Russian MFA 🇷🇺

🗓 On April 22, the Foreign Ministry held a solemn event at its Reception House on behalf of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to mark Orthodox Easter. Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill, hierarchs of theRussian Orthodox Church, representatives of other traditional religious denominations, as well as Russian government officials and civil society leaders, and members of the diplomatic corps attended the event. The Minister wished happy Easter to Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill, as well as all the guests, and went on to praise the way the Russian Orthodox Church has been working with the Foreign Ministry for consolidating the moral foundations in international relations, reinforcing trust and mutual respect among nations, while also providing spiritual support to compatriots abroad. In his remarks, the Foreign Minister mentioned the most sensitive issues on today’s international agenda, including efforts to preserve and defend the Christian presence in the countries of the Middle East, North Africa and other regions of the world, as well as protect spiritual and moral values and promote dialogue among civilisations.

#Victory81 🌟 On April 22, 1945, the Red Army liberated the prisoners of the Nazi concentration camp Sachsenhausen during #WW2. The forces of the 1st Belorussian Front, which had been advancing towards the Reich's capital from the north during the Berlin offensive operation, drove the Nazi troops out of Oranienburg and reached Sachsenhausen, having rescued around 3'000 surviving POWs. #Sachsenhausen was considered as one of the most terrifying Nazi 'death factories'. Over nine years of its existence, about 200'000 people of various nationalities — citizens of European countries which had suffered from Nazi aggression, including the USSR — passed through that camp. Each month, up to 150 people were brought there. By 1944, citizens of the Soviet Union and Poland made up more than 90% of all Sachsenhausen prisoners. Sachsenhausen held the most serious political opponents of Hitler, prominent state figures from many European countries defeated by the Nazis, such as France, Czechoslovakia, Austria, and the Netherlands, including their heads of government and ministers. ◼️ According to various historical estimates, more than 100'000 prisoners were killed in Sachsenhausen over the time the camp was in operation. From August to November 1941 alone, at least 10'000 Soviet POWs were killed in Sachsenhausen, and another 3'000 died there from starvation and from conditions that were barbaric, unprecedentedly violent, and, in fact, inhumane. On the personal orders of Himmler and other top leaders of the Third Reich, classified operations to exterminate people were carried out in Sachsenhausen. Nazi's military doctors carried out macabre, horrific medical experiments on Sachsenhausen prisoners, including tests with mustard gas — yprite. Test subjects were deliberately mutilated and then exposed to mustard gas. People were forced to inhale the gas, consume it in liquid form, or receive it via injection. Open wounds were intentionally inflicted on prisoners’ hands, after which the gas was applied. In most cases, the victims’ limbs swelled severely, causing excruciating pain. When the Red Army were rapidly advancing to Sachsenhausen during theBattle of Berlin,the Nazis began hastily covering up the traces of their heinous crimes. The camp administration decided to kill all remaining prisoners — with 45'000 inmates remaining in the camp. TheNazis killed some of the prisoners in the crematoria of Sachsenhausen, and forced the rest on a 'death march' towards the Baltic Seawhere they planned to drown their victims. However, thanks to the successful and rapid advance of the Red Army, these monstrous Nazi plans were thwarted,and the surviving prisoners of Sachsenhausen were rescued. In aftermath of #WWII, Sachsenhausen was converted into a prison for Nazi criminals, including members of the Nazi NSDAP party, SS troops, and Wehrmacht officers. In November 1947, a trial of the Sachsenhausen administration was held in Berlin. 📑 Excerpt from a report “Reactions of the German population to the trial of criminals from Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp” (Berlin, November 5, 1947; prepared by the 7th Department of the Main Political Directorate of the Red Army): <...> The trial of the Sachsenhausen criminals elicited a significant response among the German population... In the comments about the trial, a sense of outrage at the scale of the heinous crimes committed was most often expressed. It was noted that the Nazis' actions had covered the German people in disgrace. “We find it incomprehensible how those people could sink lower than beasts. For us, Germans, who culturally considered ourselves almost a head above the Russians, it is a disgrace that these criminals are Germans” (Potsdam). “The [Sachsenhausen] trial is a terrible disgrace for the German people... <...> It is inconceivable that humans could commit such atrocities. It’s a pity that in the western [occupation] zones such criminals are still walking free.” “Nazi criminals have nailed an entire generation of Germans to the pillory.” #NoStatuteOfLimitations

