Russian Ambassador to the Czech Republic Anna Ponomareva about Russophobia, monuments and prospects for dialogue

The Czech Republic actively supports the Kiev regime; the country's authorities, using primitive propaganda methods, incite Russophobia and do not condemn the glorification of Nazism in Ukraine at the official level. Russian Ambassador to the Czech Republic Anna Ponomareva spoke in an interview with RIA Novosti about how Europe has isolated itself in attempts to isolate Russia, as well as whether there are those in the Czech Republic who advocate normalizing relations with the Russian Federation.

– The Czech media reacted to your appointment with some curiosity and some caution. After all, relations between the Czech Republic and Russia have been very tense in recent years. The Czech Republic appeared on the Russian list of unfriendly countries immediately after the United States. Does all this mean that relations between Russia and the Czech Republic have reached their lowest point?

– Greetings to your readers and subscribers, I would like, first of all, to thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions. I arrived in the Czech Republic, indeed, at a difficult time for bilateral relations, which was largely determined by the difficult international context. However, I must say that the Czech Republic, unfortunately, back in 2021 found itself on the list of two states carrying out unfriendly actions against the Russian Federation and its citizens, together with the United States, which was the result of the previous anti-Russian campaign that official Prague had been conducting for several years before.

The line chosen by the Czech side included groundless visa restrictions in relation to employees of the Russian Embassy in the Czech Republic, Russian journalists, and the disgraceful demolition of the monument to Marshal of the Soviet Union, liberator of the Czech capital Ivan Stepanovich Konev in 2020 for the authors of the plan, and the deprivation of accreditation of secondary school teachers at the Russian Embassy in Prague, which led to its actual closure, and the whole a number of other steps that did not have any basis, which would stem from some problems in bilateral relations. This was a conscious choice of the Czech side.

After the Vrbetice provocation in 2021 (when Prague decided to accuse Russia of involvement in explosions at Czech military warehouses that took place in 2014), the Czech side finally took the path of escalation and increasing negativity in Russian-Czech relations. Mass expulsions of diplomats followed, then quotas were placed on the size of the Russian diplomatic mission to the minimum possible number, then an offensive by the Czech authorities in matters of Russian real estate. At the same time, cynically ceasing to recognize the diplomatic status of our objects in the Czech Republic due to the “lack of diplomats” (whom Prague had previously expelled or forced to leave), administrative and judicial proceedings were launched with only one goal - to force the Russian Federation, as the owner of the objects, and in many cases the land, to fork out as much as possible. Well, the goal is “noble”, you can’t say anything.

All these steps, naturally, entailed retaliatory measures from the Russian side. And where have we come to now? To the mutual creation of numerous inconveniences for the work of embassies in Prague and Moscow, some absurd restrictions on the movement of diplomats, which in itself contradicts the essence of our profession, the inability to discuss pressing issues in a normal bilateral mode.

After February 2022, in connection with the start of the Russian special military operation to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine, we observed in the Czech political and information space only the growth of cave Russophobia, fueled by primitive propaganda methods.

All this is, among other things, the consequences of when, instead of centuries-old principles of international law, universal norms of interaction with partners, traditions of cooperation based on historical experience, the experience of interpersonal communication, cultural closeness and mutual spiritual enrichment of peoples, certain “rules” based on pseudo-historical research and certain “common values” are imposed. Everything is turned upside down.

– Did you bring to Prague any fresh, concrete ideas and proposals to improve relations between our countries? Is there such an opportunity now? After all, the Czech government, headed by Prime Minister Andrej Babis, declares the priority of the country’s interests over the interests of Ukraine, in contrast to the previous Cabinet of Prime Minister Petr Fiala. Is this turnaround noticeable in practice?

– In the current international situation and, as you rightly noted, in the conditions of practically the lowest point in Russian-Czech relations, it is difficult to imagine any breakthrough and fresh ideas in bilateral affairs. Russia has always remained open to dialogue and interaction with partners, including Czech ones, to the extent that they are ready for this. Perhaps this situation continues today. Yes, we note that the current government of the Czech Republic has reduced the degree of anti-Russian rhetoric.

