Moscow Calling is Civil.ge’s monitoring of the Russian state media. We are putting our 24 years of experience at the service of our readers who look beyond Georgia’s immediate stories.
Russian Foreign Ministry on civilian casualties during the war with Ukraine
While Russian authorities have been reluctant to disclose their overall losses during the war against Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry has decided to announce civilian casualties during Ukraine’s offensive operations in Russian regions. Rodion Miroshnik, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s special envoy, said that “at least 478 civilians were hurt in April: 419 people were injured, including 21 minors, and 59 people died, including 5 minors.” Meanwhile, according to data from the Ukrainian side, the total losses of the Russian side since the start of full-scale hostilities against Ukraine in February 2022 are approaching one million, including those killed and disabled as a result of injuries of varying degrees.
Slovenian president on the need to restore relations with Russia
Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar, in an interview with Politico, called the EU’s refusal to engage in dialogue with Russia a mistake and stressed the need to restore communication between the parties, RIA Novosti reports. She said that the cessation of communication with Moscow had weakened the EU’s political power and proposed the creation of a group of “wise men and women” to conduct “quiet diplomacy” with the aim of resuming dialogue. According to Pirc Musar, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed that Brussels is working to restore ties with Moscow. Despite the ongoing fighting in Ukraine, Russian officials periodically speak of the need for dialogue and relations with the same Western countries, while accusing the collective West of trying to strangle Russia and its population with sanctions.
Propagandist Simonyan expresses concern about the danger of Trump’s policies to his own life…
Russian propagandist Margarita Simonyan said she’s worried about how US President Donald Trump’s policies could put his life and health at risk. “I’m really worried about his life and health. And I’m not the only one,” she said. Simonyan explained that Trump goes beyond the usual behavior of other US presidents, “who did the same thing, changing the appearance but keeping the plan the same.” For example, she said, he is not imposing new sanctions against Russia despite pressure from members of his own administration. In this regard, Simonyan compared Trump to the assassinated John F. Kennedy, “who more or less followed, or at least tried to follow, a plan that was different from the established one” and “treated the Russians with great understanding.”
Russian lawmaker advises Trump to «hold his tongue» after comments about Putin
US President Donald Trump must be more careful in his statements and bite his tongue so as not to repeat the fate of former White House chief Joe Biden and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, who have become the subject of ridicule on the international stage, said State Duma deputy Mikhail Sheremet to NEWS.ru. The deputy was commenting on Trump’s critical remarks about Vladimir Putin. Earlier, Trump publicly allowed the introduction of tough sanctions against Russia due to the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine. He criticized Putin’s actions, calling them unacceptable. (news.ru)
Record-breaking Russian cosmonaut admits he was nervous at the award ceremony because of Lavrov
Record-breaking cosmonaut and Hero of Russia Oleg Kononenko admitted in an interview with Pavel Zarubin, author and co-host of the program “Moscow. Kremlin. Putin,” that he was nervous at the award ceremony in the Kremlin because of the speech by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. This was reported by the publication Vesti.ru. However, according to Kononenko, he still managed to overcome his anxiety. “I had to speak after Lavrov, and it’s difficult to outdo him, so I was very nervous,” said the cosmonaut. On May 22, Vladimir Putin awarded record-breaking cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 1st class. On September 23, 2024, Oleg Kononenko returned to Earth, setting a record for the total length of time a person has spent in space — 1,110 days, 14 hours, and 57 minutes. (vesti.ru)
Primakov announces suspension of the Russian House in Syria
The head of Rossotrudnichestvo, Yevgeny Primakov, announced that the activities of the Russian House in Syria have been temporarily suspended due to the changing political situation and security concerns. By the Russian embassy’s decision, employees were evacuated, and work was suspended until the situation improves. The direct enrolment of Syrian students under the Russian government’s quota has also been suspended. Preference is now being given to Syrians already studying in Russia or abroad (in Lebanon and Europe). Primakov expressed confidence that the educational quota will be fulfilled in any case, and further steps will depend on developments in Syria. “The House is frozen; no work is being done there at the moment. We are waiting for the security situation to allow us to return and resume this work,” Primakov said. The Russian House is an official center for the promotion of Russian culture, language, and education abroad, operating with state support. According to observers, such houses are considered a tool in the hands of the Russian Federation for achieving its goals in foreign countries through hybrid methods, so-called “soft power.” (TASS)
Patrushev says NATO threats mounting
Russian presidential aide Nikolai Patrushev said that the attempt to detain the civilian vessel Jaguar with Russian cargo in the Gulf of Finland by the Estonian Navy, supported by NATO aircraft, is an example of “piracy” committed by Western countries. According to him, NATO is building up its naval presence and intelligence capabilities, especially in the Baltic region, which poses a growing threat. “Against this backdrop, Westerners are effectively committing acts of piracy. The latest example was the attempt by the Estonian Navy, with NATO air support, to detain a civilian ship, the Jaguar, carrying Russian cargo in the Gulf of Finland,” Patrushev said. (ria.ru)
Russian “military correspondent” touts ‘elimination’ of a former US Marine in Ukraine
“American mercenary Jonathan Andrew Pably has been eliminated in the ATO [Anti-Terrorist Operation, Russian official euphemism for Ukraine war] zone. A former Marine who participated in the US campaign in Iraq, he was a machine gunner in the Delta Knights unit of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine,” wrote “military correspondent” Yevgeny Poddubny on his Telegram channel. According to him, the American was ‘eliminated’ during an attack by a Russian FPV drone. According to the Russian ‘military correspondent,’ Jonathan Pebble ”joined the Ukrainian forces in 2024.” “In numerous interviews with Ukrainian media, Pebble said that the war in Iraq left no mark on him and that ‘it is still easy for him to shoot at civilians,’” Poddubny wrote. (Lenta.ru)