

 

[Benjamin]

Here are a few sections from a Dec. 9 news conference in Kyrgyzstan where Putin answers questions from reporters.

News conference following the visit to Kyrgyzstan​

Concluding his working visit to Kyrgyzstan, the President answered journalists’ questions.

December 9, 2022
16:55
Bishkek

About the prisoner exchange of Victor Bout and Brittany Griner.

Aysel Gereikhanova, Rossiyskaya Gazeta: A question about Viktor Bout. For a long time, Russia sought his exchange, and it has finally happened. I would like to hear the details: who led the talks, will they continue? And do these meetings on the exchange indicate that there is a chance to establish a broader dialogue with the Americans, or is this just about the swap?

And one more question: will Sergei Naryshkin's contacts with the head of the CIA continue?

Vladimir Putin: So, as far as swaps are concerned, this subject is being handled by us, in this case, it was handled by the Federal Security Service, the FSB. The FSB was agreeing on and negotiating this initially and achieved the results you have just heard about. The contacts continue; in fact, they never stopped at the level of special services.

Are other swaps possible? Yes, anything is possible. This is the result of talking and searching for compromise. In this case, compromises were found. We will not refuse to continue this work in the future.

Can this be considered a precedent to a dialogue with the United States on other issues? This is a special question, a specific one, frankly. We did not have the goal to move from these talks to other ones. Of course, they create a certain atmosphere, it is true; but no other issues were discussed as part of these talks. This is the first thing.

Second, regarding contacts between the special services, the Foreign Intelligence Service and the CIA, from one side and the other. This was not our initiative but was initiated by the American side. President Biden suggested this, and we agreed, as you can see. We generally did not expect anything supernatural from the talks; they were held in a normal working mode. The partners agreed that these meetings would continue.

Putin responds to the oil cap question.

Pavel Zarubin, Rossiyskaya Gazeta: Good evening.

Back to oil and gas prices: the price cap on Russian oil introduced by the West is one of the most discussed global topics in the last few days.

There are already a lot of arguments about this, so I would like to ask such a specific question. How will we ultimately respond to this? Will this response be proportionate, symmetrical, asymmetrical? And what will happen to the Russian budget in the end? Will Russia have enough revenue?

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Do not worry about this. The point is this: the proposed cap is in line with today’s prices. In this sense, this policy does not affect us in any way; frankly, it does not matter much to us.

Yes, formally, oil prices are a little higher, but they are a little lower for our blend. Brent prices are higher, and Urals prices are slightly lower, plus we offer discounts to many of our partners. Everything comes down to that number. We will not lose anything under any circumstance.

But this is not the point. This concerns not only us, but all producers, because if anyone ever agrees to consumers setting prices, it will destroy the industry, because consumers will always want low prices. Even without that, the industry is underinvested and underfunded, and if we heed what consumers are telling us, then the investment will come to nothing. At some point this will trigger a disastrous surge in prices and the global energy market will collapse. This is how it will end up. This proposal is stupid, ill-conceived and poorly evaluated. So, it is not about us, but about the overall situation in global energy and global energy markets. It [the proposal] is bad for global energy markets. Again, we are already selling at about these prices, so do not worry about the budget.

To reiterate, it would be a stupid thing to do for everyone, including consumers, to follow some kind of non-market, harmful decision. Consumers need to realise that if they insist on prices they like, even if they have these prices, prices will then plummet, investment will be reduced to zero, and ultimately the prices will skyrocket and this will backfire on those who are imposing these kinds of solutions.

With regard to our response, I said earlier that we will simply not sell energy resources to countries that adopt such policies. We will even think about – I am not saying we have decided on this – but we will think, if necessary, about a production cut. We have an agreement with OPEC Plus on a production target. We will give it further thought, if needed. I am talking about Russia now. Again, we are thinking about this, but no decisions have been made yet. Specific steps will be outlined in a Presidential Executive Order that will be issued soon.

Putin answers some questions about the SMO. He clarifies the difference between the American's 'preventative strike' (first strike) initiative and Russia's 'retaliatory strike' plan.

Konstantin Panyushkin, Channel One: Good afternoon.

A question about the special military operation.

What do you think about the status of the SMO?

Talking with human rights activists on Wednesday, you said, this is a quote: “This will be a lengthy process.” If possible, can you explain what you had in mind?

