Russian MFA 🇷🇺

🇷🇺🇵🇰 May 1 marks 7️⃣8️⃣ years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between our country and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. In the early years of #Pakistan’s independence, the Soviet Union provided significant economic assistance to the newly-established state, having supplied back then tens of thousands of tonnes of food grain. In the 1970s, with Moscow’s expertise, Pakistan launched the development of its largest steel mill in Karachi, the Muzaffargarh; Multan-II and Guddu thermal power plants, and a radio station near Islamabad. The USSR also helped in setting up the Oil & Gas Development Company and in developing agriculture in the Islamic Republic. 🤝Enhancing the mutually beneficial partnership with Pakistan is one of Russia’s foreign policy priorities in #SouthAsia. The dialogue between Moscow and Islamabad is actively developing. The bilateral cooperation between our countries is based on mutual respect and consideration of each other’s interests, overlapping positions on the majority of aspects on the international agenda. Regular meetings are held by Russia-Pakistani Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation. In 2023, our mutual trade turnover between our countries exceeded $1 billion. Today, Russian and Pakistani pharmaceutical companies are preparing to launch a joint project to produce insulin in Pakistan. Cooperation in education is also expanding: for the 2025-2026 academic year, 152 Russian government grants have been given for Pakistani students to study at Russian universities. The number of students studying Russian at universities in Pakistan has been steadily increasing year-to-year. 🌐 Russia and Pakistan work closely together on international platforms, including the #UN and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (#SCO) which is a key element of the security and sustainable development system in #Eurasia. Pakistan is also one of Russia’s key international partners in addressing the security challenges and threats. We stand ready to continue working together to further strengthen ties between our nations and peoples, and to develop mutually beneficial cooperation in the political, economic, educational, cultural, humanitarian and other areas. 🎉 We extend our warmest greetings to our Pakistani colleagues on this shared landmark day — the anniversary of diplomatic relations between our nations! #RussiaPakistan

#Victory81 🌟 On May 1, 1945, during the fierce battle for the Reichstag, a Nazi symbol and citadel, the legendary #VictoryBanner was raised over Berlin, symbolising the great triumph of the Soviet Union and its peoples in the fight against Nazism. The legendary Red Banner №5, which became the famous Victory Banner, was raised over the dome of the defeated Reichstag by the 756th Rifle Regiment’s scouts, Sergeant Mikhail Yegorov & Junior Sergeant Meliton Kantariya. *** Before the crossing of the Spree River and launching the assault on the Reichstag, adecision was taken by the Soviet command for a group of Soviet soldiers to hoist the flag over the Reichstag, which would embody the final collapse of Nazism. 🚩 A total of 9 makeshift banners were promptly made, designed after the state flag of the USSR. Ultimately, a battle flag of the 150th Order of Kutuzov 2nd Class Idritsa Rifle Division, 79th Rifle Corps, 3rd Striking Army of the 1st Belarusian Front, became the Victory Banner. On April 28, the fierce fighting for the Reichstag began, which the Nazis had turned into a fortified resistance point. It was defended by over a thousand men, including SS troops supported by artillery and armor. The former parliament building had been repurposed by the Nazis as a fortification and bomb shelter, which was considered by the Nazis as their main keep during the final days of #WW2. The surrounding areas such as Tiergarten, the BrandenburgGate and the square before it, became powerful defence points heavily guarded by the enemy. The Soviet command was sure — attacking the Reichstag, which served as a symbol of German Nazism, would especially affect morale of the enemy and eventually completely demoralize the fascists. • On April30at 1:50 p.m., a Red Army unit broke into the Reichstag through breaches in the walls, with a fierce close combat unleashing. The Nazis took advantage of effectively advancing inside the building they new well, throwing grenades at Soviet soldiers & firing back with machine-guns: they basically had nothing to lose. • At 2.25 p.m., Red Army soldiers Bulatov and Koshkarbayev placed a makeshift red flag to the column of the main entrance to the Reichstag — it was the first of the banners the liberators raised over the Reichstag. • At 10.30 p.m., sergeants Gizet Zagitov, Alexander Lisimenko & Alexey Bobrov as well as Sergeant Mikhail Minin supported by Captain Neustroyev’s battalion were the 1st to hoist a RedBannerontheroofoftheReichstag atop of the Goddess of Victory sculpture. The 3rdredbanner was raised on the westernfacadeoftheroof by the scouts of the 674th Regiment led by Lieutenant Sorokin. 🇷🇺In the early hours of May 1, finally, the Red Banner №5 was raised over the dome of the captured Reichstag by the 756th Rifle Regiment’s scouts, Sergeant Mikhail Yegorov & Junior Sergeant Meliton Kantariya, led by deputy battalion commander Lieutenant Alexey Berest, covered by riflemen from Ilya Syanov's squad. On May 2 at 6:30 am, Berlin defence commander, Nazi Artillery General HelmuthWeidling, surrendered and ordered the remaining troops of the Berlin Garrison to cease resistance. TheSoviet Victory Banner soaring over the defeated Reich entered history as a symbol of our Great Victory over the Nazi evil. 🎖 On June 9, 1945, the Medal for the Capture of Berlin was established and awarded to more than a million Soviet soldiers and officers who distinguished themselves in the final battle of #WWII. *** By a Presidential Executive Order of April 15, 1996, the Red Banner hoisted atop of the Reichstag by Yegorov & Kantariya was declared the symbol of the Soviet people’s Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. #OurVictory#WeAreProud

❗Excerpts from Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva, Ambassador Gennady Gatilov’s answers to the questions from Rossiya Segodnya' International Media Group 📍April 27, 2026, Geneva 🔹The 11th Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) starts today. This, without exaggeration, large-scale four-week event begins amidst an extremely tense international political situation and sharp disagreements between the States Parties to the Treaty. Clearly, such an unfavorable external backdrop will have a direct impact on the nature of the discussions. 🔹To be honest, the situation surrounding the Treaty is alarming. Western countries continue to politicize work within the NPT framework, bringing country-specific issues unrelated to the Treaty to the forefront of discussions. At the same time, they themselves are pursuing policies that have an extremely negative impact on the integrity of the NPT – these include the "joint nuclear missions" conducted within the NATO nuclear alliance, the implementation of the "extended nuclear deterrence" concept, and the intentions of Great Britain and France to increase their nuclear arsenals while simultaneously reducing transparency, not to mention their plans to transfer nuclear weapons components to Ukraine. 🔹The unprovoked and illegal aggression of the United States and Israel against Iran, targeting, among other things, Iran's nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards, will inevitably impact the current Review Conference. This has dealt a serious blow to the NPT, including its non-proliferation component and the right to "atoms for peace." 🔹Despite all the negative trends, the Russian delegation is committed to constructive workduring the Conference. We continue to regard the NPT as a fundamental international legal instrument in the areas of non-proliferation and international security. 🔹We understand that, under the current circumstances, ensuring a productive outcome from the Conference will be extremely difficult. This requires States to set aside their purely opportunistic ambitions, refrain from politicizing the event, and refrain from pushing deliberately unsustainable language into the final document. Whether this will be successful remains to be seen. 🔹French President Emmanuel Macron's announced intention to increase the national nuclear arsenal, as well as to expand the European nuclear component in addition to the existing NATO practice of "joint nuclear missions" and replicate the American "extended nuclear deterrence" schemes, is further evidence that Paris is increasingly abandoning its disarmament and non-proliferation obligations under the NPT. 🔹For us, an important element of Emmanuel Macron's "nuclear" aspirations is the fact that they are justified by an imaginary Russian threat.This confirms the hostile intentions of France and the entire NATO military-political bloc toward our country. We believe that such developments not only create immediate risks for Russia's security but also have a most negative impact on strategic stability. 🔹The Russian Federation is closely monitoring the situation. We remain committed to a responsible and restrained approach. At the same time, should the aforementioned plans of France and other NATO countries be fully implemented, we certainly have adequate response measures in place to ensure the security of the Russian State and its people. 📖READ IN FULL

Happy May 1st! S Pervym Maya!

🇷🇺🇨🇳🏓 Russian and Chinese diplomatic missions in London mark the anniversary of strategic partnership with a table tennis match On 29 April, staff of the Russian and Chinese embassies in London held a joint table tennis training session. The sporting event was timed to coincide with important anniversaries in Russian-Chinese relations: the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Good-Neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation, and the 30th anniversary of the bilateral relationship being formally elevated to the status of "strategic interaction." The event took place in a spirit of camaraderie and mutual support. It is precisely this spirit that today unites Russia and China in confronting shared challenges and in pursuing a consistent policy aimed at strengthening global and regional security.

🇷🇺🇰🇿 On April 30 in Astana, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrovwas received by President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The Sides praised the consistent development of Russia-Kazakhstan relations of comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance, including large-scale trade, economic and investment cooperation, close and effective coordination within Eurasian integration associations, as well as identical or similar positions on major regional and international issues. They reaffirmed their mutual commitment to further active joint work to advance the entire range of bilateral ties, including deeper interstate dialogue at the highest and high levels. *** Sergey Lavrovheld talks with Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Yermek Kosherbayev. 👉Sergey Lavrov’s opening remarks The Foreign Ministers had a substantive discussion on a wide range of issues related to expanding Russia-Kazakhstan relations in the political, trade, economic, cultural, humanitarian, educational and other spheres. They reviewed the progress in implementing key agreements reached by the Leaders of the two countries. The Ministers paid special attention to cooperation within common integration associations in the Eurasian space – the #EAEU, #CSTO, #CIS and #SCO – as well as the International Organisation for the Russian Language, recently established at Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's initiative, and other multilateral platforms, primarily the UN. The Sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening trust-based political dialogue and promptly coordinating positions on key regional and international issues. During the talks, Minister Lavrov briefed the Kazakhstani Side in detail on Russia’s approaches to resolving the crisis around Ukraine. ✍️The Action Plan for Cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2027-2028 was signed. 👉Sergey Lavrov’s remarks at the joint news conference following the talks The talks were held in a traditionally warm and friendly atmosphere. #RussiaKazakhstan

Happy May 1st! Best wishes to from the Russian MFA on Spring and Labour Day.

🇷🇺On April 30, President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with representatives of Russia’s Indigenous small-numbered peoples on the sidelines of the federal educational marathon “Znaniye. First”. The event was held on the Day of Russia’s Indigenous Small-Numbered Peoples. Established by Presidential Executive Order of 4 November 2025, the holiday is being marked for the first time this year. Read in full 💬Vladimir Putin: Today, we are marking the Day of Indigenous Small-Numbered Peoples for the first time. I would like to sincerely congratulate all of you – and, indeed, all citizens of Russia – on this holiday. Why all citizens? Because both large and small peoples are all part of the “single family” of the peoples of Russia – this is where our strength lies. Both small ethnic groups and larger peoples must all feel that this is our common home. Only in this case will we feel stable and secure and move forward steadily. ☝️There are 47 Indigenous small-numbered peoples in our country. Each of them is an integral part of Russia and its unique diversity – a custodian of unique traditions, cultures and identities. Every people and every ethnic group that forms part of the fraternal family of the peoples of Russia is undoubtedly our common treasure. Historically – and I would like to emphasise this – Russia took shape precisely as a union of peoples. We often speak about this, but on this holiday it is entirely appropriate to reiterate this fact. As early as the 19th century – in fact, a century before similar efforts began, for example, in North America – Russia was creating conditions for the education and enlightenment of representatives of different peoples, including small-numbered ones. This work continued in the Soviet period and in our country’s modern history. By the mid-1930s, after the establishment of the Institute of the Peoples of the North, many languages of Indigenous peoples acquired their own writing systems. Incidentally, in the 1930s, the first scholars – Candidates and Doctors of Sciences – also emerged from among the representatives of small-numbered peoples. 👉Today, Russian regions are implementing educational programmes for the study of 76 languages of the peoples of Russia, including those of Indigenous small-numbered peoples. A whole range of support measures is in place for traditional occupations, including reindeer herding, hunting and many others. Overall, the state’s efforts are aimed at enabling representatives of small-numbered peoples to preserve the traditions of their ancestors and carefullypass them on to younger generations. As you know, we are now implementing large-scale plans for the development of the Far East, Siberia and the Arctic. At the same time, the interests of people – including those whose ancestors have lived on these lands for centuries – are an absolute priority. ✊I would like to emphasise once again: Russia’s universality and strength lie in its diversity.

#WeRemember 🌟 On April 30, 1945, amid fierce battle for the Reichstag, — the legendary Heroic Feat was performed by a Red Army soldier, which entered history as the worldwide known and recognised symbol of the noble, great mission of the Soviet soldiers-liberators,who, selflesslyandfearlessly, at the cost of their lives, crushed Hitler's Germany and freed the peoples of Europe of the the Nazi scourge. #OTD in 1945, Sergeant of the 79th Guards Rifle Division, Red Army soldier NikolayMasalov, despite the enormous danger and under enemy heavy fire, saved the life of a German girl, carrying her out of the shelling zone. This honourable deed is immortalised in the figure of the Liberator Soldier memorial in Berlin — the iconic monument in #TreptowerPark, where over 7'000 Red Army soldiers, who fell during the fighting for the Third Reich’s capital, now rest in peace. The central statue of this world-renowned memorial complex — a Soviet soldier carefully holding in hands a German girl — has become a symbol of the Great Victory of the Soviet people over the Nazi Germany. 💬 Maria Zakharova: This memorial features the statue of a Soviet soldier holding a German girl — not a Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian, Tajik, Armenian, Azerbaijani, or Jewish girl, but a German girl. This, I believe, represents the most accurate manifestation of humanism: a Soviet soldier is portrayed as a liberator, first and foremost of the German people from Nazism, even though his own family had been killed, his home destroyed, and his home towns and villages burned down. Yet he protects a German girl. <...> And now they [the official authorities of Germany] are questioning if it is appropriate to commemorate and celebrate Victory Day at Treptower Park beside the statue of the Soldier holding a German girl. They claim this contradicts the “quiet mourning” approach adopted by “civilised Europe.” (Excerpt from the briefing by Russian MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, April 24, 2026) *** The History of the Feat On the morning of April 30, 1945, during the artillery preparation preceding the advance of Soviet units towards a key German defence point in central Berlin — Tempelhof Airport — NikolayMasalov heard a child crying. As Marshal Vasily Chuikov later recalled in his memoirs: A child’s voice sounded as if from somewhere beneath the ground, muffled and imploring. Crying, the child repeated just one word, understood by all — 'mutter', 'mutter'. #Masalov resolutely rushed to help the child. Risking his life, the he crawled across a bridge over the Landwehr Canal and rescued a three-year-old girl who was sitting beside the body of her mother, killed by the Nazis. Taking the girl into his arms, #Masalov began fighting his way back — the Germans were already pouring machine-gun fire onto the Soviet positions. 💬MarshalChuikov later recalled Masalov’s heroic deed as follows: Thousands of guns and mortars were firing upon the enemy. Thousands of shells and mines covered the Soviet soldier’s breakthrough from the death zone with a three-year-old German girl in his arms. Nikolay Masalov himself never regarded his heroic feat as anything out of the ordinary; whenever he spoke of it, he was a man of few words: 💬 “I am a Russian soldier. Anyone would’ve done the same in my place.” #OurHeroes#Victory81

🎙Remarks by Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at a joint press conference with Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Yermek Kosherbayev(Astana, 30 April 2026) 💬Sergey Lavrov: I would like to thank our Kazakhstani friends for their traditionally warm welcome, hospitality and excellent organisation of the work. Yermek Kosherbayev and I held extensive talks. As always, they took place in a friendly and trust-based atmosphere and proved useful. Today, we thoroughly reviewed the current state and prospects of our multifaceted and mutually beneficial cooperation. We paid particular attention to implementing the agreements reached by our Leaders, including those following President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state visit to Russia in November 2025. We discussed the schedule of upcoming contacts at the highest, high and other levels, primarily the planned state visit of President Vladimir Putin to the Republic of Kazakhstan. ☝️We also highly value the close cooperation between our Foreign Ministries. We share the view that the Inter-MFA Cooperation Plan for 2027-2028, just signed in your presence, will help further strengthen this interaction. We also discussed key regional and international issues in a spirit of friendship and alliance. We highly value our cooperation within integration mechanisms – the #EAEU, #CSTO, #CIS and #SCO. In our common view, this cooperation remains an important factor in ensuring security and stable conditions for sustainable development across the entire Eurasian space. In this context, we are interested in further advancing Kazakhstan’s initiative within the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia. Another important area of joint work is the Caspian Sea. We are compelled to state that the unprovoked armed aggression by the US and Israel against Iran has had the most negative impact on the Caspian Sea and its coastline, which must remain a zone of peace and cooperation. The strike by the anti-Iranian coalition on March 18 against the infrastructure of the Anzali seaport – which serves the trade and logistics interests of all five Caspian littoral states – was inadmissible and unacceptable. Speaking of the Middle East, we believe it is important not to lose sight of developments in Lebanon and, especially, the deadlock over the establishment of a Palestinian State, which currently shows no clear way forward. We also touched upon the situation in and around Ukraine. We are grateful to our Kazakhstani partners for their understanding and balanced assessment of the developments there. We know that these assessments are regularly voiced at various international events, including by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The key point remains that a just and lasting settlement is impossible without addressing the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis. We remain interested in resuming the negotiating process on the basis of the existing Russian-US understandings. Yesterday, during a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump, President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed this position. We expect the understandings reached in Alaska to be implemented. 🤝 I believe we can express mutual satisfaction with the results of today’s conversation. We will continue to maintain the closest possible contacts going forward. Read in full #RussiaKazakhstan

#FacesOfVictory 🌟 On April 30, 1945, just ten days before Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender, soldiers of the 674th Rifle Regiment of the 150th Rifle Division of the 1st Byelorussian Front, GrigoryBulatov and RakhimzhanKoshkarbayev, raised the first Red Banner on the facade of the Reichstag during the battle for the key Nazi citadel. The distance between Himmler’s house, where Bulatov and Koshkarbayev had been braking through to the Reichstag, was less than 500 metres. The fighting was so intense and fierce that it took our forces seven hours to reach the Reichstag walls. The Red Army soldiers pushed the Nazis back under barrage fire — they had to overcome numerous trenches and anti-tank fortifications. 💬 Excerpt from private RakhimzhanKoshkarbayev’s account of the battle for the Reichstag: Preliminary shelling commenced. As the first shots were fired, Bulatov and I ran to the Reichstag. I hoisted Bulatov up, supporting his legs, and we installed a flag right there, at the first-floor level. 🖋 The 150th Division’s military report: On April 30, 1945, at 2:25 pm, Koshkarbayev and Bulatov crawled to the building lobby and attached a red flag to the main staircase. The red flag installed by Bulatov and Koshkarbayev — the legendary makeshift flagpole — was the first of the banners raised on the Reichstag building by Soviet soldiers-liberators, marking the long-awaited and upcoming Victory in #WW2. 🎖 For their courage and heroism during the battle of the Reichstag, GrigoryBulatov and RakhimzhanKoshkarbayev were awarded the Order of the Red Banner. Subsequently, the memorials were dedicated to the Heroes in their home regions: to GigoryBulatov in Kirov and to RakhimzhanKoshkarbayev in the Akmola Region of Kazakhstan and in the Republic’s capital, Astana. #Victory81#OurHeroes#WeAreProud

🇷🇺🇰🇿Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's opening remarks during talks with Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Yermek Kosherbayev (Astana, 30 April 2026) 💬Sergey Lavrov: Kazakhstan and Russia are closest neighbours and allies. Our peoples are bound by centuries-old traditions offriendship and mutual respect. These relations are enshrined in numerous interstate documents. One of the most important dimensions of the quality of our relations is our shared memory of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. We always mark the anniversary of the Great Victory together, holding special events both in Kazakhstan and in Russia. There is no doubt that, in the current conditions, this memory has not only historical significance, but also a very practical dimension, given the persistent line of a number of European states to revive Nazism in new forms, including by once again setting the peoples of Europe against our country. ☝️Once, they targeted our common state. Today, Russia is the main target – but the essence has not changed. Russia-Kazakhstan relations are highly intensive, multidimensional and comprehensive. Most importantly, they contribute to maintaining stability across the common Eurasian space. Today, our interstate dialogue spans virtually every area, underpinned by the maturity, stability and steady development of Kazakhstan’s statehood. In our practical work on the bilateral track, we are guided by the instructions of our Leaders, who maintain regular close contact, meeting in person and speaking by phone, to discuss current aspects of cooperation and the increasingly complex international situation. 🤝Russia and Kazakhstan maintain extensive economic ties – we are key trade and investment partners. We maintain positive dynamics in these areas and note the growing non-resource component of export-import operations, while the lion’s share of settlements is carried out in national currencies and without intermediaries. We are developing privileged partnership in transport and energy, with particular emphasis on peaceful nuclear energy. We are committed to continuing constructive engagement on the international stage, primarily within the #EAEU, #CSTO, #CIS and #SCO. In our conversations and talks, we also touch upon the #UN. We have matching assessments of the difficult processes unfolding in that organisation. In particular, we paid close attention to the assessments of the UN’s activities recently set out by President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in his remarks at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Türkiye. We are ready to exchange views on the situation in Central Asia, which is of common interest to us. We also expect to continue discussing developments in the broader Eurasian context. Read in full #RussiaKazakhstan