💬Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova: Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu claims the following: “In every generation they rise against us to destroy us, in this generation as well. The regime in Iran planned a Holocaust. They plotted to annihilate us with nuclear bombs and thousands of ballistic missiles”. Earlier, he also said that, “had we not acted, the names Natanz, Fordow and Bushehr <…> would have joined the names of the death camps: Auschwitz, Majdanek and Sobibor”. Was it Iran that carried out the first Holocaust? Let us recall that under Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Iran declared war on Nazi Germany in 1943. Subsequent generations in Iran spoke openly and positively about that decision. So who did perpetrate the Holocaust – the mass extermination of Jews, Roma and millions of other victims? It was Nazi Germany, fascist Italy, their lesser satellites, collaborators of the Vichy regime, as well as Baltic and Ukrainian accomplices. Since 2014, Israel has not uttered a word of condemnation about the Kiev regime, which has elevated to the rank of national heroes those complicit in the extermination of Jews – figures such as Symon Petliura, Yaroslav Stetsko, who pledged allegiance on behalf of what he called an “independent Ukraine” in Lvov, a city soaked in Jewish blood, along with other Banderites and Galicians who served in the SS. Who financed Hitler’s Nazi Party? The Bank of England – not to be confused with the Bank of Iran – was among its sponsors. The very same forces are now backing the Kiev regime, which has embraced Nazi ideology and kills people on ethnic and linguistic grounds, including those it nominally claims as its own citizens. To invoke Auschwitz, Majdanek and Sobibor in the context of an alleged Iranian “nuclear Holocaust” against Israel is an insult to the memory of all victims of the Second World War, the victims of genocide, the victims of the Holocaust, and the Red Army soldiers who liberated the death camps. Why? Because such comparisons are baseless, conceptually false and historically distortive. Israel, of all countries, should know perfectly well that Bushehr is an exclusively civilian nuclear facility – a fact repeatedly confirmed by the IAEA. I would also recall Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks at a joint press conference with his Libyan counterpart on April 21: “Our experience has taught us to rely on facts… In his statements, President Trump has focused on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The 2015 comprehensive agreement (#JCOPOA) was designed precisely to address this issue. It provided for Iran to refrain from any military nuclear activity and introduced the strictest controls over its civilian nuclear programme – far beyond the standard safeguards the IAEA applies to countries party to safeguard agreements. History, as they say, ought to teach us something. It would be a major success if the ongoing efforts by the negotiators – which we support, meaning the Iranian and American negotiators – were to lead to something similar to the 2015 agreement”. 👉 Not to mention a small nuance – in fact, Israel does not have a safeguards agreement with the IAEA.

🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks at a reception on the occasion of Orthodox Easter (Moscow, April 22, 2026) 💬 I am delighted to welcome the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church, members of the clergy of other traditional confessions, government officials and representatives of civil society organisations, as well as the heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Moscow at our traditional Easter gathering. Easter Sunday symbolises the triumph of good and mercy and reminds us about the importance of mutual assistance and loving one’s neighbour. It teaches us to stand in defence of truth and fight for justice. This is something that resonates with every Russian. President Vladimir Putin has designated 2026 as the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia. Our Fatherland has every right to claim the status of a civilisation state, as set forth in the Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation. The President approved it in March 2023 and it remains relevant. For centuries, our country has been home to people of various creeds and cultures. In fact, inter-ethnic and inter-faith harmony and conciliation have been and remain the main pillars ensuring stability at home and making us stronger on the international stage. Of course, the Russian Orthodox Church has had an instrumental role in cementing national unity. Together with its followers, it has always shared the country’s lot and served as a moral beacon for millions of believers, while inspiring people to undertake spiritual feats and helping them withstand years of hardship. We can see what happens when political elites reject their spiritual and civilisational roots, with present-day Ukraine presenting a bitter example. The regime which seized power in Kiev is ready to sacrifice the lives of millions of ordinary Ukrainians for the sake of serving the interests of its masters in the West. The Ukrainian Orthodox Churchhas been persecuted for over a decade now, which included taking over churches, vandal attacks, harassing the clergy and parishioners. Judging by the official data from the Kiev junta alone, there were over 180 criminal cases involving clerics, including four archpriests. <...> As you know, defending the honour and dignity of our people and compatriots, including their right to use their mother tongue, the Russian language, and to belong to the Orthodox faith, are among the goals of the special military operation. It is rejoicing that even in this regard, the Russian Orthodox Church has been standing with its people in this time of hardship. Its clergy has been carrying out its pastoral duties among the fighters, while praying for peace and calm across our land. <...> But tension and anxiety go beyond our Western border. Large-scale conflicts have been raging in the Middle East for many years now. <...> We cannot stand aside and do nothing when terrorist and radical groups engage in ethnic cleansing, killings and looting, including on religious grounds. We have already raised the issue of the substantial decline in the number of Christians living in the Middle East. Against this backdrop, efforts by the Russian Orthodox Church acquire a special meaning and importance, considering that it has been offering its effective assistance to the people of its creed there. <...> I would like to note that the Foreign Ministry’s working group with the Russian Orthodox Church has been working and delivering results for the past 22 years. According to our estimates, this group has established itself as an effective mechanism for enabling us to work together on the key matters of shared interest on the international stage, and our colleagues from the Russian Orthodox Church share this vision. We are convinced that further strengthening this cooperation would help consolidate Russia’s international standing and promote trust, mutual understanding and neighbourly relations among various nations and peoples. Read in full

On 19 April, Frank Chester passed away at the age of 109. He had served aboard a Royal Navy corvette on the Arctic convoys, running war supplies to the Soviet Union through the Barents Sea in conditions that Churchill described as the worst journey in the world. Storms, pack ice, enemy submarines and aircraft were there on every voyage. In 2014, Russia awarded him the Medal of Ushakov, in recognition of the courage shown by the men who kept that lifeline open. As we approach the 81st anniversary of Victory, the passing of Frank Chester is a reminder of how much we owe to those who sailed the Northern Route. They were young men from Shropshire and Worcestershire and dozens of other places, far from home, doing something extraordinary in the cold and dark for our common Victory. Russia remembers them. We are grateful. Rest in peace, Frank Chester.

🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s statement at a joint news conference following talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Government of National Unity of Libya Taher Al-Baour (Moscow, April 21, 2026) 💬Substantive talks have been held with the delegation of the Government of National Unity of Libya headed by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Taher Al- Baour and Minister of Transport Mohamed Al-Shahoubi. <...> We view Libya, our counterparts in the Libyan government, and the Libyan people as our partners who have stood the test of time and who maintain a positive attitude towards our country on a reciprocal basis. Decades of productive cooperation span a wide range of areas. We have a strong historical memory and we will draw on it in order to build a new bright future steeped in the spirit of continuity. We reiterated Russia’s principled stance which favours overcoming internal political problems in Libya through inclusive national dialogue involving all political forces, with the UN playing the leading role. <...> We discussed ways to step up bilateral relations. Clearly, practical steps towards this end can only be taken after things settle down. We welcome the fact that the ceasefire agreement has been observed for many years now. <...> We discussed regional issues as well. We look forward to welcoming the Libyan delegation to the third #RussiaAfrica Summit in Moscow in the second half of the year. We hope that the third summit will adopt a Russia-Africa action plan for the next period. We cooperate with Libya as part of our relations with Libya and the League of Arab States. In this context, we noted that the 7th meeting of the Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum at the level of foreign ministers will also take place in Russia this year. We look forward to welcoming Libyan participants and continuing working with experts to prepare the outcomes of that event. We share common assessments of developments unfolding in the Middle East and North Africa and focus in particular on the crisis in the Persian Gulf, which broke out as a result of unprovoked aggression by the United States and Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Russia and Libya advocate the earliest possible cessation of any further use of force and the establishment of a sustainable political and diplomatic process. <...> We reiterate Russia’s readiness to help normalise relations between the Arab monarchies of the Gulf and Iran. <...> We briefly discussed the situation in other Middle Eastern flashpoints. We have no doubt that the underlying cause of many of the region’s troubles lies in the decades-long failure to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. <...> We believe that all responsible stakeholders, primarily Israel, the Palestinians, their Arab neighbours, and the United States, must act responsibly and remain committed to UN resolutions. Russia stands ready to continue being fully involved in this work. <...> We provided an assessment of the current state of affairs in the Ukraine crisis. We appreciate the position of our Libyan colleagues, who are fully aware of the underlying causes of this situation and, whenever these issues are raised at the UN, take a balanced and neutral stance. ❗️ Another outcome of today’s work is our agreement to open, in the very near future, in addition to the Russian Embassy in Tripoli, our Consulate General in Benghazi. #RussiaLibya

