RUSSIAN AND BELARUSSIAN MEDIA COVER DODIK'S STATEMENTS FROM MOSCOW CONFERENCE

MOSCOW, MAY 28 /SRNA/ - Russian and Belarusian media have reported on statements made by Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik at the International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues in Moscow, where he said that Russia, through its special military operation, is defending the principles of international law, and that the leadership of Republika Srpska is being persecuted by the West for its friendship with Russia.

The portal Rambler.ru quoted Dodik as saying that Russia is fighting against a system being imposed in international relations and that its special military operation is absolutely justified.

The news site Lenta.ru reported on Dodik’s statement that the authorities of Republika Srpska are subject to political persecution by the West due to their friendly stance toward Russia.

"Republika Srpska and Serbia were the only ones in all of Europe that did not impose sanctions against Russia after the start of the special military operation, and precisely because of that, the leadership of Republika Srpska now faces political persecution by the West," Dodik emphasized.

Lenta also recalled Dodik’s earlier remarks that Russia recognised the threat from the West in time - a West that aimed to seize Russia’s resources - and rightly launched its special military operation in Ukraine, with Western countries being involved from the very beginning, having “staged the Ukrainian conflict.”

Komsomolskaya Pravda also quoted Dodik as saying that Russia, through the special operation, is not only defending itself but is fighting for international law, and that the Russian Federation's decision to launch the operation was entirely justified.

“Russia is not only defending itself, it is defending the principles of international law and international relations. Russia is fighting against a system being imposed in international relations,” Dodik emphasized.

The Belarusian news agency Belta also cited Dodik’s words that the leadership of Republika Srpska is under political persecution by the West for its friendly attitude toward Russia.

“Republika Srpska and Serbia were the only ones in all of Europe that refused to impose sanctions against the Russian Federation after the beginning of the special military operation, and that is why the leadership of Republika Srpska is now facing political persecution,” Belta quoted Dodik.

The forum is taking place between May 27 and 29 in Moscow, at the Russia National Centre, under the chairmanship of the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Sergei Shoigu.

It includes 126 delegations from 104 countries, BRICS member states, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, ASEAN, the Commonwealth of Independent States /CIS/, the Arab League, the African Union, CSTO, and other international organisations.