• New York Times propagandists exposed: Finally, the truth about Ukraine and Putin emerges
  NATO was the aggressor and got Ukraine wrong. Many months later, the media has eventually figured out the truth Patrick L. Smith New York Times propagandists exposed: Finally, the truth about Ukraine and Putin emerges Vladimir Putin (Credit: AP/Mark Lennihan/Photo montage by Salon) Well, well, well. Gloating is unseemly, especially in public, but give me this one, will you? It has been a long and lonely winter defending the true version of events in Ukraine, but here comes the sun. We now have open acknowledgment in high places that Washington is indeed responsible for this mess, the prime mover, the “aggressor,” and finally this term is applied where it belongs. NATO, once again, is revealed as causing vastly more trouble than it has ever prevented. Washington, it is now openly stated, has been wrong, wrong, wrong all along. The commentaries to be noted do not take on the media, but I will, and in language I use advisedly. With a few exceptions they are proven liars, liars, liars — not only conveying the official version of events but willfully elaborating on it off their own bats. [Russia confrontation] [Media] [Ukraine]
• US is Losing its Economic War Against Russia
  Those who genuinely believe that the US and the West have unleashed a full scale economic war against Russia because of its position on Ukraine have no idea how much mistaken they are. In fact, it was planned much earlier, precisely a year ago, when a closed meeting between senior authorities of the US and Saudi Arabia was held. This meeting was so secret that even Prince Bandar, the Saudi intelligence services chief and the head National Security Council at the time wasn’t allowed in. This can partially explain why the key Western political leaders, including German’s Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, were not present at the opening ceremony of the Winter Sochi Olympics. Apparently, those people still have some conscience, since they knew what conspiracy was going to be launched against Moscow by the West. So the White House representatives proposed the Saudi authorities to drop the oil prices drastically, to the level of 50 dollars a barrel, which would have supposedly undermined Iran’s influence and forced it into making serious concessions on its nuclear program, and that was just what Riyadh wanted. “Russian aspect” was not explicitly stressed, although once the crisis in Ukraine began, President Obama did mention it during his visit to the kingdom. The Saudis have shown rigidity, since the decline in oil prices must have affected the social programs of the KSA. In these circumstances, Washington had to blackmail Saudi Arabia since it had accumulated enough evidence against most members of the Saudi royal family, including facts on gross violations of human rights, immoral behavior, which could have potentially led to the prosecution of Al Saud dynasty. Additionally, the United States have provided their Saudi friends with intelligence reports on the presence of thousands of Hezbollah supporters in the Shiite-populated Eastern Province of the Kingdom, which could start armed struggle against the Wahhabi regime at any given moment. And it worked miraculously well, although the starting date of this operation was yet to be determined. Washington had to wait for the Ukrainian crisis to begin in order to drop oil prices in time with the introduction of anti-Russian sanctions. Therefore, in January 2014 the US started taking numerous efforts to destabilize the situation in Ukraine, that ended up with a brute force scenario that was facilitated by local oligarchs. One must admit that the overthrow of Victor Yanukovych and the coup d’etat that took place in Kiev went according to Washington’s plan, but few expected that Moscow will take a tough stance on Crimea, and that the south-eastern Ukraine will be transformed in a center of tough resistance to Kiev, which took power in the country illegally due to both open and hidden support of the West. [Russia confrontation] [Saudi Arabia] [Oil]
• From Energy War to Currency War: America’s Attack on the Russian Ruble
  By Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya Global Research, December 26, 2014 A multi-spectrum war is being waged against Moscow by Washington. If there are any doubts about this, they should be put to rest. Geopolitics, science and technology, speculation, financial markets, information streams, large business conglomerates, intelligentsia, mass communication, social media, the internet, popular culture, news networks, international institutions, sanctions, audiences, public opinion, nationalism, different governmental bodies and agencies, identity politics, proxy wars, diplomacy, countervailing international alliances, major business agreements, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), human rights, prestige, military personnel, capital, and psychological tactics are all involved in this multi-spectrum war. On a daily basis this struggle can be seen playing out on the airwaves, in the war theaters in Ukraine and the Middle East, through the statements and accusations of diplomats, and in the economic sphere. Additionally, the debates and questions on whether a new cold war—a post-Cold War cold war—has emerged or if the Cold War never ended should be put to rest too. The mentality of the Cold War never died in the Washington Beltway. From the perspective of Russian officials, it is clear that the US never put down its war mace and continued the offensive. The dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, defeating the Soviets and Eastern Bloc, and seeing the Soviet Union dismantled into fifteen republics was not enough for the Cold War warriors in the US. The newly emergent Russian Federation had to be placated in their views. [Russia confrontation] [Subcritical] [NCW]
• Time to end the Cold War once and for all
  Jeffrey Sachs, director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University 15 Hours Ago CNBC.com This week's heartening rapprochement of the U.S. and Cuba reminds us of the complexity of regional security relations and the very long shadow of the Cold War. Washington, Moscow, and Berlin would do well to build on the spirit of this week's breakthrough in the Western Hemisphere to find a similar solution in Ukraine. It is time to end the Cold War once and for all. [NATO enlargement]
• MH17: Russia claims to have airfield witness who blames Ukrainian pilot
  Russian investigators announce anonymous testimony of Ukrainian warplane taking off with air-to-air missiles and returning without them on 17 July Agence France Press theguardian.com, Thursday 25 December 2014 02.24 GMT Russian investigators announced on Wednesday that they had new proof from a witness that a Ukrainian pilot fired a missile on the day of the Malaysia Airlines crash which killed 298 people. The witness, who was not named, worked at an airfield in the Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk where he claimed to have seen a warplane take off on 17 July with air-to-air missiles and return without them. An investigative committee statement said the testimony of the man “is important proof that Ukrainian military was implicated in the crash of the Boeing 777.” The MH17 flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down over territory in eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian separatists, who have been fighting Kiev forces since April. [MH17]
• Russia says to supply coal, electricity to Ukraine
  MOSCOW/KIEV Sat Dec 27, 2014 6:56am (Reuters) - Russia has agreed on a new deal to supply coal and electricity to Ukraine, which is struggling with a lack of raw fuel for power plants due to a separatist conflict in the industrial east, Russian officials said on Saturday. The move comes a day after Kiev said it would suspend train and bus services to Crimea, effectively creating a transportation blockade to and from the region annexed by Moscow in March this year. Kiev has briefly cut off electricity to Crimea before. Russia will supply coal and electricity to Kiev without advance payment as a goodwill gesture from President Vladimir Putin, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS news agency. "Putin made a decision to start these supplies due to the critical situation with energy supplies and despite a lack of prepayment," Peskov said. Russia plans to supply 500,000 tonnes of coal to Ukraine per month, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak told Rossiya 24 television. It is ready to supply another 500,000 tonnes per month if an additional agreement is reached, he added. Ukraine's coal reserves stand at 1.5 million tonnes compared with normal winter stocks of 4-5 million tonnes, according to energy ministry data. [Ukraine] [Energy]
• German FM warns against Consequences of anti-Russian Sanctions
  by nsnbc nsnbc : German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned against further sanctions against Russia, adding that those who expect Russia to kneel down by undermining its economy are seriously mistaken. Also the leader of the Social Democratic faction in Germany's parliament urged to reconsider sanctions. It is noteworthy that half of the German population would prefer Germany to assume an equal distance to both Russia and NATO. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Photo, courtesy of ITAR-TASS. In an interview with the Der Spiegel, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that Russia had paid a price for its position on Ukraine in terms of a the current depreciation of the ruble and plummeting energy prices. The German Foreign Minister noted that he was opposed to tougher sanctions against Russia, adding that: "It isn't in our interest that the situation could come totally out of control. .. We should consider that in our policy of sanctions. ... Those who want Russia to kneel down by undermining its economy are seriously mistaken if they think that it will bolster security in Europe. I can only warn against it." [Germany] [Russia confrontation]
• Obama signs Russia sanctions bill
  Xinhua, December 19, 2014 U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday signed into law a bill aiming for tougher sanctions on Russia, but ruled out additional steps at the moment. The president said he had signed into law the Ukraine Freedom Support Act, but his administration has no intention to impose fresh sanctions against Russia under the law right now. "Signing this legislation does not signal a change in the administration's sanctions policy, which we have carefully calibrated in accordance with developments on the ground and coordinated with our allies and partners," he said in a statement. The Ukraine Freedom Support Act, which passed both chambers of Congress last week, authorizes the Obama administration to apply new sanctions against Russian defense and energy firms to punish Moscow's continuing involvement in the insurgency in eastern Ukraine. [Russia confrontation] [Chinese IR] [Softpower]
• Bloomberg News Blames Putin for Russia’s Economic Problems
  By Eric Zuesse Global Research, December 19, 2014 On December 17th, Bloomberg News bannered “Putin’s Secret Gamble on Reserves Backfires Into Currency Crisis” and reported that, “As President Putin exulted at the Winter Olympics in Sochi 10 months ago, aides assured him Russia was rich enough to withstand the financial repercussions from a possible incursion into Ukraine, according to two officials involved in the talks. That conclusion now looks like a grave miscalculation. Russia has driven interest rates to punishing levels and spent at least $87 billion, or 17 percent, of its foreign-exchange reserves trying to prevent a collapse in the ruble from spiraling into a panic. So far, nothing has worked.” The team of three Bloomberg news reporters write there that, “Putin now confronts the nation’s most serious economic crisis since 1998,” and that the reason is “Putin’s pride.” They say that, “When rising crude prices were firing the economy, Russia’s swelling reserves became a symbol of economic might and a point of pride for Putin.” This pride by Putin, they assert, came to the fore when he discussed in February with his advisors the following question: “Could Russia afford the economic blowback from taking over Crimea?” Bloomberg reports that Putin then “was told Russia had enough foreign currency reserves to annex Crimea and withstand any sanctions that might follow.” This, they say, was the “grave miscalculation” that “emboldened Putin to annex Crimea,” and that in “Russia has driven interest rates to punishing levels.” Their news report does not say anything about the United States coup d’etat in Ukraine that was occurring at the same time as that, when Crimeans, who had voted overwhelmingly for the Ukrainian President whom the U.S. was now overthrowing, were publicly demonstrating against the overthrow, and were pleading for Crimea, which Nikita Krushchev had donated from Russia to Ukraine in 1954, to be taken back into the Russian fold by Russia and no longer associated with Ukraine. [Russia confrontation] [Media] [Putin] [Canard] [Ukraine] [Agency] [Inversion]
• China Offers Enhanced Cooperation as Russia Struggles
  By Bloomberg News Dec 20, 2014 2:51 AM GMT+1300 China offered enhanced economic ties with Russia at a regional summit this week as its northern neighbor struggled to contain a currency crisis. “To help counteract an economic slowdown, China is ready to provide financial aid to develop cooperation,” Premier Li Keqiang said at a Dec. 15 gathering in Astana, Kazakhstan. While the remark applied to any of the five other nations represented at the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization group, it was directed at Russia, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be named as the plans weren’t public. Any rescue package for Russia would give China the opportunity of exercising the kind of great-power leadership the U.S. has demonstrated for a century -- sustaining other economies with its superior financial resources. President Xi Jinping last month called for China to adopt “big-country diplomacy” as he laid out goals for elevating his nation’s status. “If the Kremlin decides to seek assistance from Beijing, it’s very unlikely for the Xi leadership to turn it down,” said Cheng Yijun, senior researcher with the Institute of Russian, Eastern European, Central Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing. “This would be a perfect opportunity to demonstrate China is a friend indeed, and also its big power status.” [China Russia] [Russia confrontation] [Sanctions]
• Russia invites top DPRK leader to Moscow in 2015
  Xinhua, December 19, 2014 Moscow has invited Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), to attend ceremonies of the forthcoming 70th anniversary of the victory of the Anti-Fascist War next year, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday. "It is true that such an invitation has been sent," Tass news agency quoted Peskov as saying. The anniversary ceremonies would be held in Russia on May 9, 2015, which is supposed to be attended by leaders of many countries in the world. Russia celebrates the Victory Day on May 9 every year to mark the victory in 1945 over Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War, Russia's term for World War II.
• Russia Eyes Chinese Cash for $150 Billion Moscow-Beijing High-Speed Railway
  Russia and China signed a memorandum of cooperation on the development of a high-speed rail network in mid October that included construction of a high-speed rail line from Moscow to Beijing. Now they just need the funding (The Moscow Times) Business Mon, Nov 24 | 3158 4 This article originally appeared at The Moscow Times A planned high-speed railway stretching some 7,000 kilometers between Moscow and Beijing will cost about 7 trillion rubles ($153 billion) to build, a Russian Railways executive was quoted as saying Friday. Over half of the sum, or 4 trillion rubles ($87.5 billion), is expected to come from Chinese investors, said Alexander Misharin, who heads Russian Railways' subsidiary High-Speed Rail Lines, news agency TASS reported. Russia and China signed a memorandum of cooperation on the development of a high-speed rail network in mid October that included construction of a high-speed rail line from Moscow to Beijing. Trains are expected to hurtle along the new line at an average speed of 400 kilometers per hour, cutting the travel time between the two cities from the current 6 or more days to about 33 hours. A high speed link between Moscow and Kazan, almost 800 kilometers to the east, is intended as the first section of the continent-spanning new railroad. But it is not clear who will foot the 1 trillion rubles ($21 billion) bill for the project. Officials have suggested that funds could be allocated from the National Welfare Fund, one of Russia's sovereign wealth funds. Another option is that Chinese investors provide part of the sum, or about 400 billion rubles ($8.7 billion). However no investors have yet committed themselves. Gennady Timchenko, a well-connected billionaire who after appearing on Western sanctions lists earlier this year was appointed head of the Russian-Chinese Business Council, told journalists on Thursday he was optimistic that China would provide financial support for the project, which he said could carry more than 200 million passengers a year. China holds over $2 trillion in U.S. treasury bills that offer no returns, Timchenko said, while "investment in the railway would be pay for itself. Maybe not overnight, but we would create infrastructure connecting Asia with Europe for future generations." [HSR] [Eurasian landbridge] [China Russia]
• Why the Secrecy on the Mh17 Investigation
  by James O'Neill On 17 July 2014 Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down over the Eastern Ukraine. Although the precise circumstances were at that point unknown the western media were quick to blame Ukrainian “rebels”. The means by which MH17 was destroyed, the media alleged, was a surface to air BUK missile supplied to the “rebels” by Russia. For a host of reasons it was almost certainly not a BUK missile that caused the crash. The stage was set however, for a demonization of Russia in general as the alleged supplier of the missile, and President Vladimir Putin in particular. The relentless propaganda enforcing this view has continued unabated to this day, although the evidential foundation for the allegations remains at best remote. The Russians produced an initial denial of involvement. Four days after the tragedy however, as anti-Russian hysteria was escalating to extreme levels, the Russian military held a press presentation. The fact of this presentation was barely reported in the western media. The content, more importantly, was either ignored or misrepresented. The Russians disclosed, inter alia, their radar and satellite data. These data showed that MH17 had been diverted from its scheduled route so that it flew directly over the war zone in eastern Ukraine. They asked for an explanation but one has never been forthcoming. These data also showed that MH17 had been shadowed during its last minutes by two SU25 fighter jets, a model flown by the Ukrainian air force. Again the Russians asked why this had happened. The main response was a claim that the SU25 could not fly above 10,000 metres. Not only is this untrue, as an examination of military resources readily demonstrates, but the Wikipedia entry on the SU25 had been altered days before the shoot down to claim that the SU25’s operating ceiling was only 7000 metres. Again the western media ignored this obvious alarm bell. The Russians further disclosed that at the precise time of the shoot down an American spy satellite was directly overhead the scene and would have recorded the sequence of events. The Russians invited the Americans to share these data with the official investigation that had been launched, but to date the Americans have failed to do so. Again, the western media are singularly incurious as to the reason for this lack of cooperation. [MH17]
• Three Members of Congress Just Reignited the Cold War While No One Was Looking
  By Dennis Kucinich December 16, 2014 "ICH" - "Truthdig" - - Late Thursday night, the House of Representatives unanimously passed a far-reaching Russia sanctions bill, a hydra-headed incubator of poisonous conflict. The second provocative anti-Russian legislation in a week, it further polarizes our relations with Russia, helping to cement a Russia-China alliance against Western hegemony, and undermines long-term America’s financial and physical security by handing the national treasury over to war profiteers. Here’s how the House’s touted “unanimity” was achieved: Under a parliamentary motion termed “unanimous consent,” legislative rules can be suspended and any bill can be called up. If any member of Congress objects, the motion is blocked and the bill dies. At 10:23:54 p.m. on Thursday, a member rose to ask “unanimous consent” for four committees to be relieved of a Russia sanctions bill. At this point the motion, and the legislation, could have been blocked by a single member who would say “I object.” No one objected, because no one was watching for last-minute bills to be slipped through. Most of the House and the media had emptied out of the chambers after passage of the $1.1 trillion government spending package. The Congressional Record will show only three of 425 members were present on the floor to consider the sanctions bill.
  Each Western incitement creates a Russian response, which is then given as further proof that the West must prepare for the very conflict it has created, war as a self-fulfilling prophecy. [Russia confrontation] [Governance] [NED] [Softwar] [Propaganda]
• Free Fall of the Ruble: Who’s Behind it? A Ploy of Russia’s Economic Wizards? Whose Chess Game?
  By Peter Koenig Global Research, December 19, 2014 The world is still hell-bent for hydrocarbon-based energy. Russia is one of the world’s largest producer of energy. Russia has recently announced that in the future she will no longer trade energy in US dollars, but in rubles and currencies of the trading partners. In fact, this rule will apply to all trading. Russia and China are detaching their economies from that of the western financial system. To confirm this decision, in July 2014 Russia’s Gazprom concluded a 400 billion gas deal with China, and in November this year they signed an additional slightly smaller contract – all to be denominated in rubles and renminbi. The remaining BRICS – Brazil, India and South Africa – plus the members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) – China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kirgizstan, Uzbekistan and considered for membership since September 2014 are also India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Mongolia, with Turkey also waiting in the wings – will also trade in their local currencies, detached from the dollar-based western casino scheme. A host of other nations increasingly weary of the decay of the western financial system which they are locked into are just waiting for a new monetary scheme to emerge. So far their governments may have been afraid of the emperor’s wrath – but gradually they are seeing the light. They are sensing the sham and weakness behind Obama’s boisterous noise. They don’t want to be sucked into the black hole, when the casino goes down the drain. [Russia confrontation] [Rouble] [Currency] [Reserve]
• Kim Jong-un 'to Visit Russia in May'
  North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is likely to visit Russia in May, the Asahi Shimbun reported Wednesday. Moscow invited Kim to a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany on May 9 next year, the Japanese daily said quoting diplomatic sources. If he goes, Kim will also sit down with Russian President Vladimir Putin, it added. Last month, North Korea's de facto No. 2 leader Choe Ryong-hae agreed on an exchange of visits and cooperation in 2015, the 70th anniversary of both Korean liberation from Japanese colonial rule and Russia's World War II victory. The North has attempted to break its diplomatic isolation with the help of Russia as its relations with China deteriorate. "Kim's ultimate goal is to stay in power as long as possible," a senior government official here said. "He has already consolidated his power internally by executing his uncle Jang Song-taek and is likely to try and win global recognition for his status in 2015."
• Russian crisis worries Korea
  Updated : 2014-12-17 20:59 By Choi Kyong-ae Moscow's possible default on its foreign debt or a moratorium on its repayment could deal a severe blow to the Korean economy, analysts said Wednesday. Any major currency-related risks in Russia could pose a threat to the financial markets of emerging countries. There may be capital flight from Russia and other emerging markets as investors seek stable assets such as the dollar. Korea is not an exception, they said. Russia currently has about $678.4 billion in foreign debt. It will have maturing debts of $160 billion by December of next year. On top of that, the country expects foreign capital outflows will reach $134 billion this year alone if the Russian currency falls further, according to the Korea Center for International Finance (KCIF).
• Wrecking Russia’s economy could be a disaster for the west
  It’s sheer folly to hope that the country is destabilised and Vladimir Putin overthrown. We’ve no idea what the outcome would be Angus Roxburgh The Guardian, Tuesday 16 December 2014 19.35 GMT Like a rudderless ship running out of fuel and buffeted in an icy storm, the Russian economy looks as if it is heading for a crash. All the graphs – the rouble-dollar rate, the slump in GDP, bank interest rates, oil prices – look like menacing icebergs. The only question seems to be how long the ship can stay afloat. There are two immediate causes of the crisis: the price of oil, and western sanctions. Oil is trading at below $60 a barrel while Russia, still overwhelmingly dependent on exports of its most precious resource, needs a price of $105 to balance its books. That’s the consequence of having failed to reform and diversify the economy over the past 20 years. As for the west’s sanctions, they were introduced with one explicit aim – to force Putin to change tack in Ukraine. At least, that was the stated aim. But since the measures show no sign of having any effect on his thinking, and yet the west is considering even more sanctions, there is obviously another goal – to punish Putin for his actions, regardless of whether he changes his mind. Sadly, it is not Putin who feels this punishment. It is the Russian people. [Russia confrontation] [Inversion]
• Wrecking Russia’s economy could be a disaster for the west
  It’s sheer folly to hope that the country is destabilised and Vladimir Putin overthrown. We’ve no idea what the outcome would be Angus Roxburgh The Guardian, Tuesday 16 December 2014 19.35 GMT Like a rudderless ship running out of fuel and buffeted in an icy storm, the Russian economy looks as if it is heading for a crash. All the graphs – the rouble-dollar rate, the slump in GDP, bank interest rates, oil prices – look like menacing icebergs. The only question seems to be how long the ship can stay afloat. There are two immediate causes of the crisis: the price of oil, and western sanctions. Oil is trading at below $60 a barrel while Russia, still overwhelmingly dependent on exports of its most precious resource, needs a price of $105 to balance its books. That’s the consequence of having failed to reform and diversify the economy over the past 20 years. As for the west’s sanctions, they were introduced with one explicit aim – to force Putin to change tack in Ukraine. At least, that was the stated aim. But since the measures show no sign of having any effect on his thinking, and yet the west is considering even more sanctions, there is obviously another goal – to punish Putin for his actions, regardless of whether he changes his mind. Sadly, it is not Putin who feels this punishment. It is the Russian people. [Russia confrontation] [Inversion]
• Energy deals may make Turkey irreversibly reliant on Moscow
  The fifth summit of the Turkey-Russia High Level Cooperation Council, held in Ankara on Dec. 1, ended with the signing of agreements and an astounding announcement by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian leader said the South Stream pipeline project, which was to carry Russian natural gas to Europe through a conduit running under the Black Sea to Bulgaria and then Austria, had been dropped and the new route would run via Turkey. Summary? Print Despite the celebratory sentiment in Ankara after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit, Turkey’s energy dependence on Russia is bound to further increase with nuclear power plant projects. Author Zülfikar Dogan Posted December 12, 2014 TranslatorSibel Utku Bila Most energy and strategy pundits commented that Turkey had emerged as a winner from the controversy. The new route replacing the South Stream will mean a third gas link between Turkey and Russia. The first of the two existing conduits reaches Turkey’s Thrace region via Ukraine and Bulgaria. The second one, known as the Blue Stream, runs under the Black Sea to Turkey’s northern port of Samsun and then down to Ceyhan at the Mediterranean. According to 2013 figures by the Energy Markets Regulation Board, Turkey imports 98% of the natural gas it uses. Russia alone supplies 58% of that amount. Yet, an aspect that makes the situation even worse is often being overlooked: Apart from the third route that will raise Turkey’s gas dependence on Russia to about 70%, Turkey will be dependent on Russia also in nuclear energy. Turkey’s energy imports from Russia account for much of the some $30-billion trade volume between the countries. [Response] [Turkey] [Pipeline]
• Russia says it wants east Ukraine to stay with Kiev under reformed constitution
  MOSCOW Mon Dec 15, 2014 3:41pm Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks to media in a news conference during a meeting of foreign ministers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Basel December 5, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Arnd Wiegmann (Reuters) - Moscow wants Ukraine to carry out a constitutional reform to allow more autonomy to Russian-speaking eastern regions that would then stay with Kiev, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in comments published on Monday. In an interview with the Interfax news agency, Lavrov said Ukraine needed a constitutional reform "with the participation of all regions and all political powers" that would allow the two rebellious eastern regions to remain part of the country. Lavrov put the blame on Kiev for what he said was forcing the eastern regions out of Ukraine by refusing to give them more autonomy to seek ways out of the conflict that has killed more than 4,700 people since the violence started mid-April. [Ukraine]
• No pensions, water, electricity: Ukrainian way to the EU
  We present you the interview regarding the situation in the New Russia with a political analyst and observer of the elections on 2nd of November Ph.D. Mateusz Piskorski. He is the founder of the Center for Geopolitical Analysis. Igor Plotnitsky, the head of Luhansk People’s Republic, while commenting on Facebook about the decision of Ukrainian authorities to discontinue payments of all social obligations to the residents of Donbas, announced about a possibility of a referendum on accession of LPR into the Russian Federation: “If people will vote for the accession to the Russian Federation, Russia will have the full right to send to its own territory of the former Luhansk region (today – LPR) a regular army and expel the invaders from our land”. Is this a realistic scenario? This is certainly a desire, a dream and an idea, supported by many residents of Luhansk and Donetsk district. This is not feasible at this stage. Russia will not decide to join these republics to Russia and does not take up the scenario that realized in the Crimea. For several reasons, not only geopolitical but also economic. The most likely scenario is the functioning of these republics and perhaps, in the future, a variety of newly appointed People’s Republics within the progressive Ukraine socio-economic crisis. They may function on the basis of such unrecognized states, of course, receiving some humanitarian support. If we conducted a survey among the residents of these districts, we would see that they are guided by a very simple premises. Some of them recognize that Russia is able to secure the realization of basic needs: social needs, domestic needs, economic, but also the need to provide basic security on the streets. Therefore, they would obviously want to live on the territory of a State that actually works, whose state authorities, more or less efficiently operate. On the other hand, we have a very large number of people: old people, so just as it was in the Crimea. These people live with a certain sentiment and belief that Eastern Ukraine district form a civilizational, cultural, linguistic whole. And hence they should form a political whole with the Russian Federation. These two factors mean that if we today would held a referendum, the result would likely be very clear and most of the population would favour annexation to the Russian Federation. Whereas, I emphasize that the Russian Federation today is not ready for such a scenario and will not be ready in a next few years. First appeared: http://journal-neo.org/2014/12/14/no-pensions-water-electricity-ukrainian-way-to-the-eu/ [Ukraine]
• Russia steps up its Middle East policy
  Late November and early December saw continuing intensification of Russian diplomacy in the Middle East, with some elements speaking to the systemic nature of the effort. Russia has recently increased its diplomatic efforts in the Middle East on a variety of fronts, ranging from Arab-Israeli peace to trade with Lebanon and military cooperation with Sudan. Author Vitaly Naumkin Posted December 11, 2014 Leading off were movements toward an Arab-Israeli settlement. On Dec. 3, at a Russian-Arab cooperation forum in Khartoum, the Russian representatives pressed the issue to move toward a greater degree of consensus with the Arab participants, despite ongoing differences on the Syria issue. According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, both sides focused on the “need to break the deadlock in efforts to achieve a Palestinian-Israeli settlement,” so “the Palestinian people can realize their national aspirations and live in their own state in peace and security.” Lavrov called Russian criticism of the Quartet — the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United States — justified, as it had “long remained inactive.” He reiterated Moscow's proposal that essentially boils down to “Arabization of the Quartet.” Lavrov stated, “We want this forum, too, to become more active, but not in its old format. We want it to involve the Arab League as a full-fledged participant, since the Arab Peace Initiative opens the way to a sustainable and lasting settlement. I hope that our Western partners will hear these proposals.” Moscow has gone on record saying that it would not object to having a Middle East settlement put on the UN Security Council's agenda. [Russia Middle East] [Response]
• Russia and NATO go through most serious crisis since Cold War - Lavrov
  10.12.2014 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov summed up the results of 2014. He spoke about the atmosphere in international relations, the sanctions that Russia imposed in response to restrictive measures from the West, about the confrontation with NATO and about the Ukrainian crisis, RIA Novosti reports. According to Lavrov, Moscow is open for a dialogue with Washington. However, Russia will not compromise its interests, under no circumstances. The minister stressed out the fact that the current downturn in relations between Russia and the USA was not the first one at all. "The question is when Washington is going to be ready to co-operate on the principles of equality and taking account of Russian interests that we are not going to compromise under any circumstances," said Lavrov. He also said that Washington was ready to cooperate by word of mouth, but in reality, USA's actions in relation to the Russian Federation were of unfriendly character. However, the Russian Federation and the United States have not interrupted contacts on the top level. "Presidents Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama have met three times this year, including at the APEC summit in Beijing and the G20 summit in Brisbane. In addition, they have spoken ten times on the telephone, and those were quite long conversations, mainly on the initiative of the White House," Russian Foreign Minister said. USA does not care about Russia's concerns [Russia confrontation] [Missile defense]
• Is Kaliningrad NATO’s Real Target?
  by Diana Johnstone Rick Rozoff’s vitally informative site, Stop NATO, just forwarded a Stars and Stripes report on “NATO’s largest training exercise since the end of the Cold War”. The forces that took part in the exercise, called “Trident Lance”, mostly came from the Joint Multinational Training Center in Grafenwöhr, Germany. Command elements from Poland, Greece and Turkey also took part, while U.S. Army in Europe provided a hefty logistical contribution, the Army newspaper said. NATO land forces commander Lt. Gen. John Nicholson said that the exercise showed that NATO’s Allied Land Command (LANDCOM) has finally reached full operational capacity. Ready to go! To go where? “One aim of the exercise, Trident Lance, was to test how well a fully operational LANDCOM — which is charged with improving the effectiveness and reaction time of the alliance’s land forces — could respond to an international crisis. In this case, the scenario dealt with the hypothetical invasion of NATO member Estonia,” Stars and Stripes reported.foolsjohnstone Of course Russia is not going to “invade Estonia”, an absurd hypothesis. There is no conceivable evidence or reason for a “Russian invasion” of Estonia. But examine a map of the Baltic. There, very discretely, lies Kaliningrad. Is Kaliningrad NATO’s Real Target? [Russia confrontation]
• Medvedev Enlists Russian Companies in Bid to Halt Ruble Drop
  By Olga Tanas and Ilya Arkhipov December 10, 2014 While devaluation has its “pluses and minuses,” the ruble will regain its balance, according to Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Photographer: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said the government is urging large companies to even out their sales of foreign revenue as officials try to stem the ruble’s slide to a record and the central bank weighs a second straight interest-rate increase tomorrow. “A sizable weakening of the ruble isn’t advantageous for the economy in the long term,” Medvedev said in an interview with Russian television. While currency depreciation benefits the budget, it’s detrimental in a “strategic sense,” he said. Medvedev’s comments come after President Vladimir Putin last week called for “harsh” measures to deter currency speculators. The government is stepping up its efforts to arrest the ruble’s plunge to record lows this year after a drop in oil prices to the lowest since 2009 and sanctions imposed over the conflict in Ukraine sent the currency into a tailspin. [Russia confrontation] [Sanctions] [Oil]
• S.Korean Firms Invited to Invest in N.Korea-Russia Railway
  Russian Railways on Tuesday made it clear that South Korean businesses are welcome to invest in a North Korea-Russia railway project, according to the Voice of Russia. Vladimir Yakunin, the head of Russian Railways, told 24 TV that the company and the North Korean government have completed restoration of the Rajin-Khasan section of the railroad and built a terminal. In collaboration with a consortium of South Korean companies, Russian Railways now hopes to involve South Korea as well. Yakunin did not give many details. Na Hee-seung of the Korea Railroad Research Institute here said Russian Railways is taking an interest in a project to modernize North Korea's Kyongwon Railway Line from Rajin and Wonsan in the North to Cheorwon and Seoul in the South and link it with the Trans-Korean Railway and the Trans-Siberian Railway. Rason Con Trans, a Russian-North Korean joint venture firm, completed the modernization of the 54 km-long Rajin-Khasan railway section. A South Korean consortium of POSCO, Hyundai Merchant Marine, and KORAIL is looking to buy half of Russia's 70-percent stake after a trial operation. [Railways] [FDI]
• Washington’s Frozen War Against Russia
  by Diana Johnstone For over a year, the United States has played out a scenario designed to (1) reassert U.S. control over Europe by blocking E.U. trade with Russia, (2) bankrupt Russia, and (3) get rid of Vladimir Putin and replace him with an American puppet, like the late drunk, Boris Yeltsin. The past few days have made crystal clear the perfidy of the economic side of this U.S. war against Russia. [Russia confrontation]
• Reckless Congress 'Declares War' on Russia
  Written by Ron Paul Thursday December 4, 2014 Today the US House passed what I consider to be one of the worst pieces of legislation ever. H. Res. 758 was billed as a resolution “strongly condemning the actions of the Russian Federation, under President Vladimir Putin, which has carried out a policy of aggression against neighboring countries aimed at political and economic domination.” In fact, the bill was 16 pages of war propaganda that should have made even neocons blush, if they were capable of such a thing. These are the kinds of resolutions I have always watched closely in Congress, as what are billed as “harmless” statements of opinion often lead to sanctions and war. I remember in 1998 arguing strongly against the Iraq Liberation Act because, as I said at the time, I knew it would lead to war. I did not oppose the Act because I was an admirer of Saddam Hussein – just as now I am not an admirer of Putin or any foreign political leader – but rather because I knew then that another war against Iraq would not solve the problems and would probably make things worse. We all know what happened next. That is why I can hardly believe they are getting away with it again, and this time with even higher stakes: provoking a war with Russia that could result in total destruction! If anyone thinks I am exaggerating about how bad this resolution really is, let me just offer a few examples from the legislation itself: [Russia confrontation]
• Crafting a win-win-win for Russia, Ukraine and the West
  By Michael O'Hanlon and Jeremy Shapiro December 7 The writers are fellows in the foreign policy program of the Brookings Institution. Recent reports of more troop and equipment movements into the separatist-held regions of Ukraine suggest that Russia is once again seeking to stir up trouble. The natural Western reaction has been to respond with firmness. Sanctions may be tightened; defensive weaponry may be provided to Ukraine’s underequipped and overmatched military. Given such bullying Russian tactics, this reaction is not only natural but perhaps inevitable. Yet the Western policy response is half-wrong, and the incorrect part of it risks making 2015 just as bad a year for Ukrainian security and East-West relations as was 2014. Western policymakers do not deserve blame for the unconscionable tactics that Russian President Vladi¬mir Putin has employed in Crimea and eastern Ukraine. But their actions risk reinforcing an action-reaction dynamic that will quite probably make the No. 1 victim of this crisis to date — the people of Ukraine — worse off than before. This is not a moral question. It is entirely justifiable to provide weapons to a sovereign nation seeing its territory assaulted by a much more powerful neighbor. But regardless of right and wrong, the result of providing weapons will not be a robust self-defense capability for Ukraine. The Ukrainian military faces Russian armed forces more than five times as large and perhaps 10 to 20 times as powerful. Indeed, should such arms encourage Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to directly challenge Russian forces on his territory, the most likely outcome is escalation of the military crisis and a dramatic increase in death and destruction in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russian propaganda would continue to vilify the West and sow the seeds of future crises elsewhere in Russia’s neighborhood. Before taking such actions, and before adding permanent NATO deployments to the Baltic states — another understandable, but potentially counterproductive, reaction to the crisis — NATO leaders should attempt to work with Moscow to create a new European security order acceptable to both sides. Many Western voices will view any such effort as rewarding Russia and Putin for their miserable behavior of the past year. However, this approach would be designed not as a reward but to protect Ukraine’s security — and our own. If the Russian people were souring on Putin, there would be an argument for simply keeping the pressure on through sanctions while threatening more to come, should he escalate. But the Russian leader enjoys 85 percent popularity at home, where many see his actions as reasonable retribution against a supposedly triumphalist NATO that has expanded right up to Russia’s borders since the Cold War, a narrative reinforced by a tightly controlled Russian media. At this point, Putin is a moderate on the Russian political spectrum. [Russia confrontation] [Ukraine] [Negotiations]
• Biden: Ukraine Can't 'Blow' Another Chance To Change
  U.S. Vice President Joe Biden at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Kyiv in November. By Luke Johnson December 10, 2014 WASHINGTON -- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has said Ukraine cannot lose another chance to change the country for the better. Speaking at an event at the National Democratic Institute in Washington on December 9, Biden said, "These people have braved snipers' bullets, freezing cold, to win for themselves a chance to fundamentally alter their country for the better." His message was that if the pro-Western government formed this month fails to reform the economy and fight corruption, the efforts of Ukrainians who risked their lives in street protests that pushed Viktor Yanukovych from power in February could be in vain. Biden said battling corruption and "kleptocracy" would help Ukraine protect its sovereignty, which is threatened by Russian-backed separatists who have been fighting government forces in the east in a conflict that has killed more than 4,300 people since April. He said that Ukrainians have a chance again, and "they can't blow it." "Freedom is over 25 years old and they blew it; the Orange Revolution and they blew it." He warned, "They don't have many more chances in the near term." [Russia confrontation] [Ukraine]
• IMF warns Ukraine bailout at risk of collapse
  Peter Spiegel in Brussels and Roman Olearchyk in Kiev ©AFP The International Monetary Fund has identified a $15bn shortfall in its bailout for war-torn Ukraine and warned western governments the gap will need to be filled within weeks to avoid financial collapse. The IMF’s calculations lay bare the perilous state of Ukraine’s economy and hint at the financial burden of propping up Kiev as it battles Russian-backed separatist rebels in its eastern regions FirstFT is our new essential daily email briefing of the best stories from across the web The additional cash needed would come on top of the $17bn IMF rescue announced in April and due to last until 2016. Senior western officials involved in the talks said there is only tepid support for such a sizeable increase at a time Kiev has dragged its feet over the economic and administrative reforms required by the programme. “It’s not going to be easy,” said one official involved in the talks. “There’s not that much money out there.” [Russia confrontation] [Ukraine]
• Russia, Turkey pivot across Eurasia
  By Pepe Escobar The latest, spectacular "Exit South Stream, Enter Turk Stream" Pipelinistan gambit will be sending big geopolitical shockwaves all across Eurasia for quite some time. This is what the New Great Game in Eurasia is all about. In a nutshell, a few years ago Russia devised North Stream - fully operational - and South Stream - still a project - to bypass unreliable Ukraine as a gas transit nation. Now Russia devises a new sweet deal with Turkey to bypass the "non-constructive" (Putin’s words) approach of the European Commission (EC) concerning the European "Third Energy Package", which prohibits one company from controlling the full cycle of extraction, transportation and sale of energy resources. [Pipeline] [Russia confrontation] [Response] [Turkey]
• Alternative Media and the MH17 JIT Reversal
  After weeks of protests and growing suspicion, Dutch authorities overseeing the investigation of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 have finally included Malaysia as a member of its Joint Investigation Team (JIT). Malaysia had made it clear it was immensely displeased with its inexplicable exclusion from JIT formed after the downing of MH17 over eastern Ukraine. Including NATO members (Belgium and the Netherlands), a defacto NATO collaborator (Australia) and a potential culprit in the air disaster (Ukraine), Malaysia’s exclusion looked to be a part of an ongoing cover-up amid a larger attempt to use the disaster to frame Russia and advance NATO’s agenda in Eastern Europe. [MH17]
• Putin’s New Deal Spells End to 15 Years of Wage Gains
  By Henry Meyer, Agnes Lovasz and Evgenia Pismennaya Dec 8, 2014 10:01 AM GMT+1300 Vladimir Putin’s confrontation with the U.S. and Europe augurs a new deal for his 144 million subjects. Instead of the rising living standards he’s delivered the past 15 years in exchange for the public’s acquiescence, the Russian president now holds out declining wages and more austere lifestyles as the price of swollen national pride. The first signs of discontent are appearing. Doctors protested Nov. 30 over job cuts and Putin ordered a freeze in inflation-linked pay raises for some government employees. Keeping dissatisfaction at bay will be costly too: Putin may exhaust more than half of the nation’s $420 billion of reserves -- down from almost $600 billion in 2008 -- within two years. “There’s been a social contract in place in Russia whereby the population understood that its living standards will continue to improve even if political freedoms are limited, but now living standards are taking a hit,” said John Lough, an associate fellow at Chatham House’s Russia and Eurasia program in London. “This is going to affect public attitudes and it’s going to put pressure on the system and on Putin personally.” [Russia confrontation] [Putin] [Sanctions] [Agency]
• Pale Horse, Pale Rider: Death and Horses in Ukraine
  Khrushchev Remembers, an autobiographical overview of the USSR supremo’s life, although a ripping good read that also offers a timely insider’s view of the consolidation of Stalinist rule in Ukraine is, rather surprisingly, out of print [A three volume memoir has been published by Penn State University Press through the efforts of Khrushchev's son, Sergei. See endnote]. Well, maybe not so surprisingly. According to Victor Marchetti*, the ex- Special Assistant to the Deputy Director of the CIA who penned the bombshell CIA and the Cult of Intelligence back in 1974 (which was published with black bars showing the 168 redactions demanded by the CIA) and led to the establishment of the Church Committee, the publication of Khrushchev Remembers was a rather complicated put-up job orchestrated by the CIA and the KGB. In 2001, Marchetti wrote: Perhaps the most startling example of the ClA's manipulation of the publishing world is the case of Khrushchev Remembers. Khrushchev is still widely believed to have been the author. He is supposed to have dashed it off one summer and then said to himself, "Where will I get this published? Ah! Time-Life!" The tapes reached Time-Life, we all read it, and we told ourselves, "Isn't that interesting." A little thought should be sufficient to dispel the notion that the KGB would allow Khrushchev to sit in his dacha dictating tape after tape with no interference. He certainly dictated tapes, but the tapes were censored and edited by the KGB, and then a deal was struck between the U.S. and the USSR, after it was decided, at the highest level, that such a book would be mutually beneficial. Brezhnev could use against some of the resistance he was encountering from Stalinist hardliners, and Nixon could use it to increase support for detente. The CIA and the KGB cooperated in carrying out the operation. The tapes were given to the Time bureau in Moscow. Strobe Talbot, who appears on television frequently today and is Time's bureau chief in Washington, brought the tapes back with him. I was present in an apartment in which he hid them for a couple of days. The tapes were then translated and a manuscript developed. During this period Time refused to let people who had known Khrushchev personally, including White House staff members, listen to the tapes. [Khrushchev] [CIA]
• Chechen militants attack Grozny, shattering peace as Putin gives speech
  By Michael Birnbaum December 4 ? MOSCOW — In a stunning return to siege-style violence in the Russian region of Chechnya, well-armed Islamist militants seized an empty school and office building Thursday before an hours-long shootout in which at least 20 people died, authorities said. The bloodshed in Grozny — where at least 10 militants and 10 police officers were killed — was an unwelcome reminder of the 1990s strife in Chechnya between Russian forces and separatist insurgents. The region has since experienced relative peace in recent years under the strong-arm governance of Kremlin-allied President Ramzan Kadyrov. The timing of the attack also suggested an attempt to maximize the blow — coming just hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered an annual state-of-the-nation speech in Moscow. Putin gained much of his initial political credibility as Russia’s leader by shutting down the insurgency and from his tough approach to Chechen-linked terrorist attacks elsewhere in Russia. [Jihadist] [Russia confrontation]
• Russia's strategy for undermining Western unity is working
  From gas for Turkey to funding for French rightists, Putin sows division by making deals. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan review an honor guard on Dec. 1, 2014 during a welcoming ceremony at the new presidential palace outside Ankara. (Adem Altan/AFP/Getty Images) LISBON, Portugal — Vladimir Putin's timing can be impeccable. On the day before NATO foreign ministers met in Brussels, Belgium, this past week to re-affirm their unity and determination in the face of Moscow's aggression in Ukraine, the Russian president was enjoying a red-carpet welcome in the country with NATO’s second-largest army. "This visit by Putin is a clear sign of the progress in relations between Turkey and Russia,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday. “Our political will to increase our trade volumes to $100 billion is still valid." Photos of Putin inspecting an honor guard of Turkish troops in their sky-blue coats, offers of cut-price Russian energy exports, and a commitment to help Turkey — a key NATO ally — become a hub for Russian gas sales were perfectly timed to undermine NATO's show of unity the following day. "Talks during my state visit to Turkey were held in an exceedingly friendly and cooperative atmosphere," Putin crowed at a joint news conference following the meeting in Erdogan's lavish new palace in Ankara. Putin's Turkish trip is the latest move in what Western defense officials view as a concerted and multi-pronged Russian offensive to undermine Western resolve over Ukraine. More from GlobalPost: The Kremlin is loving the Ferguson riots The Kremlin's tactics include the diplomatic and economic wooing of more receptive Western governments like Turkey's; outreach to friendly political forces (see recent revelations of Russian funding for France's far-right National Front party); an expensive multimedia propaganda campaign; and attempts to undermine moves toward the West by nations just beyond NATO's eastern fringe, like Serbia and Moldova. It's an approach that is bearing fruit. [Russia confrontation] [Alliance] [Turkey]
• Who’s afraid of Russia Today?
  Daniel Kennedy 5 December 2014 Is RT (formerly Russia Today) really as dangerous or as effective as its critics claim? Since Ukraine’s revolution forced President Viktor Yanukovych to flee the country, and Russia annexed Crimea, it’s become rather fashionable to talk about an ‘information war’ between Russia and the West. Unlike traditional wars, which are waged with guns and tanks and other hardware, this war is waged, so the argument goes, by state media, like RT (formerly Russia Today) and the recently launched Sputnik news agency. This position was perhaps laid out most directly by Lithuania’s foreign minister, Linas Linkevicius who stated in March that, ‘Russia Today's propaganda machine is no less destructive than military marching in Crimea.’ His views are widely shared among commentators these days. In their report, The Menace of Unreality: How the Kremlin Weaponises Information, Culture and Money, Peter Pomerantsev and Michael Weiss argue that through RT, the Russian government has effectively ‘weaponised’ information, and that rival media need to institute a ‘disinformation charter’ and employ ‘counter-disinformation editors’ to combat the threat. Similarly, in his recent e-book, Kremlin Speak: Inside Putin’s Propaganda Factory, Lukas Alpert explains how RT actively reaches out to disaffected citizens in Europe and America from both the political left and right through a combination of clever use of the internet, conspiracy theories and a willingness to confront issues that traditional media have ignored. Recently, at a conference held in Cambridge, UK, on the role of the ‘information war’ in the Ukraine crisis, participants openly called for RT to be banned. [Russia confrontation] [Media] [Propaganda] [Inversion]
• the Kremlin Weaponizes Information, Culture and Money
  by Peter Pomerantsev and Michael Weiss imrussia.org interpretermag.com A Special Report presented by The Interpreter, a project of the Institute of Modern Russia The Institute of Modern Russia (IMR) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy organization—a think tank based in New York. IMR’s mission is to foster democratic and economic development in Russia through research, advocacy, public events, and grant-making. We are committed to strengthening respect for human rights, the rule of law, and civil society in Russia. Our goal is to promote a principlesbased approach to US-Russia relations and Russia’s integration into the community of democracies. [Russia confrontation] [Propaganda] [Softwar]
• America is on a “Hot War Footing”: House Legislation Paves the Way for War with Russia?
  By Prof Michel Chossudovsky Global Research, December 05, 2014 America is on a war footing. While, a World War Three Scenario has been on the drawing board of the Pentagon for more than ten years, military action against Russia is now contemplated at an “operational level”. Similarly, both the Senate and the House have introduced enabling legislation which provides legitimacy to the conduct of a war against Russia. We are not dealing with a “Cold War”. None of the safeguards of the Cold War era prevail. There has been a breakdown in East-West diplomacy coupled with extensive war propaganda. In turn the United Nations has turned a blind eye to extensive war crimes committed by the Western military alliance. [Russia confrontation]
• Falling oil prices hit Russia much harder than Western sanctions
  President Vladimir Putin, who took office in the wake of his nation’s 1998 financial crisis, has made economic stability a cornerstone of his nearly 15 years as leader. (AP) By Michael Birnbaum December 2 at 6:51 PM ? MOSCOW — Plummeting oil prices are doing to the Kremlin what sanctions could not: forcing a grim rethinking of Russia’s economic future. Nine months into the worst relations between the West and Russia since the Cold War, the plunging price of oil is causing deeper and swifter pain than the Western sanctions that have targeted key areas of Russia’s economy. Russian leaders said Tuesday for the first time that their economy will head into recession next year. In a nation where oil and gas exports largely determine the bottom line, lawmakers are slashing spending promises. And the ruble is hitting historic lows every day. President Vladimir Putin, who took office in the wake of his nation’s 1998 financial crisis, has made economic stability a cornerstone of his nearly 15 years as leader. He has vowed that Russia will survive the current decline in energy prices — but he has also accused the West of waging pocketbook warfare over the cost of a barrel of oil. Putin’s approval ratings remain near record highs, but opinion polls also show new economic fears, a warning sign for the future. “We simply need to implement our agenda calmly,” Putin said last month in an interview with the state-run Tass news agency. “Many say that oil prices are falling because a tie-up is possible among traditional producers, particularly between Saudi Arabia and the United States. They say this is being done especially to let the Russian economy down. .?.?. “Does this damage us? It does partially, but not fatally,” Putin said. [Russia confrontation] [Oil] [Saudi Arabia] [Putin]
• MH17: What is the Joint Investigation Team, What Is It for, Who’s Leading it and Why is Malaysia Excluded?
  By Julie Lévesque Global Research, December 03, 2014 Several authors have recently asked why Malaysia is not part of the MH17 joint investigation team and why is Ukraine, a suspect in this case, part of it? The questions we should first be asking are what exactly is the joint investigation team, in which legal framework is it operating and why was it established? There are actually several investigations going on on the shootdown of MH17. We will, however, focus on two of them which people seem to get mixed up: the first official inquiry led by the Dutch Safety board (DSB), which published a preliminary report on September 9, 2014 and the joint investigation team inquiry, which was established August 7, 2014.
  Why is Belgium part of the JIT and not Malaysia? Four Belgians died on the plane compared to 43 Malaysians. But more importantly, it was a Malaysian plane which was attacked. How can Malaysia be excluded from this investigation? Some authors argue that it is due to Malaysia’s reluctance to put the blame on the Russians or the Donetsk separatists without irrefutable evidence.
