Another Zakharova Briefing: Linking Ukraine to 911 and Russia-Africa Summit as the Focus

This week’s briefing offers 16 topics followed by 20 Q&A, which is close to the usual amount. The major events are the upcoming Russia-Africa Summit, where leaders and delegations are already arriving and meeting with Putin and other members of Russia’s government. Today, Putin met with Russia’s longest African partner Ethiopia, with this year celebrating 125 years of relations. As that implies, Russia didn’t just get involved with Africa in the post-WW2 Decolonization Era clothed as the USSR. But before providing the information Zakharova supplied, what she said about events related to Ukraine will be looked at.

Most readers are located in North America and likely hold their own view of what happened on 11 September 2001—911. What Maria does is to attack the official US government line on 911 and in a rare case speaks directly to the American public, perhaps knowing full well that very few will read her words. But those words are powerful as you’ll soon see, as are the words that follow. And those words are credible, not propagandistic. Yes, there’s a deliberate narrative, but is it false? And to be sure, Maria could have added much more to this portion of her briefing. Without any further introduction, here’s the Ukraine portion of the briefing:

Recently, the Kiev regime has switched to terrorist activities, "bottling" the banned ISIS and Al-Qaeda. This is due, first of all, to the obvious failure of the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, generously sponsored by the United States and other NATO countries.

On July 17 of this year, an attack was carried out on the Crimean bridge. On July 24 of this year, two Ukrainian drones tried to hit targets in Moscow, 17 drones tried to attack targets in Crimea. These attempts were successfully repelled by Russian air defense forces and electronic warfare systems. There were no casualties. Earlier, on July 20 of this year, a Ukrainian drone attacked the village of Razdolnoye in Crimea. Unfortunately, it was not without losses. A 14-year-old girl, an eighth-grade student, was killed. Crimeans mourn and carry flowers to the spontaneous memorial in the center of the village in memory of the deceased child.

The Zelensky regime does not hesitate to publicly take responsibility for terrorist actions, because it is confident that there will be no condemnation from the so-called "civilized" Western world. The head of the Ministry of Digital Development of Ukraine M.A. Fedorov not only confirmed Kiev's involvement in the attacks by unmanned aerial vehicles on Crimea and Moscow, but also cynically promised that they would continue, and their number would grow.

I have a question for the Americans. And not to the State Department and the White House, but to ordinary citizens. Forgot the Manhattan attacks? You call them "9/11" - September 11, 2001 Let me remind you, in case someone forgot in America, these were 2 planes that crashed into the buildings of the business center. By and large, they were symbols of American economic power.

The United States has since revised its international policy. Moreover, several operations were launched abroad to prevent the possibility of such terrorist attacks on its territory. Let me remind you of the words of US President George W. Bush. he said that "this attack on the United States qualified literally as a declaration of war on Washington." Many years have passed. Over the years, the international community has rallied its rejection of international terrorism. The Russian Federation was literally the first to lend a helping hand to the United States and provide the necessary assistance in the fight against terrorism.

I have a question for ordinary Americans: how do unmanned aerial vehicles that are sent to residential buildings, office centers, and civilian infrastructure differ from what US citizens went through in 2001? Scale? Are you waiting for scale? Or will you return to the basic notion that there can be no justification, let alone support, for international terrorism?

Let me remind ordinary Americans that everything that is happening now, these very terrorist attacks on civilian infrastructure by unmanned aerial vehicles that the Kyiv regime is implementing, is paid for by the United States and Britain, two allies. In fact, Washington and London pay for everything out of pocket of their taxpayers.

The peoples of the United States and Britain must understand that they are unwittingly being drawn into a situation where they become, albeit not directly, but indirectly, indirectly, a sponsor of international terrorism.

All these crimes are thoroughly investigated by the Investigative Committee of Russia. The perpetrators will be identified and punished. We reserve the right to take tough retaliatory measures.

The Kyiv regime began to actively use US-supplied cluster munitions on the battlefield. On July 22 of this year, a civilian car with journalists was fired upon with this type of weapon. RIA Novosti military correspondent R. Zhuravlev was killed. Four of his colleagues received injuries of varying severity.

