Russian Ambassador holds press conference on bilateral ties over Ukraine crisis

We received a lot of questions whether illegal Western sanctions have impact on Russia-Bangladesh economic cooperation, first of all in terms of construction of the RooppurNPP. Let me assure you that the construction is on schedule. In 2021, the dome of the inner containment was assembled at Unit 1, the reactor vessel and reactor plant equipments were installed; in February of this year, welding of the reactor coolant pipeline was completed. Deaeratorhas been installed in the machine room. Installation of the polar crane was completed at Unit 2 in November 2021. The reactor vessel and steam generators are scheduled to be mounted by the end of the year. Construction of a training center for the operational personnel of the Rooppur NPP is at its final stage. Active work is currently underway on the installation of the key thermal and mechanical, electrical equipment, process pipelines. All operations are being carried out on schedule; the project will be implemented in accordance with previously approved plans.

As far as other aspects of the Russia-Bangladesh economic cooperation and its development are concerned I can tell you that respective authorities from both countries are working out modalities to make transactions and keep trade on, avoiding SWIFT system. I will not go into the details of this work but different options are being considered, for instance barter,swap of national currencies and usage of third country’s banks. With respect to a question concerning possible disruption of Russia’s export of commodities such as natural gas and wheat. The Russian Federation as a responsible party of different trade accords, including deals with Bangladesh, is committed to fully exercising its obligations under the agreements. As you may know, even during our special military operation Russia, being sanctioned by West, keeps on supplying gas to Europe. Recently India announces its plan to buy more Russian oil despite US threats, adopting ‘pragmatic approach’ to ensure energy security.

I’m sure that you are aware that due to politically motivated action many Western companies have chosen to quit the Russian market and left huge niche that can be filled by Bangladeshi companies and goods. For example, ready-made garment and medical/pharmaceutical products. Some of your agricultural crops are also welcome in Russia.

As far as increasing energy prices and as a consequence of it price hike for commodities are concerned We shall admit that this is inevitable process caused by those who impose illegal sanctions against Russia, who disrupted logistics chain and caused great buzz on markets all over the world. As an example: the latest sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus have sent global prices for fertilizer soaring to an all-time high. Our two countries are major exporters of potash, critical for the global agriculture industry. Spiking prices for fertilizers have also been exacerbated by higher costs for natural gas, a vital feedstock in producing nitrogen-based fertilizer. Energy prices have been soaring amid EU plans to cut reliance on Russian oil and gas supplies and bans imposed by the US and a couple of other countries.

Few questions were about Bangladesh’s voting at the UNGA emergency special session on March 2, onthe draft resolution regarding Russian offensive in Ukraine. Let me tell you that we in Russia highly appreciate the Bangladesh’s responsible and balanced attitude towards the said resolution. We express gratitude to the Bangladeshi Side for its neutral position taken despite the enormous external pressure during the said voting. Your Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdul Momen very specifically defined the motives behind Bangladesh’sabstention, so I have nothing more to add.

For sure you are very interested in military aspects of the situation in Ukraine. And first of all, what were the reasons for Russia’s special military operation. Let me once again repeat what I have recently said about it.

First. With NATO’s eastward expansion the situation for Russia has been becoming worse and more dangerous by the year. Moreover, these past days NATO leadership has been blunt in its statements that they need to accelerate and step up efforts to bring the alliance’s infrastructure closer to Russia’s borders. In other words, they have been toughening their position. We cannot stay idle and passively observe these developments. Any further expansion of the North Atlantic alliance’s infrastructure or the ongoing efforts to gain a military foothold of the Ukrainian territory are unacceptable for us. The problem is that in territories adjacent to Russia, which I have to note is our historical land, a hostile “anti-Russia” was taking shape. Fully controlled from the outside, the“anti-Russia” was doing everything to attract NATO armed forces and obtain cutting-edge weapons. For the United States and its allies, it is a policy of containing Russia, with obvious geopolitical dividends. For our country, it is a matter of life and death, a matter of our historical future as a nation.

Second. It is real threat for Russian people in Ukraine andDonbass particularly. The forces, that staged the coup in Ukraine in 2014 and seized power, have abandoned the path of a peaceful conflict settlement in Donbass. For eight endless years we have been doing everything possible to settle the situation there by peaceful political means. Everything was in vain: the Kiev authorities have ignored and sabotaged the implementation of the Minsk Package of Measures for a peaceful settlement of the crisis and last year openly refused to implement it.

Focused on their own goals, the leading NATO countries are supporting the far-right nationalists and neo-Nazis in Ukraine, those who will never forgive the people of Crimea for freely making a choice to reunite with Russia. These nationalists will undoubtedly try to bring war to Crimea. They have also openly laid claim to several other Russian regions.

If we look at the sequence of events and the incoming reports, the showdown between Russia and Ukrainian neo-Nazi forces cannot be avoided. It is only a matter of time. They were getting ready and waiting for the right moment. Moreover, they went as far as aspire to acquire nuclear weapons and delivery vehicles. This was a real threat. With foreign technical support, the pro-Nazi Kiev regime would have obtained weapons of mass destruction in the foreseeable future by means ofa network of dozens of laboratories, and, of course, would have targeted them against Russia.