  Western governments, particularly the U.S., were quick to place the blame on Russia and/or the militants in Eastern Ukraine, who had allegedly “shot the passenger plane” down with a missile, or so they said. Without a shred of evidence, that narrative was parroted by the western mainstream media and is still upheld today, even though the preliminary report published by the Dutch Safety Board last September does not even mention once the term “missile”. The very unusual term “high energy objects” was used to describe what had hit the plane and caused its demise. [MH17]
• Putin cancels new natural gas pipeline to Europe in a surprise move
  Russian President Vladimir Putin, shown at a news conference in Ankara, Turkey, on Dec. 1, decided not to build a planned natural gas pipeline to Europe. (Adem Altan/AFP/Getty Images) By Michael Birnbaum December 1 at 7:57 PM ? MOSCOW — In a measure of the dramatically reshaped relations between Russia and the West, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday scrapped plans for a major new natural gas pipeline to Europe, a surprise decision that came as the ruble slumped to an all-time low against the dollar. The move deprives the Kremlin of a tool that would have increased Russian political influence over southeastern Europe and detoured natural gas around Ukraine, leaving it more vulnerable to Russia. Putin’s decision came after European Union leaders intensified their opposition to the plans because of the grinding conflict in Ukraine. Putin said Russia would build a smaller pipeline to Turkey instead of the bigger project, for which construction started two years ago, to funnel large quantities of Russian gas underneath the Black Sea to Europe. The cancellation appeared to end an era, at least for now, in which Russia pursued grand, expensive infrastructure projects in Europe that gave it political clout through energy supplies. The decision follows a drop in the price of oil by more than 30 percent since the summer, starving Russia of revenue and forcing it to curtail its economic ambitions. “If Europe does not want to implement the project, then it won’t be implemented. We will refocus our energy resources to other parts of the world,” Putin said Monday in the Turkish capital, Ankara, after a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “It would be ridiculous for us to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on the project, go all the way through the Black Sea and then stand in front of the Bulgarian border,” since Bulgaria’s new government has opposed the project. [Gas] [Pipeline]
• Russia matters to make new trade route viable
  Siberian bituminous coal is loaded onto a Chinese cargo ship in the North Korean port of Rajin, in this photo taken Thursday. The ship carrying 40,500 tons of coal arrived in South Korea's port city of Pohang Saturday. / Yonhap Unloading of Siberian coal to begin today By Kang Hyun-kyung How do we know that a new trade route established to aid the export of Russia's natural resources to South Korea and China via a North Korean port won't undergo the same fate of the Gaesong Industrial Park? Since it was established in 2004, the industrial complex intended to create economic synergy by teaming up South Korean capital with cheap North Korean labor has been under constant threat of closure whenever things have gone badly because of the standoff over North Korea's nuclear program. In South Korea, there is optimism regarding the cost-effective trade route which completed a test run last week by successfully shipping 40,500 tons of Siberian bituminous coal to the South via North Korea's Rajin Port. Due to North Korea, analysts warn, risks lurk on the new trade route which consists of a 54-kilometer land route between Russia's Khasan and North Korea's Rajin and a sea route between the North Korean port to South Korea's coastal cities. But they say there is a role that Russia can play to reduce such risks because the country is serious about exporting its resources overseas and using the trilateral partnership to revitalize the poverty-stricken Russian Far East. [Rason] [Coal]
• Prospects for Ukraine’s Partition. Warsaw to Waste no Time Rushing to the Party
  Dmitry Minin | 01.12.2014 The story is getting more confirmations. The rumors launched by Radoslaw Sikorski, the speaker of Polish parliament, who accused Moscow of offering Poland parts of Ukraine, were concocted by Poles themselves with a distinct goal in mind – to feel out the reaction on the idea of Ukraine’s partition. The parliamentary opposition wanted the speaker to resign but lost the vote with only 146 MPs out of 434 to support the motion. Sikorski realized that he jumped the gun and his statements were negatively affecting the government plans, so he changed the tactics. Speaking at Harvard University on November 20 he told listeners that Poland was different from Ukraine because it resolutely stepped on the way of reform to become part of transatlantic structures. What he actually meant was that only Poland could lead Ukraine – the whole of it or divided – in the direction the West wanted it to go. Moscow stood in the way. So the Western military alliance was to go back to the mission it was founded for - the deterrence of Russia. Polish Foreign Minister Grzegorz Shetina joined Sikorski making botched statements. In an interview to Gazeta Wyborcza he compared the relationship of Warsaw and Kiev with the relations between European countries and their colonies in Africa. The Minister made comments on the «Normandy Format» (Germany-France-Russia-Ukraine) gas transit resumption talks in Milan. The US and Poland did not like the fact that they were not invited to take part in the event. Summing up the results of the meeting, Shetina said it was not serious to discuss the future of Ukraine hoping for tangible results, like the ongoing crisis management, if Poland were not a party. As he put it, «Talking about Ukraine without Poland - the same as that discussing the case of Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco without Italy, France and Spain». It reveals the fact that the Polish masters see themselves in the role of «civilized colonizers» dealing with former serfs. The Minister’s statement matches perfectly the plans of Ukraine’s partition, something being seriously mulled in Warsaw as it eyes the prospects for Ukraine’ partition cutting the rest of the country off its western lands. [Ukraine] [Poland]

• Biden’s Ukrainian Mission
  by Olena Shevchenko The US Vice-President Joe Biden left Ukraine after his official visit on November 20-21, 2014, but Kyiv is still full of rumours about his arrival. And that’s due to the well known Ukrainian hacker group Cyberberkut (cyber-berkut.org/en/) that published in the net some documents signed by US President Barack Obama and State Secretary John Kerry about further deliveries of the lethal weapons to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The hacktivists claim they found the documents in the mobile device of an American diplomat accompanying Mr. Biden during his visit to Kyiv. Official mass media preferred to avoid this message, however Rear Admiral John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, as well as the press secretary of the US Embassy in Moscow, were compelled to comment on the leaked information about military deliveries to Ukraine. According to their statements, Washington provides Kyiv exclusively with non-lethal military aid. Though they didn’t disprove the fact that the State Department employee’s mobile device had been hacked. At the same time, the materials spread by Cyberberkut testify that Washington is ready to deliver rifles, missiles, anti aircraft armament and armor equipment to Kyiv. Besides, hackers claim that the Ukrainian army has been financed from the US Department of Defense budget for a long time. According to hackers, the amounts of financing are ‘amazing’ and make impression that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are ‘a branch of the American Army’. What is more surprising, the US transfers hundreds of thousand dollars to Ukrainian officers’ personal accounts in circumvention of all established rules, principles and common sense. It’s not excluded that the Ukrainian military could freely spend the American aid for personal purposes. [Ukraine]
• 25.11.2014 ?. CyberBerkut gained access to the documents of Joseph Biden’s delegation officials
  We, CyberBerkut, have already warned against inadmissibility of the Washington's interference in internal affairs of our country. Moreover, we repeatedly claimed our rejection of Kiev authorities’ antinational policy which had put Ukraine in dependence from the USA. During two-day visit of Joseph Biden to Kiev on November 20-21 we gained access to confidential files of the State Department that had been stored on American delegation member’s mobile device. Today we are ready to acquaint Ukrainian citizens, the USA and the world community with the documents that uncover the real volume and direction of American aid to “settle” the Ukrainian crisis. After examination of just a several files there is the impression that the Ukrainian army is the branch of US Armed Forces. The volume of US financial assistance amazes with its scale. They also show the highest level of degradation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Besides, thousands of dollars go on personal accounts of military personnel and used by certain officers in personal needs. What will the American taxpayers say? Documents signed by Kiev and foreign authorities speak for themselves: [Ukraine] [Cyberactivism]
• The ‘return’ of nuclear weapons
  Nikolai Sokov 28 November 2014 The current crisis unfolding in Ukraine has brought the issue of nuclear weapons back into sharp focus. In recent years, nuclear disarmament has proved unexciting. The unilateral reduction of the US nuclear weapons stockpile under George W. Bush failed to draw serious attention. The impact of Barack Obama’s speech in Prague, which promised greater efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons was short-lived (and included the telling caveat that the goal was ‘not in [his] lifetime’). Unfortunately, we have learned, yet again, that it takes a crisis to get public and politicians to pay attention to nuclear weapons. Sadly, these sorts of crises tend to make nuclear weapons look more attractive and useful instead of increasing calls for their elimination. Nuclear weapons feature in the Ukraine crisis in three ways. [Nuclear weapons] [Ukraine]
• MH17: Malaysia’s Barring from Investigation Reeks of Cover-up
  It was a Malaysian jet, carrying Malaysian passengers, flown by Malaysian pilots, yet after Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine in July 2014, Malaysia has been systematically blocked from participating in the investigation, leaving an overwhelmingly pro-NATO bloc in charge of the evidence, investigation and outcome as well as the manner in which the investigation will be carried out. Despite the integral role Malaysia has played during several pivotal moments in the aftermath of the disaster, it appears that the closer to the truth the investigation should be getting, the further Malaysia itself is being pushed from both the evidence and any influence it has on the likely conclusions of the investigation. With the downed aircraft in question being Malaysian, Malaysia as a partner in the investigation would seem a given. Its exclusion from the investigation appears to be an indication that the investigation’s objectivity has been compromised and that the conclusions it draws will likely be politically motivated. Joint Investigation Team Includes, Excludes Surprising Members With the Dutch leading the investigation, the logic being that the flight originated from the Netherlands and the majority of the passengers were Dutch, it has formed a Joint Investigation Team (JIT). At the onset of its creation it seemed obvious that Malaysia would too be included, considering it lost the second largest number of citizens to the disaster and the plane itself was registered in Malaysia. Instead, JIT would end up comprised of Belgium, Ukraine, and Australia, specifically excluding Malaysia. Malaysia was both surprised and has protested its exclusion from JIT, and has repeatedly expressed a desire to be included directly in the investigation. [MH17]
• Russian minister in Seoul for talks on economic projects with Koreas
  A key Russian official on economic cooperation with South and North Korea arrived in Seoul Thursday as the three countries are pushing for a joint logistics project. Alexander Galushka, minister for development of the Far East, plans to meet with senior South Korean officials, including Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae, during his two-day stay in Seoul. "Minister Ryoo is scheduled to meet Minister Galushka at 3 p.m. tomorrow," a unification ministry official told reporters. They are expected to discuss trilateral economic cooperation among Russia and the two Koreas including the Rajin-Khasan program, which is on a test run, added the official. The South's steelmaker POSCO is seeking to bring in Russian coal via the North's port of Rajin. POSCO has formed a consortium with two other South Korean firms -- Hyundai Merchant Marine Co. and Korea Railroad Corp. Galushka is also expected to brief the results of a top North Korean official's recent trip to Russia, according to the ministry official. Choe Ryong-hae, the Workers' Party of Korea secretary, made a weeklong trip to Moscow and two Far Eastern cities earlier this month, where he had meetings with President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Galushka apparently attended the meetings and he also had separate talks with Ri Kwang-gun, vice-minister of North Korea's External Economic Relations, who accompanied Choe. Having traveled to Pyongyang in October, Galushka is viewed as acting as a sort of messenger between the two Koreas. An informed source said he will likely request South Korea's support for the North's efforts to modernize its railway and discuss the possibility of Russian firms operating in the Kaesong Industrial Complex. Meanwhile, a Chinese-flagged 56,000-ton ship, carrying 40,500 tons of Russian coal, is scheduled to arrive in Pohang, home to POSCO's main factory, on Monday in the first pilot operation, according to the unification ministry. [Triangular] [Rason]
• US Experts: N. Korean Envoy Sent to Russia to Ease Diplomatic Isolation
  Jee Abbey Lee November 25, 2014 3:25 PM WASHINGTON— U.S. experts say North Korea’s recent dispatch of a special envoy to Russia is an attempt to ease diplomatic isolation by expanding ties with Moscow. Choe Ryong Hae, a high-ranking member of the North’s ruling Workers’ Party, wrapped up a week-long trip to Russia Monday. During the rare trip, Choe received a warm welcome when he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and handed him a letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The contents of the letter are not known. "We maintain friendly relations with one of our neighbors, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea," said the Russian president. Frank Jannuzi is the president of the Mansfield Foundation and a long-time North Korea watcher. He said easing diplomatic isolation, along with expansion of economic ties with Moscow, was one of the achievements of Choe’s trip. "Choe’s meeting [with Putin] reduces North Korea’s diplomatic isolation, and will probably result in a modest increase in Russia-DPRK bilateral trade and economic relations, to include the employment of North Koreans in the Russian Far East," said Jannuzi. Some experts see Choe’s visit as an attempt by Pyongyang to ease its political and economic dependence on Beijing. [NK Russia] [China NK]
• Special Envoy of Kim Jong Un Visits Russia
  Pyongyang, November 25 (KCNA) -- Choe Ryong Hae, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, visited the Russian Federation from Nov. 17 to 24 as a special envoy of Kim Jong Un, first chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK. Choe met Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, president of the Russian Federation, at Kremlin, Moscow on Nov. 18. Choe courteously conveyed greetings and a personal letter of Kim Jong Un to Putin. Choe and Putin reaffirmed the will of both sides to boost reciprocal cooperation and further deepen exchanges and contacts in political, economic, military and all other fields in the significant year 2015. Choe held talks with Sergei Lavrov, Russian foreign minister, in Moscow on Nov. 20. At the talks, they had an in-depth discussion on the matters arising in developing the DPRK-Russia friendly relations onto a higher stage such as the issues of promoting bilateral cooperation in economic, trade and humanitarian fields and boosting cooperation in the international arena. [NK Russia] [Choe Ryong Hae]
• Iran Talks Show Why West Still Needs Russia
  By Ivan Nechepurenko Nov. 24 2014 21:23 Last edited 21:25 . As Monday's negotiations on Iran's nuclear program failed to yield a deal and resulted in Iran, Russia, the U.S., China, Britain and Germany setting a new deadline of July 1, analysts hailed the talks as a rare remaining area of cooperation between Russia and the West. The U.S. recognizes the need in the process for Russia — which has traditionally acted as a mediator in negotiations that have been repeatedly hindered by mutual accusations between Iran and the U.S. — and therefore has not questioned its role despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, analysts told The Moscow Times. "It seems like the nuclear talks are one of the only avenues where the U.S. and Russia still see more or less eye-to-eye. It is therefore an area of cooperation for the two countries amid the Ukraine crisis," Ariane Tabatabai, an associate with Harvard University's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, said in e-mailed comments. "Both Russia and the U.S. recognize that this is a very important issue that cannot suffer due to disagreements in other regions," Anton Khlopkov, director of the Moscow-based Center for Energy and Security Studies, said in a phone interview. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday that "substantial progress had been made," adding that in three or four months the parties would agree on the "basic principles" of the comprehensive agreement on the nuclear program, according to a transcript published on the ministry's website. Before the talks were adjourned, a senior Iranian official was cited by Reuters as saying that the alternative would be to look to Russia and China for a possible solution. "We have always had good relations with Russia and China. Naturally, if the nuclear talks fail, we will increase our cooperation with our friends and will provide them with more opportunities in Iran's high-potential market," the official was quoted as saying on condition of anonymity. "We share common views [with Russia and China] on many issues, including Syria and Iraq," he said. [Iran] [US negotiating] [Russia US] [Naiveté]
• Russia Moves to Send North Korean Refugees Back Home to Uncertain Fate
  By Alexey Eremenko Nov. 14 2014 16:39 Last edited 16:41 A new governmental agreement drafted by Russia and North Korea will see Moscow hand over Koreans who have fled the totalitarian regime in their native country. The deal comes at a time when Russia is strengthening ties with the isolationist leadership in Pyongyang, apparently to snub the United States, said Andrei Lankov, a leading Russian expert on Korea. The agreement may yet prove to be a formality, experts said — but Russia has handed over escaped North Koreans before. Russia has similar agreements with many countries and blocs, including Ukraine and the EU. But the North Korean deal stands out because the UN has explicitly advised against the forcible repatriation of North Koreans, who face jail and even execution for fleeing the motherland. The agreement, available on the Russian government's website, outlines expulsion rules and procedures for illegal immigrants from North Korea, whose leadership has been accused by the UN of crimes against humanity. The same rules would apply to Russians illegally entering the far eastern state, though experts polled for this story could not recall a single such instance. The draft is dated Sept. 2, but has so far flown under the media radar. The text says the deal is to be finalized by the Federal Migration Service, which did not return a request for comment sent Thursday. Nor did the government's press office. [Russia NK] [Migration] [Media] [Acceptance]
• Rajin-Khasan project raises question over Seoul's stance on May 24 measures
  By Yi Whan-woo South Korea is making a controversial approach toward its economic sanctions against North Korea in its steps to implement the Eurasia initiative, which inevitably requires Pyongyang's cooperation. Under the government's supervision, POSCO, the country's largest steelmaker, will import Russian coal via North Korea this week as a part of its feasibility test for the "Rajin-Khasan project." Embarked on in 2008, Pyongyang and Moscow have been refurbishing a railway between the two areas. Some 45,000 tons of bituminous coal produced from western Siberia will be transported from the Russian town of Khasan to the ice-free northeastern port of Rajin in North Korea along a 54-kilometer cross-border railway. By Saturday, a China-flagged vessel will ship the coal to Pohang, a port city in North Gyeongsang Province where POSCO's steel mills are located. Such import will take place amid the government's stance that it will not lift the so-called May 24 measures despite calls for the improvement of frayed inter-Korean ties. [Sanctions] [Rason] [Russia SK] [Coal]
• Moscow aims to be player in Korean affairs
  Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and North Korean Ambassador to Russia Kim Hyung-joon toast at a ceremony of presentation of credentials in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Nov. 19. / AP-Yonhap Recent diplomatic reshuffle linked to Russia's Korea ambition: expert By Kang Hyun-kyung In an era of rising power and influence in East Asia, Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to miss the good old days of the Cold War when the Soviet Union was a powerful player with significant influence over Korean affairs. In fact, his desire to strengthen Russia's role on the peninsula was a key element during recent diplomatic reshuffles in the two Koreas, according to experts. Putin now wants his deputies to lay the groundwork for his ambitious East Asian plans. The Russian president appointed Alexander Timonin, the Kremlin's top diplomat to North Korea, to serve as its new ambassador to the South. It has not yet known who will replace Timonin as Russia's ambassador in Pyongyang. Russia expert Rhee Tshang-chu says Putin's diplomatic reshuffle is a strategic decision aimed at helping the world's largest nation have a strong presence on both sides of the 38th parallel. [Russia Korea]
• Russia-South Korea-North Korea Trilateral Cooperation in 2013-2014
  Younkyoo Kim Center for Energy Governance & Security This paper was originally published in Hanyang University’s Energy, Governance and Security (EGS) Center, available in Global Energy Monitor Vol. 2, No.7 as http://www.egskorea.org/common/download.asp?downfile=GEM_2014-9.pdf&path=board. Whatever Pyongyang’s reasons are for shelving Moscow’s initiatives, the failure to date of these proposals to gain traction clearly has serious implications for Russia’s Korea and overall Asian policies as well as the overall situation on the Korean peninsula. These two projects represent pillars of Russia’s larger strategy of reestablishing Russia as an independent great Asian power that could actively display real commercial power and benefit other players as well (Zakharova 2013: 141-145). Aleksandr’ Vorontsov, a North Korea expert at the Russian Academy of Sciences, observed in 2012 that Russia’s forgiving of the DPRK’s debt was an important step opening the way to further economic and trade cooperation, including the advancement of further credits to North Korea and showed that the North Korean leadership and intelligentsia was adapting to a market economy with Russia’s help. More importantly, he added that “The development of the Asia-Pacific region is in our economic interests. If before, we talked about our potential to direct our oil and gas there when we needed to strengthen our negotiating position with the Europeans, now there are practical deals. Russia’s turn to East Asia, especially in the spheres of infrastructure and energy, means the importance of the Korean peninsula will only grow (Elder 2012). Vorontsov’s hyperbole points to what Moscow thought it had achieved or could achieve through this deal in 2011 even if was and remains a fundamental misreading of North Korean trends. [Triangular] [Pipeline] [Railways] [Propaganda] [Russia NK]
• Russia To Revamp North Korea's Rail System, Eyes Mineral Resources
  By Michelle FlorCruz?@mflorcruz on October 30 2014 2:07 PM China, Russia rush to rebuild North Korea's transport links Russia and North Korea are considering a deal that would allow Russia access to the pariah nation’s mineral resources. Moscow reported that in exchange for access to the North’s mineral-rich lands, Russia would invest $25 billion into revamping the country’s dated railway network. According to Russia’s state-run Rossiskaya Gazeta, which quoted Russia’s minister for development of Far Eastern Russia, Alexander Galushka, the project would take on the task of updating roughly 3,000 km, or about 1,875 miles, of the North’s railroads over the span of 20 years. [Railways]
• Russia Sends Pilot Shipment of Coal to South Korea via DPRK
  © Sputnik. Alexander Kryazhev Business 11:24 24.11.2014(updated 11:29 24.11.2014) A ship carrying 40 tons of coal from Russia will leave from the North Korean port of Rajin for Pohang, South Korea, on November 28. MOSCOW, November 24 (Sputnik) – A joint team of Russian and South Korean experts have departed from Vladivostok to the North Korean port of Rajin to oversee a pilot shipment of Russian coal from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to South Korea, according to a press release issued by Russian Railways. The team features nine Russian experts from Russian railways, as well as stevedoring and logistic companies and 13 South Korean officials from POSCO, a steel-making company, Hyundai Merchant Marine Co., Korail Corp. and the South Korean government. [Coal]
• MH17 wreckage recovery 'finished'
  Xinhua, November 24, 2014 The recovery of the wreckage of flight MH17 has been completed, the Dutch Safety Board, leading the investigation into the crash in eastern Ukraine, announced on Sunday. The recovery of the wreckage started one week ago, on Sunday November 16. Twelve trains with the recovered wreckage are now underway from Torez towards Kharkiv. A few parts of wreckage were too big for transport by train and arrived in the Ukrainian city by truck on Saturday already. After the arrival in Kharkiv the remaining wreckage will be prepared for transportation to the Netherlands. The Safety Board stated that it is not yet clear when and in what way this transport will be carried out. Despite the difficult circumstances and the local unstable safety-situation, the team was able to work as planned under the guidance of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and supported by local services. [MH17]
• Resumption of six-party talks possible: Russian envoy
  Xinhua, November 23, 2014 Russian Foreign Ministry special envoy Grigory Logvinov said Saturday that it is possible for the " most appropriate format" of the six-party talks on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula to be resumed. "When and how can the six-party process be resumed? Is it possible at all? It is. And I think the six-party format is still the most appropriate, considering that the problem should be solved in an extensive multi-format global process," Logvinov told the 2014 Moscow nuclear nonproliferation conference here. Russia doesn't consider the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s nuclear program as a direct threat to its security, he was quoted by the Interfax new agency. But Pyongyang's nuclear program might threaten regional stability and the international nuclear nonproliferation regime, as well as bilateral relations between Russia and the DPRK, he added. It is necessary to start to reduce military tension in the region, Logvinov said. However, he noted, "We think that measures of a military nature taking within the framework of military alliance of the United States, South Korea and Japan are openly disproportionate to the nature of war threat." He stressed that Washington "should not put forward knowingly objectionable and unacceptable preconditions," adding that serious "reciprocal and unbiased" steps are expected to be taken on the part of the United States and its allies. The six-party talks, which group the DPRK, South Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia, were launched in 2003 but stalled in December 2008. The DPRK quit the talks in April 2009. Logvinov urged the DPRK to abandon its nuclear weapons in exchange for lifting of sanctions, which is "the only way for the DPRK to join international cooperation, including certainly in the nuclear power industry." The DPRK is ready to resume six-party talks on nuclear issues without preconditions, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday after talks with Choe Ryong Hae, visiting special envoy of the DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Un. [Six Party Talks] [Preconditions]
• Washington Plays Russian Roulette
  by Pepe Escobar These are bleak times. I’ve been in serious conversation with some deep sources and interlocutors – those who know but don’t need to show off, privileging discretion. They are all deeply worried. This is what one of them, a New York strategic planner, sent me: The propaganda attack against Putin equating him with Hitler is so extreme that you have to think that the Russians cannot believe their ears and cannot trust the United States anymore under any circumstances. I cannot believe how we could have gotten ourselves into this situation to protect the looters in the Ukraine that Putin would have rid the Ukraine of, and even had the gall to place in a leadership role one of the worst of the thieves. But that is history. What is certain is that MAD [mutually assured destruction] is not a deterrent today when both sides believe the other will use nuclear weapons once they have the advantage and that the side that gains a decisive advantage will use them. MAD is now over. That may sound somewhat extreme – but it’s a perfectly logical extension, further on down the road, of what the Russian president intimated in his already legendary interview with Germany’s ARD in Vladivostok last week: the West is provoking Russia into a new Cold War. [1] [Russia confrontation] [NCW]
• North Korea and Russia coordinating to ease international isolation
  Posted on : Nov.22,2014 15:00 KST Modified on : Nov.22,2014 15:26 KST Workers’ Party of (North) Korea secretary Choe Ryong-hae, a special envoy of leader Kim Jong-un, enters a meeting room with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, Nov. 20. (Xinhua/Newsis) In recent series of meetings, Russian officials say they support a resumption of the six-party talks on North Korea’s nuclear program Pyongyang and Moscow have been communicating more closely since Workers’ Party of Korea secretary Choe Ryong-hae arrived in Russia for a visit this week. The two sides may be coordinating because of a common interest in breaking out of diplomatic isolation. Perhaps the biggest development is the mention of a possible North Korea-Russia summit. Speaking at a press conference after meeting Choe on No. 20, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the meeting showed that “Russia is prepared to have contact at various levels with North Korea, including meetings at the highest level, at a time agreed upon by both sides.” Lavrov’s comments raised the possibility that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s first summit with another world leader may be with Russian president Vladimir Putin. If a summit does take place, China may also try to mend ties with North Korea after falling out in recent years. Moscow also supported Pyongyang’s position for resuming the bogged-down six-party talks on the nuclear issue. “North Korea communicated to us at the meeting that it is willing to return to the six-party talks unconditionally on the terms of the September 19 Joint Statement agreed upon by the six countries in 2005,” Lavrov said at the press conference. “Russia actively supports North Korea in this,” he added. The remarks indicate that on the issue of the talks, Russia is backing North Korea more than China, which has called for a “lower threshold” for a significant meeting to happen under the six-party framework. North Korea and Russia also made plans to work on ideas for military and economic cooperation. The (North) Korean Central News Agency reported that the two other members of Choe’s delegation, deputy chief of General Staff No Kwang-chol and Vice Economy Minister Ri Kwang-gun, met in Moscow on Nov. 19 with Andrei Kartopolov, chief of the Russian General Staff's Main Operations Directorate, and Alexander Galushka, Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East, to discuss plans for closer cooperation. [Russia NK] [Six Party Talks]
• Russia Invades Ukraine: Again. And Again. And Yet Again
  by William Blum “Russia reinforced what Western and Ukrainian officials described as a stealth invasion on Wednesday [August 27], sending armored troops across the border as it expanded the conflict to a new section of Ukrainian territory. The latest incursion, which Ukraine’s military said included five armored personnel carriers, was at least the third movement of troops and weapons from Russia across the southeast part of the border this week.” None of the photos accompanying this New York Times story online showed any of these Russian troops or armored vehicles. “The Obama administration,” the story continued, “has asserted over the past week that the Russians had moved artillery, air-defense systems and armor to help the separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk. ‘These incursions indicate a Russian-directed counteroffensive is likely underway’, Jen Psaki, the State Department spokeswoman, said. At the department’s daily briefing in Washington, Ms. Psaki also criticized what she called the Russian government’s ‘unwillingness to tell the truth’ that its military had sent soldiers as deep as 30 miles inside Ukraine territory.” Thirty miles inside Ukraine territory and not a single satellite photo, not a camera anywhere around, not even a one-minute video to show for it. “Ms. Psaki apparently [sic] was referring to videos of captured Russian soldiers, distributed by the Ukrainian government.” The Times apparently forgot to inform its readers where they could see these videos. “The Russian aim, one Western official said, may possibly be to seize an outlet to the sea in the event that Russia tries to establish a separatist enclave in eastern Ukraine.” This of course hasn’t taken place. So what happened to all these Russian soldiers 30 miles inside Ukraine? What happened to all the armored vehicles, weapons, and equipment? “The United States has photographs that show the Russian artillery moved into Ukraine, American officials say. One photo dated last Thursday, shown to a New York Times reporter, shows Russian military units moving self-propelled artillery into Ukraine. Another photo, dated Saturday, shows the artillery in firing positions in Ukraine.” Where are these photographs? And how will we know that these are Russian soldiers? And how will we know that the photos were taken in Ukraine? But most importantly, where are the fucking photographs? Why am I so cynical? Because the Ukrainian and US governments have been feeding us these scare stories for eight months now, without clear visual or other evidence, often without even common sense [Ukraine] [Media]
• Why Does the West Allow the Ukrainian Government to Write the Official Report on the Shoot-Down of MH-17?
  By Eric Zuesse Global Research, November 21, 2014 There are only two suspects in the shoot-down of the MH-17 Malaysian airliner over Ukraine on July 17th: the separatist rebels, whom the Ukrainian Government charge had shot it down mistaking it for one of the Ukrainian Air Force bombers that routinely drop bombs onto the separatists and their families and indiscriminately onto everyone else in that region; or otherwise the Ukrainian Air Force itself, as a means for President Obama to be able to win increased international sanctions against Russia for Russia’s support of those blamed rebels. That’s it, and that’s all. One of these two suspects, the Ukrainian Government, was granted by the other three member-states of the official MH-17 ‘investigating’ commission, a veto-power over anything that’s written into that ‘investigating’ report. In other words, basically what exists is this: The Ukrainian Government gets to write the official ‘investigation’ report on that ‘accident.’ The other three Obama-allied nations will place their signatures onto it — or else there simply won’t be any such ‘final report.’ [MH17]
• Russia's Banking Giants Suddenly Look Vulnerable
  By Carol Matlack November 19, 2014 In the latest sign that Western sanctions are causing pain for Russia Inc., a new report from Standard & Poor’s (MHFI) describes Russian banks as the “most vulnerable” of any in the world’s major emerging markets. Sanctions “directly affect” more than half the assets in Russia’s banking sector, which is dominated by such state-controlled lenders as Sberbank (SBER:RM) and VTB Bank (VTBR:LI), according to S&P. At the same time, the country’s slumping economy “will result in more bad loans and will pressure banks’ capital and profitability.” The rating company says that Russian lenders’ reliance on central bank funding has now reached 10 percent of their total liabilities, compared with 13 percent during the worst of the global financial crisis in 2009. While banks probably have enough liquidity to refinance international debt falling due next year, S&P says, “the longer the sanctions last, the more challenging funding and liquidity conditions will become.” [Russia confrontation] [Sanctions] [Banking]
• Russia-NK ties bad omen for inter-Korean relations
  By Kang Seung-woo Growing signs of closer ties between North Korea and Russia may further chill inter-Korean relations, analysts said Wednesday. Choe Ryong-hae, a special envoy of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, met with Russian President Vladmir Putin, Tuesday, and delivered a personal message from Kim, according to the Kremlin. "Closer relations between North Korea and Russia can undermine the necessity for dialogue with South Korea," Professor Kim Yong-hyun at Dongguk University said. "The more Pyongyang strengthens relations with the international community, the less room for diplomatic maneuvering Seoul has." Choe's trip to Moscow marked the third visit there this year by a high-ranking North Korean official, following those of Kim Yong-nam, the president of the country's parliament, and Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong, in February and October, respectively. Seoul sees the visit as part of the North's efforts to reach out to Russia for diplomatic and other support amid its souring relations with China, its major patron. "The closer ties can provide the North a way to exit diplomatic isolation," said Chang Yong-seok, a senior researcher at the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies at Seoul National University. "It is worrisome as the North may start to ignore inter-Korean issues. Should it continue expanding international relations, the South's leverage with the North will diminish." [NK Russia]
• Putin receives high-ranking envoy from DPRK
  Xinhua, November 19, 2014 Russian President Vladimir Putin has received a special envoy of Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday. Choe Ryong Hae, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea, has handed Putin a message from Kim Jong Un, Peskov told reporters, without providing further details. Russia's Foreign Ministry said earlier that the sides would discuss key issues of bilateral relations, including steps to raise the level of their political dialogue and ways to intensify trade and economic cooperation. The situation on the Korean peninsula and in the Northeast Asia region, as well as certain international topics of mutual interest could also be discussed during Choe's eight-day visit, which will also take him to Russia's Far East cities of Khabarovsk and Vladivostok near the DPRK border on his way back home. Choe's arrival followed a series of high-ranking visits by DPRK officials this year. Vice Marshal Hyon Yong Chol, Minister of the People's Armed Forces, met Putin in Moscow on Nov. 8 and conveyed Kim Jong Un's greetings. DPRK Foreign Minister Ri Su Yong visited Russia on Sept. 30. [Choe Ryong Hae]
• N.Korean Envoy Meets Putin
  North Korea and Russia, both teetering on the edge of diplomatic isolation for one reason or another, are forging closer ties. Choe Ryong-hae, the second most powerful man in North Korea, met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday. The Kremlin said Choe gave Putin a personal letter from leader Kim Jong-un but did not elaborate what the two talked about. Choe, who is on an eight day trip to Russia, is scheduled to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday.
• N.Korea's No. 2 to Visit Moscow
  Choe Ryong-hae, the secretary of North Korean Workers Party believed to be the second most powerful man in the reclusive state, visits Russia on Nov. 17-24. Choe left Pyongyang on Monday, but had to turn back shortly after takeoff due to undisclosed problems with the fuselages. He finally took off in the late evening. There is speculation that he forms the vanguard for a state visit by leader Kim Jong-un, who is so isolated internationally that he has not even been able to visit long-standing ally China. In May last year, Choe visited Beijing to sound out the possibility of a summit, but to no avail. Choe Ryong-hae (left), the secretary of North Korean Workers Party, shakes hands with other senior officials at an airport in Pyongyang before leaving for Russia on Monday, in this screen grab from North Korean Central TV. Choe Ryong-hae (left), the secretary of North Korean Workers Party, shakes hands with other senior officials at an airport in Pyongyang before leaving for Russia on Monday, in this screen grab from North Korean Central TV. Prof. Kim Yong-hyun of Dongguk University said, "The North seems to be pushing for a summit with Russia to express its displeasure with China and pressure Beijing into restoring relations with the North." But other experts feel it is unlikely that Russian president Vladimir Putin will agree to meet Kim. "It won't be easy for Kim to leave Pyongyang amid internal instability," said Cho Han-bum of the Korea Institute for National Unification. "Putin may also decide that it wouldn't be in interest to meet Kim at a time when he himself is under fire for invading Ukraine."
• Choe Ryong-hae could meet with Putin while in Russia
  Posted on : Nov.18,2014 11:43 KST Modified on : Nov.18,2014 11:45 KST Special envoy of Kim Jong-un to discuss bilateral ties, the nuclear issue Northeast Asia regional security North Korea’s top negotiating official is accompanying Workers’ Party of Korea secretary Choe Ryong-hae on his trip to Russia this week, it was reported on Nov. 17. Choe departed Pyongyang this week for a visit to Russia as a special envoy for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the AP reported in a Nov. 17 piece with a Pyongyang deadline. Originally Choe was scheduled to arrive in Moscow at 2 pm on Nov. 17, but because of plane problems, he arrived early Tuesday morning in the Russian capital. According to a senior South Korean government official, Choe’s plane returned to Pyongyang’s Sunan International Airport after taking off. The APTN, the AP’s video service, aired footage of Choi’s departure from Pyongyang that showed him accompanied by first vice foreign minister Kim Kye-gwan, the country’s top negotiator, along with vice economy minister Ri Kwang-gun and deputy chief of the General Staff No Kwang-chol. Kim’s presence drew particular notice, as he is the official who has overseen negotiations with the US on the North Korean nuclear program. Some took it as a sign that the nuclear program will be one of the major agenda item for the Russia visit. Speaking at a press conference on Nov. 15, Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov mentioned three topics for discussion during Choe’s visit, according to a report by Russia’s Itar-Tass news agency. They included the nuclear issue, and more specifically the prospects for a denuclearized Korean Peninsula; Northeast Asian regional security in a broad sense; and bilateral relations between Russia and North Korea. [NK Russia] [Choe Ryong Hae]
• Special Envoy of Kim Jong Un Leaves for Russia
  Pyongyang, November 17 (KCNA) -- Choe Ryong Hae, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), left here Monday by a special plane to visit the Russian Federation as a special envoy of supreme leader Kim Jong Un. Also leaving here together with the special envoy were Kim Kye Gwan, first vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, No Kwang Chol, vice-chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army, Ri Yong Chol, vice department director of the C.C., the WPK, Ri Kwang Gun, vice-minister of External Economic Relations, and officials concerned. They were seen off at the Pyongyang International Airport by KPA Vice Marshal Hwang Pyong So, director of the General Political Bureau of the KPA, Kim Ki Nam, secretary of the C.C., the WPK, Ri Su Yong, minister of Foreign Affairs, Ri Ryong Nam, minister of External Economic Relations, Kim Song Nam, vice department director of the C.C., the WPK, and Alexandr Timonin, Russian ambassador to the DPRK. [Choe Ryong Hae] [NK Russia]
• NK special envoy arrives in Moscow, meeting with Putin unconfirmed
  North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's special envoy flew into Moscow on Tuesday amid reports that a technical glitch with his plane had caused a delay in his arrival. Choe Ryong-hae, the Workers' Party of Korea secretary, is leading a high-profile delegation which includes Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan, Vice Economy Minister Ri Kwang-gun, and No Kwang-chol, deputy chief of the General Staff of the North's military. They are widely expected to meet President Vladimir Putin, although a related schedule has not been confirmed yet. A Kremlin official said there will be no meeting between Putin and Choe on Tuesday, but a diplomatic source raised the possibility of their meeting on the day. The North's delegation had left Pyongyang, but its plane flew back due to an unspecified problem, according to diplomatic sources. The plane left Pyongyang again late Monday, they added. Choe emerged out of the international airport, north of Moscow, about 40 minutes after landing early Tuesday. He was greeted by several Russian foreign ministry officials and left the airport in a sedan [Choe Ryong Hae] [NK Russia]
• Kiev’s High Hopes in the Republicans Will Be Dashed
  Dmitry Minin | 14.11.2014 | 00:00 Republican victories in the US midterm elections - taking control of both houses of Congress - have kindled hopes in Kiev. It was thought that the generous American aid packages that were promised back during the protests on Maidan would now finally arrive, helping to pull the regime out of the hole it had dug for itself. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko meets with US Vice President Joe Biden Ukraine’s former foreign minister, Volodymyr Ohryzko, announced that the Republican sweep was a positive sign for Ukraine. After all, Republican Senator John McCain, who is expected to chair the Senate Armed Services Committee, has expressed support for shipping weapons directly from the US to Ukraine. And other prominent members of his party have made similar statements. A group of Republican senators has already promised that soon both houses of Congress can begin to debate the «Russian Aggression Prevention Act of 2014». That bill, which went before Congress last spring, would impose new sanctions against Russia and immediately provide Kiev with military and technical assistance. However, the Obama administration has thus far been able to find various reasons to delay a vote on the bill. But in fact, Kiev’s calculations have been built on shaky ground. [Ukraine]
• Malaysian Airlines MH17 Downed by Ukrainian Military Aircraft. Kiev Regime False Flag
  By Prof Michel Chossudovsky Global Research, November 15, 2014 At the APEC Summit in Beijing, Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott who is hosting this week’s G20 meetings in Brisbane, intimated in no uncertain terms, during a 15 minute encounter with Russian President Vladimir Putin, that Moscow was responsible for the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine. During the meeting, Mr Abbott is reported to have stated that “Russia had armed the rebels who shot down the aircraft and killed 38 Australians.” Mr Abbott said that “MH17 was destroyed by a missile from a launcher that had come out of Russia, was fired from inside Eastern Ukraine and then returned to Russia… [and that this] was a very serious matter.” Global Research has from the outset provided extensive coverage of the downing of MH17. The evidence and analysis not only dispels Prime Minister Abbott’s accusations, it points unequivocally to a false flag attack instigated by the US-NATO supported Kiev regime, as well as a coverup by the Australian and Dutch investigators. Lest we forget, the downing of MH17 was used as a pretext by Washington to impose economic sanctions on the Russian Federation. The Western media and governments have gone to arms length to suppress and distort the evidence which points to the downing of MH17 not by a Buk missile but by a Ukrainian military aircraft. [MH17] [Evidence]
• NK, Russia see eye to eye under int'l pressure
  Experts warn of negative fallout on South Korea By Kang Hyun-kyung North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's decision to send Choe Ryong-hae as a special envoy to Russia next week confirms that Pyongyang-Moscow relations are warming in the face of tightened international sanctions. The two countries have been isolated since they turned a deaf ear to mounting calls to play by the rules. Russia has faced bilateral and multilateral sanctions from the West after it annexed Crimea and supported rebels in eastern Ukraine. Despite multilayered international sanctions, North Korea has shown no signs of giving up its nuclear ambitions. Rather, its nuclear program has become more sophisticated year by year. Experts say the deepening international isolation of the two countries seems to be the main reason for their improving relationship. [NK Russia] [Russia confrontation]
• Are Czechs giving up on moral responsibility?
  By Carl Gershman November 16 at 6:54 PM
  Carl Gershman is president of the National Endowment for Democracy. Monday is the 25th anniversary of the start of the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia. To mark the occasion, a bust of Václav Havel, the leader of that revolution, Czechoslovakia’s first post-Communist president and one of the most significant intellectual and political leaders of the Cold War era and its aftermath, will be unveiled Wednesday in the U.S. Capitol. Only three other international figures have been honored in this way — Britain’s Winston Churchill, Hungary’s Lajos Kossuth and Sweden’s Raoul Wallenberg — and Havel eminently deserves to be among them. When he addressed a joint session of Congress just three months after the revolution, Havel spoke with deep feeling about his country’s indebtedness to the United States, including for President Woodrow Wilson’s great support for the founding of Czechoslovakia in 1918, U.S. sacrifice and leadership in three wars — two hot and one cold — to save freedom in Europe, and the American founding documents that “inspire us to be citizens.” Havel emphasized the importance of morality in politics and economics and said that we should base our actions on “responsibility to something higher than my family, country, my firm, my success.” That sense of moral responsibility for others led Havel, until his death in 2011, to be one of the world’s leading advocates for human rights. While his support for nonviolent opponents of dictatorship such as the Dalai Lama, Liu Xiaobo, Aung San Suu Kyi and Oswaldo Payá was unqualified and deeply felt, it was never based on purely humanitarian concerns. He believed that people such as himself, who had experienced Communist totalitarianism firsthand, had a special responsibility to warn the affluent West about the dangers of appeasement, and he felt that a “politics where economic interests are put above basic political values are not only immoral, they are suicidal.” In his last years, he applied this thinking especially to Russia and China. Though the Czech government will be represented by Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka at the ceremony Wednesday, there is growing evidence that the government has strayed drastically from Havel’s legacy. At the NATO summit in September, Czech President Milos Zeman got into a public argument with Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt when he denied that there was “clear proof” of Russia’s intervention in Ukraine. He also denounced Mikhail Khodorkovsky as “a thief” soon after the exiled Russian opposition leader had come to Prague to deliver the keynote address to the annual conference of Forum 2000, an organization founded by Havel in 1996. “If there’s anything I don’t like about the Putin regime,” Zeman said, “it’s that he put only Khodorkovsky in prison and not more oligarchs.” Last month, during a visit to China focused on boosting trade ties, he further separated himself from the Havel legacy by ignoring human rights and assuring Beijing that he accepted China’s position on Tibet and Taiwan. [NED] [Softwar] [Czech] [Alliance] [Russia confrontation]
• Ukraine takes economic swing at rebels – but might hit pensioners instead
  President Poroshenko canceled a 'special status' law for Donetsk and Luhansk, effectively cutting off the regions' hospitals, schools, and pensioners from state money. Many worry that it will hurt defenseless locals. By Fred Weir, Correspondent November 17, 2014 Moscow — The conflict between Kiev and pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine has opened a new economic front that will force civilians to leave rebel-held areas or lose government funding and services. Amid a steadily evaporating two-month old cease-fire, President Petro Poroshenko over the weekend ordered the cancellation of a previous law on "special status" for those territories. That means that all government offices must be shut down, including a full halt in funding for pensions, hospitals, schools, and other services. Ukraine's Central Bank is instructed to close all banking services, invalidating any banking cards held by the population. "Our authorities have decided to play all-or-nothing," says Vadim Karasyov, director of the independent Institute of Global Strategies in Kiev. "This is a transition from military to economic competition for the east; it's an attempt to knock the wind out of the [rebels]. Either these republics will survive, or they won't. The Kiev authorities obviously hope rebel authorities won't be able to cope, and that Moscow will refuse to feed them." No one is sure how many people are still living in the territories of Luhansk and Donetsk where rebels hold sway. The two territories are coal-mining and industrial enclaves thrust up against the Russian border, but lacking in working airports or seaports. The area was home to more than 6 million people before the fighting began last April, but more than a million have since fled to Russia and hundreds of thousands more have sought refuge in government-held areas of Ukraine. [Economic warfare] [Sanctions] [human rights]
• US dismisses Russian MH17 pictures that blame Ukraine for disaster
  Russian state media shows purported satellite images of fighter jet intercept but White House says claim is ‘preposterous’ Associated Press theguardian.com, Saturday 15 November 2014 23.32 GMT Russian state TV Ukraine plane MH17 The photograph which Russian state television Channel One claims shows a Ukrainian fighter plane firing on flight MH17. Photograph: Reuters Tv/REUTERS The US state department has dismissed as “preposterous” Russian TV reports that a Ukrainian fighter jet shot down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, while the images used to back up the claim have been described as crude fakes. Russian state television released what it said was a satellite photograph showing that a Ukrainian fighter jet shot down MH17. The White House said Moscow was trying to “obfuscate the truth and ignore ultimate responsibility for the tragic downing of MH17”. It renewed a call to Moscow and Russia-backed separatists to grant unfettered access for international investigators to the crash site. [MH17] [Evidence] [Media]
• North Korea sends special envoy to Russia
  Posted on : Nov.15,2014 16:12 KST Choi Ryong-hae Trip is part of expanding ties between North Korea and Russia, and could lead to a summit between Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin Choi Ryong-hae, (North) Korean People's Army political bureau chief and secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea will soon be visiting Russia as a special envoy for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the Korean Central News Agency reported on Nov. 14. With the two countries expected to broach the idea of Kim Jong-un visiting Russia as well, one question is whether Kim’s first summit since rising to power will be held with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Considering that Choi is visiting Russia as Kim’s special envoy, chances are high that he will meet with Putin. Even North Korean Defense Minister Hyon Yong-chol - who is lower in rank than Choi - met Putin when he visited Russia on Nov. 8 to attend the 90th birthday party of Dmitry Yazov, former defense minister for the Soviet Union. [Choe Ryong Hae] [NK Russia]
• Putin berates Kiev for cutting off services to east
  Roman Olearchyk in Kiev Russian president Vladimir Putin: 'I understand they want to economise, but this is not the occasion or time' Vladimir Putin berated his pro-western counterpart in Kiev yesterday for ordering that public services and banking be cut off to breakaway eastern regions controlled by Russian-backed separatists. He described the decision by Petro Poroshenko this weekend as a “de facto economic blockade”. “I think it is a big mistake because they are removing their grip on these territories,” the Russian president said at the G20 summit in Brisbane, Australia “Its understandable they want to economise, but this is not the occasion and time to economise,” he said, suggesting Kiev’s cash-strapped government was seeking to ration precious financial resources at a time of deep recession. The comments were aired on Russian television before Mr Putin left Brisbane early after facing heavy criticism from western leaders, who warned him of the possibility of harsher sanctions in response to Moscow’s occupation of Crimea and its alleged military backing for separatists in the far-eastern Donetsk and Lugansk regions. Later yesterday in Brisbane, Barack Obama, the US president, Shinzo Abe, the Japanese prime minister, and Tony Abbott, Australia’s prime minister jointly criticised “Russia’s purported annexation of Crimea and its actions to destabilise eastern Ukraine”. Mr Poroshenko’s decision on Saturday to order a cut in budget financing and banking services to separatist-held territories comes amid fresh fears that a fragile ceasefire, agreed on September 5, was on the verge of crumbling. The seven-month conflict has so far claimed more than 4,000 lives. [Ukraine]
• Northern European nations to boost military cooperation against Russia
  Thu Nov 13, 2014 7:51pm * Nordics, Baltics, Britain say Russia steps up activity * Agree share intelligence, air force training By Alister Doyle OSLO, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Eight northern European nations agreed on Thursday to step up cooperation to counter an increase in Moscow's military activity that has included a tripling of NATO intercepts of Russian jets this year. Defence ministers from Nordic and Baltic states and Britain agreed to do more to share intelligence and widen cross-border air force training in the Nordic region after the crisis in Ukraine raised East-West tensions. British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said Russia was "regularly flouting the rules of international aviation" and intimidating nations by sending jets as far as Ireland and Portugal. "NATO has recorded over 100 intercepts so far this year, three times as many as in 2013 and the year is not yet finished," he told a news conference. "We will not allow Russia to continue to invade our air space." He said Britain was offering to extend a mission by its Typhoon jets to help police Baltic airspace in 2015 and that the northern European nations wanted to share more intelligence and data about Russian military activity. [Russia confrontation] [Double standards]
• Media Blackout as U.S. Sponsors Genocide in Southeastern Ukraine
  By Eric Zuesse Global Research, November 14, 2014 Here’s a typical example of what’s being blacked-out: This is a photo of a Ukrainian soldier guiding a truck-full of prisoners toward a ditch, to which the prisoners are then dragged one-by-one, and thrown in, and shot — then covered over with dirt after all the corpses (and perhaps some living bleeding survivors) are piled in it. (Of course, any survivors then quickly choke to death, from the dirt): http://rinf.com/alt-news/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Screen-Shot-2014-11-10-at-1.21.09-PM.png And here’s an explanation of how this extraordinary video of a genocide being carried out, came to be found by the resistance-fighters against Ukraine’s war to exterminate the residents in Ukraine’s southeast, Ukraine’s region where the vast majority of the people are ethnic Russians, or commonly called “Moskals” by many people in northwestern Ukraine, which term employed by them is equivalent to the terms “nigger,” and “kike” that are used in some other countries: all psychological terms of de-humanization. Though this video of a genocide-in-action is rare, the event itself is routinely happening in southeastern Ukraine, so that the Ukrainian Government can reduce the population in the area of Ukraine that had voted over 80% for the Ukrainian President whom the Obama Administration overthrew in a violent CIA-paid, U.S.-State-Department planned-and-run, coup, that climaxed on 22 February 2014. The new Government is trying to eliminate enough of the people who had voted for him so that the coup-imposed regime will be able to stay in power ‘democratically,’ with those Russia-friendly voters gone — enough of those voters gone so that America’s coup-regime can continue even as a democracy. This is the video from which that still-photo is taken — you can see this entire event (except the burial), here: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=3f9_1413978229. The victims who are shoved into, then shot in the ditch, are all dressed in civilian clothes. They’re not soldiers. [Ukraine]
• What frightened the USS Donald Cook so much in the Black Sea?
