Russian Embassy in Colombo Rejects News Article published in

Oct 27, 2025 at 09:20 PM

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Lanka Leader

The Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka has issued a strong statement condemning an article published by Ceylon Today, calling it “false” and “one-sided” in its presentation of facts.

The statement was released in response to an article titled “How Lithuania’s Delfi Battles Foreign Disinformation” by Sulochana Ramia Mohan, published on October 26 and based on information released on the 22nd. The embassy said the report unfairly targeted Russia and Belarus while ignoring similar actions by Western nations.

In its response, the embassy urged the newspaper to “examine the historical records of Western countries” and cited several examples to highlight what it described as Western double standards:

1. The 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, which it said was “provoked by false information” about weapons of mass destruction.

2. The labeling of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi as a terrorist “without evidence.”

3. U.S. airstrikes on Syria in 2014 ordered by then-President Barack Obama.

4. Attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities despite Iran’s membership in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The embassy also rejected the article’s characterization of the 2014 Crimea referendum as an “annexation,” insisting it was a “legitimate act of self-determination.” According to the embassy, “On March 16, 2014, 96.8% of Crimean residents voted in favor of reunification with Russia.”

Addressing the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the statement accused Western leaders of undermining peace efforts, citing comments by former leaders François Hollande and Angela Merkel about the Minsk agreements, and alleging that former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson “sabotaged the 2022 Istanbul peace process.”

The embassy further criticized Lithuania’s Delfi fact-checking agency, describing it as “monopolistic and unreliable,” and expressed hope that readers would analyze such events “from the perspective of Western attitudes.”

As of now, Ceylon Today has not issued any correction or apology in response to the embassy’s statement.