🎙Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks at the 46th meeting of the Council of Heads of Constituent Entities of the Russian Federation under the Russian Foreign Ministry on interregional cooperation with African countries(April 8, 2026, Moscow)
💬 Russia and Africa are bound by long-standing and close ties.
Today, the countries of the continent are striving to finally overcome the remnants of colonial dependence and to strengthen their national sovereignty, above all in the economic and financial spheres.
Those who describe the current period as Africa’s “second awakening” after the decolonisation of the 1960s are right. It was then that political independence was proclaimed, above all thanks to the decisive role of the Soviet Union, which promoted the relevant declarations at the UN.
☝️Recent years have shown that neo-colonial dependence has by no means disappeared. Economically and financially, in terms of control over trade routes and financial flows, Africa still does not enjoy full independence and continues, in economic terms, to serve as a source of raw materials.
👉The lion’s share of added value is still generated elsewhere – to a large extent, and decisively so, in the former metropolitan powers.
African partners spoke about this more than once at the two Russia-African Union summits held in Sochi in 2019 and in St Petersburg in 2023. The decisions adopted at those summits should serve as guidelines in preparing for the next summit, which we plan to hold later this year.
All this will contribute to Africa’s economic emancipation, ensure that it reaps the proper returns and benefits from its natural resources, and support the emergence of the African continent as one of the centres of the rising #MultipolarWorld.
🤝 I would like to stress in particular that we are restoring our presence on the African continent fairly rapidly, after it declined sharply during the breakup of the Soviet Union. At present, Russia has 45 embassies operating across the continent, with four more set to open in the near future.
The key upcoming event on the foreign policy calendar is the third Russia-Africa Summit. It is due to be held in Moscow – this has been agreed – in late October this year. Preparations are currently underway. We count on the active participation of Russian regions in the relevant thematic sessions of this summit.
I would once again like to underscore the special importance we attach to the interregional dimension of Russia-Africa relations. It is a solid foundation which, as it grows stronger, helps ensure the steady development of relations with our partners at the national level.
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⚡️🇷🇺🇺🇦⚡️ Two Majors #Summary for the Morning of 15 March 2025; 06:29 (GMT+3)⚡️
🛡More than 20 UAVs were downed by air defence and EW means over the #Voronezh region at night. The governor of the #Bryansk region also reported that an UAV attack had been repelled. Local media reported explosions (15-20) over #Volgograd, with one drone downed near 'Sarepta Station.' The likely target was the local oil refinery, with footage of a fire emerging. During the day, a drone crashed in the centre of #Dzhankoy (#Crimea), injuring 2 women. The UAV damaged a café, and shrapnel struck 2 private houses and a church. There were 3 wounded.
🎯 Russian Forces, in turn, targeted industrial zones and the port in #Odessa and its surroundings with Geranium drones. A fire broke out at an electrical substation following one of the strikes, and the regional administration reported that #Chernomorsk (#Ilyichevsk) was completely blacked out due to damage to the energy infrastructure. The enemy also reported strikes on #Chernigov, #Pavlograd, #Cherkassy, #Starokonstantinov, the Bogodukhovsky district of the #Kharkov region, as well as the #Vinnitsa and #Kiev regions.
🔹 In #Kursk Region, the destruction of remaining enemy forces attempting to retreat into the #Sumy region continues. Trump has stated that thousands of AFU militants are encircled. The final settlements left to be liberated are #Gogolevka, #Gornal, #Oleshnya, and #Guyevo. The enemy is striking liberated territories. AFU Nazis targeted the local history museum in #Sudzha, an architectural monument from the late 19th century. A museum employee, who had remained in the city during the occupation and had come to inspect the building, was killed. 2 other employees were wounded. Since 12 March, 209 residents have been evacuated from the liberated settlements. Amid the Russian Army’s advance and the Supreme Command’s objective of creating a buffer zone, mandatory evacuation has begun in 8 villages near the border in the #Yunakovka and #Miropolye communities of the #Sumy region. Russian forces have already pushed into enemy territory towards #Basovka and #Zhuravka.
Until demining operations are completed, the authorities in the region have imposed temporary entry restrictions in 122 settlements across 6 districts bordering #Ukraine.
🔹 In the North of #Kupyansk Direction, reports indicate clashes with AFU forces near #Figolevka on the right bank of the Oskol.
🔹 In #Pokrovsk Direction, fighting continues near #Udachnoye, #Kotlino, #Peschanoye, #Shevchenko, and #Tarasovka. The enemy claims that Russian units, freed up after the liberation of #Konstantinovka, have been redeployed to #Pokrovsk to increase pressure.
🔹 On the #Vremyevka Ledge, the 'Group of Troops East' continues advancing towards #Bogatyr west of the village. Fighting is ongoing in the areas of #Dneproenergiya and #Burlatskoye.