  Voltaire Network | 8 November 2014 This article was first published by Voltairenet in other languages in September 2014. The State Department acknowledged that the crew of the destroyer USS Donald Cook has been gravely demoralized ever since their vessel was flown over in the Black Sea by a Russian Sukhoi-24 (Su-24) fighter jet which carried neither bombs nor missiles but only an electronic warfare device. This video shows the USS Donald Cook sailing into the Black Sea to position itself near Russia’s territorial waters. On 10 April 2014, the USS Donald Cook entered the waters of the Black Sea and on 12 April a Russian Su-24 tactical bomber flew over the vessel triggering an incident that, according to several media reports, completely demoralized its crew, so much so that the Pentagon issued a protest [1]. The USS Donald Cook (DDG-75) is a 4th generation guided missile destroyer whose key weapons are Tomahawk cruise missiles with a range of up to 2,500 kilometers, and capable of carrying nuclear explosives. This ship carries 56 Tomahawk missiles in standard mode, and 96 missiles in attack mode. The US destroyer is equipped with the most recent Aegis Combat System. It is an integrated naval weapons systems which can link together the missile defense systems of all vessels embedded within the same network, so as to ensure the detection, tracking and destruction of hundreds of targets at the same time. In addition, the USS Donald Cook is equipped with 4 large radars, whose power is comparable to that of several stations. For protection, it carries more than fifty anti-aircraft missiles of various types. Meanwhile, the Russian Su-24 that buzzed the USS Donald Cook carried neither bombs nor missiles but only a basket mounted under the fuselage, which, according to the Russian newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta [2], contained a Russian electronic warfare device called Khibiny. As the Russian jet approached the US vessel, the electronic device disabled all radars, control circuits, systems, information transmission, etc. on board the US destroyer. In other words, the all-powerful Aegis system, now hooked up - or about to be - with the defense systems installed on NATO’s most modern ships was shut down, as turning off the TV set with the remote control. The Russian Su-24 then simulated a missile attack against the USS Donald Cook, which was left literally deaf and blind. As if carrying out a training exercise, the Russian aircraft - unarmed - repeated the same maneuver 12 times before flying away. [Missile defense] [Military balance] [Cyberwar] [Russia confrontation]
• Friends in Need: Choe Swoops in on DPRK-Russia Relations
  by Anthony Rinna As relations between Russia and the West sour over the Ukraine crisis, Russia is moving toward stronger ties with its Asian partners, and this includes North Korea (and China). Indeed, DPRK Foreign Minister Lee Su-yong recently described relations between North Korea and Russia as “forged in blood.” While post-Soviet North Korea-Russia relations were formally solidified in a friendship treaty in 2000, it is only now that the relationship is bearing any substantive fruit, symbolized by Russia’s forgiving of 90% of North Korea’s Soviet-era debt. North Korea’s own relationship with China has also faltered somewhat, prompting Pyongyang to seek new partners with renewed vigor. North Korea and Russia appear to have come upon an opportune geopolitical moment to recalibrate their interactions. One indication of the seriousness with which North Korea is approaching Russia is the fact that senior Korean Workers’ Party Secretary Choe Ryong-hae is to visit Russia as a personal envoy from Kim Jong-un from November 17-24. It remains to be seen what the visit will accomplish, but there is clearly potential for each side to benefit from a renewed and strengthened bilateral relationship. [NK Russia]
• Syrian foreign minister says his country will get S-300
  Jeremy Binnie, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly 06 November 2014 Russia will supply Syria with S-300 long-range air defence systems and other advanced weaponry that will enable the country to defend itself against the United States, according to Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem. In an interview published by Lebanon's Al-Akhbar newspaper on 6 November, Muallem said the United States has reassured Damascus that its current airstrikes inside Syria will target only the Islamic State militant group and represent no threat to the government. "Do we trust this pledge?" Muallem asked rhetorically. "We are aware that US President Barack Obama, for internal reasons, wants to avoid war with Syria and wants to intervene only against ISIS through airstrikes. [Airpower] [Syria]
• Vladimir Putin’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit Speech: Trade in Rubles and Yuan Will Weaken Dollar’s Influence
  By President Vladimir Putin Global Research, November 11, 2014 Vladimir Putin took part in a meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum’s CEO Summit on the Asia-Pacific region’s significance for Russia. Mr Putin said, in particular, that Russia views cooperation with the Asia-Pacific region as a strategic priority. The President also told summit participants about Russia’s plans to expand its cooperation with Asia-Pacific region countries, including through increased trade and investment incentives. Transcript of APEC CEO Summit meeting: PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA VLADIMIR PUTIN: Ladies and gentlemen, The APEC CEO Summit is traditionally considered one of the most representative forums for broad discussions on economic issues. I am pleased to have this opportunity to speak on a subject of great importance for us – developing Russia’s cooperation with the Asia-Pacific region. The twenty-first century has already been called ‘the Pacific century’. As part of the Asia-Pacific region, Russia must make use of the competitive advantages offered by this fast-growing economic, technology and innovation centre. In turn, Russian regions such as Siberia and the Far East offer a unique chance for this vast region’s countries to effectively develop and make use of the opportunities there and further strengthen their potential. Cooperation with the Asia-Pacific region is one of Russia’s strategic priorities. [Reserve]
• Putin Vs. Obama: The World's Most Powerful People 2014
  Power has been called many things. Pretty isn’t one of them.
  No one would call Vladimir Putin a good guy. In 2014 he strong-armed his way into possession of Crimea and waged an ugly proxy war in neighboring Ukraine, during which an almost certainly Russian-supplied surface-to-air missile downed a civilian jetliner. But as the undisputed, unpredictable and unaccountable head of an energy-rich, nuclear-tipped state, no one would ever call him weak.
  So who’s more powerful: the omnipotent head of a feisty former superpower or the handcuffed head of the most dominant country in the world? For the second year running, our votes went with the Russian president as the world’s most powerful person, followed by U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. [Russia confrontation] [Putin] [Media]
• Russia-North Korea Economic Ties Gain Traction
  By Georgy Toloraya 06 November 2014 20141021_Victory LauchIn a new global situation unfortunately characterized by increased big power rivalry—where Russia has suddenly become the chief opponent, if not enemy, of the United States—Russia’s involvement in Korean peninsular affairs has increased political implications for Moscow. The Korean peninsula, centered in a crucial neighboring area, has become a vital component of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “Look East” policy, a now central foreign policy strategy in the wake of the breakdown of relations with the West. The Korean peninsula is also important so that Russia’s Asia policy is not concentrated only on China. Moreover, North Korea deserves attention, as it has regrettably become one of the few public supporters of Russia’s policy in Ukraine. Mending fences with the DPRK is now the backbone of Russia’s policy on the peninsula. However, even more significantly, the “North Korean issue” remains one of the few areas of continuing US-Russian cooperation. President Putin specifically mentioned in his “anti-unipolar” speech in Sochi on October 24, 2014, “our [US and Russia’s] work on North Korean issues, which also has some positive results.” [NK Russia] [Trade] [FDI]
• Analysis of the Reasons for the Crash of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17: Report of the Russian Union of Engineers
  By Ivan A. Andrievskii Global Research, November 06, 2014 We bring to the attention of our readers the complete report of the Russian Union of Engineers (RUE) pertaining to the downing of Malaysian airlines MH17. The report was coordinated by the First Vice-President of the Russian Union of Engineers Ivan A. Andrievskii This detailed study with corroborating evidence invalidates Western mainstream media interpretations as well the accusations of the Obama administration directed against Russia. The RUE report in pdf can be consulted here [MH17]
• Ethnic Koreans from ex-Soviet Union drive across inter-Korean border into South
  2014/08/16 20:29 PAJU, South Korea, Aug. 16 (Yonhap) -- A group of ethnic Koreans residing in the former Soviet Union drove across the inter-Korean border into South Korea on Saturday as part of a long journey to mark the 150th anniversary of their emigration. Driving five SUVs across the military demarcation line, the 32 ethnic Koreans arrived at the Dorasan Customs, Immigration and Quarantine office in Paju, about 50 kilometers north of Seoul. They embarked on the journey from Moscow on July 7, passed through Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, and arrived in North Korea on Aug. 8, before heading down to the South, the event's organizers said. "When we left North Korea, people there called for the unification of the Koreas as they saw us off," said Vasily Cho, a member of the racing team. "We're not on this journey to establish any record. We hope this will help improve the inter-Korean relations."
• Russia To Revamp North Korea's Rail System, Eyes Mineral Resources
  By Michelle FlorCruz ?@mflorcruz?m.florcruz@ibtimes.com on October 30 2014 2:07 PM China, Russia rush to rebuild North Korea's transport links North Korean officials stand at a port area as a cruise ship with Chinese visitors arrive at the Mount Kumgang resort August 31, 2011. REUTERS Russia and North Korea are considering a deal that would allow Russia access to the pariah nation’s mineral resources. Moscow reported that in exchange for access to the North’s mineral-rich lands, Russia would invest $25 billion into revamping the country’s dated railway network. According to Russia’s state-run Rossiskaya Gazeta, which quoted Russia’s minister for development of Far Eastern Russia, Alexander Galushka, the project would take on the task of updating roughly 3,000 km, or about 1,875 miles, of the North’s railroads over the span of 20 years. “It is a commercial project that is mutually advantageous,” Galushka told the newspaper. The railways being updated would also include those that provide access to the North’s mineral deposits and other natural resources. North Korea is thought to be the home a vast amount of resources and a significant portion of the world’s rare minerals, based on independent studies. Earlier this year, British firm SRE Minerals Limited found that samples from Jongju, North Korea, could mean the nation holds an estimated 216 million tons of rare earth oxides, more than double of the value of the world’s current stockpiles. The country counts its minerals as its top exports, and a significant factor in driving the economy mostly through trade with the Communist nation's largest economic partner, China. There are some precedents when it comes to foreign mining in North Korea. [FDI] [Railways]
• German intelligence report on MH17
  Tuesday, October 21, 2014 by Alexander Mercouris It seems the German intelligence agency the BND has provided a Bundestag committee with a report that once again attributes the MH17 shoot down to the NAF. The report has not been published but for me the single most interesting thing in it is that it apparently finally demolishes the theory that MH17 was shot down by a BUK system secretly transferred to the NAF by the Russians. We are back it seems to the theory that the NAF shot down MH17 with a BUK missile system it captured from the Ukrainians. There are a number of points to make here: 1. At the time when MH17 was shot down the western media were in full flood that the Russians were responsible. All sorts of stories circulated about how a BUK missile system was supposedly secretly smuggled by Russia across the border and supplied to the NAF, which the NAF then used to shoot MH17 down. These stories played a key role in influencing western public opinion against Russia. The Germans forced other EU states to impose sectoral sanctions on Russia on the grounds it was responsible for the tragedy because it was arming the NAF. The stories of a BUK missile system being secretly smuggled back and forth across the border (and films supposedly culled from social media supposedly showing it doing just that) undoubtedly played a part in giving credence to these claims. The BND has now admitted that the Russians were not involved in the shooting down of MH17 and that MH17 was not shot down by a BUK missile system smuggled by the Russians across the border. It turns out therefore that all those stores that gained so much attention and which did Russia's image so much harm were untrue. I wonder whether sectoral sanctions would have been imposed on Russia if it had been known then that those stories were untrue. [MH17]
• Malaysian Boeing 777 Flight MH17: Incident Report
  Russian Union of Engineers August 15, 2014 [MH17]
• Russia Threatened With More Sanctions After Backing Vote
  By Daryna Krasnolutska and Patrick Donahue Nov 4, 2014 5:38 AM GMT+1300 Photographer: Alexander Khudoteply/AFP via Getty Images Alexander Zakharchenko, Prime Minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic... Read More Russia backed yesterday’s rebel-held votes in eastern Ukraine, prompting officials from Germany to warn the government in Moscow of stronger sanctions. The Russian Foreign Ministry said today it “respected” the ballot, which provided a “mandate to the elected representatives to solve practical tasks and restore normal life in the regions.” Germany denounced the vote and the Ukrainian authorities in Kiev said it poses a threat to the peace process. Russia is on a collision course with the U.S. and its allies over the one-day ballot held by separatists in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk a week after they boycotted national parliamentary elections. By defying governments from Kiev to Washington, Russia risks hardening the stalemate in the battle-torn region and provoking another round of sanctions at a time it’s struggling with a currency run and an economy tilting into a recession. [Democracy] [Ukraine] [Double standards]
• Ukraine Rebels Keep Power in Elections in Breakaway Regions
  By Andrew E. Kramernov. 3, 2014 DONETSK, Ukraine — Rebel election committees announced on Monday that the leaders of two breakaway regions in Ukraine had won enough votes to stay in power, as expected, and Russia’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying it “respected” the voting. The central election committee in Donetsk said that the separatist leader Aleksandr Zakharchenko, the prime minister of the breakaway region called the Donetsk People’s Republic, had won the balloting there with about 78 percent of the vote. He will now have the title of head of the region. In the other breakaway region, Luhansk, election officials said Igor Plotnitsky had been elected as leader with about 63 percent of the vote. The European Union and the United States had implored Russia to refrain from recognizing the vote, and the announcement in Moscow again widened a breach with Western governments over strategies for resolving the crisis in Ukraine. The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement carried by the government news agency Tass that said “the elections in Donetsk and Luhansk regions were held in an organized way in general and with high voter turnout.” The statement said the voting showed that “the elected representatives have received a mandate to solve political tasks and restore normal life in the regions.” The outcome of the vote was never in much doubt. Rather than offering a range of plausible opposition candidates, the voting for members of Parliament and heads of state in Donetsk and Luhansk was significant in highlighting Ukraine’s loss of control over those territories, and Russia’s strengthening influence. After voting, Mr. Zakharchenko said he had cast his vote for “peace,” the news agency RIA Novosti reported, because the election would force the central government in Kiev to “recognize us” and “give us our land back without a fight.” He added that he would “establish good diplomatic relations.” [Democracy] [Ukraine] [Double standards]
• Washington tries to check Hungary's drift into Kremlin orbit
  Sat Nov 1, 2014 6:56am EDT By Zoran Radosavljevic and Krizstina Than ZAGREB/BUDAPEST, Oct 31 (Reuters) - The United States is mounting a diplomatic offensive to stop Hungary selling a stake in a Croatian energy firm to Russia, part of what Western powers see as Budapest's dangerous drift into Moscow's orbit. The U.S. government has already taken the highly unusual step of blacklisting six people with ties to the government in Hungary, a NATO ally and European Union member, from entering the United States, accusing them of involvement in corruption. U.S. officials say that demarche was the result of growing exasperation with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has pushed judges into retirement, imposed heavy levies on foreign banks, and this week sparked huge protests with a proposal to tax Internet use. But Washington is particularly preoccupied about a growing closeness between Hungary and the Kremlin over energy that could undermine Western attempts to isolate Russian leader Vladimir Putin over his intervention in Ukraine. Since September, Hungary has stopped pumping natural gas to Ukraine, effectively pulling out of an EU-backed effort to support Kiev in the face of a Russian energy blockade, and it has renewed a commitment to build a Kremlin-backed pipeline for Russian gas, South Stream, that Washington and Brussels oppose. U.S. officials are now worried that Hungarian energy firm MOL will sell its 49 percent stake in INA, Croatia's biggest energy company, to a Russian firm, possibly state-owned Gazprom. The Hungarian state has a 24.7 percent stake in MOL. [Russia confrontation] [Hungary]
• Ukraine could sack up to million officials with ties to Russian past
  By Dmitry Zaks 19 hours Kiev (AFP) - Ukraine's president approved a disputed anti-graft measure on Thursday that could see up to a million civil servants with alleged links to past Soviet or pro-Russian governments immediately sacked. The so-called "lustration law" follows the example of other eastern European nations that broke free of decades of Moscow's domination at the end of the Cold War. It was also a rallying cry of the protests that convulsed Kiev last winter and led to the ouster of pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych and a secretive band of Ukrainian tycoons. The law removes anyone who held a federal or regional government position for more than a year under Yanukovych, who is now in self-imposed exile in Russia. [Lustration] [Human rights]
• NATO: Rebellion in the Ranks?
  Posted: 10/30/2014 10:27 am EDT Updated: 10/30/2014 10:59 am EDT Vladimir Putin, the wily strategist of Russian revanchism, is well on his way to reconstructing the Warsaw Pact. That, at least, is what the pundits of The Washington Post are making it out to seem. Last week, Jackson Diehl penned a column on how Putin has driven a wedge between NATO and its easternmost members. Anne Applebaum, meanwhile, pins the failure to maintain quiet on the eastern front on NATO itself and its decision not to establish bases in the region 10 years ago. The resulting crisis of confidence in what were once Soviet satellites, she laments, has undermined alliance cohesion. These misreadings of what's taking place on the eastern stretches of Europe contribute to an almost 1946-like sense of foreboding and inevitability. The small countries of Eastern Europe are bending to Moscow's will, and the West is doing little more than appease the bear. Diehl and Applebaum stop short of declaring a new Iron Curtain and insisting that the region choose sides (over and above membership in NATO). But their all-or-nothing logic tends in that direction. Contrary to these assertions, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and the rest of the region are not replaying 1946. Although these governments are pursuing very different strategies, they all know that a new Cold War would exact a terrible price on their countries. In most cases, they are quite sensibly trying to forestall this scenario. NATO's imperative to push ever eastward, which pundits like Applebaum are urging it to do now under the cover of demonstrating resolve, will only make matters worse. To understand why these pundits are wrong, first it's important to understand how Russia and NATO arrived at this impasse. [NCW] [Russia confrontation]

• Russian rocket manufacturer insists it is not to blame for failed Antares launch
  Kuznetsov company says engines used in Antares rocket were ‘functioning normally’ and suggests problem may lie with US modification of them Alec Luhn in Moscow and Dan Roberts in Washington The Guardian, Wednesday 29 October 2014 19.26 GMT The Russian maker of the engine used in the unmanned US supply rocket that exploded after liftoff in Virginia denied on Wednesday that its product was at fault for the catastrophe. The launch phase of the Orbital Sciences Corporation’s Antares rocket relied on two AJ-26 engines that were originally produced in the 1970s for a failed Soviet moon programme and later modernised for US space flights. Speculation quickly centred on the Soviet-based engines, which have failed in tests, when the rocket exploded in a giant fireball after takeoff on Tuesday night. But the Kuznetsov company in the Russian city of Samara suggested the blame lay not with its NK-33 engines, which formed the basis for the AJ-26 engines, but rather with their later modification in the United States, the Russian news agency Itar-Tass reported. “Due to certain specifics, it’s not possible to talk about the construction details of the rocket itself and the interaction of its systems during launch, since this is the field of American specialists,” Kuznetsov’s press service said. “However, it’s important to note that during yesterday’s launch, the AJ-26 first-stage engines, which are a modification of the NK-33, were functioning normally.”
• North Korea and Russia seek to open visa-free regime
  News comes amid further large scale cooperation plans October 30th, 2014 Kang Tae-jun North Korea and Russia are seeking to create a visa-free regime between two countries, Russian news outlet RIA Novoski reported October on October 28. Russia’s Minister for the Development of the Far East, Alexander Galushka, said that the transition to a visa-free regime was placed on the agenda, and would be considered by both parties. “The agreement would not occur instantaneously, but it has been placed on the agenda for the further development of our cooperation, and fixed in the official record signed [by the two sides] at the end of our visit,” Galushka said in comments carried by Ria Novoski. Galushka added that the two countries have agreed to develop a business council, which will organize contacts between businessmen from the two nations. “We have agreed to the establishment of the Russia – DPRK Business Council, and the council will unite businessmen with economic interests abroad who are looking to develop contacts,” Galushka said. In addition, the minister noted that the success of Russian-North Korean economic and trade cooperation depends to a great extent on political and military stability in the Korean Peninsula.
• NATO says Russian jets, bombers circle Europe in unusual incidents
  MiG-31 fighter jets are not commonly seen close to Europe but some were intercepted along with other aircraft above the Baltic Sea in two separate incidents on Tuesday and Wednesday. (Ilya Naymushin/Reuters) By Michael Birnbaum October 29 at 4:24 PM ? MOSCOW — NATO said Wednesday that it had intercepted a large number of Russian aircraft flying close to European airspace in the past two days, in an “unusual” series of incidents that brought Russian bombers as far afield as Portugal. The aircraft — at least 19 in all — offered reminders of Russian air power at a time of the worst relations between the West and Russia since the Cold War. Russian military aircraft have significantly increased their activity in Europe since the conflict in Ukraine began earlier this year, with NATO scrambling to intercept aircraft more than 100 times in 2014. But a NATO official said the scale of the latest incidents was the most provocative this year. Over the Atlantic Ocean and the North, Black and Baltic seas, Russian bombers, fighter jets and tanker aircraft were detected flying in international airspace, NATO said. There were no incursions into national airspace, a violation of sovereignty that would have significantly amplified the seriousness of the four incidents, three of which took place on Wednesday. [Russia confrontation] [Double standards] [Provocation] [Resurgence]
• Polish F-16s In NATO Nuclear Exercise In Italy
  Polish F-16 aircraft are participating in NATO’s nuclear strike exercise underway at Ghedi Torre Air Base in northern Italy. Courtesy: Fabrizio Bernini Posted on Oct.27, 2014 in NATO, Russia, United States by Hans M. Kristensen NATO is currently conducting a nuclear strike exercise in northern Italy. The exercise, known as Steadfast Noon 2014, practices employment of U.S. nuclear bombs deployed in Europe and includes aircraft from seven NATO countries: Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Turkey, and United States. The timing of the exercise, which is held at the Ghedi Torre Air base in northern Italy, coincides with East-West relations having reached the lowest level in two decades and in danger of deteriorating further. It is believed to be the first time that Poland has participated with F-16s in a NATO nuclear strike exercise. [Russia confrontation] [NATO enlargement] [US Joint military] [False balance]
• Putin accuses United States of damaging world order
  By Alexei Anishchuk LAURA Russia Fri Oct 24, 2014 12:54pm EDT (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the United States on Friday of endangering global security by imposing a "unilateral diktat" on the rest of the world and shifted blame for the Ukraine crisis onto the West. In a 40-minute diatribe against the West that was reminiscent of the Cold War and underlined the depth of the rift between Moscow and the West, Putin also denied trying to rebuild the Soviet empire at the expense of Russia's neighbors. "We did not start this," Putin told an informal group of experts on Russia that includes many Western specialists critical of him, warning that Washington was trying to "remake the whole world" based on its own interests. "Statements that Russia is trying to reinstate some sort of empire, that it is encroaching on the sovereignty of its neighbors, are groundless," the former KGB spy declared in a speech delivered standing at a podium, without a smile, in a ski resort in mountains above the Black Sea city of Sochi. [Russia confrontation] [Putin] [Media] [Inversion]
• Russians Have Other Nations Wary, But No Defense Increases – Yet
  Oct. 26, 2014 - 04:19PM | By Christopher P. Cavas | The Turkish Navy frigate Salihreis runs alongside the US destroyer Cole Oct. 16 in the Black Sea. The US and other navies have increased their presence in the inland sea. (MC2 John Herman / US Navy) WASHINGTON — Cold War memories were instantly rekindled Oct. 17 when reports emerged of suspected Russian submarine activity in Sweden’s coastal waters. Speculation was rife in the media and the blogosphere — it was a submarine, a mini-sub, some sort of underwater vehicle. While the Swedish Navy fanned out searching for contacts, other Baltic countries made searches of their own. No confirmed sign of any Russian activity, however, had been reported by Oct. 24, but there was no question nerves were frayed and suspicions high. Russia’s heightened aggressiveness has been on display for most of the year, notably in Crimea and Ukraine. But President Vladimir Putin’s military forces have been more antagonistic elsewhere, especially around Russia’s eastern borders. Hundreds of aviation incidents have been reported, from buzzing US and NATO warships at sea to territorial incursions in Europe, North America and around Japan. Less reported are provocations at sea, but professionals confirm the Russians are no less reticent there than in the air. Many of the countries that feel most threatened by Putin’s behavior also find themselves with diminished military forces, the result of post-Cold War drawdowns and rough economic situations. The world security situation remains volatile, and 2014 has seen the rise of several hitherto unexpected threats, most notably the Islamic State. But whether a resurgent Russia prompts the West to alter strategic and tactical planning or increase defense spending remains to be seen. [Russia confrontation] [MISCOM] [Military expenditure]
• Ebola crisis rekindles concerns about secret research in Russian military labs
  The Siberian complex known as Vector was a top Soviet research facility for bioweapons. Today, its scientists study defenses against Ebola and other pathogens. A lab worker accidentally contracted Ebola in 2004 while working on vaccines. (Joby Warrick/The Washington Post) By Joby Warrick October 24 at 8:00 AM ? She was an ordinary lab technician with an uncommonly dangerous assignment: drawing blood from Ebola-infected animals in a secret military laboratory. When she cut herself at work one day, she decided to keep quiet, fearing she’d be in trouble. Then the illness struck. “By the time she turned to a doctor for help, it was too late,” one of her overseers, a former bio­weapons scientist, said of the accident years afterward. The woman died quickly and was buried, according to one account, in a “sack filled with calcium hypochlorite,” or powdered bleach. The 1996 incident might have been forgotten except for the pathogen involved — a highly lethal strain of Ebola virus — and where the incident occurred: inside a restricted Russian military lab that was once part of the Soviet Union’s biological weapons program. Years ago, the same facility in the Moscow suburb of Sergiev Posad cultivated microbes for use as tools of war. Today, much of what goes on in the lab remains unknown. The fatal lab accident and a similar one in 2004 offer a rare glimpse into a 35-year history of Soviet and Russian interest in the Ebola virus. The research began amid intense secrecy with an ambitious effort to assess Ebola’s potential as a biological weapon, and it later included attempts to manipulate the virus’s genetic coding, U.S. officials and researchers say. Those efforts ultimately failed as Soviet scientists stumbled against natural barriers that make Ebola poorly suited for bio­warfare. [Ebola] [cbw] [Spin]
• Meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club
  October 24, 2014, 19:00 Sochi Vladimir Putin took part in the final plenary meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club’s XI session. The meeting’s theme is The World Order: New Rules or a Game without Rules. This year, 108 experts, historians and political analysts from 25 countries, including 62 foreign participants, took part in the club’s work. The plenary meeting summed up the club’s work over the previous three days, which concentrated on analysing the factors eroding the current system of institutions and norms of international law. Excerpts from transcript of the final plenary meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club’s XI session [Putin] [Ukraine] [NCW]
• Special Report: Why Ukraine's revolution remains unfinished
  By Richard Woods Thu Oct 23, 2014 7:07am \ 1 of 4. Radical protesters (R) clash with Interior Ministry and law enforcement members on the Day of Ukrainian Cossacks, marked by activists and supporters of the All-Ukrainian Union Svoboda (Freedom) Party and far-right activists and nationalists to honour the role of the movement in the history of Ukraine, during a rally near the parliament building in Kiev, in this October 14, 2014 file photo. Credit: Reuters/Valentyn Ogirenko/Files (Note: Contains language readers may find offensive in paragraph 12 of section headed 'FEB 21: THE DOWNFALL') KIEV (Reuters) - In the afternoon of February 20, after the morning’s dead had been cleared away, Volodymyr Melnychuk arrived outside Kiev’s October palace. Higher up the hill stood the seats of Ukrainian government, defended by thousands of police. Below lay Independence Square, or Maidan, covered in protesters’ camps and scarred with barricades and the detritus of battle. In fierce clashes that morning scores of protesters and government forces had been killed. Calm now prevailed, and Melnychuk, a handyman who helped build barricades at the protests, had arranged to meet a friend at the palace’s white portico. A bullet hit him as he stood next to his partner of 13 years, Maria Kvyatkovska. The shot entered Melnychuk’s left cheek and exited near the back of his neck, felling him instantly. “He was chatting on the phone, just standing there. The sun was shining,” recalled Kvyatkovska, an accountant. “It was calm in the Maidan. Nobody expected it.” Melnychuk, 39, was declared dead that night. Like many Ukrainians, Melnychuk and Kvyatkovska had first gone to the Maidan late last year because they wanted their country to forge closer ties with the European Union. They were angry that President Viktor Yanukovich had rejected a Ukraine-EU treaty and pursued closer links with Russia instead. When police beat protesters soon after the demonstrations started, Kvyatkovska’s views had hardened. “It wasn’t about the EU” after the beatings, she said. “It was anger about power.” She realized that real change would require a complete overthrow of a corrupt system that favored a small elite and wealthy oligarchs. Eight months on, she and millions of other Ukrainians are still waiting for their revolution. Though Yanukovich fled in the face of the protests, and Russia seized Crimea, Ukraine’s political system remains largely unchanged. This weekend voters will get a chance to elect new lawmakers, but many are dismayed that the electoral system itself has not been reformed. Half the parliamentary seats remain open only to party candidates, and parties give limited information about who their candidates are. Interviews with protesters, Ukrainian and European politicians, and police, many detailing their roles for the first time, show how Ukraine’s unexpected revolution has left people divided and dissatisfied. Many Ukrainians are mindful of the Orange Revolution of 2004. That uprising, too, targeted Yanukovich after a presidential election rigged in his favor. His fall generated initial optimism but did not deliver lasting change. His successors failed to tackle corruption or heal the country’s east-west divisions, and Yanukovich was elected president in 2010. A survey conducted early last month by USAID, a U.S. government agency, found that 74 percent of Ukrainians have little or no confidence in their parliament. Even outside Yanukovich’s former stronghold in the troubled eastern Donbass region, only 39 percent think the political system is democratic. [Ukraine] [Media]
• US Navy takes control of base in Romania amid tensions with Russia
  Published October 10, 2014 ·Associated Press Romania US Base-1.jpg In this handout photograph from the US Navy, US service members deployed to the Naval Support Facility (NSF) Deveselu, groups center and right, bow their heads with members of the Romanian Military, left, during a religious moment of the establishment and assumption of command ceremony in Deveselu, Romania, Friday, Oct. 10, 2014. The NSF Deveselu Base, established more than 20 years ago, will be part of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) System. The US Navy has taken control of a new missile defense base in southern Romania, one of two European land-based interceptor sites for a NATO missile shield which Russia strongly opposes.(AP Photo/U.S. Navy / LT j.g. Alexander Perrien, Handout) (The Associated Press) BUCHAREST, Romania – The U.S. Navy has taken control of a new missile defense base in southern Romania, one of two European land-based interceptor sites for a NATO missile shield which Russia strongly opposes. The base at Deveselu is scheduled to be operational in 2015 as part of NATO's ballistic missile defense system. "Ballistic missile threats to the U.S. and our allies are real and growing," said Rear Adm. John Scorby, commander of Navy Region Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia on Friday. "Fortunately, NATO's capabilities ... against these threats are also real and growing." The system is the key component in President Barack Obama's plan for a phased deployment of a missile defense umbrella in Europe. Another missile base is scheduled to become operational in Poland by 2018. [Missile defense] [Russia confrontation] [NATO enlargement]
• War heroes and activists to shape new-look Ukraine parliament
  By Richard Balmforth and Pavel Polityuk KIEV Tue Oct 21, 2014 12:28pm EDT Aman runs in front of a pre-election poster with the portrait of Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk in Kiev October 21, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Gleb Garanich Factbox • Ukraine's October 26 snap parliamentary election Related News • Ukraine brings in law to try fugitive Yanukovich in absentia • East Ukrainians guard against mortar bombs and coming autumn chill • We can survive without Russian gas now, says Lithuania's president (Reuters) - Out will go the bodyguards and mistresses, in are likely to come the street activists and war veterans: Ukraine's next parliament will be pro-Western and strongly nationalist, and it won't be to Russia's liking. Candidate lists for the Oct. 26 elections show how personal favorites backed by old school powerbrokers in the outgoing parliament are set to make way for people who made their names in Kiev's "Maidan" revolution last winter, or in resisting Russian encroachment in eastern Ukraine. > Army pilot Nadia Savchenko is top candidate for one of Ukraine's biggest parties - even though she is being held in a Moscow psychiatric clinic, accused of involvement in the deaths of Russian journalists. > Airforce colonel Yuly Mamchur - who became an instant hero in March when he defied pro-Russian forces by refusing to leave his post in Crimea - is running for the bloc of President Petro Poroshenko and is set to win a seat on Sunday. > The battered face of Tetyana Chornovil, an activist beaten by thugs of the ousted ruling elite, made her a Maidan icon. Already a war widow at 35, she is a candidate for Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk's party. With many outgoing deputies in the pay of business oligarchs, the old 450-seat parliament was a market place for deals to be cut rather than voters' interests to be defended. This may be about to change. "We shan't be seeing any more bodyguards and mistresses in the new parliament. We will see people with a military background, though they will not have political and juridical knowledge," said political analyst Mikhailo Pogrebinsky. The make-up of the new assembly will reflect months of war and a confrontation with Russia that has created a Cold War-style crisis between Moscow and the West around Ukraine and redrawn its political landscape. [Ukraine] [Media] [Propaganda]
• Submarine hunt sends Cold War chill across Baltic
  By KARL RITTER and MATTI HUUHTANEN, Associated Press | October 20, 2014 | Updated: October 20, 2014 12:57pm • Photo By Swedish Armed Forces via TT News Agency/AP In this amateur photo provided by Sweden's armed forces and distributed by the TT News Agency on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2014, a partially submerged object is visible in the water at center, in the Stockholm archipelago, Sweden. The Swedish military said Sunday it had made three credible sightings of foreign undersea activity in its waters during the past few days amid reports of a suspected Russian intrusion in the area. SWEDEN OUT STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden's biggest submarine hunt since the dying days of the Soviet Union has put countries around the Baltic Sea on edge. In a scene reminiscent of the Cold War, Swedish naval ships, helicopters and ground troops combed the Stockholm archipelago for a fourth day Monday for signs of a foreign submarine or smaller underwater craft that officials suspect entered Swedish waters illegally. While Sweden hasn't linked any country to the suspected intrusion — and Moscow denies involvement blaming a Dutch submarine — the incident sent a chill through the Baltic Sea region, where Russian forces have been accused of a series of border violations on land, sea and air in recent months. [NCW] [Russia confrontation]
• When the Petrodollars Run Out
  Oil and gas prices are falling through the floor. And some countries are woefully unprepared for the drop. • BY Daniel Altman • OCTOBER 17, 2014 • It's good to be Vladimir Putin these days. The Russian president can jerk most European countries around without fearing the consequences, thanks to their dependence on his natural gas. Meanwhile, Putin's customers are probably dreaming of the day when they can tell him to piss off. But when they can finally live independently of his resources, international influence won't be the only thing that crumbles for Russia and other petrostates. I'm not talking about the kind of energy independence that the United States may gain from fracking, or Brazil by exploiting its deep-sea oil reserves. I'm talking about the day when oil and gas are no longer used as fuel for vehicles and heating homes. For governments that depend on petroleum revenue, like Russia's does, it could be a day of reckoning. Recent fluctuations in the demand and prices for oil and gas are just a sneak preview. Heating and motor vehicles are arguably the two biggest uses for petroleum that are vulnerable to technological change in the years to come. Right now, the United States still uses about two-thirds of its petroleum for gasoline and heating. The rest goes for jet fuel, propane, plastics, and other products that won't necessarily be replaced by electric cars, solar panels, and wind power. As demand for gasoline and oil-and-gas-based heating drop, crude and natural gas prices will probably fall as well. But then those other petroleum-based products will become cheaper and people will buy more of them, adding back some demand for oil and gas. And of course, the emerging economies growing fastest today will contribute some demand as well. [Putin] [Russia confrontation] [Oil]
• Russia-NATO Council May Convene Under New NATO Chief: Russian Diplomat
  Moscow may consider convening a Russia-NATO ?ouncil after the alliance’s new Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg takes office. © REUTERS/ Francois Lenoir 13:31 01/10/2014 Related News • Obama: There Will Be No War Between NATO and Russia • Russia's Lavrov Calls NATO Expansion 'Mistake' and 'Provocation' • Media Gets Latest Info on ‘Russian Forces in Ukraine’ from Junior NATO Clerk • NATO’s Policy of “Creeping Expansion” Eastward Should End: Russian Foreign Ministry • Russia’s Lavrov Bashes NATO Over its ‘Destructive Role’ in Ukrainian Crisis Updated 2:45 p.m. Moscow Time MOSCOW, October 1 (RIA Novosti) – Moscow may consider convening a Russia-NATO ?ouncil after the alliance’s new Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg takes office, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Meshkov said in an interview with RIA Novosti on Wednesday. “It would be strange to meet with the outgoing NATO Secretary General. Besides, he has long been acting as some sort of a politician, not as a leader of a military and political organization. Today the new NATO Secretary General takes office, so we will see,” he said. NATO-Russia Council is a consultation mechanism between Russia and the military alliance established in 2002. NATO Deputy Secretary-General Alexander Vershbow expressed doubts earlier this year that NATO-Russia Council should convene, citing Russia's alleged role in the Ukrainian crisis as the reason. Jens Stoltenberg, former Norwegian prime minister, took up his post as NATO Secretary General on Wednesday. Unlike his predecessor, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Stoltenberg has a more flexible approach toward relations with Russia. Stoltenberg has developed positive working relationship with Russian president Vladimir Putin during the time when he was the prime minister of Norway. [NATO]
• Fate of Ukraine According to General Plan Ost (I)
  Yuriy Rubtsov | 08.10.2014 | 00:00 On October 3 German Bild reported that Germany is mulling the deployment of 200 soldiers to the eastern part of Ukraine. The paratroopers from Seedorf, Lower Saxony, are to protect and assist monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OCSE). Perhaps dissatisfied with the fact that the information had leaked before time, a spokesman for the German Ministry of Defence confirmed the report. It should be noted that aside from military exercises this will be the first time German soldiers will be deployed in Ukraine since 1944 (!). Some may believe that the fact is mentioned out of place. They may say that it were the troops of Hitler’s Germany that the Red Army pushed away from Ukraine, but now we’re talking about the military of a democratic state coming as peacekeepers. The denazification of Germany was a success and is a thing of the past now. Taking into consideration the literally touching support of the Kiev regime by Merkel’s government, there is some ground for taking a different point of view. The Kiev regime has all the makings of a neo-Nazi state; the most vivid proof of the fact is the genocide against Russian and Russian-speaking population in the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. According to international law, the Russian Federal Investigative Committee has opened a case to make an inquiry into the details of the alleged crime. The investigators have made it precise that the Ukrainian regime used multiple launch rocket systems Grad and Uragan, air-to surface rockets with cluster warheads, tactical missiles Tochka-U and other offensive weapons. As a result, two and a half thousand men have lost their lives. Over 500 living houses, utilities objects, hospitals, schools and educational institutions have been destroyed. Over 300 thousand people have had to leave their homes and flee to the Russian Federation looking for a refuge. Are they not aware of it in Berlin? Do they know what’s happening and believe there is nothing criminal taking place? Is it the reflection of instincts enrooted in the times of the Third Reich? [Nazism] [Russia confrontation]
• Fate of Ukraine According to General Plan Ost (II)
  Yuriy Rubtsov | 12.10.2014 | 00:00 Part I The preparation of Plan Ost was associated with Reichsführer of the Schutzstaffel (SS) Heinrich Himmler, one of the Hitler’s closest accomplices. In October 1939 Hitler appointed Himmler Reich Commissar for the Strengthening of German Ethnic Stock (Reichskommissar für die Festigung deutschen Volkstums; RKFDV), a position that authorized Himmler and the SS to define the fate of other peoples, including those of the Soviet Union. On June 24, 1941 Himmler assigned Oberführer SS Professor Meyer-Hetling, Director of the Institute for Agrarian Affairs and Agrarian Policy (Institut für Agrarwesen und Agrarpolitik) at the Berlin University, responsible for preparing a document on the resettlement of the peoples of East and Central Europe to free the land for making it populated by Germans in need of more living space. He was also appointed Head of the Committee for Resettlement in the occupied eastern territories. The secret document called the General Plan Ost was submitted to Himmler on July 15, 1941. It included the relocation of 80-85% of the Poland’s population and 50% of the population of the Czech Republic. Besides, in 25-30 years it was planned to deport the native populations of the following countries: Lithuania – 85%, Belarus - 75%, West Ukraine – 65%, Latvia and Estonia – 50%. Overall at least 31 million people out of 45 million, who resided in the lands destined for German colonization, were to be deported or exterminated, they were considered to be unwanted people belonging to wrong races. Up to 840 million (sic -presumably 8.4 million) Germans were to populate the lands right after the defeat of the Soviet Union. Two waves of settlers (the first - 1, 1 million and the second - 2, 6 million) were to increase the population of the lands according to the plan. [Nazism] [Russia confrontation]
• Eastern Europeans are bowing to Putin’s power
  Jackson Diehl By Jackson Diehl Deputy editorial page editor October 12 at 6:49 PM ? To grasp how Vladi­mir Putin is progressing in his campaign to overturn the post-Cold War order in Europe, it’s worth looking beyond eastern Ukraine, where the Kremlin is busy consolidating a breakaway puppet state. After all, Ukraine, as President Obama likes to point out, is not a member of NATO — which has extended Western security and democratic governance to a dozen nations that had been dominated by Soviet dictatorship. So let’s consider Hungary, a NATO member whose prime minister recently named Putin’s Russia as a political model to be emulated. Or NATO member Slovakia, whose leftist prime minister likened the possible deployment of NATO troops in his country to the Soviet invasion of 1968. Or NATO member Czech Republic, where the defense minister made a similar comparison and where the government joined Slovakia and Hungary in fighting the European Union’s sanctions against Russia. Or Serbia, a member of NATO’s “partnership for peace” that has invited Putin to visit Belgrade this month for a military parade to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Red Army’s “liberation” of the city. [Russia confrontation] [Alliance]
• Putin Seeks Solitude Amid Russia's Perfect Storm
  Geopolitical Diary Tuesday, October 7, 2014 - 19:15 Russian President Vladimir Putin celebrated his 62nd birthday Tuesday in a peculiar fashion: by himself in the Siberian forests. For the past few days, Putin's spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, has brushed off journalists' questions about why the president decided not to celebrate his birthday in Moscow or do other work as he has in previous years. This is just another odd piece to an increasingly complex puzzle surrounding the stability and future of the Russian president and his government. Current Instabilities Russia is in the eye of the perfect storm. Though the crisis with Ukraine has been reduced to a simmer, Russia has seen a strategic reversal in its critical borderland. In addition, the crisis moved the West to enact sanctions on Russia and loosen many financial and economic ties to the country. Now the Kremlin is in the midst of an economic crisis that is every bit as serious as the Ukraine situation. In the past two days, Russia's central bank used $1.6 billion of its currency reserves to shore up the Russian ruble. Since the start of 2014, the central bank has injected $51 billion in currency reserves to keep the currency stable. The Russian economy is projecting flat growth for 2014, while foreign investment into Russia has fallen by 50 percent. The Kremlin may have $630 billion in its reserves, but these funds are being used quickly in an attempt to fill the cracks. [Russia confrontation] [Putin]
• Summary of Lavrov's speech to UNGA
  SERGEY V. LAVROV, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, said that the United States-led Western alliance that portrayed itself as a champion of democracy in fact acted from the direct opposite position and rejected the democratic principle of sovereign equality of States. That alliance was trying to decide for everyone what was good and what was evil. The United States Administration had openly declared what it believed to be its right to unilateral use of force anywhere to uphold its own interests. Military interference had become the norm. The sustainability of the international system had been severely shaken by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) bombardment of the then-Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, intervention in Iraq, attacks against Libya and the failure of operations in Afghanistan, he said. It was only due to diplomatic efforts that the aggression against Syria was prevented in 2013. There was an impression that the goal of various "colour revolutions" and other projects to change unsuitable regimes was to provoke chaos and instability. Today, Ukraine had fallen victim to such an arrogant policy. The situation there had revealed the remaining deep-rooted systemic flaws of the existing architecture in the Euro-Atlantic area. The West had embarked upon the course towards "vertical structuring of humanity", tailored to its own "hardly inoffensive" standards.
• “Pardon Us For Our Country’s Existence in the Middle of Your Military Bases” – Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov’s Speech at the UN
  By Carla Stea Global Research, October 14, 2014 In a courageous and brilliant speech to the United Nations General Assembly on September 27, 2014, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pierced the veil of obfuscation that characterizes too many speeches at the United Nations, and delivered a scathing denunciation of Western imperialism, imperialism that can only be accurately described as global theft. Lavrov, on behalf of the Russian Federation implicitly warned that US/NATO is risking global war in embarking on its campaign to seize and dominate huge territories, while inexorably and ruthlessly determined to conquer and subjugate Russia, having learned nothing from the historic reality that Napolean’s effort to dominate Russia led to the collapse of Napoleonic France, and Hitler’s attempt to subjugate Russia led to the obliteration of his Third Reich. Perhaps this third attempt to conquer and subjugate Russia may lead not only to war encompassing huge territories of the globe, but, dialectically, may be the catalyst leading to the ultimate decline of capitalism, an economic system which thrives almost entirely on imperialism, and is undergoing a possibly terminal crisis, as described by the French economist, Thomas Piketty in his best-selling work “Capital in the 21 Century.” In desperation, dysfunctional Western capitalism is lashing out recklessly and irrationally, unwilling and unable to preclude the disastrous consequences of its myopic policies. And one possible consequence of current US/NATO policies is thermonuclear war. Lavrov stated: “The U.S.-led Western alliance that portrays itself as a champion of democracy, rule of law and human rights within individual countries, acts from directly opposite positions in the international arena, rejecting the democratic principle of sovereign equality of states enshrined in the UN Charter and trying to decide for everyone what is good or evil.” “Washington has openly declared its right to unilateral use of force anywhere to uphold its own interests. Military interference has become a norm ? even despite the dismal outcome of all power operations that the U.S. has carried out over the recent years.” “The sustainability of the international system has been severely shaken by NATO bombardment of Yugoslavia, intervention in Iraq, attack against Libya and the failure of operation in Afghanistan. Only due to intensive diplomatic efforts the aggression against Syria was prevented in 2013. There is an involuntary impression that the goal of various ‘color revolutions’ and other projects to change unsuitable regimes is to provoke chaos and instability.” “Today Ukraine has fallen victim to such an arrogant policy. [Imperialism]

• Ukraine turmoil result of European-wide security crisis – Lavrov
  Published time: September 26, 2014 17:07 Edited time: September 27, 2014 12:07 The security crisis in the European Union was not caused by the crisis in Ukraine, but the events in Ukraine reflect the contradictions within the Euro-Atlantic region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters at the UN. One of the “key components” for the European Union’s security is in Ukraine’s non-NATO member status, Lavrov stressed at a press-conference on the sidelines of the current UN General Assembly session in New York. “As for NATO, there is a law in Ukraine, which stipulates its non-aligned status. And we believe that this is one of the most important components to ensure European security,” he said and then added that NATO’s expansion is an “absolutely senseless business.” “It is provocative and is undermining the role of European institutions,” the Russian Foreign Minister concluded Russia will continue doing everything possible to continue a dialogue with Kiev and the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, Sergey Lavrov said.
• Russia Car Riding Group in Pyongyang
  Published on 14 Aug 2014 Korean Central News Agency Copyright © 2000-2014 DPR of Korea The Russia-cross Korean Peninsula car riding group arrived in Pyongyang Thursday. The group is taking part in the "Paektu-Halla car riding for supporting the peace and reunification of the Korean peninsula." people lined on both sides of the street in front of the Monument to the Three Charters for National Reunification to greet compatriots who are coming here via Hyesan, Hamhung, Wonsan and other parts of the DPRK from Mt. Paektu, ancestral mountain, carrying with them the ardent desire of 70 million Koreans for reunification. When the group reached the entrance of Thongil Street, the crowds warmly welcomed the compatriots, waving flags of the DPRK, Korean peninsula flags and flowers. The group passed through streets of the city. [Video]
• Moscow backs fight against IS … to an extent
  Judging from recent statements by Russian officials, Moscow has decided to express cautious solidarity with Washington”s actions to fight against the terrorists of the Islamic State (IS), though there is no talk of any joint effort. Russia supported the latest UN Security Council resolution on the fight against terrorism. Yet, Moscow also continues to see the negative implications of the actions of the coalition led by the United States, bearing in mind that military force alone cannot defeat terrorism. Among those negative aspects is the prospect of an increase in terrorist recruits among those disgruntled with a new intervention by the West. The inevitable “collateral damage” among the civilian population will contribute to this. Russia is expressing cautious solidarity with the United States in fighting the Islamic State, while continuing its unequivocal support of the Syrian government. Author Vitaly Naumkin Posted September 25, 2014 Translator(s)Franco Galdini Let me cite in this regard Daniel Serwer: “The airstrikes may be creating ungoverned spaces in which we have no means to prevent radicalization and haven for international terrorists.” Terrorist leaders are using the Internet to spread a lot of material, ominously predicting the defeat of the coalition that leads the fight against IS. They maintain that there is no way to defeat them with airstrikes. Addressing President Barack Obama, Sheikh Abu Muhammad ash-Shami asked: 'Have you not realized … that the battle cannot be decided from the air at all? Or do you think that you are smarter than Bush?'” Moreover, Moscow opposes US missile attacks and airstrikes on Syria without the consent of the legitimate government in Damascus. The violation of Syrian sovereignty — no matter what motivates it — is a matter of concern for the Russian leadership. According to former Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov, “Not only is this in contravention of international law, but it also raises concerns that, by bypassing the UN Security Council, it would surreptitiously start the ‘bombing out’ of the regime in Damascus. In this regard, the arguments of the US side — expressed in a letter from the US permanent representative to the UN, Samantha Power, to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon — are not convincing: namely, that the Iraqi government had requested that the United States carry out strikes in Syria and that “the inability or unwillingness of Damascus to respond to the Islamist threat provides a sufficient basis to execute attacks on the territory of a sovereign state.” [ISIS] [Legality] [Russia US] [Blowback] [Intelligent design]
• Address by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov at the UN Security Council regarding threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, New York, 24 September 2014
  2227-25-09-2014 Colleagues, Ladies and gentlemen, Terrorism has been growing stronger ideologically and financially and expanding through a connection with transnational organised crime, support from the drug business, seized oil deposits and extremist ideas, including ideas on religious and ethnic grounds. Terrorism is becoming an indivisible part of regional conflicts. ISIL (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant), the ANF (the Al-Nusrah Front) and other terrorist cells have long been growing in the Middle East. They have acquired additional opportunities for their criminal activity due to the weakening, including with foreign assistance, of state institutions and the support of various foreign sponsors. Having grown stronger, extremist groups are threatening the future of whole nations, as evidenced by the example of Iraq, Libya and Syria. The next targets are Lebanon, Yemen, Mali and the Central African Republic. Russia has consistently advocated closer international cooperation to cut short all kinds of terrorism and to renounce dual standards and the division of terrorists into “good” and “bad.” All states must faithfully implement the decisions of the UN Security Council that provide for preventing the instigation of terrorism and blocking illegal oil trade, approve sanctions against the Taliban and al-Qaeda and impose an arms embargo on Libya. Russia has supported Resolution 2170, which aims to strengthen the sanctions regime against terrorists in Syria and Iraq. These documents are evidence of the ability of the UN Security Council to agree on issues of fundamental importance and to take coordinated decisions based on the UN Charter. [Terrorism] [Outsourcing] [Jihadist]
• The Polish-American Landmine under the Visegrad Group
  Pyotr Iskenderov | 28.09.2014 | 00:00 Conflicts within the European Union are continuing to intensify, and one of the most successful regional projects in Europe – the Visegrad Group – is at risk. The initiative, which set itself the goal of promoting economic integration and easing interstate conflicts, is becoming one of the elements of the geopolitical struggle at the heart of Europe. The Declaration on the Creation of the Visegrad Group was unveiled in February 1991 in Visegrad, the historic capital of the medieval Kingdom of Hungary, at a meeting of the then leaders of Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. The aim of the group was declared to be the facilitation of countries’ integration into European structures. The break-up of Czechoslovakia in 1993 increased the number of members in the Visegrad Group, but did not change its character. Neither did the accession of all four of the group’s members to the EU in 2004 become a reason for its abolishment. The Visegrad Group has been coordinating trade and economic strategies and project, and has served as a forum for the discussion of regional problems. Adopted in 2011 at a summit in Bratislava, the declaration of the Visegrad Group stated that the regional association is «a recognised symbol of successful political and economic transformation» and «a model for regional cooperation» [1]. Instead of improving the Visegrad model, however, Brussels, and particularly Warsaw, have decided to sacrifice it in order to resurrect the spirit of the cold war in Europe with new Berlin walls, military and political alliances, and aggressive anti-Russian propaganda. The problem of ‘controlling’ Russia has come to the fore, but not everything is working out. [Russia confrontation]
• Russia-Egypt Arms Deal: Major Breakthrough as US Middle East Policy Faces Another Set Back
  Andrei Akulov | 21.09.2014 | 00:02 Russian President Vladimir Putin met Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia, on August 12, 2014. It was his first official visit to the Russian Federation as President. And Vladimir Putin was the first leader to invite him for a visit outside the Arab world since his swearing-in as head of state. The agenda included introduction to a selection of Russian military hardware for sale. ?(1) The two leaders agreed to expand cooperation in the field of arms exports to Egypt in addition to studying the establishment of a logistics center Masri on the Black Sea coast. The United States suspended some of its weapons deliveries since the overthrow of former Egyptian President, Mohamed Morsi, in July 2013 in the wake of Sisi’s crackdown on the former Islamic government. On September 17 it was reported that Russia and Egypt have reached a preliminary deal for Cairo to buy arms worth $3.5 billion from Moscow.Alexander Fomin, the head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, said the deal was reached during an arms trade exhibition in South Africa. (2) Western sanctions: no impact on Russian military industry Russia is the world’s second-largest arms exporter after the US. The head of Rosoboronexport, a state body that deals with arms exports, said the value of the agency’s order book was high in spite of Western sanctions against Moscow over Ukraine. “Today our orders portfolio stands at $38.7 billion. This is one of the strongest figures Rosoboronexport has had in recent years,” Anatoly Isaykin told a news conference at the same arms expo. The company he heads signed 1,202 orders last year and fulfilled deliveries to 60 countries. Among the major importers of Russian weapons and military equipment were India, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Venezuela, Algeria and Malaysia. There is great interest from foreign buyers in air defence systems, MiG-29 or the new Su-35 fighter as well as the inexpensive and Yak-130 training plane, combat and transport helicopters and anti-tank missiles. [Egypt Russia] [Arms sales] [Realignment]
• Russian peace march draws tens of thousands in support of Ukraine
  Demonstrators clash during an anti-war rally and march Sunday in downtown Moscow.Thousands marched through central Moscow to protest the fighting in Ukraine. (Pavel Golovkin/Associated Press) By Karoun Demirjian September 21 at 7:35 PM ? MOSCOW — A march for peace in Ukraine drew tens of thousands to downtown Moscow Sunday in a show of protest against Russia’s involvement in the conflict. The demonstration drew a mixed crowd of old and young, families and organized factions, who walked the route chanting songs and slogans — the most common being a simple, “No to war.” “This march is to show the people that there’s quite a number of people who are against the war and don’t think that most Ukrainians are fascists,” said Mikhail Garder, 28. “The government knows that. The people don’t.” Participants walked on either side of a divided boulevard under heavy police supervision, many carrying or dressed in the colors of the Ukrainian flag, while others brought handmade signs calling for an end to the bloodshed, the return of Crimea and the rejection of Russian President Vladimir Putin — sometimes depicted with a Hitler-style mustache. The event attracted a variety of subgroups as well, such as feminist activist groups and representatives of various opposition parties. But the march — which took place on a sunny, warm afternoon — seemed to draw as many curious observers to walk the route as it did dedicated demonstrators.