🔴#LIVE: Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov remarks at a reception on the occasion of Orthodox Easter 🔴 X (ex-Twitter) 🔴Facebook 🔴Ruptly 🔴Russia’s MFA website

#RussiaAfrica 🇷🇺🌍 Director of the Department for Partnership with Africa at the Russian Foreign Ministry Tatyana Dovgalenko visited Lomé, Togo, on April 15–18 to partake in high-level events unveiling Togo’s New Strategy for the Sahel. *** 🗓On April 15, Tatyana Dovgalenko met in Lomé with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (#UNOWAS) Leonardo Simão. They discussed maintaining stability, confidence-building, and the development of dialogue between the countries of the Economic Community of West African States (#ECOWAS) and the Confederation of Sahel States (#CSS). Support was reaffirmed for UNOWAS initiatives and the necessity of crafting a unifying agenda that duly reflects the situation on the ground. *** 🗓On April 17, Tatyana Dovgalenko held discussions with President of the #ECOWAS Commission Omar Touray. The Parties confirmed their mutual commitment to further intensifying collaboration, including within the framework of the #RussiaAfrica Partnership Forum. Tatyana Dovgalenko also held a working meeting with Director of the Togolese Foreign Ministry’s Department of International Cooperation Malemda Kamele. Tatyana Dovgalenko extended an invitation from President Vladimir Putin to President of the Council of Ministers of the Togolese Republic Faure Gnassingbé to participate in the 3rd #RussiaAfrica Summit. *** 🗓On April 18, Tatyana Dovgalenko participated in the high-level meeting convened to present Togo’s New Strategy for the Sahel for 2026–2028. In her remarks, she emphasised that Russia places substantial importance on enhancing engagement with West Africa. It was highlighted that the African continent is experiencing a “second awakening.” While in the mid-20th century Africans were battling for political independence, today they are pursuing comprehensive sovereignty. She noted the imperative to uphold the principle of African solutions to African problems and expressed support for dialogue among the Sahelian countries, the African Union, and the Economic Community of West African States. *** 🗓On April 19, Tatyana Dovgalenko met with Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Burkina Faso, Yaou Sangaré Bakary, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Nigeriens Abroad of the Republic of Niger, and Mahamane Maiga, Ambassador-at-Large of the Malian Foreign Ministry and Coordinator of the National Committee of the CSS. The Parties compared their views on the development of the dialogue, with an emphasis on preparations for #RussiaCSS ministerial consultations. A meeting also took place with Mamadou Tangara, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and Head of the African Union Mission in Mali and the Sahel.