🔹 On the #Zaporozhye Front, reports indicate Russian success near #Shcherbaki and #MalyeShcherbaki.🗺👆Russian units continue to assault enemy positions in the forest plantations. From the southern side, airborne troops have entered #Shcherbaki, assaulting enemy fortifications and strongpoints. The enemy has pulled back its main forces, leaving observation posts in the village manned with machine gun and rifle crews, supported by artillery and kamikaze drones. #Shcherbaki is nearly cleared. Assault groups of the Russian Airborne Forces are advancing from the south towards #MalyeShcherbaki and from the east towards #Shcherbaki.
💥 In #Belgorod Region, the enemy continues heavy strikes.
#Valuyki, #Kukuyevka, #Murom, #Shebekino, #Tishanka in the Volokonovsky district, and #YasnyeZori in the Belgorod district are under attack.
💥 In #Gorlovka (#DPR), a Nazi drone strike injured a 1951-born woman and a 1981-born man. A 1970-born man was injured by enemy barrel artillery.
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🇺🇦⚔️ Ukraine Fronts on the Morning of 5 April⚡️
🔴#Sumy Direction:
🔴In #Sudzha Sector, to the west on Ukrainian soil, the battles for #Veselovka and #Zuravka continue.
🟡#Basovka has reportedly been captured by Russian forces {3rd black⬆️}.
🟡 In #Kursk region, the AFU still controls #Oleshnya. South of #Guyevo, there is reportedly fighting along the road to 'St. Nicholas Monastery' which is part of AFU controlled #Gornal.
🔴In #KrasnayaYaruga Sector, the villages of #Popovka and #Demidovka remain contested. Fighting continues.
🗺 All on Map 1
🔴#Kharkov Direction:
🔴In #Liptsy and #Volchansk Sections, positional battles, no change.
🔴#Svatovo Front:
🔴 In #Kupyansk Sector, intense fighting in the area of Oskol bridgeheads north of the city:
#Kamenka has been entered by Russians troops.
🗺 Map 2
🟡 For #Figolevka, to the south, reportedly the battle has begun again. About 2 weeks ago the AFU recaptured the settlement.
🟡 In #Kondrashovka's northeastern part, fighting continues, as well to its northwest in nearby #MalayaShapkovka's southeastern part (unconfirmed).
🔴 In #Borovaya Sector, without changes.
🔴In #Liman Sector, battles are taking place west of #BalkaZhuravka. The RFAF took #Novolyubovka. To the west, fighting towards #Novoye and #Katerinovka continues.
🔴For #Seversk Sector, no news.
🔴#ChasovYar Direction:
🔴In #ChasovYar and #Toretsk Sectors, without major changes.
🔴#Pokrovsk Direction:
🔴 On the right Flank, the battle for #Tarasovka is ongoing. Otherwise no major changes.
🔴 South of the City, the situation is reportedly as follows:
🟡 Near #SukhoyYar (AFU controlled), there are positional battles.
🟡#Lysovka is mostly under Russian control, with exception of its northwestern part.
🟡 At #Zelenoye' northeastern outskirts, there are counter-fights.
🟡 At #Novoukrainka, Russian forces press towards the settlement.
🟡#Shevchenko is RFAF controlled.
🟡 Northeast of #Peschanoye and in #Zverevo, Russian assault units are attacking.
🟡 In #Kotlino's northwestern part, counterattacks take place. The AFU try unsuccessfully to enter the settlement's industrial zone (which should be east of the mostly AFU controlled village).
🔴 On the left Flank, reportedly fierce counterbattles in the area of #Udachnoye. RFAF assault units are restoring the situation in the village's northern part and have made significant progress in the residential area towards the central part.
🟡#Uspenovka, according to RF MoD claims, shall been taken.
🔴#Komar Direction:
🔴In #Bogatyr Sector, fighting at #Andreyevka and for #Konstantinopol continued. Near #Bogatyr, the RFAF reportedly extended their control zone.
🔴 In #Komar Sector, no major changes.
🔴#Zaporozhye Direction:
🔴In the #Orekhov Section, the RFAF advanced along the forest belts south of #Kamenskoye to a depth of up to 500 m. Otherwise no major changes.
💥 In the #DPR, the AFU struck #Gorlovka, killing a woman and wounding 5 more civilians.
💥 In #Kherson Direction, the AFU struck several villages, wounding civilians.
💥#OldRussia:
🔵 In #Bryansk Region, the AFU damaged a PS in the village of #Lemeshovka, violating the agreement. Also several villages and an agricultural enterprise have been attacked.
🟡 In#Samara region, UAVs hit the 'JSC Promsintez Plant' in #Chapayevsk, which produces explosives.
🟡 In the Republic of #Mordovia, UAVs have hit the 'JSC Optic Fiber Systems Plant' in #Saransk, crucial for the RF defence industry.
📸 Picture
💥#RestUkraine:
🔵 The RFAF struck targets in #Kiev, #Zhitomir, #Sumy, #Vinnitsa and #Cherkassy regions at night.
🟡 In #KrivoyRog, there was a massive UAV attack. Claims on an alleged missile strike are contradictory, the published footage does not allow the incident to be assessed.
🎬 Video
⚠️ The Term 'Reportedly' indicates that it is unconfirmed!