• Dutch MH17 Investigation Omits US “Intel”. Fabrications and Omissions Supportive of US-NATO Agenda Directed against Russia
  By Tony Cartalucci Global Research, September 19, 2014 New Eastern Outlook The absence of America’s so-called “intelligence” regarding the downing of Malaysia Airlines MH17 over Ukraine in a 34 page Dutch Safety Board preliminary report raises serious questions about the credibility and legitimacy of both America’s political agenda, and all agencies, organizations, and political parties currently behind it. The report titled, “Preliminary Report: Crash involving Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 flight MH17? (.pdf), cites a wide variety of evidence in its attempt to determine the cause of flight MH17's crash and to prevent similar accidents or incidents from occurring again in the future. Among this evidence includes the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), the flight data recorder (FDR), analysis of recorded air traffic control (ATC) surveillance data and radio communication, analysis of the meteorological circumstances, forensic examination of the wreckage (if recovered and possible foreign objects if found), results of the pathological investigation, and analysis of the in-flight break up sequence. [MH17]
• US, Canadian jets intercept 8 Russian aircraft
  China Daily, September 21, 2014 Two F-22 fighter jets intercepted six Russian military airplanes that neared the western coast of Alaska, military officials said Friday. At about 1:30 am Thursday, two Canadian CF-18 fighter jets intercepted two of the long-range bombers about 40 nautical miles (64 nautical kilometers) off the Canadian coastline in the Beaufort Sea. Lt. Col. Michael Jazdyk, a spokesman for the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, said the US jets intercepted the planes about 55 nautical miles (88 kilometers) from the Alaskan coast at about 7 p.m. Pacific time Wednesday. The Russian planes were identified as two IL-78 refueling tankers, two Mig-31 fighter jets and two Bear long-range bombers. They looped south and returned to their base in Russia after the US jets were scrambled. In both cases, the Russian planes entered the Air Defense Identification Zone, which extends about 200 miles (321 kilometers) from the coastline. They did not enter sovereign airspace of the United States or Canada. Jazdyk said the fighter jets were scrambled "basically to let those aircraft know that we see them, and in case of a threat, to let them know we are there to protect our sovereign airspace." In the past five years, jets under NORAD's command have intercepted more than 50 Russian bombers approaching North American airspace. NORAD is a binational American and Canadian command responsible for air defense in North America. [ADIZ]
• Guns of August II
  by Israel Shamir The piping-hot stage of the Ukraine crisis was over with signing of Minsk cease-fire agreement. It is far from clear how long the cease-fire will last, and whether it will morph into stable peace; still this pause provides a chance to review policies and strategies of the sides. The first part of this essay dealt with the Ukrainian crisis up to the Boeing incident. I wrote there of lacklustre achievements of the rebels and concluded that “without direct Russian involvement, a separatist movement in Novorussia was doomed to fail.” After the Boeing disaster, the Russians have made peace in Ukraine their priority. Paradoxically, this called for more Russian involvement. From the beginning, State Department claims notwithstanding, Putin did not want the war in the Ukraine, and still less he wanted a war with Ukraine. He would prefer the Ukraine remain neutral and friendly. This dish was not on the menu as the US intended to fight Russia by Ukrainian hands, or at least, to strengthen its hold over Europe by using Russian scarecrow. Still Putin procrastinated hoping things will sort out.
• Stopping Russia Starts in Syria
  Washington, DC – The solution to the crisis in Ukraine lies in part in Syria. It is time for US President Barack Obama to demonstrate that he can order the offensive use of force in circumstances other than secret drone attacks or covert operations. The result will change the strategic calculus not only in Damascus, but also in Moscow, not to mention Beijing and Tokyo. Many argue that Obama’s climb-down from his threatened missile strikes against Syria last August emboldened Russian President Vladimir Putin to annex Crimea. But it is more likely that Putin acted for domestic reasons – to distract Russians’ attention from their country’s failing economy and to salve the humiliation of watching pro-European demonstrators oust the Ukrainian government he backed. Regardless of Putin’s initial motivations, he is now operating in an environment in which he is quite certain of the parameters of play. He is weighing the value of further dismemberment of Ukraine, with some pieces either joining Russia or becoming Russian vassal states, against the pain of much stronger and more comprehensive economic sanctions. Western use of force, other than to send arms to a fairly hapless Ukrainian army, is not part of the equation. That is a problem. In the case of Syria, the US, the world’s largest and most flexible military power, has chosen to negotiate with its hands tied behind its back for more than three years. This is no less of a mistake in the case of Russia, with a leader like Putin who measures himself and his fellow leaders in terms of crude machismo. It is time to change Putin’s calculations, and Syria is the place to do it. [Syria] [Russia confrontation]
• Will the US try to Pull “Maidan” Scenario in Russia?
  On 21st of September, the so-called “opposition” in Moscow and St. Petersburg is planning demonstrations that should gather 50-thousand people in the streets against (here I laughed) cessation of Russian aggression in Ukraine and the Russian suppression of Ukrainian independence. Do you think that Putin has so many enemies in Moscow and St. Petersburg that out of despair and powerlessness people have to go out on the streets? “Actually, we want to change the government, we do not want Putin. We are tired of his politics. We wait until we receive a new political movement and the resources that Russia has will not be in the hands of only a narrow number of the so-called “managers of Russia” and will be more parcelled out in the community. Here in Moscow actually are people who do not want Putin in power. But we do not go out on the streets rather talk among themselves. We do not have any tools, any party, no movement of which we would really identify with “. These are the words of my friend, a forty-year-old resident of Moscow, who considers herself to be Putin dissident. The demonstrations in Moscow and St. Petersburg are organized by the so-called autonomous group People’s Will (Narodnaya Volya). [Propaganda] [Incompetence]
• Ukrainian president offers rebels major concessions to end uprising
  A pro-Russian separatist leader predicts the truce with Ukraine "will be over soon," as fighting flares in Donetsk and an airport in Luhansk lies in ruin. (Reuters) By Anthony Faiola September 15 at 2:36 PM KIEV, UKRAINE — President Petro Poroshenko on Monday proposed a series of major concessions to end the uprising by pro-Russian rebels in restive eastern Ukraine, offering the separatists a broad amnesty and special self-governance status for territories they occupy. The proposal also includes protections for the Russian language and would allow the separatist-controlled regions to elect their own judges, create their own police forces and cultivate deeper ties to Russia — while remaining part of Ukraine. It would effectively formalize a concession of power to the rebels after sweeping military setbacks in August and September forced Poroshenko to sue for peace. Although Ukraine appeared on the verge of ending the rebel uprising weeks ago, a reinvigorated separatist campaign — which Ukraine and NATO claim has been backed by Russian arms and troops — left the Ukrainians facing devastating losses. Russia denies aiding the rebels. [Ukraine]
• NATO expansion to Russian borders unacceptable: Lavrov
  Xinhua, September 14, 2014 NATO's expansion by pulling more Russia's neighboring countries into the alliance is unacceptable, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Saturday. "NATO expects to turn as many countries as possible into its member states, and expand to Russian borders -- that's unacceptable," Lavrov said in an interview aired by Moscow's TVC. "We expect every country to comply with the agreements of ensuring indivisible and overall security in the Euro-Atlantic region, among which the assurances of NATO not expanding eastward play a decisive role," the RIA Novosti news agency quoted the top diplomat as saying. Lavrov stressed that the nonaligned status of Ukraine, enshrined in Ukrainian Constitution, is a matter of principle for Russia. "We are convinced that Kiev's choice (of remaining nonaligned) is in the interests of its people and the legitimate interests of all its neighbors and partners, as well as to protect security of the Euro-Atlantic region," Lavrov said. [NATO enlargement]
• Camouflage and Coverup: The Dutch Commission Report on the Malaysian MH17 Crash is “Not Worth the Paper it’s Written On”
  By Peter Haisenko Global Research, September 11, 2014 Anderweltonline.com (German) and Global Research “Weasel wording” consists in using “words and phrases aimed at creating an impression that a specific and/or meaningful statement has been made, when in fact only a vague or ambiguous claim has been communicated, enabling the specific meaning to be denied if the statement is challenged.” … “Some weasel words may also have the effect of softening the force of a potentially loaded or otherwise controversial statement through some form of understatement.” (Gary Jason 1988) One thing must be stated outright: This report does not lie. It just can’t lie since there is nothing new in it. I myself have never seen such a meaningless plane crash report. What comes as a surprise, however, is the report’s diplomatic, sophisticated choice of words, which loses itself in ambiguous terminology. It was probably planned this way, so each party can continue to defend their version of what happened with zeal. [MH17]
• Putin is Becoming the Face of the Global Resistance Movement
  The next volunteers who want to fight with the ‘Global oligarchy’ came to Donbas. This time they are French. People from Serbia, Spain, Germany, France, Polish, Israel, the United Kingdom and Greece already fought with Kiev junta. Recently, volunteers look younger: people over forty went earlier to the militia, now the average age wanting to join the army DRL ranges from 18 to 30. More and more people do not trust the corporate media and they see what’s going on in the world. If I did not speak English, unfortunately I would never learn from the media in my country (Poland) what is really the situation in Gaza, Ukraine and the Middle East. ‘One of the French volunteers who fought in Donbas quite bluntly puts it: “We are French volunteers and the first wave of the whole group, which either prepares to leave or is on the way. We support the geopolitical idea of ??European unity. We are both revolutionaries and traditionalists. We arrived to Donbas, where civilians are murdered by the people from Kiev. Those who carry out this terrorist operation in the Donbas are minions of the international mafia oligarchs. You must understand that we are dealing with the third world war. It began in Libya, then moved to Syria and now to Donbas. We can see that Russia is one of the few countries that have challenged and personally fight globalism. It’s kind of the Reconquista. We’re here to help Russia in this fight. We’re not here to earn money, we do not take any money from anyone . In fact, we spent a lot to get here. “ The world, despite the American propaganda and huge expenditures on promotion of ‘democracy’ by the United States as in the case of $ 5 trillion to NGOs in Ukraine, begins to stand on the side with Russia. How this is happening, despite the fact that the media do not publish reliable information on Russia and Ukraine, people around the world are beginning to turn their sympathy towards Russia. Paradoxically, after collapse of communism and reversal Russia from its Stalinist history around the world and in Russia, ‘cult of strong leader’ is emerging. Although some people would see ‘democracy’ more in Dmitry Medvedev. What ‘democracy’ a la Brzezinski looks like we know fairly well (Syria, Libya, Iraq etc.), but more on that soon. I must
• Russia fears the eastward spread of 'jihadist cancer'
  The military successes of the Islamic State (IS); the possibility of the ‘jihadist cancer’ spreading to Iraq and Syria’s neighboring countries; the uncertainty of the situation in and around Syria; the growth of internal tensions in a number of countries in the Arab Mashreq; the high level of violence and cruelty; the unresolved Palestinian issue; the interfaith and intrafaith (sectarian) rifts; the anxiety engulfing the population in many parts of the region — all this, against a background of shrinking cooperation between Moscow and the West, increases the former’s concern about the future of this part of the Arab world, to whose fate Russians are certainly not indifferent. Russian policy experts are concerned about the Islamic State's aggression expanding into Iraq and Syria's neighbors to the east. Author Vitaly Naumkin Posted September 11, 2014 Translator(s)Franco Galdini Rumors circulating about the possibility of the US airstrikes on IS positions inside Syria have generated lively debate in the Russian expert community and in the media. Obviously, if such attacks were carried out without the consent of the Syrian authorities, Damascus would regard this as a violation of the country’s sovereignty, and Moscow would support this position. In diplomatic circles, rumors are also spreading that the Syrian government would not mind if Russia used airstrikes in areas where the forces of IS militants are concentrated in Syria. No official request, however, appears to have come from Damascus. Thus for now, we can only say that the Syrian government would prefer that such course of action be taken — in case it becomes necessary to stop the onslaught of the terrorists — by Russia, rather than the United States and other forces hostile to Damascus. Yet, it is safe to assume that Moscow is unlikely to intervene militarily in the conflict, even if such an official appeal were to be issued. [Syria]
• Russian General Calls for Preemptive Nuclear Strike Doctrine Against NATO
  The Moscow Times Sep. 03 2014 17:40 • Vladimir Filonov / MTRussian military vehicles drive down Tverskaya Street during rehearsals for the Victory Day military parade in central Moscow May 5, 2014. A Russian general has called for Russia to revamp its military doctrine, last updated in 2010, to clearly identify the U.S. and its NATO allies as Moscow's enemy number one and spell out the conditions under which Russia would launch a preemptive nuclear strike against the 28-member military alliance, Interfax reported Wednesday. Russia's military doctrine, a strategy document through which the government interprets military threats and crafts possible responses, is being revised in light of threats connected to the Arab Spring, the Syrian civil war and the conflict in Ukraine, the deputy chief of the Kremlin's security council told RIA Novosti on Tuesday. But within the Defense Ministry there are voices calling for different priorities. "First and foremost, the likely enemy of Russia should be clearly identified in this strategic document, something absent from the 2010 military doctrine. In my view, our primary enemy is the U.S. and the North Atlantic bloc," General Yury Yakubov, a senior Defense Ministry official, was quoted as saying by Interfax. The 2010 doctrine defines NATO expansion as a threat to Russian national security and reaffirms its right to use nuclear weapons in a defensive posture, but stops far short of declaring NATO as Moscow's primary adversary and laying preemptive nuclear strike scenarios on the table, a posture unmistakably reminiscent of the Cold War. Yakubov said the information war being waged over the crisis in Ukraine — where the West accuses Russia of arming separatists fighting the government in Kiev — and NATO's announcement that it would establish a permanent military presence in Eastern Europe have validated earlier fears that the alliance's claims of non-aggression toward Russia were insincere. The general added that special attention should be paid to integrating the functions of the newly created Air and Space Defense Forces with Russia's land, sea and air based nuclear forces. "In addition, it is necessary to hash out the conditions under which Russia could carry out a preemptive strike with the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces," he said. [Nuclear deterrent]
• Energy Sanctions Against Russia Could Freeze Exxon's Arctic Drilling
  By Matthew Philips September 12, 2014 Reports from Bloomberg News and the Wall Street Journal indicate that the U.S. will announce further sanctions against Russia by targeting oil companies with joint projects in the Arctic. This spells particular trouble for ExxonMobil (XOM), which has a $500 billion joint venture with Russia’s oil giant Rosneft (ROSN:RM) to drill for extreme oil in the Arctic. If new sanctions are announced on Friday, they will hit just weeks after Exxon and Rosneft began drilling in Russia’s Kara Sea. Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly dialed into a teleconference last month to officially launch the drilling, joining the head of Rosneft, Igor Sechin, and the head of ExxonMobil Russia, Glenn Waller, who were together in the Kara Sea. At the time, Sechin called the start of the drilling “the most important event of the year for the global oil and gas industry” and said that developing the Arctic shelf for oil exploration would have “a huge multiplicative effect on the whole Russian economy.” [Russia confrontation] [Sanctions] [Blowback]
• St. Andrew’s Flag Flown over Scotland and Donetsk
  Dmitry Minin | 11.09.2014 | 00:00 That’s the way the history goes. The St. Andrew’s flag is flown in two places in Europe situated at great distance from each other. Scotland and Novorossia are struggling for their national identity under the same colors. The two peoples divided by different history and cultures are addressing the issue of independence. They are going different ways; a peaceful referendum is to take place in Scotland while Novorossia is going through the horrors of civil war. But they are united by the same goal and its symbol – the St. Andrew flag. The New Testament states that Andrew the Apostle was born in the village of Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee. He was a fisherman by trade to become the first disciple to follow Jesus. The church history says Andrew preached in Scythia, along the Black Sea, including Crimea and the Dnieper River as far as Kiev and from there he traveled to Novgorod. Hence, he became a patron saint of Ukraine, Romania and Russia. According to tradition, he founded the See of Byzantium (Constantinople) in AD 38. Since then Andrew was recognized as Russia’s patron saint. Andrew is said to have been martyred by crucifixion at the city of Patras (Patræ) in Achaea, on the northern coast of the Peloponnese. [Separatism] [Parallels]
• Malaysia Airlines Whodunnit Still a Mystery
  September 9, 2014 Exclusive: More than seven weeks after Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashed in eastern Ukraine killing 298 people, a preliminary report failed to address the mystery of who shot the plane down. The Dutch investigators didn’t even try to sort through conflicting allegations and evidence, writes Robert Parry. By Robert Parry Beyond confirming that Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 apparently was shot down on July 17, the Dutch Safety Board’s interim investigative report answered few questions, including some that would seem easy to address, such as the Russian military radar purporting to show a Ukrainian SU-25 jetfighter in the area, a claim that the Kiev government denied. Either the Russian radar showed the presence of a jetfighter “gaining height” as it closed to within three to five kilometers of the passenger plane – as the Russians claimed in a July 21 press conference – or it didn’t. The Kiev authorities insisted that they had no military aircraft in the area at the time. But the 34-page Dutch report is silent on the jetfighter question, although noting that the investigators had received Air Traffic Control “surveillance data from the Russian Federation.” The report is also silent on the “dog-not-barking” issue of whether the U.S. government had satellite surveillance that revealed exactly where the supposed ground-to-air missile was launched and who may have fired it. [MH17]
• Iran’s Talks With Russia May Strike at Sanctions
  By Rick Gladstone Sept. 9, 2014 Iran sent new signals on Tuesday that it was seeking to subvert the Western sanctions on its contentious nuclear energy program, adding uncertainties in advance of another round of negotiations next week in New York before the United Nations General Assembly. The Iranians said they had been engaged in talks with Russia, a member of the group of big powers negotiating with Tehran, about economic cooperation in energy, which could undercut the sanctions. South Africa, a former Iranian oil customer that has honored the sanctions in deference to Western pressure, said that, after talks with an Iranian delegation, it hoped to resume imports in three months. On Monday, Iran’s negotiator at the nuclear talks, Abbas Araghchi, the deputy foreign minister, said his country would not countenance any new economic penalties imposed by the United States, after an announcement by the Obama administration last month that it was adding more than 25 Iranian individuals and companies to a sanctions blacklist. Continue reading the main story The atmosphere contrasts starkly with President Hassan Rouhani’s first visit to the United Nations last September for the General Assembly’s annual convergence of world leaders. The Iranian president spoke optimistically of a new era and prospects for a nuclear deal — capped by a groundbreaking telephone conversation with President Obama. [Iran] [Sanctions]
• Best evidence Russians are in Ukraine? How good separatist fighters are
  By Matthew Schofield McClatchy Foreign Staff September 9, 2014 BERLIN — The uneasy truce in southeastern Ukraine appears, mostly, to be holding, a development that the Russian government in Moscow is celebrating as a hopeful sign for a besieged region. Moscow, the word comes, has been deeply troubled by the fighting in the region, and particularly its effect on civilians trapped between the warring Ukrainian government and pro-Russian separatists calling themselves the People’s Republic of Donetsk. The problem with best wishes from Moscow is that _ in the eyes of everyone not beholden to the administration of Russian President Vladimir Putin _ there would be very little fighting in the region were it not for the Russian weapons and troops. Some experts even think that Russian soldiers are responsible now for nearly all the fighting. [Ukraine] [Russia]
• Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 reeks of Northwoods
  July 17, 2014. A Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 on flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur plunged out of the sky in eastern Ukraine. The crash resulted in the death of all 298 passengers and crew. Malaysian Premier Najib Razak lashed out at those behind the geopolitical chess game that led to the tragedy. An independent journalistic investigation was stonewalled with strategies ranging from ignoring calls and mails to an attempt to infect our PC with mal-ware via an e-mail sent from Ukraine. All of that, of course, in the interest of an international flying public who is expected to shut up and trust that they won’t win in the lottery of death. The MH17 tragedy reeks of operation Northwoods. The Plane, Malaysia Airlines, and Malaysian PM Najib Razak. Malaysia Airlines (MAS) stated that the 19 year-old Boeing 777-200 had a perfect maintenance and safety record. There was, in other words, no apparent reason why the plane should suddeny disintegrate in flight and plummet out of the sky with 298 souls on board. The immediate response was an international positioning and blame-game that prompted a visibly shaken Malaysian Premier Najib Razak to lash out at ”those behind the geopolitical chess game that led to the disaster”, adding: ”As a leader, there has never been an occasion as heart-breaking as what I went through yesterday. Wives losing their husbands, fathers losing their children. Imagine their feelings from such a great loss. … This is what happens when there is a conflict that cannot be resolved through negotiations, with peace. In the end, who becomes the victim? Najib Razak’s words were ominous and reflected precisely the sentiment of millions of people worldwide. People who depend on air traffic for business, for holidays, for being reunited with loved ones, and the fact that all of them are being held in the dark about what happened on that fateful day. First appeared: http://journal-neo.org/2014/09/10/malaysia-airlines-flight-mh17-reeks-of-northwoods/ [MH17]
• Germany Reluctant To Increase Military Spending
  2014-09-08 22:52:38 Berlin declines calls from NATO to further increase defense expenditure. German Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition government has ruled out increasing its military spending, despite repeated calls from NATO. "We are already investing almost 35 billion euros annually for defense," Germany's Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen told state television ARD on Sunday night. "We are the second-largest net spender within the NATO," she said. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has repeatedly called for an increase in military spending in order to meet the alliance's long-ignored target for member states to spend two percent of their GDP on defense. "We are currently spending 1.3 percent of our GDP on defense. I believe that we should maintain this, and it should not fall below," von der Leyen said. "The question is not always how much we spend, but what we spend it on and how effective we are. We can all do better within the NATO on this," she added. The German Government Spokesman, Steffen Seibert told journalists on Monday that von der Leyen's remarks reflected the government's policy. "On the issue of Germany's defense budget and the defense budget of other NATO member states, all important points have been stated by the Defense Minister," Seibert said. Europe's economic heavyweight, Germany, has the fourth largest defense budget within NATO. NATO's largest military power, the U.S. spent about $735 billion on defense in 2013, according to a study from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The U.K. has the second-largest defense budget with $60.2 billion, followed by France with $52.3 billion. Germany's military spending was $48.7 billion in 2013, according to SIPRI. Within the alliance, only four member states - the U.S., U.K., Estonia and Greece - currently meet the goal of spending two percent of their GDP on defense. The U.S. spent 4.4 percent, the U.K. 2.4 percent, Greece 2.3 percent and Estonia 2.0 percent of their GDP on defense last year. [Military expenditure] [Russia confrontation]
• Russia focuses on eliminating Middle East terrorist threat
  In recent months, the Ukrainian crisis and the sharp deterioration in relations between Russia and the West have pushed the Middle East up the scale of Russia's foreign policy priorities. The sudden and rapid surge in terrorist activity in the Middle East and North Africa as well as the terrorists’ military successes in Iraq have determined Russia’s renewed focus on the region. Moreover, there is every reason to believe that — in concomitance with the first signs of improvement in the situation in Ukraine and the Kremlin’s increasing confidence that it will manage to weather down the critical impact of the sanctions war unleashed by the West on the Russian economy (Russian leaders even speak of useful domestic resource mobilization as a result of Western sanctions) — the importance of the Middle East will only continue to grow. This concerns Russia’s relations with the Arab world — as the latter unites in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) — as well as with non-Arab regional players such as Iran, Turkey and Israel. Increased terrorist activity in the Middle East has Russia rethink its foreign policy, and support the Arab League's intention of a "comprehensive treaty of collective security." Author Vitaly Naumkin Posted September 8, 2014 Translator(s)Franco Galdini Moscow has long tried to draw the attention of its foreign partners to the need to combat terrorist groups in Syria, which have now turned into the main force leading the fight against government forces in the country. Russia has expressed its full support for Iraq in its fight against IS, and very quickly took the decision to supply the first batch of Su-25 aircraft to Baghdad. Moscow also called the adoption of a resolution condemning the crimes of IS at a special session of the UN Human Rights Council on Sept. 1 "a landmark." At the same time, Russian diplomats stressed once again that the spike in the terrorist threat was in many respects the result of "an external unlawful military intervention in the internal affairs of states to serve a mercenary geopolitical agenda." [ISIS]
• What Really Happened to MH17? An Open Source Investigation
  Corbett • 07/20/2014 • 236 Comments by James Corbett corbettreport.com July 20, 2014 This post is intended as a round-up of available information on MH17 from various sources around the web. Corbett Report members are encouraged to debate and discuss the situation in the commments thread below, ask questions, suggest links, and otherwise contribute to this investigation. The article will be updated with information as the investigation continues. [Not a Corbett Report member? Sign up today.] GENERAL INFORMATION ON MH17: via Aviation-Safety.net “A Boeing 777-200 passenger plane, operating Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, crashed in the Ukraine, east of Donetsk. All 298 on board were killed. Flight MH17 departed the gate at Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport, the Netherlands at 12:14 hours local time, bound for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was airborne at 12:30 (10:30 UTC) from runway 36C and reached a cruising altitude of FL310 at 12:53 (10:53 UTC). Ninety minutes into the flight, at 12:01 UTC and just prior to entering Ukrainian airspace, the flight climbed to FL330. This altitude was maintained until last contact by ADS-B receivers of flight tracking websites, about 13:21 UTC. “At the point of last contact it was flying 1000 feet above airspace that had been restricted as a result of ongoing fighting in the area. Malaysia Airlines reported that MH17 filed a flight plan requesting FL350 throughout Ukrainian airspace. However, the flight was instructed by Ukrainian air traffic control to fly at FL330.” [MH17]
• The State Department Says Russia Is Invading Ukraine—Should We Believe It?
  A memo to Angela Merkel from Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity.
  Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity September 2, 2014 Share MEMORANDUM FOR: Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany FROM: Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS) SUBJECT: Ukraine and NATO We the undersigned are long-time veterans of U.S. intelligence. We take the unusual step of writing this open letter to you to ensure that you have an opportunity to be briefed on our views prior to the NATO summit on September 4-5. You need to know, for example, that accusations of a major Russian “invasion” of Ukraine appear not to be supported by reliable intelligence. Rather, the “intelligence” seems to be of the same dubious, politically “fixed” kind used 12 years ago to “justify” the U.S.-led attack on Iraq. We saw no credible evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq then; we see no credible evidence of a Russian invasion now. Twelve years ago, former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, mindful of the flimsiness of the evidence on Iraqi WMD, refused to join in the attack on Iraq. In our view, you should be appropriately suspicions of charges made by the U.S. State Department and NATO officials alleging a Russian invasion of Ukraine. President Barack Obama tried yesterday to cool the rhetoric of his own senior diplomats and the corporate media, when he publicly described recent activity in the Ukraine, as “a continuation of what's been taking place for months now ... it's not really a shift.” Obama, however, has only tenuous control over the policymakers in his administration—who, sadly, lack much sense of history, know little of war, and substitute anti-Russian invective for a policy. One year ago, hawkish State Department officials and their friends in the media very nearly got Mr. Obama to launch a major attack on Syria based, once again, on “intelligence” that was dubious, at best. Largely because of the growing prominence of, and apparent reliance on, intelligence we believe to be spurious, we think the possibility of hostilities escalating beyond the borders of Ukraine has increased significantly over the past several days. More important, we believe that this likelihood can be avoided, depending on the degree of judicious skepticism you and other European leaders bring to the NATO summit next week. Experience With Untruth Hopefully, your advisers have reminded you of NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen's checkered record for credibility. It appears to us that Rasmussen's speeches continue to be drafted by Washington. This was abundantly clear on the day before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq when, as Danish Prime Minister, he told his Parliament: “Iraq has weapons of mass destruction. This is not something we just believe. We know.” [Russia confrontation] [Intelligence]
• NATO's Eastern countries fractured over response to Russia
  8 September 2014 Czech President Milos Zeman sparked a testy exchange with Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt this week at the NATO summit in Wales, declaring that Prague had not yet seen "clear proof" of Russia's intervention in Ukraine. "President Zeman should ask his own people," Bildt retorted. "I don't know if the Czech Republic has an intelligence service. It does? Then he should ask them." The spat underscores a development that has surprised many in the West: Some countries on NATO's eastern fringe seem decidedly unconcerned by Russia's intervention in Ukraine and its generally belligerent stance. The Ukraine crisis has fractured the so-called Visegrad Group -- the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. From alarmist Poland to Kremlin-friendly Hungary, the group runs the gamut of possible positions. And their disunity is one factor making it difficult for the European Union and NATO to adopt a unified response to Moscow. As tensions between Russia and the West have risen, it has become clear that the Visegrad Four have starkly varying perceptions of the threat posed by Moscow. And for Budapest, Bratislava, and Prague, economic considerations are driving their calculations as the EU tries to reach consensus on tough Russia sanctions. Expanded economic cooperation with Russia in the region since the 1990s has "undermined the strategic thinking in these countries," Marian Majer, senior fellow for security and defense at the Central European Policy Institute in Bratislava, tells RFE/RL. "The Ukraine crisis has [shown] us that strategic thinking and threat perception are different in these countries, and in some of them, economic arguments are prevailing [over] strategic arguments and a long-term vision of the future," Majer says. Edward Lucas, senior editor at "The Economist" and author of "The New Cold War: Putin's Russia and the Threat to the West," agrees. "Poland is taking a tremendous lead as the unquestioned leader of the ex-Communist world," Lucas says. "Elsewhere, it is a very different picture. Slovakia seems to have taken, initially, a kind of almost pro-Putin line or, at least, anti-sanction. The Czechs also, particularly Zeman, have taken a similarly, I think, deplorable line." Lucas describes Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban as the "worst of the lot," citing his "explicit rejection of the liberal-democratic principles that the rest of Europe regards as mainstream." "I think it has put a huge strain on the whole idea of Visegrad as a geopolitical or diplomatic actor," Lucas adds. [Russia confrontation]
• Vladimir Putin’s 'unacceptable’ action in Ukraine was predictable and provoked
  Nato leaders don’t know what to do about Mr Putin and the civil war in Ukraine, and have been misreading this crisis since it began There was never any way that either Mr Putin or all those Russian speakers in eastern Ukraine and Crimea were going to take kindly to seeing the country which was the cradle of Russian identity become part of a Western power bloc. Photo: AFP
  By Christopher Booker 5:03PM BST 06 Sep 2014 It is always revealing when politicians tell us that something is “unacceptable”. What they mean is that, although people might expect them to do something about it, they haven’t got a clue what it is they can do. That was why, as the Western leaders gathered for that Nato summit in Wales, several, including David Cameron, told us that President Putin’s intervention in Ukraine was “unacceptable”. The real problem here is not just that our leaders don’t know what they can do about Mr Putin and that horrible civil war in Ukraine, which has already killed nearly 3,000 people and which the Russians seem to be winning hands down. It is that they and many others in the West have been misreading this crisis ever since it began at the start of the year. It cannot be said often enough that what triggered the crisis was not Mr Putin’s desire to restore the boundaries of the Soviet Union, but the ludicrously misguided ambition of the West to see Ukraine absorbed into the EU and Nato. There was never any way that either Mr Putin or all those Russian speakers in eastern Ukraine and Crimea were going to take kindly to seeing the country which was the cradle of Russian identity become part of a Western power bloc. Russia would be even less happy to see the only warm-water ports for its navy taken over by a military alliance that had been set up to counter Russia in the first place. When 96 per cent of Crimeans democratically voted in March to join Russia, this was not, as Western politicians now tell us, because Mr Putin wanted to “annexe” their country. It was because the 82 per cent of them who speak Russian as their main language wanted to rejoin a country Crimea had been part of for two centuries. Yet, at the very same time, the democratically elected government of Ukraine was being toppled by mobs of demonstrators in the streets of Kiev, many of whom were being paid from Brussels funds to shout “Europe, Europe” at Baroness Ashton, as she urged them to sign that “association agreement” which was the last step but one to Ukraine becoming a full member state of the EU. [Ukraine] [NATO] [Agency] [Russia confrontation]
• Weekly update from the OSCE Observer Mission at the Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk, 28 August until 08:00, 3 September 2014
  KAMENSK-SHAKHTINSKY, Russian Federation 3 September 2014 . This update is for media and the general public. KAMENSK-SHAKHTINSKY, Russian Federation, 3 September 2014 - The Observer Mission (OM) is operating at full capacity. Cross-border traffic flow remained steady at both Border Crossing Points. However, the OM observed a clear reversal in the flow of people crossing the border (more people exiting the Russian Federation into Ukraine). The OM observed an increased military activity principally of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the vicinity of the Border Crossing Points. The OM heard considerable artillery detonations from the Donetsk Border Crossing Point. DETAIL OM’s arrival, establishment and observation work As of 3 September the OM is operating at full capacity with 19 staff members (including three administrative assistants). Sixteen international observers provide a permanent presence at the two Border Crossing Points of Donetsk and Gukovo. With the exception of the Acting Chief Observer, who has yet to be replaced by a to-be-selected Chief Observer, all the observers are scheduled to perform their defined duties until the end of the Observer Mission’s mandate on 23 October 2014. Cross-border movements common to both Border Crossing Points The profile of the people crossing the border remains unchanged and can be categorized as follows: 1. Families on foot or by car with a lot of luggage; 2. Elderly people with few bags; 3. Adults (usually of younger age) with no luggage or empty cars; 4. People wearing military-style clothes with or without backpacks. [Ukraine]
• Obama is a Liar. Fake NATO Evidence. OSCE Confirms that No Russian Troops, No Tanks, have Crossed the Russia-Ukraine Border
  By Prof Michel Chossudovsky Global Research, September 04, 2014 The following report is a slap in the face to president Obama and his NATO partners meeting today in Newport Wales. Obama confirmed on September 3 that “Russian combat forces with Russian weapons in Russian tanks” had been deployed in Eastern Ukraine. That’s not only a Lie, it is Lie which could potentially precipitate humanity into a Third World War. Observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) “have registered no troops, ammunition or weapons crossing the Russian-Ukrainian border over the past two weeks” (Itar-Tass) “Throughout the week, the Observer Teams noticed a net increase of young people (both men and women) wearing military-style dress crossing the border in both directions but did not observe any weapons among these groups,” the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission’s report covering a period from August 20 to September 3 said. The observers said they had regular interactions with supporters of the self-proclaimed republics. “Some discussed openly with the OSCE while others expressed their total mistrust toward the OSCE. At both Border Crossing Points, some supporters of the self-proclaimed republics explained that they are not allowed to cross the border with weapons,” the report said. The observers registered a decrease in helicopter sightings compared to last week but they were still observed at border crossing points flying at low altitude along the border. “In either case, in as far as could be seen, the aircraft did not violate the Ukrainian airspace,” the report said. (Ibid) [Ukraine]
• Guest Column by Peter Haisenko
  September 4, 2014 Peter Haisenko was a pilot for Lufthansa for 30 years. In the article below he explains his conclusion that the Malaysian airliner downed in Ukraine was hit first by an air-to-air missile from a Ukrainian fighter jet and then by machine gun fire. As Ukrainian air control has refused to release its communications with the airliner and Washington refuses to release its satellite photos, we have to form a judgment based on experience and available evidence. This judgment is superior to unsupported propagandistic claims. The withholding of pertinent information suggests that Washington and/or Kiev are responsible for the downed airliner. The Evidence: MH 017 by Peter Haisenko Seven weeks have passed since the downing of MH 017 and we have still not been provided with official investigation results. This is an extraordinary circumstance, but ultimately not surprising. Just a few days after the crash of the airliner a short message was published that in this case the debris of the wreck will not be collected to be put together like a puzzle. However, this would have been the normal procedure if there were serious interest to determine the cause of the accident objectively. When an airplane crashes, within 24 hours there are usually legions of experts at the scene who register everything in detail and start collecting the debris. First of all experts of the plane manufacturer are sent to the scene — in this case Boeing – followed by the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board), and by specialists and experts from the countries concerned. In addition to the flight recorder, these specialists are responsible for an examination of the debris. Normally, the airplane is reconstructed from the pieces in order to determine the cause of the crash. Yet in the case of MH 017 normal procedures were not followed. No representatives from Boeing appeared on the site. The airliner was not pieced together in order to determine the cause of its destruction. The information in the black boxes has not been revealed. Therefore, we have to arrive at a conclusion based on experience and the information available. [MH17]
• NATO attacks!
  By Pepe Escobar First thing we do, let's kill all the myths. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is nothing but the Security Council of the Empire of Chaos. You don't need to be a neo-Foucault hooked on Orwellian/Panopticon practices to admire the hyper-democratic "ring of steel" crossing average roads, parks and even ringing castle walls to "protect" dozens of NATO heads of state and ministers, 10,000 supporting characters and 2,000 journalists from the real world in Newport, Wales - and beyond. NATO's summit in Wales also provides outgoing secretary-general Anders "Fogh of War" Rasmussen the chance to display his attack dog repertoire. It's as if he's auditioning for a starring role in a remake of Tim Burton's epic Mars Attacks! Fogh of War is all over the place, talking "pre-positioning of supplies, equipment" - euphemism for weapons; boosting bases and headquarters in host countries; and touting a 10,000-strong, rapid reaction "spearhead" force to respond to Russian "aggression" and deployable in a maximum of five days. Meanwhile, in a bad cop-bad cop routine, outgoing president of the European Commission, outstanding mediocrity Jose Manuel Barroso, leaked that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him over the phone later last week he could take Kiev in a fortnight if he wanted. Well, Putin could. If he wanted. But he doesn't want it. [NATO] [SCO]
• Why negotiations are likely ‘the only way out’ of Ukraine crisis
  JUDY WOODRUFF: At the meeting in Minsk today, the rebels softened their demand for outright independence. Instead, they offered to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty in exchange for a measure of autonomy. For more on today’s developments, I talked a short while ago with Fred Weir of The Christian Science Monitor, reporting in Moscow. Fred Weir, thank you very much for talking with us. Before I ask you about the diplomacy, give us an update on the situation on the ground. Does one side or another now have — clearly have the upper hand?
  FRED WEIR, The Christian Science Monitor: Well, yes, it has shifted back and forth over the past several months. But it appears that the Ukrainian armed forces overextended themselves. They surrounded the two rebel capitals. And the rebels did give up a lot of territory. Turns out they were kind of enticing the Ukrainians into a trap. And they appear to have encircled several concentrations of Ukrainian forces. They have apparently taken 700 prisoners just in the last few days. So, at the moment, in that area — that is the eastern provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk — the rebels clearly have the upper hand. They are on the offensive, and Kiev forces are retreating. It doesn’t mean that they’re going to march on Kiev any time soon, but they certainly seem to have reversed their fortunes. And they may now be in a very, very strong position to bargain for some kind of autonomy or even independence. [Ukraine]
• Return of the Evil Empire
  by Jason Hirthler You have to hand it to them. The United States media machine is unequaled at producing and disseminating misinformation. It begins in the bowels of the State Department or White House or Pentagon and is filtered out through the government’s front organizations, otherwise known as Mainstream Media (MSM). In 2014 the U.S. has succeeded in demonizing Vladimir Putin and Russia, precipitating a New Cold War that may yet become a hot one. The evil empire is back. The White House has made proficient use of mass media propaganda to get the job done. First, they’ve controlled the narrative. This is critical for two reasons: one, because it permits the White House to sweep the February coup in Kiev into the dustbin of American memory, never to be seen again. Second, it has allowed it to swiftly assert its claim that Russia is a dangerously expansionist power on the edges of a serene and peace-loving Europe. In other words, the omission of one fact and commission of another. [Russia confrontation] [Media]
• Ukraine’s soldiers defend city of Mariupol amid fears of pro-Russian rebels
  By Annie Gowen August 31 at 6:10 AM ? MARIUPOL, Ukraine — Soldiers fortified trenches and protesters formed a human chain Saturday to try to defend this strategic port city in southeastern Ukraine as fear spread that Russia would expand its incursion into its neighbor. Military analysts think Mariupol could be a next target because it has access to the sea and also would provide a valuable land bridge to Crimea, the former autonomous Ukrainian territory annexed by Russia in March. Rebels supported by Russian soldiers, tanks and armored personnel vehicles seized control of the town of Novoazovsk — just 30 miles east of here — Thursday, according to Ukrainian military officials. On Sunday morning, residents said the town had quieted, although it remains under insurgent control. [Ukraine]
• The European Union Isn't Going To Bail Out Ukraine
  The European Union has had a pretty rough run over the past seven years. Economically, things are simply catastrophic. The Eurozone is not only experiencing an output slump that is even worse than the great depression, it is also teetering dangerously close to outright deflation. Unemployment remains persistently high everywhere except Germany: it is still above 25% in both Greece and Spain, and above 10% in Portugal, Italy, and France. The forecasts are hardly encouraging, with expectations of little or no growth in 2014 and an exceedingly modest rebound predicted for 2015. The situation is so desperate and hopeless that respected economists like Tyler Cowen have started to compare the performance of the more sclerotic European economies with the de-industrialization of 19th century India. Politically, things aren’t a whole lot better. The most recent elections to the European Parliament in late May saw Euroskeptics and radicals of various stripes storm to unprecedented victories. Even The Economist, which has been relentless in its promotion of the EU, sounded the alarm, admitting that the previous “bastion of European federalism” was set to become a “beachhead for all sorts of anti-Europeans.” There’s also the small matter that Viktor Orban, Hungary’s president, has all but declared war on “liberal democracy.” This is just a little bit awkward because Hungary is a member of an organization explicitly founded on liberal democratic concepts. The EU is now in the unprecedented position of needing to confront an avowedly “illiberal” regime within its own ranks. As I hope the above makes clear, the EU is barely holding itself together. Even in a relatively optimistic scenario, it will have experienced a “lost decade” of economic growth, and tens of millions of Europeans will have had their professional lives deeply and negatively impacted by the European elite’s inability to effectively respond to the crisis. Political radicalism has already been strengthened to a frightening degree, and its anyone’s guess where the process will lead. In such a situation the EU is pretty obviously not in a position to bail anyone else out. Economically the EU doesn’t have the money and, politically, there is no will for further “expansion. [EU] [Ukraine]

• “Russia Invades Ukraine”, Strategic NATO Public Relations Stunt. Where are the Russian Tanks?
  By Prof Michel Chossudovsky Global Research, August 29, 2014 Read the London tabloids. Russia has launched “a full-scale invasion”. A vast propaganda campaign has been launched. Where is the evidence? The media is spreading “fake evidence” in the week leading up to the Wales NATO Summit. The objective is to herald Russia as the aggressor. What is at stake is a strategic public relations stunt. Sixty countries will be represented at the NATO Summit in Wales on 4-5 September including the 28 NATO member states. NATO Summit Wales 2014The media lies “fit the military agenda” already formulated by the Pentagon in consultation with NATO and Her Majesty’s Government. US-NATO requires “evidence” to build a political consensus at the Wales NATO Summit on September 4-5 hosted by Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron. According to PM David Cameron in a letter addressed to heads of State and heads of government of NATO member states ahead of the Summit: [Ukraine]
• Washington Piles Lie Upon Lie
  By Paul Craig Roberts August 29, 2014 "ICH" - The latest Washington lie, this one coming from NATO, is that Russia has invaded Ukraine with 1,000 troops and self-propelled artillery. How do we know that this is a lie? Is it because we have heard nothing but lies about Russia from NATO, from US ambassador to the UN Samantha Power, from assistant secretary of state Victoria Nuland, from Obama and his entire regime of pathological liars, and from the British, German, and French governments along with the BBC and the entirety of the Western media? This, of course, is a good reason for knowing that the latest Western propaganda is a lie. Those who are pathological liars don’t suddenly start telling the truth. But there are even better reasons for understanding that Russia has not invaded Ukraine with 1,000 troops. One reason is that Putin has invested heavily in diplomacy backed by unprovocative behavior. He would not risk his bet on diplomacy by sending in troops too few in number to have a decisive effect on the outcome. Another reason is that if Putin decides he has no alternative to sending the Russian military to protect the Russian residents in eastern and southern Ukraine, Putin will send in enough troops to do the job quickly as he did in Georgia when the American and Israeli trained Georgian army invaded South Ossetia and was destroyed in a few hours by the Russian response. If you hear that 100,000 Russian troops accompanied by air cover have invaded Ukraine, it would be a more believable claim. A third reason is that the Russian military does not need to send troops into Ukraine in order to stop the bombing and artillery shelling of the Russian populations by Washington’s puppet government in Kiev. The Russian air force can easily and quickly destroy the Ukrainian air force and artillery and, thereby, stop the Ukrainian attack on the secessionist provinces. [Ukraine]
• Gazprom ready to offer $100 gas price discount to Ukraine — minister
  August 29, 13:10 UTC+4 Russia and the European Union have made progress in gas talks but a final result has not yet been achieved, European Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettigner says © ITAR-TASS/Alexander Ryumin Gazprom’s position at Russia-Ukraine gas talks unchanged — CEO MOSCOW, August 29. /ITAR-TASS/. Gazprom is ready to offer Ukraine a gas price discount of $100 before an arbitration ruling, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Friday. Russia’s current gas price for Ukraine stands at $485.5 per 1,000 cubic meters. Novak made this statement after talks with EU Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger who had arrived in Moscow on Friday to try to find a solution to the Russia-Ukraine gas price dispute. The minister said this proposal was consistent with the effective gas contract between Russia and Ukraine and could be formalized by an additional agreement.