According to Belgorod Region Governor Vladimir Gladkov, cluster munitions were used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Saturday during the shelling of the village of Zhuravlyovka. In one morning, 21 artillery shells, three cluster munitions from multiple launch rocket systems, a kamikaze drone and a grenade launcher were fired at this peaceful settlement in the Belgorod region.

Earlier, the international community, politicians of dozens of countries, representatives of relevant organizations urged not to supply cluster munitions to the Kyiv regime and not to use them in Ukraine. They stressed that such actions would be a violation of humanitarian norms. However, no exhortations, apparently, are able to reason with the Ukrainian fascists and their Western curators. The only thing that can stop these crimes is a tough and adequate response.

Let me remind you that in the same way, the international community was horrified by the plans of the United States, Britain and their satellites to attack Iraq at one time. The international community published open letters, built "human chains" just to prevent the crime of the United States. The Americans didn't care about that. They did what they did. We are well aware of what Washington is doing now. This "story" has been planned for a long time and is now being implemented on a full scale. This scale, if you look at the amount of money that is allocated to the Kiev regime in order to carry out American aggressive intentions against our country as a tool in Washington's hands, is unprecedented in terms of the amount of money, the amount of military aid, the material base and the political support provided.

The Ukrainian authorities continue to fight with monuments to Soviet soldiers. In one day on July 22 of this year, Nazi vandals demolished nine such memorials in the Lviv region alone. Monuments were destroyed in the settlements of Orekhovchik, Brody, Rudniki, Sukhovola, Yazlovchik, Ponikovitsa, Semiginov, Skelevka and Pidkamin.

According to media reports, in Lvov the other day they tried to open the grave and steal the ashes of the Soviet intelligence officer, Hero of the Soviet Union N.I. Kuznetsov. This already looks like necrophilia. During the Great Patriotic War, N.I. Kuznetsov eliminated more than a dozen German generals.

And you will tell, I am now appealing to our Western "non-partners", that there is no Nazism in Ukraine? How can it not? You have recreated it and are actively sponsoring it. Then, 80 years ago, it was not possible to do what we were going to do, and now - revenge. Therefore, first of all, monuments to the soldiers of the Great Patriotic War are demolished.

To fight with monuments and fallen Soviet fighters, the Ukrofascists are the best. It is useless to appeal to the conscience or historical memory of the current Kiev regime - there are none. After the goals of the special military operation are achieved, all destroyed monuments and monuments in Ukraine will be restored. In Russia, there are specialists in post-war restoration. An example of their selfless work and professionalism is the restoration of Palmyra in Syria.

Unlike the Kiev regime, we honor the heroes of the Great Patriotic War, who selflessly fought against the Nazis and Ukrainian traitorous collaborators.

On July 22, 1944, exactly 79 years ago, the Battle of Brody ended, where Red Army units surrounded and defeated 8 German divisions, including the 14th SS Grenadier Division "Galicia", formed from Ukrainian traitors. In the ranks of the fascist army, they manifested themselves mainly in punitive actions, while showing their inability to resist regular Soviet units in open battle. The German command itself called "Galicia" an "armed rabble." Can't the same be said about the Kyiv regime now? Today it can be called a rabble armed by the West. Times change, but the quality of the fascist Ukrainian armed formations and the moral character of their militants remain the same.

According to Washington, war is good for the world economy. This was stated by US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. And in order to better help the world in economic development, the official called for doubling aid to the Kyiv regime. In a country where men are called women, and female men declare that there are several "of them" in the body (they are given a certificate to help with the psychological problems of the coexistence of several personalities in one body, as well as drugs for medical purposes), this is possible. And the words of the US Secretary of the Treasury fit into this paradigm. For all adequate people in the world, hostilities and armed conflicts are misfortune, loss of life, grief of entire nations, destruction, but not for the American government. For him, this is another reason to think about his own benefit. And how was it before? Is it any other way?

It is especially easy to build far-reaching geostrategic plans when you are not fighting with your own hands and not on your territory. According to US National Security Advisor John Sullivan, the Washington administration is consulting with Kiev on when Ukraine should use its main forces in the counteroffensive.

