Article by the Russian Ambassador to Cyprus M.M.Zyazikov for the journal “Diplomatic Service and Practice”
“Russophiles of Cyprus: At the forefront of countering Russophobia”
On July 3, 2024, the capital of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicosia, hosted the opening ceremony of the Cyprus branch of the International Russophile Movement (MDR), headed by Mikis Filaniotis, a long-time friend of Russia, founder and member of the Executive Bureau of the MDR, an outstanding public figure of Cyprus.
The event symbolized a truly significant addition to the huge family of representatives of public and business circles, politicians, cultural and artistic figures around the world who advocate the development of multifaceted relations with the Russian Federation and against Russophobia artificially cultivated by unfriendly Western elites. Cypriots were united by a genuine interest in the historical heritage of Russia, its rich culture, the great and mighty language of Pushkin, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, epoch-making achievements and discoveries in the field of space exploration, science and technology, medicine and innovation, IT technologies. The fact that the achievement of another important milestone in the development of the association is connected precisely with the island of Aphrodite is by no means accidental and is due to a number of historical and political prerequisites.
The main theses:
As President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin noted, the glorious traditions of open communication and mutual respect have been preserved between the peoples of Russia and other countries at the steepest turning points in history.
In Cyprus, with whose people our fellow citizens have long been firmly connected by a common culture and a rich palette of interaction, the feeling of disagreement with the externally imposed hostile course towards Moscow is felt especially acutely.
The creation of a new MDR site in Cyprus, politically located in the European Union and geographically in the Greater Middle East region, was a clear response to attempts by detractors to test the historically impeccable relations between the Russian and Cypriot peoples, to question the creative message of the narrative promoted by Russia of maintaining a global balance of power and the formation of a cohesive and harmonious multipolar world.
In conditions of a real threat of loss under the influence of the so-called neoliberal trends of generational continuity and life-defining guidelines for young people, the preservation and promotion of traditional values among young Cypriots on the basis of a common spiritual code with the Russian one remain among the priorities of the Cyprus branch of the International Russophile Movement.
Without any doubt, united by sincere love for Russia and the multifaceted Russian world, the participants of the Russophile movement in Cyprus will make a tangible contribution to the promotion of useful socio-political and humanitarian initiatives aimed at strengthening international trust and mutual understanding both at the regional, European and global levels.