• Back to the Cold War
  by Serge Halimi Paris. In 1980 Ronald Reagan expressed his idea of relations between the United States and the Soviet Union in one short sentence: “We win, they lose.” Twelve years later, his immediate successor at the White House, George H W Bush, was satisfied that the task had been accomplished: “A world once divided into two armed camps now recognises one, sole and pre-eminent power, the United States of America.” The cold war was officially at an end. That period too is now over. Its death knell sounded on the day Russia had had enough of “losing” and realised that its ritual humiliation would never come to an end, with one neighbouring country after another being persuaded — or bribed — into joining an economic and military alliance against it. Obama, speaking in Brussels in March, stressed that “Today, NATO planes patrol the skies over the Baltics and we’ve reinforced our presence in Poland. And we’re prepared to do more” (1). Vladimir Putin, addressing the Russian parliament, observed that this was part of the “infamous policy of containment” that the western powers had pursued against Russia since the 18th century (2). [NCW] [Russia confrontation]
• 'New NK envoy to boost Russian ties'
  By Yi Whan-woo North Korea appointed Kim Hyung-joon its new ambassador to Russia, Thursday, in a possible bid to bolster Pyongyang's relations with Moscow amid its strained relationship with China, according to an analyst, Friday. "Pyongyang has been trying to draw Beijing's attention recently by strengthening its relationship with Moscow," said Hong Hyun-ik, a senior researcher at the private Sejong Institute think tank. "It's possible that North Korea intended to show its willingness to enhance its friendship with Russia by appointing the new ambassador," Hong said, referring to Kim, 65, North Korea's vice foreign minister. The Korean Central News Agency, Pyongyang's state-controlled media, reported on Thursday that Kim Hyung-joon will replace Kim Yong-jae, who served as the country's top envoy for Pyongyang's embassy in Moscow from September 2006. [Russia NK]
• The Eurasian initiative by the President of South Korea
  2rr3On October 18, 2013, in her opening speech at the International Conference on Cooperation in Eurasia, South Korean President, Park Geun-hye, proposed the so-called “Eurasian initiative.” Such is an ambitious plan that would see a change in the fundamentals of the global economy, diplomacy and the geography of national security. Under the slogan of “one continent”, “creative continent”, “peaceful continent”, it raises the idea of the creation and development of South Korea with the countries of Eurasia by a single and unified system of transport, energy, trade networks, along with the implementation of economic cooperation and exchanges within the spheres of science, technology, culture, including at the level of interpersonal relationships, and thus improving inter-Korean relations based on trust. Officially, based on this initiative, there is recognition of the fact that, in order for stable economic growth of South Korea to occur, it is necessary to develop cooperation with the states of Eurasia, states which are becoming increasingly more important and influential in the world. Promotion of this initiative is in full swing which makes it necessary to give a brief tutorial about what is behind the project and how it may hold particular interest for Russia. According to the author, at the heart of the Eurasian initiative there are three not mutually exclusive motivations, and depending on the interpretation of the ideological bias, any of the three can be highlighted. Firstly, every president should have a legacy project, such as the “low-carbon green growth economy of Lee Myung-bak, regardless of how active and realistic such a project is to achieve. [Eurasian landbridge] [Park Geun-hye] [Rhetoric]
• Merkel Takes Charge of Pacifying Ukraine
  23 Aug 22, 2014 12:48 PM EDT By Leonid Bershidsky As keeps happening, German Chancellor Angela Merkel finds herself in a leading role on the global stage -- this time in resolving the Ukraine crisis. Of all the world leaders, she's the one visiting Kiev tomorrow on the eve of Ukraine's Independence Day celebrations. Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin expects nothing less than a "Merkel Plan" to rival the U.S.'s post-World War II Marshall Plan for Europe. As usual, however, Merkel will probably damp expectations of anything spectacular, while playing the part that falls to her by default. Although Merkel's East German heart may be with the Kiev politicians trying to break from an increasingly re-Sovietized Russia, and though she may be irritated with Russian President Vladimir Putin's poker-faced intransigence, her interest is in calming things down so Germany can go about the business of repairing its economy. The German Finance Ministry said in its monthly review of the nation's finances that the unexpected 0.2 percent drop in second-quarter gross domestic product must have been due to "the economic skid marks of the Ukraine crisis," citing both "the direct effect of sanctions against Russia and economic players' uncertainties." The sanctions have broadened since, as the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 fortified European leaders' resolve. Russia has retaliated by banning some imported foods, so the uncertainties were justified. [Merkel] [Ukraine]
• On Threshold of New World System
  Alexander Donetsky | 21.08.2014 | 00:00 Europe was really shocked by the sanctions Russia introduced in retaliation to the punitive actions imposed by the European Union, the United States and some other states. It’s not only the psychological effect defined by Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Paet as, «Today only the United States and the European Union have a right to punish bad boys, and Russia does not have such a right». The real cause is gloomy outlook for many EU members as a result of Moscow’s reaction. At first Western media enthusiastically reported that the Russia’s leadership is going to make its people die of hunger. But these assessments happened to be as far from the truth as the dubious professionalism of their authors from the real skills required for serious analytical work. First, there are few products which have no analogues produced in other countries. Their absence is a problem for a narrow circle of people with unique tastes and needs, not general public. It’s not a big thing if there is no original Parma ham in Buryatia, it won’t spark hunger riots there. If Veuve Clicquot champagne is not seen on the shelves in Slavyansk-na-Kubani, it will hardly change drastically the life of local people. Second, markets are never empty. Russia-produced poultry will substitute for "Bush legs" (a prevailing term in the post-Soviet states that denotes chicken leg quarters from the United States), license produced or similar cheese from Kazakhstan and Belarus will fill the shops and markets of Russian provincial areas instead of the «public» cheese produced in the Netherlands and Italy. Kazakhstan and Belarus compete to increase dairy sales. Many people who like apples will know that Almaty, not Warsaw, is translated as «father of apples». Third, those who have joined the new economic association built together with Moscow and its would-be members will be grateful to Washington and Brussels for imposing sanctions on Russia. The countries allied with Moscow will get more profits at the expense of European farmers. [Russia confrontation] [Sanctions] [Unintended consequences]
• Rabobank warns of Ukraine crisis fallout
  Institution warns of knock-on effects from Russia sanctions after announcing 3% fall in net profits Shane Hickey and agencies theguardian.com, Thursday 21 August 2014 09.45 BST The conflict in Ukraine and its potential impact on the world economy has led Rabobank, the largest Dutch mortgage lender, to warn of possible knock-on effects to its business. The bank said its net profit slipped by 3% to €1.1bn (£880m) in the first half of the year, owing to charges related to the Dutch bank SNS which was bailed out by the government. The outlook for 2014 is uncertain, Rabobank said in a statement, partly due to the Ukraine crisis and the possible impact on the global economy. "Russian sanctions can have an adverse impact on a number of our business customers and may therefore also adversely affect Rabobank's result to a limited extent," it said. [Russia confrontation] [Sanctions] [EU] [Dilemma]
• Russian bombers increase flights near U.S. airspace
  Michael Winter, USA TODAY 9:11 p.m. EDT August 7, 2014 For the second time since June, Russian nuclear bombers escorted by fighter jets have flown near U.S. and Canadian airspace around Alaska in recent days, prompting precautionary intercepts by American warplanes. The encounters come amid Russian war games along the border with eastern Ukraine, raising Western concerns that Moscow might invade to support pro-Moscow separatists battling the Kiev government since spring. STORY: Russian war games raise fear of Ukraine invasion A U.S. air command official acknowledged at least 16 Russian forays around Alaska and northern Canada in the past 10 days, describing them as routine training missions. One intercept spotted a Russian spy plane among the Tupolev Tu-95 "Bear" bombers and Tu-142 reconnaissance and anti-submarine aircraft. [Russia confrontation] [Media]
• Another Journalist Exposes MH17 False Flag
  There has been much commentary concerning the downing of the MH17 plane in Ukraine. Strangely enough, whenever the US position is presented it is not backed by credible evidence, but presented as fact nonetheless. The opposite view – that it was not the Russians who shot down the plane, as the actual evidence suggests – has not been presented so often, and when it has action has been taken against those who say it – reports are pulled, journalists have their communications intercepted, etcetera. Here William F. Engdahl, political expert, who has taken the effort to study the evidence available, beyond social media accounts. He list what is not, shares his opinion of what happened to the Malaysian Airlines plane and gives insight into possible motivations and why the unsubstantial claims do not hold water. [MH17]
• Russia – Egypt Boost Strategic Cooperation
  Boris Dolgov | 19.08.2014 | 00:00 Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil al-Sisi, the President of Egypt, visited Russia on August 12. The summit became a breakthrough giving a powerful impetus for development of bilateral relations. The presidents reached deals to create a free trade zone with Eurasian countries and a Russian industrial zone in Egypt as part of the Suez Canal Axis. The new segment of the canal will be 45 miles long, branching off from the current canal, which is 120 miles. The extension is needed to reduce waiting times for vessels from an average of 11 hours to three. The relationship between Egypt and the Customs Union of Russia, Belorussia and Kazakhstan is to become closer. Military cooperation will continue, including armor and air defense systems deliveries to Egypt. The two countries join efforts in space research. In April 2014 a Russian rocket carried an Egyptian satellite into orbit. Egypt is to increase exports to Russia. Tourism is also to get a new impulse for further progress. The international agenda of the talks included such burning problems as the crises in Syria, Iraq, Libya and the aggravation of the stand-off in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Palestine. Radical Islam exercises growing influence using terror as an instrument of political struggle. Egypt and Russia have rich experience of facing Islamic radicals. The majority of Egyptians perceive al-Sisi as a national leader who has saved the country from plunging into the quagmire of civil war. An internal conflict was brewing in the days of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi’s tenure. Al-Sisi was Defense Minister in July 2013. He had the support of left-wing and liberal political forces, the Salafist al-Nour political party, the Constitutional Court, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Grand Mufti of Egypt, Al-Azhar Muslim University and the patriarch of Coptic Orthodox Church. With this wide backing behind him al-Sisi deposed then President Morsi who represented the Muslim Brotherhood. Those events went down in the history of Egypt as the «Revolution of June 30» (on June 30, 2013 the army sent an ultimatum to Morsi). [Egypt Russia]
• The U.S. needs Russia [Commentary]
  Instead of alienating Russians, we should be pulling them in
  By Jerome Israel 2:12 p.m. EDT, August 19, 2014 The U.S. needs Russia. This may sound peculiar coming from a person who spent 25 years at the NSA, almost half of those fighting communism. But our approach to Russia since the end of the Cold War has been unimaginative and aggressive. Politicians in Washington put on their Cold-War glasses any time Russia makes noise. It's time to archive those in the Smithsonian. Many notable academics agree that our policies toward Russia are flawed, but my conclusion — that we need Russia — is derived from the kind of work we mastered at NSA: carefully listening to and analyzing communications, in this case what Russians have said openly on social networks and in private conversations with me during a recent trip to Russia. Unfortunately, for Americans schooled in "exceptionalism," what they say is hard to accept. Many don't like us. They despise our government, our swagger and how we have bullied our way across the globe since the end of the Cold War. Russians were humiliated then; it's no wonder that I saw a Russian youth with his fist held high under a gargantuan Soviet-era monument: the Worker and Collective Farm Girl. Russians opine about the respect, power and authority they once enjoyed. Russians resent how NATO has brought Poland, the Baltics and other Eastern European countries under its wing. Rightly or wrongly, they continue to believe that at the end of the Cold War, then-Secretary of State James Baker promised Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev that the U.S. would not expand NATO "one inch to the east." To put this in more comprehensible terms, recall that less than 20 years ago this country was outraged by the prospect of China potentially operating the Panama Canal. Imagine China having a military toe-hold in Mexico. [Russia confrontation] [NATO enlargement]
• Korean-Russians pull off unification drive
  AUGUST 18, 2014 04:31 Korean-Russians pull off unification drive . AUGUST 18, 2014 04:31. . “At last, we made it!” An auto trek rally team commemorating the 150th anniversary of Koreans moving to Russia has passed North Korea and arrived in South Korea on August 16. This is a first time a team has driven an automobile through Siberia and visited both Koreas. They set off from Russia on July 7, and 40 days later, they arrived at the Dorasan Inter-Korean Transit Town Office in Paju, Gyeonggi Province at the inter-Korean border. The 32 members and the eight vehicles of the rally team passed through Uzbekistan, then through Khabarovsk, Sakhalin, Vladivostok, and North Korea to arrive in the South. They have logged some 15,000 km, or 380km per day. The Committee for Commemoration Project of the 150th Anniversary of the Relocation of Koryo People said this is to travel in reverse order the route Koreans took when they left the Korean Peninsula to Russia. Since the team donated three of their vehicles to North Korea, just five cars arrived in South Korea. The Chairman of the association for Koreans in Russia Cho Vasiliy said at the welcome ceremony on August 16 that completing the rally well will chip in with improving inter-Korean relations. He said he hoped for increased peace and goodwill between the two Koreas. The rally team will continue its drive after arriving in Korea. On the first day, August 16, the team members will attend a banquet hosted by the Speaker of the National Assembly Chung Ui-hwa. On August 17, they will visit Ansan-si, Gyeonggi Province to pay respects to the victims of the Sewol ferry sinking and console the bereaved families. The team will then, on August 18, attend mass at Myeongdong Cathedral said by Pope Francis who is currently visiting Korea, and deliver a message of peace. On the 19th, the team will drive to Busan as part of a people participatory drive, which sets out from Seoul together with some 100 South Koreans, to complete its Russia-Korea journey. They will then follow the eastern coastline of Korea into the northeastern Gangwon Province on a mountains and rivers pilgrimage then leave Korea from Donghae Port on August 24.
• Can Russia stage a comeback in space?
  Ivan Safronov 18 August 2014 Fifty years ago, the USSR was in the lead in the proxy war that was the space race, but now Russia is better known for rockets that either fail to launch or crash when they do. The Russian space programme has been in the doldrums for a couple of decades now. It may have been the pride and joy of the USSR, but since the breakup of the Soviet Union, Russia has been unable to create anything new out of the ageing technology it inherited from that time; and has been reduced to an endless rehashing of old designs, with limited success. But now it is crunch time: Russia has to either rethink its space exploration policy, and restructure the industry around new goals, or just leave its Soviet resources to run down until its decline becomes irreversible. Structural changes Discussion of the space industry’s ‘systemic crisis’ is nothing new: people were already talking about it in the early 2000s, when the space and aviation sectors were brought together under the aegis of the Russian Aviation and Space Agency (RAKA), set up some ten years earlier. But this structure was extremely unwieldy and, although the sectors were closely related, such close cooperation didn’t always produce effective results. [Aerospace]
• The Ukraine, Corrupted Journalism, and the Atlanticist Faith
  By Karel van Wolferen • August 14, 2014 • 4,000 Words • 111 Comments shutterstock_125120744 The European Union is not (anymore) guided by politicians with a grasp of history, a sober assessment of global reality, or simple common sense connected with the long term interests of what they are guiding. If any more evidence was needed, it has certainly been supplied by the sanctions they have agreed on last week aimed at punishing Russia. One way to fathom their foolishness is to start with the media, since whatever understanding or concern these politicians may have personally they must be seen to be doing the right thing, which is taken care of by TV and newspapers. In much of the European Union the general understanding of global reality since the horrible fate of the people on board the Malaysian Airliner comes from mainstream newspapers and TV which have copied the approach of Anglo-American mainstream media, and have presented ‘news’ in which insinuation and vilification substitute for proper reporting. Respected publications, like the Financial Times or the once respected NRC Handelsblad of the Netherlands for which I worked sixteen years as East Asia Correspondent, not only joined in with this corrupted journalism but helped guide it to mad conclusions. The punditry and editorials that have grown out of this have gone further than anything among earlier examples of sustained media hysteria stoked for political purposes that I can remember. The most flagrant example I have come across, an anti-Putin leader in the (July 26) Economist Magazine, had the tone of Shakespeare’s Henry V exhorting his troops before the battle of Agincourt as he invaded France. [Media] [Russia confrontation]
• The European Union and the Trade War with Russia (I)
  Valentin Katasonov | 16.08.2014 | 00:00 The issue of the trade and economic war between the West and Russia instigated by Washington has intensified in recent days. The United States is unable to conduct a trade and economic war against Russia by itself, since trade volumes between Russia and America are relatively modest. In 2013, US imports from Russia amounted to $11.2 billion, while exports from the US to Russia amounted to $16.5 billion. Accordingly, America’s share of Russian exports last year was 2.5 per cent, and its share of imports was 6.0 per cent. In 2013, the US ranked just 20th on the list of Russia’s trade partners. But the share of countries in the European Union, made up of 28 countries, last year reached 50 per cent of Russia’s foreign trade turnover. In other words, Washington is unable to unleash an economic war against Russia without its European allies. Consequently, the main burden of the war, as always, will fall not on the New World, but the Old one. This is familiar to America. It is also familiar to Europe. To better understand how Russia’s trade partners in Europe might feel and behave in an economic war, we will use European, rather than Russian, statistics. [Russia confrontation] [Sanctions] [EU] [Dilemma]
• Putin, Sisi announce Russian free trade zone, industrial city in Egypt
  by nsnbc TCP : In his first official visit to Russia after being inaugurated on June 8, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi reached deals Tuesday with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to create a free trade zone with Eurasian countries and a Russian industrial zone in Egypt. In a press conference between both presidents held Tuesday in Sochi, Russia, Putin said that his country would consider a free trade zone with Egypt. “The free trade zone will be established in Egypt,” Rashad Abdo, head of the Egyptian Center for Economic Studies, told The Cairo Post Tuesday. Abdo said the free trade zone will not be limited to just exchanging duty-free products, but also enhance and promote investments between both sides. [SEZ] [Egypt Russia]
• Russia to upgrade missile attack warning system
  July 4, 2014 Tatyana Rusakova, RBTH The Oko-1 ballistic missile early detection system, which formed part of Russia’s missile attack warning system (MAWS), is to be superseded by a new unified outer space system capable of tracking tactical missiles as well as ballistic ones. inShare6 Share by e-mail Related Russia tests new radar monitoring system in space New radar station of Russian Aerospace Defense Forces can trace cruise missiles - commander Russian Army receives new BMD-4M ‘airborne’ assault vehicles Tags defense military space army Defense Headlines Russian Army receives new BMD-4M ‘airborne’ assault vehicles Taking war into the skies: The age of the airship The Yak-130: The Russian Army’s ‘flying iPhone’ Arms race: Tank biathlon world championship begins near Moscow (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Voronezh-M radar station in the Irkutsk region. Source: ITAR-TASS It came to light recently that the last geostationary satellite of the Oko-1 ballistic missile early detection system had gone out of commission. The 71H6 apparatus, put into orbit in March 2012, was operational for only a third of its expected working life. The loss of the satellite weakened the outer space segment of the missile attack warning system (MAWS), which is one of the main elements of the country's strategic defense system. Source: Russia Beyond the Headlines - http://rbth.com/defence/2014/07/04/russia_to_upgrade_missile_attack_warning_system_37961.html) [Military balance]
• MH17 Brought Down by Air-to-Air Missile, Finished Off by 30-mm Cannon, Experts Allege
  MOSCOW, August 6 (RIA Novosti) – The Malaysian Boeing plane that crashed in eastern Ukraine in mid-July, could have been brought down by an air-to-air missile and a cannon of the Su-25 fighter that had been “shadowing it,” The New Straits Times reported on Wednesday citing experts. Experts believe that MH17 flight was shot down by an air-to-air missile fired from the fighter that later finished it off with a burst of 30mm cannon fire, the newspaper has reported. According to the experts, if this hypothesis is true, it would explain the bullet holes in some sections of MH17’s fuselage. “Some showed blast patterns consistent with shrapnel from a proximity-fused weapon while some showed the more precise grouping consistent with that of cannon fire. We’re analyzing this,” said one of the sources, adding that a detailed analysis of the pieces of the jetliner is needed to corroborate this emerging theory. Under this new version, the heat-seeker would have aimed at the hottest part of the aircraft's engines. These claims rule out the previous version that the aircraft had been downed by the BUK missile system (NATO SA-11 'Gadfly'). “A BUK-M1, with its 70 kg head, would have been enough bring down the airliner without the need to go in for a guns kill,” the sources said. The Sukhoi Su-25 close-air support aircraft (NATO Frogfoot) has a maximum service ceiling of about 25,000 feet (7,620 meters). It has an internally mounted 30mm cannon for anti-armor work, the report said. “The Su-25 would have been operating at the extreme corner of its performance envelope but it’s entirely possible,” the sources added. Five days after the deadly crash, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the “shadowing” the MH17 was a Russian-manufactured Sukhoi Su-25 close-air support aircraft operated by the Ukrainian Air Force. The presence of the Ukrainian combat jet can be confirmed by video shots made by the Rostov monitoring center, said Lt. Gen. Andrei Kartapolov, the head of the Main Operations Directorate of the HQ of Russia’s military forces. The ministry’ s analysis of MH17 showed that the Russian air traffic control system picked up a deviation in the flight path of 14 kilometers north from the fixed corridor, well inside Ukrainian airspace, while following its assigned flight level of 33,000 feet. This deviation in the flight path could have been performed only under the instruction of Ukraine’s air traffic controllers. Russian radar nets also picked up “activity” by the Ukrainian Air Force in the area at the time MH17 was airborne. The air-to-ground transmission tapes between MH17 and Ukrainian air traffic controllers were seized by the Ukrainian Security Service on the day of the shootdown and have not been made available to investigators. Media reports said earlier that the information provided by the black boxes from the Boeing plane, which have not been so far unveiled to public, said that the aircraft was damaged by multiple fragments of a missile. [MH17]
• Cold War Think Tanks: Back to Business
  2014 is starting to look and sound and feel an awful lot like 1964. If you find yourself sitting at home wondering how 50 years could go by with so much historical change and global shifting and yet still end up basically back at the starting point of a quasi-Cold War between the United States and Russia, then please allow me to offer one slightly unique explanation as to how this has all come to pass: it’s my fault. Well, alright, it’s not exactly my personal fault, for I am a member of what we call in the United States as Generation X. I am also a recognized expert on Russia. And unfortunately those two things (Generation X Russian expert) are about as rare a sighting as a unicorn wave-surfing the Loch Ness monster off the shores of Ibiza. The reason for this might be somewhat surprising to our readers and is most certainly NOT openly discussed in our various academic, professional, and diplomatic conferences. There is not a dearth of Generation X Russian experts because somehow we all magically just forgot there was a place called Russia starting in the early 1990s. No, there is a giant numerical gap because we forgot the wonderfully inexplicable uniqueness of Russia, despite over 1000 years of political intrigue and historical evidence. We forgot that Russia will NEVER be irrelevant. The celebration in the West of the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the ‘end of history’ and the ‘eternal victory’ of democracy over all other political systems was quietly and unassumingly accompanied by an almost unconscious DE-EMPHASIS in prestigious American graduate schools. Russia was pushed aside because, after all, it had not only lost the Cold War: surely its destiny was to become a quasi-democracy, a political also-ran and an economic swamp that would be basically unimportant on the global stage. The fact that Russia faced a demographic crisis in the first half of the 1990s, actually watching its overall population SHRINK as opposed to grow, and the academic and governmental communities in the United States shook their collective heads and felt justified in thinking that if democracy was not in fact the end of history, it was at least the end of needing to focus on Russia. And so by 1997, when many Gen Xers would naturally be advancing through their advanced doctoral degrees and various PhD programs, selecting dissertation committees and deciding on deep and complex theses, we were subtly but decisively given a strong piece of advice: leave Russia alone. [Russia confrontation] [Education]
• My Money’s on Putin
  by Mike Whitney “History shows that the United States has benefited politically and economically from wars in Europe. The huge outflow of capital from Europe following the First and Second World Wars, transformed the U.S. into a superpower … Today, faced with economic decline, the US is trying to precipitate another European war to achieve the same objective.” – Sergey Glazyev, Russian politician and economist “The discovery of the world’s largest, known gas reserves in the Persian Gulf, shared by Qatar and Iran, and new assessments which found 70 percent more gas in the Levantine in 2007, are key to understanding the dynamics of the conflicts we see today. After a completion of the PARS pipeline, from Iran, through Iraq and Syria to the Eastern Mediterranean coast, the European Union would receive more than an estimated 45 percent of the gas it consumes over the next 100 – 120 years from Russian and Iranian sources. Under non-conflict circumstances, this would warrant an increased integration of the European, Russian and Iranian energy sectors and national economies.” – Christof Lehmann, Interview with Route Magazine The United States failed operation in Syria, has led to an intensification of Washington’s proxy war in Ukraine. What the Obama administration hoped to achieve in Syria through its support of so called “moderate” Islamic militants was to topple the regime of Bashar al Assad, replace him with a US-backed puppet, and prevent the construction of the critical Iran-Iraq-Syria pipeline. That plan hasn’t succeeded nor will it in the near future, which means that the plan for the prospective pipeline will eventually go forward. Why is that a problem? [Gas] [Russia confrontation]
• Russian aid convoy heads for Ukraine amid doubts over lorries' contents
  Kiev says it will turn back shipment which Moscow describes as humanitarian but which west says could be prelude to invasion Alec Luhn in Moscow and Luke Harding The Guardian, Tuesday 12 August 2014 19.43 BST A convoy of lorries which Russia says are carrying humanitarian aid The Russian convoy stops behind a police escort near the city of Yelets, about 220 miles from the Ukrainian border, on Tuesday night. Photograph: Maxim Shemetov/Reuters A huge Russian convoy allegedly carrying humanitarian aid was on its way to war-torn eastern Ukraine on Tuesday night, in a operation which the west fears may be a prelude to a Russian invasion but which Moscow insists is designed to relieve the suffering of besieged residents trapped by conflict. About 280 military lorries hastily repainted white by Russian soldiers trundled off from the Moscow region despite a lack of international agreement over where exactly they were heading or what they contained. Ukraine said it would not allow the convoy to enter its territory. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) – informed by Moscow last week of a possible shipment – said the mode of transporting the aid safely to those who needed it had yet to be worked out. [Ukraine] [Aid] [Media]
• Latin America Eyes Russia
  Nil Nikandrov | 13.08.2014 | 00:21 A Venezuelan journalist I know came to Moscow to highlight Russia’s retaliatory measures taken in response to the United States and European Union’s sanctions. “Putin is the most popular politician in Latin America”, he told me. As to him, “The Russian President enjoys great sympathy among Latin American people no matter the US-backed propaganda outlets work hard to reverse the trend.” I asked the colleague what made the Putin’s rating so high. He said, “There are many reasons. He calls for multipolar world, peaceful dialogue to settle disputes, he can stand on his own if need be. He can take punches and evade provocations. We appreciate his policy aimed at making Russia come back to Latin America and his contribution into boosting political, economic, trade and humanitarian cooperation. We remember the 1990s when Washington pushed Russia to completely withdraw from Latin America. Back then Russian leaders trusted Americans hoping for establishing the relationship based on equality. Many a time they said that Russia could do without friends and allies in the third world making pragmatism prevail. I believe the policy was absolutely wrong; it was more like betraying partners. Putin inspires a hope for future. His policy is a positive alternative aimed at strengthening economic, trade, financial and military cooperation. Venezuela is an example.” [Russia confrontation] [Unintended consequences] [Response]
• Russia presses for aid delivery to eastern Ukraine
  Xinhua, August 11, 2014 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Sunday that his country hopes that the issue of humanitarian aid corridors in eastern Ukraine would soon be resolved. Lavrov said Russia was making efforts to reach an agreement with Ukraine, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the UN on humanitarian aid deliveries to Lugansk and Donetsk regions. "We hope we will be able to deliver aid to those in need as soon as possible." "We think this is a pressing issue that admits of no delay. This issue is under Russian president's control," the Itar-Tass news agency quoted Lavrov as saying. The minister said humanitarian aid was urgently needed in east Ukraine, as Lugansk was left without water and electricity and local hospitals were short of "basic medicines." Lavrov also said a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine is not only possible but necessary, adding that Kiev agreed on the need for a ceasefire in April when it signed the Geneva statement. During an emergency UN Security Council meeting on Tuesday, Russia and the UN called for humanitarian aid corridors to be established in conflict-scarred eastern Ukraine. [Ukraine]
• Inaugural Ceremony of Paektu-Halla Car Riding Held
  Samjiyon, August 10 (KCNA) -- An inaugural ceremony of the "Paektu-Halla car riding for supporting the peace and reunification of the Korean peninsula" took place atop Mt. Paektu Sunday. The riding will mark an occasion in showing the aspiration and will of fellow countrymen to usher in a new era of independent reunification, peace and prosperity under the unfurled banner of the June 15 joint declaration in the idea of By Our Nation Itself. Present there were members of the Russia-cross Korean Peninsula car riding group headed by Kim Chil Song, first vice-chairman of the International United Confederation of Koreans who is chairman of the United Confederation of Koreans in Russia, Ri Song Gon, vice-director of the Agency of Overseas Korean Affairs, officials concerned and lecturers of the Paektusan Revolutionary Battle Sites.
• Russia sending aid convoy to Ukraine despite Western warnings of 'invasion pretext'
  By Adrian Croft and Sergei Karpukhin Brussels/Donetsk Mon Aug 11, 2014 Ukraine says its forces close to taking rebel-held Donetsk Related News • Obama speaks to Ukraine's Poroshenko, White House says • ICRC lays down principles for delivering Russian aid to Ukraine • U.N. aviation task force to look at enforcing intelligence sharing • Obama to Poroshenko: Any Russian intervention 'unacceptable' • EU officials seek to limit impact of Russia's food import ban • Ukraine may force changes in Russian gas transit to Europe (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said on Monday Russia is sending an aid convoy to eastern Ukraine despite urgent Western warnings against using humanitarian help as a pretext for an invasion. With Ukraine reporting Russia has massed 45,000 troops on its border, NATO said there was a "high probability" that Moscow could intervene militarily in the country's east, where Kiev's forces are closing in on pro-Russian separatists. Western countries believe that Putin - who has whipped up the passions of Russians with a nationalist campaign in state-controlled media since annexing Crimea from Ukraine in March - could now send his forces into the east to head off a humiliating rebel defeat. Thousands of people are believed to be short of water, electricity and medical aid due to the fighting, but U.S. President Barack Obama told his Ukrainian counterpart that any Russian intervention without Kiev's consent would be unacceptable and violate international law. [Media] [Ukraine]
• Ron Paul Says U.S. 'Likely Hiding Truth' About MH17 Crash
  The Huffington Post | By Dominique Mosbergen Posted: 08/10/2014 12:34 pm EDT Updated: 08/11/2014 10:59 am EDT The U.S. government "knows a lot more" than it's letting on about the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crash and is "likely hiding [the] truth," according to former Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas). In an Aug. 7 post on his news site, Voices of Liberty, Paul said he believes the U.S., with all its intelligence-gathering capabilities, should have a clear idea of what happened on July 17 when MH17 was shot down over Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. But much of that information, he says, has likely been withheld from the public. "The U.S. government has grown strangely quite on the accusation that it was Russia or her allies that brought down the Malaysian airliner with a buck anti-aircraft missile [sic]," the former GOP presidential candidate wrote. "The little that we have heard from U.S. intelligence is that it has no evidence that Russia was involved. Yet the war propaganda were successful in convincing the American public that it was all Russia’s fault." "It’s hard to believe that the U.S., with all of its spy satellites available for monitoring everything in Ukraine that precise proof of who did what and when is not available," he added. [MH17] [Evidence] [Media]
• How Russian ban on U.S., E.U. food could turn into a windfall for Brazil
  By Dom Phillips August 9 at 3:07 PM SÃO PAULO — As relations among Russia, the United States and the European Union deteriorate over the Ukraine crisis, there may be one unexpected winner: Brazil. On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree banning a list of agricultural products from the United States, the European Union, Canada, Australia and Norway in response to sanctions levied by the West. No sooner had Russia issued the ban than Brazilian producers were lining up to fill the gap. “Brazil will substantially increase its meat and dairy exports,” Brazilian Agriculture Minister Neri Geller said in a statement. “What we see is a window of opportunity,” said Ricardo Santin, vice president for poultry at the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein, which represents chicken and pork producers. Brazil exports $8 billion worth of chicken each year, but Russia currently accounts for only 3 percent of that. In 2013, Brazil's Russian chicken sales amounted to 47,000 metric tons, worth $130 million to $150 million. The country exported 134,000 metric tons of pork to Russia in 2013, which accounted for 26 percent of its exports. [Russia confrontation] [Unintended consequences] [Sanctions] [Brazil]
• Russia, Korean Peninsula Crossing Car Riding Group Here
  Rason, August 8 (KCNA) -- A Russia, Korean Peninsula crossing car riding group headed by Kim Chil Song, first vice-chairman of the International United Confederation of Koreans who is chairman of the United Confederation of Koreans in Russia, arrived at Tumangang Railway Station on Friday to take part in the "Paektu-Halla car riding for supporting the peace and reunification of the Korean peninsula" marking the 150th anniversary of the immigration of Koreans to Russia. [Peace effort]
• UN: Over 1,543 killed in Ukraine fighting in 4 months
  Xinhua, August 9, 2014 Two UN agencies reported to the UN Security Council on Friday that more than 1,543 people have been killed and another 4,396 wounded in Ukraine since fighting flared up in mid-April. Assistant Secretary-General Ivan Simonovic delivered his latest Ukraine report to the 15 council members in a formal meeting, citing figures provided by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine and the UN's World Health Organization. The totals included "civilians, the military and members of the armed groups," or militant separatists, he said. [Ukraine] [Media]
• Will Cameron Prevail Over Germany?
  Arkady Dziuba | 09.08.2014 | 00:02 On August 4 Prime Minister David Cameron visited the NATO Allied headquarters in Brussels. Formally the event was timed with the marking the 100 year anniversary of the British Empire’s entrance into the First World War, but Russia and the events in Ukraine were the issues to dominate the discussions. The Prime Minister puts all the blame on Russia. According to him, NATO has not viewed Russia as an enemy for the recent 23 years. He said while NATO “had only ever sought to be a partner to Russia, not a threat, it is clear that Russia views NATO as an adversary.” David Cameron believes NATO should review the long-term relationship and “revisit the principles that guide our relationship with Russia.” He believes the issue of offering protection to the countries of eastern Europe, especially Poland and the Baltic States, should top the agenda of upcoming NATO summit in Wales at the beginning of September. One of the measures is to reinforce the headquarters in Poland. The NATO’s Multinational Corps Northeast and Joint Force Training Center staffs are based on Polish soil. The Prime Minister supports the idea of pre-positioning ammunition and supplies in eastern Europe along with scheduling a series of exercises “that will make clear we will not be intimidated by Russia’s aggressive behavior.” A few days before visiting HQ in Mons he had sent a letter to other NATO leaders. It says that as the mission in Afghanistan is winding up the alliance should re-focus on deterring Russia as before. The military expenditure of each member should not be lower than 2% of GDP. It’s expedient to provide NATO partners with substantial military aid. Obviously, NATO is going through a crisis period. [Russia confrontation] [MISCOM] [NATO]
• Iran Gives Russia Its Best Chance to Hit Back Against Western Sanctions
  Yulia Yuzik / Moscow Aug. 8, 2014 The recent oil deal between Moscow and Tehran is part of Putin's effort to retaliate against the U.S. and its allies At the end of April, once the first round of Western sanctions against Russia had taken effect, Vladimir Putin warned the U.S. and Europe that he would not let the assault on Russia go unpunished. “The Russian government has already proposed some retaliatory steps,” the Russian President said, and he would “have to think about” hitting back if the West continued to sanction Russia over the crisis in Ukraine. He wasn’t bluffing. This week Russia began lashing out against Western farmers and businesses, as well as Western diplomatic efforts in Iran, as part of a counter-offensive that most observers did not see coming, at least not all at once. Perhaps the most surprising (and self-defeating) part of the retaliation was the decree Putin signed on Wednesday banning the import of food from countries that have sanctioned Russia. The blacklist, which the government published the following day, included many of the items that Russia’s middle class has come to take for granted—quality meat, fish, fruits, vegetables and dairy products from the U.S., Europe, Canada, Australia and Norway—whose businesses make billions of dollars a year on the Russian market for imported food. In a further snub, whose announcement on Thursday was apparently timed to coincide with the food ban, Russia defied the U.S. by granting a three-year residence permit to the American whistleblower Edward Snowden, dimming U.S. hopes of putting Snowden on trial for the disclosure of U.S. intelligence secrets. [Russia confrontation] [Sanctions] [Response]
• MH17: Pockmarks look like from very, very heavy machine gun fire, says first OSCE monitor on-scene
  | 07.08.2014 | 20:22 KUALA LUMPUR: INTELLIGENCE analysts in the United States had already concluded that Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down by an air-to-air missile, and that the Ukrainian government had had something to do with it. This corroborates an emerging theory postulated by local investigators that the Boeing 777-200 was crippled by an air-to-air missile and finished off with cannon fire from a fighter that had been shadowing it as it plummeted to earth. In a damning report dated Aug 3, headlined “Flight 17 Shoot-Down Scenario Shifts”, Associated Press reporter Robert Parry said “some US intelligence sources had concluded that the rebels and Russia were likely not at fault and that it appears Ukrainian government forces were to blame”. This new revelation was posted on GlobalResearch, an independent research and media organisation. [MH17] [Media]
• Putin sanctions may hit Korean carmakers
  By Choi Kyong-ae Automobile and auto parts makers could face a major blow, if Korea joins the U.S. and Europe in imposing economic sanctions on Russia, experts and industry people said Thursday. The U.S. and Europe have recently placed economic sanctions on Russia for giving its support to pro-Russian separatists fighting in Ukraine. Russia has vowed to take retaliatory measures against them. "Nearly 50 percent of Korean exports to Russia consist of automobile and auto parts. Carmakers and parts makers could be hit hard if Korea decides to side with the U.S. and Europe," Cha Yoon-hee, manager of the Emerging Market Research Team at the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), said by telephone. A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday the government has not joined in the sanctions yet. "We will keep a close eye on every development," the spokesman said. When it comes to exports to Russia, they are on the rise and have more room to grow, particularly for carmakers Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors. [Dilemma] [Russia confrontation] [Sanctions]
• Vladimir Putin signs historic $20bn oil deal with Iran to bypass Western sanctions
  Five-year accord will see Russia help Iran organise oil sales, but government denies it has violated international obligations Despite the sanctions, Iran has been looking to boost oil production in recent months, setting a new output target of 5.7m barrels per day (bpd) of crude by 2018 Photo: AP By Andrew Trotman Vladimir Putin has agreed a $20bn (£11.8bn) trade deal with Iran that will see Russia sidestep Western sanctions on its energy sector. Under the terms of a five-year accord, Russia will help Iran organise oil sales as well as “cooperate in the oil-gas industry, construction of power plants, grids, supply of machinery, consumer goods and agriculture products”, according to a statement by the Energy Ministry in Moscow. The Russian government issued a new statement on Wednesday after mysteriously withdrawing a similar release on Tuesday. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Wednesday that his government will help Iran bring its oil to market. In return, Iran wants to imort power and pump equipment, steel products such as pipes, machinery for its leather and textile industries, wood, wheat, pulses, oilseeds and meat. Iran "is also interested in the joint construction of power generation and development of coal deposits", Mr Novak added. [Iran Russia] [Russia confrontation]
• Ukrainian Unity Depends On…Bulgaria?!
  Russia's energy-heavy economy could suffer from Bulgaria's decision to stop construction of the South Stream pipeline. By Alexander Atanasov, August 5, 2014. Ukraine’s war with pro-Russian separatists is not only being decided in the battlefields of eastern Ukraine. Oddly enough, the Ukrainian government’s recapture of Slavyansk and its advance on Donetsk were only made possible because of a decision of the Bulgarian government. The decision was to stop the ongoing construction of South Stream, a new gas pipeline that would have circumvented Ukraine to deliver Russian gas to energy-hungry Europe. Bulgaria made this decision after a low-key visit from three U.S. senators, including John McCain (R-AZ), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Ron Johnson (R-WI), who convinced the Bulgarian government to stop work on the pipeline. [Russia confrontation] [Bulgaria] [Corruption]
• Western plutocracy goes bear hunting
  By Pepe Escobar The post-Cold War status quo in Eastern Europe, not to mention in Western Europe, is now dead. For Western plutocracy, that 0.00001% at the top, the real Masters of the Universe, Russia is the ultimate prize; an immense treasure of natural resources, forests, pristine water, minerals, oil and gas. Enough to drive any NSA-to-CIA Orwellian/Panopticon war game to ecstasy. How to pounce and profit from such a formidable loot? Enter Globocop NATO. Barely out of having its collective behind unceremoniously kicked by a bunch of mountain warriors with Kalashnikovs, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is now fast "pivoting" - that same old Mackinder to Brzezinski game - to Russia. The road map will be put in place at the group's summit in early September in Wales. Meanwhile, the MH17 tragedy is undergoing a fast metamorphosis. When the on-site observations by this Canadian OSCE monitor (watch the video carefully) are compounded with this analysis by a German pilot, a strong probability points to a Ukrainian Su-25's 30 mm auto-cannon firing at the cockpit of MH17, leading to massive decompression and the crash. No missile - not even an air-to-air R-60M, not to mention a BUK (the star of the initial, frenetic American spin). The new possible narrative fits with on-site testimony by eyewitness in this now famously "disappeared" BBC report. Bottom line: MH17 configured as a false flag, planned by the US and botched by Kiev. One can barely imagine the tectonic geopolitical repercussions were the false flag to be fully exposed. [Russia confrontation] [MH17] [US global strategy]
• Ukraine’s frontline troops, surrounded by enemies
  By Carol Morello August 3 at 12:15 PM ? KIEV, Ukraine — The calls home from the front line are very brief, often just two words conveying all that really matters. “I’m alive,” Marina Bershadskaya’s little brother, Sergey, tells her. Then he hangs up to pass the communal cellphone to one of his fellow paratroopers in the 79th Airborne Brigade, deployed to Ukraine’s border with Russia. It has been this way for almost three months, especially in the past few weeks, amid a major Ukrainian offensive against pro-Russian rebels in the east. Even as each day brings Ukrainian gains and the map of rebel-held territory shrinks, the calls have seeded a gnawing fear in the families of troops positioned in the thin, treacherous buffer zone between Ukraine and Russia in the rebel strongholds of Donetsk and Luhansk. Their mission is to stop men and equipment from crossing into Ukraine from Russia via the porous border. They are surrounded by enemies, largely hemmed in by land mines laid by rebels. When bombarded by separatists, they shoot back. But when the artillery fire comes from Russia, they cannot respond. Most of the fire is directed from Russian territory.
  The heavy fighting is taking a toll on the Ukrainian military, which was severely diminished in the two decades after the nation became independent in 1991. The military is growing stronger with experience, a rush of volunteers and three partial mobilizations of trained reservists and soldiers who completed their required army duty. But there are hints of the war’s intensity that cannot be measured in towns retaken and rebels disarmed. Last week, a group of about 40 men from Ukraine’s 51st Mechanized Brigade crossed into Russia. They have since returned to Ukraine of their own volition and at least some are being accused of desertion. [Ukraine]
• Land for gas: Merkel and Putin discussed secret deal could end Ukraine crisis
  Thursday 31 July 2014 Germany and Russia have been working on a secret plan to broker a peaceful solution to end international tensions over Ukraine. The Independent can reveal that the peace plan, being worked on by both Angela Merkel and Vladimir Putin, hinges on two main ambitions: stabilising the borders of Ukraine and providing the financially troubled country with a strong economic boost, particularly a new energy agreement ensuring security of gas supplies. More controversially, if Ms Merkel’s deal were to be acceptable to the Russians, the international community would need to recognise Crimea’s independence and its annexation by Russia, a move that some members of the United Nations might find difficult to stomach. Sources close to the secret negotiations claim that the first part of the stabilisation plan requires Russia to withdraw its financial and military support for the various pro-separatist groups operating in eastern Ukraine. As part of any such agreement, the region would be allowed some devolved powers. At the same time, the Ukrainian President would agree not to apply to join Nato. In return, President Putin would not seek to block or interfere with Ukraine’s new trade relations with the European Union under a pact signed a few weeks ago. Second, Ukraine would be offered a new long-term agreement with Russia’s Gazprom, the giant gas supplier, for future gas supplies and pricing. At present, there is no gas deal in place; Ukraine’s gas supplies are running low and are likely to run out before this winter, which would spell economic and social ruin for the country. Vladimir Putin at a natural gas pipeline in Vladivostok in Russia’s far east in 2011 (Getty) As part of the deal, Russia would compensate Ukraine with a billion-dollar financial package for the loss of the rent it used to pay for stationing its fleets in the Crimea and at the port of Sevastopol on the Black Sea until Crimea voted for independence in March. However, these attempts by Ms Merkel to act as a broker between President Putin and Ukraine’s President, Petro Poroshenko, were put on the back-burner following the shooting down of the MH17 plane in eastern Ukraine. But insiders who are party to the discussions said yesterday that the “German peace plan is still on the table and the only deal around. Negotiations have stalled because of the MH17 disaster but they are expected to restart once the investigation has taken place.” “It is in everyone’s interests to do a deal. Hopefully, talks will be revived if a satisfactory outcome can be reached to investigations now taking place as to the causes of the MH17 catastrophe.” Closer trading ties with the EU have been one of the big ambitions of Mr Poroshenko’s presidency. He has been a staunch supporter of the country’s pro-European movement even though he is unaffiliated to any political party. He was one of the backers of the 2004 Orange Revolution and served as Foreign Minister under Yulia Tymoshenko. [Ukraine] [Germany] [Decline] [Client]
• Was Malaysia Flight 17 Shot Down?
  by Mike Whitney “From start to finish, the Ukraine crisis has been instigated by US imperialism. Every action Washington has taken has been directed at exacerbating and intensifying this crisis. The longer this crisis goes on, the clearer it becomes that US policy is directed not so much at Ukraine as at Russia itself. Ukraine, it would seem, is meant merely to provide the pretext for a war with Russia.” — Bill Van Auken, “Does Washington want war with Russia?“, World Socialist Web Site German pilot and airlines expert, Peter Haisenko, thinks that Malaysia Flight 17 was not blown up by a ground-based antiaircraft missile, but shot down by the type of double-barreled 30-mm guns used on Ukrainian SU-25 fighter planes. Haisenko presented his theory in a widely-circulated and controversial article which appeared on the Global Research website titled “Revelations of German Pilot: Shocking Analysis of the “Shooting Down” of Malaysian MH17. “Aircraft Was Not Hit by a Missile”. Here’s an excerpt from the article: “The facts speak clear and loud and are beyond the realm of speculation: The cockpit shows traces of shelling! You can see the entry and exit holes. The edge of a portion of the holes is bent inwards. These are the smaller holes, round and clean, showing the entry points most likely that of a 30 millimeter caliber projectile….” (“Revelations of German Pilot: Shocking Analysis of the “Shooting Down” of Malaysian MH17. “Aircraft Was Not Hit by a Missile””, Global Research) Haisenko notes that the munitions used on Ukrainian fighters–anti-tank incendiary and splinter-explosive shells–are capable of taking down a jetliner and that the dense pattern of metal penetrated by multiple projectiles is consistent with the firing pattern of a 30-mm gun. The fact that Russian radar spotted a SU 25 in the area where MH17 was attacked, has persuaded many that Haisenko’s analysis is credible. Adding to the controversy, international monitor Michael Bociurkiw, who was one of the first inspectors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to reach the crash site and who spent more than a week examining the ruins–also appears to be convinced that the ill-fated jetliner was not hit by a missile but downed by machinegun fire consistent with the myriad bullet-holes visible on the fuselage. Here’s what he told on CBC World News: “There have been two or three pieces of fuselage that have been really pock-marked. It almost looks like machine gun fire; very, very strong machine gun fire that has left these unique marks that we haven’t seen anywhere else. We’ve also been asked if we’ve seen any signs of a missile? Well, no we haven’t. That’s the answer.” (“Malaysia Airlines MH17: Michael Bociurkiw talks about being first at the crash site“, CBC News. Note: The above quote is from the video) [MH17]
• Humanitarian catastrophe: Lugansk, E. Ukraine, left with no water, power
  Published time: August 05, 2014 10:03 Edited time: August 05, 2014 15:33 A woman cooks over a campfire due to gas cuts in her building on August 3, 2014 in eastern Ukrainian city of Popasna, Lugansk region (AFP Photo / Anatoly Stepanov) 2.2K6273 Tags Energy, Human rights, Military, Ukraine The eastern Ukrainian city of Lugansk has declared a state of humanitarian catastrophe over a lack of medical supplies, electricity, lighting, mobile and internet communication. Some 250,000 civilians are unable to leave, the statement also says. Kiev's bloody eastern Ukraine campaign LIVE UPDATES “As of August 5, Lugansk remains disconnected from electricity. The situation remains critical on the city’s territory. Lugansk is has no energy, is in a state of humanitarian catastrophe. Since Sunday, part of the population in the region’s center have been without light or water, as well as mobile and internet communication,” the statement on the city council website read. Due to high temperatures and the damage to most community services’ cars, rubbish collection “completely stopped,” which is why the city is basically “on the brink of an ecological catastrophe,” the administration said. “Today 250,000 civilian Lugansk residents - mainly retirees and families with children who don’t have the money to leave the city and who have nowhere to go - have been the hostages to the situation: the people are forced to live in the conditions of armed clashes, with the lacking communications, the remaining nutrition disappearing from the counter of shops and supermarkets which are still working,” according to the statement. An especially burning issue has become the lack of medical supplies. [Ukraine]
• Putin says sanctions coming against West; new calls for Ukraine intervention, mission
  Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with local officials in Voronezh, Russia. (Alexei Druzhinin/AP) By Michael Birnbaum and Carol Morello August 5 at 2:23 PM MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday ordered that retaliatory measures be taken in response to Western sanctions against his country, as a top deputy announced an oil deal with Iran that may weaken international efforts to halt the development of that nation’s nuclear program. The Russian Foreign Ministry also called for an international humanitarian intervention in Ukraine’s battle-torn east, a measure that some Western officials have worried may be a precursor to a unilateral Russian effort there as officials say that Russian troops are again building up at the border. The combined efforts came in response to newly-harsh Western sanctions at the same time pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine are increasingly on the defensive. Putin said in a meeting with regional leaders that “the political tools of economic pressure are unacceptable and run counter to all norms and rules,” and he said he had issued orders to take steps to boost domestic manufacturers at the expense of non-Russian ones, although he offered no details. Also on Tuesday, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak signed an agreement with Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zangeneh to broaden the two countries’ economic cooperation over the next five years, focusing on energy and infrastructure. [Russia confrontation] [Sanctions] [Iran]
• Russia Accuses US Of Fabricating Satellite Images, Creating "Wall Of Propaganda" To Incite Other Countries
  Tyler Durden on 08/02/2014 15:47 -0400 It was ten days ago when on the heels of Russia's 30-minute detailed presentation of what it believes happened to MH-17, the US government released a satellite trajectory map of what it says was the flight's path and the site from which the missile was shot as well as various other satellite images "proving" the missile that took down the Boeing 777 was fired by the pro-Russian separatists. Yesterday the Russian defense ministry finally responded to the US release stating that the "satellite images Kiev published as ‘proof’ it didn’t deploy anti-aircraft batteries around the MH17 crash site carry altered time-stamps and are from days after the MH17 tragedy." In other words, the evidence the US has present to form public opinion was in the form of "altered images carrying wrong time-stamps." [MH17]
• Russia hands over MH17 data to investigators
  Xinhua, August 2, 2014 Russian aviation authorities have handed over materials on the downed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 to the international investigation commission. "The group of Russian experts participating in the commission has earlier handed over requested data required for a comprehensive and unbiased probe," Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency said on Friday. The materials include flight data received from the Rostov regional air traffic control center, according to the agency. The Russian experts also discussed with the chairman of the commission the current situation and future plans of investigation. [MH17]
• Seoul hesitates on US call on Russia
  By Yi Whan-woo The government appears to be trying to avoid a direct answer to the United States' call for it to join the international sanctions against Russia in the wake of the Ukraine situation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Friday it did not discuss specific roles the U.S. wants South Korea to play in those sanctions during the recent visit by U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Counter Threat Finance and Sanctions Peter Harrell. "Instead, we said we'll continue to support the international community in trying to solve the conflict involving Russia," a ministry official said on condition of anonymity. His remarks were also reflected by the U.S. government's statement that fell short of saying Seoul has committed to its request. "We talk with South Korea all the time and coordinate with them on sanctions on a host of countries," said Marie Harf, the State Department's spokesperson, during a briefing Thursday. "This was part of that normal outreach, but we believe that the more countries that impose costs on Russia, the more effective those sanctions are, the more people you get on board for them." Farrell's Asia tour took place amid heightened pressure from the U.S. and European Union (EU) against Russia since its annexation of Crimea, part of Ukraine, as well as shooting down a passenger plane by pro-Russian rebels in the region. Some call for the government's caution on joining the sanctions over economic matters, while others urge a clear-cut pro-U.S. stance. "Samsung, Hyundai, LG and Lotte sell electronics products, manufacture cars and also run hotels, as well as shopping malls, in Russia," an economic expert said on condition of anonymity. "It's important for an export-dependent country like South Korea to continue to maintain ties with Russia, an emerging market where we can sustain our economic-driven policy. "The Russian Far East is where a 21st century-style Silk Road connecting South Korea, North Korea, China, Mongolia, Russia and Europe can be built. The region is also where abundant energy resources can be found. [Dilemma] [Russia confrontation] [Sanctions]
• The hidden hands behind East-West tug of war in Ukraine
  Is it in Ukraine's best interest to negotiate liberalisation with the IMF and the World Bank? Last updated: 01 Aug 2014 10:52 Martin Kirk Frederic Mousseau Ukraine's ample fields of rich black soil allow for high production volumes of cereals and grain [AP] News from Brussels on July 28 and from Washington on July 29 that both the EU and US are stepping up sanctions on Russia have been met with a general "it's about time" from the world. Nobody outside Russia, it seems, has trouble roundly condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin for fuelling this terrible conflict, or approving of punitive western responses. And whereas there may be blame to lay at Putin's feet, to think that western leaders are now reacting simply because they are outraged by the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight 17 or what they see as Russian expansionist tendencies per se, misses a very big piece of the puzzle. On both sides of the Atlantic, leaders are playing out a strategy in league with two powerful actors who they have managed to keep quietly in the background so far - the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The World Bank and the IMF's primary interest in Ukraine is the agricultural sector. Sometimes referred to as the breadbasket of Europe, Ukraine's ample fields of rich black soil allow for such high production volumes of cereals and grain that it is the world's third-largest exporter of corn and fifth of wheat. It is a very big prize for whoever ends up with control. The IMF and World Bank are clear they are on the side of the West, a club that includes western agricultural corporations. The Bank and the IMF have a long history of pressuring economies the world over to make themselves into more profitable environments for large corporations; it is essentially their one-size-fits-all model for development. Ukraine is just their latest target, and their fingerprints are all over this crisis. [Ukraine] [IMF] [WB] [Agriculture]
• “Support MH17 Truth”: OSCE Monitors Identify “Shrapnel and Machine Gun-Like Holes” indicating Shelling. No Evidence of a Missile Attack. Shot Down by a Military Aircraft?
