Russian MFA 🇷🇺

💬Embassy of Russia in France (Council of Europe section): It has been four years since Russia left the Council of Europe. Time has confirmed what was clear then: the organization that traded its founding principles for an aggressive neo-colonial agenda has no moral authority to lecture anyone. 👉Leaving the Council has even empirically been proven to be the right decision to make.

🎙 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s statement and answers to media questions at a joint news conference following talks with Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of the Republic of Kenya Musalia Mudavadi (Moscow, March 16, 2026) Key points: • I have held substantive and beneficial talks with my Kenyan counterpart Musalia Mudavadi. <...> We reaffirmed mutual commitment to promoting political dialogue and spoke in favour of expanding practical bilateral projects. #RussiaKenya: We highlighted energy (including nuclear energy), telecommunications, agriculture, and geological exploration and mining, as well as advanced technologies, including space exploration, as promising areas of cooperation. • We reiterated our support for enhancing Africa’s role in international affairs, including in decision-making on key items on the global agenda, including within the UN and its Security Council. • We shared our assessments of the state of affairs in the Middle East in connection with the armed aggression of the United States and Israel against Iran, and the deep crisis besetting Palestine. There is no sign of improvement in sight. • We also stressed the importance of an immediate cessation of any actions in the confrontation between the United States and Israel against Iran that harm civilians and civilian infrastructure. *** From the Q&A session: ❓ Question: Moscow is ready and willing to act as a mediator to achieve peaceful resolution of the conflict in the Middle East. What risks to global security could hostilities in this region pose if they are not halted? How might they affect the stability of global energy markets? 💬 Sergey Lavrov: The plotters of the strikes on the Islamic Republic of Iran (as was the case in June 2025, the strikes were launched during talks) assumed they would achieve their objective of making that country completely subservient to them within 24 or even fewer hours. They now know how mistaken they were. Of course, Iran is defending itself. It is responding to aggression by striking military infrastructure in the region that belongs to the countries that attacked it. Unfortunately, the GCC countries are also affected as a result. We call for an end to hostilities and for a return to the negotiating table, if talks have any credibility left. <...> I’d be hard pressed to say anything definitive about the prospects of this conflict. Recently, US President Donald Trump stated that Iran had been defeated. On the same day, a representative of the Israel Defence Forces said: “We have thousands of targets ahead. We are ready, with plans through at least the Jewish holiday of Passover, about three weeks from now.” So, it’s hard to tell what this crisis may end with if the sides don’t stop it immediately, do not come to their senses, and do not start working on agreements that, this time, will not be thwarted by anyone. ❗️ There’s need for guarantees. I fully understand that Iran needs them. Read in full #RussiaKenya

🇷🇺🇰🇪On March 16, Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov held talks in Moscow with Prime Cabinet Secretary, Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of Kenya Musalia Mudavadi. The Sides held a substantive discussion on the current state and prospects for further development of friendly Russia-Kenya relations. Moscow and Nairobi reaffirmed their commitment to advancing political dialogue and expanding mutually beneficial cooperation in trade and economic ties, culture, education, science, humanitarian exchanges and other areas. The importance of injecting new momentum into joint efforts aimed at improving the bilateral legal framework was underscored, including the signing of an agreement on establishing the Russia-Kenya Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation. While reviewing current international and regional issues, the Parties noted the convergence of Russia’s and Kenya’s principled positions in support of a polycentric world order and the need to uphold fairness and equality in international affairs. 🤝 Both Sides expressed interest in further deepening cooperation within the UN and other multilateral forums. They also exchanged views on conflict resolution in Africa, the situation around Ukraine, as well as developments in the Middle East. *** 💬Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's opening remarks during his talks with Musalia Mudavadi: I recall with great pleasure my visit to Nairobi in May 2023. I am glad to welcome your delegation today on a return visit. Russia and Kenya share a long history of friendship, cooperation, mutual understanding and support. These traditions help us develop our relations across all areas at this very important stage of global development. I am confident that your visit and the talks in Moscow will help inject new momentum into our political dialogue and outline avenues for further expanding trade and economic cooperation. Humanitarian, cultural and educational exchanges have also traditionally been important pillars of our partnership. Naturally, we will also have a detailed discussion of our interaction on the international stage – we traditionally maintain close cooperation externally as well – including regional policy issues, the activities of the African Union and subregional organisations where Kenya plays a very important role, as well as cooperation within the UN. Kenya serves as Africa’s UN hub, and we actively support your country in this role. #RussiaKenya

