Moscow — In a simple meeting room at the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry building, Russia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova gave me a generous hour of her time in a conversation peppered with bemused laughter at Western allegations about Russia and clear frustration at the West’s incessant vilification of all things Russia.
I traveled to Moscow in August, where to my delight I had the opportunity to interview Zakharova. Given that Russia is the focus of obsessive and largely negative Western media reporting, and also the country’s role in eliminating the proliferation of terrorist groups that once controlled large swaths of Syria, I wanted to ask Zakharova for her take on a variety of topics related to both Russia and Syria.
In our wide-ranging discussion, Zakharova spoke of the U.S. sanctions regime against Russia and of the Western interference in Russian domestic issues — such as the protests seen in Moscow in July and August.
On Syria, she addressed the issue of exploitation of children in propaganda against Syria and Russia — notably Omran Daqneesh, a child whose image was splashed across newspapers and screens worldwide in 2016, incriminating Russia and Syria in an airstrike that was later proven to have never happened. An official apology from one of the most adamant perpetrators of that narrative, CNN’s Christian Amanpour, also never happened.
One cannot discuss the war in Syria and related propaganda without addressing the massively-funded White Helmets. In discussing the group, Zakharova gave examples of its role in fomenting support for Western military intervention, including in pushing responsibility on the Syrian government for the alleged but unproven and, by most honest accounts, staged chemical attack in Douma, eastern Ghouta, in 2018. Footage of the attack included video starring the White Helmets and another exploited Syrian boy, Hassan Diab, whose testimony of the events ran in stark contrast to the allegations against the Syrian government that were being circulated in the Western media.
Zakharova also addressed the inconsistencies around the Skripal case, the historic importance of Crimea’s referendum, and the U.K. “media freedom” conference of July 2019, where cases of imprisoned journalists like Julian Assange and Kirill Vyshinsky were notably not part of the conference program.
In an unexpected development since my discussion with Zakharova, Ukrainian-Russian journalist and editor Vyshinsky was released from his over 15 months of imprisonment without trial by Ukraine. Referring to his imprisonment, Zakharova described him as a hostage.
The interview took place at a time when Western media reporting would have one believe that the streets of Moscow were full of chaos and unrest with the protests. In fact, contrary to media reporting, Moscow was calm, as were the protests I attended on August 10. Once again, it seemed, the media was hyping and distorting reality, as they have so often done elsewhere in the world.
Zakharova’s words are a reality check and offer an informative insight into the Russian perspective on Russian, Syrian, and global events.
Feature photo | Maria Zakharova sits down with Eva Bartlett at a Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry building in Moscow, Russia in August, 2019. Eva Bartlett | MintPress News
Eva Bartlett is a Canadian independent journalist and activist. She has spent years on the ground covering conflict zones in the Middle East, especially in Syria and occupied Palestine, where she lived for nearly four years. She is a recipient of the 2017 International Journalism Award for International Reporting, granted by the Mexican Journalists’ Press Club (founded in 1951), was the first recipient of the Serena Shim Award for Uncompromised Integrity in Journalism, and was short-listed in 2017 for the Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism. See her extended bio on her blog In Gaza.
source: https://www.mintpressnews.com/russia-foreign-ministry-spokesperson-maria-zakharova-interview/261739/
Interview of a class lady by a responsible and class journalist.
Taras…absolutely!
The contrast between Putin, Lavrov and Zakharova in terms of class, intelligence and diplomacy compared to their equivalents in Washington is so extreme it should be an acute embarrassment to the entire Western ‘Civilisation’.
As always it is a case of being very very careful what you wish for when you contemplate Trump and his goon squad cabinet. The sacking of the warmongering lunatic Bolton might have seemed like a step forward last week but as always there is a willing lineup of ruthless psychopaths waiting in the wings to join the war council.
Trumps new Security Adviser…[the title in itself is of course utterly farcical when a creature like Bolton could hold this position]…has just been announced and is none other than nuclear war advocate Charles Kupperman…YCHMTSU!
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/nuclear-war-russia-winnable-said-trumps-incoming-national-security-advisor
If you looked in desperation for a positive spin on this I suppose you could argue that Trump’s behavoiur, and that of his bunch of blundering goons he calls his cabinet, has become so outrageous that it is in fact a positive sign. Perhaps it is becoming very hard to miss now for anyone with half a brain that this bludgeoning bully of an empire is badly wounded, desperate and increasingly losing its hegemonic stranglehold on the globe.