And after that, the Americans say that they are not a "party to the conflict" and that they have nothing to do with it. And what, is this a struggle of the Ukrainian people for independence? What're you talking about!

At the same time, John Sullivan admits that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have already suffered significant losses. Western masters openly command Ukrainian militants, deciding when and how to send them to slaughter. For the inhabitants of Ukraine, this state of affairs should cause disgust and fair protest. But those who have been paid and those who (as Vladimir Zelensky said) are vacationing at fashionable resorts, simply have no time to think about what is happening to their people.

According to numerous testimonies of the Russian military, the primary targets of the Nazi snipers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are Russian military doctors. Ukrainian militants, in violation of international humanitarian law, are purposefully trying to destroy Russian medical personnel. The fascist command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine even announces rewards for the murder of doctors.

According to the Geneva Convention of 1949, medical personnel, including those used exclusively for the evacuation of the wounded, and sanitary facilities do not belong to combatants and military installations. They cannot be attacked and must be protected and respected by all parties to the conflict. The Kiev regime and its militants have long ignored these norms for two reasons: Nazi nature and terrorist methods. These are two factors that characterize them from the "best" side. A more accurate description of this can not be found. For a long time, the world community has been choosing words to assess this, someone spoke about their "democratic aspirations", about "young democracies", about the "search for a new identity". In fact, everything is simple: the identity is just old, Nazi, it just came out. But the methods by which it began to act are, of course, innovation. This is a combination of the methodology of international terrorists with the technical capabilities of developed Western states.

On July 21, Italian Defence Minister Grigio Crosetto expressed hope that the Ukrainian conflict would end soon. According to him, the time has come to make every effort to find a peaceful settlement and negotiations. That sentiment deserves support. However, words in this case are at odds with deeds. It is necessary to start talking about peace with an end to pumping weapons into the Kyiv regime. You see in the West that it is useless. He [the regime] not only uses it for terrorist purposes against our country and people, but also shares it with other terrorists and criminals around the world.

This was confirmed by a recently prepared Pentagon report. This document in the West should be believed. Information from it was replicated by the American media. It states that some of the Western weapons sent to Ukraine were stolen. The same document states that from February to September 2022, the Americans were not able to monitor the supplied weapons and only at the end of October 2022 sent a corresponding commission to Ukraine. And what happened before October 2022? The Americans have been supplying weapons uncontrollably for more than six months. We understand what Kiev officials are. They do not feel sorry for their own mother, and Vladimir Zelensky does not feel sorry for his own grandfather. How many weapons have flowed to the black markets during this time, and whether this Pentagon commission guarantees any safety of other weapons and military equipment from plunderers and resellers, one can only guess. But these figures are not "far off". Obviously, it will emerge more than once in different regions of the world and, unfortunately, is already in the hands of terrorists and criminals.

All these events and facts, including constantly incoming new materials, prove the relevance of the goals and objectives of the special military operation.

Yes, that was a long read. Now it’s time for more uplifting information. I’m very excited about the upcoming Russian-Africa Summit for there’s very little coverage of African events unless it’s about a war of some other disturbance or disaster. I’m sure there’ll be information readers will learn about for the first time as they press onward:

On July 27-28, the second Russia-Africa Summit will be held in St Petersburg.

The upcoming summit will be devoted to the development of the entire range of relations with the countries of the African continent and the promotion of a model of equal, mutually respectful cooperation with our partners in the context of the formation of a new, just world order. The core idea of the upcoming event is Russia's readiness to contribute in every possible way to strengthening the sovereignty of African countries and protecting the principle of their sovereign equality.

On the sidelines of the summit, the Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum will take place, the programme of which includes more than 40 thematic sessions in key areas of our relations with the countries of the continent.

Compared to the Sochi format (let me remind you that the first Russia–Africa Summit was held in Sochi in 2019), the humanitarian component of the event will be significantly expanded: the agenda includes a discussion of cooperation in the field of education, training, healthcare, science, culture, media, sports and youth exchanges. Within the framework of the Forum, a large-scale exhibition exposition with the participation of African partners will also be presented.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, as well as the Ministry's leadership and experts will take part in the Summit. We will keep you further informed in this regard.

