Yuri Afonin: To ensure information security, you need to take an example with China

CPRF Central Committee Press Service, August 30, 2024 — 

Yuri Afonin on the air of “Russia-1”: To ensure information security, it is necessary to follow the example of the PRC, which has a full set of its own social networks and messengers

One of the topics of discussion in the studio was the future of the popular Telegram messenger in connection with the criminal prosecution in France of its owner Pavel Durov. Yuri Afonin noted that a visit to France was a fatal mistake for Durov. Macron is an absolutely independent figure, he acts in the interests of his overseas masters. Perhaps he can be called the most anti-popular ruler of France in recent decades, so neglecting is his national interests. He has nothing to lose – he is ruling the last term, he will not be re-elected. The political situation in France is now difficult: Macron has rejected the candidate for prime minister proposed by the left, a general strike initiated by Mélenchon and France Insoumise is beginning. If the question of Macron’s impeachment arises, the right can also act along with the left.

Of course, Macron was fulfilling the order of the United States, which seeks to establish control over Telegram and introduce its censorship in it. We do not idealize Telegram, Yuri Vyacheslavovich noted: it is known that Western intelligence services use it, among other things, to organize “color” revolutions in different countries. For example, they used Telegram group chats to try to cause riots in Dagestan. But it is not enough for the States to use the messenger as a tool, they would like to fully control it, as they control their social networks and messengers.

In the context of the threat looming over Telegram, we are most concerned about the information security of our country and our citizens, the First Deputy Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation emphasized. And here we need to take an example from the PRC, which has a full set of its own social networks and messengers that are not inferior to Western counterparts, and in some cases even surpass them. For example, the main Chinese messenger WeChat surpasses both WhatsApp and Telegram in terms of functionality. The Baidu search engine fully replaces Google. Social networks Qzone, Douban, the microblogging service Weibo – the presence of their own electronic platforms makes the use of Western social networks and instant messengers simply unnecessary. This is what we should strive for. In the confrontation with the West, large platforms become weapons of hybrid warfare, and we must make a technological breakthrough so that our information security is not threatened.

We need to make the same serious breakthrough in other areas, in particular, in space technology, said Yuri Afonin. In the conditions of modern war, intelligence obtained from satellites has become of great importance, and the entire West is working for the Ukrainian Nazis, no one makes a secret of this anymore. The Soviet Union was an advanced space power and left Russia a great legacy, but, unfortunately, over the past 30 years, this industry has not been given due attention, a significant lag has accumulated that needs to be overcome.

By the way, another thing about the great legacy of the USSR. Yuri Vyacheslavovich recalled that August 29 marked the 75th anniversary of the test of the first Soviet atomic bomb. This was an extremely important milestone – in fact, the implementation of the nuclear project in a short time saved our country from destruction. In 1945, the United States acquired a monopoly on nuclear weapons and was confident that this monopoly would remain for a long time. They could not imagine that the USSR, which had made the main contribution to the defeat of fascism, devastated and exhausted by the war, would be able to quickly create atomic weapons. They thought that the Soviet Union would need 10 or even 20 years for this. The United States expanded its nuclear arsenal, and for each expansion, a new plan for atomic war against the USSR was drawn up – with more and more bombs to be dropped on Soviet cities. These plans of the 1940s have long been declassified – they are talking about the extermination of tens of millions of Soviet people with the subsequent occupation and dismemberment of our country.

But the West then underestimated the colossal possibilities of the socialist system. In just four post-war years, the USSR was able not only to bring industrial production to the pre-war level and surpass it, but also to create atomic weapons. Without using nuclear weapons, the Soviet Union was able to achieve parity and put a barrier to the predatory plans of the United States.

Today, the issue of the survival of our country is again on the agenda, the First Deputy Chairman of the Central Committee stated. And a technological breakthrough, ensuring sovereignty in all spheres is a key condition for survival, for our victory in the confrontation with the West. We have another indispensable condition – the unity and cohesion of the nation. The enemy’s attack on the Kursk region led to an even greater rise in the national spirit, the understanding that it is possible to defend one’s land only together. The whole country rose to the aid of the Kursk people. The Communist Party of the Russian Federation sent its 128th humanitarian convoy to the Kursk region, said Yuri Vyacheslavovich. Together, shoulder to shoulder, we will definitely defeat fascism and come to victory.