  By Prof Michel Chossudovsky Global Research, July 31, 2014 According to the report of German pilot and airlines expert Peter Haisenko, the MH17 Boeing 777 was not brought down by a missile.
  The OSCE Mission It is worth noting that the initial statements by OSCE observers (July 31) broadly confirm the findings of Peter Haisenko: Monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe reported that shrapnel-like holes were found in two separate pieces of the fuselage of the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines aircraft that was believed to have been downed by a missile in eastern Ukraine. Michael Bociurkiw of the OSCE group of monitors at his daily briefing described part of the plane’s fuselage dotted with “shrapnel-like, almost machine gun-like holes.” He said the damage was inspected by Malaysian aviation-security officials .(Wall Street Journal, July 31, 2014) The monitoring OSCE team has not found evidence of a missile fired from the ground as conveyed by official White House statements. As we recall, the US ambassador to the UN Samantha Power stated –pointing a finger at Russia– that the Malaysian MH17 plane was “likely downed by a surface-to-air missile operated from a separatist-held location”: The team of international investigators with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) are uncertain if the missile used was fired from the ground as US military experts have previously suggested, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported. (Malay Mail online, emphasis added) The initial OSCE findings tend to dispel the claim that a BUK missile system brought down the plane. [MH17] [Evidence]
• Why Is Washington Risking War With Russia?
  Kiev’s siege of the Donbass, supported by the Obama administration, is escalating an already perilous crisis. Katrina vanden Heuvel and Stephen F. Cohen July 30, 2014 | This article appeared in the August 18-25, 2014 edition of The Nation. Secretary of State John Kerry and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin shake hands at the State Department on July 29, 2014 (AP Photo/Cliff Owen). As The Nation has warned repeatedly, the unthinkable may now be rapidly unfolding in Ukraine: not just the new Cold War already under way but an actual war between US-led NATO and Russia. The epicenter is Ukraine’s eastern territory, known as the Donbass, a large industrial region heavily populated by Russian-speaking Ukrainian citizens and closely tied to its giant neighbor by decades of economic, political, cultural and family relations. The shoot-down of Malaysian jetliner MH17 on July 17 should have compelled the US-backed government in Kiev to declare a prolonged cease-fire in its land and air attacks on nearby cities in order to honor the 298 victims, give international investigators safe access to the crash site, and begin peace talks. Instead, Kiev, with Washington’s backing, immediately intensified its attacks on those residential areas, vowing to “liberate” them from pro-Russian “terrorists,” as it brands resisters in eastern Ukraine, killing more innocent people. In response, Moscow is reportedly preparing to send heavy weapons to the “self-defenders” of the Donbass. [Russia confrontation] [Propaganda]
• SCO FMs call for open, fair, independent MH17 probe
  English.news.cn 2014-07-31 23:12:24 DUSHANBE, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organizations (SCO) on Thursday called for an open, fair and independent investigation into the MH17 incident. The appeal was made at a meeting of SCO Council of Foreign Ministers in the Tajik capital. [MH17]
• Washington’s Banking Sanctions – Formal and Informal
  Valentin Katasonov | 30.07.2014 | 00:00 Summer 2014: a new round of banking sanctions against Russia While introducing economic sanctions against Russia, the US is paying a great deal of attention to sanctions against Russian banks. The first sign was the decision to include Bank Rossiya on Washington’s blacklist, although the bank has not suffered as a result of America’s actions. Indeed, the bank has increased its profit over the last few months, despite the fact that Bank Rossiya has completely scaled down its international operations (its dollar operations, at any rate). The actions against Bank Rossiya are an example of targeted sanctions. In addition, Washington is threatening Russia with sectoral sanctions. With respect to banks, this means that all Russian banks would fall under restrictions, bans and/or penalties. For the time being, however, Washington has not announced sectoral sanctions against Russian banks. Reassuring reports have even cropped up in the Russian media on that score. There are no grounds for reassurances, however. The latest round of targeted sanctions was issued last week covering two new Russian banks, and much larger ones than Bank Rossiya. These are Gazprombank and VEB, and both are state-owned banks. The sanctions include bans on these Russian banks raising long-term (more than 90 days) financing from US companies and banks; they have also been refused the right to float new issues of their shares on the US stock market. It is difficult to say how much these sanctions will be felt. The rating agency Moody’s observed that the US sanctions will have a limited influence on VEB and Gazprombank due to the banks’ high liquidity and modest refinancing requirements in the international markets. There are some independent experts, however, who believe that Washington’s decision will affect the ranking of Russia’s entire banking sector. The heads of Gazprombank and VEB have refrained from publicly assessing the repercussions of the sanctions. [Financial sanctions] [Russia confrontation]
• Why Obama’s Russia sanctions are doomed
  M K Bhadrakumar –
  The new Cold War was the last thing on the US President Barack Obama’s mind as recently as when dusk fell on October 22, 2012 at the Lynn University campus in Florida. That was the night of the long knives when the famous foreign policy debate in the presidential campaign took place during which Obama rubbed his Republican opponent Mitt Romney’s nose in the dirt by ridiculing his contention that Russia constituted the biggest geopolitical threat for the US in the 21st century. This is how Obama administered that famous snub to Romney: “Governor, I’m glad that you recognize that al-Qaida’s a threat because a few months ago when you were asked, what’s the biggest geopolitical threat facing America, you said Russia - not al-Qaida — you said Russia. And the 1980s are no calling to ask for their foreign policy back because, you know, the Cold War’s been over for 20 years. But, Governor, when it comes to our foreign policy, you seem to want to import the foreign policies of the 1980s.” (here). [NCW] [Russia confrontation] [Decline] [India US]
• Revelations of German Pilot: Shocking Analysis of the “Shooting Down” of Malaysian MH17. “Aircraft Was Not Hit by a Missile”
  By Peter Haisenko Global Research, July 30, 2014 anderweltonline.com The tragedy of Malaysian MH 017 continues to elude any light of clarity being cast over it. The flight recorders are in England and are evaluated. What can come of it? Maybe more than you would assume. Especially the voice recorder will be interesting when you look at the picture of a cockpit fragment. As an expert in aviation I closely looked at the images of the wreckage that are circulating on the Internet. First, I was amazed at how few photos can be found from the wreckage with Google. All are in low resolution, except one: The fragment of the cockpit below the window on the pilots side. This image, however, is shocking. In Washington, you can now hear views expressed of a “potentially tragic error / accident” regarding MH 017. Given this particular cockpit image it does not surprise me at all. Entry and exit impact holes of projectiles in the cockpit area Source for all photos: Internet I recommend to click on the little picture to the left. You can download this photo as a PDF in good resolution. This is necessary, because that will allow you understand what I am describing here. The facts speak clear and loud and are beyond the realm of speculation: The cockpit shows traces of shelling! You can see the entry and exit holes. The edge of a portion of the holes is bent inwards. These are the smaller holes, round and clean, showing the entry points most likely that of a 30 millimeter caliber projectile. The edge of the other, the larger and slightly frayed exit holes showing shreds of metal pointing produced by the same caliber projectiles. Moreover, it is evident that at these exit holes of the outer layer of the double aluminum reinforced structure are shredded or bent – outwardly! Furthermore, minor cuts can be seen, all bent outward, which indicate that shrapnel had forcefully exited through the outer skin from the inside of the cockpit. The open rivets are are also bent outward. [MH17] [Evidence]

• Ukraine Alert on Air Dangers Didn’t Provide Full Account
  By Alan Levin and Frederic Tomesco Jul 31, 2014 2:43 AM GMT+1200 Ukraine’s alert to airlines three days before a Malaysian Air passenger jet was shot down described a “restricted” area without noting fighting on the ground or evidence that rebels had surface-to-air missiles. The July 14 Notice to Airmen, known as a NOTAM, also made no mention of the Russian-backed rebels downing a Ukrainian military aircraft in the vicinity that day, according to a copy of the alert filed with European regulators. Had Ukraine provided a more thorough accounting of dangers, commercial airlines may have avoided the region, said Thomas Haueter, the retired chief of aviation accident investigations at the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, said in an interview. Without complete information, airlines are often leaving safety to guesswork. “There was no background information or detail as to what the nature of the threat was,” Haueter said. “If the airlines had known the nature of the threat and how serious it was, that could have influenced their decision to fly in the area.” [MH17]
• Deleted BBC Report. “Ukrainian Fighter Jet Shot Down MHI7?, Donetsk Eyewitnesses
  The Catastrophe of #MH17: #BBC in the Search of the “#BUK” – The Video Report Deleted by @BBC By Global Research News Global Research, July 27, 2014 slavyangrad.wordpress.com What-the-media-won’t-report-about-Malaysia-Airlines-Flight-MH17 The original BBC Video Report was published by BBC Russian Service on July 23, 2014. In a bitter irony, The BBC is censoring its own news productions. Why did BBC delete this report by Olga Ivshina? Is it because the BBC team was unable to find any evidence that a rocket was launched in the area that the Ukrainian Security Service (“SBU”) alleges to be the place from which the Novorossiya Militia launched a “BUK” missile? Or is it because every eyewitness interviewed by the BBC team specifically indicated the presence of a Ukrainian military aircraft right beside the Malaysian Airlines Boeing MH17 at the time that it was shot down? Or is it because of eyewitness accounts confirming that the Ukrainian air force regularly used civilian aircraft flying over Novorossiya as human shields to protect its military aircraft conducting strikes against the civilian population from the Militia’s anti-aircraft units? [MH17] [Media] [Censor]
• About the Malaysian Boeing Situation
  The situation surrounding the crashed Malaysian Airlines Boeing has recalled for many the events of September 1st 1983, when a Soviet aircraft shot down a civilian South Korean plane, also a Boeing. In the afternoon of September 1st, flight 007, following the New York – Anchorage – Seoul route, deviated from the normal route by 600 kilometers, and violated USSR airspace. Two fighter-interceptor Su-15s set off to intercept it. One of them, manned by Gennady Osipovich, after having received an order to shoot the plane down, hit it with two missiles, after which the Boeing crashed in the sea off the coast of Sakhalin Island next to Moneron island. All the passengers and crew perished – 269 people. Just as in modern times, the incident occurred on the backdrop of an tense political situation. Some believe that the peaceful passenger aircraft was destroyed without apparent reason by the soviet military aircraft, and it is then that US President Reagan called the USSR an “evil empire”, and the incident “a crime against humanity, which must never be forgotten”. Others believe the provocations of American intelligence services, stating that the Boeing was making a reconnaissance flight over Soviet territory, and had to be “stopped”. Moreover, in the 1960s US intelligence developed similar provocations against Cuba. If you add the fact that the destruction of the civilian aircraft has not only proved to be very relevant against the backdrop of an increasingly exacerbated “cold war”, but also coincided with the first attempts of the USSR and the Republic of Korea to enter into some sort of dialog (after which the incident could be forgotten), it is very easy to imagine that someone deliberately sent the passengers and crew to their deaths. [MH17] [KAL007] [Russia SK]
• Troops Move on Crash Site in Ukraine, Foiling Deal
  By Andrew E. Kramer and Andrew Higgins July 27, 2014 ZUHRES, Ukraine — Just hours after the Malaysian government reached an agreement with Ukrainian separatists on Sunday over access to the crash site of a Malaysian airliner shot down in rebel territory, the Ukrainian military launched an operation to recapture the debris fields, again stalling international efforts to secure the site. The heavy fighting threatened to torpedo hopes of a breakthrough and cause yet more delays in collecting evidence and retrieving the remaining bodies from the crash. Ukrainian security officials said they needed control over the site to prevent the pro-Russia separatists from destroying clues to the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. By Sunday evening, the Ukrainian advance had blocked a road leading from the provincial capital, Donetsk, to the airplane debris northeast of Shakhtyorsk, but it remained unclear whether government troops were in control of all or part of the approximately 14 square miles of debris fields. Videos posted online appeared to show Ukrainian armored vehicles near the site, and reporters who visited earlier Sunday said insurgents were nowhere to be seen. The combat spread out along the road in a fluid and chaotic scene, leaving it wholly unclear who controlled what. Fragments of rockets lay on the sunbaked macadam, and columns of black smoke rose along the horizon. One separatist commander at a checkpoint outside Shakhtyorsk, about 10 miles from the crash site, said the Ukrainians had retaken the area, and a rebel leader, Alexander Borodai, confirmed that government troops were advancing.
  “The attempts to clear militia from the crash site irrefutably show Kiev is trying to destroy evidence,” he told reporters in Donetsk. His claim was apparently intended to counter earlier allegations that the rebels had been tampering with evidence to hide their own role in the downing of the plane. [MH17] [Evidence]
• A GOP Ultimatum to Vlad
  By Patrick J. Buchanan July 28, 2014 "ICH" - With the party united, the odds are now at least even that the GOP will not only hold the House but also capture the Senate in November. But before traditional conservatives cheer that prospect, they might take a closer look at the foreign policy that a Republican Senate would seek to impose upon the nation. Specifically, they should spend time reading S. 2277, the “Russian Aggression Prevention Act of 2014,” introduced by Sen. Bob Corker on May 1, and endorsed by half of the Senate’s GOP caucus. As ranking Republican on the foreign relations committee, Corker is in line to become chairman, should the GOP take the Senate. That makes this proposal a gravely serious matter. Corker’s bill would declare Moldova, Georgia, and Ukraine “major non-NATO allies” of the United States, move NATO forces into Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, accelerate the building of an ABM system in Eastern Europe, and authorize U.S. intelligence and military aid for Ukraine’s army in the Donbass war with Russian-backed separatists. [Russia confrontation] [Hardliners] [Governance] [Congress]
• Obama Makes Confrontation with Russia Reach Point of No Return
  Nikolai BOBKIN | 28.07.2014 The US miserable failure to come up with clear-cut assessment concerning the Malaysian Boeing, the aggressiveness and cynicism of American propaganda against Russia – it all makes President Obama deteriorate the relationship with Moscow to the point of no return. His actions have nothing to do with common sense. Ralph Peters is a foreign policy analyst for Fox News. Speaking to Megyn Kelly July 21 night he said President Obama is scared of Vladimir Putin, «There are really many things he could do, but he's like a deer caught in the head lights. You know, even though he's president of the United State , to me it would be a hellish thing to live which such timidity, to be such a frightened man, I really feel that on a visceral level on a profound level. President Obama is scared of Vladimir Putin». Locked in the Oval office like in a bunker, he rarely makes public appearances and prefers to communicate with other world leaders by phone. In his relationship with his Russian counterpart he does not do even that. He has not discussed the Malaysian airliner tragedy with Putin at all, not a single time. The wish for demonstrative muscle flexing has given place to fear of public failure… The indecisiveness of Obama has not gone unnoticed in America. By the end of 2013 the majority of Americans were convinced Obama was a failure as President. His ratings are at the lowest ebb now. His economic and health care policies are not popular as well as his handling of the Ukrainian issue. The Washington’s stance on Ukraine is negatively treated in other countries too. [Russia confrontation] [Obama] [Public opinion]
• Malaysian Airlines MH17: Who Stands to Gain?
  By Chandra Muzaffar Global Research, July 27, 2014 The Russian military has released military monitoring data which challenge allegations circulating in the media pertaining to the MH 17 crash in the Donetsk Region of Eastern Ukraine on July 17 2014. Questions have been raised about Kiev military jets tracking MH 17, Ukrainian air traffic controllers and the deployment of Buk missile systems. Kiev should also release military data on the circumstances leading to the crash. So should the Pentagon which reportedly has relevant intelligence and satellite data. Since military data is hardcore information, Kiev and Washington should be persuaded to be transparent and accountable. The UN Secretary-General can play a role in this since there is a specialized agency within the UN, the ICAO, dedicated to international civil aviation. Military data from Moscow, Kiev and Washington should be scrutinized by the independent international panel that is supposed to probe the MH 17 catastrophe. Such data carries much more weight than videos purportedly revealing the role of the pro-Russian rebels and the Russian government in the crash. One such video showing a Buk system being moved from Ukraine to Russia is a fabrication. The billboard in the background establishes that it was shot in a town — Krasnoarmeisk — that has been under the control of the Ukrainian military since May 11. Similarly, a You Tube video showing a Russian General and Ukrainian rebels discussing their role in mistakenly downing a civilian aircraft was, from various tell-tale signs, produced before the event. The public should be wary of fabricated ?evidence? of this sort, after what we have witnessed in the last so many years. Have we forgotten the monstrous lies and massive distortions that accompanied the reckless allegation that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction (WMD) which led eventually to the invasion of that country in 2003 and the death of more than a million people? Iraq continues to bleed to this day. What about the Gulf of Tonkin episode of 1964 which again was a fabrication that paved the way for wanton US aggression against Vietnam that resulted in the death of more than 3 million Vietnamese? The ?babies in incubators? incident in Kuwait in 1990 was yet another manufactured lie that aroused the anger of the people and served to justify the US assault on Iraq. Just last year we saw how an attempt was made by some parties to pin the blame for a sarin gas attack in Ghouta, Syria upon the Assad government when subsequent investigations have revealed that it was the work of some militant rebel group. From Tonkin to Ghouta there is a discernible pattern when it comes to the fabrication of evidence to justify some nefarious agenda or other. As soon as the event occurs before any proper investigation has begun, blame is apportioned upon the targeted party. This is done wilfully to divert attention from the real culprit whose act of evil remains concealed and camouflaged. The colluding media then begins to spin the ?correct? version with the help of its reporters and columnists who concoct ?fact? out of fiction. Any other explanation or interpretation of the event is discredited and dismissed derisively to ensure that the ?credibility? of the dominant narrative remains intact. As the narrative unfolds, the target often embodied in a certain personality is demonized to such a degree that he arouses the ire of the public and becomes an object of venom. The pattern described here is typical of what is known as a ?false flag? operation in which blame for some dastardly deed is consciously transferred to one?s adversary. It has happened right through history and many contemporary nation-states — and not just the United States — are guilty of flying false flags. To protect ourselves from being deceived by such operations, the general public should always ask: who stands to gain from a particular episode? Cui Bono is in fact an important principle in the investigation of a crime. In the case of the MH 17 carnage, the pro-Russian rebels do not benefit in any way from downing a civilian airliner. Their goal is independence from the Kiev government which is why they are fighting Kiev through sometimes violent means including shooting down its military planes. Massacring 298 passengers in a flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur does not serve their cause. Moscow which backs the rebels to an extent also gains nothing from involving itself in such a diabolical carnage. 10 days after the carnage, it is now clear who is trying to reap benefits from that terrible tragedy in the skies. The demonization of the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, orchestrated from various Western capitals, including Kiev, after Crimea voted to join the Russian Federation, thus thwarting one of the primary strategic goals of NATO?s eastward expansion, has now reached its pinnacle. After MH 17, it has become a lot easier to convince people— even without an iota of evidence — that Putin is a ?mass murderer?. The tarnishing of Putin?s image is crucial for those in the West who want to curb Russia?s political re-assertion so that the US and its allies can perpetuate their global dominance without hindrance. [MH17] [Evidence] [Disinformation] [False flag]
• Nick Clegg says Russia should not host World Cup 2018
  Fifa has ruled out calls for boycott after the shooting down of MH17, insisting the tournament could be 'a force for good' Press Association theguardian.com, Sunday 27 July 2014 02.02 BST Nick Clegg has joined calls for Russia to face the axe as hosts of the 2018 World Cup as part of tougher sanctions over the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine. The deputy prime minister said it was "unthinkable" at present that the tournament could go ahead in the country blamed by the west for supplying arms to the separatist rebels accused of causing the deaths of all 298 on board. Football's world governing body Fifa this week ruled out calls from some German politicians for Russia to be boycotted, insisting the tournament could be "a force for good". [Russia confrontation]
• Study: Embargo Wouldn't Hurt Russia
  By The Associated Press July 27, 2014, 3:07 A.M. E.D.T. LONDON — An arms embargo against Russia would be little more than symbolic because Russia is largely self-sufficient in supplying its armed forces, a report argued Sunday. European Union countries exported $583 million of military equipment to Russia last year, less than 1 percent of the nation's $68 billion defense budget, according to a study by IHS Jane's, which provides analysis on the defense industry and security issues. The bulk of that was a $521 million payment to France, which is building two Mistral class warships for Russia. The propriety of arms sales to Russia was questioned last week as the U.S. and EU debated tougher sanctions against President Vladimir Putin's government because of its support for Ukrainian rebels, who are believed to have fired the missile that brought down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, killing all 298 people on board. Many of the existing arms deals are the product of a brief period between 2010 and 2012, when Russia sought Western help in modernizing its military, said Guy Anderson, a senior principal analyst for aerospace, defense and security at IHS Jane's. Putin reversed that strategy in 2012, when he decided that Russia should be self-sufficient once more and ordered the military to stop buying Western materiel. "Russia's reason for doing this was security," Anderson said. "You could probably argue they saw something like this coming." [Russia confrontation] [Arms sales]
• Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 Lured Into A Death Trap?
  Christof Lehmann (nsnbc) : Who made the decision that Flight MH17 should fly right above a combat zone when the flight used a more southerly route before? Why did the Ukrainian air traffic controller designate an altitude to flight MH17 that was lower than usual? Why did the Ukrainian authorities close the airspace up to 32,000 ft while the route was declared safe by the ICAO? What are the procedures, who took which decisions, when, and why? Was Flight MH17 lured into a deathtrap? MH17_2014-07-10 Click on the images to enlarge. Was Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur lured into a well-prepared death trap? [MH17]
• Russia Calls for Openness and Impartiality in MH17 Investigation
  The Russian Ambassador to the Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe (OSCE), Andrei Kelin, called for full transparency in the investigation of the crash of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH17 in Ukraine to eliminate any possibility for fraud and falsification. Kelin stressed that Russia calls for an independent investigation into the crash under the auspices of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The Itar-Tass news agency quotes a statement by Kelin published on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website on Friday, saying: “It is necessary to ensure an absolutely impartial, independent and open international investigation under the auspices of the ICAO. … Total transparency should eliminate any possibility of fraud and falsification. … Unfortunately, we have reasons to be concerned.” Kelin welcomed the efforts of the OSCE in Switzerland in providing open and transparent conditions for the investigation under the ICAO’s auspices. He added that Russia, for its part, is doing and will continue doing its best for a transparent and independent international investigation. Kelin stressed the cooperation so far provided by the rebelling Donestsk People’s Republic. Both Malaysian PM Najib Razak and the OSCE have thus far recognized the positive cooperation on their part. [MH17]
• Russia calls for impartial, independent and open probe into MH17 crash
  World July 25, 13:30 UTC+4 Russia's Ambassador to the OSCE Andrei Kelin says total transparency of the investigation should eliminate any possibility of fraud and falsification © ITAR-TASS/Zurab Javakhadze Russian PM calls for independent probe into Malaysian jet crash MOSCOW, July 25. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia insists on an impartial, independent and open international investigation under the auspices of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) into the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. “It is necessary to ensure an absolutely impartial, independent and open international investigation under the auspices of the ICAO,” said Andrei Kelin, Russia's Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), quoted on Russia's Foreign Ministry website on Friday. “Total transparency should eliminate any possibility of fraud and falsification,” he was quoted as saying. “Unfortunately we have reasons to be concerned.” [MH17]
• MH17 crash: sanctions against Russia are illegal, ambassador claims
  Moscow insists documents that show Russians armed the separatists who shot down Malaysia Airlines plane are forged Rowena Mason, political correspondent The Guardian, Thursday 24 July 2014 19.47 BST The west is imposing "illegal, unreasonable and counter-productive" sanctions against Russia based on internet forgeries that do not prove any of its missiles shot down the Malaysian airliner, the Russian ambassador to London has said. Shortly before the European Union announced further sanctions against individuals and businesses linked to the Kremlin on Thursday night, Alexander Yakovenko condemned the trade restrictions that have already been imposed and warned that any more "may well trigger a long anticipated endgame of the present global crisis". The EU agreed at a meeting on Thursday to add 15 people and 18 companies or other organisations to the bloc's sanctions list for undermining Ukraine's territorial integrity, diplomats said. But they failed to reach agreement on economic sanctions and will resume discussions on Friday, they added. Philip Hammond, the foreign secretary, has joined the US and Ukraine in saying there is strong reason to believe the Malaysian airliner was shot down by pro-Putin separatists using a Soviet-era Russian-made Buk missile, killing 298 people. On Thursday night, the US state department said it had evidence Russia intended to deliver "heavier and more powerful" rocket launchers to separatists in Ukraine. However, Yakovenko said Russia had never given weapons to the separatists. "The ample proof of inconsistencies of the initial narrative by Kiev and Washington has been provided by the closed briefing by the American intelligence officials on Tuesday," he told journalists at the Russian embassy in London. "I took this from British media. Given media reports, there was nothing convincing, not to say compelling, in those materials. "The case, as is admitted, is built upon photos and messages from social media sites, placed by Ukrainian authorities and since then proved to be forgeries, as ambassador Churkin demonstrated at the UN security council meeting. Naturally, our American partners say that they have no way of certifying the authenticity of those materials." He added: "What we do is providing humanitarian assistance and receiving refugees from Ukraine in our territory. I don't have to say that people in Russia entertain strong feelings over the atrocities committed today by the Ukrainian forces against civilians, their ruthless use of heavy weapons and air force to shell and bomb [a] peaceful population." [MH17]
• Ukraine Disaster in Search of an Investigation
  By Sabrina Tavernise and Thomas Erdbrink July 24, 2014 GRABOVO, Ukraine — The rescue workers have left, and their tents are gone. The peppermint-striped plastic cordon flutters uselessly in the breeze. Farmers are harvesting wheat in a field where bodies had lain. Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was blown out of the sky one week ago on Thursday, deepening tensions between Russia and the West and thrusting at least 10 countries whose citizens were on board into the middle of a war between Ukraine’s government and pro-Russian rebels, who Western intelligence officials suspect shot the plane down. Yet for all of the diplomatic frenzy that has followed the disaster, there is no sign of an investigation here. At the field in Ukraine where the exploded remnants landed, there are no guards and no recovery workers, no police officers and no investigators. Early Thursday evening, there were almost no people — just two curious 12-year-old girls looking at part of the tail of the Boeing 777. The lack of an on-the-ground investigation — and for that matter a demarcated crime scene — is perhaps not that surprising given that the plane went down in what is essentially a no man’s land where pro-Russian rebels have declared their own state. The rebels who have power in these lands have gone back to their war, uninterested in a disaster that has riveted the world. American intelligence officials had said that these fields could hold important clues to the plane’s downing, such as pieces of the ordnance used to shoot it down or patterns of damage it might have caused. But it is not clear whether international investigators will be able to come, and if they do, whether much will be left to look at after weather and time take their toll. “There’s no one out here,” said Michael Bociurkiw, a spokesman for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, whose monitoring mission has been on the site every day since Friday. As for the arrival of international experts, “it’s not like our door is being broken down.” The investigation is most likely stuck in the same high politics that delayed the removal of the bodies of the 298 passengers and crew members from eastern Ukraine. The rebels refuse to deal with Ukraine’s pro-Western government, leaving it unable to respond. Then there is the problem of dealing directly with separatists who are at war with Ukraine’s government. [MH17]
• Boeing Disaster: Washington’s Lies and Kiev’s Silence
  Boris Novoseltsev | 25.07.2014 On July 21 the Russian Ministry of Defense held a briefing and displayed the data to prove the fact that a number of Ukrainian Buk-M1 air defense systems were deployed in the vicinity of Donetsk at the time of Malaysian aircraft disaster. The 9?18 «Kupol» radar activities were especially intensive. It became known that a Ukrainian Su-25 was scrambled to accompany the airliner… The Russian system of air control detected the Ukrainian Air Force aircraft, supposedly the Su-25, ascending to the level of Malaysian Boeing-777. The distance between the aircraft was 3-5 kilometers. The Su-25 specifications allow it to fly at the altitude of 10000 meters for a short period of time. The plane is armed with air-to-air missile R-60 with a range of 12 kilometers, the operational range to make a sure hit is 5 kilometers. Why did the combat aircraft have to get up and fly along the civilian aviation route – that is the question to make clear. Kiev has nothing to say. Of course, Poroshenko said it was not true, there were no Ukrainian military planes scrambled at the time. He could not say anything substantial and in detail. The Ukrainian military makes no comment. It is becoming more evident that Kiev obstructs the investigation. Washington dodged the discussion. Marie Harf, Deputy Spokesperson for State Department, said, «Well, a couple points. You saw the Secretary yesterday speak very clearly about our assessment that this was an SA-11 fired from Russian-backed, separatist-controlled territory; that we know – we saw in social media afterwards, we saw videos, we saw photos of the pro-Russian separatists bragging about shooting down an aircraft that then they then – they then – they then – excuse me – took down once it became clear that it may have been a passenger airline. There is a preponderance of evidence at this point both sort of out there in the public domain and also from our information that points to the fact that there was a SA-11 launched from separatist-controlled territory. We assess, of course, that the Russian-backed separatists have this system, and one of the main reasons we have called for a full investigation is so we can get all the facts out there. So what I encourage the Russians to do at this point is to push the separatists that are backed by their government to allow access, to allow investigators who are in Ukraine waiting to go into that area right now, and that’s what I would call on Russia to do at this point.» What evidence is the Unites States talking about and why it’s not made public – that’s what’s hard to explain? The Russian Ministry of Defense has offered the US Defense Department to exchange the available data related to the accident. [MH17]
• Russians have many theories about the MH17 crash. One involves fake dead people.
  July 22, 2014 By Karoun Demirjian July 22 ? MOSCOW — As consensus builds in the U.S. government that pro-Russian rebels are responsible for shooting down a Malaysian airliner in eastern Ukraine, Russians are embracing a smorgasbord of alternate explanations. Like: Maybe it was actually part of an assassination plot. Maybe those bodies were planted. Khadija Gamzatova, 50, heard on the news that Vladimir Putin’s plane crossed flight paths with the Malaysian jet at one point — and thus believes that Ukrainian government troops shot down the jet, thinking it was the Russian president’s plane. “They were flying close to one another,” said Gamzatova, sitting on a park bench in central Moscow and gesturing to show just how close she believed the planes had been. Ukrainian forces “wanted to shoot down our plane, but this is what they got.” Tattoo artist Sergey S. had a different theory. “A whole lot of witnesses on the Internet shot video and said the corpses weren’t natural, that the people died a long time before [the plane crashed],” said the 45-year-old, declining to give his last name and emphatically expressing reservations that the reporter to whom he was speaking might be an American spy. [MH17] [Media] [Propaganda] [IO]
• Russia says will cooperate with MH17 probe led by Netherlands
  By Al-Zaquan Amer Hamzah and Siva Govindasamy KUALA LUMPUR Thu Jul 24, 2014 8:11am EDT (Reuters) - Russia will cooperate with the investigation into the downing of a Malaysian airliner a week ago and is satisfied that the Netherlands, rather than Ukraine, is leading the effort, the country's ambassador to Malaysia said on Thursday. Liudmila Vorobyeva also rejected suggestions that the pro-Russian separatists blamed by Western governments for shooting down Flight MH17 possessed a Russian-made anti-aircraft missile, and said the rebels lacked the training to use such a system. Nearly 300 people, 193 of them Dutch citizens, were killed when the Malaysia Airlines plane en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was brought down in eastern Ukraine, where separatists are battling government forces, on July 17. The norm under rules set down by the United Nation's civil aviation body (ICAO) is that an air investigation is led by the state in whose territory the plane crash, but Russia had said that Ukraine should not take charge because the rebels who control the crash site did not trust the authorities in Kiev. "We want an international investigation led by ICAO. Any country part of ICAO may take part. Netherlands has the right to lead this," the ambassador told Reuters in an interview in Kuala Lumpur. "We are members of ICAO, we will cooperate with the investigation." [MH17]
• Ukraine’s prime minister resigns as coalition falls apart
  Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said Thursday that in light of recent turmoil in parliament, he is resigning his post. He scolded politicians for failing to increase army financing. (Reuters) By Carol Morello and Michael Birnbaum July 24 at 1:24 PM ? KIEV, Ukraine — Arseniy Yatsenyuk resigned as Ukraine’s prime minister Thursday after the ruling coalition in parliament collapsed, accusing lawmakers of imperiling the nation by putting politics above urgent needs during wartime. The resignation threw the government into disarray at a critical moment in its war against pro-Russian separatists in the eastern part of the country. The Ukrainian military is in the middle of an offensive, regaining control over towns and cities that had been held by the rebels, who are being forced to recede into more defensible positions in the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk.
• US: No evidence of direct Russian link to plane
  By KEN DILANIAN, AP Intelligence Writer | July 22, 2014 | Updated: July 22, 2014 4:10pm • Photo By J. Scott Applewhite/AP President Barack Obama visits the Dutch Embassy in Washington to sign a book of condolence, joined by Deputy Chief of Mission Peter Mollema, Tuesday, July 22, 2014. Most of the 298 people aboard the Malaysia Airlines plane that was shot down near the border between Ukraine and Russia were Dutch citizens. WASHINGTON (AP) — Senior U.S. intelligence officials say they have no evidence of direct Russian government involvement in the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 They say the passenger jet was likely felled by an SA-11 surface-to-air missile fired by Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine and that Russia "created the conditions" for the downing by arming the separatists. The officials briefed reporters Tuesday under ground rules that their names not be used in discussing intelligence related to last week's air disaster, which killed 298 people. They said they didn't know if any Russians were present at the missile launch, and they wouldn't say that the missile crew was trained in Russia. A senior official said the most likely explanation was the plane was shot down by mistake. [MH17] [Russia confrontation]
• Who Killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria?
  Arkady Dziuba | 23.07.2014 | 00:00 The tragedy of passenger aircraft hit over Donetsk resulting in the death toll of 298 is terrible. The fact that it was not just an accident but the purposeful use of force turns the tragedy into a political issue able to change a lot of things related to the Ukraine’s situation in general. As soon as the first reports appeared, Ukraine and Washington launched the “war of stories” in order to impose on the world its own interpretation of what had happened. It all boils down to the responsibility of Russia and the “terrorists” it supports. The version has been corrected a number of times, and inventions started to go around saying the Boeing was hit by Russian fighters. Now Kiev insists the Malaysian aircraft was brought down by Buk air defense system operated by Donetsk self-defense forces. The weapon was provided by Russia as part of military aid package. They affirm the system was operated by Russian personnel. All these concoctions are spread around while the commission of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has not even started its inquiry. The information activities are intensified to incite the world public opinion against Russia. Moscow is still waiting for the ten answers concerning the accident that it has addressed to the Kiev government. The questions were prepared by Deputy Minister of Defense Anatoly Antonov and posted on July 19. [MH17]
• Putin, it’s your payback time
  M K Bhadrakumar,,
  The early bird gets the worm and someone like US president Barack Obama who grew up in the tropics in Hawaii and Indonesia would know it far better than his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin from Leningrad. The alacrity with which Obama scrambled to take early lead in the propaganda war over Moscow on Ukraine almost makes it appear he was expecting such a horrendous tragedy to happen. So far he has had no phone conversation with Putin — not even to ascertain some facts first. That is, unlike Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel and the two most affected statesmen here in the tragedy of the ill-fated Malaysian plane — Dutch prime minister Mark Rutt and Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak. Rutt, in fact, already twice discussed the tragedy with Putin and they have agreed on the latter’s suggestion for an “independent, open and fair investigation” into the tragic event in Donetsk by the International Civil Aviation Organization with the participation of “all the parties concerned”, and pending that, to demand “an immediate and unconditional ceasefire” in eastern Ukraine.
  To my mind, Russia is at fault here. This is what happens to a divided house. It has been quite apparent to any long-time observer that Moscow was being pulled in opposite directions by the so-called ‘westernists’ and ‘orientalists’, the latter on retreat. The Ukraine crisis ought to be a wake-up call. The point is, history has not ended and Russia can never be part of the Western world. It is too big and too different and too powerful and unmanageable. Russia’s presence in the European tent challenges the US’ trans-Atlantic leadership and questions the very raison d’etre of the NATO, and indeed Euro-Atlanticism as the leitmotif of the US global strategies ceases to be. It is about time the ‘westernists’ among the Moscow elites realize that all they have is a pipe dream. There is no precedent of the US ever having treated another country — including Britain — on an equal footing. Therefore, Russia’s destiny is dictated by the need to consolidate its standing as an independent global player. It has the capacity to do it, but, alas, often enough not the will and interest in discerning who is a potential ally and who is not. [Russia confrontation] [US global strategy] [Appeasement] [Acceptance]
• Amnesty International and the War in Ukraine
  by Vladislav Gulevich Amnesty International recently released a report on “stomach-turning” violence in Eastern Ukraine (“Abduction and Tortures in Eastern Ukraine,” – see for example BBC coverage here). According to the report, the acts of violence are perpetrated chiefly by pro-Russian separatist groups. The Amnesty International report and its conclusion about rebel responsibility for the majority of violence doesn`t hold water and has little in common with reality. The violence in Ukraine in general is not properly analyzed, and report is quite biased. Rather than the rebels, it is the Ukrainian army and the pro-EuroMaidan forces that are responsible for the abductions and abuses. Firstly, rebels in Eastern Ukraine enjoy almost 100% support of the local population. There is no need for them to commit any kind of violence targeting the locals. The Ukrainian army, on the contrary, is viewed as a cruel enemy and Ukrainian soldiers feel the animosity of the locals. Simple logic would argue that it is the army that has felt the need to repress its local adversaries through violence. Moreover, it suffices to speak with any of the thousands of refugees from Eastern Ukraine and listen to their stories about the barbaric methods used by the army to break the resistance, to be persuaded that the Ukrainian army bears the responsibility for the majority of kidnappings and tortures. [NGO] [Ukraine] [Amnesty International] [Shill]
• How Technology is Unraveling the Clues of Flight MH17
  Building a case with satellite imagery, black boxes and tweets Patrick Tucker Jul 22 2014, 11:03 AM Over the weekend, the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 tragedy turned into a Law and Order episode on the international stage with Secretary of State John Kerry appearing on Fox News and other outlets to make a case against Russia, prompting Fox News interviewer Chris Wallace to observe that Kerry was once “a prosecutor in Massachusetts.” So what does Kerry’s case consist of? The U.S. is confident that the murder weapon was an SA-11 Gadfly 9K37M1 Buk -1M fired missile. A dispatch from the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine indicates that the rocket launcher was given to pro-Russian separatists by Moscow. At this point, no one is saying that the separatists intended to down a passenger jet. Evidence (see below) suggests that rebel forces believed the plane was a Ukrainian military transport vehicle, since the Buk radar guidance system provides very, very little information about the type of target it’s pointing at. Pro-Russian conspiracy mongers, meanwhile, are looking to plant blame for the incident on Ukraine, claiming that the downing of the plane was a deliberate act of the Ukrainian government. [MH17] [Media] [Propaganda]
• Can Putin Survive?
  Geopolitical Weekly Monday, July 21, 2014 Stratfor By George Friedman There is a general view that Vladimir Putin governs the Russian Federation as a dictator, that he has defeated and intimidated his opponents and that he has marshaled a powerful threat to surrounding countries. This is a reasonable view, but perhaps it should be re-evaluated in the context of recent events. Ukraine and the Bid to Reverse Russia's Decline Ukraine is, of course, the place to start. The country is vital to Russia as a buffer against the West and as a route for delivering energy to Europe, which is the foundation of the Russian economy. On Jan. 1, Ukraine's president was Viktor Yanukovich, generally regarded as favorably inclined to Russia. Given the complexity of Ukrainian society and politics, it would be unreasonable to say Ukraine under him was merely a Russian puppet. But it is fair to say that under Yanukovich and his supporters, fundamental Russian interests in Ukraine were secure. This was extremely important to Putin. Part of the reason Putin had replaced Boris Yeltsin in 2000 was Yeltsin's performance during the Kosovo war. Russia was allied with the Serbs and had not wanted NATO to launch a war against Serbia. Russian wishes were disregarded. The Russian views simply didn't matter to the West. Still, when the air war failed to force Belgrade's capitulation, the Russians negotiated a settlement that allowed U.S. and other NATO troops to enter and administer Kosovo. As part of that settlement, Russian troops were promised a significant part in peacekeeping in Kosovo. But the Russians were never allowed to take up that role, and Yeltsin proved unable to respond to the insult. [Russia confrontation] [Ukraine] [Putin] [Resurgence] [Inversion]
• Putin's aide proposes anti-dollar alliance to force US to end Ukraine's civil war
  Putin's aide proposes anti-dollar alliance to force US to end Ukraine's civil war Sergey Glazyev, the economic aide of Vladimir Putin, published an article outlining a plan for "undermining the economic strength of the US" in order to force Washington to stop the civil war in Ukraine. Glazyev believes that the only way of making the US give up its plans on starting a new cold war is to crash the dollar system. In his article, published by Argumenty Nedeli, Putin's economic aide and the mastermind behind the Eurasian Economic Union, argues that Washington is trying to provoke a Russian military intervention in Ukraine, using the junta in Kiev as bait. If fulfilled, the plan will give Washington a number of important benefits. Firstly, it will allow the US to introduce new sanctions against Russia, writing off Moscow's portfolio of US Treasury bills. More important is that a new wave of sanctions will create a situation in which Russian companies won't be able to service their debts to European banks. According to Glazyev, the so-called "third phase" of sanctions against Russia will be a tremendous cost for the European Union. The total estimated losses will be higher than 1 trillion euros. Such losses will severely hurt the European economy, making the US the sole "safe haven" in the world. Harsh sanctions against Russia will also displace Gazprom from the European energy market, leaving it wide open for the much more expensive LNG from the US. Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/2014_06_18/Putins-aide-proposes-anti-dollar-alliance-to-force-US-to-end-Ukraines-civil-war-8030/ [Finance] [US global strategy] [Russia confrontation] [Reserve] [EU]
• Kiev’s evidence of militia’s responsibility for airliner crash faked - expert
  Russia July 20, 14:37 UTC+4 A group of experts studied the tape and came to the conclusion that it was made up of numerous unrelated recordings ? © ITAR-TASS MOSCOW, uly 20 /ITAR-TASS/. A tape posted by Ukrainian security services in the Internet and allegedly recording a talk between self-defense fighters about the destruction of a Malaysian airliner is a fake, experts said on Sunday. A group of experts studied the tape and came to the conclusion that it was made up of numerous unrelated recordings. “This audio recording is not an integral file and is made up of several fragments,” said Nikolai Popov, a reputable expert in sound and voice analysis. 196 people found dead at Malaysian airliner crash site in Ukraine Specifically, the first of the three audio fragments, in which Gorlovka self-defense militia commander Igor Bezler talks about a plane shot down by the fighters, does not say anything about the type of the plane, the expert said. At the same time, the name of the town of Yenakiyevo is clearly heard in the tape. However, the town is located about 100 km (60 miles) from the settlement of Snezhnoye where the Malaysian Boeing-777 airliner crashed. Bezler said the talk had really taken place but the he had talked about a Ukrainian attack aircraft shot down by the militia above Yenakiyevo a day before the Malaysian airliner crash. [MH17] [Evidence] [False flag]
• Downed Airliner: Fake Audio Tape Shows US-Backed Hit to Frame Russia
  Finian Cunningham | 21.07.2014 | 10:30 In a devastating twist to emerge over the weekend it now seems that the Malaysian civilian airliner downed over Ukraine was most probably brought down as a result of sabotage by the US-backed Kiev regime. The purpose of this audacious act of mass murder – in which 298 lives were lost – was carried out with the intention of framing the Russian government. Washington, the chief sponsor of the Kiev regime, must have known about the plot, if not being fully complicit in it. The key to this dramatic twist is the identification of incriminating audio tapes over the weekend as fake – tapes that were created initially to implicate Moscow, as part of a massive black operation involving the destruction of the civilian airliner and all those onboard. Within hours of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 crashing into a wheat field in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine last Thursday, Western governments and media have gradually stoked a frenzy of accusations that Moscow had a hand in the disaster. [MH17] [Evidence] [Disinformation]
• Malaysian Boeing Hit Over Ukraine: Kiev Running Amuck or US Style Policy
  Andrey Areshev | 20.07.2014 | 00:00 A Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 passenger plane was shot down over the Donetsk region of Ukraine on late July 17 killing all 298 people aboard, including 85 children and 15 members of the crew. The plane was on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. Right after the tragedy the Kiev rulers accused the Donetsk People’s Republic self-defense forces of perpetrating the crime. In return the Republic’s leaders reasonably noted they possessed no weapons systems capable of hitting an aircraft at such altitude. The OSCE scouts immediately moved to the place. They always pay increased interest to what is happening at the Russia-Ukraine border while ostentatiously ignoring the barbarian strikes against the populated areas of Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (just before the Boing event over 40 people died in Lugansk, there was no mourning ceremony in the United Nations and the heads of multiple international organizations never pronounced touching harangues on the occasion). Lugansk, July 18 Hasty attempts of Kiev to avoid responsibility don’t look so effective as expected. It all looks more like an outright PR campaign with the use of bloodshed and human tragedy for selfish purposes. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow would insist on impartial and independent investigation being ready to offer any aid and cooperation that may be needed for the purpose. From the very start the inquiry is accompanied by vibrant propaganda campaign launched by the US and other Western leaders. During the Friday emergency session of the United Nations Security Council America’s United Nations Ambassador Samantha Power made scandalous attacks against the Novorossiya self-defense forces and Russia. US President Barack Obama made a special statement. His groundless accusations are impossible to construe in any other way than outright political pressure exerted to make the would-be inquiry make the needed conclusion. The already available facts related to the tragedy clearly tell that no matter what the results of international inquiry may be, the perpetrators are Kiev rulers. According to international civil aviation organization rules, it was Kiev who had to provide safety guarantees in its airspace (especially as it insists the territories of Donetsk and Lugansk regions are under its control) and prevent escalation of combat in the air during the so-called anti-terrorist operation. The excessive use of military power against civilians in the east gave rise to intensification of combat actions. There are videoclips to be used as evidence that Buk air defense systems (Moscow had stated the systems were operational and deployed to the south of Donetsk) of the Ukrainian armed forces were installed in the area to be brought into operational mode. The probability of dereliction of duty by Ukrainian personnel is a possible option. The country’s Air Force and aid defense units have been brought into combat ready condition recently. The professional skills of some Ukrainian experts are not up to par, to put it mildly. There are also at least two factors that tell that the tragedy had been conscientiously prepared by Kiev (under the US guidance) in advance in order to stage a purposeful provocation. First, the Malaysian Boing was made fly over the airspace of the Donetsk People’s Republic on purpose, the route correction and dropping altitude testify to the fact. The fiddling with the route makes remember the provocation with the South Korean Boing that violated the Soviet airspace in 1983. [MH17]
• A Chronology of Russia from Yeltsin's Fall Through Putin's Rise
  Analysis July 20, 2014 Analysis Editor's Note: As Stratfor readies to look forward in coming days at the implications for Russia -- and its leader Vladimir Putin -- in the downing July 17 of a Malaysian jetliner, we also invite readers to take stock with us of past forecasts of Russia’s geopolitical evolution in the context of global events. Stratfor Chairman George Friedman will examine the likelihood of Putin’s undoing in the next issue of Geopolitical Weekly, to publish July 22. Accordingly, we look back here at 1998, when we predicted the unfolding Kosovo crisis would be the undoing of late Russian President Boris Yeltsin. We share our assessment from 2000, when we assessed how newly elected President Putin was rapidly consolidating absolute power. In 2005, Stratfor reassessed Putin's situation after his first presidential term and laid out how his leadership would begin to reverse the tide of concessions and reassert Russia’s role in line with historical cycles -- including the forging of strategic relationships with countries such as Germany. In 2008, we looked at how Russia would capitalize on American weaknesses, including the fatigue of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2011, we foresaw the next stage, as Russia moved to solidify its sphere of influence while still able. In this forecast, we saw the events setting the stage for today’s crisis in Ukraine. Now, we foresee more historical change. We offer this chronology of forecasts in advance of our next report on Russia’s future.
• FINAL – Part II: Evidence Continues to Emerge #MH17 Is a False Flag Operation
  Examining the Evidence July 18, 2014 Key Information in Reverse Chronological Order #15 – Dissecting the Fake Intercept Disseminated by SBU (Ukrainian Security Service) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5E8kDo2n6g Note: Half of the Post Translated; The Remaining Half is Speculative Complete Original of the Post (in Russian) Can Be Found at Eugene-DF LiveJournal In the disseminated intercept, the place from which the missile was allegedly launched is clearly indicated: the checkpoint at the settlement of Chernukhino. Pay close attention at the Alleged Map of the MH17 Catastrophe. As you can see, the distance from the point of launch to the point of the fall is 37 kilometres. At the same time, the elevation of the plane was 10-11 kilometres. For the Russian BUK M2 this distance is, in fact, achievable (although with a very important caveat discussed below). However, Ukraine does not, and cannot, have modern digital high-tech Anti-Aircraft systems in its arsenal. What it does have, at best, is the older version BUK M1. The system itself is not too bad, and could even fit the stated distance. Except for the caveat that was mentioned. [MH17]
• It was Putin's missile!
