Posts of Russian Embassy to the UK

On National Unity Day, Vladimir Putin laid flowers at the monument to Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky in Moscow's Red Square The ceremony brought together representatives of religious denominations and members of non-governmental and youth organisations. Celebrated in Russia on November 4, National Unity Day marks the liberation of Moscow from foreign invaders by the people's volunteer army led by Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky in 1612.

🇷🇺 Russia marks National Unity Day on 4 November, recalling how, more than 400 years ago, the nation came together at one of the most difficult moments in its history. In the early 17th century, Russia was gripped by a period of turmoil known as the Time of Troubles. The country faced the threat of foreign occupation, internal divisions and the possible loss of its sovereignty. With its future at stake, people rallied behind merchant Kuzma Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky, forming a volunteer army that helped drive out foreign invaders and restore stability. The holiday serves as a reminder of what can be achieved when people stand together, even in the most challenging times. It also celebrates the values passed down through generations: love for the Motherland, respect for the country's history and a shared sense of responsibility for its future. That same spirit of unity and willingness to defend the homeland remains an important part of Russia's identity as a diverse, multi-ethnic nation.

☢️ Zaporozhskaya Nuclear Power Plant (#ZNPP): ⚡️ On November 3, a Ukrainian drone attacked a moving civilian car, killing two people. One of those killed was an employee of the Zaporozhskaya NPP. She became the third plant employee killed in the past two weeks and the thirteenth since April this year. Behind every such loss are family members, loved ones and colleagues. Our entire team shares this pain. ❗️ Attacks on civilian cars and the killing of civilians are deliberate acts of terrorism. Civilians must not be targeted. #KievRegimeCrimes

ℹ️ 28 ноября (суббота) планируется проведение выездной консульской сессии в Йорке. В ходе приёма можно будет оформить: - биометрические загранпаспорта (сроком действия 10 лет); - гражданство несовершеннолетним детям (по согласованию); - пенсионные справки. Также будут доступны некоторые нотариальные действия. Для регистрации просим направить копию лицевой страницы имеющегося российского загранпаспорта на электронную почту [email protected] и указать в тексте письма необходимые консульские услуги. Заявки принимаются до 23 ноября включительно. Время и место проведения выездной сессии сообщаются после проверки документов.

🎙 Russian MFA Spox Maria Zakharova's comment on the occasion of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists 💬 Over the years, the media landscape has become a theatre of military operations, where Western countries, desperately clinging to their former hegemony, are doing everything they can to suppress dissent and impose their own view of world events as the only correct one on countries of the Global South. This twisted logic divides journalists into "ours" and "theirs". The latter are subjected to an entire arsenal of coercive measures in an attempt to make them renounce their convictions and principles. The crackdown on Russian media by the West and its protégés in Ukraine, Moldova, and the Baltic countries has still not been met with an appropriate response from international organisations such as the UN OHCHR, UNESCO, the OSCE and others, not to mention various "human rights" NGOs. Senior officials from the secretariats of these organisations are usually from Western countries and continue to demonstrate an inability to act objectively and impartially. They turn a blind eye to restrictions imposed on Russian media outlets, remain unbothered by flagrant acts of violence against our media workers and refuse to document bloody crimes or hold the perpetrators accountable. Read in full

⚓ On 1 November 1899, the protected cruiser Varyag was launched to gain fame for her heroic battle against a Japanese squadron in 1904. When the Russo-Japanese War broke out, the cruiser was stationed in the neutral Korean port of Chemulpo. Captain 1st Rank Vsevolod Rudnev, commander of the Varyag, rejected Rear Admiral Uriu Sotokichi's ultimatum to surrender and decided to break a naval blockade to rejoin the Russian fleet at Port Arthur. During an unequal battle, the crew inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, however, the ship herself suffered serious damage and was scuttled by order of the commander to prevent the foe from capturing the Varyag. The cruiser was raised and commissioned into service as Japan’s training ship until repurchased by the Russian Empire. In 1920, while being transported after repairs, she ran aground near the Scottish village of Lendalfoot. In 2007, a three-metre-high bronze cross featuring the image of the Varyag was erected on the shore of the Firth of Clyde. 🕯Diplomats of the Russian Consulate General in Edinburgh regularly visit the memorial to pay tribute to the extraordinary feat of the Russian seamen.

