Russian MFA 🇷🇺

🎙Statement by President of Russia Vladimir Putin at a meeting on the situation in the global oil and gas markets (March 9, 2026) Key points: • Russia has repeatedly warned that attempts to destabilize the situation in the Middle East would inevitably put the global fuel and energy sector under pressure, drive up oil and gas prices, restrict supplies of these resources worldwide, and disrupt long-term investment plans. Judging by what is happening now, this is precisely what we are witnessing. • Oil production linked to the use of the Strait of Hormuz risks coming to a complete halt as early as within the next month. It has already begun to decline, while storage facilities in the region are filling up with oil that cannot be exported, or can only be exported with great difficulty or at extremely high cost. It is obvious that a full rerouting of Middle Eastern oil supplies without using the Strait of Hormuz is unrealistic – at least for the time being. • A similar situation is unfolding on the global gas market. Supplies of liquefied natural gas from the Middle East have sharply declined. Production capacity in the region has fallen, and restoring it will take weeks, if not months. It is impossible to quickly compensate for the missing volumes. As a result, global gas prices are also rising – in my view, even faster than oil prices. ❗️I would like to emphasize – under the current conditions, competition among buyers for energy suppliers and for stable, predictable deliveries of oil and gas is intensifying. In this context, I cannot but stress that Russian energy companies have always been distinguished precisely by their reliability and stability. • We will certainly continue supplying oil and gas to those countries that themselves remain reliable counterparties. I mean not only our partners in the Asia-Pacific region but also states in Eastern Europe, such as Slovakia and Hungary. • I would like to remind you that the countries of the EU plan to introduce additional restrictions on purchases of Russian hydrocarbons, including liquefied natural gas, from April 25, up to a full ban on such supplies by 2027. 👉 In this regard, the Russian Government has already been tasked with assessing the possibility and feasibility of terminating supplies of our energy resources to the European market – rather than waiting for the door to be demonstratively slammed in our face. Instead, we should consider doing this now and redirect these volumes from the European market to more promising destinations. • If European companies and European buyers were to reconsider and ensure long-term, stable cooperation with us – free from political fluctuations – then of course we remain open to working with European partners. We have never refused such cooperation. But we need signals from them that they are also ready and willing to work together and will ensure stability and predictability in our relations. Read in full

⚡️Comment by Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov following the telephone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump(March 9, 2026) 💬 Yuri Ushakov: On the evening of March 9, a telephone conversation took place between the Presidents of Russia and the US. Donald Trump called Vladimir Putin to discuss a number of pressing issues related to the current international situation. Naturally, particular attention was given to the conflict around Iran and the trilateral negotiations on the Ukrainian settlement currently underway with the participation of US representatives. I would like to note that the conversation was businesslike, candid and constructive in nature – as is typically the case in dialogue between the Russian and American Leaders. They had not spoken by phone for quite some time, the last conversation took place in late December 2025. Today’s call lasted about an hour. The US President emphasized that, as previously agreed, such contacts should be maintained on a regular basis, and both Leaders confirmed their readiness to do so. Vladimir Putin outlined a number of considerations aimed at achieving the earliest possible political and diplomatic settlement of the conflict around Iran, including in light of his recent contacts with the Leaders of the Persian Gulf states, the President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian and the Leaders of several other countries. For his part, the US President shared his assessment of developments in the context of the ongoing US-Israeli operation. I would note that a rather substantive and, I believe, useful exchange of views took place on this matter. President Trump once again expressed his interest in seeing the conflict in Ukraine concluded as soon as possible by reaching a ceasefire that would pave the way for a long-term settlement. On the Russian Side, a positive assessment was expressed of the mediation efforts undertaken by Donald Trump’s team and by him personally. An overview was also provided of the current situation along the line of contact, where Russian forces are advancing successfully. It was noted that this factor should encourage the Kiev regime to finally move towards negotiations aimed at settling the conflict. The Presidents also touched upon Venezuela, primarily in the context of the situation on the global oil market. Overall, I would reiterate that the conversation proved to be substantive and will undoubtedly have practical significance for further cooperation between the two countries across various areas of international policy. #RussiaUSA