And another question from the same meeting. You said, and I quote: “If Russia does not use nuclear weapons first, it won’t use them second, either.” This caused an uproar. Please explain what you meant.

Vladimir Putin: As for the length of the SMO, I was referring to the time needed for the settlement process. The SMO is running its course and everything is stable – there are no questions or problems there now. As you can see, the Defence Ministry operates transparently. It reflects everything that is taking place in reality, on the ground, in its daily reports. This is how it stands, objectively, in this regard. I have nothing to add.

As for the settlement process in general – yes, it will probably be complicated and will take some time. But one way or another, the parties to this process will have to accept the realities that are taking shape on the ground. This is the first part of your question.

Now the second part. I understand that everyone is worried and has always been worried since the advent of nuclear arms, and weapons of mass destruction in general. People, all of humanity, have been concerned about what will happen to the planet and to us? But look what I had in mind, I will explain some things.

The United States has this theory of a preventive strike. This is the first point. Now the second point. They are developing a system for a disarming strike. What does that mean? It means striking at control centres with modern high-tech weapons to destroy the opponent’s ability to counterattack, and so on.

What are these modern weapons? These are cruise missiles that we did not have at one time – we did not have land-based cruise missiles. We removed them; we scrapped them. Meanwhile, the Americans were smarter at that time when they were holding talks with the Soviet Union. They scrapped land-based missiles but retained air- and sea-based missiles that were not covered by the treaty, and we became defenceless. But now we have them and they are more modern and even more efficient.

There were plans to deliver a preventive disarming strike with hypersonic weapons. The United States does not have these weapons, but we do. Regarding a disarming strike, perhaps we should think about using the achievements of our US partners and their ideas about how to ensure their own security. We are just thinking about this. No one was shy about discussing it out loud in the past. This is the first point.

The United States has a theory and even practice. They have the concept of a preventive strike in their strategy and other policy documents. We do not. Our Strategy talks about a retaliatory strike. There are no secrets whatsoever. What is a retaliatory strike? That is a response strike. It is when our early warning system, the missile attack warning system, detects missiles launched towards Russian Federation territory. First, it detects the launches, and then response actions begin.

We hold regular exercises of our nuclear forces. You can see them all, we are not hiding anything. We provide information under our agreements with all nuclear countries, including the United States. We inform our partners that we are conducting these exercises. Rest assured they do the exact same thing.

After the early warning system receives a signal indicating a missile attack, hundreds of our missiles are launched and they cannot be stopped. But it is still a retaliatory strike. What does that mean? It means that enemy missile warheads will fall on the territory of the Russian Federation. This cannot be avoided. They will fall anyway. True, nothing will remain of the enemy, because it is impossible to intercept hundreds of missiles. And this is, without a doubt, a potent deterrent.

But if a potential adversary believes it is possible to use the preventive strike theory, while we do not, this still makes us think about the threat that such ideas in the sphere of other countries’ defence pose to us.

That is all I have to say about that.

Response to the revelation from Angela Merkel that the Minsk Agreements were a 'stall tactic'. Surprised by her words, Putin talks about trust.

Yulia Bubnova, TASS: Good afternoon.

Angela Merkel said the other day that at the time the Minsk agreements were signed with the express purpose of giving Ukraine time to prepare and then to fight Russia.

Could you explain how we should understand this? Did we know that our partners were treating us in this way?

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Honestly, this was a complete surprise to me. This is disappointing.

Frankly speaking, I did not expect to hear this from the former Federal Chancellor because I always thought that the leaders of the Federal Republic of Germany were sincere with us. Of course, they were on Ukraine’s side and supported Ukraine, but I still thought they had always been sincerely striving for a settlement on the principles which we had agreed on and which were accepted, including in the Minsk agreements.

What you have just said only shows that we did everything right by starting the special military operation. Why? Because it transpired that nobody was going to fulfil these Minsk agreements. The Ukrainian leaders also mentioned this, in the words of former President Poroshenko, who said he signed the agreements but was not going to fulfil them.

But I was still hoping that other participants in this process were sincere with us. It appears they were deceiving us as well. The only purpose was to pump arms into Ukraine and get it ready for hostilities. We are seeing this, yes. Apparently, we got our bearings too late, frankly. Perhaps we should have started all this sooner, but we still simply hoped to come to terms under these Minsk peace agreements.

