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🎙Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s answers to media questions (February 26, 2026) ❓Question: Why has Europe split on the issue of deploying peacekeepers? 💬Sergey Lavrov: There are different points of view, as in every collective and every society. There are normal people, who care about their people and countries, and there are those who play at ideologised schemes. This is what I think. ❓ Question: New timeframes for peace settlement in Ukraine are named. According to US President Donald Trump, it should be achieved within one month. 💬Sergey Lavrov: Have you heard anything about timeframes from us? We have tasks, not timeframes. And we are addressing them. ❓Question: Apropos of nuclear weapons… 💬Sergey Lavrov: That says it all. ❓ Question: Why the negotiating rhetoric about nuclear weapons has become so intense? 💬Sergey Lavrov: I think they feel offended at failing to achieve anything. The task is again to make Russia lose. After all, they say that Ukraine is winning. If they see the picture this way… They are the Coalition of the Willing, aren’t they? Both Russian and English have the expression “mistake the wish for the reality.” They resemble people called “those willing to pass themselves off for the real.” We will wait and see. Read in full

#KievRegimeCrimes 📑Chapter II of the Report on violations of international humanitarian law committed by the Kiev regime against POWs has been published. The report was prepared by Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry Rodion Miroshnik. Part I This new reporttitled “Secret Prisons”, contains key verified data on violations of international humanitarian law against Russian servicemen who were held captive by the Kiev regime and returned to Russia following a POW exchange in October 2025. *** A network of “secret prisons” for Russian servicemen captured by Ukrainian armed groups was established throughout the territories controlled by the Kiev regime. Based on the obtained information, conclusions can be drawn about the existence of a systematic approach to torture in the said facilities. According to numerous credible testimonies, it is there – in an atmosphere of lawlessness and impunity – that the largest number of crimes against POWs are committed. The affected Russian servicemen provided detailed accounts of a deliberately organized and actively applied system of systematic torture and humiliation, moral and physical abuse carried out by Ukrainian armed forces, special services and other security and paramilitary formations, including the use of “electric chairs” and other devices. ❗️ Testimonies documenting sexual violence and threats of violence, torture through deprivation of sleep, water and food, as well as a range of other forms of abuse, have been recorded. Certain human rights organisations, in their own reports, acknowledge the existence of “secret prisons” on Ukrainian territory, referring to them instead as “transit points”. Controlled by Ukrainian armed groups, such facilities are closed to international humanitarian organisations, which, however, tend not to address the issue publicly. The matter of access to these locations and verification of detention conditions is not publicly brought before Ukraine’s political leadership. As a result, the existence of Ukrainian “secret prisons” is effectively concealed from the international community. The report includes excerpts from testimonies of Russian servicemen formerly held in Ukrainian captivity, confirming the widespread nature of torture, threats, violence and killings practiced in dozens of “secret prisons”. 👉Full version of the report (PDF)

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📺Ambassador Andrei Kelin's interview with LBC presenter Andrew Marr (25 February 2026) ❓Zelensky has said that, four years into this conflict, we are now heading towards the first stages of World War III. Do you think he is right? 💬Ambassador Kelin: There are plenty of reasonable people in the world, including in Europe, who will impede development in this area. But, of course, it unanswered, anything could happen. At this point, I must point out the danger of transferring nuclear weapons, because some people involved in the Ukrainian crisis are looking for a game changer, which is very dangerous. Yesterday, we made an important statement that London and Paris were probably considering the possibility of transferring nuclear weapons components, technologies or equipment to Ukraine in order to reinforce their negotiating position [...] Zelensky has said that Ukraine will either join NATO or possess nuclear weapons. This is a very dangerous statement, which is why we are speaking out now. We have certain information about that. Ukraine may be an independent and sovereign state if it is friendly towards Russia, but not if it is an opponent, an adversarial state, or a weapon of Western countries against Russia. Watch the full interview on our YouTube channel