On cooperation between our country and the African continent

The spirit of mutual understanding and trust formed over the years of Soviet-African cooperation still serves as a good basis for maintaining Russia's high prestige in Africa and an important platform for building up partnership in the new conditions.

Let me remind you that it was at the insistence of the USSR on December 14, 1960 that the UN General Assembly adopted the "Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples". It is difficult to overestimate the importance of this document. Its approval at the UN level created an international legal basis for assistance to national liberation movements and accelerated the process of gaining independence by African countries.

The theme of the fight against neocolonialism in its modern manifestations is always in the focus of our attention, being one of the priorities in building interaction with the African continent. At the same time, the Russian Federation assists the efforts of African States to finally complete the decolonization process and advocates the importance of studying the phenomenon of the slave trade and the consequences of this shame in the history of mankind, including within the framework of leading international organizations.

During the 216th session of the UNESCO Executive Board (Paris, May 2023), when considering the "Pathways of Enslaved Peoples" initiative, the Russian side supported Africans interested in UNESCO's more active actions to promote the issue of combating the legacy of the slave trade.

With the participation of relevant units of the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Permanent Mission of Russia in New York, a draft resolution of the UN General Assembly on countering modern practices of neocolonialism has been prepared, which is planned to be submitted to the General Assembly for consideration in December this year.

Within the framework of cooperation with leading political forces in Asia, Africa and Latin America, the United Russia All-Russian Political Party, with the active assistance of the Russian Foreign Ministry, continues to work vigorously to prepare for the Forum of Supporters of Combating Modern Practices of Neocolonialism to be held in Moscow at the end of October 2023. It is expected that it will be attended by delegations of constructive-minded foreign parties, prominent representatives of socio-political, scientific, expert and business circles of 70 states.

The Russian Federation pays special attention to the humanitarian needs of the countries of the African continent and provides diverse assistance to the region.

Since 2020, Russia has increased by $10 million. The United States makes its annual supplementary contribution to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Fund to assist African States. In 2022, as a result of the sanctions imposed by the "collective West" against Russia, which affected interbank transactions, it was not possible to transfer the above-mentioned funds to WFP. In 2023, in accordance with the order of the Government of the Russian Federation, the amount in equal shares of $ 2.5 million. The United States will be divided between Burkina Faso, Sudan, the Central African Republic and Ethiopia.

We contribute to alleviating the debt burden of the countries of the continent. To date, more than $20 billion has been written off under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative. United States. We are implementing debt-for-development programmes with Madagascar, Mozambique and Tanzania. We are negotiating this issue with Ethiopia.

Cooperation with Africa in the field of education, in particular in the training of national personnel, is expanding. In total, about 34,6 African students are currently studying in Russia, of which over 2022,23 are at the expense of the federal budget. In the 2124/2023 academic year, 24 Africans were admitted to Russian universities. In the 4720/<> academic year, the number of scholarships is planned to increase to <>. A separate program is available for law enforcement officers and law enforcement agencies in African countries.

On the basis of the "Center for Microbiological Research and Treatment of Epidemiological Diseases" in Kindia (Republic of Guinea), the Russian-Guinean Research Center for the Epidemiology and Prevention of Infectious Diseases was opened, where, under the guidance of domestic specialists, representatives of relevant departments of Guinea are trained on biological safety, laboratory diagnostics and prevention of especially dangerous and socially significant infections.

Rospotrebnadzor has developed a Program of Assistance to African States in the Field of Ensuring the Sanitary and Epidemiological Well-being of the Population, Preventing and Combating Infections in 2023-2026 (providing material, technical, scientific and methodological support, training, assistance in developing laboratory infrastructure, increasing capacity in the field of preparing for epidemics).

The Arab world, including its North African part, has always been viewed by us as a natural ally of Russia, playing a significant role in world affairs and possessing the richest cultural, economic and political potential. Strengthening a trust-based dialogue and diverse mutually beneficial cooperation with each of the countries in the region fully meets the interests of both Russia itself and its North African partners.

