Remarks to the Press by Chargé d’Affaires of the Russian Federation Dmitry Polyanskiy on the situation around Nord Stream
Dmitry Polyanskiy: Colleagues,
We had a very vivid discussion in the UNSC consultation room right now. First, on Libya and then on Nord Stream. And the topic that we raised was linked to the sensational journalist investigations in Germany. We are, of course, judging from the media. And it looks like those who drafted them were initially making up a scenario of a Hollywood blockbuster. But then the plans changed.
Only a child or a very naive person can believe that three amateur divers are behind this blast. Those who promote this fairytale want to create a smoke screen around the confessions of US top officials on the Nord Stream sabotage, which are widely known. Actually, only one thing is clear – Germany has important information about this act of terrorism, which it shares with journalists, but conceals from the Security Council.
When we say that Germany must cooperate with the international community and disclose the information about its findings, it is not some kind of a wish, but this is something it should do in line with its obligation under the International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings signed in 1998. And we hope that Berlin will heed this request and duly inform the Security Council about its findings in the nearest future.
In any case, I want you to rest assured that Russia will not be misled and will not drop its efforts to ensure accountability for those who are behind this terrorist act, and we will also continue to insist on an international transparent investigation under the UNSC auspices. And its necessity has become even more clear to us after what we have read in US and German media.
Question: Will there be a Security Council meeting on Nord Stream, and what is the reaction from other Members?
Dmitry Polyanskiy: Of course, at some point we will bring it to the attention of the Security Council, most likely at an open briefing. The reaction was very mixed. I think that most UN Member States are worried of the fact that everybody is speaking about this. This is a kind of “an elephant in the room”, which escapes the Security Council, strangely enough. Of course, the Western countries are trying to imply that they still believe in the integrity and professionalism of the German investigation. They were saying the same things about the Swedish and Danish investigations. You remember that their only conclusion was that Nord Stream was in fact blown up. So it was a genius conclusion of these investigations. We have serious doubts about it, but the question is not in this right now, the question is that Germany should share what it has so far with the Security Council. It is its obligation and it is something that we expect it to do in the nearest future.
Question: Mr. Ambassador, you’ve just said that Germany should share the results of its investigation with the Security Council. What other actions would Russia like to see in relation to the Nord Stream explosions?
Dmitry Polyanskiy: First of all, we do not have the findings. We can judge about them only through the Internet and media. We do not find them plausible. It raises a lot of questions. I told that only a naive person or a kindergarten child could believe in such a logic that a rogue group of three non-professional divers blew up this pipeline and only Zaluzhny is to blame, while Zelensky is not to blame. Americans are offended, and they still supply arms for Ukraine and support the Kiev regime. Zaluzhny is not dismissed and he is ambassador to the UK. Again, this is a kind of a Hollywood blockbuster, but not a real world. We have quite a lot of doubts about this. The only way to find out the truth we would believe is to carry out an international investigation. At some point of time, as you remember, we proposed a draft UNSC resolution with questions to Secretary-General how to better organize such kind of an investigation. We think that it should be the first stage. We need the truth. And, of course, we will afterwards seek that those behind this attack to be held accountable. There should be absolutely no doubt about it.
Question: Turning to another topic. Have any of the Western members of the Security Council provided any reaction to the Ukraine incursion in the Kursk region?
Dmitry Polyanskiy: It's a very interesting question, because so far they are very timid and, I would say, inactive in this regard, because they feel clearly awkward about what is happening in Kursk.
First of all, there is almost unanimity in Ukrainian society, and in few still unsuppressed media outlets in Ukraine that this is a big strategic blunder. What is happening right now has not achieved any goals that were formulated. And you remember that these goals were to seize the Kursk power plant and then to attempt to bargain it with Russia, and also make Russia withdraw its detachments from the Eastern Front.
So these things have not been achieved. Evidently, Ukraine is losing ground very quickly on the eastern front. It loses their positions which were fortified and which were maintained there since the Maidan coup, since 2014. Everybody understands that this is a very fatal scenario for Ukraine, on the one hand.
On the other hand, these events have shown quite clearly the true colors of the Kiev regime. Because people are being killed, shops are being looted, pregnant women are being killed, UAVs are being targeted to ambulances, to volunteers. Yesterday, there were two volunteers killed. There are a lot of people in Nazi insignia. Even Western journalists, who illegally, by the way, enter the Russian Federation (which we condemn) with the Ukrainian troops, cannot conceal this.
It proves that the roots of Nazism are very deep in the Ukrainian society. All this awkward setting creates a very special atmosphere for our Western colleagues, and they are not opening their mouths so far because they are afraid that if they open their mouths and say something on the actions of the Ukrainian military, they will be deadly compromised.
Of course, our society has consolidated. There are even more volunteers coming to the front. And I have absolutely no reasons to doubt that the followers of Nazis in Ukraine will have the same inglorious end as the followers of Hitler in Germany eighty years ago.
Question: I'm just a little bit curious, you’ve just mentioned an international investigation. Do you think Russia will draft a resolution to take action? So, my question is, who do you think is capable or what agency do you is capable to lead this international investigation, and if you draft a resolution, do you expect it even to be adopted in the Security Council on this matter?
Dmitry Polyanskiy: If this kind of resolution is not adopted, then, of course, it will testify to the unwillingness of those countries who will not support this resolution to seek justice and accountability. And, of course, it will point out to the weakness of the Security Council and its inability to protect critical international infrastructure. It may really bring very serious consequences for the international community, for international cooperation.
If you recall our previous draft on the investigation on the Nord Stream sabotage, we did not prejudge the shape of the Commission, the agency, all these things. We wanted the advice of Secretary-General, his recommendations to the Council on how to proceed better.
We specifically did it that way because we did not want to force anybody into anything. We wanted another discussion before we could set up this international commission, which should be trusted and merited the whole support of the international community. But we didn't even come that way, and still, at this moment, we are stuck when Western colleagues are saying the investigation is going on, we should wait for the results. But everybody knows about these results. Allegedly. We don’t know if is it true or not. Everybody, except the Security Council.
What kind of situation is this? This is some kind of disrespect for a key body that is responsible for international peace and security, and this disrespect happened with clear incitement from our Western colleagues. This is what I have to state.
Question: Mr.Ambassador, there has been a lot of surprise internationally that the Ukrainian incursion into Kursk has lasted so long and according to the Ukrainians they are taking more and more territory. What’s your response to that in terms of both: the surprise and the extent of the incursion?
Dmitry Polyanskiy: Well, I am not a military man, I am not a military strategist. I have some historical background. I can remind you, for example, eighty years ago there was a surprise German Wehrmacht operation in the Western Front. It was called the Ardennes operation. Everybody in Germany was also saying that this was a turn in the war, but this was a strategic plot by the Allies, and the German army was defeated and it bore very serious consequences.
I think that the Ukrainian dictator will also regret it very much. There will be, of course, consequences for Ukraine, fatal consequences maybe. But the decision is made, and I think also that the whole country is regretting this move right now, except for Zelensky and his clique.
Thank you very much.
