Russian Consulate in Cape Town

Comment by Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov: The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, responded positively to the appeal made by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, regarding the fate of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers who are trapped and essentially surrounded in the Kursk region, the area where the Ukrainian Armed Forces invaded. The signal from the U.S. President has been heard, and our President has guaranteed the Ukrainian soldiers their lives and dignified treatment, provided, of course, that Kiev agrees to give the order for its troops to lay down their arms and surrender. I would like to emphasize that the President of Russia is paying close attention to all issues raised during the restored dialogue with the current U.S. administration. I would also like to reiterate that such a dialogue has been established and is regularly conducted through a variety of channels.

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🎙 Excerpt from President of Russia Vladimir Putin'sremarks at the expanded meeting of the Russian Federation Prosecutor General’s Office Board. 💬President Putin: Under the law of the Russian Federation, all Ukrainian military personnel and foreign mercenaries who entered our territory and committed crimes against civilians, shall be, and are, legally classified as terrorists. Their atrocities must be identified, documented, and meticulously investigated. I instruct prosecution bodies, including military prosecutors, to fully deploy this work in liberated territories – in Sudzha and other localities – in coordination with relevant services. These criminals, punishers, and those who issued unlawful orders and abused civilians must be identified and brought to justice. Read in full

🇷🇺🇺🇸📞 Presidents of Russia & the United States, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump spoke over the phone (March 18, 2025) The Leaders continued their detailed and frank exchange of views on the situation surrounding Ukraine. Vladimir Putin extended gratitude to Donald Trump for his striving to achieve the noble goal of ending the hostilities and loss of life. Confirming his fundamental commitment to finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict, the President of Russia expressed willingness to thoroughly work out possible solutions in cooperation with the American partners, aimed at reaching a settlement that would be comprehensive, reliable, and lasting, and, naturally, take into account the essential need to eliminate the root causes of the crisis, as well as Russia's legitimate security interests. Concerning US President's proposal to declare a 30-day ceasefire, the Russian Side outlined a number of significant points regarding ensuring effective control over a possible ceasefire along the entire frontline, as well as the need to stop the forced mobilisation in Ukraine and rearming the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It was noted that some serious risks exist pertaining to the intractability of the Kiev regime which had repeatedly sabotaged and violated negotiated agreements. An emphasis was made on barbaric acts of terrorism committed by Ukrainian militants against civilians residing in the Kursk Region. It was pointed out that a complete cessation of providing Kiev with foreign military aid and intelligence must become the key condition for preventing an escalation of the conflict and making progress towards its resolution through political and diplomatic means. Referring to Donald Trump's recent appeal to spare the lives of the Ukrainian servicemen surrounded in the Kursk Region, Vladimir Putin confirmed that the Russian Side was willing to embrace humanitarian motives and guaranteed that the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine would live and be treated fairly in accordance with Russian legislation and international law in the event of surrender. During the conversation, Donald Trump put forward a proposal for the parties to mutually refrain from strikes on energy infrastructure for 30 days. Vladimir Putin responded favourably to the proposal and immediately gave the relevant order to the Russian troops. Just as favourable was the Russian President's response to Donald Trump's suggestion to implement a well-known proposal regarding the safety of navigation in the Black Sea. The Leaders agreed to begin talks to further work out specific details of such an agreement. Vladimir Putin made it known that on March 19, the Russian and Ukrainian sides would carry out an exchange of prisoners, each swapping 175 people. Additionally, as a gesture of goodwill, 23 heavily wounded Ukrainian soldiers currently receiving aid at Russian medical facilities will also be repatriated. The Leaders confirmed their intention to continue efforts aimed at reaching a settlement in Ukraine bilaterally, with due regard in particular to the aforementioned proposals by the US President. For this purpose, a Russian and an American expert task forces are now being formed. Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump also addressed some other international issues, including the situation in the Middle East and in the Red Sea region. Joint efforts will be made to stabilise the situation in the crisis spots and establish cooperation on nuclear non-proliferation and global security. This will, in turn, contribute to improving the overall ambiance of relations between Russia and the United States. One positive example is the recent vote in the UN on a resolution on the Ukraine conflict, in which the two countries aligned their stances. The Leaders expressed mutual interest in normalising the bilateral ties in light of the special responsibility for ensuring global security and stability borne by both Russia and the United States. <...> 🤝 The Presidents agreed to stay in touch on all the issues raised. #RussiaUS