The timing of the sacking of Bolton, the attack on SA’s largest oil refinery and now the appointment of this creature Kupperman all looks extremely ominous to me. Of course, Pompeo has it on ‘good authority’ that Iran is responsible for this attack… gosh how convenient is that!
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/massive-fire-after-drone-strike-hits-worlds-largest-oil-processing-facility-saudi
Cheers from the south seas
Col
The military and many of its tentacles are exceptional, professional pranksters. And then the media spins the web of deceit to further catch its victims in a hopeless attempt to amuse its paying audience.
Once caught these critters then involve themselves in a bloody civil war further confusing said audience and in the end only a few are acutely aware of what just really happened verses the narrative of the spun visual web.
Its all good until one gets caught in said web and tries to lie their way out, then trouble hits the fan and all hell breaks loose.
It was a wonderful world we lived in until about 1961.
It was a wonderful world YOU lived in.
Wikipedia coyly states that Kupperman is ‘Jewish’, a qualification alongside his membership of devoutly Islamophobic groups that makes the definition ‘Zionazi’ seem more appropriate to me. I bet he’s just slobbering for a New Purim to be inflicted on Iran-just like Bibi.
Mulga
On the subject of the pandemic of incompetence in Western high-office, how about Biden’s run for POTUS as a current example.
Caitlan Johnston, one of your countries most honest and direct commentators, once again tells it like it is with no frills. She transcripted verbatim his very tragic response to a direct question during the recent Democratic debate. Sadly his response is complete gibberish. Below is a segment of this reply….
“We bring social workers into homes of parents to help them deal with how to raise their children. It’s not that they don’t wanna help, they don’t want–they don’t know quite what to do. Play the radio, make sure the television, [closes eyes tightly] the– ‘scuse me, make sure you have the record player on at night, the-the-the-the phone, make sure the kids hear words. A kid coming from a very poor school, [closes eyes] a very poor background, will hear four million words fewer spoken by the time they get there.”
If Putin, Lavrov, and Zakharova think that the Washington intellect that they have to try and deal with at the moment is just about the last straw…I have got news for them…it could get worse…a lot worse…can you imagine them trying to interact with Sleepy Joe!
Sad indeed
Col
https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2019/09/16/bidens-brain-is-swiss-cheese-and-its-creepy-that-were-not-talking-about-it/
Biden was never the sharpest shiv in the drawer, but today he makes Trump look positively youthful, vibrant and coherent. But it still looks like the DNC intend imposing him on the Party, which looks awfully like a desire to throw the election to Trump. Whatever, any ‘Left'(n the sad US version of the term)insurgency MUST and will be defeated-the ruling elites absolutely insist. ‘Democracy without choices’ rules-OK?
Wow! Two of my favorite women together. My access to video has been limited so this is the first time for me to hear Maria speak English. It must be very difficult to switch back and forth. If she needs anyone to practice her English with it would be my honor to help.’
It seems crucial that we hear her more often, we spend so much time listening to lies, it’s hi time we spent some time with the truth.
Both of these women are heroes. Eva’s history of going to very dangerous places puts her at the very top of the worlds best journalists. She has been where the tough guys dare not step!
This is good reading too
https://maps.southfront.org/closer-look-at-behavior-of-ukrainian-propagandists-and-politicians/
Ukraine” journo” v Zakharova. Dumb v intelligence.
I enjoyed watching this interview very much. I found it to be quite refreshing to observe honest and intelligent conversation about the objective reality of the situations discussed. I also appreciate the professional and positive manner in which the interview was conducted. As always, I am very much impressed with Maria Zakharova, and Eva Bartlett.
I also thank the Saker for making this interview available to us, here in this land.
It was indeed refreshing for the reasons you mention. I was shaking my head as she told about the ambush journalism used by Christain Amanpour when she pulled out the picture of that little boy. And later it is found to be fake but there are no apologies from the west. They just bury the story. This is all we have in the west. A steady diet of deceit, liars representing the MSM and our own politicians. Every time they open their mouths only lies come forth.
Who do we have in the west to compare with the likes of a Zakarova (save Eva Bartlett and a few other brave souls), Lavrov, Putin, Shogu etc? The west has reality TV personalities, former drama teachers, comedians and other miscreants ruling the countries. I use the term ‘ruling’ loosely because they merely represent the money interests who control them. Trump got rid of Bolton, likely as a ploy. Nothing will change for the better. Look at his replacement! Another psycho who was the aid and advisor to Bolton for 30 years.