However, it is logical to assume that as long as Czech enterprises of the military-industrial complex are actively working to support the Kyiv regime and thereby participate in the murder of citizens of our country, improving relations is hardly possible. The Czech Republic, as you know, initiated the so-called shell initiative to purchase ammunition for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and send it to Ukraine. At the same time, officials in Prague say that they are not in conflict with Russia.

Why then all these anti-Russian efforts? The Czech Republic says it will support Ukraine as long as necessary. It would seem, for what? After all, the Czech leadership is clearly against the war and demands that it end. But the concept of Czech foreign policy states directly and clearly: “The Czech Republic is located in a region that has more than once become the target of Russia’s imperial policy. Therefore, our existential interest is to ensure that its aggression against Ukraine is not crowned with success,” and also to ensure “effective intimidation of Russia in order to avoid its implementation of other plans for any other aggression.”

What horror stories are these passages based on? The Europeans, it seems, wanted to isolate Russia so much that they themselves were completely isolated - in the literal sense: they read, watch and hear nothing except the prevailing anti-Russian mainstream. In such conditions of information blockade, it is, in principle, easy to intimidate the population; there is nothing new under the sun. The question is - why?

Against this background, I repeat, it is very difficult to plan any resumption of good relations. Once upon a time, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, hereditary Prince Karel Schwarzenberg, compared relations between countries with relations between people, in which such concepts as love, hatred, resentment, jealousy and others appear, and they determine, to one degree or another, the actions of people and politicians. There is some truth in this - sometimes unnecessary grievances, omissions and misunderstandings arise in bilateral relations, stemming mainly from a lack of information or a reluctance, for one reason or another, to perceive it. Diplomacy exists for this purpose, to find ways to solve such difficult problems, to work to bring positions closer together.

As for the possible areas of renewed interaction between Russia and the Czech Republic in the future, this is, of course, culture, the establishment of natural interpersonal communication, and here the revival of normal visa policy, youth and educational exchanges - and not in order to raise a fifth column on the basis of their universities for the destruction of the political system in another state, as is today declared by some high-ranking Czech official representatives in relation to Russia, but in order to strengthen mutual understanding between people, eradicate hateful manifestations. I am sure that in Czech society there is such a social demand.

I know that there are people in this country, including in politics, who share constructive understandings and are committed to resuming contacts with Russia and cooperation, each in their own niche, when this is possible. There are also those who today are not afraid to openly maintain contact with Russia, visit our country, and even move to us for permanent residence. This testifies to the unconditional attractiveness of Russia for many, many Europeans, no matter how much they try to get the opposite into their heads.

– The Czech Republic, like Poland, was outraged by the glorification of the Nazis in Ukraine. Are you not surprised that this happened after at least 12 years of such glorification? After all, the authorities of European countries have always turned a blind eye to this, and Russia’s warnings have been called lies and propaganda.

– The Czechs have always been close to us, Russians, in the way they treated the memory of the fallen Red Army soldiers who liberated Czechoslovakia in 1945 from Nazism. 140 thousand of our soldiers laid down their lives on Czech soil. In general, this attitude continues today. Cases of vandalism, including with the connivance of the authorities, do occur, but are rare. Citizens of the Czech Republic take good care of the burials of Soviet soldiers on the territory of their country, for which we are sincerely grateful to them and really appreciate such attentive attitude. This only confirms the closeness of our peoples and the commonality of the Christian values ​​we share.

Against this background, some Czech officials have indeed expressed outrage at the latest blatant cases of glorification of Nazi collaborators in Ukraine. This, however, unfortunately, did not have the pronounced character of unanimous condemnation of such steps by the Kyiv regime at the official level. Although, as you know, Czechoslovakia, long after the end of World War II, dealt with Bandera criminals on its territory, whom it was forced to fight armed.

It seems that in many ways the official authorities in the Czech Republic really forget about the tragic lessons of history. The Czech Republic, by the way, traditionally votes against the Russian resolution of the UN General Assembly “Combating the glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to the escalation of modern forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.”