🎙 Briefing by Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova(March 13, 2025) 🔹11th Anniversary of the Crimea referendum 🔹 Ukrainian crisis 🔹 Kiev regime crimes 🔹 Third anniversary of the Bucha provocation 🔹 US-Ukraine meeting in Jeddah 🔹 On prospects for a European troop deployment in Ukraine 🔹 On NATO SG Mark Rutte’s statement on Bosnia and Herzegovina 🔹 Attack on a passenger train in Pakistan 📰Read 📺Watch *** #KievRegimeCrimes Ukrainian militants continue their terrorist attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure in Russia. In the early hours of March 11, AFU carried out a massive drone attack on several Russian regions, including the Moscow Region. According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, 343 drones were shot down by the air defence forces on alert duty. The drones targeted residential houses, social facilities, transport and civilian infrastructure. No one but terrorists could act in such a manner. Three people were killed. More than 20 people sustained injuries. <...> Over the past decade, the hands of Ukrainian militants are stained with the blood of no fewer than 1'700 children. In 2024 alone, 347 children have fallen victim to the neo-Nazis: 296 minors were injured, and 51 children were killed. The youngest girl murdered by the Ukrainian Nazis was just four months old. This statistic will serve as a tombstone for the Kiev regime. #Europe#Ukraine Statements by Western officials, media reports and press leaks refer to Paris and London’s plans to send a “European peacekeeping contingent” to Ukraine. We regard even a mere articulation of these plans as an openly provocative step aimed at nurturing unsound and harmful illusions in the upper crust of the Kiev regime, rather than at settling the conflict. Washington is distancing itself from London and Paris’ plans to deploy a contingent of theirs in Ukraine, for it is aware of what this may lead to from the military point of view. The deployment of other states’ military units in Ukraine is absolutely unacceptable for Russia. It will mean that these countries are directly involved in a military conflict with the Russian Federation, an involvement that will meet with a response using all the means available to this country. #France#RussianAssets Our former partners continue their efforts to unlawfully seize – or, to put it plainly, steal – Russian assets frozen within the European Union under illegitimate restrictive measures. All frozen Russian funds and any income generated from them are the property of the Russian Federation. The appropriation of profits from financial transactions involving our reserve funds – without Russia’s explicit consent – constitutes theft, regardless of any pseudo-legal justifications. France’s actions clearly indicate a lack of interest in a long-term resolution of the Ukraine crisis. #BosniaAndHerzegovina We have taken note of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s recent statement during his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina on March 11. He called on the Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Presidency to “solve the problem,” openly implying – without even attempting to conceal it – the need to “deal with” the leadership of Republika Srpska. His remarks only poured fuel on the internal Bosnian crisis, as he unequivocally pushed for the accelerated Euro-Atlantic integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is yet another provocation designed to escalate tensions in a country where the prospect of NATO membership remains a deeply divisive issue among its entities. The actions of the NATO Secretary General in Sarajevo serve as a clear example of interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state.

#CrimeaIsRussia 🗓 11 years ago — on March 18, 2014 — President of Russia Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister of Crimea Sergey Aksyonov, Chairman of the State Council of Crimea Vladimir Konstantinov and Head of Sevastopol Alexey Chalyi signed the Agreement formalising Crimea’s reunification with the Russian Federation. 🗳 This historic moment occurred just two days after the all-Crimean referendum had been held. 96.77% of Crimeans and 95.6% of Sevastopol residents supported reunification with Russia. It was the very embodiment of the right of peoples for self-determination and a true triumph of democracy. 💬President Putin:In people’s hearts and minds, Crimea has always been an inseparable part of Russia. This firm conviction is based on truth and justice and was passed from generation to generation, over time, under any circumstances (from the Address by the President of the Russian Federation on March 18, 2014). The ensuing developments, including attempts by the post-coup Ukrainian authorities to punish the peninsula's population, prove that the decision of Crimeans to reunite with Russia was the only way to go. Having made their choice to be with their historical homeland, with Russia, the residents of Crimea avoided the fate of the many Russians and Russian-speakers, did not fall victim to the Russophobic Kiev regime. Instead, the peninsula and its people have flourished, overcoming decades of neglect and decay under Ukraine, becoming one of the most rapidly developing region worldwide. 💬 Sergey Lavrov: The question of who Crimea and Sevastopol belong to is closed. The peninsula is an integral part of the Russian Federation (from the address of Russia's Foreign Minister on the 10th anniversary of the Crimean Spring, March 16, 2014). #TogetherForever