🇷🇺 Statement by the Delegation of the Russian Federation at the 66th Session of the Working Group on Verification of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization 📍Vienna, March 9, 2026 Today we are witnessing how the architecture of the nuclear non-proliferation and arms control regime, which functioned for many decades, is going through a period of historic rupture. It is collapsing under the pressure of lawlessness, blatant double standards, and unprovoked aggression carried out under the false pretext of allegedly defending the goals of nuclear non-proliferation. The carefully built technical capabilities of relevant international organizations, including the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO PrepCom), are being used by certain countries for opportunistic political purposes in order to level unfounded accusations against those whom they choose as their opponents. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is becoming a victim of irresponsible statements by the United States regarding the resumption of nuclear testing, as well as Washington’s manipulation of data from stations of the International Monitoring System (IMS). The argumentation of senior representatives of the U.S. Department of State, based on information from a single IMS seismic station, relies on a biased and unequivocal interpretation of the event recorded on 22 June 2020 as a nuclear test. Anyone even slightly familiar with the subject of nuclear test detection understands that it is impossible to draw conclusions about the nature of an event based not merely on isolated but on single-source data. This is precisely why, during the drafting of the CTBT, a carefully balanced decision was taken that the technological component of its verification mechanism would include four monitoring technologies, as well as the mechanism of on-site inspections (OSI). It is therefore not surprising that the attacks by the United Statesdid not receive support from the expert community. The Executive Secretary of the CTBTO PrepCom also clearly stated that no conclusions can be drawn regarding the event in question. The United States must cease the practice of manipulating facts and data and stop twisting them for its own purposes. We are not particularly concerned with the unprofessional light in which the Americans present themselves. However, we do care about the fate of the CTBT, to which such unfounded and untenable statements cause enormous damage by undermining confidence in the Treaty itself and in its verification mechanism. If the United States truly wishes to see a fully functioning instrument for monitoring nuclear tests, it should not twist the facts but instead make efforts to ratify the CTBT in the interest of its earliest entry into force. In that case, the IMS together with OSI would make it possible, with high precision, to confirm or dispel the doubts and concerns of all States Parties to the Treaty regarding its compliance. 🔗Read in full

🚀 Today marks the 92th birthday anniversary ofYury Gagarin, the Earth’s first space pilot. His flight aboard the Vostok spaceship went down in history as the humankind’s greatest breakthrough in science and technology and showed the entire world the intellectual and scientific might of our country and Soviet specialists’ audacity and top professionalism. Yury Gagarin was born in the village of Klushino, Gzhatsk District, the Smolensk Region, on March 9 1934. It was here that in 1941, in the midst of the Great Patriotic War, young Yury first saw Soviet airplanes on sorties to defend the homeland and began dreaming about flying. In 1954, while in industrial college, Gagarin enrolled in the Saratov flying club and made the final decision to dedicate his life to aviation. After graduating from the flying course with honours in 1955, Yury Gagarin entered an aviation academy to become a Northern Fleet air force pilot since 1957. In 1959, Gagarin learnt about volunteers being recruited for a forthcoming space flight and submitted a report asking to enlist him in the cosmonaut team. Head of the country’s main design bureau Sergei Korolev wanted the first cosmonaut to be a fighter pilot: “He is a pilot, navigator, communications officer, and flight engineer.” In 1959, cosmonaut candidates began to be secretly selected in the units of the USSR Air Force: the commission reviewed the documents of 3,461 fighterpilots. Out of about 3,500 jet pilots, just 20 volunteers were selected. In 1959, along with 19 other pilots, Yury Gagarin arrived at the Star City 25 kilometres away from Moscow. There he had both theoretical and practical flight training, and experienced artificial weightlessness and overload in a centrifuge. In October 1960, a team of six people began training on the Vostok spacecraft simulator at a research institute in Zhukovsky. Following arduous training, exams and tests, Yury Gagarin was shortlisted to become cosmonaut Number One. *** YuryGagarin’s legendary flight into space, which marked the start of the manned space exploration era, took place on April 12, 1961. On that day, at 9:07 am at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Yury Gagarin uttered his famous “Off we go!” and the first Vostok spacecraft with a man on board was launched. Gagarin spent 1 hour and 48 minutes in space orbiting the Earth and safely landed in the Saratov Region. The newsflash about the flight instantly circled the world. Thousands of people greeted Gagarin in Moscow with flowers and welcome posters. *** 🌐 Within two years of that historic event, Yury Gagarin visited over 30 countries, including Britain, France, Cuba, Japan, India, and Liberia, where he was honoured as a hero. The tour was unofficially called the “Peace Mission.” The famous Gagarin’s smile captured the entire globe, aroused sympathy and respect for the Soviet man. 🕯 The first cosmonaut tragically lost his life on March 27, 1968, when he died in a crash during a training flight on a MiG-15UTI aircraft. Gagarin’s death shocked people all over the world and became an irreparable loss for all mankind. *** 🎖 The memory of the space pilot, Hero of the Soviet Union Yury Gagarin is immortalized in the names of localities and outer space objects. The urn with his ashes was buried in the Kremlin wall next to the ashes of designer Sergei Korolev and other prominent figures of the USSR. Monuments and busts continue to be erected all over the world in honour of the great trailblazer. The Russian Foreign Ministry and Russian foreign missions are actively contributing to this. In recent years, the sculptural image of Yury Gagarin has decorated Brasilia, Islamabad, and Doha.