⚡️ Russia's High Commissioner for Human Rights Yana Lantratova: ❗️ Our humanitarian mission in #Alyoshki has concluded. The convoys are now heading to their respective destinations. Those who decided to leave for Ukraine have been given the opportunity to do so. We will provide accommodation and the necessary support to residents staying in Russia. We delivered all the essential supplies and arranged safe passage out of the city. However, people still have much to resolve – medical treatment, housing, documents and reunification with their loved ones. We will help them. We also remain in contact with those who stayed in Alyoshki to keep track of their further needs. *** ❗️ I propose making humanitarian missions coordinated by US First Lady Melania Trump a regular practice. Our experience in Alyoshki and our joint work with my counterpart Dmitry Lubinets have shown that such agreements make it possible to help people even in the most difficult conditions. It is important to continue this work wherever civilians are waiting for support. I thank President of Russia Vladimir Putin, our Defence Ministry, the relevant services and our military personnel for helping carry out the mission and ensuring people’s safety. 🙏 Special thanks go to Melania Trump for her assistance and coordination.

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🎙 Highlights from the press conference by President Vladimir Putin and Chairperson of the African Union, President of Burundi Evariste Ndayishimiye following the Third Russia–Africa Summit (Moscow, 29 October 2026) • Russia and Africa are natural partners in the efforts to create a new, fairer and multipolar world. We maintain close foreign policy coordination and engage actively through bilateral and multilateral channels. • Russia is sincerely committed to building a truly strategic and multifaceted partnership with Africa. We are encouraged to see that our African friends are equally committed to working together, hand in hand. • Russia has never considered African nations as territories to be competed over. Throughout history, African countries have been friends of our country. We have not pursued any colonial policies. It is the opposite: we helped them to liberate themselves from the colonial yoke. • There are people in Europe who do not want to inflict a "strategic defeat" on Russia, as some do, but want to establish some kind of constructive dialogue. And we support any steps aimed at restoring full-fledged relations with European countries. • We do not want any war with Europe. And if someone wants one, let them prepare. But they have not achieved their goal of inflicting a "strategic defeat" on Russia now, and it is unlikely to be possible by 2030. And if it goes too far, there will be no winners at all. Read in full

🎙 Excerpt from Russian MFA Spox Maria Zakharova's weekly briefing (Moscow, 28 October 2026) ❓ Question: The UK Defence Secretary, Wes Streeting, has urged the British public to prepare for war within 1,000 days. Although he did not explicitly name Russia as an adversary, he did mention it as a potential opponent. Should this statement be interpreted as an explicit declaration by London of its intention to go to war with Russia within that timeframe? 💬 Maria Zakharova: This is yet another attempt to whip up hysteria in British society, including through the Russophobic myth of a supposed "Russian threat". To a large extent, this is probably being done to make it easier to demand certain things of the British public and justify certain policies to them. For instance, why there is insufficient funding to improve the socio-economic situation and healthcare or why the country's space programmes are failing to develop. Returning to the statement in question, it is clear that all these manipulations serve the specific interests of certain groups in the UK and across Europe. These are, broadly speaking, the people running the military-industrial companies. Their appetites have grown considerably. They have simply caught the scent of enormous sums of money once again.

⚡️ Russia's High Commissioner for Human Rights Yana Lantratova: The ceasefire in the humanitarian mission area in Alyoshki remains in effect. No incidents have been reported. Both the Russian and Ukrainian sides are fully honouring their commitments. We are on our way to Alyoshki with my Ukrainian counterpart Dmitry Lubinets. Together, we are coordinating the implementation of the agreements reached with the assistance and coordination of US First Lady Melania Trump. This mission was made possible in large part thanks to our servicemen and the Russian Defence Ministry. Military engineers surveyed and cleared mines from the roads so that the humanitarian convoy could reach Alyoshki. ☝️ It is especially important now to maintain the ceasefire. The safety of civilians and mission participants depends on each side acting responsibly. *** 👉 25 buses with a total capacity of at least 750 passengers have been prepared to ensure the safe, voluntary evacuation of Alyoshki residents. Transport for people with limited mobility, nine ambulances and more than 50 medical personnel have also been arranged. Humanitarian aid has been collected based on requests from the residents themselves. ❗️ The priority now is to deliver essential supplies and help those who have decided to leave.