Russia’s #G20 Sous-Sherpa Marat Berdyiev: Representatives of the World Majority countries speak unanimously about the importance of strengthening multilateralism in international relations. 🇿🇦At the recent G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Johannesburg President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa pointed out African states had to deal with an array of interconnected challenges. Such being climate change, lack of finance for development needs, negative dynamics in global trade. Of particular concern is the colossal lag in achieving SDGs. 🇿🇦SA Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola added further fragmentation of supply chains, trade restrictions and unilateral sanctions or economic coercion threatened to turn out as a loss for everyone. It is our common interest to work jointly toward resilient global economy and well-being of all. G20 is a unique platform to implement these aspirations. 🇧🇷Foreign Minister of Brazil Mauro Vieira supported South Africa's focus on inclusive economic growth, industrialization, increasing employment, especially among young people, and combating inequality. Developing countries put emphasis on food security and artificial intelligence, primarily their economic value. 🇮🇳 Foreign Minister of India S.Jaishankar prioritises debt sustainability for low-income nations, reform of the global financial architecture, and just energy transitions. In his opinion, critical minerals should also become a driver of economic growth in Africa. 🇨🇳Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi highlighted the significant anniversaries of 2025 – the 80th anniversary of the Victory over Nazism in World War II and the establishment of the UN. China intends to continue upholding the role of the United Nations and strengthen multilateralism based on the purposes and principles of its Charter. #G20

🎙️Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov: ❗️We cannot afford to rely on the goodwill of our current adversaries, who have openly declared their goal of inflicting a “strategic defeat” on Russia. ☝️ Our position is based on principle. First, experience has taught us not to trust Western promises but to judge solely by concrete actions. Second, recent years have reinforced a crucial lesson: we must never again allow key sectors of our economy, finance and technology to be dependent on the whims of Western suppliers. In the most critical areas – those ensuring our military, food and economic security – Russia must be self-sufficient. Naturally, this also involves working closely with our strategic partners and allies. Read in full #Lavrov#sovereignty#CollectiveWest

OSCAR-WINNING FILM LIES ABOUT THE RED ARMY ✍️Nikolai Lakhonin, Chief Counselor, Foreign Ministry Information and Press Department 🗞 The annual Oscars Academy Award ceremony attracts attention of the whole world. Recently, another such show took place. We would like to talk <...> about the drama A Real Pain (rated R) directed by Jesse Eisenberg. It is an American film, made by Americans primarily for Americans and about Americans. This is important. The picture is about historical memory in the perception of American descendants who survived the Holocaust. <...> The picture has already been seen by millions, and after it received the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, even more people will see it. The screenwriters of such films lay down powerful narratives. ☝️ And since they contain a distorted view of the most important events related to our country, we cannot remain silent. What does the viewer see and hear? Beautiful views of Warsaw to the music by Frederic Chopin, including the Palace of Culture which is a Stalinist high-rise. The tour “about pain, suffering, but also glory” logically starts from the monument to ghetto heroes, the 1943 uprising of imprisoned residents. The British guide emphasises that it is important for him to dispel the myth of Jews who went to slaughter without a murmur. The Western viewers successfully rid themselves of one misconception which is certainly a good thing. But not even an indirect attempt is being made to explain to the audience why their fellow countrymen, ethnic Poles from the heroic Resistance, failed to help the rebellious Jews. ❗️ But the next scene cements another myth. Approaching the monument to the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, the British guide declares that the strangest and scariest part was not that it was suppressed by the Germans (it was probably not too scary), but the role played by the Russians. This is how the lie that the Red Army did not come to the rescue of rebellious Warsaw is promoted and enforced without any context. Probably, we wouldn’t even be talking about this film at all if it weren’t for this outrageous segment. Next, the protagonist, the grandson of a woman who survived the Holocaust, meaning she was saved by the Red Army, suggests taking a group photo at the monument to the rebels, who, in his words, fought the “fucking Russkies” and the “Krauts.” This is an utterly pejorative and xenophobic way to refer to Russians. That’s how, to the music of Chopin, he took a potshot at the memory of 600,000 Soviet soldiers who died in battles on the territory of modern Poland. <...> The film director decided not to delve deep into the historical context of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, which was not coordinated with the Soviet side and resulted in additional casualties on the part of the Red Army and the Polish Home Army. So, both the Russophobic lines and segments of the film were deliberately included in the script. The question is by whom? The other day the director received Polish citizenship from President Andrzej Duda. Here is the answer. 👎 Through the efforts of such collective “British guides” (authors of books and films, lecturers, and historians), the Red Army gets transformed from a saviour into an “occupier” who accidentally swung by Majdanek and Auschwitz. In this film, by the way, a Holocaust expert, during a tour of Majdanek’s grounds, claims that the Red Army also exactly just got to Majdanek. Allegedly, there were no bloody battles for the city of Lublin, on the outskirts of which Majdanek is located. There was no Konstantin Simonov’s article “Extermination Camp” in Krasnaya Zvezda on August 10, 1944. There was no joint Soviet-Polish commission that looked into Nazi crimes in Majdanek and published documentary reports about atrocities in the camp, where about 200,000 Jews and about 100,000 people of other ethnicities were exterminated. <...> 👉 We encourage our journalists who rhapsodise about such “masterpieces” to put more thought in their writings. Read in full