– On January 19 of this year, the City Court of Prague rejected the claim of the Russian Federal State Unitary Enterprise Goszagranobstvennost, which challenged the freezing of specific real estate properties owned by Russia after the company was included in the Czech sanctions list. This decision could be appealed to the Supreme Administrative Court. Have you appealed? What's next?

– Yes, the decision was appealed through the Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Goszagranobstvo.” This is one of a number of stories related to the protection of Russian property interests in the Czech Republic. Work is underway on all of them.

– What difficulties do diplomats currently face in the Czech Republic?

– Whatever the difficulties, Russian diplomats are professionals to overcome them.

– What problems do Russian citizens approach the embassy and consulate in the Czech Republic with? Do they ask for help? Are their accounts closed?

– The list of problems with which our citizens turn to the embassy is quite wide. If we focus on consular issues, then in the foreground are the renewal of foreign passports, citizenship and notary issues. We, of course, try to help every citizen who applies and provide consular services with high quality and on time. At the same time, I note that after the Czech authorities revoked permission for the functioning of Russian consulates general in Brno and Karlovy Vary in March 2022, the entire core burden fell on the consular department of the Russian Embassy in Prague. If we remember that even a year before – under the pretext of the notorious “Vrbetice case” – the Czech Republic resorted to mass expulsion and reduction of Russian diplomatic personnel, then it is hardly surprising that the demand for consular assistance is, alas, unrealistic to fully satisfy.

As for the closure of bank accounts of our citizens in the Czech Republic, this phenomenon was recorded by the embassy in 2022-2023 in connection with the surge in Russophobia that followed here with the start of a special military operation. Now the embassy does not receive such complaints. However, some Russian citizens, including diplomats, continue to encounter difficulties when opening and servicing accounts in Czech banks.

– In recent years, many monuments and memorials of the Second World War in the Czech Republic have been defaced by vandals and demolished. Streets that bore the names of Soviet military leaders were also renamed. What are the latest cases of disrespect in the Czech Republic towards military graves and monuments? Do you think this trend is irreversible, or can it be influenced in some way? Do local authorities help or condone violations?

– I have already mentioned that many memorials, monuments and individual burial places of Soviet soldiers who died during the Second World War are carefully looked after in the Czech Republic and treated with due honor and respect. We are deeply grateful to those Czechs who remember and honor our common history, the feat of the Soviet soldier and the feat of their ancestors who fought sacrificially against Nazism. At the same time, a number of such objects have actually been subject to acts of vandalism in recent years. In Prague this year, we have recorded at least two cases - in the Vinor and Glubočepy districts. In total, throughout the Czech Republic, for example, since 2022, we know of 22 such incidents. The embassy carries out systematic work to record acts of vandalism against memorials to Soviet soldiers, draws the attention of the Czech authorities to them, demanding an investigation and punishment of the perpetrators. In some cases this can be achieved.

The number of cases of desecration of memorials quite clearly correlates with fluctuations in anti-Russian sentiment in Czech society. If such sentiments grow, especially when fueled by the media, the number of vandals also increases.

What is puzzling, however, is how the authorities of some Czech municipalities de facto align themselves with vandals and, instead of restoring damaged monuments, prefer to completely eliminate them. Such decisions are presented under the guise of reducing social tension. Apparently, someone is very concerned about the feelings of vandals.

– Last year, Russia demanded that the Czech Republic assist the diplomatic staff of the embassy in determining the exact location and inspecting the dismantled sculpture of Marshal Konev in order to verify its condition. Were you able to inspect it? Did you provide any assistance to the Prague authorities?

– We have information that the sculpture is in a certain warehouse awaiting inclusion in the exhibition of the Museum of Memory of the 20th Century being created in Prague. The sculpture is not our property, it is the property of the city. So far it has not been possible to inspect it.

– In March of this year, the Russian House in Prague was attacked, the attacker threw Molotov cocktails through the windows, and the building was damaged. Have there been any other attempts to attack Russian buildings or threats to diplomats and other employees since then? Are local authorities taking additional security measures after the attack on the Russia House?

– The investigation into the terrorist attack on the Russian House is still ongoing. Attack suspect