Embassy of the Russian Federation in North Macedonia
Bitola, Macedonia (Feb 10, 2026) —
Today in Russia celebrates the Day of Russian Diplomacy. Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Russian Ambassador, Vladimir Dyakov, on the occasion of the Day of Russian Diplomacy.
The congratulations we are receiving today from the country’s leadership, our colleagues and friends abroad, including here in Macedonia. I extend my congratulations to all employees and veterans of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation on this professional holiday!
Our diplomacy has a rich and glorious history.
And today—under conditions of growing international tensions and increasing attempts to undermine the world order based on international law—the tasks faced by diplomats are not becoming easier.
They are changing—the number of challenges is increasing. These negative trends are accompanied by the aspiration of a certain group of countries to slow down the formation of multiplicity and to preserve their neocolonialism privileges in the global economy and finance.
I am convinced that Russian diplomats will continue to cope with the functions entrusted to them—to ensure the dynamic development of Russia and to strengthen its authority and influence in a multipolar world—a world order in which all states have the right to their own model of development and the opportunity to independently, without external influence, determine their own destiny while preserving their distinct cultures.
Today, according to tradition, we pay tribute to our colleagues who gave their lives while performing their official duty. We remember those who laid down their lives on the altar of Victory during the Great Patriotic War and the Second World War, as well as those who voluntarily joined the Red Army and helped bring Victory Day closer.
We also remember Alexander Arkadyevich Rostkovsky, the Russian Imperial consul, who tragically lost his life on Macedonian soil. His murder by a fanatical gendarme in the summer of 1903 deeply shook the local Slavic population, because he was killed for his assistance in the liberation of Macedonia.
Known to every Macedonian, Krste Misirkov, a close friend of the consul and also the teacher of his children, was present at the scene of the incident on that fateful morning and confirmed that Rostkovsky was unarmed.
According to those who knew our consul, he was a man who cared for the local population and their rights. It is clear that he was truly a fearless individual. It is important to understand the exceptionally difficult situation in the region at that time—the persecution of Christians and the murder of another Russian consul, Grigory Stepanovich Shcherbin, in Mitrovica shortly before the described events in the spring of 1903.
All of this speaks volumes about his human qualities. It testifies to his belief in the power, above all, of words—as opposed to the force of weapons. This has always distinguished our diplomats. The tragic fate of the Russian consul proves that the diplomatic profession has been and will remain exceptionally difficult in terms of readiness for self-sacrifice.
The killers of the Russian Imperial consul aimed to force Russia to withdraw from the region. They miscalculated.
Perhaps the most convincing expression of the gratitude of the local population is the Orthodox cross that has been erected here. We are grateful to all involved parties, to the municipal authorities and to local residents, for preserving the memory of the Russian diplomat.
Today, Russian diplomacy operates under “conditions of growing turbulence.” In this context, I cannot fail to mention the efforts we are making to resolve the conflict around Ukraine. Countries whose governments have taken hostile actions against Russia have acknowledged the impossibility of inflicting a “strategic defeat on the battlefield.” They are now seeking an urgent cessation of military actions.
However, resolving the conflict is possible only by eliminating its root causes, including the military threats to Russia created by NATO expansion, as well as policies violating the rights of the Russian and Russian-speaking population and the seizure of churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate).
We are against unilateral actions. Diplomacy is a search for consensus and compromise solutions. The only long-term way to break with the vicious practice of the “law of the strongest” is strict observance of international law in its entirety, integrity, and interconnection by all members of the international community.
Only on the basis of equality, mutual respect, and consideration of each other’s interests is cooperation between Russia and Macedonia possible. I am convinced that when both sides are interested in this, the ethnic and religious unity of our fraternal peoples will only contribute to the restoration of ties.
