Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka

🎉 On September 18, the Grand opening of the Russian Language Center at the largest higher education institution of Sri Lanka - University of Sri Jayewardenepura - took place. The project has become reality through collaboration with the Ural State University of Economics (Yekaterinburg, Russia). 💎 The center offers comprehensive almost 1-year Russian language courses. Henceforth young passionate Sri Lankans who desire to delve into the world of Russian culture can start their journey now. They can undergo these courses in order to join higher education in Russia or use the new learnt skills for their future activities in Sri Lanka. Taking into consideration the average share of Russian tourists on the ever-green island, the center graduates will definitely benefit the Sri Lankan economy with immediate effect.

🎙️️ Excerpt from the speech of President of Russia Vladimir Putin at the Plenary Session of the IV Eurasian Women's Forum (Saint Petersburg, September 18, 2024): 💬 Speaking before an audience of female leaders from around the world, I would be remiss not to recognise the immense contribution that Russian women are making towards achieving our national development goals. More often than not, they drive the efforts to carry out projects that are critically important for improving the quality of life and standards of living in our country, supporting families, protecting their interests, and, more broadly, upholding our traditional values. I would like to take this opportunity and thank all women of Russia for their work for the good of society and their incredible energy of creation. I am confident that heads of states that are represented at the forum share my sentiments and can express gratitude to women from their respective countries, because life has provided us with compelling evidence that progress, well-being, and harmony which are mandatory pillars of a truly prosperous world cannot be achieved without women. Dear friends, Russia is traditionally respectful of women. In this regard, our state policy relies on the National Strategy of Action in the Interests of Women. Several initiatives have been put forward towards this end, and proper conditions are being created for women to succeed professionally while remaining guardians of the hearth and lynchpins of large families with many children. We know that combining these roles is a challenge, but our women cope with it and, despite being confronted with rigorous workloads, they manage to remain beautiful, caring, and charming ladies. They possess a secret that men are unable to fathom. Here is what I would like to add to this. Women in Russia work in almost all fields. Female entrepreneurship is making wide strides. Last year alone, the number of female entrepreneurs grew by almost a third to six million women now running their own businesses in Russia. In every field of choice, women are highly responsible operators who strive to discover the truth of the matter they are dealing with, to think outside the box, and to take every nuance into consideration when making decisions. I wish productive work to the participants and guests of the forum. I am convinced that the 4th Eurasian Women’s Forum will be a success and bring good results, give rise to new ideas and projects, and boost cooperation and mutual understanding on our planet. I wish you good health and all the best. I wish you success for the benefit of peace, creation, and progress. Thank you for your time. I hope you will have the chance to get to know St Petersburg. Thank you very much. All the best! 📄 Read in full #EWF2024

🇷🇺 🇱🇰 On September 16, Ambassador Levan Dzhagaryan received the group of representatives of Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation headed by Mr. Vladimir Rogov and the member of Central Election Commission of Russia Mr. Yevgeny Shevchenko. They arrived in Colombo on the invitation of Sri Lanka as observers at the presidential elections. The delegates presented the goals they are planning to pursue during their mission. Ambassador in his turn wished full success in monitoring local democratic processes while emphasizing that Russia never meddles in internal affairs of other countries. When briefing the observers on the current political situation on the island Mr. Levan Dzhagaryan also expressed respect for the future choice of Sri Lankan people and hope that coming leadership will follow the present neutral and balanced foreign policy.

🗓 On September 17, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Mirjana Spoljaric who is in Russia to participate in the 6th Eurasian Women’s Forum to be held in Saint Petersburg on September 18-20. The participants of the meeting focused on humanitarian response priorities in the Middle East, the Horn of Africa and the Sahel, as well as Europe and Asia. An in-depth exchange of views centered on ICRC’s activities in Russia. Numerous violations of international humanitarian law by Ukraine, including the treatment of prisoners of war and civilians, were brought to Ms Spoljaric’s attention. The Parties agreed to promote cooperation further. During her stay in Moscow, Mirjana Spoljaric met with Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova; Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova; and President of the Russian Red Cross Pavel Savchuk.

