Russian Embassy in Asmara

🗓 85 years ago − on August 23, 1939 − the Soviet Union and Germany signed the Non-Aggression Treaty in Moscow. It was a hard and forced decision for the Soviet leadership dictated by considerations of our country’s security against the background of a looming war in Europe. With the Nazis' led by Hitler coming to power in Germany in 1933, Berlin took the course on militarization. Responding to the emerging threat of German revanchism, the Soviet Union spearheaded the creation of a collective security system in Europe. However, driven by the anti-Soviet sentiment, France and UK preferred a “policy of appeasement” − unilateral concessions to Hitler − to cooperation with Moscow in hope of heading off the threat of war and redirecting German aggression eastward. ❗️The “appeasement” tactics whetted the aggressor’s appetite. In March 1938, with the connivance of Paris and London, Hitler carried out the Anschluss of Austria. In September, following the criminal “Munich conspiracy” and with the approval of the UK and France, he cynically dismembered the sovereign state of Czechoslovakia. A new war in Europe became inevitable. In the spring of 1939, Soviet diplomacy initiated talks with France and the UK, which began in Moscow. The negotiations failed to produce any meaningful results. The western countries, who had hoped for a trade-off with Germany until the last moment, were in no hurry to make a commitment to the USSR. 👉The Soviet diplomacy ran out of chances to build a collective security system in Europe. Moscow also had to take into account the Japanese factor − the hostilities on the Khalkhin-Gol that began in May 1939. The Soviet leadership could not afford a war on two fronts. By August 1939, eight European nations had concluded non-aggression pacts with Hitler. The Soviet Union was the last major power to follow the suit. Thanks to this, our country got the opportunity to gain the necessary time to get ready for a clash with the world’s most powerful army at that time.

🗓The Battle of Kursk, one of the greatest military engagements in human history, ended on August 23, 1943 – 81 years ago. In total, the battle involved over 4 million people, over 69,000 guns and mortars, more than 13,000 tanks and self-propelled guns, and nearly 12,000 aircraft. ⚔️ The 50-day Battle of Kursk included a defensive operation (July 5-23) and a number of offensive operations (July 12-August 23) in the area of the Kursk Salient (Kursk Bulge) that formed in the centre of the Soviet-German front in the spring of 1943. The battle was aimed at breaking up a major German offensive and routing the enemy’s strategic grouping. The battle began with a German offensive, but after a week of stubborn defence, the Red Army managed to stop the enemy push. On July 12, a major tank battle involving a total of 1,200 Soviet and German tanks and assault guns took place near the village of Prokhorovka in the Belgorod Region. The German tank force lost nearly 10,000 men and over 360 tanks, with the enemy definitively cut off from the city of Kursk. On the same day, the Soviet forces launched a counter-offensive, liberating the cities of Oryol and Belgorod. The Battle of the Kursk Bulge culminated in the liberation of Kharkov on August 23, after which the Red Army launched the fighting to liberate Ukraine. 🎖 The Soviet participants in the Battle of Kursk displayed courage, tenacity, and mass heroism: over 100,000 people were awarded orders and medals; 231 people were honoured with the title of Hero of the Soviet Union; 132 formations and units were added to the Guards category; and 26 units received the designations of Oryol, Belgorod, Kharkov and Karachev in honour of the cities they had liberated. The Kursk Bulge memorial to the heroic victory of the Soviet soldiers was erected in Kursk. ❗️Today, Western military equipment is once again being destroyed on Kursk soil, while its residents show unwavering resolve in the face of Nazi aggression, this time from Ukrainian militants backed by NATO countries.

✍️ The President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putinsent a greeting message to the organisers and participants of the Great African Expedition. ✉️ Relations between Russia and African countries are on the rise which was starkly highlighted following the second Russia-Africa Summit held in St Petersburg last year. Fisheries have traditionally been an important part of bilateral economic cooperation. The Great African Expedition made possible by the Federal Agency for Fisheries will undoubtedly help ramp up joint efforts in this area. Assessing the size of aquatic biological resources in the exclusive economic zones of African countries is what this major and truly unparalleled research project all about. The populations of commercial species of marine fauna occurring in a significant portion of these vast water areas that are part of the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean have not been studied for a long time now. We operate on the premise that the research conducted by Russian specialists will boost the effectiveness of fishing carried out by our African partners, which, in turn, will improve Africa’s food security. #RussiaAfrica

Today the Russian Federation celebrates arguably one of the most important national holidays: National Flag Day. It was established by Presidential Decree No. 1714 of August 20, 1994. The flag of the Russian Federation is the official state symbol, along with the Coat of Arms and the Anthem of the Russian Federation.