  By Pepe Escobar And here's the spin war verdict: the current Malaysia Airlines tragedy - the second in four months - is "terrorism" perpetrated by "pro-Russian separatists", armed by Russia, and Vladimir Putin is the main culprit. End of story. Anyone who believes otherwise, shut up. Why? Because the CIA said so. Because Hillary "We came, we saw, he died" Clinton said so. Because batshit crazy Samantha "R2P" Power said so - thundering at the UN, everything duly printed by the neo-con infested Washington Post. [1] Because Anglo-American corporate media - from CNN to Fox (who tried to buy Time Warner, which owns CNN) - said so. Because the President of the United States (POTUS) said so. And mostly because Kiev had vociferously said so in the first place. Right off the bat they were all lined up - the invariably hysterical reams of "experts" of the "US intelligence community" literally foaming at their palatial mouths at "evil" Russia and "evil" Putin; intel "experts" who could not identify a convoy of gleaming white Toyotas crossing the Iraqi desert to take Mosul. And yet they have already sentenced they don't need to look any further, instantly solving the MH17 riddle. It doesn't matter that President Putin has stressed the MH17 tragedy must be investigated objectively. And "objectively" certainly does not mean that fictional "international community" notion construed by Washington - the usual congregation of pliable vassals/patsies. [MH17]
• Ukraine air traffic controllers instructed MH17 to fly lower, MAS says
  July 18, 2014UPDATED: July 18, 2014 09:32 pm KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 — Malaysia Airlines (MAS) said tonight that it was told to fly low over Ukrainian airspace by ground controllers, putting it at 33,000 feet, just skimming 1,000 feet above restricted altitude. In a statement here, MAS explained that MH17 had initially filed a flight plan requesting to fly at 35,000 feet above Ukrainian territory, which it described as close to the “optimum altitude”. “However, an aircraft’s altitude in flight is determined by air traffic control on the ground. “Upon entering Ukrainian airspace, MH17 was instructed by Ukrainian air traffic control to fly at 33,000 feet,” the national carrier said. The decision by MH17’s pilots to skim closely to the prohibited air zone — which is 32,000 feet, according to Europe’s aviation authority Eurocontrol — has prompted numerous questions whether this may have contributed to what is believed to be a case of mistaken identity. - See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/ukraine-traffic-controllers-instructed-mh17-to-fly-lower-mas-says#sthash.vXDdFcgZ.dpuf Reasons Why Malaysian Airlines MH17 Was Probably Shot Down By A Rebel Missile – And Why This Means The Rebels Have Lost http://inmoscowsshadows.wordpress.com/2014/07/17/reasons-why-malaysian-airlines-mh17-was-probably-shot-down-by-a-rebel-missile-and-why-this-mean-the-rebels-have-lost/ Of course, it’s still too early to say definitively what happened but this is a personal blog, not a newspaper article or a government report, so I have the space to vent and express what I think rather than what I know. So, here goes. Although I wish it were otherwise, I feel the overwhelming odds are that MH17 was shot down by a Buk-M1 surface-to-air missile fired by the rebels (but supplied by the Russians): 1. The rebels, notably generalissimo Strelkov actually claimed to have shot down a government An-26 in the general area of the MH17’s demise. The social media claims in question have been retrospectively deleted, but in this age nothing is truly lost. 2. The rebels have shot down other government planes and indeed there is strategic merit to their denying their airspace to Kyiv’s forces, given that air power is one of the government’s real advantages. If they thought the MH17 was a government plane, then this might have seemed a great opportunity. [MH17]
• Russia warns of grave consequences from new U.S. sanctions
  • After President Obama announced the toughest sanctions yet on Moscow, Russian President Vladi¬mir Putin is warning the measures will “have a boomerang effect” against the United States. (Reuters) By Michael Birnbaum July 17 MOSCOW — Russian policymakers warned Thursday of grave international financial consequences from a new, stronger round of U.S. sanctions, a sign that the measures may be inflicting pain not just on key individuals, but also on a broader swath of Russia’s economy. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev called the sanctions “evil” and warned that Moscow plans to bolster spending on defense and security in response. Russia’s stock market dropped sharply Thursday after the U.S. decision a day earlier to target major Russian banks, energy companies and defense firms with tough restrictions on their finances. “We may go back to the 1980s in our relations with the states that are declaring these sanctions,” Medvedev said at a meeting of cabinet ministers broadcast on Russian state television. “This is sad,” he said. “We will also have to give more attention to our defense and security expenditures” in view of the sanctions, he said. [Russia confrontation] [Sanctions] [NCW]
• Russian Reliance on Chinese Loans May Blunt the Impact of U.S. Sanctions
  By Andrew E. Kramer July 17, 2014 A Gazprombank office in Moscow. The company faces new sanctions from America, but some viewed them as largely symbolic. Credit Yuri Kochetkov/European Pressphoto Agency MOSCOW — With the latest round of sanctions against Russia, the United States Treasury Department said it had “increased the cost of economic isolation for key Russian firms,” like the state oil company Rosneft and the banking arm of the natural gas giant Gazprom. The isolation, though, does not extend to the companies’ growing reliance on Chinese lending, a trend in the Russian natural resources industry that will blunt the effect of sanctions aimed at the finances of Russian oil companies. Energy companies form the backbone of the Russian economy. If oil and gas are taken together, they export more energy than Saudi Arabia, and that money props up the military of President Vladimir V. Putin. Rosneft is the world’s largest publicly traded oil company, pumping about 4.1 million barrels daily. [Russia confrontation] [Sanctions] [NCW] [China Russia]
• How the Clintons Instigated Dangerous Confrontations with Russia
  by John V. Walsh Ever more antiwar voices are clamoring for a Stop Hillary Clinton movement in the Democratic primaries – and with very good reason. There are many alarming, indeed frightening, indictments of her tenures as one-half president in the 90s and then as Senator and Secretary of State. Her estranged relationship with truth, her callousness toward human life and her love for every imperial military adventure and regime change scheme are beyond worrisome. They are downright scary. But the most damning indictment yet of the Clintons on the world stage comes in the book Superpower Illusions by former Ambassador to the USSR, Jack Matlock. The book came out way back in 2009, but it is worth examining again as we confront the possibility of a return to Clintonism. And Matlock is a man who knows whereof he speaks. [Bill Clinton] [Hillary Clinton] [NATO] [Russia confrontation]
• Ukraine air traffic controller suggests military shot Malaysian Airlines MH17
  July 18, 2014 By Christopher Koulouris A Ukraine air traffic controller allegedly tweeted the shooting down as it unfolded. His tweets since gone implicate the Ukrainian military…. In a disturbing report, revelations have been made that a Kiev air traffic controller, a Spanish citizen was taken off duty as a civil air-traffic controller along with other foreigners immediately after a Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over the Eastern Ukraine killing 295 passengers and crew on board. Malaysian Airiines MH17 BUK missile launcher smuggled back to Russia. Missing 2 rockets BUK missile launcher was positioned 2 hours before Malaysia Airlines MH17 flight Did Russia’s Igor Girkin shoot down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17? Etn would further tell that the air traffic controller suggested in a private evaluation and basing it on military sources in Kiev, that the Ukrainian military was behind this shoot down. Radar records were immediately confiscated after it became clear a passenger jet was shot down. Military air traffic controllers in internal communication acknowledged the military was involved, and some military chatter said they did not know where the order to shoot down the plane originated from. Continues the report: Obviously it happened after a series of errors, since the very same plane was escorted by two Ukrainian fighter jets until 3 minutes before it disappeared from radar. But it’s the offering of the following information which raises the question of Ukrainian complicity and possible motive as some have wondered on the web to drag the US and European alliances into the quagmire against Russian interests. Continues the report: Radar screen shots also show an unexplained change of course of the Malaysian Boeing. The change of course took the aircraft directly over the Eastern Ukraine conflict region. Some tweets received suggest this may have been a secret military uprising against the current Ukrainian president under the direction of formerly-jailed Prime Minister Timoshenko. ETN would also offer the following statement raising the specter that this information may not be entirely true: The information in this article is not independently confirmed and based on the statement of one airline controller and other tweets received. Nevertheless despite the existence of Carlos’ purported tweeter posts, there are serious questions about Carlos’ identity. Reports latino.foxnews (coincidently the only mainstream media entity to date to report on the purported twitter account) this afternoon: The Spain Report, an English-language online newspaper based in that country , contacted the Spanish embassy in Kiev asking about Carlos and was told, “We have no knowledge of ‘Carlos’ having been in Ukraine. There is no record of his passing through the Consulate, and no one from the (relatively small) Spanish colony knows him.” The statement went on to say that all of the air traffic controllers at the airport where he claimed to work “are Ukranian, and that in any case they have never employed any Spaniard for that or any other task [at the airport].” Below are a series of translated screen shots involving Carlos twitter feed (in google cache mode) of the Ukraine air traffic controller @spainbuca With a variety of commentators on the web contemplating: This is crazy if true. The western media will now push as hard as they can to hide the truth and accuse Russia. I believe more to a foreign traffic controller tweeting live than to US propaganda. This person can be identified by coworkers to really be the author. Then a shitstorm will happen. cached tw account http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:dSmHTIbJ9qkJ:https://twitter.com/spainbuca+&cd=1&hl=kk&ct=clnk&gl=kz [MH17
• Korea’s role in the regional political games
  Vladimir Terehov 5543The venerable public’s attention is drawn today to that part of the global political circus which features clowns in the form of cartoonish “Caliphates” and “Euro Maidans”. Their increasingly bloody acts hide the main event where the leading political actors are at play, sorting things out between themselves mostly in the Asia Pacific region, which is a long way away from the comic relief on the other end of the world. For example, one matter that deserves attention is the nature of the suddenly developing foreign maneuvers being undertaken lately by the biggest players around both Koreas. Despite the mantras of a specific group within the Russian political class, the “democratic” Japan is showing increasingly more interest not towards the similarly “democratic” South Korea, but the “totalitarian” North Korea. This is happening despite all of Tokyo’s philippics towards North Korea’s nuclear program and despite the fact that within official Japanese documents related to defence and security, North Korea appears as one of the greatest foreign threats.
• The Malaysia Airlines Shootdown Spells Disaster for Putin
  By Romesh Ratnesar July 17, 2014 The apparent downing of Malaysia Airlines (MAS:MK) flight MH17, possibly by pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine, is a horrifying tragedy for the families of the 295 passengers and crew members on board. As a possible turning point in the confrontation between Russia and the West over Moscow’s ongoing campaign to destabilize Ukraine, it could also spell serious trouble for Vladimir Putin. The crash came less than a day after the U.S. and Europe announced a new round of sanctions against Russia, targeting the country’s biggest banks and energy companies, all controlled by Putin’s cronies. Crucially, the sanctions would curtail the ability of Russian giants such as Rosneft (ROSN:LI), the state-owned oil company, to access U.S. equity and debt markets for financing. By raising the cost of borrowing, the sanctions have the potential to deal a punch in the gut to a Russian economy that’s already reeling, as my colleague Matt Philips noted on Wednesday. [Russia confrontation] [Propaganda] [MH17]
• Putin Criticizes U.S. Over New Sanctions
  By David M. Herszenhorn JULY 17, 2014 MOSCOW — Responding to a new round of economic sanctions by the United States, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia lashed out late Wednesday against what he called America’s “aggressive foreign policy,” which he said had caused havoc in the Middle East, and accused the United States of pushing the Ukrainian government to continue fighting rather than encouraging peace. Mr. Putin, speaking to reporters in Brasília, where he is winding up a trip through central and South America, warned that the American sanctions would backfire. “I have already said they tend to have a boomerang effect, and without any doubt, in this case they are driving Russian-American relations to an impasse, causing very serious damage,” Mr. Putin said, according to a Kremlin transcript. “And I am convinced that this is harmful to the national long-term strategic interests of the American state, the American people.” Mr. Putin said that rather than imposing sanctions like those announced in Washington on Wednesday against Russian banks and energy companies in retaliation for Moscow’s intervention in Ukraine, the Obama administration should be working to end the bloodshed in Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatists have been fighting the government since early April.
• Putin: Ukraine is a Battlefield for the New World Order
  Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 11 Issue: 121 July 3, 2014 03:54 PM Age: 2 days By: Pavel Felgenhauer Putin addresses Russian diplomats (Credit: Kremlin.ru) This week in Moscow President Vladimir Putin made a major foreign policy statement, while speaking to a worldwide gathering of Russian ambassadors and permanent diplomatic representatives. According to Putin, the West did not give Moscow a choice, but to move to annex Crimea last March to defend Russians and Russian-speakers “that consider themselves part of the wider Russian world” (“Ruskiy Mir”). Putin insisted that NATO planned to swiftly move its forces into Sevastopol and radically change the balance of power in the region, depriving Russia of everything it had been fighting for since the times of Tsar Peter the Great. According to Putin, the present crisis in Ukraine is a manifestation of the core Western policy of “deterring Russia” that continued despite the end of the Cold war. Putin announced Moscow would continue to defend the rights of Russian “compatriots” living abroad “using political, economic and self-defense humanitarian operations.” He declared that the time of U.S. world domination has ended and Russia will be reintegrating the Eurasian landmass [former USSR], while promoting better relations with Europe, “which is our natural partner.” The Russian foreign ministry was ordered to work on preparing “a joint space of economic and humanitarian cooperation from Lisbon to Vladivostok,” based on absolute noninterference in internal political matters and excluding the U.S [Russia confrontation]
• The Silence of American Hawks About Kiev’s Atrocities
  By Stephen F. Cohen June 30, 2014 For weeks, the US-backed regime in Kiev has been committing atrocities against its own citizens in southeastern Ukraine, regions heavily populated by Russian-speaking Ukrainians and ethnic Russians. While victimizing a growing number of innocent people, including children, and degrading America’s reputation, these military assaults on cities, captured on video, are generating pressure in Russia on President Vladimir Putin to “save our compatriots.” The reaction of the Obama administration—as well as the new cold war hawks and establishment media—has been twofold: silence interrupted only by occasional statements excusing and thus encouraging more atrocities by Kiev. Very few Americans (notably, the independent scholar Gordon Hahn) have protested this shameful complicity. We may honorably disagree about the causes and resolution of the Ukrainian crisis, the worst US-Russian confrontation in decades, but not about deeds that are rising to the level of war crimes, if they have not already done so. * * * In mid-April, the new Kiev government, predominantly western Ukrainian in composition and outlook, declared an “anti-terrorist operation” against a growing political rebellion in the Southeast. At that time, the rebels were mostly mimicking the initial Maidan protests in Kiev in 2013—demonstrating, issuing defiant proclamations, occupying public buildings and erecting defensive barricades—before Maidan turned ragingly violent and, in February, overthrew Ukraine’s corrupt but legitimately elected president, Viktor Yanukovych. (The entire Maidan episode, it will be recalled, had Washington’s enthusiastic political, and perhaps more tangible, support.) Indeed, the precedent for seizing official buildings and demanding the allegiance of local authorities had been set even earlier, in January, in western Ukraine—by pro-Maidan, anti-Yanukovych protesters, some declaring “independence” from his government. [Ukraine] War crimes] [Double standards] [Media]
• Russia to reopen spy base in Cuba as relations with US continue to sour
  Decision to reopen signals intelligence facility south of Havana follows Russia forgiving 90% of Cuba's unpaid Soviet-era debts Alec Luhn in Moscow The Guardian, Wednesday 16 July 2014 19.13 BST The Russian radar station in Lourdes, south of Havana, was the Soviet Union's largest foreign base, and will now be reopened. Photograph: Cristobal Herrera/AP Russia has quietly reached an agreement with Cuba to reopen a Soviet-era spy base on America's doorstep, amid souring relations between Moscow and Washington. The deal to reopen the signals intelligence facility in Lourdes, south of Havana, was agreed in principle during president Vladimir Putin's visit to the island as part of a Latin American tour last week, according to the newspaper Kommersant. Opened in 1967, the Lourdes facility was the Soviet Union's largest foreign base, a mere 155 miles from the US coast. It employed up to 3,000 military and intelligence personnel to intercept a wide array of American telephone and radio communications, but Putin announced its closure in 2001 because it was too expensive – Russia had been paying $200m (£117m) a year in rent – and in response to US demands. [Resurgence] [Surveillance] [Response]
• Pyongyang-Vladivostok passengers up 22 percent in first half
  Air passenger traffic between the North Korean capital and the neighboring Russian port city of Vladivostok surged more than 20 percent in the first half of 2014 from a year earlier, a news report said Wednesday, amid signs of closer ties between the two nations. The number of passengers between Sunan International Airport in Pyongyang and Vladivostok International Airport in the Russian Far East shot up 22 percent on-year during the January-June period, the Washington-based Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported. It cited data from the Vladivostok airport, which did not reveal the exact number of passengers and the reason for the jump. However, RFA attributed the surge to increased bilateral exchanges and cooperation in economic, tourism and other fields. The sharp increase compares with a 1.7 percent drop in the number of users of Vladivostok International Airport during the six-month period, which totaled 838,000, it said. North Korea's Air Koryo operates the Tupolev Tu-204 aircraft twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays, on the Pyongyang-Vladivostok route. (Yonhap)
• Ten reasons why Iran doesn’t trust Russia
  As western companies prepare for the lifting of financial and economic sanctions imposed on Iran by the US as retaliation for their development of a nuclear program, Russia is also exploring its possibilities of participating in developing and modernising Iran’s economy. It would seem that Teheran should be quick to accommodate Moscow, who has always looked favourably towards the possibility of developing comprehensive ties with Iran both in terms of trade as well as in the military and technical industries. Oddly enough, however, there does not seem to be any hurry from the Iranian side. On the contrary, it is noticeable that Teheran is primarily looking towards the west, mostly the countries of the European Union. Moreover, statements akin to “Iran should not depend on Russia as a beneficial and reliable partner” seem to be floating around as well. Naturally, all of this poses the question of why Moscow is seeing such treatment, especially since it has never sided with the sanctions imposed against the regime, unlike the west. To fully understand the issue, it is necessary to see what the experts are saying in various political circles both in Iran and in the Middle Eastern countries, while also exploring what is unofficially being said by numerous representatives from Iran’s trade, economic and political communities. It is, of course, possible to examine the issue even from a historical perspective, attempting to explain the origin of this distrust through old arguments from the times of Griboyedov or even the presence of Soviet troops in the northern part of Iran during the Second World War. [Iran Russia]
• Russia Trumps West With BRICS Bank
  • By Peter Hobson • Jul. 14 2014 21:31 • Ueslei Marcelino / ReutersPresident Vladimir Putin arriving at the Planalto Palace in Brazilia Monday. Top of the agenda at the sixth summit of the BRICS developing nations beginning Tuesday is the founding of two multilateral financial institutions designed to erode the dominance of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund as arbiters of the global economic system. For Russia, the creation of a $100 billion BRICS development bank and a reserve currency fund worth another $100 billion is a political coup. Just as the West freezes Russia out of its own economic system as punishment for its politics in Ukraine, Russia is tying itself into the financial superstructure of the next generation of economic heavyweights: India, Brazil, China and South Africa. The World Bank and the IMF have come under criticism from the rapidly developing BRICS, who together account for 20 percent of global GDP and 40 percent of the world's population. In their view, the two financial institutions are dominated by the rich nations of the G7 and attach stringent conditions to their lending that impinge on the economic sovereignty of its members. Far from assuaging their complaints, efforts to reform the 70-year-old institutions have stalled. Proposed updates to the IMF that would grant increased influence to developing economies have been languishing in the U.S. Congress since 2010 and were blocked once again in April. [Finance] [Reserve] [Decline]
• Russia's Putin says emerging powers must play bigger role in world affairs
  MOSCOW, July 11 Fri Jul 11, 2014 2:30am IST (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking on the eve of a trip to Latin America, said Brazil and other emerging powers must play a greater role in world affairs, suggesting they could do more to counter U.S. influence. In an interview published on Friday, Putin framed his tour of Brazil, Cuba and Argentina as part of an effort to build a multi-polar world at a time when he is isolated by sanctions over Ukraine and his relations with the West are at their frostiest since the Cold War. Russia sees strong relations with Brazil as "strategically important" in opposing Western clout, he said, ahead of next week's summit with fellow BRICS nations, which includes China, India and South Africa. "This powerful and fast-developing country is destined to play an important role in the emerging poly-centric world order," Putin told the Itar-tass news agency. He said Moscow would back Brazil to obtain a seat on the United Nations Security Council, where Russia is a veto-wielding member along with the United States. The Russian leader has ramped up criticism of what he says is U.S. meddling in other state's affairs as the former Cold War superpowers clashed over Russia's annexation of Crimea in March and its political support of separatists in eastern Ukraine. In a veiled dig at Washington on Friday, Putin criticised cyber espionage. Last year's revelations by former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden of U.S. surveillance have led to a rift in its ties with European allies.
  Two days ahead of Putin's arrival there, Russia's upper house ratified last year's agreement to cancel 90 percent of Cuba's $35.2 billion debt on loans granted by the Soviet Union. Putin said the remaining 10 percent, or $3.5 billion, would be spent on joint investment projects in the country [Cuba] [Debt]
• Lavrov: Russia Must Spend More Cash to Improve Image Abroad
  • By Anna Dolgov • Jul. 10 2014 13:34 • Concerned that Russia is not very well-liked by its neighbors after annexing part of Ukraine, a Russian foreign-affairs agency has proposed a solution: Put more money into promotional campaigns to show Moscow's true warm and friendly nature. At a meeting with officials from the Foreign Ministry's agency in charge of improving Russia's image abroad, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that since the start of the Ukraine crisis, Moscow has run into some popularity problems and blamed its bad rap on opponents' unfair political campaigning and some outdated stereotypes. "Events in Ukraine and around it have clearly demonstrated that we are facing competition – frequently of an unfair kind – in the issues of forming public opinion," Lavrov said, according to an official transcript of his remarks published on the ministry's website. "It is important that we increase our work on explaining Russia's line in international affairs, bringing truthful information to foreign public, strengthening contacts not only with those who seek constructive cooperation with us, but also with those players who are still laboring under the influence of prejudices of a past epoch," he said. [Softpower] [Public diplomacy]

• Ukraine's Poroshenko declares week-long ceasefire, warns rebels
  By Richard Balmforth KIEV Fri Jun 20, 2014 8:35pm BST (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Friday ordered a seven-day ceasefire in the fight against pro-Russian separatists, but also warned them they could face death if they did not use the time to put down their guns. In Moscow, the Kremlin, whose support Poroshenko needs for his plan to end the insurgency in the rebellious east, denounced the ceasefire as an ultimatum to separatists rather than a peace offering. Poroshenko, installed only three weeks ago as president after seven months of turmoil in the ex-Soviet republic, ordered government forces to cease firing to allow his peace plan for the region to take root. But after fierce fighting on Thursday about 100 km (60 miles) from the Russian border that apparently caused heavy losses for separatists and some deaths on the Ukrainian side, Poroshenko backed his declaration with a warning to the rebels. Interfax news agency quoted him as telling military officers in the east that the temporary ceasefire would give the rebels just one week to lay down their arms, after which "they will have to be eliminated." The ceasefire "does not mean that we will not fight back in the event of aggression towards our military. We will do everything we can to defend the territory of our state," his website quoted him separately as saying. The ceasefire will run from 10 p.m. on Friday until 10 a.m. on June 27, it said. After announcement of the ceasefire, Poroshenko launched a 15-point peace plan to end the insurgency in the Russian-speaking east which erupted in April after street protests in the capital Kiev toppled the Moscow-backed Viktor Yanukovich. Russia subsequently annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula. Kiev's new authorities quickly saw the hand of Moscow when separatist groups took control of strategic buildings and towns in the east, declaring "people's republics" and declaring they wanted to join Russia. SEPARATISTS UNIMPRESSED In Donetsk, the main industrial hub in the region, the rebels remained unmoved by Poroshenko's ceasefire gesture or the unveiling of a peace plan on Friday. "What kind of reaction do you expect? When they (the Kiev side) pull out their army, then you will have our reaction," a spokeswoman for the self-styled Donetsk People's Republic said. [Ukraine]
• Why Ukraine's freeze on arms sales to Russia will hurt Kiev too
  President Poroshenko has effectively ended $15 billion in arms contracts that keep Russia's military in the air and Ukraine's defense industry employed. By Fred Weir, Correspondent June 17, 2014 Moscow — In light of Moscow's continued support for armed rebels in Ukraine's east, it seems logical that Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has officially terminated "defense cooperation" between his country and Russia. But Mr. Poroshenko's ban on all contacts in the military sphere will likely inflict massive pain on interdependent arms industries on both sides of the border. The effective termination of an estimated $15 billion in current contracts could lead to the collapse of some of Ukraine's major companies. According to the official ITAR-Tass agency, 79 Ukrainian and 859 Russian defense firms will be adversely affected. These industries have been intertwined since Soviet times, when Ukraine accounted for about 30 percent of Soviet military shipbuilding and disproportionately high shares in aviation, missiles, armor, and space industries.
  Experts say that Russia, with its vast industrial base and petroleum-fueled state budget, will eventually recover from the sudden rupture of ties. Ukraine's military industries, mostly located in the strife-torn east of the country, may have far greater difficulties in surviving the loss of their former Russian markets. Without major support from the nearly-bankrupt Ukrainian government, some large Ukrainian defense firms "will collapse," the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center quotes Anton Mikhnenko, deputy director of the Center for Army, Conversion, and Disarmament Studies in Kiev as saying. [Ukraine] [Arms sales] [F&E]
• Putin plotting to halt UK fracking, warns Nato chief: Secretary-General claims agents are working with campaigners to make sure Europe continues reliance on Russian energy exports
  • Putin's government 'engaged actively' with green groups and protesters • Nato Secretary-General said plan was part of disinformation campaign • Move made to ensure Europe's reliance on Moscow energy exports, he said By John Stevens Putin: Fracking makes ¿black stuff come out of the tap¿ Russian agents are secretly working with environmental campaigners to halt fracking operations in the UK and the rest of Europe, the head of Nato warned yesterday. Vladimir Putin’s government has ‘engaged actively’ with green groups and protesters in a sophisticated operation aimed at maintaining Europe’s reliance on energy exports from Moscow, said Nato Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. [Russia confrontation] [Fracking]
• Iraq and Ukraine: The End of the American Empire
  455453In unleashing the war in Iraq in March 2003 in order to start implementing its plan of the democratization of the “Greater Middle East” by American standards, Washington had not yet realized that this was the beginning of the end of the U.S. presence in the region and in a whole, the end of the American empire with all its global ambitions. Now the White House is convulsing, torn between Ukraine, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Syria, they no longer possess the sufficient forces to enact their will. The U.S. is not the same, and America is no longer an empire. It is all logical; it all began with Iraq and it will all end most likely with Iraq. It will not be in the least bit surprising if we soon are presented the picture, already familiar to many by the 1976 evacuation from Saigon, another similar situation unfold whereby a U.S. Air Force helicopter takes off from the roof of the American Embassy in Baghdad with its ambassador and last diplomats. And around it will rage a crowd of armed Islamist militants, numbering in the thousands, generated by U.S. policy who they themselves had conceived in the 80s in order to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan. From the events of September 11, 2001, Washington learned nothing. And that is particularly evident in Iraq today. [Jihad] [Decline]
• Russia Forgives N.Korean Debt
  Analysts say Moscow's decision to forgive most of North Korea's debt is aimed at clearing a path through the secretive state for a natural gas pipeline from Russia to South Korea. Russian President Vladimir Putin at event in St. Petersburg on June 5, 2014. /Reuters Russian President Vladimir Putin at event in St. Petersburg on June 5, 2014. /Reuters Russian President Vladimir Putin last month forgave 90 percent of North Korea's $11 billion debt. He also allowed Pyongyang to use payments on its remaining debt balance for health, education and energy programs of its own. Several experts say they believe this is an attempt by Russia to win favor with North Korea to get a pipeline agreement. Scott Snyder, director of the Program on U.S. Korea Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, said this is something Russia has long wanted. He said it was discussed "back in 2011 between then [Russian] President [Dmitry] Medvedev and [North Korean leader] Kim Jong-il." Synder added that it was again discussed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and South Korean President Park Geun-hye at a summit late last year. "So I think that there is interest on both the Russian and the South Korean sides in doing something," he said. [Russia NK] [Debt] [Pipeline]
• What Goals Does US Pursue in Ukraine?
  Boris Novoseltsev | 18.06.2014 | 00:00 The events in Donbass testify to the fact that the main goal of the United States and the new Ukrainian administration is finding ways to influence Russia instead of tackling the problems related to the ongoing crisis in Donbass. Instead of launching a long-awaited dialogue with Donetsk and Lugansk, as promised by the President of Ukraine, the punitive operations have intensified. The authorities had not used heavy artillery and tanks before, now they are given a carte blanche to do it. The West quietly approved the use of air power when the government aviation delivered a strike against Lugansk. Now Kiev feels free to use it on much broader scale. The West seems to acquiesce in what Kiev is doing. The United States exerts pressure on the European Union (especially France) and Kiev to make them toughen the policy towards Russia. Kiev is a player in the game. President Poroshenko asked French President Hollande to approve the imposition of sectoral sanctions including military sales. The contacts between Ukraine and France are indirectly influenced by Washington. The United States strongly opposes the Mistral deal that envisions selling French amphibious assault ships to Russia as well as building the boats of this class by Russian shipyards. Moscow, reasonable Europeans and the people of Donbass resisting the Kiev regime support a ceased-fire and a dialogue as the way to manage the ongoing crisis. The United States sees things differently. [Russia confrontation]
• Russia will not be a spoiler in Iraq
  It is reasonable to criticize experts in international affairs for failing to predict any of the momentous events of the past few decades. The fall of communism in Eastern Europe as well as the collapse of the Soviet Union and the "Arab Spring" all caught analysts by surprise. There are also cases, however, when the opposite is true and political Cassandras unanimously caution about something, but decision-makers simply dismiss them. Iraq is just one such case. The United States should not expect much help from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Author Fyodor Lukyanov Posted June 15, 2014 In the autumn of 2002, when it became clear that the George W. Bush administration was pushing for military action against then-Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, there was an effective consensus among Russian Orientalists. Save for a few negligible exceptions, they all unanimously asserted that such action would lead to chaos and ultimately to the disappearance of Iraq as a unified state. At all international conferences and in personal meetings, Russian specialists cautioned their American colleagues not to do it. Some of the interlocutors agreed; others nodded knowingly, while remaining unconvinced; while others still, especially those who worked directly with the US administration, shrugged their shoulders. There is no need to scare us, they'd say, the democratic transformation of the Middle East is inevitable, it has only to be encouraged. [Iraq] [Fragmentation] [Russia US]
• Cohen on Ukraine civil war: ‘Lincoln didn’t call Confederates terrorists’
  Published time: June 14, 2014 13:08 Historical analogies may be inaccurate, but Americans may need to look at their own civil war and compare it to what is happening in Ukraine now. Today the US supports a murderous criminal adventure that has little to do with unifying the country. This assessment came from Professor Stephen Cohen, prominent US scholar of Russian studies and author, who advised George H.W. Bush in the late 1980s. He spoke to RT about the mistakes of the consecutive American administrations in their Russia policies, the worst crisis in decades that they led to and the deterioration of political discourse in America that prevents things from changing in Washington. Cohen challenged the narrative of the Ukrainian events dominating in the US, calling the military crackdown by the government an “unwise, reckless, murderous, inhuman campaign that Kiev is conduction against what are admittedly rebel provinces.” “Lincoln never called the Confederacy terrorists,” the scholar pointed out. “He always said, no matter how bad the civil war was, fellow citizens he wanted to come back to the union. Why is Kiev calling its own citizens terrorists? They are rebels. They are protesters. They have a political agenda. Why isn’t Kiev sending a delegation there to negotiate with them? “Their demands are not unreasonable. They want to elect their own governors – we elect our own governors. They want a say on where their taxes go – ‘no taxation without representation.’ We know what that is,” Cohen said. “There are extremists among them, but there are also people who simply want to live in a Ukraine that is for everybody. And instead the Kiev army, with the full support of the United States, is supporting this assault.” [Ukraine] [Russia confrontation]
• The Fateful Triangle: Russia, Ukraine and the Jews
  By Israel Shamir Global Research, June 11, 2014 The erotic reliefs of Hindu temples with their gravity-defying and anatomy-challenging positions have found a new modern competitor in the Ukrainian crisis. Each party wants to get the Jews on their side, while claiming that the other side is anti-Jewish and a Jewish puppet at once. This impossible, Kama-Sutraesque position is the result of extremely confusing alliances: the Kiev regime lists devout Jews and fiery antisemites among its mainstays. The leading figures of the regime (including the president-elect) are of Jewish origin; strongman and chief financier Mr. Igor (Benya) Kolomoysky is a prominent Jewish public figure, the builder of many synagogues and a supporter of Israel. The most pro-active force of the regime, the ultra-nationalists of the Svoboda party and the Right Sector, admire Hitler and his Ukrainian Quisling, Stepan Bandera, “liberators of Ukraine from the Judeo-Muscovite yoke”. Jews are ambivalent, and the sides are ambivalent about them, and a most dramatic intrigue has been hatched. The Russians tried to pull Israel and American Jews to their side, with little success. President Putin condemned the antisemitism of the Svoboda party; he mentioned the desecration of the Odessa Jewish cemetery in his important talk. [Jews] [Israel] [Russia] [Ukraine
• Back in the USSR: Belarusian leader who helped bury Soviet Union says it is making a comeback
  Stanislav Shushkevich hosted 1991 summit when Belarus, Ukraine and Russia signed USSR into obsolescence. Now, he says the Soviet order is returning Mark Rice-Oxley in Minsk theguardian.com, Tuesday 10 June 2014 06.00 BST Communist party supporters attend a rally in downtown Donetsk on 19 August, 2011, to mark the 20th anniversary of the break-up of the USSR. Communist party supporters attend a rally in downtown Donetsk on 19 August, 2011, to mark the 20th anniversary of the break-up of the USSR. Photograph: Alexander Khudoteply/AFP/Getty Images The man who convened the meeting that buried the Soviet Union in 1991 has warned that it is being restored in his native Belarus and across the post-Soviet space. Stanislav Shushkevich – the politician who hosted the 1991 summit at which Belarus, Ukraine and Russia signed the USSR into obsolescence and paved the way for independence – said a mixture of despotic leaders, KGB-revivalism and Putin’s Ukraine interference all remind him of the worst of the Soviet Union. “What we see now is the restoration of Soviet order, in Belarus most of all,” Shushkevich said in his study in the modest central Minsk apartment. “Look what happened in Ukraine. It was just the same as in Soviet times in 1990 when they tried to restore control over the Baltic republics with special services. It’s all a play by Russian special services. And in Belarus it’s just like Soviet order, collective farms, it all works like a Soviet regime.” [Russia confrontation]
• Place of Ukraine in US Military Planning
  Olga Shedrova | 10.06.2014 | 00:00 While the death toll among civilians is growing in Ukraine the United States continues its policy aimed at escalation of the conflict. It offers all kinds of support to Kiev including military aid. Deputy Secretary General Ambassador Alexander Vershbow said the cooperation is going to get a new impetus with instructors sent to beef up the modernization efforts of Ukraine’s armed forces. The US Congress is to pass a bill to provide $1 billion in loan guarantees to Ukraine. The bill authorizes an additional $100 million to bolster security cooperation among the United States, European Union and countries in Central and Eastern Europe and further authorizes the President to provide defense help and additional security assistance to Ukraine and other countries in the region. According to Igor Dolgov, Ukraine’s Ambassador to NATO, the alliance is to provide logistics and gratuitously train Ukrainian personnel. It will also intensify intelligence collecting efforts against Russia including AWACS aircraft. Anders Fogh Rasmussen says no military actions against Russia are planned, but the facts tell otherwise. [Russia confrontation] [Ukraine]
• Russia to support expulsion of the dollar from the East
  09.06.2014 The dollar hegemony is deflating in front of our very eyes. Russia refused from dollar settlement with China and North Korea. In case with China, it was decided to use yuans and rubles in international contracts. As for the DPRK, the Russian currency will be the dominating one. How noticeable can changes for the dollar system be? In late May, during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to China, where he met with his counterpart Xi Jinping, the parties agreed to abandon settlements in the U.S. currency and make payments in Russian rubles and Chinese yuans. An adequate document was signed by First Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of VTB Bank, Vasily Titov, and head of the Bank of China, Chen Siqing. Then, in early June, at the sixth meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation, which was held in Vladivostok, Russia and North Korea (DPRK) signed an agreement on the transition to ruble settlement. The North Koreans thus consolidated their confidence in investors from Russia. For Russia, especially in the light of Western sanctions, farewell to the dollar in international transactions is a matter of urgent need. Earlier, Vladimir Putin said that Russia should develop settlements in national currencies with countries of the East. Thus, agreements on this issue and cooperation in the monetary sphere in general with the DPRK will help place gold reserves. [reserve] [Russia NK] [China Russia] [Trade]
• M: Lost and Found in Ukraine
  By Alec Luhn Alec Luhn It felt odd to be interviewing people in a flak jacket, as if my life was worth more than theirs. I was jotting down notes as a group of men dressed in cheap track pants and light coats, their faces ruddy from the sun, told me how they had advanced on soldiers at the airfield in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, with nothing but improvised clubs. As they spoke, machine-gun fire rang out. I was the only one who ducked. Some nearby soldiers were just shooting into the air to scare back the crowd. I had flown into Donetsk the day after pro-Russian protesters seized the regional administration building and declared a “Donetsk People’s Republic.” I was on assignment to cover the events for The Guardian. In some ways, it seemed like my life experiences had been leading up to this moment: childhood in small-town Wisconsin, where I yearned to get out and see the world; four years studying Russian in college; two years covering business at The Moscow Times; and a year as a freelance news reporter. [Media] [Russia confrontation]
• The Durability of Ukrainian Fascism
  by Peter Lee Readers outside of Europe might not be aware of it, but spring is the fascist marching season in the Baltic republics. In Estonia on February 16; February 16 & March 11 in Lithuania (anniversaries of 1918 and 1990 declarations of independence); and March 16 in Latvia (March 16, 1944 was first day the Latvian Legion fought alongside the Wehrmacht against the Red Army), local fascists parade to celebrate fascist principals and fascist heroes, most of whom collaborated in some ways with Nazi Germany during World War II while resisting the Soviet Union. The big event for Ukrainian fascists is January 1, the anniversary of the birth of Stepan Bandera (1909-1959), leader of the OUN-B (Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists—Bandera) fascist faction. This year, 15,000 people marched by torchlight in Kyiv on January 1 to commemorate Bandera. Eastern European fascism is a durable and alarmingly vital ideology. It is not just a matter of atavistic affection for Hitler and Nazism by bigoted cranks.
• Washington’s Iron Curtain in Ukraine
  by Diana Johnstone NATO leaders are currently acting out a deliberate charade in Europe, designed to reconstruct an Iron Curtain between Russia and the West. With astonishing unanimity, NATO leaders feign surprise at events they planned months in advance. Events that they deliberately triggered are being misrepresented as sudden, astonishing, unjustified “Russian aggression”. The United States and the European Union undertook an aggressive provocation in Ukraine that they knew would force Russia to react defensively, one way or another. They could not be sure exactly how Russian president Vladimir Putin would react when he saw that the United States was manipulating political conflict in Ukraine to install a pro-Western government intent on joining NATO. This was not a mere matter of a “sphere of influence” in Russia’s “near abroad”, but a matter of life and death to the Russian Navy, as well as a grave national security threat on Russia’s border. A trap was thereby set for Putin. He was damned if he did, and damned if he didn’t. He could underreact, and betray Russia’s basic national interests, allowing NATO to advance its hostile forces to an ideal attack position. Or he could overreact, by sending Russian forces to invade Ukraine. The West was ready for this, prepared to scream that Putin was “the new Hitler”, poised to overrun poor, helpless Europe, which could only be saved (again) by the generous Americans. In reality, the Russian defensive move was a very reasonable middle course. [Ukraine] [NATO] [Response]
• Brzezinski Mapped Out the Battle for Ukraine in 1997
  It's all about maintaining the US position as the world's sole superpower by Chris Ernesto, March 15, 2014 Why would the United States run the risk of siding with anti-Semitic, neo-Nazis in Ukraine? One of the keys may be found by looking back at Zbigniew Brzezinski’s 1997 book, The Grand Chessboard in which he wrote, “Ukraine, a new and important space on the Eurasian chessboard, is a geopolitical pivot because its very existence as an independent country helps to transform Russia. Without Ukraine, Russia ceases to be a Eurasian empire.” “However, if Moscow regains control over Ukraine, with its 52 million people and major resources as well as access to the Black Sea, Russia automatically again regains the wherewithal to become a powerful imperial state, spanning Europe and Asia.” The former national security advisor to Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981 and top foreign policy advisor to Barack Obama, Brzezinski wrote that US policy should be “unapologetic” in perpetuating “America’s own dominant position for at least a generation and preferably longer still.” Brzezinski delved into the importance of little known Ukraine by explaining in his 1997 book, “Geopolitical pivots are the states whose importance is derived not from their power and motivation but rather from their sensitive location… which in some cases gives them a special role in either defining access to important areas or in denying resources to a significant player.”
  “Ukraine, Azerbaijan, South Korea, Turkey and Iran play the role of critically important geopolitical pivots,” he wrote in The Grand Chessboard, a book viewed by many as a blueprint for US world domination. [Brzezinski] [Russia confrontation] [Ukraine] [US global strategy]
• U.S. pledges $1B to boost military presence in E. Europe, urges NATO allies to boost funding
  By Zachary A. Goldfarb and Karen DeYoung June 3 at 8:00 PM WARSAW — President Obama pledged his ironclad commitment Tuesday to the defense of Europe and proposed as much as $1 billion in additional spending to bolster the U.S. military presence in Poland and neighboring countries, part of a strategy to reassure nervous allies and check Russia’s encroachment into the region. Standing beside Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski at the start of a four-day tour of Europe, Obama warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that he will face additional sanctions if he escalates the situation in Ukraine and urged him to take steps to resolve it diplomatically. “We have prepared economic costs on Russia that can escalate if we continue to see Russia actively destabilizing one of its neighbors,” Obama said. [Russia confrontation] [Military expenditure]
• A Massacre, Remembered
  This video is very, very hard to watch. But I think it should be watched, and remembered. It's the immediate aftermath of the June 2 attack on the regional administrative building in Lugansk, eastern Ukraine, which was serving as the HQ for the anti-Kyiv apparatus in the town. Eight civilians died in the attack. Alec Luhn, who writes for the Guardian, went to the site and says the markings on the ground are consistent with a strafing run. [War crimes] [Double standards] [Ukraine] [Tiananmen]
• The Geopolitics of the Eurasian Economic Union
  by Eric Draitser The deal signed last week by Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan to create a Eurasian Economic Union is yet another countermeasure against US and European attempts to isolate Russia. By moving towards closer economic cooperation, Russia hopes to build, piecemeal if necessary, a common Eurasian economic space that will ultimately rival the US and Europe in terms of economic influence. However, the ultimate goal of this sort of cooperation goes far beyond just economic power. Rather, Russia is the key facilitator of a series of multilateral arrangements created in the last fifteen years that Putin (and much of the world) hopes will ultimately move the world towards a multipolar global order. While this is undoubtedly on the agenda for Russia and its ally Belarus, Kazakhstan is a complicated partner as it is deeply involved with the West in terms of business, investment, education, and a number of other critical areas. The Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) presents a host of possibilities for economic cooperation and development. [Eurasia] [Softpower]
• Economic ties between Russia and North Korea: Heading For a Breakthrough
  The Intergovernmental Commission on trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation between Russia and North Korea will have its 6th session in Vladivostok on June 5, 2014. The commission will be co-chaired by Russian Minister for the Development of the Far East Alexander Galushka and North Korea’s Foreign Trade Minister Ri Ryong Nam. The session will serve as a platform where parties will discuss both current and prospective areas of intergovernmental cooperation within the trade, economic, scientific and technological sectors, while also discussing the involvement of Russian businesses. [Russia NK]
• Putin looks east to bolster ties with North Korea
  FILE - In this May 9, 2014 file photo, Russian President Vladimir Putin heads to speak at a navy parade marking Victory Day in Sevastopol, Crimea. Angry with the West’s response over Ukraine, Russia is moving rapidly to bolster ties with North Korea in a diplomatic nose-thumbing that could complicate the U.S.-led effort to squeeze Pyongyang into giving up its nuclear weapons program. Russia’s proactive strategy in Asia- which also involves cozying up to China and had been dubbed “Putin’s Pivot” - began years ago as Moscow’s answer to Washington’s much touted rebalancing of its military forces in the Pacific. (Ivan Sekretarev, File/Associated Press) By Associated Press June 4 at 2:15 AM TOKYO — Angry with the West’s response over Ukraine and eager to diversify its options, Russia is moving rapidly to bolster ties with North Korea in a diplomatic nose-thumbing that could complicate the U.S.-led effort to squeeze Pyongyang into giving up its nuclear weapons program. Russia’s proactive strategy in Asia, which also involves cozying up to China and has been dubbed “Putin’s Pivot,” began years ago as Moscow’s answer to Washington’s much-touted alliance-building and rebalancing of its military forces in the Pacific. But it has gained a new sense of urgency since Ukraine — and Pyongyang is already getting a big windfall. Moscow’s overtures to North Korea reflect both a defensive distancing from the EU and Washington because of their sanctions over Ukraine and a broader, long-term effort by Russia to strengthen its hand in Asia by building political alliances, expanding energy exports and developing Russian regions in Siberia and the Far East. [NK Russia]
• The Sino-Russian Hydrocarbon Axis Grows Up
  Russia and China have just concluded a $400 billion gas agreement. Washington should take notice. Flynt Leverett ,Hillary Mann Leverett May 21, 2014 Eight years ago, in the pages of The National Interest, Flynt Leverett and Pierre Noël identified a “new axis of oil”—a “shifting coalition of both energy exporting and energy importing states centered in ongoing Sino-Russian collaboration”—that was emerging as an increasingly important counterweight to the United States on a widening range of international issues. While, at the time, Russian oil and gas exports to China were negligible, Leverett and Noël projected that Russian hydrocarbons would become “a major factor buttressing closer Sino-Russian strategic collaboration” in the future. [China Russia]
• China's Xi and Russia's Putin vow to enhance ties
  Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have pledged to enhance their bilateral cooperation. Several deals covering economic, trade, energy and humanitarian fields have been signed. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday signed a joint statement on global security and bilateral cooperation in Shanghai before attending the signing of deals on energy and infrastructure projects. Putin's office said the statement, which touched on cybersecurity and the crisis in Ukraine, marked a "new stage of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation" between the two countries. Among other things, the statement, as cited by Russia's Itar-Tass news agency, called on all nations to "give up the language of unilateral sanctions ... and encouraging activity aimed at changing the constitutional system of a foreign country." [China Russia]

• The Strategic Alliance Being Overlooked between Russia and China
  Dmitry Minin | 29.05.2014 Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Shanghai on 20-21 May drew the attention of the whole world but, for a variety of reasons, its significance has not yet been fully appreciated. It seems that the West is unable to give up the illusion of its own global supremacy and prefers not to see its emerging alternative in the form of the Russian-Chinese alliance. Unlike the practices of the past, however, Moscow and Beijing do not want to alert their opponents with loud, but not always specific, declarations, preferring to work quietly and methodically towards filling their bilateral relations with comprehensive and practical content. The majority of reports regarding Putin’s visit therefore centred around gas agreements, while the military, political and strategic components of his meetings in Shanghai have mostly gone unnoticed by experts. Critics reduced everything down to the supply of Russia’s raw materials and «China’s penetration» of the Russian market, but the true meaning of the visit goes much deeper, and may only be fully appreciated by historians of the future. If we look closely at the «Joint Statement of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China on a new stage in full-scale partnership and strategic relations» adopted by the Heads of State, it is not difficult to see that the document contains a number of elements similar to an agreement creating a military and political alliance, but without final legal implementation. After all, if the implementation procedure maybe needed to be done in a very short time, it is much more difficult to agree on the principles. A kind of standby agreement is always ready to go, however. Russia and China have called it a «new type» of interstate relations, emphasising that «the outcome of a comprehensive and equal partnership of trust and strategic cooperation at a much higher level will be a key factor in ensuring the vital interests of both countries in the 21st century, and the creation of a just, harmonious and secure world order.» And this will now have to be taken into account by everybody. [China Russia]
• Kiev Launches Genocide Campaign against Donbass
  Olga Shedrova | 28.05.2014 | 00:00 On May 26 the Kiev junta abruptly intensified the combat actions as the punitive operation against Donbass proceeded. It was the first time when front-line aviation and artillery delivered strikes to destroy houses in the populated areas of the Donetsk region. The fighting was raging during the whole day near the city’s airport. Donetsk has population of some 1 million people. Attack helicopters and SU-25 fighters fired at the Donetsk People’s Republic self-defense formations deployed inside the city… Repeating the events in Kramatorsk, the Ukrainian army used the UN-marked Mi-24 rotary wing aircraft. According to international law, only the UN international forces have a right to use the organization’s insignia. At that the United Nations Organization appears to turn a blind eye and deaf ear on the military crimes and egregious violations of international norms regularly committed by the junta. Asked about UN-marked helicopters seen in Ukraine on May 23, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, said the United Nations had made its concerns known to the Government of Ukraine about its obligations concerning the use of equipment provided to United Nations peacekeeping operations. He said the information on using UN markings by Ukrainian rotary wing aircraft was not confirmed at the time. A host of video clips to serve as evidence and available to everyone who has access to Internet were not convincing enough for UN officials who dance to the tune played by the White House. [UNUS]
• Putin rounds on Charles: 'It's not what monarchs do'
  Row over 'Nazi' remarks casts shadow over D-Day commemoration Nadia Khomami The Observer, Sunday 25 May 2014 Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg where he said alleged remarks by Prince Charles were unacceptable Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg where he said alleged remarks by the Prince of Wales were unacceptable. Photograph: Mikhail Klimentyev/AFP/Getty Images The row over the Prince of Wales's alleged comparison of Vladimir Putin with Adolf Hitler deepened when the Russian president responded with his own withering assessment of the heir to the throne. Asked about the prince's alleged remarks, Putin said they were unacceptable and wrong and "not what monarchs do". The fallout from the comments, supposedly made during a private conversation during a royal tour of Canada, now look likely to cast a shadow over an event next month in Normandy to mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings, which both Prince Charles and Putin are due to attend. At a press conference in St Petersburg, Putin said of the incident: "It reminds me of a good proverb: 'You are angry. That means you are wrong'." The prince is understood to have made his comments to museum volunteer Marianne Ferguson, 78, after she told him her Jewish family fled the Nazi occupation of Danzig during the second world war. Drawing a parallel with Russia's annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in March, he reportedly said: "Putin is doing just about the same as Hitler." In his response, Putin said: "Give my words to Prince Charles. He has been to our country more than once, if he made such a comparison, it is unacceptable and I am sure he understands that as a man of manners." He added: "I met him personally, as well as other members of the royal family. This is not what monarchs do. "But over the past few years we have seen so much, nothing surprises me any longer." The prince's remarks have sparked anger in Russia, whose contribution to the defeat of Nazism cost the lives of an estimated 26 million Russians, including members of Putin's family.
• Ukraine Crisis Drives a Quiet Lobbying Boom in U.S.