#KievRegimeCrimes ⚡️Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rodion Miroshnik: PHOTO EVIDENCE of crimes committed by Ukrainian armed forces over the week of March 2-8, 2026: ▪️ March 2 – a direct hit by an artillery shell on a residential building in Vasilyevka, Zaporozhye Region. ▪️ March 2 – a kamikaze drone strike targeted a civilian passenger car in Shebekino, Belgorod Region. ▪️ March 3 – an attack UAV struck a civilian vehicle in Velyka Lepetykha, Kherson Region. ▪️ March 3 – aftermath of a kamikaze drone strike on a truck delivering medical supplies on the Lisichansk – Novodruzhesk road, LPR. ▪️ March 3 – an artillery strike on densely populated areas of Energodar, Zaporozhye Region. A civilian was injured. ▪️ March 4 – an UAV strike on a private residential house in Shevchenkovo, Zaporozhye Region. A civilian was injured. ▪️ March 6 – aftermath of a mass UAV attack on Sevastopol. Nine civilians were injured, including three children. ▪️ March 7 – an FPV drone strike targeted a civilian passenger car in Shebekino, Belgorod Region. A civilian was seriously injured. ▪️ March 8 – a mass raid of aircraft-type UAVs on apartment buildings in Vasilyevka, Zaporozhye Region. One civilian was killed, seven others were injured. ▪️ March 8 – a kamikaze drone strike targeted an ambulance in Zamostye, Belgorod Region.

🇷🇺Russian Paralympic Committee: 🥇For the first time since 2014, the Russian national anthem is once again being played at a Paralympic Games medal ceremony! On March 9, Russian skier Varvara Voronchikhina wonthe Paralympic GOLD medal in the super-giant slalom event. 💬 As Varvara herself noted: The emotions are overwhelming – I still haven’t realised what happened. I couldn’t believe I had won when I looked at the scoreboard. I dedicate this gold to my grandfather, who didn’t live to see my victory. Thank you to all the fans. We have such a big country – and I still can’t believe our anthem will be played today. I have goosebumps! Tears of joy and pride for our athlete. Our heartfelt congratulations!