⚡️ Statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry regarding the escalation of the crisis in the Middle East ❗️ Through their treacherous and unprovoked attack on Iran, the United States and Israel have unleashed an unprecedented spiral of violence in the Middle East, with no end in sight. The toll of victims of the American-Israeli aggression runs into the hundreds and thousands, with irreparable damage inflicted upon civilian infrastructure. Neighbouring countries are also suffering from retaliatory Iranian strikes, while shipping along the vital global economic route through the Strait of Hormuz has been paralysed. Once a stable and prosperous region, the Persian Gulf is rapidly descending into a maelstrom of chaos and uncertainty. The economic repercussions of the reckless venture initiated by Washington and Tel Aviv are being felt ever more acutely far beyond the conflict zone – indeed, on a global scale. Meanwhile, instead of seeking paths to de-escalation and a return to negotiations, there is a further intensification of mutual hostility, with increasingly lethal and destructive strikes being carried out. ☝️We reiterate our resolute call to all parties for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a shift of the situation onto a political and diplomatic track. Above all, attacks on civilian facilities and infrastructure must cease, and the death and suffering of innocent populations – both in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf and in Iran – must be halted. As before, the Russian Federation stands ready, within the scope of its available capabilities, to contribute to a long-term and sustainable resolution of the conflict.

🎙 Russia's Ambassador to Thailand Evgeny Tomikhin's interview with RT (March 16, 2026) 💬 This year, we see the statistic: this year, the number of the Russian tourists in Thailand is still growing. According to the statistics of the Thai authorities, in the first one and a half months of this year, since the 1st of January until the 15th of February, the number of Russian guests has reached almost 400,000 already. It's a big number and a plus compared to the similar period of time of the previous year. So we see that Thailand still remains a very important destination for Russian travelers. Mostly Phuket, more than half. Also Pattaya and Samui, some other islands, some coastal areas, but also some places and some amusement places in the north of the Kingdom. Winter period is a high season for Russian travelers and the majority of flights are fully booked. We hope that Thailand will remain a very important destination for Russian travelers and I wish all of them to enjoy the trip here in this country.

#NoStatuteOfLimitations On March 16, 1968, soldiers of the United States Army carried out a massacre in the rural community ofMy Lai (Sơn Mỹ) in Vietnam’s Quang Ngai Province, carrying out one of the most horrific massacres of civilians during the Vietnam War. American soldiers brutally killed more than 500 civilians, including 173 children and 182 women (17 of them pregnant). On the morning of March 16, Charlie Company entered the village as part of a search-and-destroy mission. They had been instructed to treat anyone remaining in the area as Viet Cong fighters. Despite facing no resistance, US troops opened fire on unarmed villagers, including women and children. As they advanced, they threw grenades into huts, tortured people, and executed them on the spot. One notorious episode involved Lt William Calley, who ordered dozens of villagers to be herded into an irrigation ditch and machine-gunned. Initially, Washington presented the events as a "major victory", claiming hundreds of enemy combatants killed. Testimonies from witnesses to these atrocities were ignored for a long time while the American military machine attempted to conceal its crimes in Vietnam. Only in November 1969 did journalist Seymour Hershpublish his investigation, while photographs taken by Army photographer Ronald L. Haeberlerevealed the truth to the world. The images showed murdered civilians — peasants, women, and children with gunshot wounds to the head, mutilated bodies — while nearby American soldiers laughed and set homes on fire. An international scandal erupted. Yet only one person was ultimately convicted — LtWilliam Calley. He was sentenced to life imprisonment but was pardoned after just three and a half years of house arrest. He lived to the age of 80, dying in April 2024 in the state of Florida. ❗️ My Lai massacre remains a grim reminder of how the United States wages its wars. The mass killings of civilians perpetrated by US forces abroad often goes unnoticed — or is dismissed as "collateral damage"...