What can one say to this? Of course, the issue of trust is at stake. Trust as such is already close to zero, but after such statements, the issue of trust is coming to the fore. How can we negotiate anything? What can we agree upon? Is it possible to come to terms with anyone, and where are the guarantees? This is, of course, a problem.

But eventually we will have to come to terms all the same. I have already said many times that we are ready for these agreements, we are open. But, naturally, all this makes us wonder with whom we are dealing.

Putin responds to a quote made by Josep Borrell Fontelles, a Spanish politician serving as High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the EU, on Thursday the 8th.

Don Courter, Russia Today: Mr President, Josep Borrell said Africa supports Russia because of this – I quote: “You can consider that these people do not know where Donbass is or maybe they do not even know who Putin is.”

What is your response to this?

Vladimir Putin: Borrell is a big, major figure of our time, a political figure of our time, as Brezhnev was once described.

But people in Africa know what Russia is and where Russia is located. Africans know the role that Russia played in their liberation from colonialism. There is practically not a single African country that would not receive our support at one time – political, information, economic and sometimes military support. We have very stable, very kind and friendly relations with African nations and they continue.

If the people you were talking about knew where Africa is located and what state African nations are in, they would not have prevented the supplies of Russian food and Russian fertilisers from reaching the African continent. Eventually, the harvest in African countries and the saving of hundreds of thousands of people in Africa from starvation depend on these supplies.

Our fertilisers have not yet even left some seaports of European countries. Meanwhile, as I have said many times, we are ready to provide them to African countries free of charge. Partially this process got underway under pressure from the UN Secretary-General but the problem has not been resolved up to this day.

Let certain EU politicians stop chatting about their love of African nations and start giving direct support to them. Instead of buying up food on global markets using the money they are printing, instead of raising prices, fuelling inflation and putting African nations into a desperate situation, they should at least not get in Russia’s way and let it carry out this productive and intensive work that is needed by African nations and is designed to support the people who need it.

For some background, here is an article from Sputnik about Josep Borrell's comment. The link in the article (for those who can't access Sputnik) leads to another Sputnik article from Dec. 8, 2022 with the headline: Russia Companies at Africa Expo Increase Exports by $20 Million.

EU's Borrell Doubts People in Africa Who Support Russia Know About Putin, Donbass​

06:23 GMT 09.12.2022 (Updated: 10:48 GMT 09.12.2022)

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) - EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Thursday that he doubted that people in African countries who showed their support for Russia knew who Vladimir Putin was or where Donbass was located.

"Russia is able to deflect blame, twist realty and find an audience in some parts of world. I have seen in TV screens these young African people on the streets of Bamako [Mali's capital] with billboards saying '[Russian President Vladimir] Putin, thanks. You have saved Donbass and now you will save us.' It is shocking. You can consider that these people do not know where Donbass is or maybe they do not even know who Putin is," Borrell said during a session of the EU Parliament's Special Committee on Foreign Interference.

The EU foreign policy chief claimed that there were also such people in the Balkans, in the countries seeking EU membership.

Borrell's remarks immediately drew criticism from member of the parliament Ozlem Demirel, who said that such statements were arrogant.

"To be honest, what you have said sounds not quite respectful. Such an arrogant tone and lack of respect for Africa have consequences. That is why it is not surprising when Africans are disappointed, nervous and then turn to Russia for help," the lawmaker said.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also expressed her concerns over Borrell's remarks, recalling numerous cases when Western politicians showed lack of knowledge on geographical and other topics.

“The gardener, impersonating the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs, has doubted that people in the Balkans and Africa know where Donbass is and who Putin is. Josep [Borrell], don't judge people [and compare them] to yourself,” Zakharova wrote in her Telegram channel.

It is not the first time Borrell made controversial statements that sparked accusations of racism. In early October, speaking at the opening of the European Diplomatic Academy in Bruges, Borrell said that Europe was a "garden" and the rest of the world was a "jungle" that can invade this garden if "gardeners" do not take care of it.

 

[Adobe]

It's nice to see how the Russian government still operates with dignity while addressing the pressing issues of the day. Not like the monkey show we have in the US. I have however pulled out a few statements that I think are of interest. The statements are from Putin.