🗺 Maps @olegtsarov; @petrenko_iHS
📋 Sources: CC; Tsarov; 🇺🇦Fiend;⚡️2M;🐈Cat😼VK
🕰As of 5 Apr 2025; 06:36 GMT+3;📃4 Apr
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🇺🇦⚔️ Ukraine Fronts on the Morning of 29 March⚡️
🔴#Sumy Direction:
🔴 At #Bryansk Border, mutual strikes.
🔴In #Sudzha Sector, to the west on Ukrainian soil, reportedly the RFAF is about to expand the zone of control on a broad front from #Vladimirovka up to #Basovka:
🟡#Vladimirovka- contested;
🟡#Vodolagi - AFU {2nd blue⬆️};
🟡#Veselovka - taken by the RFAF {1st black⬆️};
🟡#Belovody - AFU {3rd blue⬆️};
🟡#Zhuravka - contested;
🟡#Basovka - contested.
🟡#Novenkoye, RFAF {1st red⬆️}.
🟡 In #Kursk region, reportedly, Russian forces advanced from the 'Border Checkpoint' {3rd red arrow} further south and have entered #Oleshnya 4th blue⬅️}.
🟡#Gogolevka, is reportedly RFAF controlled {2nd red⬇️}.
🟡 In #Guyevo, Russians filmed their presence in the village's north and fights further south {4th black⬅️}.
🎬 Video 1
🟡#Gornal remains under AFU control.
🔴In #KrasnayaYaruga Sector, militants enter #Popovka regularly up to its eastern part under RFAF fire {5th black↙️}.
🗺 Map 2
🟡 In #Demidovka, the AFU controls ca. 50% of the village.
🟡 At #Grafovka, lull.
🟡 At #Prilesye as well.
🗺 All on Map 1
🔴 In #Kharkov Direction, without changes.
🔴#Svatovo Front:
🔴 In #Kupyansk Sector, far north, Russian troops advanced in #Krasnoye1st. RF MoD claims its takeover. Further south, reportedly:
🟡#MalayaShapkovka has been entered;
🟡#Kondrashovka was taken and
🟡#Tischenkovka has been entered.
🔴 In #Borovaya, #Liman and #Seversk Sectors, and...
🔴#ChasovYar Direction, no major changes.
🔴#Pokrovsk Direction:
🔴 On the right Flank, far to the east, battles continue in the #Panteleymonovka area. To the west, for #Tarasovka.
🔴 South of the City, most of #Lysovka is RFAF controlled.
🔴 On the left Flank, the fighting (afore called clearing) continues in #Uspenovka.
🟡 In #Novoaleksandrovka, the battle for the village reportedly goes on.
🟡#Kotlyarovka has been approached by Russian troops. The AFU counterattack.
🟡 At #Bogdanovka, the RFAF advanced to the southern edge of the village.
🔴#Komar Direction:
🔴In #Bogatyr Sector (afore 'Konstantinopol Sector'), the RFAF advanced north of #Andreyevka in westerly direction and closed half of the pocket. Fighting continues to the west of the village (remember, previously the Russians were driven out of positions further west near #Alekseyevka).
🟡 In #Konstantinopol, Russian troops are still trying to regain control over the settlement. The AFU counterattack.
🟡 In #Razliv, the battle has reportedly shifted to the centre.
🟡On #Bogatyr, the RFAF are advancing on a broad front from the south.
🔴 In #Komar Sector, Russian troops move on #Otradnoye, located west of #Bogatyr. To the west, the battle for #Vesyoloye continue.
🔴#Zaporozhye Direction:
🔴In #Orekhov Section, positional fights in the are of#MalayaTokmachka - #Rabotino area. Further west reportedly:
🟡 In #Shcherbaki, the battle continues with varying success.
🟡 In #MalyeShcherbakito the west, the RFAF try to get full control of the village.
🟡 In #Stepovoye, further west, the clashes continued.
🟡 In #Lobkovoye as well.
🟡#Pyatikhatki remains RFAF controlled.
🔴 In #Kherson Direction, the RFAF shelled AFU positions, the AFU, in turn, villages.
💥#Russia:
🔵 The AFU struck the 'Transmash Plant' in #Donetsk (#DPR); in #Lugansk (#LPR), the 'Industrial Zone'; in #Belgorod region, #Stroitel and several villages; and in #Kursk Region, again the 'Sudhza Gas Metering Station' and finished it off.
🎬 Video 2
💥#RestUkraine:
🔵 The RFAF, in turn, struck targets in the #Kiev, #Vinnitsa, #Zhitomir, #Kharkov, #Sumy, #Nikolayev, #Cherkassy, #Poltava, and #Chernigov regions, as well as in #Dnepropetrovsk.
⚠️ The Term 'Reportedly' indicates that it is unconfirmed!
🎞Vids Source 1; Source 2;
🗺 Maps @olegtsarov; @creamy_caprice
📋 Sources: CC; Tsarov; ⚡️2M;
🇺🇦Fiend;😼Kotenok
🕰As of 29 Mar 2025; 06:44 GMT+3;📃28 Mar
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