Russian Embassy in South Africa

Russian Foreign Ministry 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 Sputnik), autonomous non-profit organisation TV-Novosti (RT television channel and Ruptly video agency) and Eurasia NGO. Importantly, the previous round of sanctions was announced just a few days ago, on September 4. 👉 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. ❌ 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. ☝️ 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. #freedomofspeech

Russia pays 44% of its imports in rubles 36% of Russian imports are settled in currencies of friendly nations, with only 20% using "toxic" currencies, according to the data from the Russian Central Bank analyzed by Russian media agency @SputnikInt 📈 This shift towards the ruble is driven by a significant increase in its usage in transactions with: ➖ Africa, where it has reached 76% (up from 54% in June); ➖ Asia, with 40%; ➖ The Caribbean, with 22%. 📈 On the export side, the ruble is used in: ➖ 99% of transactions with the Caribbean; ➖ 81% of payments with Oceania; ➖ 80% of operations with Africa; ➖ 66% of transactions with Europe. For over two years, Russia has been strategically shifting its trade towards the ruble and the currencies of the friendly countries. This effort has effectively dethroned the dollar and euro, which were the dominant currencies used in transactions before February 2022.

US professor and economist Jeffrey Sachs says #BRICS must champion education & cooperation, while blasting US confrontational stance Jeffrey Sachs, a world-renowned economist, emphasized the vital importance of education and government cooperation in creating a peaceful and sustainable world. 💬 Speaking to participants at the #BRICS Urban Future Forum in Moscow on September 18, he underscored the necessity of large-scale infrastructure and services, such as education and healthcare, stating that these initiatives "cannot be done on a piecemeal basis." Furthermore, Sachs criticized the confrontational stance of the United States, arguing that international relations should be guided by cooperation rather than competition. "We need cooperation, not confrontation," he stated, urging governments to prioritize improvements in quality of life over engaging in conflicts that jeopardize global stability. #TheyAboutUs

❗️Former U.S. intelligence officer and ex-UN inspector Scott Ritter has announced that he is no longer working with Russian media outlets, including RT and Sputnik, due to U.S. sanctions. In a post on X, he stated, “Department of the Treasury in levying new sanctions against RT, Sputnik, and other Russian media organizations has made it impossible for me to continue my work as an outside contributor for RT and Sputnik, as well as participating in interviews and other collaborations with other Russian media.” Ritter emphasized that his work with the Russian press was a model of “legitimate journalism,” claiming that his materials were “factually correct and analytically reliable.” “

Nonetheless, I am fully committed to obeying US law, and as such will be terminating all contractual relationships with both RT and Sputnik effective immediately, as well as suspending my participation in any and all media interaction with sanctioned individuals and organizations until which time it is deemed lawful to do so by US authorities”, he added.

P.S. Scott Ritter is known for regularly criticizing Washington's foreign policy including the U.S. involvement in Ukrainian conflict.

Moscow hosts #BRICS Urban Future Forum 🌐 The 2024 Cloud City #BRICS International Innovation Forum has kicked off in Moscow on September 18 in a two-day event that brings together more than 5,000 participants from over 30 countries. The event, also known as the #BRICS Urban Future Forum, is attended by managers, entrepreneurs, urbanists, as well as members of the scientific community and public organizations from former Soviet republics, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.

They will participate in the discussion "with political and business decision-makers to help identify growth areas and create synergies among BRICS cities, organizations and companies", according to the forum’s website.

👉 This year’s forum is being held under the “Harmonious Development: The Future of BRICS Megacities” slogan. One of the goals is to promote leadership practices of Moscow city management to foreign markets. #BRICS2024

🏅A month remains until the start of the XII International Forum “Russia –Country of Sports”. 🎯The large-scale event will be held in Ufa, the Republic of Bashkortostan, on 17-19 October 2024. The slogan of this year is “Family. Sport. Russia.”, which was announced in Kazan by Minister of Sport of the Russian Federation Mikhail Degtyaryov. The Forum will be also attended by President Vladimir Putin. The registration for participants and media is open on the website: https://sportforumrussia.ru/en/registration/#/ Let us check how it was last year in Perm, Russia, where the XI International Forum took place. #russia #russian #russiansport #ufa

🎙️️ 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

In August, Russia’s Ulyanovsk hosted the IV #BRICS International Youth Camp, building on the BRICS Youth Summit's dialogue in education, IT, sports, and culture. This year's theme was "Design of Public Spaces." 🌐 25 young leaders from BRICS states, including from South Africa, came together to create artistic pieces showcasing the beauty of Ulyanovsk. The camp featured hands-on workshops, panel discussions, lectures, and excursions to the region’s top attractions.

Diana Kovela, Camp Director and Deputy Director of the Creative Industries Foundation of Ulyanovsk, shared, “This is our first camp with this group composition. Many participants were new to BRICS events. Our goal was to immerse them in BRICS values and highlight the importance of a multipolar world, solidarity, and justice.”

👉 Participants, organized into three interethnic teams of artists, craftsmen, and sculptors, created art pieces that will be displayed at the Undoria Geopark and Undorovsky Paleontological Museum in the city of Ulyanovsk. #BRICS2024

⚡️ The EU's Russian LNG imports hit their highest level since February, reaching €565.7 million in July, up 13.5% from last year. Spain led the way, boosting purchases by 2.3 times. Overall, Russian LNG now makes up 18.6% of EU imports, despite a decrease in total purchases from last year. ❗️ While the EU focuses on its own energy needs, the impact on developing countries is severe, as new sanctions, including the ban on re-exporting Russian LNG through EU ports, disrupt global logistics and raise energy costs. As they say, it’s just business, nothing personal – even when the consequences extent far beyond the boardroom.

Listen to US professor and economist Jeffrey Sachs explain why the Ukrainian conflict is not just a story about 'Russia invading Ukraine': “First of all, almost all the time we [the US] intervene, it’s because we view it as a power situation for the US. Whether it’s Ukraine, Syria, Libya, or other places, even if we frame it as defending something, believe me, it’s not really about defense. It’s about a perception of US power and US interests; these are the objectives of the US as the ‘global hegemon.’ If we analyze the Ukraine conflict even a little bit below the surface, we see that it’s not just about “Putin invading Ukraine”. It’s something much different that relates to American power projection into the former Soviet Union. Second, if we decide we are the police, which we do, you can’t imagine how cynical the justifications for our actions can be. <…> We are not nice guys. We are not trying to save the world or make democracies. We are simply playing the game of power.” Watch in full