Meeting of Council for Strategic Development and National Projects (Dec. 15)​

"Notably, breakthroughs in the healthcare system can be achieved with innovative technology; we have discussed this many times. In this regard, I would like the Ministry of Healthcare to speed up the work on creating individual digital health profiles, to introduce AI and telemedicine technologies in order to improve the quality of medical care, the way it was implemented in Moscow – we discussed this recently as well – and in a number of other regions. Without a doubt, it is important to boost the motivation of healthcare professionals and to tie it to the patients’ condition and improvements in their condition, as well as to their own assessments of the outpatient clinic and hospital performance."

"Different payment mechanisms are also on our agenda. I am referring to the use of digital currencies of central banks and the technology of distributed registries that remove the political risks from using the currencies of unfriendly countries."

Meeting of Council for Strategic Development and National Projects

The President held a videoconference meeting of the Presidential Council for Strategic Development and National Projects.

en.kremlin.ru

 

[Cosmos]

On 21.12.2022 Putin had a meeting with the Defence Ministry Board. The meeting started off with a speech/summary by Putin. Followed by a speech/summary of Shoigu. And it ended by a shorter of the hips and partly unscripted commentary/summary by Putin. Only the first part of the meeting (Putin's speech) has been transcribed on the Kremlin Website. The whole thing has been put up on YouTube with English subtitles (see below). I watched it and found it pretty interesting to watch/read. I think you get a pretty good idea where the Special Operation is at. The level of planning, detail and accomplishments kinda blows my mind. It also sounds like all of this is planned and operated on a very high and professional level of expertise. I also get the impression that this is just the beginning. It is also incredible to notice the contrast between what they do compared to "the collective west". It is like watching adults calmly and professionally carrying out their duty while what you see in the collective west almost looks like another universe compared to that. History in action:

 

[youlik]

Conspiracy theorists noticed a "strange" woman at Putin's New Year's greeting
At Putin's New Year's greetings, a "strange" female officer was noticed.

During the New Year's greetings of the President of Russia, conspiracy theorists noticed a female officer, who, allegedly, had already been seen together with the Russian leader, but in completely different circumstances. Previously, a similar woman has already been seen in the role of an ice cream vendor, a sailor and a parishioner of the temple.

On the video footage of the Russian president's New Year's greetings, a female officer can be seen among the officers. Despite the fact that there is nothing remarkable in this, it turned out that a similar woman had previously been seen in the role of a sailor, an ice cream vendor and as a parishioner of the temple.

Whether this is just a coincidence or whether we are really talking about the same woman is unknown, since no comments have been made on this matter, however, modern artificial intelligence tools indicate a clear coincidence of faces.

It is known that a group of OSINT specialists tried to use publicly available resources to establish any information on this subject, however, apparently, nothing could be found out. This, quite likely, may indicate a banal coincidence.

Конспирологи заметили на новогоднем поздравлении Путина «странную» женщину

 

[Hi_Henry]

Конспирологи заметили на новогоднем поздравлении Путина «странную» женщину

Interesting coincidence that in these three situations they are on the right side of Putin.

 

[Benjamin]

A little late, but any time is a good time for uplifting speeches.

New Year Address to the Nation​

December 31, 2022
23:55

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Citizens of Russia, friends,

The year 2022 is drawing to a close. It was a year of difficult but necessary decisions, of important steps towards Russia's full sovereignty and a powerful consolidation of our society.

It was a year that put many things in their place, and drew a clear line between courage and heroism, on the one hand, and betrayal and cowardice on the other, showed us that there is nothing stronger than love for our near and dear, loyalty to our friends and comrades-in-arms, and devotion to our Fatherland.

It was a year of truly pivotal, even fateful events. They became the frontier where we lay the foundation for our common future, our true independence.

This is what we are fighting for today, protecting our people in our historical territories in the new regions of the Russian Federation. Together, we are building and creating.

Russia’s future is what matters the most. Defending our Motherland is the sacred duty we owe to our ancestors and descendants. The moral and historical truth is on our side.

The outgoing year has brought great and dramatic changes to our country and to the world. It was filled with uncertainty, anxiety and worry.

But our multiethnic nation showed great courage and dignity as it had in every challenging period in Russian history, supported the defenders of our Fatherland, our soldiers and officers, and all participants in the special military operation, in both word and deed.