Our numerous warnings, the last one was done in December last year, that such developments posed a direct threat to the security of Russia were rejected with open and cynical arrogance by Ukraine and its US and NATO patrons. In other words, all our diplomatic efforts were fully in vain, so we have been left with no peaceful alternative to settle the problems that developed through no fault of ours. In this situation, we were forced to begin this special military operation.

In this context let me refer to one more question by The Financial Express. US under secretary said: despite US and its Allie's' long efforts to resolve Ukraine issue diplomatically, Russia invade Ukraine violating international norms. Please comment.

With all the responsibility I declare that US and its allies did nothing to prevent this conflict. Moreover, they added fuel to nurture pro-Nazi battalions by commissioning military advisers,but essentially instructors, to train to kill. For eight years, they emboldened the Kiev regime to do ethnic cleansing in Donbass as well as pumped Ukraine with ammo which was primarily used against civilians in East Ukraine. And very important issue I want to underline: Western media did not notice Kiev’s atrocities in Donbass whereas current situation in and around Ukraine made front page news in top newspapers.

Many questions have been asked on what Dhaka should do in case of the Ukrainian conflict due to the immense pressure on it from other states. It is not in the highest tradition of Russian diplomacy to advise other countries what they should do whether it is concerned internal of external policy.

Concerning the closure of RT by western countries.I’d like to say that RT has been facing pressure for quite some time: previously faced censorship in Europe, later had problems with German regulators banning its German-language channel. More recently, Google subsidiary YouTube and Facebook parent company Meta demonetized RT’s accounts, while Google blocked downloads of RT’s app on Ukrainian territory. Numerous calls to ban RT show what western politicians really think of free speech. It appears as if the Western authorities, politicians and even media are really afraid of something, afraid of an alternative point of view that their audience can get access to on RT channel. It’s symptomatic that international organizations such as UN and OSCE are silent on some countries’ decision to ban the broadcast of RT. To conclude answering to this question - closure of RT by western countries is nothing but an infringement on the freedom of speech.

We express deep condolences to the near and dear of Mr. Hadisur Rahman, a citizen of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, the 3^rd engineer of the BSC ship MV BanglarSamriddhi, howas killed as a resalt of a missile attack against the ship, which was anchored in Olvia Port (Ukraine, Nikolayev city). The Embassy’s press release says that the circumstances of the incident are being established. Up to now we haven’t received any information about this accident. One of the reasons is that the Ukrainian nationalist battalions are still controlling the city of Nikolayev which hampers the establishment of circumstances of this tragedy. What we can say now is that around 4,500,000 civilians, including foreigners, remain hostage to the Ukrainian Neo-Nazis as a "human shield", whom the militants of the territorial defence battalions simply do not let out of Kiev, Kharkov, Chernihov, Sumy and more than 20 other blocked large settlements along the humanitarian corridors opened daily. The regime in Kyiv deliberately uses such tactics. It does not care about the fate of civilians. For it, they are potential victims which Russia and the Donbas republics can then be blamed for.

Moreover, there are reliable reports that inner anchorages of the Ukrainian sea ports, including Olvia, are heavily mined. Russian Federal Security Service issued a formal maritime warning on Saturday about a dangerous situation that is developing in the Black Sea. In response to Russia’s offensive, Ukraine had placed anchor mines along its coastline, but a number have since detached from their cables and are adrift at sea. Turkish authorities have also issued a navigational alert against mines that are drifting in the Black Sea.

One of our topics of today’s discussion is post-truth era which we live in. Let me give a couple of examples.This week Biden said the Russian president may be considering using biological or chemical weapons in Ukraine. Which is a blatant lie and attempt to manipulate public opinion. We have to disappoint Mr. Biden. Our country has destroyed all chemical weapons stockpiles, while the United States remains the only country party to the Chemical Weapons Convention of 13 January 1997 (CWC), which still possesses and patents various inventions, associated with the use of full-fledged combat poisoning agents, including a nerve-paralytic effect.

Last week it was reported that on March 9, about 80 tons of ammonia were brought to the town of Zolochev near Kharkov city by Ukrainian nationalists. Locals who left Zolochev claimed that the nationalists were conducting training on how to deal with a chemical attack. We’re looking at another dangerous provocation.

Contrary to the anti-Russian mantra of Western quarters about threats to Ukraine, the real danger to the country and its people now comes from the armed formations of neo-Nazis, who commit numerous war crimes and use terrorist methods. They continue to mine residential areas, destroy bridges and roads, and destroy vital infrastructure. Civilians are forced to survive in inhumane conditions: without heat, electricity, water, food and medicine.

To conclude this part of the briefing I’d like to recommend you to subscribe our social media – Facebook and Twitter, as well as to join Telegram channel https://t.me/rusembbd to be always up to date in events around and in Ukraine.