I find that most people have great difficulty admitting or understanding that the entire Western ruling class in politics, the media, business etc are Evil psychopaths, most stunningly stupid and incompetent, differing only in how febrile are the manifestations of their innate pathology. Here in Austfailia we are burning to the ground amidst the worst drought recorded, yet the regime still denies climate destabilisation, worships coal and gas, hates Greens, particularly the child revolutionists, with fury, and the ‘Opposition’ is about to abandon its pathetically inadequate ‘climate change’ plans, in the usual lurch ever further to the omnicidal, diabolical, Right.
Meanwhile Indonesia is burning, again. The archipelago will shortly be more or less uninhabitable, and millions will flee for their and their children’s lives, and they won’t be heading north, that’s certain. Our refugee tormenting ‘lock ’em up’ policies won’t work then, and ‘Our Great and Powerful Friend’, the USA, won’t come to our aid, that’s for sure. Poor feller my country.
East,West,North, South ruling class are no different
They are of one class, the ruling Capitalist class.
Why keep on pulling the wool over your own eyes?
Zakharova as usual is extremely well prepared, with facts and examples at her fingertips. The English language proficiency was good…not extremely fluid…but quite impressive all the same.
I note her dress, quite pretty, and appropriate for a fully mature woman.
However, and not that I am a clothing maven, those shoes must go!
Totally agree about those green shoes: it was, I think, the only inconsistent item in her appearance and the presentation. Not so much the color, but Deweird geometry. I have seen quite a number of women wearing such
physically disfunctional shoes, including my daughter, believing that it somehow + contributes to their appearance.
Quite the opposite, I claim. But it appears I am loosing this battle of the tastes, at least with the younger generation. Perhaps, this is the key to Maria’s choice: She feels very young. Good to know.
Regards, Spiral
When you get your reputation ruined, you’re free to act. Russia should behave like the USA and Israel, strike hard where the country’s interests are threatened.
Difference of opinion, here.
Russia most definitely should not behave like the U.S.A. and Israel (behave).
Zakarova was in fine form when she responded to Obama U.N. Ambassador Samatha Powers who said Moscow’s representative (Zakarova) should be “embarassed” for her words suggesting that that Washington is defending Islamic State (IS, former ISIS, ISIL) terrorists.
In response to Power’s accusations, Maria Zakharova wrote on Facebook:
“Dear Samantha Power, in order to know the meaning of the word “embarrassed,” I highly encourage you to travel to Syria and talk to the people there for yourself. And by that I do not mean the Al-Nusra Front militants, nor the moderate opposition, whose humanitarian situation Washington seems to be so worried about. I likewise am not referring to the Western warriors for justice for Syria. I’m referring to the actual people that continue to live there in spite of the bloody experiment that has been waged on their homeland for over six years, with active participation by Washington.”
“Let’s go there together,” she said, promising she would shoulder the expenses of Power’s Syria trip.
“Do say yes. Don’t be frightened. Nobody will lay a finger on you in my presence. Unless, of course, your guys don’t again ‘mistakenly’ strike the wrong target. You’ll make lots of new memories. And find out what ‘embarrassed’ means in the process,”
One mistake there. There is NO ‘moderate opposition’ in Syria and never was. They have all been takfiri, salafist or jihadist butchers and their allies since, and long before, Day One.
Zakharova’s laugh: spiritual fresh air for a dreary western world. Bartlett got the scoop; the usual alt-media icons are, once again, left in the dust.
Much appreciate your work Eva, and your integrity; along with others like John Pilger, Vanessa Beeley, Max Blumenthal, Jonathan Cook, Aaron Mate, and others who do what journalists are meant to do: report the facts, and challenge the powerful.
Such a massive contrast to the craven, chinless, jellified presstitutes in the West who are mere mouthpieces for Imperialism and the Anglo Zionist Empire, such as the truly vile Christiane Amanpour and her ilk. Everything they spew out is just garbage demonizing all the Empire’s assigned enemies. They are complicit in war crimes.
Creatures like Amanpour, along with others like Philip Williams of ABC in Australia are not journalists. They are propagandists. Thanks for your work.
Compare the ladies in the above video to America’s combination of foreign policy banshees and coven of hags.