In the context of confrontation with the "collective West", our interaction with the states of North Africa is of particular importance. Despite unprecedented pressure from the United States and its allies, including outright blackmail, the countries of the region, guided primarily by their fundamental interests, took a balanced and responsible position on the Ukrainian issue.

Now we can say with confidence that the attempts of the Westerners to isolate Russia, to bring discord into our relations with the countries of the Middle East and North Africa, have failed. Our contacts with their leadership continue to be regular and intensive. Despite the illegal restrictions imposed on Russia, the volume of trade with our key partners is growing.

The era of Western dominance is over. The unipolar world order is being replaced by a multipolar order. It is based on civilizational diversity, the true sovereignty of peoples, the equality of states, the recognition of their rights to independently choose the path of development and social structure. Today we are working together on its formation. We do it on an equal footing, respecting each other.

But the foundations of the polycentric device were laid much earlier. This happened at a time when the countries of the world, including on the African continent, gained freedom from the colonial oppression of the West, which was actively promoted by the Soviet Union. Now we are witnessing a new "crusade" of the United States and its allies against the entire non-Western world as part of the policy of countering the formation of a multipolar order. This must be resisted.

We have no doubt that Africa can become one of the centres of a polycentric world. She has all the possibilities for this. African states are increasingly pursuing sovereign policies. They demonstrate the ability to solve their problems independently, including through the use of pan-African mechanisms and regional integration associations.

Together with our African friends, we hope to form a global non-discriminatory agenda, to raise topical issues that are important to us and consonant with the interests of most countries on the continent. In a constructive manner, look for ways to solve them. To work on strengthening the international legal principles in interstate relations and on building new conditions for peaceful coexistence based on common goals and values.

We are interested in intensifying joint work with like-minded people in creating infrastructure in various fields beyond the control of the West, forming mechanisms for economic cooperation, and solving specific common development problems. We believe it is necessary to work towards the weakening of the US dollar as a practically monopoly means of mutual settlements and a reserve currency. For one simple reason: since it is used by the United States as a tool not only in the struggle for competitive advantages, but also as a means of implementing its aggression.

We consider it important to work together consistently against the imposition of Western liberal "cultural" standards under the guise of universal ones, attempts to outlaw traditional moral values, to blur moral norms and social foundations.

About the Days of African Culture and Cinema Film Festival

The Days of African Culture and Cinema Film Festival in St. Petersburg and Moscow, timed to coincide with the second Russia-Africa Summit, is part of the Africa.Together for the Future festival. The event is held for the first time and is included in the program of the Festival of Culture "Petersburg Seasons". It is held by ROSKINO with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

From July 25 until the end of the month, it organizes free screenings of African cinema, the five best films of recent years from Angola, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa, which have been presented at many international film festivals and won a number of awards, as well as photo exhibitions, master classes and poetry evenings.

According to the organizers of the event, its mission is to expand opportunities for popularizing Russian, African and joint projects in the field of creative industries in Russia and African countries. The events of the festival are designed to acquaint our viewers with modern African culture in all its diversity.

//////////////////////////////////////

The above comprised the first four of the sixteen items in the briefing, and you see how long they were. And then there’s the presser afterwards. It was noted above that Africa has a very large Islamic population with about half of African nations having Islamic majorities. The recent spate of Koran burnings in Europe inflame not just the Arabs/ Saudis/ Iranians, but the entire Islamic world. Yet, Europe does nothing to deal with this problem, which it euphemizes as a political/free speech issue instead of being religious desecration and hate-based crime, which is what the Islamic world insists it is. Those nations are a large part of the Global South which will soon rise to become the planet’s dominant geopolitical Bloc. And although they don’t aim to exert the sort of hegemony they’ve been subjected to, they will remember which nations are Islamophobic. This is rather important as the remaining energy and resource rich regions of the planet happen to be where those nations and their people reside.

Like what you’ve been reading at Karlof1’s Substack? Then please consider subscribing and choosing to make a monthly/yearly pledge to enable my efforts in this challenging realm. Thank You!