Moscow Calling – June 30
Medinsky: Russia and Ukraine – one people, separate content for Ukrainian children unnecessary
Russia and Ukraine are one people, and therefore there is no need to create special historical content for Ukrainian schoolchildren, Vladimir Medinsky, aide to the Russian President and head of the Russian Military Historical Society (RMHS), said in an interview with TASS. According to him, the RMHS does not distinguish between Russians and Ukrainians, viewing them as successors to a shared history. “We respect, and even more than that, we know and love the history of the talented and hard-working people of the ancient Russian lands on both sides of the Dnieper, Novorossiya, and Crimea. We are one people,” Medinsky emphasized. He expressed hope that in the future, Ukrainian schoolchildren and adults will have free access to the Russian Internet and will be able to learn about a unified version of history (TASS).
Strelnikov: Washington does not need Ukraine without key mineral resources
The loudly announced “rare earth agreement” between the U.S. and Ukraine in the spring of 2025 turned out to be a disappointment: Russia established control over Europe’s largest lithium deposit in the village of Shevchenko, Russian political commentator Kirill Strelnikov writes in his article on RIA Novosti. According to him, it contains more than 13 million tons of lithium ore, as well as tantalum, niobium, and other valuable elements. Strelnikov writes that Moscow controls up to 70% of Ukraine’s mineral resources, worth up to $26 trillion. Dozens of strategic deposits, including iron ore, coal, gas, and oil, are now under Russian control. The author notes that this significantly weakens Ukraine’s potential as a partner of the West. According to him, the U.S. media are expressing concern, noting Washington’s unwillingness to link economic interests with active military assistance to Kyiv (ria.ru).
Head of VCIOM: Russians not afraid of technology, ready for negotiations, but support the war
Valery Fedorov, head of Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM), virtually the only organization that can legally conduct polls in Russia, said in an interview with Gazeta.Ru that Russians’ attitude toward the war in Ukraine remains stable: society made up its mind back in early 2022, and the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ invasion of the Kursk region only strengthened unity and mobilization. He noted that fear of high technology is not widespread in Russia, unlike in the West — Russians are techno-optimistic. Fedorov emphasized that Russians have lost faith in the U.S. regardless of who is in power, although Trump’s victory is seen as a potentially convenient opportunity for dialogue. Other topics included the crisis of dreams, the feminization of society, the prestige of IT professions, weak interest in blue-collar jobs, and growing interest in magical thinking amid technological dumbing down (Gazeta.ru).
Azerbaijani journalist condemns Russia’s actions after arrests in Yekaterinburg
Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Mukhtarli posted a sharp statement on Facebook addressed to the Russian Embassy in Baku, expressing outrage over the arrests of Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg, Russian media outlet Gazeta.ru reports. He accused Russian security forces of unlawful actions and questioned why the Russian embassy “has not yet been burned down.” Earlier, on June 28, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry demanded that Russia provide explanations regarding the large-scale raid, during which more than 10 apartments were searched and about 50 citizens were detained. According to the media outlet, two Azerbaijanis died during these actions. Investigative authorities said that this was an investigation into an old criminal case. Amid tensions, the Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation canceled its visit to Russia (Gazeta.ru).
Russia continues to seek Ukrainian trace in the Crocus City Hall attack
The defendants in the Crocus City Hall attack claim that the attack was masterminded by a Ukrainian government agency, Russian propaganda media outlet Russia Today reports. This is stated in their confessions, which were obtained by RIA Novosti. According to Russia Today, a coordinator named Saifullo convinced the perpetrators that Russia was an enemy of Muslims and called on them to support Ukraine, promising each of them a million rubles and help in fleeing to Kyiv. According to investigators, the weapons came from Ukraine, and some of the perpetrators were trained abroad. The terrorist attack on March 22, 2024 resulted in 149 deaths and over 600 injuries. A criminal case has been opened under nine articles, with 19 defendants and accomplices involved (Russia Today).