#KievRegimeCrimes ⚡️Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rodion Miroshnik: PHOTO FACTS & EVIDENCE of crimes committed by Ukrainian armed forces over the week of March 9-15, 2026: ▪️ March 9 – a UAV strike on a bus belonging to a children’s sports school that had stopped at a civilian petrol station in Tokmak Municipal District, Zaporozhye Region. Three children and their coach were injured. ▪️ March 10 – a massive Storm Shadow missile strike on the city of Bryansk. Eight civilians were killed and another 47 were injured. ▪️ March 10 – four UAVs attacked a hospital in the DPR. Ten medical workers were killed and ten people were injured, including nine medics. ▪️ March 10 – a fixed-wing UAV strike targeted a civilian warehouse facility in Novy Oskol, Belgorod Region. ▪️ March 10 – an FPV drone strike targeted a passenger minibus in the village of Chayka, Belgorod Region. ▪️ March 11 – a drone strike on a civilian passenger car at the entrance to the city of Vasilievka, Zaporozhye Region. Two civilians were killed. ▪️ March 11 – an FPV drone strike on a civilian passenger car in the village of Golovchino, Belgorod Region. ▪️ March 11 – a UAV strike on a civilian passenger car near a hospital building in the urban-type settlement of Gornostayevka, Kherson Region. ▪️ March 13 – a drone attack on a commercial facility near the village of Butovo, Belgorod Region. Two civilians were injured. ▪️ March 13 – a UAV strike on a social facility in the village of Malomikhaylovka, Belgorod Region. Two local residents were injured.

🇷🇺🇪🇹📞On March 16, President of Russia Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed had a telephone conversation. The Leaders discussed current issues of bilateral cooperation in the political, trade-economic and humanitarian spheres, in line with the agreements reached during Abiy Ahmed’s visit to Moscow in September 2025. They reaffirmed their mutual commitment to further strengthening friendly Russian-Ethiopian relations and agreed to intensify contacts between the relevant ministries and agencies. Vladimir Putin also expressed condolences over the natural disaster that struck southern Ethiopia last week – a landslide that caused numerous casualties and destruction. #RussiaEthiopia

✉️ President of Russia Vladimir Putinexpressed condolences to President of Ethiopia Taye Atske Selassie and Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed (March 16, 2026). ✍️ Please accept my deepest condolences over the tragic consequences of the landslides and floods that struck the south of Ethiopia. Kindly convey words of sincere sympathy and support to the families of those who lost their lives, as well as wishes for a speedy recovery to all those injured as a result of the disaster. VLADIMIR PUTIN

🔴#LIVE: Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of the Republic of Kenya Dr. Musalia Mudavadi hold a joint news conference following talks in Moscow 🔴Ruptly 🔴Russia's MFA Website

🔴#LIVE: Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of the Republic of Kenya Dr. Musalia Mudavadi commence talks in Moscow 🔴 X (ex-Twitter) 🔴Facebook 🔴Ruptly 🔴Russia's MFA Website

🇷🇺On March 16, 2014 – 1️⃣2️⃣ years ago – the all-Crimean referendum took place. #TogetherForever: During the vote, residents of the peninsula expressed their will to reunite with their historical homeland – Russia. Participation in the referendum was voluntary and free. 🗳96.77% of Crimea’s population voted in favour of joining Russia, with turnout at 83.1%. In Sevastopol, 95.6% voted in favour, with turnout reaching 89.5%. The referendum was monitored by 135 international observers from 23 countries and 1,240 observers from Crimean organisations. The vote was covered by 623 journalists representing 169 media outlets. 💬 Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (from weekly press briefing of March 12, 2026): This crucial historical and honest event became known as the “Return to the Home Harbour”. It symbolized the restoration of historical justice, the protection of people’s rights and, undoubtedly, the realization of national interests. By national interests we mean not an abstract state or society, but people – citizens who never separated themselves from the homeland they considered their true harbour, who never separated themselves from those from whom they had been forcibly divided and torn away from their great and extended family. ✍️ Based on the results of the free expression of will by the peninsula’s population, on March 18, 2014, the Republic of Crimea signed an international treaty with Russia on its accession to the Russian Federation. Over the past 12 years, the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol have fully integrated into Russia’s political, legal and economic space. New infrastructure has been created in the region – the Crimean Bridge across the Kerch Strait, the Crimea-Kuban main gas pipeline, the Tavrida federal highway, Simferopol International Airport, as well as hundreds of healthcare, education, social and engineering facilities. ☝️Interfaith harmony on the peninsula is carefully maintained, and the interests of all nationalities and ethnic groups are taken into account. A Crimean Tatar national-cultural autonomy has been established, ensuring the participation of its representatives in local government bodies. The Crimean Tatar language has been recognized as a state language, alongside Russian and Ukrainian. The return of Crimea also became a key moment of consolidation for Russia and Russian society. According to sociological surveys, the overwhelming majority of Russians positively assess the reunification of Crimea with Russia. A VCIOM poll shows that 86% of respondents consider it a right and fair decision. ✅ The economic momentum achieved over these years, the unprecedented improvement in living standards, the development of infrastructure and the interfaith peace established on the peninsula once again confirm with all certaintythatthe choice made by the people of Crimea was the right one. #CrimeaIsRussia