Moscow Calling – July 2

Zakharova: The West is isolating itself yet continuing contacts with Russia

Speaking on Sputnik radio, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova commented on President Vladimir Putin’s conversation with Emmanuel Macron, suggesting that the French embassy be contacted for clarification. According to her, the French Ambassador is actively giving interviews and can explain the reasons and motivation for the contact. Zakharova emphasized that Western countries, including NATO states, regularly level accusations against Russia and call for its isolation, while still maintaining contacts with the country. She compared the EU’s actions to a cartoon about three little pigs: “They put a door in front of themselves, hid behind it, and now they think it’s dangerous out there, but they’re safe where they are.” Zakharova said that this is a made-up strategy that shows the West’s double standards (TASS).

Russian expert: Russia could take Odesa amid protracted negotiations  

In an interview with Gazeta.ru, Russian military expert Yuri Knutov said that Odesa is of strategic importance to both Kyiv and Moscow. He claimed that the city is used for “arms smuggling” under the guise of grain exports. Knutov also noted that control over Odesa would give Russia the opportunity to dominate the northern and eastern parts of the Black Sea. He stressed that the capture of Odesa in the next six months is unlikely, but cannot be ruled out in the event of protracted negotiations. In his opinion, pro-Russian sentiments are strong in the city. Earlier, The Financial Times reported that the capture of Odesa is considered a key goal for Russia (Gazeta.ru).

Ryumshin: Moscow may respond to Baku if the crisis continues to deepen

While official Moscow has been relatively moderate in its comments on the most serious crisis between Russia and Azerbaijan in recent years, Russian commentators are more freely expressing their views on the issue. Political commentator Vitaly Ryumshin, in his article on Gazeta.ru, notes that the tension was triggered by an incident within Russian jurisdiction, but Baku’s reaction went far beyond that: an anti-Russian campaign, arrests of journalists, and the destruction of Russian goods. According to the author, this is not just a matter of emotion – tensions have been building since the end of 2024, after the plane crash near Aktau. Since then, relations have steadily deteriorated, including the closure of the Russian House and pressure on Russian media. Ryumshin notes that Azerbaijan’s confidence is fueled by its successes in Karabakh, regional support, and a favorable geopolitical situation. According to him, Baku may believe that it can dictate terms. However, Moscow still has economic leverage, and further escalation could prove costly for the Azerbaijani leadership, he stresses (Gazeta.ru).

Lukashenko: prisoners are under control, prison is not a resort

On July 1, Aleksandr Lukashenko made some strong statements about pardoning political prisoners and the West’s role in Belarusian internal affairs, Russian propaganda outlet EADaily reports. According to Lukashenko, the pardon of 14 convicts, including Sergei Tikhanovsky, became possible after the visit of the U.S. President’s special envoy. Lukashenko stressed that the prisoners are under the control of the special services and called them “criminals” rather than politicians. He accused the opposition of seeking to provoke unrest and claimed that one such attempt in 2020 could have ended in people being set on fire. Lukashenko also accused the U.S. of hypocrisy, recalling the destruction in the Middle East. At the same time, he stated that torture in Belarusian prisons is unacceptable, but “prison is not a resort” (EADaily).