🇷🇺🇮🇷President of Russia Vladimir Putin sent a congratulatory message to the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, on the occasion of his election(March 9, 2026) ✍️ Esteemed Mr Hosseini Khamenei, Please accept my sincere congratulations on your election as the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. At a time when Iran is confronting armed aggression, your work in this high office will undoubtedly require great courage and dedication. I am confident that you will honourably continue your father’s legacy and unite the Iranian people in the face of these severe trials. For my part, I would like to reaffirm our unwavering support for Tehran and our solidarity with our Iranian friends. Russia has been and will remain a reliable partner of the Islamic Republic. I wish you every success in addressing the difficult tasks ahead, as well as sound health and strength of spirit. Respectfully, VLADIMIR PUTIN

#KievRegimeCrimes 📑AReport on the crimes of the Kiev regime in February 2026 compiled by the Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry Rodion Miroshnik has been published. Over the 28 days of February, 149 more civilians were affected by criminal actions of Ukrainian armed formations than in January 2026. ❗️In total, at least 536 civilians were affected by attacks by the Ukrainian militants in February. 72 people were killed, while 464 sustained injuries of varying severity. In the final week of February, 90% of all civilian casualtieswere the result of strikes by Ukrainian UAVs. Compared with January, 124 more civilians were affected by drone attacks. Overall, 439 civilians were affected by UAV attacks over the past month, 59 of whom were killed. As a result of UAV strikes, one child was killed, while 17 minors sustained injuries of varying severity. Kiev has focused its efforts on creating unbearable living conditions for the civilian population, primarily by seeking to strike civilian energy infrastructure facilities as much as possible. 👉Full version of the report 👉Full report (PDF version)

🇷🇺🇦🇪📞On March 8, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE Abdullah bin Zayed had follow-up a telephone conversation (to the one on March 1). The Ministers expressed deep concern over the situation around Iran and spoke in favour of immediate steps to de-escalate the military confrontation. Attention was drawn to the need to halt attacks leading to civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure both in the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf and in Iran. ❗️ The Sides consider it fundamentally important to resume political and diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching agreements to ensure reliable, long-term security in the region. It was agreed to remain in contact and promote coordinated positions at the #UN and other international platforms. #RussiaUAE

🇷🇺🇳🇬Embassy of Russia in Nigeria: 🕯 We were deeply saddened to learn about the attack by armed terrorists on the Christian village of Turan in Benue State during the Great Lent. According to preliminary reports, 10 people were killed, 2 of them were members of the Russian Orthodox Church community. According to reports from the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa, there were 50 Orthodox Christians living in Turan, 20 of whom were children. The Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa of the Russian Orthodox Church has launched an urgent fundraising campaign. ❗️Donations can be made on the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa's official website available via this LINK. The raised funds will go to the families of those who lost their lives, as well as to Orthodox Christians from this community who have lost homes.

🇷🇺Russian Paralympic Committee: The Russian athletes are giving their all at the 2026 Paralympic Games – off to a great start! On the first day of competition, Russia’s team won two bronze medals in alpine skiing: 🥉Varvara Voronchikhina 🥉Alexey Bugaev 📸©Dmitry Chelyapin

🇷🇺🥾🇱🇸The Russian Embassy in South Africa and the Kingdom of Lesotho is participating in the annual Moshoeshoe Walk in the Kingdom of Lesotho. Ahead of the King’s trek to Thaba Bosiu, the historic Mountain of the Night, Russian diplomat Ilya Baranov spoke with a Lesotho radio station and shared his impressions of the event. “Today I am excited to join hundreds of Basotho walking along the heritage path of King Moshoeshoe I, the founder of the Basotho nation. Personally, I find it inspiring when a journey on foot becomes an immersive exploration of tradition, folklore and nature – and the Moshoeshoe Walk offers exactly that. In this regard, Russia and Lesotho have much in common. Both our nations understand and cherish the importance of reconnecting with our legacy through landscape and history. For instance, back home, in Moscow, I hiked the Doroga v Lavru, an ancient Russian pilgrimage route stretching from the Red Square to the Trinity Lavra of St Sergius, one of Russia’s most important spiritual centres.” 🤩🤝 We thank our friends in Lesotho for the opportunity to take part in this meaningful event and to walk along the historic path of King Moshoeshoe I together with the Basotho people. #RussiaLesotho#MoshoeshoeWalk2026