We have always known that Russia's sovereign, independent and secure future depends only on us, on our strength and determination, and today, we have become convinced of it once again.

For years, Western elites hypocritically assured us of their peaceful intentions, including to help resolve the serious conflict in Donbass. But in fact, they encouraged the neo-Nazis in every possible way, who continued to take military and overtly terrorist action against peaceful civilians in the people's republics of Donbass.

The West lied to us about peace while preparing for aggression, and today, they no longer hesitate to openly admit it and to cynically use Ukraine and its people as a means to weaken and divide Russia. We have never allowed anyone to do this and we will not allow it now.

Russian servicemen, militiamen and volunteers are now fighting for their homeland, for truth and justice, for reliable guarantees of peace and Russia’s security. They are all our heroes and they are shouldering the heaviest burden right now.

From the bottom of my heart, I wish a very happy New Year to every participant in the special military operation, to those who are here next to me now, and who are on the frontline, those getting ready for action at training centres, those who are in hospitals or already back home, having fulfilled their duty, to all those now on combat duty in strategic units, and all personnel of the Russian Armed Forces.

Comrades,

thank you for your valiant service. Our entire vast country is proud of your fortitude, endurance and courage. Millions of people are with you in their hearts and souls, and will be raising a toast to you at their New Year's table.

Many thanks to everyone who provides ancillary support for military operations: drivers and railway workers who deliver supplies to the front, doctors, paramedics, and nurses who are fighting for soldiers’ lives and nursing wounded civilians. I thank the workers and engineers at our military and other plants who are working today with great dedication, builders who are erecting civilian facilities and defensive fortifications, and helping to restore the destroyed cities and villages in Donbass and Novorossiya.

Friends,

Russia has been living under sanctions since the events in Crimea in 2014, but this year, a full-blown sanctions war has been unleashed against us. Those who started it expected our industry, finances and transport to collapse and never recover.

This did not happen, because together we created a reliable margin of safety. We have been taking steps and measures towards strengthening our sovereignty in a vitally important field, in the economy. Our struggle for our country, for our interests and for our future undoubtedly serves as an inspiring example for other states in their quest for a just multipolar world order.

I consider it very important that in the outgoing year, such qualities as mercy, solidarity and proactive empathy have become especially important in Russia. More and more Russians feel the need to help others. They rally together and take initiative without any formal instructions.

I want to thank you for being so considerate, responsible and kind, for your active involvement in the common cause regardless of age or income. You arrange warehouses and transport to deliver parcels to our fighters in the combat zone, to the residents of affected cities and towns, and help organise holidays for children from the new constituent entities of the Federation.

My friends, you are providing great support to the families of the fighters who perished, who gave their lives defending the lives of others.

I know how difficult it is for their wives, sons and daughters, and for their parents, who raised real heroes; I understand how they feel now, on New Year's Eve. We will make every effort to help the families of our fallen comrades raise their children, give them a good education, and get a profession.

With all my heart, I share your pain and ask you to accept my sincere words of support.

Friends,

Our country has always celebrated the start of the New Year, even during very difficult times. It has always been everyone’s favourite holiday, and has a magical power to reveal the best in people, to heighten the importance of traditional family values, the energy of kindness, generosity and trust.

As we see the New Year in, everyone strives to give joy to their loved ones, to show them attention and warmth, to give them presents they have been dreaming of, to see the delight in children’s eyes and parents’ touching gratitude for our attention. The older generation knows how to appreciate such moments of happiness.

Friends, now is the best moment to leave all personal grievances and misunderstandings in the past, to tell our nearest and dearest how we feel, how much we love them, how important it is to take care of each other – always, at any time.

Let these heartfelt words and noble feelings give each of us immense strength and confidence that together, we will overcome all the challenges and keep our country great and independent.

We will only move forward, to fight for our families and for Russia, for the future of our only, beloved Motherland.

Happy New Year, friends! Happy 2023!

 

[Benjamin]

This meeting has already been touched on in the Donbass thread. The ship itself was put to sea in 2018 but has been refitted to carry the Zircon hypersonic missile. It travels at a speed greater then Mach 9, which is 6905.42 miles per hour, and has a range of 1000 miles. Apparently, this would take 8:41 minutes to travel.

