Moscow Calling – June 2
The Russian media tried to stay mum about Ukraine’s devastating hit on its strategic aviation, limiting its reaction to the Russian Ministry of Defence’s ill-construed effort to downplay the attack. In the meantime, propaganda outlets continued to portray Kyiv as a destructive actor in diplomatic efforts to end the war.
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 MoD downplays the consequences of the Ukrainian attack
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, as a result of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ attack on Russian military airfields in five regions — Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur — on June 1, there were no casualties, although “several aircraft were damaged.” According to the Ukrainian sources and independent visual verification, Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3 strategic bombers were targeted. These platforms are used daily for lobbing Kh-101 and Kh-22 cruise missiles at Ukraine. The attacks were carried out using FPV drones launched from trucks near the airfields. The drones used open-source software and digital communication via SIM cards, which allowed them to bypass electronic warfare systems. Lenta.ru said strategic bombers are not in the hangars because of the requirements of the START III treaty, which was suspended in 2023. The newspaper reminds readers that the Tu-95MS is part of Russia’s nuclear triad, along with intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear-powered submarines. (lenta.ru)
Diplomat blames Kyiv for “creating tension” ahead of talks
“Kyiv is seeking to create maximum tension on the line of military contact ahead of Istanbul. Massive attempts to strike Russian border areas with drones are clear confirmation of this,” said Rodion Miroshnik, Russia’s ambassador-at-large for ”crimes of the Kyiv regime.” Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that a Russian delegation led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky is ready to present a memorandum to Ukraine on June 2 in Istanbul “on all aspects of overcoming the root causes of the crisis.” Ukrainian Defense Minister and head of the delegation at the talks, Rustem Umerov, said that Kiev is “not opposed” to meeting with the Russian side, but is waiting for a memorandum from Moscow before it begins. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov called this demand unconstructive. He stressed that the main thing now is to continue the process of direct negotiations. (TASS)
Radio Sputnik and Ukraina.ru launch new propaganda project
Well-known Russian propaganda media outlets Radio Sputnik and Ukraina.ru are launching a new radio project called “Novorossiya Today,” dedicated to life in the regions captured by Russia during the war with Ukraine. The programs will be broadcast live on weekdays starting June 2 and will cover topics such as the front lines, “the restoration of infrastructure, the economy, culture, and the social sphere.” Among the goals of the new project is to counter “information terrorism” from Kyiv and the West. The project will cover cities in the Donbas, including Luhansk and Donetsk. (ria.ru)
Russia’s role in the modern world through the eyes of a Russian diplomat
In an article by Russian diplomat and former rector of the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry Alexander Yakovenko, published on RIA Novosti under the headline “Russia as a global project,” he presents his analysis of the “crisis of the liberal Western model” and argues that the US is losing its moral and political leadership. According to the author, Russia proposes an alternative — a multipolar world based on sovereignty, equality, and traditional values. Yakovenko emphasizes that Russia’s role is growing against the backdrop of “degradation of the Western system.” The author proposes a new global security architecture and a redistribution of influence in international institutions, favoring the BRICS countries and the Global South. Yakovenko pays special attention to a cultural and civilizational approach: Russia is positioned as a center of attraction for states “seeking to preserve their identity and independence” (ria.ru)
Kazakhstan is harming itself by culling energy project with Russia
Energy expert Olzhas Baidildinov wrote a piece mocking the satisfaction of Kazakhstan’s “nationalists and liberal circles” with the suspension of the Russian “Inter RAO” project to build three thermal power plants in the country. The author says Kazakhstan can’t implement such projects of its own and is set to lose investments worth some $3 billion, while facing energy problems in the provinces. Baidildinov points out that only Russia applied to previous tenders “due to global restrictions on financing coal-fired power generation.” The message is that the decision to suspend construction harms Kazakhstan more than Russia. (EADaily)