Russian MFA 🇷🇺

🔴#LIVE: Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Minister of International Relations and Trade of Namibia Selma Ashipala-Musavyi hold a joint news conference in Moscow 🔴X (ex-Twitter) 🔴Facebook 🔴Ruptly 🔴Russia’s MFA website #RussiaNamibia

🔴#LIVE: Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Minister of International Relations and Trade of Namibia Selma Ashipala-Musavyi commence talks in Moscow 🔴X (ex-Twitter) 🔴Facebook 🔴Ruptly 🔴Russia’s MFA website #RussiaNamibia

🎙Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's answer to a media question on the situation in Iran(January 13, 2026) ❓Question: For over a fortnight, anti-government demonstrations in Iran have persisted, escalating into unrest. Could you comment on the current situation in the country? 💬Maria Zakharova: The unlawful sanctions pressure exerted by the West, to which the Islamic Republic of Iran has been subjected for many years, has hampered the country’s development and generated economic and social challenges, primarily affecting ordinary Iranians. Hostile external forces are seeking to exploit rising public tensions in order to destabilise and undermine the Iranian state. The notorious methods of so-called colour revolutions are being employed, whereby peaceful protests are transformed – through the actions of provocateurs trained and armed abroad – into brutal and senseless violence, including riots, the killing of law-enforcement officers and civilians, and even children. ❗️We unequivocally condemn subversive external interference in Iran’s internal political processes. It is particularly noteworthy that the Iranian authorities have demonstrated readiness for constructive dialogue with society to identify effective ways of mitigating the adverse socioeconomic consequences of the West’s hostile policies. Threats emanating fromWashington regarding further military strikes against the Islamic Republic are categorically unacceptable. Those who contemplate exploiting externally instigated unrest as a pretext to repeat aggression against Iran, as witnessed in June 2025, must fully realize the grave consequences such actions would entail for the Middle East and for global international security. ❗️We also firmly reject the brazen attempts to pressure Iran’s foreign partners through the imposition of increased trade tariffs. The evolving dynamics of Iran’s domestic political situation, together with the recent decline in artificially fuelled protests, provide grounds for cautious optimismregarding a gradual stabilization. The thousands-strong marches by Iranians in support of the country’s sovereignty testify to the failure of the sinister designs of those who resent the existence of states capable of pursuing an independent foreign policy and freely choosing their own allies on the international stage. We remain in close contact with our diplomatic missions in Iran. They are operating as usual and maintain constant communication with Russian nationals residing in the country. 👉 We advise them to exercise reasonable caution: refrain from visiting crowded areas, avoid photography and videography, and strictly follow the instructions of law-enforcement bodies and special services.

🇷🇺Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the OSCE: 🗓 On January 13, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Dmitry Polyanskiy presented his letter of credence to the OSCE Secretary General His Excellency Feridun Sinirlioğlu. 📸© OSCE

🇷🇺🇺🇸Embassy of Russia in the US: Representatives of Russia and the United States honoured the memory of participants in the Soviet-American “Zebra” project On January 11, 2026, a traditional memorial ceremony was held in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, on the banks of the Pasquotank River, to honour the memory of Soviet and Canadian pilots who perished in early 1945 as a result of the crash of a PBN-1 NOMAD seaplane. The aircraft was being ferried for the Red Army Air Force under the Lend-Lease programme as part of deliveries of this class of aircraft (Catalina). The event, organized by the Russian Embassy in the US with the participation of senior diplomats and staff of the military attaché’s office was attended for the first time since 2020 by representatives of the Pentagon. They were represented by the Chairman of the Joint POW/MIA Commission General Robert Foglesong and his colleagues. At the site of the tragedy, delegations from both countries laid a wreath and red carnations in the Pasquotank River. Military honours were rendered to the fallen crew members – Soviet pilots Captains Nikolai Chikov and Vladimir Levin, Lieutenants Dmitry Medvedev and Afanasy Borodin, as well as radio operator Lieutenant Peter Nataros of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Under the secret project codenamed “Zebra”, Soviet and Allied crews underwent training between April 1944 and October 1945. In total, 184 American-made seaplanes were delivered to the Soviet–German front. This stands as one of the clear examples of the combat alliance between the Red Army and the US Armed Forces in the fight against a common enemy – the absolute evil of Nazism. The memory of the heroes who fought shoulder to shoulder as part of the anti-Hitler coalition, and of the immense sacrifices of the Soviet people, is sacred and must never be forgotten. No one is forgotten – nothing is forgotten.

