Moscow Calling – August 8

TASS: India denies plans to stop buying Russian oil

Indian oil companies continue to buy Russian oil despite lower volumes and pressure from the U.S., a source in the country’s oil industry told TASS. According to the source, fluctuations in supplies depend on prices, logistics, and demand. “But the Indian government has made it clear that there will be no halt to Russian oil supplies. Russian oil is not subject to sanctions,” the source stressed. The U.S. has imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods, bringing the total to 50%. This move drew sharp criticism from the Indian Foreign Ministry, which accused Washington of being unreasonable and applying double standards (TASS).

Intended effect: The article emphasizes India’s resilience in the face of U.S. pressure and shows that Western sanctions have not destroyed trade with Russia. At the same time, it portrays the U.S. as a country that uses unfair economic measures and Russia as a reliable, profitable partner.

TASS: Orbán proposes summit between Russia and leading EU countries

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has said that after the personal meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, a summit should be organized between Russia and leading EU countries, including France and Germany, TASS reports. He called the preparations for talks between the Russian and U.S. leaders “good news” and stressed that a ceasefire in Ukraine hinges on an agreement between the two leaders. Orbán criticized the EU leadership for their passivity and inability to influence the situation, suggesting that the German chancellor and French president should personally go to Moscow for talks or meet on neutral territory (TASS).

Intended effect: The material portrays the EU as a weak player, unable to influence the situation in Ukraine independently. It emphasizes the pivotal roles of Russia and the U.S. in achieving a truce. It also supports the idea of direct dialogue with Moscow, which aligns with Russian diplomatic interests.

Russian MP slams agreement with Azerbaijan as unprofitable for Armenia

The peace agreement between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, which is being planned in the U.S., does not serve Yerevan’s interests, Konstantin Zatulin, first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, told TASS. According to him, if the transfer of the Zangezur corridor to U.S. control becomes a condition for the settlement, this will benefit Azerbaijan and Turkey, but will harm Armenia and pose a threat to Iran. The MP accused Pashinyan of abandoning national interests for the sake of integration into the Western world and noted that Washington’s control over the corridor is also in Israel’s interests (TASS).

Intended effect: The article presents the agreement under preparation as dangerous for Armenia, portraying Pashinyan as a leader acting in the interests of the West rather than his own country. It is emphasized that Azerbaijan, Turkey, the U.S. and Israel will benefit from the initiative, while Armenia and Iran will lose out, which reinforces the narrative of external interference in the region.

Zakharova compares Sandu to Saakashvili amid verdict against head of Gagauzia

Commenting on the conviction of Evghenia Guțul, leader of the Gagauzia region, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova called Moldovan President Maia Sandu “another Saakashvili, only worse,” EADaily reports. She stressed that “the criminal prosecution and conviction of dissenters has become the ‘calling card’ of the Moldovan authorities.” Zakharova accused Moldova’s ruling “puppet anti-people regime” of repression, culminating in the trial against Guțul. On August 5, the Chisinau District Court sentenced her to seven years in prison on charges of illegal party financing and electoral corruption (EADaily).

Intended effect: The article portrays the Moldovan authorities as a repressive regime dependent on the West that suppresses the opposition. The parallels drawn with Saakashvili, as well as the reference to the regime’s “calling card,” underscore its authoritarian nature. Meanwhile, Guțul is portrayed as a victim of political persecution.