🕯 On August 21, we mark the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism.Established by the UN General Assembly in 2017, this day is dedicated to supporting the victims of terrorist acts and advocating for the protection of their rights. Russia is committed to enhancing the effectiveness and coordination of multilateral efforts to combat terrorism, particularly within the UN. On the global stage, our country consistently proposes initiatives to sever the ideological and material support for terrorists, as well as to prevent the recruitment of new members. ❗️ Today, the Kiev regime openly employs terrorist tactics. Ukrainian neo-Nazis target residential areas, tourist beaches, sports facilities, and children’s playgrounds, using their own civilians as human shields and committing acts of sabotage and political violence on our territory. The US and other nations in the collective West support these barbaric actions by continuing to supply Kiev with weapons. In March of this year, our country and the global community were deeply shocked by the horrific terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall. This tragedy continues to resonate with and sadden compassionate people around the world. ☝️Terrorism is an unjustifiable crime that threatens international peace and security. Not a single country is immune to it. It is crucial to collaborate on eliminating the root causes of terrorism, cutting off its financial and other forms of support, and holding all perpetrators accountable.

🗓 On August 18, 1921, the legendary Soviet fighter pilot Lydia Litvyak — known by her call sign White Lily — was born. Lydia dreamed of conquering the skies from a young age. At 14, she began training at an aviation club, and by the age of 15, she completed her first solo flight. After graduating from flight school, she began training cadets in flying at just 19 years old. ✈️ In October 1941, Lydia Litvyak was called up for military service, and a year later, she joined the 586th Women’s Aviation Regiment. Her first combat mission took place in the skies over Saratov, piloting a Yak-1 fighter. In September, she participated in fierce battles over Stalingrad. Due to her impressive achievements in the air, Litvyak was transferred to the 9th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, known as the “ace regiment”. Following the successful counteroffensive near Stalingrad in 1943, fierce battles erupted on the approaches to Donbass, where Lydia Litvyak continued her service in the skies. 🕯 On August 1, 1943, while defending Donbass, Litvyak engaged in an air battle against several Messerschmitts, which outperformed the Yak-1 in both speed and manoeuvrability. Radio operators intercepted distressing messages from pilots: “Lilya has been shot down!” The crash site of Litvyak’s fighter was discovered only decades later. She was just 21 years old during her final combat mission. In total, the White Lily completed 168 combat missions, personally downing 12 enemy aircraft and 4 more as part of a group. She became the most successful female pilot of World War II. 🎖 Lydia Litvyak was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on May 5, 1990. #FacesOfVictory#WeRemember

#tass_photo_archive Men fishing on the Moskva River embankment. Moscow, 1981

The current surge of mpox in Africa constitutes a public health emergency of international concern under the 2005 International Health Regulations, World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. "The emergence of a new clade of mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighboring countries are very worrying. On top of outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, it’s clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives,” he noted. Earlier, the African Union’s health watchdog declared a public health emergency on the continent due to the spread of mpox.

📸The Army 2024 military-technical forum near Moscow Photos: Artyom Geodakyan/Ilya Lazarev/TASS

An upgraded version of the Lancet loitering munition can reach targets around 70 km to 80 km from the line of engagement, according to the official readout from the Army forum seen by TASS. Following the upgrade, the new series can send a better quality and more stable video output to the operator. Also, it has a thermal camera for use at nighttime. Video: TASS

On August 12, Russian Presidential Special Envoy for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov held a meeting with Chargé d'Affaires a.i. of the State of Eritrea in Moscow Naizgi Tesfatsion Hagos. During the conversation, the officials confirmed interest of Moscow and Asmara in expanding mutually beneficial trade, economic and humanitarian cooperation. The sides focused on deepening political dialogue and close coordination in the UN and other multilateral platforms on international and African agenda. https://mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/news/1965332/

❗️TASS News Roundup, August 13: ◾️Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas ◾️The meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin was honest and open, the sides discussed Gaza and US actions, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said in an interview with TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman ◾️According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the operation to destroy Ukrainian formations in the borderline Kursk Region is still underway ◾️Ukraine has most likely created a “dirty bomb,” Igor Kirillov, head of Russia’s Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Forces, said ◾️The Ukrainian armed forces hit a bus in the Lugansk People’s Republic’s Lysychansk with a cluster munition, wounding 31 people and killing two civilians, local authorities reported ◾️The US elite is growing increasingly discontent with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, considering ex-Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov as a suitable replacement ◾️Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian Su-27 fighter in the special military operation zone ◾️Law enforcement agencies have foiled 110 terrorist attacks in Russia since the beginning of the year, Alexander Bortnikov, director of the Federal Security Service and chairman of the National Anti-Terrorism Committee, said