  By Margaret Talev and Jonathan Allen May 23, 2014 4:01 PM GMT+1200 Photographer: Yuriy Dyachyshyn/AFP via Getty Images Supporters of Ukrainian independent presidential candidate Petro Poroshenko attend an... Read More Turmoil in Ukraine has sparked a boomlet of lobbying in Washington, with an almost five-fold increase in the number of companies and organizations weighing in with lawmakers and officials. The subject is so sensitive that the lobbyists even more than usual want to be heard and not seen. Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), Coca-Cola Co., Xerox Corp. and General Motors (GM) Co. were among the 29 companies or interest groups adding Ukraine to the list of issues they discuss with federal officials, according to disclosures filed with the U.S. Senate for the first quarter of 2014. That’s up from six in the final three months of 2013, according to the forms, which don’t say how much is being spent on the issue. Without fanfare or public display, lobbyists are reminding lawmakers and administration officials of the business interests at stake when sanctions are considered. They are careful to avoid any appearance of trying to dictate U.S. foreign policy. [Russia confrontation] [F&E] [FDI]
• Russia can switch to payments with India, China in national currencies crushing dollar amid sanctions - experts
  Experts believe that the wish of the West to restrict Moscow’s cooperation with Brussels and Washington will play into the hands of the Russian economy. Wisdom and presence of mind are two components that will guarantee success for a new spiral of Russia’s cooperation with eastern countries. Also, this will allow us to counter-balance the risks that the European market is exposed to. The European economy, experts point out, still remains in the grip of a crisis, while China, for example, is prosperous. The West, including the US, has begun to curtail the profitable relations with Russia on the background of Ukrainian problems, which has nothing to do with the East. And business always develops in the environment of stability and mutual interest. It is reasonable that at present the Russian economy – that is investments, exports, imports and technology – is speeding up its advance in the eastern direction, President of the Centre of Strategic Communications Dmitry Abzalov says. Instead of America and Europe, our target is South-East Asia now. [China Russia] [India Russia] [Reserve] [Russia confrontaton]
• Crimea: an EU-US-Exxon Screwup
  by Pierre M. Sprey and Franklin C. Spinney On 17 May, William Broad’s piece, “In Taking Crimea, Putin Gains a Sea of Fuel Reserves”, appeared in the New York Times. Broad explained how the annexation of Crimea by Russia changed the legal claims for exclusive access to the maritime resources for the littoral nations of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. At the core of the change is the 200 NM exclusion zone promulgated by the Law of the Sea, 1982. Typically for the Grey Lady, Broad spun this fact into an anti-Putin tapestry using a charged mix of verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Nevertheless, Broad’s report contains tantalizing information that hints at a fascinating alternative explanation for the events leading up to the Crimean annexation. The facts in Broad’s report appear to come almost entirely from an interview Broad had with Dr. William B. F. Ryan, a marine geologist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, including the maps showing each littoral country’s Law of the Sea exclusion zones. Ryan’s facts are not in dispute. [Ukraine] [Unintended consequences] [Oil]
• Russian TV mocks royals over Prince Charles likening Putin to Hitler
  Kremlin-funded news channel regaled viewers with a mocked-up family tree linking royal family to Nazis Caroline Davies The Guardian, Friday 23 May 2014 18.47 BST Edward VIII with Hitler in 1937 Russian television showed this image of Edward VIII with Hitler in 1937 alongside the Windsor family tree and a photograph of Prince Harry dressing in Nazi uniform. The row that refuses to die descended into playground idiom when a Kremlin-funded news channel hit back on Friday at Prince Charles's alleged likening of Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler. The pro-Russia broadcaster Russia Today (RT) regaled viewers with a mocked-up family tree linking royals to Nazis in a 'Takes one to know one' video poking the embers of the House of Windsor's German past. "If anyone knows real Nazis it's the royal family" the channel declared on its In the Now programme while it flashed up sepia portraits of the Queen and family. Here was Charles's great uncle, the Duke of Windsor, and wife Wallis Simpson, photographed visiting Hitler at his Obersalzberg retreat in 1937 shortly after abdicating as Edward VIII. Simpson, RT senior political correspondent Anissa Naouai solemnly pronounced, "hung out with Hitler". There was the Duke of Edinburgh, his chest weighted with medals. "His sister, Sophie," added Naouai, "was married to a SS officer." Cue photograph of Christophe of Hesse-Cassel, marching in his SS colonel's uniform. Naouai could have added, for good measure, he named his eldest son Karl Adolf in Hitler's honour. Then, the piece de resistance. Charles's "very own son" Prince Harry. Pictured in Nazi costume at a party on the front page of the Sun. "He likes to dress up as a Nazi, even if its just for Halloween," confided the presenter. Which all goes to show: "Perhaps the royals are better seen not heard" and "Prince Charles should put his money where his mouth is". The video attack comes three days after Charles precipitated a diplomatic row on tour in Canada when he spoke to a Jewish survivor of the second world war. In apparent reference to Russia's annexation of Crimea, he told Marianne Ferguson, 78: "Now Putin is doing just about the same as Hitler." As Clarence House stressed it was "a private conversation" and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg defended the prince's right to espouse his views in private, Russia has refused to ignore the ensuing furore. The timing has been unfortunate, two weeks before Putin, the Queen and Charles join other leaders to mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
• China, Russia sign $400 billion gas deal
  By William Wan and Abigail Hauslohner, Updated: Thursday, May 22, 2:00 AM BEIJING — China signed a long-awaited deal for Russian natural gas Wednesday, giving China a new energy source and Russia a diplomatic boost in the face of sanctions and condemnation for its aggressive actions in Ukraine. Announced after meetings between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at an Asia security conference, the 30-year deal is worth an estimated $400?billion, according to comments in Russian media by Gazprom chief executive Alexei Miller. On a symbolic level, the deal also provided China and Russia a chance to reaffirm their strategic alliance against the United States, their shared global rival. [China Russia] [Gas] [NCW]
• Russia to veto draft UN resolution on Syrian civil war
  Xinhua, May 22, 2014 Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said on Wednesday that he will veto a draft resolution of the UN Security Council which intends to refer the Syrian civil war to the International Criminal Court. Churkin, Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations, made the remarks as he was speaking to reporters here at the end of a closed-door meeting of the Security Council on the situation of eastern Ukraine. Asked whether Russia will veto the draft resolution on Syria, Churkin said, "Yes, (I) will do." Russia has voiced its opposition to the referral of Syria to the International Criminal Court. The 15-nation Security Council is expected to vote on the draft resolution on Thursday. Under the UN Charter, Russia is one of the five permanent council members with veto power. France, another permanent council member, circulated the draft resolution on May 12 in a bid to bring Syria before the International Criminal Court for review of war crimes and crimes against humanity. [ICC]
• US test-fires Aegis missile defence system destined for Europe
  Test takes place in Hawaii of interceptor that will be stationed first in Romania as part of US-Nato system criticised by Russia Staff and agencies in Colorado theguardian.com, Thursday 22 May 2014 03.58 BST The United States has announced the first live firing test of a missile interceptor destined to be stationed initially in Romania and then elsewhere in Europe. The test of the system, known as Aegis, comes amid tensions between Nato and Russia over the annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine. The Obama administration's current European Phased Adaptive Approach calls for the first Aegis Ashore site to be operational in Romania in 2015, with a second site to follow in Poland in 2018. [Russia confrontation] [Missile defense] [Alliance]
• The Crimean Frontier in World Development (I)
  Alexander Salitzki | 22.05.2014 | 00:00 The Establishment of Polycentrism The reunification of Crimea and Russia was an event whose international scale, as is now clear, exceeds not only the scale of Russian-Ukrainian relations, but also the European format of world politics and even the larger «West – Russia» format. It is no exaggeration to say that this event marked an upheaval on a global level which opened new horizons in world politics. It turns out that the world is completely different now than it was at the end of 2013. At the root of these international shifts lies a crisis of the structuring influence of the West on the rest of the world. It is quite obvious that the return of Crimea to Russia is a phenomenon of the formation of a polycentric world. This world arose as a response to the unipolar pretensions of the West and is becoming increasingly established as a new framework of international architecture, coexisting with the weakening unipolarity. Many point to the turning back of Yevgeny Primakov's airplane over the Atlantic in 1999 as one of the first signs of the emergence of the polycentric world. The fifteen years which have passed since then have confirmed both the correctness of the change in course and the accuracy of Russia's staking on China and India as new partners. In this sense the Crimean saga of 2014 was the historically predictable response to the bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999… [Resurgence]
• Ukraine in Turmoil
  by Israel Shamir It is not much fun to be in Kiev these days. The revolutionary excitement is over, and hopes for new faces, the end of corruption and economic improvement have withered. The Maidan street revolt and the subsequent coup just reshuffled the same marked deck of cards, forever rotating in power. The new acting President has been an acting prime minister, and a KGB (called “SBU” in Ukrainian) supremo. The new acting prime minister has been a foreign minister. The oligarch most likely to be “elected” President in a few days has been a foreign minister, the head of the state bank, and personal treasurer of two coups, in 2004 (installing Yushchenko) and in 2014 (installing himself). His main competitor, Mme Timoshenko, served as a prime minister for years, until electoral defeat in 2010. [Russia confrontation] [Ukraine]
• Kissinger: Putin likely didn't plan to bring Ukraine situation to a head
  Fareed speaks with former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger about what might be behind Russia’s recent policy toward Ukraine. Watch the full interview on "Fareed Zakaria GPS," this Sunday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET on CNN Kissinger: One has to ask oneself this question: He spent $60 billion on the Olympics. They had opening and closing ceremonies, trying to show Russia as a normal progressive state. So it isn't possible that he, three days later, would voluntarily start an assault on Ukraine. There is no doubt that… So to explain. You're saying you don't think this was a plan. You think he reacted to events that he saw as spiraling out of his control? Kissinger: Yes. I think at all times he wanted Ukraine in a subordinate position. And at all times, every senior Russian that I've ever met, including dissidents like Solzhenitsyn and Brodsky, looked at Ukraine as part of the Russian heritage. But I don't think he had planned to bring it to a head now. I think he had planned a more gradual situation, and this is sort of a response to what he conceived to be an emergency situation. Of course, to explain why he did it doesn't mean one approves of annexing part of another country or crossing of borders. But I think we ought to settle the Ukraine issue first, and then have a discussion about relations with Russia. [Ukraine]
• Putin: Cooperation with China at all-time best
  China.org.cn, May 19, 2014 Russian President Vladimir Putin has said his country's cooperation with China has reached its all-time best and that the two sides were ready to expand ties in numerous spheres. "China is our reliable friend. To expand cooperation with China is undoubtedly Russia's diplomatic priority," Putin told Chinese reporters before attending the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) slated for Tuesday and Wednesday in Shanghai. Putin, who will also pay a state visit to China on the sidelines of the summit, said he and Chinese President Xi Jinping will review the implementation of already-signed agreements, and hammer out future objectives. [Russia China]
• Crimean Tatars in the Political Game against Russia
  Throughout centuries the Crimea was traditionally regarded by the Western and Turkish authorities as a key to dominance in the Black Sea basin, additionally it was an effective political instrument for fighting Russia – the chief regional rival. In this rivalry, the Crimean Tatars have traditionally been used to influence the situation in the region. Over the last decade the self-proclaimed governing body of this ethnic entity in Crimea – the Majlis has been the tool for applying this influence. One should note that the Majlis was an illegal body in the Ukrainian political field. After the adoption of the Republic of Crimea to the Russian Federation, despite the decree issued by the Russian President Vladimir Putin that implied the rehabilitation of once repressed people of Crimea, along with the decision of the State Council of the Republic of Crimea to restore the rights of the Crimean Tatars, the Majlis leadership, especially Mustafa Dzhemilev, declared themselves the guardians of a “foothold of Ukraine ” in Crimea. With the active support of certain Western countries and Turkey, the Majlis started to incite the local population to fight other ethnic entities. As the threats went on, the council threaten the “occupiers” with holding a referendum on the self-determination of the Crimean Tatars, at the same time the Majlis did not refuse to delegate its representatives to the executive bodies of the Republic of Crimea. Mustafa Dzhemilev subdued over the last couple years the Crimean Tatar muftis, ascribed himself to the leadership of the Majlis, and was fully committed to the implementation of the Pan-Turkism program, following Ankara’s policy of restoring neo-Ottoman greatness and obeying orders issued by the Western players to promote ethnic and religious differences in destabilizing the situation in the Crimea and in the whole post-Soviet space. [Russia confrontation] [Religion] [Minorities]
• Russia, China: Predictable Relationship
  Alexander Salitzki | 19.05.2014 | 00:00 Russian President Putin is going to China. The news is like a gulp of fresh air in the suffocating atmosphere of Kiev with its burnt tires and repressions against dissidents. The tour is a positive step forward with bright prospects for future built on solid basis. This is a turning point in history. Russia is being dragged by the West into another cold war and is subject to unprecedented pressure with clear intentions to subvert it. It’s not just a collision of interests – the system of values is undermined, the very right of people and states for self-determination is scorned… The policy of Moscow is getting more support internationally among the countries who oppose the US claims for global hegemony. The interest towards forums and organizations led by Russia and China is growing, for instance BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) which have their summits slated for July and September. The 4th Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Summit will be held in Shanghai, China from May 20 to 21. The theme of this year’s summit will be «increasing dialogue, mutual trust and collaboration to build a new Asia that is peaceful, stable and cooperative». It’s important to reach multilateral understanding of the fact that the emerging spread of nationalism around the world is a natural reaction to the collapse of westernization and a dangerous global challenge which is probably planned by the ideologists of the «clash of civilizations». The support of narrow minded Ukrainian particularism by cosmopolitan Europe fits well with this trend. Philosophers would call it cognitive dissonance, or an absurdity fatal for Europe itself. China understands Russia perfectly well: the US-declared Asia pivot presupposes deterrence of China and dissemination of sinophobia in the neighboring states dragging them into military and political alliances led by America. [Russia China] [NCW]
• The unfolding Ukraine crisis signals a new world order
  The best outcome for Ukraine, and for the west, would be an agreement with Russia to get the great powers out o Tony Brenton o theguardian.com, Friday 16 May 2014 16.13 BST A way out of the Ukraine crisis may now be faintly discernible. The round-table negotiations promoted by the Germans has the support of all the key governments. It is intended to produce a ceasefire, discussion of future Ukrainian constitutional arrangements, and the election of a new Ukrainian president on 25 May. There are still all sorts of ways it could go wrong: the east Ukrainian dissidents are not yet involved and will need to be; and polarisation continues, with both sides gradually losing control of their thuggish surrogates. But things now look marginally more hopeful than they have since the ill-fated Geneva agreement of a month ago. The west has had to learn some hard lessons to get to where we are now. It is generally accepted that the EU (in a mode splendidly described by one commentator as of "impotent megalomania") precipitated matters by blundering into the most sensitive part of Russia's backyard without seriously asking itself how it might react. This was not an isolated error but the culmination of 20 years of the west simply not taking Russia seriously, most notably with the Kosovo war and the expansion of Nato. When Russia did react in the (legally indefensible, but historically understandable) form of annexing Crimea and destabilising east Ukraine, the western view then swung 180 degrees to focusing on the need to "contain" a revanchist Russia intent on rebuilding the Soviet Union. In the absence of any willingness among western publics to fight for the independence of Simferopol, the only weapon available was sanctions. These allowed western leaders to claim they were "doing something", but in fact cruelly exposed their unwillingness to take real economic pain on Ukraine's behalf. They have also become something of a badge of patriotic pride for those Russians targeted by them – of the six uses of sanctions by the west against the USSR/Russia since the second world war none have worked. Happily, we now seem to be waking up to the reality that we are dealing not with a revanchist Russia, but with a coldly calculating one – a Russia that is neither patsy nor praying mantis. They don't want to fight a war or take on the economic burden of rebuilding eastern Ukraine, but they do have a minimal list of requirements – Ukrainian neutrality, more autonomy for Russian speakers – which have to be met before they will back off. [Ukraine] [Russia confrontation]
• UN Ukraine report shows double standards in attempt to whitewash Kiev's actions – Russia
  Published time: May 16, 2014 09:13 Edited time: May 16, 2014 12:28 Moscow has accused a UN report on violence in Ukraine’s Odessa of being purposefully blind to hard facts and simply “carrying out a political order to whitewash” the actions of the coup-appointed government in Kiev. The Russian foreign ministry believes that the report presented by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is marked by a systematic and routine ignorance of any Kiev involvement in sparking the Odessa carnage, while placing all the blame unequivocally with the pro-Russian self-defense forces. The ministry statement remarks that not a single word was said about neo-Nazi elements who engaged in setting buildings on fire with people inside, shooting dead anyone who opposed them and finishing off the wounded in plain sight. This especially concerns the events that took place in the House of the Trade Unions on May 2. The foreign ministry believes that such “double standards” are a clear indicator of the international organization’s mission to pander to a select side in the conflict, without any regard for hard evidence. [UNUS] [Russia confrontation]
• Ukraine crisis may lead to Western military bases closer to Russia
  By James Rosen McClatchy Washington Bureau May 15, 2014 WASHINGTON — When Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel and other NATO defense ministers meet in Brussels in early June, their summit will be dominated by questions that would have seemed surreal just a few months ago. _ How should Western leaders respond to military aggression by Moscow in Ukraine? _ With defense budgets flat or declining in most of NATO’s 28 member countries and U.S. forces in Europe at their lowest levels in decades, is the trans-Atlantic alliance adequately prepared to defend its vast territory? _ In the most extreme scenario, are the United States and its European allies strong enough to go to war against Russia? As unlikely as that prospect appears to defense officials and analysts inside and outside governments on both sides of the Atlantic, the fact that it’s even a topic of discussion has shaken the strategic foundations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. [Russia confrontation]
• Russia may have won a battle as propaganda war comes to Germany’s capital
  By Matthew Schofield McClatchy Foreign Staff May 14, 2014 BERLIN — In eastern Ukraine, among pro-Russian separatists, the notion that elite American fighters are prowling the backroads and slag heaps of their region is oft repeated. After first surfacing in March, the rumors sounded like the sort of paranoid fantasies created in a war zone where anti-Americanism is rampant. But now the rumors are being repeated in Germany’s capital _ and resonating. That alone may count as a victory for Russian propagandists, even if there are no American mercenaries. The White House says there are not. Bild am Sonntag, a tabloid-like newspaper that occasionally breaks major stories on the German government, is reporting that German intelligence has told Chancellor Angela Merkel’s office that it had unconfirmed reports that 400 Americans appear to be aiding the interim Ukrainian government in its fight against pro-Russian separatists. According to Bild, the German intelligence agency cited U.S. intelligence officials as its source. Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/05/14/227453/russia-may-have-won-a-battle-as.html?sp=/99/117/#storylink=cpy [Russia confrontation] [Mercenaries] [Ukraine]
• The Middle East: “peacekeeping” by American mercenaries
  According to German reporters, dozens of American special services staff are working with the authorities that illegally took power in Kiev in February of this year. Citing a source within a German law enforcement agency, the Bild magazine reports that the CIA and the FBI are “consulting” the illegitimate Ukrainian government on “fighting organised crime”. The ties between FBI and CIA agents and Kiev authorities are indirectly confirmed through CIA Director John Brennan’s recent visit to Ukraine, who came to “foster mutually beneficial security cooperation”. Soon after this and at the American’s request, a special operation was organised in the country’s eastern regions, prompting the CIA to release a public statement: the agency’s media representatives stated that the CIA had no ties to the events in Ukraine. However, right then, Ukrainian Minister of Interior Arsen Avakov confirmed that in order to quell the national uprising in the east, in the Donetsk and Lugansk Oblast in particular, special police units have arrived in the area from other regions accompanied by three combat units, which include American mercenaries from the company Greystone Limited (the new name of the notorious Blackwater), who are clad in the uniforms of the Ukrainian swat team, Sokol (falcon). “These special units are ready to achieve operational objectives without getting caught up in local nuances”, Avakov stated cynically to the press. [Russia confrontation] [Mercenaries] [Ukraine] [Outsourcing]
• Now Putin Has to Figure Out What to Do With the Separatists
  By Joshua Yaffa May 14, 2014 The seat of government of the Donetsk People’s Republic is an 11-story building—once the headquarters of the regional administration until it was stormed by pro-Russian fighters in early April—that houses everything from a press-accreditation office to a medical dispensary. Young men roam the hallways in fatigues with Kalashnikovs slung on the backs. The front steps have been turned into a tribune for impassioned speeches against the “fascist” government in Kiev and its backers in the West. On Monday, from a conference room on the top floor of the occupied administration building, Denis Pushilin, the public face of the self-proclaimed separatist leadership, declared a sovereign state and appealed to join Russia. He based his proclamation on the results of a makeshift referendum carried out the day before, in which, according to the separatists, 89 percent voted in favor of a vaguely worded call for self-rule. (The neighboring Ukrainian region of Luhansk held a similar referendum the same day, though it has yet to ask to be annexed by Russia.) “Based on the will of the people and on the restoration of an historic justice, we ask the Russian Federation to consider the absorption of the Donetsk People’s Republic,” Pushilin said. [Ukraine]
• Putin's Visit Seen Highlighting China's Strength as Energy Consumer
  Two-Day Visit Next Week to be Closely Watched By Brian Spegele And Wayne Ma May 15, 2014 1:42 p.m. ET BEIJING—When Russian President Vladimir Putin touches down in China for a closely watched two-day state visit May 20, he will encounter an unbalanced relationship that has grown in Beijing's favor, tilted by shifts in global energy supplies and Moscow's increasing friction with the West. Russian President Vladimir Putin Associated Press Beijing's leverage is being tested in negotiations to pipe Siberian gas to China that have dragged on for a decade, but that both sides have said they want to conclude in time for an agreement to be signed during Mr. Putin's visit next week. A Chinese foreign ministry official said Thursday that pricing remains a sticking point. Gazprom, OGZPY 0.00% Russia's natural-gas company, described the talks as being "in the final stage" after a meeting between its chief executive and a senior Chinese energy official. Mr. Putin has already leaned to Beijing in one respect. While he and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet in Shanghai, more than a dozen ships from their navies will hold large-scale joint drills in the East China Sea in what security scholars say is a sign of Russian support for Beijing against what China says is a more militarily assertive Japan. The gesture hasn't been reciprocated in Russia's current standoff with the West over Ukraine. China has remained on the sidelines as the Crimea region seceded from Ukraine to join Russia, out of concern of instability and alienating Western trade partners. Further provocations in Ukraine's restive east risks inviting scorn from the Chinese side, said Niklas Swanström, director of the Institute for Security and Development Policy in Stockholm. The two-day trip is intended to highlight what China and Russia call their strategic partnership. Mr. Putin will participate in a regional leaders' conference while in China. A coal project in Siberia financed by the Export-Import Bank of China is likely to be among the agreements announced, according to Russian officials. Moscow and Beijing have found advantages in working together to diminish U.S. influence and create greater room for them to pursue international economic and strategic interests. Mr. Putin is widely depicted in Chinese official media as a powerful leader unafraid to take on the West. Beyond that, however, the relationship is fraught with historic mistrust, experts said, worsened by the gravitational pull of China's enormous economy and Russia's increasing need to sell more energy east to diversify away from its markets in Europe, where demand for Russian natural gas has sagged. [Gas] [China Russia]
• Vladimir Putin’s new world order with the West
  By Lilia Shevtsova, Published: May 9 Lilia Shevtsova is a senior associate at the Carnegie Moscow Center and author of “Putin’s Russia.” The post-Cold War order that emerged from the breakup of the Soviet Union was doomed to fail because it rested on a belief that post-Soviet Russia was no longer a problem. Even when Western leaders realized that Russia under Vladimir Putin was becoming a problem, they exchanged political acquiescence with the Kremlin for economic benefits. Liberal democracies agreed to play a game of “let’s pretend,” in which they viewed Russia as a “normal country” while the Russian elite became integrated into the West — and corrupted the Western system from within. That trade-off, many Western observers hoped, would keep Moscow from stirring up trouble beyond Russia’s borders. How could people whose ill-gotten gains are kept in Western banks and whose children attend Western schools be ill-disposed toward the West? Gallery Tom Toles goes global:?A collection of cartoons about international news. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine made it clear that he has stopped pretending. The Kremlin will not limit itself to cracking down on opposition within Russia’s borders. [Russia confrontation] [Inversion]
• Gas deals expected during Putin's China visit
  Xinhua, May 15, 2014 Vice Foreign Minister Cheng Guoping said on Thursday that China and Russia are expected to reach agreements on natural gas during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to China. Putin will pay a state visit to China from May 20 to 21 at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping and attend the fourth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Shanghai. During their meeting in Sochi, Xi and Putin reached important agreements on gas, and the vast majority of the text of contracts was agreed. The gaps between the two sides are mainly on price, Cheng said, adding that the companies involved are in negotiations in Moscow. [Gas]
• In Ukraine, the US is dragging us towards war with Russia
  Washington's role in Ukraine, and its backing for the regime's neo-Nazis, has huge implications for the rest of the world John Pilger The Guardian, Tuesday 13 May 2014 20.30 BST US Meal Ready to Eat pack in Ukraine A pro-Russian activist with a shell casing and a US-made meal pack that fell from a Ukrainian army APC in an attack on a roadblock on 3 May in Andreevka, Ukraine. Photograph: Scott Olson/Getty Why do we tolerate the threat of another world war in our name? Why do we allow lies that justify this risk? The scale of our indoctrination, wrote Harold Pinter, is a "brilliant, even witty, highly successful act of hypnosis", as if the truth "never happened even while it was happening". Every year the American historian William Blum publishes his "updated summary of the record of US foreign policy" which shows that, since 1945, the US has tried to overthrow more than 50 governments, many of them democratically elected; grossly interfered in elections in 30 countries; bombed the civilian populations of 30 countries; used chemical and biological weapons; and attempted to assassinate foreign leaders. In many cases Britain has been a collaborator. The degree of human suffering, let alone criminality, is little acknowledged in the west, despite the presence of the world's most advanced communications and nominally most free journalism. That the most numerous victims of terrorism – "our" terrorism – are Muslims, is unsayable. That extreme jihadism, which led to 9/11, was nurtured as a weapon of Anglo-American policy (Operation Cyclone in Afghanistan) is suppressed. In April the US state department noted that, following Nato's campaign in 2011, "Libya has become a terrorist safe haven". [Imperialism] [Russia confrontation]
• Grandmaster Putin?
  by Pepe Escobar Russia’s celebrations of the 69th anniversary of the defeat of fascism in World War II come just days after Ukrainian neo-fascists enacted an appalling Odessa massacre. For those who know their history, the graphic symbolism speaks for itself. And then a geopolitical chess gambit added outright puzzlement to the trademark hypocrisy displayed by the self-proclaimed representatives of “Western civilization”. The gambit comes from – who else – Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is now actively mixing chess moves with Sun Tzu’s Art of War and Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching. No wonder all those American PR shills, helpless State Department spokespersons and NATOstan generals are clueless. Unlike the Obama administration’s juvenile delinquent school of diplomacy – which wants to “isolate” Putin and Russia – a truce and possible deal in the ongoing Ukrainian tragedy has been negotiated between adults on speaking terms, Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, then discussed and finally announced in a press conference by the president of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Didier Burghalter. [Russia confrontation] [Putin]
• Ukraine's Donetsk votes 89% in favor of independence
  Xinhua, May 12, 2014 The breakaway group in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region says 89.07 percent of voters backed independence in its referendum Sunday. Members of an election commission count ballot papers at a polling station in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, on May 11, 2014. Voting occured Sunday in referenda called by pro-Russia rebels to split from the rest of Ukraine, polls the US slammed as "illegal" as the West fears they could spark civil war in the former Soviet republic. [Xinhua] The turnout for the referendum was 74.87 percent, and 10.1 percent voted against independence, head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic's electoral commission, Roman Lyagin, said late Sunday. "These can be considered as the final results," Lyagin said. A woman voting in the center of Donetsk city said she was happy to see the referendum was going smoothly. "I came here to vote in a pleasant mood and with confidence," she said. Donetsk was one of two regions holding referenda on independence from Ukraine. The results from the other region, Lugansk, where polls closed slightly later, have not been announced yet. People were asked on the ballot papers: "Do you support the act of state-rule of the Donetsk (Lugansk) People's Republic?" [Separatism] [Democracy]
• Let’s celebrate the day of the Great Victory!
  Dear readers and authors! We want to congratulate you with the day of the great victory in World War II, victory over fascism! This victory has become possible due to the joint effort of all members of the international community. In order to vanquish the “Brown Plague” millions of Russian, European, Asian and American soldiers have sacrificed their lives. May the memory of their feats along with the unconditional gratitude of descendants live forever! Let’s honor the memory of tens of millions of civilians who were tortured and killed by the criminal NAZI regime.
  Let’s join our efforts in fighting the Neo-Nazism that tries to revive itself in a number of countries.
  The New Eastern Outlook Editorial Board.
• Ukraine: deadly clashes in Mariupol as Vladimir Putin visits annexed Crimea
  Russian president greeted with patriotic fervour at second world war commemoration, while at least five are killed in southern city Shaun Walker in Mariupol, Alec Luhn in Sevastopol, and Howard Amos in Kiev theguardian.com, Friday 9 May 2014 19.50 BST Vladimir Putin in Sevastopol The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, centre, speaks at a Victory Day military parade in Sevastopol. Photograph: Sasha Mordovets/Getty Images Vladimir Putin made a triumphant first visit to Crimea on Friday, as the region held its first Victory Day commemorations since it was annexed by Russia two months ago. But the gravity of the crisis gripping the rest of Ukraine was underscored by more deadly clashes in the southern city of Mariupol. Hospitals confirmed that at least five people had died and 40 had been wounded, according to Anna Neistat of Human Rights Watch, who had visited hospitals in the city. She said most had bullet wounds to the legs and chest from automatic weapons. In one hospital, six of the 15 casualties were policemen. Two dead bodies were visible on the street outside the police building, one of them of a policeman. [Russia confrontation] [Media] [Heading] [Link says Violence as Putin visits Crimea]
• Is Russia-North Korea Cooperation at a New Stage?
  By Alexander Vorontsov 08 May 2014 Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, the Plenipotentiary Representative of the Russian Federation, and the President in the Far Eastern Federal District of the Russian Federation, Yury Trutnev’s three day long visit to the DPRK (April 28-30, 2014) symbolized the culmination of a new phase in Russian-North Korean relations taking shape—a sort of renaissance if you will. Indeed it was the first time in the last 30 years—since 1985—that a top deputy in the Russian government has visited North Korea. Even last July, during the DPRK’s celebration of the 60th anniversary of the end of the “hot phase” of the Korean War, Moscow demonstrated its negative attitude toward the North’s third nuclear test (conducted in February 2013), as well as its “adventurous” behavior during the acute crisis on the Korean peninsula over the following two months, and maintained only a very modest presence at the anniversary event (the deputy head of its diplomatic mission in Pyongyang). In contrast, China, despite its irritation for the same reasons, sent the third highest ranking member in Beijing’s hierarchy to Pyongyang who was seen at Kim Jong Un’s side throughout the festivities. What has caused this metamorphosis in Russian-DPRK relations? [Russia NK]
• To Understand or Not to Understand Putin
  by Diana Johnstone Paris. In Germany these days, very many citizens object to the endless Russia-bashing of the NATO-oriented mainstream media. They may point out that the U.S.-backed regime change in Kiev, putting in power an ultra-right transitional government eager to join NATO, posed an urgent threat to preservation of Russia’s only warm water naval base in Crimea. Under the circumstances, and inasmuch as the Crimean population overwhelmingly approved, reinstating Crimea in the Russian federation was a necessary defensive move. In Germany, anyone who says thing like that can be denigrated as a “Putinversteher” (a Putin understander). That says it all. We are not supposed to understand. We are supposed to hate. The media are there to see to that. While the West doggedly refuses to understand Putin and Russia, Vladimir Putin, on the other hand, seems to understand things pretty well. He seems to understand that he and his nation are being systematically lured into a death trap by an enemy which excels in the contemporary art of “communication”. In a war situation, NATO communication means that it doesn’t matter who does what. The only thing that matters is who tells the story. [Russia confrontation]
• Could revitalization of Russia – North Korea relations lead to an economic renaissance?
  Russia - DPRK relations have been steadily improving for over a year, suggesting Ukraine situation not cause May 9th, 2014 Prof. Georgy Toloraya The revitalization of Russia – North Korea relations has become increasingly clear in recent months, taking place amid a sharp deterioration of relations between Russia and the West following the Ukraine crisis. There is a temptation, therefore, to explain this Russia-North Korea thaw as an “answer” by both sides to what they see as the hostile policy of the United States. Indeed, the DPRK was one of the few countries which supported the reunification of Crimea with Russia. And for it’s part, Russia reacted in a low-key manner to the missile tests conducted by DPRK in April, although a possible nuclear test in North Korea would be hard for Moscow to swallow. However, in the event a much anticipated fourth nuclear test does go ahead, Russia’s reaction would probably be milder than to last year’s test and would likely amount to nothing more than a formal condemnation without any practical measures. Above all, Russia will certainly not support any stricter measures at the UN. [Russia NK] [Overture]
• NATO eyes 'defensive' permanent troop deployment near Russia's borders
  Published time: May 07, 2014 10:47 Edited time: May 08, 2014 03:34 NATO may station permanently additional troops in Eastern Europe, the alliance’s top military commander said, adding that it would be a defensive measure. He cited “a new paradigm” demonstrated by Russia in Crimea and Ukraine. Currently the alliance has organized a rotation of aircraft and warships in Eastern Europe and sent small contingents of ground troops for military drills to the Baltic States, Poland and Romania. But permanent deployment should be considered, US Air Force General Philip Breedlove said Tuesday. [Russia confrontation] [NATO]
• Russia seeking Korean cooperation in the Far East
  Posted on : May.7,2014 14:31 KST Deputy Prime Minister’s moves toward increasing Korean involvement in Russia apparently a response to US ‘rebalancing Asia’ policy By Gil Yun-hyung, Tokyo correspondent At the end of April, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev visited North Korea and proposed three-way economic cooperation between North Korea, South Korea, and Russia to promote development of the Russian Far East. The proposal could be intended to counter the American policy of ‘rebalancing Asia’. Japanese newspaper the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported on May 6 that Trutnev had promoted trilateral economic cooperation during his three-day visit to North Korea from Apr. 28 to Apr. 30. The move was calculated not only to promote economic development in the Far East, a long-standing Russian goal, but also to counter ‘rebalancing Asia policy’ being pushed by US President Barack Obama, the paper said. The highest-ranking Russian official to visit North Korea since Kim Jong-un took power in Dec. 2012, Trutnev also serves as the Russian Presidential Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District. In Nov. 2013, he visited South Korea, where he discussed bilateral economic collaboration and cooperation for developing the Far East with Minister of Strategy and Finance Hyun Oh-seok. [Russia confrontation] [Railways] [Pipeline]
• Lockheed sees Ukraine crisis boosting missile system sales: paper
  FRANKFURT Sun May 4, 2014 9:31am EDT (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin is on the lookout for acquisition deals and expects the crisis in Ukraine to boost sales of its missile defense system MEADS, the company's chief executive told German weekly paper Welt am Sonntag. "We see strong demand for defense systems in the world . Here in Europe it is for missile defense systems. Many of our NATO partners are also looking at our F-35 fighter jet program," Marilyn Hewson, company CEO, was quoted as saying. Across the world there are around 20 new clients for its Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) Hewson told the paper. [Missile defense] [Russia confrontation]
• Police prove to be another weak link in Ukraine’s efforts to keep the peace
  By Matthew Schofield McClatchy Foreign Staff May 5, 2014 Updated 10 hours ago KIEV, Ukraine — The scene has been repeated again and again across Ukraine in recent weeks: Protesters storm a building or an opposing group, and police, often decked out in full riot gear, stand and watch. For many seeing the scenes on video, they verge on the unfathomable. Time and again, police watch as one group attacks another, or takes off with government property (including, sometimes, weapons). Often, as they leave the scene, rioters will note that “the police are with us,” and the police will do nothing to dispel that notion. In eastern Ukraine Monday, Ukrainian forces continued a battle against pro-Russian separatists in Slovyansk, a town of about 125,000 residents that is now home to an insurgent force estimated at 800. Pro-Russian forces are said to have downed a third Ukrainian helicopter, and Ukraine’s interior minister, Arsen Avakov, said pro-Russia forces were using large-caliber weapons and mortars. But the talk in the capital Monday was about what had gone wrong in Odessa, where police in body armor, helmets and shields refused even to attempt to quell a riot Friday that resulted in more than 40 deaths, mostly pro-Russian protesters who died in a fire in a building they’d broken into to escape Ukrainian nationalists described as soccer hooligans. The police passivity in Odessa underscores a major problem for the interim Ukrainian government: With Russian propaganda warning that anarchy threatens the security of Russian speakers in Ukraine, those in charge in Kiev have few institutions they can depend on to secure restive cities or separate battling crowds. The head of Ukraine’s parliamentary anti-corruption and organized crime committee, Viktor Chumak, said that while Ukrainian police clearly performed poorly in Odessa, that was about all that anyone should have expected. “For the past 20 years, this is how we have trained our police to respond,” he said. “They have been trained to be a repressive mechanism of those in and hoping to retain power.” Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/05/05/226576/police-prove-to-be-another-weak.html?sp=/99/100/&ihp=1#storylink=cpy [Ukraine]
• Ukraine crisis forces Eurasian evolution
  By Francesco Sisci BEIJING - It has not happened yet, but expectations are already enormous. A massive strategic and economic shift is expected to result from Russian President Vladimir Putin's to China in May. After decades of fruitless talks, Moscow and Beijing are now likely ready to sign a sweeping deal which will see China invest billions of dollars in Russia, with vast resources being sold in the other direction. This correspondent first saw the agreement signed 20 years ago, when Boris Yeltsin and Jiang Zemin were the presidents, and not much occurred since. However, this time things seem to be real. In the past, the two parties failed to finalize the fine print of the deal. There were too many differences on the price of gas, the route of the pipeline, the ownership of resources in Russia and on the distribution network in China. Now all these problems are solved - or so it appears - because of a sudden change of heart in Russia linked to the ongoing Ukrainian crisis. [Russia confrontation] [Russia China] [Oil] [Fracking]
• Russia calls on U.S. to help stop Kiev's military drive
  MOSCOW Sat May 3, 2014 2:58pm EDT (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has told his U.S. counterpart John Kerry that the U.S. should use its influence to make Ukraine's government immediately stop military operations in south-east Ukraine, the Russian foreign ministry said on Saturday. Lavrov also said that it was important that the mediating role of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) was increased to secure Kiev's fulfilment of the Geneva declaration on de-escalating tensions in Ukraine. "Chances of this still exist," the ministry said in a statement, as long as all Ukrainian regions are represented in a national dialogue on constitutional reform, and "terrorists" from the Right Sector - a Ukrainian nationalist group in western Ukraine - group are curbed. Lavrov, in a phone conversation with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, also said he was concerned about reports that Ukraine's army was preparing to storm cities in south-east Ukraine including Slaviansk, according to a statement from the foreign ministry. The town of Slaviansk in eastern Ukraine has been turned into heavily fortified redoubt by pro-Russian separatists. On Saturday Ukraine said it was pressing on with an offensive in the area for a second day, and had recaptured a television tower and a security services building from rebels in Kramatorsk, a town near the rebel stronghold of Slaviansk. Steinmeier agreed that violence should halt, the statement said. (Reporting by Jason Bush and Megan Davies; Editing by Stephen Powell) [Ukraine]
• Little Love for Sanctions: Ukraine Crisis A Tightrope Walk for German Businesses
  By Spiegel Staff AP A Gazprom employee is seen in the Russian company's main control room in Moscow. As Moscow continues to escalate the situation in Ukraine, public and political pressure is turning against German companies who do business with Russia. The countries' economic ties make disengagement next to impossible. Clemens Tönnies usually says what he thinks. When, on a February morning, he climbed into a private jet with his wife Margit to fly to the Olympic Games in Sochi, he described his views on Russia to a reporter with Sport Bild magazine: It has "bothered him, how negatively this country has been portrayed [Russia confrontation] [F&E] [Germany]
• Simonovic's Report on the Situation in Ukraine: Predetermined Bias
  Alexander Mezyaev | 04.05.2014 | 00:00 The law enforcement function of the United Nations has been attracting more and more attention lately. While previously the UN did in fact pursue a policy of protecting human rights, at the turn of the 21st century human rights issues began to be used as a pretext for violating them. The 1950s, 1960s and 1970s were marked by the adoption of a number of important international legal acts on human rights developed under the aegis of the UN: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; the Conventions against Torture, on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, on the Suppression and Punishment of Apartheid, on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, and on the Rights of the Child... All these documents have become a solid foundation for modern international law in the field of human rights. However, in the late 1990s bodies began to appear in the UN which, having formally received authority in the area of protecting human rights, started to pursue their own policies. Or more accurately, to push through the policies of certain states under the guise of protecting human rights. This can be seen the most clearly on the example of several countries against which the West is pursuing a policy of pressure and sanctions. Human rights issues are constantly used to justify interference in the internal affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Cuba, Iran, Belarus and Syria. [Human rights] [UNUS]
• Russia is not our enemy
  Friday, 2 May 2014 Dr. Naser al-Tamimi The Russian president Vladimir Putin stated recently that he didn’t expect Saudi Arabia, which has “very kind relations” with Russia, would choose to cut prices that could also damage their own economy. Regardless of the motives that prompted President Putin to speak in this direction, he was in fact pressing the right buttons regarding Saudi Arabia’s position. Putin’s comments came amid calls and suggestions in several Western capitals urging Saudi Arabia and Qatar to use oil and gas as a weapon to put pressure on Russia in order to extract political concessions from Moscow. Despite the fact that Saudi Arabia has not responded to these calls, the ambiguity of Riyadh’s position is not in the interest of the kingdom. Saudi Arabia must announce its position very clearly that it has nothing to do with the Ukrainian conflict, and it will not use oil as a weapon against Russia regardless of their political differences with Moscow over Syria and Iran. [Russia confrontation] [Client] [Realignment]
• It's not Russia that's pushed Ukraine to the brink of war
  The attempt to lever Kiev into the western camp by ousting an elected leader made conflict certain. It could be a threat to us all Seumas Milne The Guardian, Wednesday 30 April 2014 21.01 BST The threat of war in Ukraine is growing. As the unelected government in Kiev declares itself unable to control the rebellion in the country's east, John Kerry brands Russia a rogue state. The US and the European Union step up sanctions against the Kremlin, accusing it of destabilising Ukraine. The White House is reported to be set on a new cold war policy with the aim of turning Russia into a "pariah state". [Russia confrontation] [NCW] [NATO]
• Ukrainian riot police humiliated in clash with separatists; Putin demands Kiev pull troops
  By Simon Denyer, Updated: Friday, May 2, 9:33 AM E-mail the writer DONETSK, Ukraine — This eastern Ukrainian city took another step toward mob rule Thursday as pro-Russian separatists stormed the state prosecutor’s office and forced dozens of riot police deployed to guard the building into a humiliating surrender. The attackers, who threw stones and wielded sticks, were backed by a crowd of at least 1,000 men and women of all ages. They chanted “fascists” and “traitors” at the riot police and waved Russian flags as well as those of the self-styled Donetsk People’s Republic. Ukraine’s acting president admitted this week that the police force in the east was “helpless” to protect citizens and that some of its members were colluding with pro-Russian groups. [Ukraine]
• Pak Pong Ju Meets Russian Deputy PM
  Pyongyang, April 29 (KCNA) -- DPRK Premier Pak Pong Ju met and had a talk with Yuri Trutnev, deputy prime minister and presidential envoy to the Far East Federal District of the Russian Federation, and his party who paid a courtesy call on him at the Mansudae Assembly Hall on Tuesday.

• What Makes Odessa Rise in Protest?
  Alexander Donetsky | 29.04.2014 | 00:00 The people of Donetsk and Lugansk regions captured administrative buildings, got hold of arms and declared independence from Ukraine. They are fighting the Kiev regime. The world attention is focused on what is happening there. But there are other hotbeds in Ukraine. Unlike Donbass, the region of Odessa has no border with Russia and it’s not a homeport for the Russian Black Sea Fleet. But local people hit the streets with Russian flags and express their will to get separated from Ukraine. In ancient times there region was populated by Greeks, the populated areas were mainly concentrated along the rivers Dnieper, South Buh and Dniester, which run directly into the Black Sea. There were other colonies: the ancient Greek cities of Tyras, Olbia and Nikonia trading with Scythian and Cimmerians.
• Lavrov: one tenth of Cuba’s debt to Russia to be reinvested in Cuban economy
  Russia April 29, 21:22 UTC+4 Various companies are showing interest towards operations in Cuba and the energy sector leaders Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (L), Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez (R) © EPA/Alejandro Ernesto Russia considers maintenance of embargo against Cuba unacceptable HAVANA, April 29. /ITAR-TASS/. One-tenth of Cuba’s debt to Russia will be reinvested in Cuban economy, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday upon the completion of talks with his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodriguez . “The part of the debt that isn’t written off - and that’s 10% of the total - will be reinvested in Cuban economy on agreement between the two sides,” he said. “We’re interested in the making these investments productive to the maximum.” Various companies are showing interest towards operations in Cuba and the energy sector leaders like Zarubezhneft, Rosneft and Inter RAO are among them, Lavrov said. [Russia Cuba] [Debt] [Resurgence] [NCW]
• Russia ‘Liquidating’ Civil Society
  By Pavol Stracansky Russian riot police prepare to face protestors at a rights rally in St Petersburg. Credit: Straight Alliance for LGBT Equality. MOSCOW , Apr 26 2014 (IPS) - NGOs working in Russia are facing more repression in the form of even tighter legislation on foreign funding as part of what some rights activists say is a concerted campaign to “liquidate” civil society in the country . Under legislation proposed earlier this month in the upper chamber of Russia’s parliament, NGOs receiving foreign funding could be registered as “foreign agent” without their consent. [NGO] [Subversion] [Russia confrontation]
• Russian propaganda campaign finds fertile ground in Ukrainians’ mixed sense of who they are
  By Matthew Schofield McClatchy Foreign Staff April 27, 2014 KIEV, Ukraine — The Russian invasion of Ukraine began long before separatists seized control of eastern Ukrainian city buildings. It began long before an estimated 40,000 Russian troops massed on the Ukrainian border, engaging in “training exercises” as Moscow threatened “consequences” for Ukrainian resistance. It even began long before the mostly bloodless seizure of Crimea in March. Experts and officials in Ukraine, in fact, insist it began during the autumn of 2004. It was then, they say, while Ukrainians and much of the world rejoiced at the power of democracy shown through the Orange Revolution, that Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite a landslide victory earlier in 2004, saw the potential of democratic unrest spreading into his nation. Analysts say he worried. Shortly after, he began a media campaign demonizing Ukraine, to both Russians and Russian-speaking eastern and southern Ukrainians. Ukraine, long considered an inseparable ally for Russia, was portrayed as dangerous, untrustworthy and a puppet that the United States was using to harm Russia. Newscasts and newspapers painted Kiev as tragically out of control, a place that in the interest of history and even of love needed to be brought back under the safe control of mother Russia. Even entertainment programming added to a new, negative perception of Ukraine. Television police dramas began to feature Ukrainian villains. Today, an evening of Russian television typically features newscasts and talk shows that depict an America eager to destroy Russia, a Europe on the brink of collapse and an inept and chaotic Ukraine. [Ukraine] [Russia confrontation] [Propaganda] [Media]
• Syria: The US Keeps On Losing its Positions
  The US and its NATO allies continue to play its ridiculous war games near the Russian western borders, as well as in the Black and Baltic seas, trying to scare Moscow off with a handful of warships, 600 soldiers and six war planes patrolling the Baltic skies. Apparently they have forgotten that even an invasion of Iraq that put 120 thousand US troops on the ground failed in breaking the resistance of this Arab country, which led to a miserable withdrawal. And now the story repeats itself in Syria, which had until recently been the focus of Washington. The success of the local government in suppressing the Islamist resistance that was brought to Syria by the money of Saudi Arabia and Qatar three years ago has become even more apparent. Today, the political triumph of the Assad regime does need no international support, including the one of the United States. [US global strategy] [Syria] [Russia confrontation]
• Russian vice-premier visits Pyongyang to discuss economic ties
  Visit only the latest in a series of recent Russian outreaches to North Korea April 28th, 2014 Ole Jakob Skåtun Russia’s vice-premier Yury Trutnev is set to arrive in Pyongyang on Monday for a three-day visit to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries. Trutnev, who is also Russian president Vladimir Putin’s special envoy to the Far East, is accompanied by the governors of Russia’s far-eastern provinces Primorsky, Khabarovsky and Amursky. The visit is the latest in a series of higher-level meetings between Russian and North Korean officials. In early April, the two countries signed an economic development protocol with the aim of increasing annual bilateral trade to $1 billion by 2020. In late March, the President of the autonomous Russian republic Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov visited Pyongyang for talks about joint exploration and development of petroleum gas fields in North Korea, and last week, Russia formally wrote off 90 percent of the North’s debts. Recent Russian advances towards both North and South Korea have been seen as part of the country’s own “pivot to Asia”. Russian authorities have also lately made outlines for plans to establish special economic zones in its Far East – plans that include cooperation with other North East Asian countries.
• In Cold War Echo, Obama Strategy Writes Off Putin
  By PETER BAKER APRIL 19, 2014 WASHINGTON — Even as the crisis in Ukraine continues to defy easy resolution, President Obama and his national security team are looking beyond the immediate conflict to forge a new long-term approach to Russia that applies an updated version of the Cold War strategy of containment. Just as the United States resolved in the aftermath of World War II to counter the Soviet Union and its global ambitions, Mr. Obama is focused on isolating President Vladimir V. Putin’s Russia by cutting off its economic and political ties to the outside world, limiting its expansionist ambitions in its own neighborhood and effectively making it a pariah state. Mr. Obama has concluded that even if there is a resolution to the current standoff over Crimea and eastern Ukraine, he will never have a constructive relationship with Mr. Putin, aides said. As a result, Mr. Obama will spend his final two and a half years in office trying to minimize the disruption Mr. Putin can cause, preserve whatever marginal cooperation can be saved and otherwise ignore the master of the Kremlin in favor of other foreign policy areas where progress remains possible. [Russia confrontation]
• "We Are Not Beginning a New Cold War, We are Well into It": Stephen Cohen on Russia-Ukraine Crisis
  Stephen Cohen, professor of Russian studies at New York University and author of numerous books on Russia and the Soviet Union. His most recent book is Soviet Fates and Lost Alternatives: From Stalinism to the New Cold War. As negotiations over the crisis in Ukraine begin in Geneva, tension is rising in the Ukrainian east after security forces killed three pro-Russian protesters, wounded 13 and took 63 captive in the city of Mariupol. Ukrainian officials said the pro-Russian separatists had attempted to storm a military base. The killings came just after the unraveling of a Ukrainian operation to retake government buildings from pro-Russian separatists. Earlier today, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the authorities in Kiev of plunging the country into an "abyss" and refused to rule out sending forces into Ukraine. Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has announced a series of steps to reinforce its presence in eastern Europe. "We will have more planes in the air, more ships on the water and more readiness on the land," Rasmussen said. We are joined by Stephen Cohen, professor emeritus of Russian studies and politics at New York University and Princeton University. "We are not at the beginning of a new Cold War, we are well into it," Cohen says, "which alerts us to the fact 'hot war' is imaginable now. It’s unlikely, but it’s conceivable — and if it’s conceivable, something has to be done about it." [Russia confrontation]
• Cold War Again: Who’s Responsible?
  In the name of ‘democracy,’ the West has unrelentingly moved its military, political and economic power ever closer to post-Soviet Russia. Stephen F. Cohen April 1, 2014 The East-West confrontation over Ukraine, which led to Moscow’s annexation of Crimea but long predated it, is potentially the worst international crisis in more than fifty years—and the most fateful. A negotiated resolution is possible, but time may be running out. A new Cold War divide is already descending in Europe—not in Berlin but on Russia’s borders. Worse may follow. If NATO forces move toward western Ukraine or even to its border with Poland, as is being called for by zealous cold warriors in Washington and Europe, