Moscow Calling – June 9

Patrushev on increased threats to Russia’s maritime borders

Putin’s aide, Nikolai Patrushev, who serves as chairman of the Maritime Board of Russia, said that Russia is constantly facing provocations on its maritime borders, including in the Black Sea and the Baltic. “We are facing attempts to violate our borders in all areas,” he said, noting that Russia’s maritime border stretches over 38,000 km. Patrushev said that, based on an analysis of the global situation, including neighboring regions, it can be said that threats to Russia’s maritime borders will only intensify. “Not everything is peaceful, let’s say, in the Pacific Ocean,” he added (TASS).

DFM Ryabkov reiterates Ukraine war is about pushing NATO out

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that it is impossible to resolve the conflict in Ukraine without stopping NATO’s expansion. He noted that the U.S. is responsible for the escalation and support of Kyiv, including strikes on Russian territory using Western weapons and intelligence data. Moscow expresses its readiness for negotiations but demands that its interests be considered and the causes of the conflict be eliminated. According to Ryabkov, the U.S. is not sincere in normalizing relations. The development of the Golden Dome missile defense system by the U.S., he said, threatens strategic stability and provokes an arms race in space. A return to arms control is unlikely without fundamental changes. Ryabkov also noted that Russia is considering ending the moratorium on deploying medium-range missiles and will continue to seek diplomatic parity with the U.S. (TASS).

FSB claims to have prevented the smuggling of helicopter parts from Russia to Ukraine

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that it had thwarted an attempt by an international group to illegally ship aircraft parts worth over 400 million rubles to Ukraine. According to the agency, the group consisted of six people — citizens of Russia, Ukraine, and the Middle East — whose actions were coordinated by a foreign woman located abroad. The attempt reportedly involved delivering components for Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters, which would have been enough to repair at least four aircraft. According to the FSB, a criminal case has been opened on charges of smuggling military equipment. Russian security officials point to large-scale efforts by foreign special services to organize arms deliveries to Ukraine. Since October 2023, they say, 236 such attempts have been thwarted. According to the FSB, Ukraine is in dire need of Russian spare parts due to shortages and damage to its aircraft during the war (ria.ru).

RIA Novosti: Almost all Abrams out of action in Ukraine

Since the beginning of 2024, Russian troops have destroyed 26 of the 31 American Abrams tanks transferred to Ukraine, RIA Novosti claims. According to media reports, the first tank was hit on February 26, 2024, in the Avdiivka direction by the “Center” group. Thus, according to RIA Novosti, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have only five of these combat vehicles left. The delivery of tanks was announced by the U.S. in January 2023. Moscow has repeatedly stated that Western military aid to Ukraine does not affect the course of the conflict but only prolongs it. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized that NATO is participating in the confrontation not only by supplying equipment and ammunition, but also by training Ukrainian military personnel, which is regarded as direct involvement in the conflict (ria.ru).

Russian MP seeks to deport migrant children for failing to learn Russian

Mikhail Matveyev, a Russian State Duma MP, has proposed deporting “migrant children” who fail Russian language exams, along with their parents. Matveyev stated that such children should be sent “to their grandmothers in their native villages,” and reports on improper upbringing should be filed against their parents. After two such cases in a year, the adults would also be subject to deportation. Matveev noted that the results of recent tests exceeded the worst expectations – many children have almost no knowledge of Russian, which hinders the learning process. The new law, in effect from April, allows only children with legal status and knowledge of the language to attend school. According to Gazeta.ru, of 2,868 children who applied for the exam, only 498 were admitted (Gazeta.ru).