🎙 President of Russia Vladimir Putin's address at the Plenary Session of the Future Technologies Forum(February 25, 2026, Moscow) 💬Vladimir Putin: The bioeconomy is far more than a field of scientific knowledge. With their bold ideas, scientists and engineers are already shaping a new reality and a new industrial paradigm – applying advances in biology and genetics to improve people’s lives and preserve our planet and its fragile ecosystem. We in Russia take pride in the major scientific contribution made by the discoveries, philosophical and scientific teachings of Vladimir Vernadsky, Ilya Mechnikov, Kliment Timiryazev, Nikolai Koltsov, Nikolai Vavilov, Vladimir Engelhardt and other outstanding Russian scholars, including our contemporaries. We will continue to expand our capabilities and move forward. Biotechnology – reinforced by the power of computing systems and artificial intelligence – is developing at an unprecedented pace. It helps address the key challenges of our time: climate change, food shortages and the depletion of renewable resources, and can serve projects both on Earth and in space. ❗️ I have repeatedly stressed: equal access to the technologies of the future – not privileges for the “chosen few” – is an indispensable condition for the fair development of our civilisation. That is why, within #BRICS and other associations, as well as through bilateral cooperation, we are ready to implement joint scientific, educational and investment programmesin biotechnology for the benefit of all humanity. <…> At the Forum, we traditionally discuss areas and developments that shape the future of humankind. Advances in biology, genetics and other life sciences are rightly called the technologies of the 21st century. Together with the IT industry and artificial intelligence, they are transforming the economy and society, creating new opportunities for millions of people. Digital platforms already support scientists in implementing research projects, connect a craftsman or entrepreneur from a small town with a customer in a megacity, enable residents to participate in managing their building, settlement or entire region, and analyse medical studies in record time, helping doctors save lives. These are just some of the areas within the evolving platform economy. 🇷🇺In this sphere, Russia is creating world-class solutions. We stand ready to share our experience and expertise in the interests of all humanity. Read in full

🇷🇺🇻🇳President of Russia Vladimir Putin held a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Lê Hoài Trung(February 24, 2026, Moscow) Lê Hoài Trung arrived in Moscow as a special envoy of the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam. *** 💬Vladimir Putin: First of all, I would like to congratulate you on the traditional Vietnamese holiday – the Lunar New Year – and ask you to convey my warmest greetings to the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, to all Vietnamese comrades, the country’s leadership and the entire nation of Vietnam. During my recent telephone conversation with Comrade To Lam, I had the pleasure of congratulating him on his re-election as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam at its 14th Congress. We see that the work carried out by the Vietnamese leadership and the General Secretary enjoys the support of the Vietnamese people. We are happy for you and glad to see your success. 🤝Our bilateral relations are developing positively. Trade turnover is growing, and we maintain a substantive and open dialogue across all areas, including political cooperation. I am confident that your work in Moscow will be productive. #RussiaVietnam

🗓 On February 24, marking the fourth year since the launch of Russia’s special military operation, the 11th Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly on the Ukraine crisis(#ESS)was reconvened at the initiative of Kiev and its European backers. During the session, this group of countries introduced yet another biased, anti-Russia resolution. This time it was deceptively titled “Support for a Lasting Peace in Ukraine” and, unlike previous resolutions adopted at the 11th ESS, was deliberately kept brief. The authors of the resolution were compelled to adopt this tactical approach by the steadily declining support for their anti-Russia initiatives at the General Assembly, which have clearly grown tiresome for the overwhelming majority of the international community. This one-sided, politicised text, in addition to the usual unfounded accusations against Russia, selectively cites the UN Charter while remaining silent on the root causes of the conflict around Ukraine. Without addressing these causes, a lasting and sustainable settlement is simply unattainable. The draft also contains an absurd tribute to the “efforts” of European countries that continue to funnel weapons to the Kiev regime, allegedly “aimed at ending the war”. In an attempt to broaden its support among General Assembly members, the document is saturated with pseudo-peaceful language, including calls for a ceasefire, prisoner exchanges, and the return of forcibly displaced persons, including children, framed as “confidence-building measures”. Such wording appears particularly cynical in light of the long record of duplicity demonstrated by the Kiev regime and its European sponsors, who have repeatedly shown their inability to negotiate in good faith by undermining every agreement reached, beginning with the Minsk accords. 👉There is no doubt that this clumsy manoeuvring by Kiev and the Europeans in the General Assembly was intended to create a smokescreen around the trilateral negotiation process. This was once again evident during the vote, when the Kiev regime, backed by the European “war party”, positioned itself against the broader international community, which supports genuine efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine, as well as against the other two parties to the negotiations. The US delegation, explicitly stating that the Ukrainian-European initiative at the General Assembly was detrimental to the negotiation process, requested a separate vote on several destructive provisions of the draft. Ultimately, the General Assembly voted on the original draft: 107 delegations voted in favour, 12 against, 51 states (including the US) abstained, and 23 did not participate. Rather than a success, Kiev and its backers secured a distinctly unconvincing result and incurred significant political costs, having exposed themselves as opponents of peace. The widening transatlantic rift over the Ukrainian issue is also becoming increasingly apparent. Overall, the discussions at the UN clearly reflect the international community’s fatigue with the Ukrainian issue – a situation our opponents are attempting to keep artificially alive. Against this backdrop, what is required are genuine efforts toward a peaceful settlement, efforts in which Russia is participating in good faith. ☝️Moscow hopes that all reasonable members of the international community will likewise support the said efforts, without being distracted by minor obstructions. Read in full