Frigate Admiral Gorshkov started combat duty​

Prior to the ship's departure for a long-distance naval mission, the President heard reports by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Commander of the frigate Admiral of the Soviet Fleet Gorshkov, Igor Krokhmal.

January 4, 2023
13:40

Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region


* * *

Vladimir Putin: Comrades, good afternoon.

Good afternoon, Mr Shoigu.

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu: Good afternoon, Mr President.

Happy New Year!

Vladimir Putin: Happy New Year! Thank you. You too.

Today we have an important, if not landmark, event: the frigate Admiral Gorshkov is departing for a long-distance naval mission. There is nothing unusual here, this is common practice; but this time the ship is equipped with the cutting-edge Zircon hypersonic missile system, which has no analogue – this is a sea-based hypersonic system, and other new generation weapons.

We are now communicating primarily with the military, but here and now, as they say, I want to first thank the specialists of the military-industrial complex who have developed and begun to mass-produce this unique weapon. As I said, it has no analogue in any country in the world.

I know that such powerful weapons will make it possible to reliably defend Russia from potential external threats and will help ensure our national interests.

I would like to stress that we will continue to build up the combat potential of the Armed Forces and produce advanced weapons and equipment that will guard Russia's security in the coming decades. This is a promising weapon.

I would like to wish the ship’s crew success in their service for the good of the Fatherland.

I would like to ask the Minister of Defence to report on the readiness of the ship to carry out the assigned tasks.

Sergei Shoigu: Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,

Today, the frigate Admiral of the Soviet Fleet Gorshkov, with Zircon hypersonic missiles on board, is embarking on a long-distance naval mission across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea.

The frigate Admiral of the Soviet Fleet Gorshkov is a modern multi-purpose ship with guided missile weapons designed to resolve challenges in the far seas and ocean zones. This vessel, armed with Zircon missiles, is capable of inflicting pinpoint and powerful strikes against an enemy at sea and on land. At the same time, one feature of the Zircon hypersonic missiles is the ability to reliably overcome today’s advanced air defence and missile defence systems. The missile’s flight speed exceeds Mach 9, and the range is over 1,000 kilometres.

The main objectives during this mission will be focused on countering any threats to Russia, maintaining regional peace and stability together with friendly countries. During the exercises and training, the crew will practice the use of hypersonic weapons and long-range cruise missiles in various environmental conditions.

Commander of the ship, please report on you readiness for the mission.

Commander of the frigate Admiral of the Soviet Fleet Gorshkov Igor Krokhmal: Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,

The commander of the frigate Admiral of the Soviet Fleet Gorshkov, Captain 1st Rank Igor Krokhmal is reporting.
The ship went through the full cycle of preparations for its mission. It was equipped with ammunition for the missiles in the Zircon and Caliber systems, air defence systems, torpedo weapons, and artillery. The crew of the ship is ready to carry out the tasks of combat duty.

Vladimir Putin: I am glad. Congratulations. This is a very large team effort that led to excellent and expected result.
Begin completing your objectives.

Igor Krokhmal: Yes, sir.

Vladimir Putin: May there be seven feet under the keel.

 

[Benjamin]

Christmas greetings​

Vladimir Putin congratulated all Orthodox Christians and all Russians celebrating Christmas.

January 7, 2023
09:00
The Kremlin, Moscow

The message reads, in part:

“This serene holiday, beloved by all, inspires noble deeds and aspirations, and serves to reinforce in society such eternal spiritual values and moral constants as mercy, empathy, kindness and justice.

It is deeply gratifying to note the enormous constructive contribution of the Russian Orthodox Church and other Christian denominations to unifying society, preserving our historical memory, educating the youth and strengthening the institution of family. Church organisations prioritise fostering interethnic and interfaith peace and harmony in our country, caring for the needy, and supporting our warriors taking part in the special military operation. Such massive, complex and truly selfless work deserves sincere respect.

I wish Orthodox Christians and all those celebrating Christmas good health, success and all the very best.”

* * *

On Christmas Eve, Vladimir Putin attended services at the Kremlin’s Annunciation Cathedral.

 

[Magnolia]

UK Column (24 min in) 1/11/23 posted portions of an interview with Nicolay Patrushev, Chief of Russian Security Council (who they surmise might be a potential replacement for Putin). Alexander Mercouris brought this interview to UK's attention 30 min into his Jan 10 monologue. Below are some items from the interview (machine translated).