#Victory81 🌟 On January 13, 1945, the #EastPrussian Offensive by the Red Army — one of the largest and most important #WWII operations against Nazi Germany — commenced. As a result of the operation in the #EastPrussia, the Soviet forces ultimatelydestroyed the Nazis' most capable, experienced, trained and equipped divisions on the entire Eastern front. The 'invincible reich' lost a critical strategic bridgehead in the Baltic region. The fortress city of #Königsberg — the cradle of German militarism and the starting point of eastward expansion — fell once and for all. The triumph of the Red Army in East Prussia held profound symbolic significance: the Nazis were decisively and completely crushed right there, where from, back in June 1941, they treacherously attacked our Motherland. ▪️“There it is, cursed Germany,”— that was what the Soviet soldiers-liberators said while stepping on the enemy's soil to pursue the condign retribution upon the Germans on their own territory. Those were exactly the accurate words to call the country where the most terrible evil the Mankind ever saw in its history — the Nazi scourge — was nurtured. The Germans sought Moscow’s fall, but instead they witnessed with disgrace the collapse of their own “great Reich.” *** The East-Prussian operation. The details January-April, 1945 The battles on the East Prussian theatre of operations lasted for 103 days, which made it the area that saw the longest continuous military engagement in the final year of #WW2. In the region, the Nazis constructed an exceptionally formidable defensive system, tailored to the specific features of terrain. The capital of East Prussia — the fortress city of Königsberg — was equipped with both external and internal urban fortification systems. In East Prussia, the Red Army faced the Nazi army with the personnel strength of some 780'000 Wehrmacht soldiers and officers. ⚔️ On January 13, 1945, the units of the 2nd Byelorussian and forces of the 3rd Byelorussian Fronts of the Red Army launched the offensive in East Prussia. Through the swift and overwhelming assault, the Soviet armor and the infantry, with the support of the aviaton, reached the Baltic Sea near Elbing (now the city of Elbląg in northern Poland) already on the third day of the operation, thus, having cut off any possible retreat routes for the enemy from East Prussia westwards. In less than two weeks, the Soviet forces broke through to Königsberg — the infamous Nazi citadel, which had allowed the Germans to dominate the eastern Baltics throughout the entire war, wasencircled. By February 10, 1945, the Nazi army group 'North' had been split into three isolated and tied down formations that were further driven to the coastline with no hope of escape. In April, the Königsberg garrison — numbering around 200'000 Wehrmacht soldiers and officers — was defeatedand surrendered. On April 9, the Red Army seized the fortress completely — the impregnable stronghold of the Third Reich, fortified with the latest military technology of WWII-era, finally fell. The loss of significant forces and militarily and economically vital region of East Prussia hastened Germany’s defeat. The Soviet forces inflictedhuge losses on the Wehrmacht and completely severed Third Reich’s maritime supply lines, crippling logistics for the blockaded 'Courland Pocket'. To commemorate the Heroic Victory in East Prussia, the medal 'For the Capture of Königsberg' was instituted in the USSR. The Medal was awarded to approximately 760'000 Red Army soldiers and officers. Aftermath WWII, under the terms approved by the Allied Leaders at the #PotsdamConference, much of East Prussia was incorporated into Poland, while a third of East Prussia territory, including the city of Königsberg (the Kaliningrad Region), became part of the Soviet Union. 🎖 By the Executive Order of President of Russia Vladimir Putin (signed on November 17, 2025), a new memorial date was established in our country — April 9, the Day of the Heroic Assault and Capture of Königsberg (1945).

