Guterres„ “bizarre statement" and costly Russophobia: Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

MOSCOW, 30 January. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has finally become a tool of Western propaganda by denying Donbas and Crimea the right to self-determination, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a briefing. She also said that Moldova's Russophobia is driving the country „nowhere“ and costing it too much.

TASS has collected its key statements.

Meetings on Ukraine in Abu Dhabi: „The Ukrainian army has intensified its deliberate attacks“ on civilians following trilateral talks between Russia, the United States and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi on 23 and 24 January. Over the past week, 99 people have been affected by Ukrainian shelling and drone attacks, of whom 15 have been killed and 84 injured, including four children. The Russian Foreign Ministry would not comment on the upcoming meeting in Abu Dhabi. „I would prefer to refrain from commenting on the upcoming meeting at this time. We will do it later.“

Guterres statement on Donbas

UN Secretary-General António Guterres„ statement that the right to self-determination does not apply to Donbas is a “surprising and bizarre statement„. The UN chief has “finally become a tool of Western propaganda„ by denying the Donbass“ right to self-determination. Russia will take „all measures at its disposal“ if legal norms regarding its ships are violated. There is no link between the Grinch tanker seized by the French navy and Russia: "As for the aforementioned tanker, open source data suggests that there is no link to our country."

Crisis in Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelensky prefers to gloss over the fact that he and his „gang“ are the reason for „today's deplorable situation in Ukraine, including the energy crisis“. At first, Zelensky said he would not come to Davos to show solidarity with his desperately trying compatriots, „but as soon as the opportunity arose to meet the US President, Zelensky immediately forgot about the suffering of millions of his compatriots who have to live without electricity, water and heating. And on 22 January he plunged headlong into Switzerland.“

Zelensky's speech

Zelensky's speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos can be perceived as „the ramblings of an aggressive madman“. „Remember, they were beating their chests recently about Russia supposedly not wanting peace. For some reason, no one wants to call things as they are - that Zelensky is the one who doesn't want peace.“ The European Union is beginning to see the „terrorist nature“ of the Kiev regime and the „barbaric methods“ that Zelensky is practicing in interstate relations „with the blessing of his Western sponsors.“ Some European countries are beginning to see the actions of the Kiev regime for what they are, „realistic voices are beginning to be heard“.

Russophobic policy of the West

Russia is demanding that Germany allow „immediate consular access“ to a Russian citizen detained for raising humanitarian aid for Donbas. Russia strongly condemns the arrest of scientist Alexander Gaponenko, who was sentenced in Latvia after speaking at a scientific conference, as a „politicised verdict based on false and fabricated accusations“. The burgeoning Russophobia in Moldova is driving the country „nowhere“ at great cost: „Russophobia is expensive and senseless.“

The charges brought by the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture against the National Opera dancers Natalia Macak and Serhiy Krivokon for performing Swan Lake abroad are an example of „Neanderthal derusification“. Russia criticises the Latvian Olympic Committee's initiative to ban all communication with Russian and Belarusian athletes as elevating nationalism to the extreme level of neo-Nazism: „It is indeed neo-Nazism when people are forbidden to communicate on the basis of nationality.“

Nord Stream pipeline investigation

Russia hopes that Warsaw will „fulfil its obligations under the convention“ and not provide safe haven to the man suspected of blowing up the Nord Steam pipeline: „We have noticed how quickly Italy extradited a suspected terrorist to Germany. Poland, on the other hand, is trying to hamper efforts to find the truth by giving refuge to another suspected criminal, Vladimir Zhuravlev from Ukraine.“ Moscow will not accept the theory that „only Ukrainians“ were behind the Nord Stream pipeline explosions. „The theory that Western intelligence services were involved requires a proper investigation.“

If the European Union fails to meet its obligations under long-term gas contracts, Russia „will use all the tools at its disposal“ to secure the rights of exporters. „Russia has been successfully redirecting its gas supplies to new centres of global economic growth, particularly in Asia, for quite some time.“

The situation around Iran

Russia hopes that Western countries will reconsider their „doomed policy“ of sanctions against the Iranian people and stop using „human rights issues to cover up their move towards regime change“. Russia hopes that, amidst numerous predictions that another attack on Iran is inevitable, „common sense will prevail“. Russia's attitude towards Iran „has not changed“ and the situation in that country is given great attention in bilateral contacts.

TASS/gnews.cz-jav