🎙 President of Russia Vladimir Putinheld a briefing session with permanent members of the Security Council, via videoconference (March 14, 2025) 💬 Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues, Let’s begin. Today, we have a planned issue on our agenda – that of restoring Russian-American relations. We know that the new administration led by President Trump is doing everything to restore at least something of what was practically reduced to nothing, destroyed by the previous US administration. This process is not easy, if not to say very complicated. Nevertheless, as everyone is well aware, I had a telephone conversation with President Trump, our Foreign Minister had the first contacts with his American counterpart, and Yury Ushakov, Aide to the President of Russia, met with his vis-a-vis. <...> However, before we begin our work, I would like to say that we have noted today’s appeal by the US President, Mr Trump, to spare the lives of the Ukrainian servicemen, blocked by Russian forces in the Kursk Region incursion zone. In this context, we make it a point that Ukrainian militants have committed numerous crimes against the civilian population in the incursion zone. These acts, as I have already mentioned, are qualified as terrorism by the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation. ❗️ Still, we understand President Trump’s call to be guided by humanitarian considerations in treating these service members. In that regard, I stress that if they lay down their arms and surrender, they will be guaranteed life and dignified treatment as per international law and Russian legislation. To have the US President’s call effectively implemented, a relevant order is needed by Ukrainian military-political leadership to its armed units to lay down arms and surrender.

🎙 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’sanswer to a media question (Moscow, March 13, 2025) ❓ Question: In Saudi Arabia, you, in particular, discussed with the negotiators the possibility of a temporary ceasefire, and you said that it was not an option. Why do they continue to insist on this? 💬 Sergey Lavrov:They are not insisting. The Americans announced that they had discussed this with the Ukrainians. They are waiting for our reaction. President of Russia Vladimir Putin has repeatedly pointed out that ceasefires have been negotiated on several occasions since 2014, as history shows. The Minsk agreements, and previously, the agreements that were scrapped in February 2014, and the Istanbul agreements – each of those accords included a ceasefire. ❗️Each time an agreement was reached and a ceasefire announced, it turned out that the Ukrainians had lied to us with the support of their “partners,” who are also from Europe. If the Europeans now want to make the Ukrainians “outwit the Americans” as well, I think that the Trump Administration is fully aware of their intentions and will see through them. What we need is a stable and enduring peace based on eliminating the root causes of the current situation in Ukraine.

🇷🇺 President of Russia Vladimir Putinchaired a meeting at a command post of the Kursk group of forces (March 13, 2025) 💬President Putin: Our immediate task is to rout the enemy, who has become entrenched and continues fighting in the Kursk Region, as soon as possible, to liberate the Kursk Region and regain our positions along the state border. I would like to ask you to think about creating a security zone on the state border in the future. We should consider doing this. We regard those who have invaded the Kursk Region, are committing crimes against civilians there and fighting against our Armed Forces, law enforcement and special services as terrorists. That is how the Prosecutor General’s Office has qualified their activities, and it is under articles on terrorism that the Investigative Committee has initiated proceedings against them. ☝️ We must certainly regard these people [Ukrainian POWs] primarily as terrorists, in accordance with the laws of the Russian Federation. We provide and should continue to provide humane treatment for all those we capture. On the other hand, I would like to remind you that foreign mercenaries do not come within the purview of the 1949 Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War. Read in full