🎙Statement by Permanent Representativeof the Russian Federation to the UN Vassily Nebenzia at a UNSC Briefing on Ukraine (New York, January 12, 2026) 💬 Vassily Nebenzia: The Russian army carried out one massive and four group air strikes through January 3-9, which resulted in damage to transport, airfield, port, and energy infrastructure facilities that sustained the Ukrainian military-industrial complex, as well as temporary deployment sites of the Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries. This was done in response to the attack waged by the Kiev regime on the Russian President's residence and civilian infrastructure in our country. The strike was carried out using the Oreshnik missile system, against which there is no air defense protection so far. Our Western colleagues keep telling us about civilian casualties, but most of the casualties were caused by the operation of Ukraine’s air defense, which is something that everybody, including Ukrainians, is well aware of. 👉 All these loud but completely groundless allegations about Russia's targeted attacks on Ukrainian families, who were peacefully sleeping in their homes, are uncorroborated by any facts or evidence whatsoever. <...> Our Western colleagues tend to completely ignore the crimes that are being committed by the Kiev regime, which is deliberately targeting Russian regions, striking at civilian facilities and civilians. Thus, in December 2025 alone, at least 367 civilians were harmed by the Ukrainian strikes, 56 people died. Against this backdrop, we are astounded by the silent response on the part the international community, especially the UN Secretary-General, and this has become the norm. ⚠️ Refusing to clearly qualify such actions as terrorist acts and dismissing them as “unconfirmed facts” is tantamount to renouncing the basic principles of international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians and the prohibition of premeditated attacks on civilian targets. <...> Until the Kiev ringleader comes to his senses and agrees to realistic terms for negotiations, we will continue solving the problems by military means. He was warned long ago, and the conditions for negotiations will only get worse for him with each day he squanders. ☝️ And every horrific attack on peaceful Russian citizens will elicit a harsh response. Read in full

📰 On January 13, members of the press and the media mark their professional holiday, #RussianPressDay. On that day in 1703, the first issue of the newspaper founded by Peter the Great, Vedomosti (Bulletin) on Military and Other Affairs Worthy of Being Known and Remembered, Occurring in the Moscow State and Neighbouring Countries, saw the light of day, launching the development of a highly professional Russian media community. Vedomosti was an official publication to which Peter the Great personally contributed by selecting materials for publications, checking the quality of translations, and editing texts. The newspaper published military reports and everyday news based on official documents, diplomatic reports and departmental information. In 1719, Boris Volkov, a translator at the Collegium of Foreign Affairs who was appointed editor-in-chief of the newspaper, enlisted the assistance of Yakov Sinyavich, one of the best linguists of that period and the first Russian reporter. In 1728, the newspaper fell under the purview of the Academy of Sciences. Mikhail Lomonosov became one of its contributors. The newspaper was published twice a week in 706 copies. A new stage in the development of periodical press began on January 1, 1870, when the emperor signed an executive order approving “an experiment for accepting subscription to periodicals, both Russian and foreign ones, at post offices.” It was the first executive order on subscription to periodicals issued in the country. By 1914, over 3,000 periodicals were published in Russia. The professional holiday of members of the press and journalists, Soviet Press Day, was established in 1922 and marked on May 5, the day when the first issue of Pravda, the main Soviet newspaper, was published in 1912. On December 28, 1991, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) issued Resolution No. 3043-1 On Russian Press Day, moving Russian Press Day to its historical date, January 13. *** Today, over 156,600 media outlets have been registered in Russia. Russian periodicals are published in over 100 languages. The journalistic profession has always held a special place and was rightfully respected in Russia. Today, members of the Russian media can professionally, quickly and objectively provide information and carry out a thorough and unbiased analysis of events. Russian journalists come under persecution by the national authorities in the collective West, and risk their health and even lives for telling the truth. Responsibility for killing journalists and military correspondents lies with the Kiev regime, whose state of impunity has gone berserk, and its Western patrons. 💬 From a comment by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Russian Press Day (January 13, 2026): “Working in conditions of the collective West’s hybrid aggression against Russia and its people, Russian journalists are among the first to explode and lay bare the lies and fake stories about Russia spread on a large scale, and to raise an effective shield against anti-Russia propaganda. Despite the obstacles of censorship created by our enemies, Russian journalists have overcome information blockades and have even increased the audience of their loyal readers, viewers and listeners, including in the countries with the most intolerant attitude to any manifestation of dissent.”

