MOSCOW, October 29. /TASS/. Attempts are being made to suppress in the international arena not only Russia but the entire BRICS developing-nation assembly of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, Russian experts said on Wednesday.

“The current situation shows that there are attempts to suppress not only Russia but also the BRICS given that the global role of this association has only intensified,” Vladimir Davydov, director of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of Latin America, said at a Moscow-Brasilia video conference.

“The forthcoming period will bring proof,” Davydov said, adding that an information war unleashed against Russia could also hit Brazil, India and China.

The expert noted that Western sanctions should not be considered purely negative. “The Russian man often needs extreme conditions to make a technological breakthrough,” he said. “I suppose that the coming years, which will be difficult for Russia, will offer us new solutions both in the economy and technology.”

“More and more communication takes place through BRICS channels today,” Georgy Toloraya, executive director of the Russian National Committee on BRICS Research, said Thursday.

“Unfortunately, the period of stability in international relations has come to an end, and the BRICS got into this geopolitical situation,” Toloraya said. “However, institutionalisation of this group is very important, and the BRICS will continue to develop further.”

“Now we are preparing a report on future prospects of this structure, and we will meet for discussions in Beijing in two weeks,” he added.

Brazilian experts also highly appreciated potential of the BRICS, particularly in investment cooperation, stressing the importance of developing trade and economic ties between Russia and Brazil.

Deputy Secretary of International Issues at Brazil's Finance Ministry Marden Barboza said his country wanted to diversify its trade beyond traditional partners in Latin America, and to further cooperate with its BRICS partners.

“We are looking for new trade partners, and our cooperation with Russia has significant potential,” he said.

Renato Baumann, director of international studies at the government's Institute of Applied Economic Research, said: “There are enormous opportunities for mutually beneficial relations, including within the BRICS.