Moscow Calling – June 27

Zakharova accuses Kyiv of deliberate attack on journalists

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova commented on the incident in which a Ukrainian drone attack injured Chinese Phoenix TV journalist Lu Yuguang in Russia’s Kursk region. “By firing targeted shots at unarmed military correspondents, journalists, cameramen, and photographers, and hunting them down, Ukrainian Nazis are trying to hide the truth about their serious crimes under international humanitarian law, including the targeted killing of civilians, which includes media workers,” Zakharova said. She stressed that those responsible will be identified and will receive the punishment they deserve. The journalist, who has worked in Russia for about 20 years, has received medical assistance and his life is not in danger. Zakharova accused the Ukrainian authorities of deliberately attacking media representatives and urged the international community to condemn such actions by Kyiv (TASS).

Russian soldier reports brutal treatment in Ukrainian captivity

Russian servicemen recently released from Ukrainian captivity reported brutal treatment by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, one of the returning soldiers said in an interview with RT. “I wanted our guys to be pulled out of there as soon as possible because they are being tortured and beaten. The most important thing is for the guys to hold on, believe, and not lose hope. Everything has its time. Russia will not forget,” he said. Notably, no evidence of abuse of Russian military personnel has been presented, while there is plenty of evidence that Ukrainian prisoners are being brutally abused in Russian captivity. There are also numerous videos circulating on the Internet showing Russian soldiers themselves abusing their “offending” subordinates or fellow soldiers (RT, TASS).

Savchuk: China is moving away from the U.S. and the Middle East toward energy cooperation with Russia and Iran

After a temporary lull in the Middle East conflict, Western analysts, including The Wall Street Journal, are predicting increased energy cooperation between China and Russia amid the threat of supply disruptions from the Persian Gulf, writes Sergey Savchuk, a columnist for RIA Novosti, in his article. According to him, China is increasing its imports of natural gas, especially LNG, where Russia’s share is growing and supplies from the U.S. are declining. He notes that amid instability, Beijing is seeking to reduce its dependence on risky partners and is stepping up the Power of Siberia 2 project. The author also states that at the same time, the Russia-China-Iran alliance is strengthening, including in the military and cyber spheres. According to Savchuk, energy security and strategic planning are becoming a priority for China amid the risk of a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which could hit not only Iran but also the global oil market (ria.ru).

Alexander Nosovich: NATO summit signals the end of the unipolar world

The NATO summit ended without scandal, but it was a disaster for the alliance’s image, writes Russian political analyst Alexander Nosovich in his article for RIA Novosti. According to him, the participants’ main goal was to prevent Donald Trump from issuing a demarche. In this sense, they succeeded, but only at the cost of making a humiliating concession to the American leader. The NATO secretary general called Trump “daddy,” and the final declaration turned out to be empty, with any mention of Ukraine reduced to formalities, Nosovich said. According to him, Zelenskyy was allowed to meet with Trump after “educational work,” but he received neither promises of arms supplies nor concrete support. The author claims that European leaders began talking about “peace through strength,” including against their own allies. “However, the context of official statements from Washington in recent days suggests that Trump intends to apply ‘peace through strength’ to all parties to the conflict, including Ukraine and… Europeans,” Nosovich writes. In his opinion, the summit demonstrated NATO’s degradation to the role of a dependent vassal mechanism of the U.S. and the end of the era of unipolar domination (ria.ru).

Detained Karapetyan accuses Armenian government of geopolitical game against Russia

Russian businessman Samvel Karapetyan, who was detained in Yerevan, said that in an attempt to annoy Russia, the Armenian government has turned the country into a center of geopolitical confrontation. According to Gazeta.ru, in a letter from the detention center distributed by his lawyers, Karapetyan criticized the political short-sightedness of the Armenian leadership and its attempts to get rid of Russia, while at the same time turning to the EU and considering turning the country into a vassal state. “Surrounded by hostile states and demonstrating exceptional political short-sightedness, they rushed to get rid of Russia,” Karapetyan wrote. According to him, the Armenian authorities are trying to convince Moscow of their loyalty, but in fact are turning the country into an instrument of foreign sovereignty. He promised to restore Armenian independence and return the country’s reputation as an ally of Russia. On June 18, a court in Yerevan sentenced the businessman to two months in jail for inciting the seizure of power. Karapetyan denies the charges, calling them groundless. The Kremlin has confirmed that it is in contact with Armenia regarding the case (Gazeta.ru).