🎙 Excerpt from Russian MFA Spox Maria Zakharova's weekly briefing (Moscow, 28 October 2026) 💬 The Storm Shadow issue continues to symbolise Britain's involvement in the Ukraine conflict, starkly exposing the cynicism and hypocrisy of British foreign policy. When the idea of sending these weapons to the Kiev regime was first voiced in 2023, London claimed that they would only be used within Ukraine's "internationally recognised territory", even though they knew that this means Russian territory [...] But later British politicians seemed to suffer a sudden bout of amnesia and forgot their assurances, saying that they cannot influence Ukrainians, and that they only approved the transfer of technology to the Kiev regime, and the Ukrainian army's use of these missiles to target civilian infrastructure far away from the front line is Ukraine's "sovereign decision". The case of Storm Shadow is clear evidence of the United Kingdom's commitment to deepening the crisis and escalating the war until the last Ukrainian, with the aim of inflicting the greatest possible damage on our country. As for settling the conflict and ensuring a just and lasting peace, which remains a popular talking point in London, the UK authorities never think about that. Read in full

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🎙 Highlights from President Vladimir Putin's remarks at the Third Russia – Africa Summit (Moscow, 29 October 2026) • Russia has been and remains interested in seeing African countries defend their sovereignty, develop with confidence and strengthen their economies and social spheres. • Russian businesses consistently demonstrate integrity, respect and good faith in their cooperation with African partners. They work on an equal footing with their partners and, rather than extracting profits as the former colonial powers once did: they invest and reinvest their earnings in the development of Africa's economies. • Russia is a reliable supplier of food and agricultural products to African markets, making a tangible contribution to ensuring food security across the continent. In particular, we supplied more than 18 million tonnes of grain to Africa in 2025, followed by another 13 million tonnes in the first nine months of 2026 alone. • Russia annually allocates the necessary funds to the budget of the UN World Food Programme for projects supporting the agricultural sector in African countries, and regularly provides humanitarian aid free of charge to African states in need. • Russia advocates for a more equitable representation of African states in the global decision-making system, including in the UN Security Council and in international financial institutions. Read in full

💬 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov: We know that some of our friends in Africa were strongly discouraged from travelling to Russia. Political pressure, blackmail and threats to cut aid programmes were employed, as was the spread of fake news [...] Despite these unscrupulous Western manipulations, we are genuinely pleased that the overwhelming majority of our friends have come to the summit and are playing an active role in its proceedings. Africa is experiencing what we call a second awakening. In the 1960s, when the process of decolonisation began, with our country playing a major role, the primary goal was political independence. Today, having achieved political independence, Africans are seeking to secure economic, energy, and financial sovereignty. Russia will always be an ally of African countries on this path. We are ready to continue sharing our expertise and helping to strengthen your independence and sovereignty. This is an objective historical trend towards a multipolar world. Excerpt from FM Lavrov's remarks at a working breakfast with foreign ministers from African countries (Moscow, 28 October 2026)

⚡️ Russia's High Commissioner for Human Rights Yana Lantratova: Mine clearance is underway in Alyoshki along routes for humanitarian aid deliveries and the evacuation of civilians. This is essential for carrying out the humanitarian mission. We continue preparations together with my Ukrainian counterpart Dmitry Lubinets, with mediation and coordination by US First Lady Melania Trump. Ensuring safe passage along these roads so that people can leave the city is now critical. This is where we are focusing our efforts. We continue working to implement the agreements reached, save lives and help residents. ☝️ A ceasefire has been in effect in designated areas since October 27. Both the Russian and Ukrainian sides are observing it.

🎙 Key takeaways from President Vladimir Putin's remarks at the Plenary Session of the Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum (Moscow, 28 October 2026) • Africa is increasingly asserting itself as one of the poles of the global economy and politics. The continent is experiencing a new awakening: its sovereignty is growing stronger, as are its influence and standing in the world. • Western countries are making aggressive attempts to drive Africans back into financial bondage, imposing on them the financial resources they so desperately need on extortionate terms, which force them to pay back many times over to service and repay such debts, to the detriment of their long-term development plans. • Russia has consistently advocated strengthening Africa's role in governance and in key decision-making within the multilateral development institutions • Africa needs solutions that will allow it to dispose of its resources at its own discretion, direct them to urgent needs, and accumulate serious capital and long-term investment in energy, industry, transport and logistics. This would help the continent finally to throw off the shackles of the colonial legacy. • Russia is one of the most reliable guarantors of food security on the African continent. Russian fertilisers and grain are already being supplied to more than 40 African countries [...] In the first nine months of 2026, Russia exported 13 million tonnes of agricultural produce to Africa. Read in full

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