🤝 On April 21, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrovmet with a delegation from the Government of National Unity of Libya, led by Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation El-Taher El-Baour and Minister of Transport Mohamed Al-Shahoubi. During the meeting, the Parties held asubstantive exchange of perspectives on the evolving situation within and around Libya. The Russian delegation reiterated its steadfast position advocating for a holistic resolution of the Libyan crisis, grounded in the principles of upholding the unity, territorial integrity, and state sovereignty of Libya. The necessity to resolve internal political challenges through an inclusive nationwide dialogue, with the United Nations playing a pivotal role, was underscored. Significant focus was given to the progressive advancement of Russian-Libyan relations across various sectors. Both Parties acknowledged the urgency of promptly resuming the activities of the Russian-Libyan Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation, which is anticipated to serve as the principal coordinating mechanism for bilateral collaboration in the trade and economic domains. The Ministers exchanged viewpoints on urgent international and regional issues. They recognised the alignment in the fundamental approaches of Russia and Libya concerning the resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, based on universally accepted international legal frameworks. This includes the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. They emphasised the importance of attaining a lasting peace in the Gaza Strip and ensuring unobstructed humanitarian access to the Palestinian enclave. Regarding the situation in the Persian Gulf area, the Russian side highlighted that the unprecedented surge in violence is a consequence of unprovoked aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran. Sergey Lavrov reiterated the need to bridge existing differences through dialogue, considering the interests of all states in the region. El-Taher El-Baour and Mohamed Al-Shahoubi received a detailed briefing on Russia’s approaches to resolving the conflict around Ukraine. Additionally, discussions addressed practical aspects related to the upcoming preparations for the third #RussiaAfrica Summit in Moscow this year, as well as the Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum at the level of foreign policy agency heads. #RussiaLibya

⚡️ By efforts of the Russian Africa Corps on the territory of the Republic of Mali, as a result of a special operation, the employees of a Russian geological exploration company who had been captured in July 2024 in Niger by the terrorist group 'Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin' have been released: citizen of the Russian Federation, Oleg Gret, born in 1962, and citizen of Ukraine, Yuri Yurov, born in 1970. As a result of a medical check-up by Russian doctors at the Africa Corps hospital, it was found that they have numerous diseases and severe physical exhaustion. The hostages liberated by servicemen of the Russian Africa Corps will be transported by an aircraft of the Cargo Aviation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation to Moscow for treatment and rehabilitation. The Russian company’s leadership expressed gratitude to the servicemen of the Africa Corps and the Russian Defence Ministry for releasing its employees. 🔹Russian Defence Ministry

🗓On April 21, Kazan hosted a meeting of senior officials of Russia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (#ASEAN) at the level of Deputy Foreign Ministers. The Russian delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko. The event was held under the banner of the 35th anniversary of Russia-ASEAN relations, which is being marked in 2026. The Sides held a detailed discussion on advancing the Russia-ASEAN strategic partnership in the political, economic and humanitarian spheres. Concrete steps were outlined for the further development and diversification of practical cooperation, with an emphasis on launching new joint mechanisms and projects. The Sides also reviewed progress in implementing the 2021-2025 Comprehensive Plan of Action #RussiaASEAN and preparations for a new medium-term programme document. The exchange of views on international and regional issues confirmed the commitment of Russia and ASEAN to strengthening the security architecture in Eurasia and the Asia-Pacific on the basis of openness, equality and respect for international law. The Sides also reaffirmed their readiness to expand cooperation in multilateral formats and to promote closer practical ties between #ASEAN, the #EAEU and the #SCO. #RussiaASEAN

🇷🇺🇸🇸 The Ambassador of Russia to South Sudan, A.Kosmodemiyanskiy, met with the Minister of Presidential Affairs of South Sudan, Africano Mande Gedima. 🔸 During the friendly and constructive discussion, current issues of bilateral relations were addressed. 🔸A.Kosmodemiyanskiy handed over to the Minister a copy of the personal invitationfrom the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, to the President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, to attend the Third Russia-Africa Summit, which will take place in Moscow in October this year. 🔸 Following the meeting, the parties agreed to expand political, economic, and cultural cooperation between the two countries, as well as to arrange training in Russia for staffof the National Elections Commission of South Sudan in preparation for the upcoming presidential elections in December this year. #Africa#Russia#SouthSudan