Russian Ambassador to Cambodia’s article published on Russia Day
On 12 June on the occasion of Russia Day an article themed “Russia’s national unity amid the global changes” by H.E. Mr. Anatoly Borovik, Ambassador of Russia to Cambodia, was published the Khmer Times.
Russia’s national unity amid the global changes
Today the Russian Federation celebrates its major national holiday – Russia Day. Though this date has been initially established by the decree of the President only in 1994 with its name changed, the history of the Russian statehood is traced back to the late 9th century.
Over the centuries, our country has seen periods of breaks of old pillars and development, its heydays and turbulence, Russian people has always demonstrated their common pursuit and unity in sustained build-up of a harmonious and prosperous society. We know the strength of the century-old traditions, moral values, and spiritual foundations, which have reaffirmed themselves throughout the entirety of our multiethnic nation’s thousand years of history.
In such a pursuit Russian people have defended their Motherland from foreign invaders, worked on the advancement of their own country and betterment of the population’s well-being, carried out scientific research, explored the world, as well as created art masterpieces. The results of these endeavors were embodied in the building of the world’s first nuclear power plant, launch of the sputnik and then the first cosmonaut into space, satellite television, first atomic icebreaker, etc. Among the current achievements of 2022 is a reactor of the Beloyarskaya Nuclear Power Plant on mixed-oxide fuel, received from the nuclear fuel waste, which ensures the implementation of a closed nuclear cycle.
Nowadays, the world is rapidly changing, with countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America strengthening their economic positions and showing their commitment and readiness to uphold their sovereign national interests and to play an equal role in global processes. However, such a course is hindered by the attempts of the West to preserve its own dominance. The results of such “dominance” are notorious not only from the history of colonial rule by the few over many parts of the world, but also from more recent developments. Since the end of World War II, the US has provoked 201 of the 248 military conflicts in the world. Since the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, more than 900 thousand people have been killed and at least 38 million have become refugees in all corners of the globe as a result of wars started by “fighters for freedom and democracy.” Under the veil of championing the human rights, colour revolutions and coups were fueled in different parts of the globe, leaving behind turmoil and sufferings.
Amid the current pressure from the West, which does not hide that the purpose of its unilateral restrictions is to inflict the maximum possible damage to Russia, the importance of unity for our people, society and the country and our responsibility to the Motherland is as clear as ever. In such circumstances, Russia adopted a new Foreign Policy Concept which reaffirmed its pursuit to implement an independent and multi-vector foreign policy.
Meanwhile, such an approach seems to be a threat to the hegemony of the West, which used the measures, taken by the Russian Federation related to Ukraine to protect its vital interests, as a pretext to aggravate the longstanding anti-Russian policy and unleashed a new type of hybrid war. For years they have ignored our security concerns and constructive proposals to ensure security guarantees of Russia and NATO Member States, including those voiced back in 2021.
It was not Russia who transferred tons of lethal weapons to the borders of the United States or any other NATO state thousands of kilometers from our national borders. When Kiev unleashed punitive war against people of Donbass and shelling of that territory, the collective West remained still. Even today, its mainstream media prefer to ignore the attacks against the cities and towns of Donbass, while in 2022 the armed formations of Ukraine shelled them over 16 thousand times, causing deaths of 4574 civilians, including 153 children. They were similarly blind to the forced Ukrainization, Kiev regime’s policy to squeeze out and destroy everything related to Russia, falsify history, as well as to divide the Church and persecute the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The causes that led to Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine were explained many times. During its process, the Russian Armed Forces are targeting only military facilities and doing their best to avoid casualties among the civilians. Meanwhile, the Kiev regime continues its terrorist tactics of attacking residential buildings and civilian infrastructure, and transport and energy infrastructure – the last week Ukrainian militaries caused destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant is their another clear example, that resulted in flooding dozens of settlements, devastating humanitarian and environmental disaster.
Nowadays Russia is carrying out a full scale of works to restore the normal life in Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions. Over 36,5 thousand hectares of these territories are demined, over 600 km of roads and 16 bridges are repaired. Following the restoration works, over 70 hospitals, 280 schools and 1390 residential buildings went into operation.
With a process of formation of a more just polycentric international order going on, Russia is seeking to improve international mechanisms in the interests of global and regional security and development. We support regional and sub-regional integration within friendly multilateral institutions and dialogue platforms, especially ASEAN, and pursue to enhance the capacity and international role of multilateral frameworks with a strong Russian participation, including the aim to establish a Great Eurasian Partnership.
In this respect, our country continues to cherish its relations with ASEAN and its Member States, including Cambodia, which is fulfilling its duties as ASEAN Country-Coordinator for Russia-ASEAN Dialogue partnership. In the year of 5th anniversary of our strategic partnership, we look forward to advance and implement broad vistas of Russia-ASEAN cooperation in trade and economy, education and science, energy and technology.
On the occasion of Russia Day, I would like to congratulate all Russian nationals staying in the Kingdom on this holiday. I am confident that together with the Cambodian partners we will be able to realize the great potential of the Russian-Cambodian interactions for the benefit of the two peoples.