Russia has never rejected peace negotiations ⛔️ but it will not tolerate any military presence of NATO close to its borders.

❗️Continuation of the story with Russian potash for Sri Lanka blocked in Riga. Latvian and other European countries had better not to mislead the Global South and cease to undermine the world food security.

⚓️ “Ocean-2024”, the first naval exercise of such a scale over the past 30 years, was held by the Russian Armed Forces. It was conducted simultaneously in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, as well as in the Mediterranean, Caspian and Baltic seas, and involved the Navy and long-range and military transport aviation. Ships and aircraft of the People’s Liberation Army of China and representatives from 15 other countries in an observers capacity also took part in this exercise. Here are some photos of the drills in Vladivostok.

🇷🇺 The Pushkin State Russian Language Institute has launched the XX International Olympiad on the Russian language for foreign students. Participants are foreign students of high schools (including schools with the Russian language) as well as individuals aged from 14 to 18 years. 🥇 The final competition will be held on October 30, 2024 - November 3, 2024. First place winners will be rewarded by free month education course in the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute. ✔️To register visit pushkininstitute.ru and fill in participant's application on https://olympiada.pushkininstitute.ru/XX/ until the end of day 22 September, 2024.

Уважаемые росграждане, прибывающие на Шри-Ланке! В связи с запланированными на 21 сентября 2024 г. президентскими выборами призываем в день голосования, а также в последующий период проявлять максимальную бдительность про перемещении по острову, избегать массовых скоплений людей, в случае возникновения ситуаций, угрожающих вашей жизни и здоровья уведомлять об этом дежурного консула Посольства по телефону +94 (77) 728 7988 (WhatsApp).

⚡️ Foreign Ministry Official Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova’s comment on the US’s most recent restrictions on Russian media 💬 As the United States continues to pursue a strict policy of total extermination of any dissent, the country launched another wave of restrictions against the Russian media and journalists. On September 13, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced new sanctions against two Russian media holding companies, Rossiya Segodnya (RIA Novosti and Sriaputnik), autonomous non-profit organisation TV-Novosti (RT television channel and Ruptly video agency) and Eurasia NGO. The designations include Director General of Rossiya Segodnya Dmitry Kiselev and Head of Eurasia Nelly Parutenko. Importantly, the previous round of sanctions was announced just a few days ago, on September 4. At that time, restrictive measures were imposed against the same media outlets and RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan, as well as a number of other RT employees. The US law enforcement agencies have joined the persecution of Russian journalists with particular zeal. The house of an RT journalist was recently searched by about 20 FBI agents, who also subjected the Russian woman to humiliating procedures, in a blatant manifestation of lawlessness sanctioned from above. The Russian channel employee had to hastily leave the country fearing for her safety and health. More far-fetched charges have been brought against a number of Russian media employees and even US citizens who had the courage to appear on Russian media broadcasts. If arrested, they may face long prison sentences. The current US administration is trying to justify the unprecedented repression against the Russian media in an extremely cynical manner by fighting against their “interference” in domestic political affairs. In fact, what we are witnessing is another politically motivated campaign, a witch hunt where deliberately fostered fear and spy mania are used by the ruling circles in the United States to manipulate public opinion and shield the population from any unwanted information. ☝️ Moreover, this time, Washington is trying to pose as the “guardian” of social stability and the integrity of democratic processes, while using totalitarian censorship practices not only in the country, but also far beyond its borders. Having finally trampled on its international obligations to ensure the pluralism of opinion and even the provisions of its own Constitution, the United States has actually declared war on freedom of speech around the world, now resorting to open threats and blackmail against other states in its effort to pitch them against the Russian media and establish sole control over the global information landscape. They seem unable to come to terms with the growing popularity of Russian media in many countries as opposed to the one-sided and false picture of what is happening around the world painted by the Western mainstream media. This is Washington’s way to extend the notorious Monroe Doctrine to the media sphere. We harbour no illusions about the rampant censorship in the United States ever being given a proper assessment by the relevant international organisations, whose activity is orchestrated by Washington. At the same time, we qualify their silence as approval of this practice and de facto complicity in the lawless actions against the Russian media. ❗️The actions of the American administration will not go unanswered.