Samantha Powers (wacko, out of control banshee, incompetent in foreign affairs), Jen Psaki (another bad tempered idiot banshee, also incompetent at her job and illiterate in foreign affairs), Susan rice (bungling, incompetent, politically conniving, duplicitous foreign policy & security amateur), condomleeza Rice (a sellout and coward, another weasel similar to Susan Rice, an exceptional bootlicker of neocon Republicans, a hyped up woman vastly overrated as an NSA or in foreign affairs), Hillary Clinton (stupidity, ignorance, and evil all Incased in the body of a hag, and Madeleines Albright (another hag, shameless war criminal, shameless supporter of killing 500,000 Iraqis children, a true lowlife, a scumbag that rewarded the Serb people, who saved her family from the Nazis, by engineering a massive bombing campaign against the very Serbs that saved her (I may agree,but still violates the blog rules on language,MOD) family.
Just compare.
Sorry i didn’t know, I thought absolutely no profanity or insulting except in describing war criminals of the Anglo empire or when said profane description was an objective factual description of member of Anglo empire leadership. For instance, Jen psaki is an idiot, that is objectively provable and Madeleine Albright is a scumbag, that too is objectively provable (in fact the term scumbag is probably not strong enough to describe that ungrateful shameless putrid lying psychopath).
I haven’t been back to this website in a very long time, it looks like the rules on language may have changed since I last read the commenting rules. I will review them. If I have violated them I apologize, I very low on sleep and my judgment slipped.
Anaam…I absolutely agree with you…of course, Nikky Haley and Victoria Nuland need to be added to this list of ruthless warmongering despots.
I would almost guarantee that if HRC had got her foot in the door of the big old house she would have installed Nuland as SOS in a flash and that they would have jointly and gleefully continued their destruction of Ukraine. With these two lunatics calling the shots Russia would have had no choice but to be drawn directly into a massive conflict. Of course, the same rapid escalation would have happened with Iran as well.
I have made this observation before… the two POTUS candidates were symptomatic proof of an empire that has become totally dysfunctional. The end result of either taking office could well end up the same…the only difference being the timeframe it would have taken for all of humanity to go up in smoke.
Regards
Col
Don’t forget the Shrews on the View, they have prime-time air time 24/7.
@Col ‘the farmer from NZ’,
You are so right about my two omissions: like I indicated, I was short on sleep, so my judgment and memory slipped. All these parasites prove is, that the system is in decline when such utterly incompetent airheads end up in such significant positions of power and decision making.
I am still not clear about changes to posting rules; I’m sure there was a time where insulting with profanity (aka being descriptively accurate) the particularly egregious criminal elements of the ruling horde of the Anglo-Empire was not only allowed, but actively encouraged. Now, in the latest incarnation of the rules, there doesn’t seem to anything there explicitly says you can or can’t. I’m really confused about this, is anyone out there that can clarify?
The catharsis, karmic curses and bad omens it sends their way, the creativity it motivates and cutting down to size it provides…..
I find your language merely descriptive and highly accurate. These are Evil creatures-of that there is NO doubt.
I find the common denominator among the Imperial Banshee crazies is the abolition of their femaleness, and ghastly efforts to impersonate the behaviour of the worst of men, their ‘colleagues’ in Thanatopolis DC and its satellite states.
Maria’s relieved to speak to an American (Canadian) who has some real truthful information about the situation.
Thanks Eva for not dominating the interview – Maria able to speak freely and at length on the topics.
What can happen should we choose to image reality as whole? In balance, that is, as a state of wholeness. We image what the reality is, that opens a portal to all powerful wholeness. Stay focused in the intention~attention of wholeness. A 100% trial run? Trusting you’re playing some JAZZ Saker!!
Rare bird indeed, and one of my (very few) heroes.
Enjoy.
http://telemarksporten.no/Tegneserier/Maria_Zakharova.jpg
Kent
Eva Bartlett also visited Crimea and Ukraine on her way to Russia. Here is an interview she did with a DPR village resident. ‘Ukrainian bombings destroying homes street by street’
https://ingaza.wordpress.com/2019/09/17/dpr-village-resident-says-ukrainian-bombings-destroying-homes-street-by-street/#more-25301
‘Lovely encounters in Sevastopol, Crimes’
https://ingaza.wordpress.com/2019/08/28/lovely-encounters-in-sevastopol-crimea/#more-25205