🇷🇺🇧🇾📞 On January 13, Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov and Foreign Minister of Belarus Maksim Ryzhenkovheld a telephone conversation. The Ministers discussed ongoing issues of bilateral cooperation and foreign policy coordination, as well as exchanged views on a number of topical international agenda items. #RussiaBelarus

🗓 On January 12, Ambassador of Poland to the Russian Federation Krzysztof Krajewski was summoned to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where a strong protest was expressed regarding the detention of the prominent Russian archaeologist, Alexander Butyagin, in Warsaw in December 2025, at Kiev’s request. It was pointed out to Ambassador Krajewski that the Kiev regime’s accusations against Mr Butyagin were absurd, being related to his scientific work as a member of the Myrmekion Archaeological Expedition in the Republic of Crimea, which is an inalienable part of the Russian Federation. The openly politicised and wild nature of the Ukrainian persecution against the Russian scientist is further underscored by the fact that the Interpol has refrained from acting on the Ukrainian request and that Mr Butyagin had travelled unimpeded to several European countries immediately prior to his arrest in Poland. The Polish Ambassador was presented with evidence confirming that Alexander Butyagin, who is a world-renowned Russian archaeologist and a staff member of the State Hermitage Museum, has conducted research on the Kerch Peninsula for several decades. Throughout this period, Mr Butyagin’s work was duly authorised by the relevant authorities, including those of Ukraine prior to 2014. All the artefacts he found were handed over to the East Crimean Museum-Reserve, thereby enriching the cultural heritage of the peoples of Crimea. ❗️ It was emphasised that the Russian Federation demands the immediate release of its citizen and insists that he must not be delivered to the Kiev regime’s punitive apparatus that has nothing to do with justice. Read in full

⚡️According to information confirmed by several independent sources, a strike launched by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on the night of 9 Januaryusing the Oreshnik mobile ground-based missile system disabled the Lvov State Aviation Repair Plant. ▫️ At the plant, aircraft of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including F-16 and MiG-29 aircraft supplied by the Western countries, were repaired and maintained. The plant also produced long-range and medium-range attack UAVs used to hit Russian civilian facilities in the depth of Russian territory. ▫️ The Oreshnik system engaged production workshops, warehouses with products (UAVs), as well as the infrastructure of the factory airfield. ▫️ In addition, as part of this massive attack with the use of the Iskander missile system and the Kalibr sea-based cruise missiles, the production facilities of two enterprises in Kiev involved in assembling strike UAVs for attacks against the territory of Russia, as well as energy infrastructure facilities that support the work of the Ukrainian defence industry, were hit. 🔹Russian Defence Ministry

🇷🇺On January 12, Vladimir Putin held a working meeting with First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov on Russia's industrial performance indicators in 2025. Key points: • Growth in the manufacturing sector in 2025 remained positive. Russia concluded the year with growth of around 3%, with final figures expected in February following the publication of official statistics. Performance varied significantly by industry: pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and electronics posted growth exceeding 15%, while the chemical sector, including mineral fertilizers, recorded growth of more than 6%. • Investment activity in manufacturing remained strong despite challenging economic conditions. During the first three quarters of 2025, investment in the sector increased by 23%, reaching approximately 5 trillion rubles. This growth was driven by coordinated government and business efforts under national projects, supported by special investment contracts, concessional loans from the Industrial Development Fund, R&D support measures, and interest-rate subsidies. • Exports of competitive Russian goods continued to expand. Over the first ten months of 2025, exports grew by 18%. The share of supplies to friendly countries reached 80%, compared with approximately 60% prior to 2022, reflecting enterprises’ successful adaptation to new markets and the reorientation of trade flows. • Enterprises of the defence industry fulfilled all state defence orders. Production volumes of weapons and military equipment tailored to the needs of the special military operation increased substantially, in some areas by several times. Labour productivity at defence industry enterprises continued to rise, driven by large-scale technical modernization under the state programme and significant federal budget investments over the past three years. • In 2025, more than 1,000 new and upgraded types of military equipment underwent frontline testing. Interest in Russian military products on foreign markets remains high, particularly in air defence systems, aircraft, multiple launch rocket systems, unmanned platforms, and electronic warfare technologies. The export order portfolio reached a record $70 billion, compared with a pre-2022 peak of $55 billion. • Diversification of defence industry output continued to advance. Civilian production at defence enterprises grew by an average of 10% annually over the past three years. By the end of 2025, civilian output exceeded 30% of total production, particularly in rail transport, construction and road machinery, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, consumer electronics, and telecommunications equipment. • The rocket and space industry also showed positive momentum. In 2025, revenues of space industry enterprises increased by 10%, accompanied by growth in average wages and labour productivity. The year saw 17 space launches. The national satellite constellation expandedfrom 288 to 300 spacecraft, while 5 billion rubles were allocated in the federal budget to launch a new Earth remote sensing services framework starting in 2026.