PRESS RELEASES AND NEWS
21.09.2018
Reply by the Embassy’s spokesperson to a media question regarding the Guardian piece on Julian AssangeQuestion: How would you comment on today’s Guardian article claiming that “Russian diplomats held secret talks to assess whether they could help Julian Assange flee the UK”?
Answer: This publication has nothing to do with the reality. The Embassy has never engaged either with Ecuadorian colleagues, or with anyone else, in discussions on any kind of Russia’s participation in ending Mr Assange’s stay within the diplomatic mission of Ecuador. As regards the idea that “the Kremlin was willing to offer support” to a secret plan by “allowing Assange to travel to Russia”, we are puzzled by the sensational attitude of the authors. Russia is always happy to welcome international guests if they arrive in a lawful manner and with good intentions.
As recently as 18 September, the Culture Secretary, Jeremy Wright, speaking at the Royal Television Society, called for increased efforts to combat media and online disinformation. Today’s Guardian piece is a brilliant example of the kind of journalism that the British reader should be protected from.
By the way, contrary to British media standards, the authors had not asked us for a comment when preparing their article. Let us hope that the Guardian will correct the omission by publishing this reply.
LATEST EVENTS
Assuming the worst about Russia’s motives seems to have become instinctive to some Western media. However one wonders whether twisting facts to fit the prearranged narrative may pose risks not just for editorial standards but indeed the safety and well-being of all Europeans.
On 15 August, YouTube deleted without warning 29 videos from the Embassy channel. Most of the videos were Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrei Kelin’s interviews dated from 3 March to 15 August 2022.
The Zaporozhye NPP was secured by Russian military servicemen at an early stage of the ongoing Special Military Operation with a clear objective – to prevent Ukrainian nationalist formations and foreign mercenaries from carrying out deliberately staged provocations and “false flag” attacks with predictably catastrophic consequences. The plant is run by the Ukrainian energy operator, but Russian military servicemen ensure the safety and security of the power plant.
Today, on the 14th anniversary of the beginning of Georgia’s military aggression against the people of South Ossetia and the Russian peacekeepers of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces in the zone of the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict, we yet again pay the tribute to the memory of the victims of that treacherous attack and to the courage of those who sacrificed their lives to save the South Ossetian people from extirpation.
Right during our meeting, alarming information is coming about the situation at the Zaporozhye NPP. Just two hours ago, the Ukrainian armed forces shelled the Zaporozhye NPP with large-caliber artillery. The shells hit the facility distributing electricity to the plant, which is fraught with the risk of its blackout.There is a fire in the area of the shelling as pipelines were damaged.
Nuclear disarmament is at the forefront of the international agenda. Despite visible progress in strategic arms reduction, the nuclear powers are accused of almost sabotaging their disarmament obligations. We cannot agree with this interpretation, at least with regard to the Russian Federation.
We held a Russia-ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ meeting. This is an annual event. We reviewed the implementation of the agreements reached at the Russia-ASEAN summit in the autumn of 2021 held via videoconference. The summit adopted an important document – the Comprehensive Plan of Action (CPA) to implement the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Russian Federation strategic partnership (2021–2025).
We held good talks with our colleagues from Myanmar. This year, we have intensively developed contacts in all areas. Our mechanisms for cooperation include the trade, economic, military, military-technical, humanitarian and education fields.
In over half a century of its existence, the Treaty has become a key element of the international system of security and strategic stability. The obligations stipulated by the Treaty in the areas of non-proliferation, disarmament, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy fully serve the interests of nuclear and non-nuclear-weapon states alike.
In response to the British government’s expanding list of personal sanctions on the leading representatives of Russia’s social and political circles, business and the media, Russia has included the British politicians, journalists, and businesspeople, who promote London’s hostile policy aimed at demonising Russia and isolating it internationally, on the Russian “stop list.”
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