Question — You once said that the leadership of Western countries is not doing anything to improve the situation, not just in the world, but even in their own countries. Explain what is at stake?
Western politicians do not have the strength and ability to change their lives in their states for the better, since they have not been independent figures for a long time. Everyone has a soul connection with large businesses, lobbyists, foundations. They do not even hide these facts. ..... Obviously, real power in the West is in the hands of resource-rich clans and transnational corporations [TNC].

Question — Want to say that even US authorities are not pursuing an independent policy?
In fact, the American state — is only a shell for the conglomerate of huge corporations that rule the country and try to rule the world. For TNCs, even US presidents — are just extras who can be shut out like Trump. It is no coincidence that an increasing number of Americans claim that Republicans and Democrats — are only two actors in one play that has nothing to do with democracy.

Question — According to this logic, apparently, Russia in this hierarchy does not provide the most enviable place.
In the West, there is no place for our country. Russia annoys a bunch of world rulers by having rich resources, vast territory, smart and self-sufficient people who love their country, its traditions and history.........Russia.....defends a reasonable ratio of spiritual and moral values and socio-economic development.

Question — Hint on the events in Afghanistan
The US presence in Afghanistan did not result in a fight against terrorism, but in the creation of multi-million dollar corruption schemes and a multiple increase in drug production. The sudden departure of the Americans from this country, as it turned out, was largely associated with focusing on Ukraine, where, according to their estimates, the preparation of the Kiev puppet regime for offensive anti-Russian actions was successful. By the way, it confirmed and US Secretary of State Blinken, who stated that if the US military had not left Afghanistan, then Washington could not have allocated so much funds to Ukraine. In addition, part of the equipment exported from Afghan land was transferred to Europe, mainly to Poland, allowing Europeans to militarize the Kiev regime.

Question — Let's get back to the topic of the influence of transnational corporations on the policies of different countries. You claim that it is almost limitless. And what methods do you think are in the arsenal of TNCs?
These methods are the most cynical. Some of them are — experiments with dangerous pathogens and viruses in military-biological laboratories under the supervision of the Pentagon. Unceremoniously engaged in the moral and moral corruption of society. The West has mastered the zombie of people through mass propaganda, and now seeks to use cognitive weapons, affecting every person point-by-point using information technologies and methods of neuropsychology. It instills neoliberal and other values, some of which are inherently directly opposite to human nature. They act consciously and in their circle do not hide that the LGBT-agenda — is a tool for gradually reducing the number of « excess people » who do not fit into the framework of the notorious « golden billion ». Yesterday advertised by GMOs without worrying about,what health effects such products will have, and today they urge women not to have children to combat climate change. Overseas science proposes to evaluate people by the amount of carbon they leave. They measure and count humanity in the same way as Nazi scientists once measured skulls in search of separation criteria « higher » and « lower races ».

For Americans, public debt reached thirty-one-odd trillion dollars. England's debt — 2.4 trillion pounds — has become maximum since World War II and exceeded 101% of gross domestic product. The world record for the ratio of debt to GDP — more than 2.6 times — put Japan with a public debt of almost ten trillion dollars. Only countries that consider themselves masters of the world are not going to repay these debts.

Question — You paint a rather gloomy picture. Like the end of humanity is just around the corner...
The potential of mankind is far from exhausted. ..........For a Russian person, hatred by definition cannot be a unifying beginning.

 

[Adobe]

Putin proposes to denounce Statute of Council of Europe, conventions on human rights​

"In total, it is proposed to denounce 21 documents"

"MOSCOW, January 17. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has introduced a draft bill to the State Duma which proposes to terminate the Statute of the Council of Europe and European conventions on the suppression of terrorism and protection of human rights with regards to Russia."

"The document was published on the Duma’s electronic database on Tuesday."

"Due to the termination of the Russian Federation’s membership in the Council of Europe, starting on March 16, 2022, [it is proposed] to consider as invalid with regards to the Russian Federation the following international agreements: the May 5, 1949 Statute of the Council of Europe, <…> the November 4, 1950 Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, <…> the January 27, 1977 European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism," the document said."

"In total, it is proposed to denounce 21 documents."

https://tass.com/politics/1563531