🎙Statement by Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva Gennady Gatilov at the high-level segment of the Conference on Disarmament (February 24, 2026, Geneva) 📄Read in full Key outtakes: • The current session of the Conference on Disarmament takes place against the background of rapidly deteriorating situation in the field of international security and strategic stability. • The situation in Ukraine is a result of the policy of Western countries which for a long time have cultivated anti-Russian sentiments in Ukraine, fostered hatred for Russia and everything Russian, suppressed Russian language, history and culture, engaged in the military development of its territory and increased the supplies of long-range weapons to the Kiev regime. • Russia has always advocated for a negotiated settlement of Ukrainian crisis. At the same time, the dialogue should be based on an equal and mutually respectful basis, where an ultimate goal is to establish a long-term peace with respect for the legitimate interests of all States and nations living in this region instead of a short truce. • The ongoing tensions in the Middle East could have devastative consequences for both regional and global security. The Israeli-US attacks on Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities, which were placed under the #IAEA safeguards, have become a serious blow to the nuclear non-proliferation regime. • The existing contradictions around the Iranian nuclear program can only be resolved through politico-diplomatic means. In this regard, we welcome the resumption of the bilateral dialogue between Washington and Tehran. • We note with regret that against the background of deteriorating international security environment and persistent tensions in the military-strategic sphere the US rejected the constructive Russian initiative inviting the parties to the #NewSTART Treaty to commit officially to voluntary self-limitations to keep the quantitative ceilings specified in the Treaty following its expiration. • Currently, a limited group of countries undermines the system of agreements in the field of arms control, committing numerous violations of the fundamental imperatives of the UN Charter, such as equality, respect of sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs, the resolution of disputes through dialogue. • We assign the Conference on Disarmament a crucial role in strengthening the international security architecture through elaborating multilateral legally binding agreements on arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation. The development of an international legally-binding instrument on the prevention of an arms race in outer space remains a constant priority for the Russian Federation. • Against the background of the current international instability our common goal is to ensure sustainability of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. As a depository State of the NPT, Russia strictly adheres to its “letter and spirit”. We attach particular importance to the upcoming 11th NPT Review Conference, which takes place in April-May 2026. • Russia, as depositary State of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, advocates for the comprehensive strengthening of its regime, including through the adoption of a legally binding protocol to the BTWC with an effective verification mechanism. • Given the continuing threats of the use of chemical substances and biological agents as weapons by terrorists, the Russian initiative to develop at the Conference on Disarmament an international convention for the suppression of acts of chemical and biological terrorism is more relevant than ever. #ConferenceOnDisarmament

🗓 Today marks 128 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between our country and Ethiopia. 🇷🇺🇪🇹 Russian-Ethiopian relations have traditionally been friendly. Our two countries continue to steadily strengthen collaboration in political, trade, economic, cultural and other spheres. 🤝 Moscow and Addis Ababa maintain regular contacts at the highest level. In September 2025, President of Russia Vladimir Putin met with Prime Minister of Ethiopia Dr. Abiy Ahmed in Moscow during the World Atomic Week international forum. In May 2025, President of the FDRE Taye Atske Selassie attended the Victory Parade in Moscow. In October 2025, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks with Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timotheos, who was in Moscow on a working visit. Russia and Ethiopia remain committed to strengthening their coordination within the UN and other multilateral platforms. Ethiopia’s accession to BRICS on January 1, 2024 has given new momentum to the development of our cooperation. 📈 In 2025, mutual trade volume between Russia and Ethiopia increased almost threefold compared to the previous year, exceeding $435 million. The drivers of growth are traditional export items: Russia is increasing supplies of fertilizers, agricultural machinery, and energy equipment, while Ethiopia is increasing supplies of coffee, flowers, and textiles. Our bilateral collaboration includes a number of large-scale joint projects, the most significant of which is cooperation in the nuclear sector entered the practical implementation phase after the signing of an action plan between Rosatom State Corporation and the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation in Moscow on September 25, 2025, in the presence of the leaders of our countries. In February 2025, a roadmap for a three-year period was approved, with the training of Ethiopian engineers and physicists identified as a separate priority track. 🎉 We warmly congratulate our Ethiopian colleagues and friends on this shared anniversary! We reaffirm our commitment to continuing to develop all aspects of our bilateral relations. #RussiaEthiopia

🇷🇺🇻🇳 On February 24, Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov held talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Lê Hoài Trung, who was visiting Russia as Special Envoy of the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam. In a traditionally friendly atmosphere, the Sides discussed steps to further deepen Russia-Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership, including forthcoming contacts at various levels, cooperation between the two Foreign Ministries, and current international agenda issues. *** 🎙Opening remarks by Sergey Lavrov during his talks with Lê Hoài Trung (Moscow, 24 February 2026) 💬Sergey Lavrov: Russia-Vietnam maintain intensive, truly fraternal and strategic relations, which are rooted in the shared history of struggle for justice, independence, and the free choice of our people. In addition to the bilateral matters on our current agenda, which you have already discussed during your previous meetings, I hope that today we will devote particular attention to foreign policy coordination. In May 2025, during the visit of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam Comrade To Lam to participate in the celebrations marking the anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, our leaders signed a Plan of Consultations between the two Foreign Ministries for 2025-2026. It is being actively implemented. Half a dozen specialized consultations have already taken place, including at Deputy Minister level. Additional consultations are scheduled for March 2026. Today provides a good opportunity for us toexchange views on global developments and on prospects for our cooperation within the #UN, which is also going through a crisis. Of course, we would greatly value yourassessment of developments in Southeast Asia, primarily within #ASEAN, of which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is one of the leading members. 🤝Allow me to also, as President Vladimir Putin did, congratulate you and all our Vietnamese friends on the Lunar New Year – the Tết holiday. I wish you good health, success and new achievements for the benefit of the Vietnamese people. #RussiaVietnam

📰Article titled “Diplomacy or Force: Special Military Operation Objectives will be Achieved” by H.E. Mr Anatoly Borovik, Russian Ambassador to Cambodia, published by Phnom Penh Post and Fresh News (February 24, 2026) Key points: 🔴 Four years ago, on February 24, 2022, Russia launched the special military operation (SMO), with its objectives remaining unchanged: to protect the population of Donbas and to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine. 🔴 Throughout all four years, we have been explaining on a daily basis what the goals of the SMO are, with particular emphasis on our concerns regarding our security interests. Russia has repeatedly proposed various options for building a system of equal and indivisible security for all <…> But we have not received any reasonable response. 🔴 The SMO became inevitable at the moment when Western politicians rejected all proposals put forward by Russia for a peaceful path. Our patience was exhausted when it became clear that Ukraine, backed by NATO countries, was preparing a large-scale military assault on Donbas. Faced with an imminent humanitarian catastrophe and direct threats to our borders, Russia had no choice but to act. 🔴 The Russian leadership repeated multiple times that our country has no plans to attack NATO States, as well as declared readiness to legally formalize this position on a collective, reciprocal basis within possible security guarantees for this region of Eurasia. 🔴 Europeans continue to pump the Kiev regime with weapons, thereby contributing to the escalation of the conflict and to terrorist acts committed by the Kiev authorities, which accompany the negotiation process currently underway. There is no doubt that Ukraine and Europe are pursuing the goal of undermining peaceful efforts, including talks in Abu Dhabi and Geneve that took place recently. 🔴 If Kiev and its sponsors continue to reject meaningful negotiations and refuse to recognize the realities formed on the ground, Russia will be compelled to achieve its objectives by military means. This is not our preference – but we will not compromise our security, sovereignty, or the safety of millions of people. 🖥Read in full

🎙Russia's President Vladimir Putin's statement at a meeting of the Board of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation(February 24, 2026, Moscow) Key points: • Today’s complex international environment, the sharp escalation of conflicts in a number of regions around the world, and the conduct of the special military operation require Federal Security Service personnel to demonstrate the utmost vigilance, discipline and concentration. • First and foremost, the fight against terrorism must be intensified. The dynamics of the key counter-terrorism indicators are clear and dictated by the current operational situation. Having failed to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield, the adversary has shifted to individual and mass terror. This includes shelling of cities, sabotage of infrastructure, and assassination attempts against representatives of state and military authorities. • The adversaries do not shy away from any other means. Reports have already appeared in the media about their attempts – or intentions – to use even some form of nuclear component. They presumably understand how this could end. • Our operational information is also reaching the media on possible plans to blow up our gas pipeline systems along the bed of the Black Sea – #TurkStream and #BlueStream. They simply cannot calm down. They do not know what else to do to derail this peaceful process and attempts to achieve a settlement through diplomatic means. Everything is being done to stage some kind of provocation and to disrupt what has been achieved, cautiously speaking, on the negotiation track. • The adversaries are searching for any method – any at all – to try to inflict defeat on Russia. In doing so, they may push themselves to a dangerous extreme and later regret it. Read in full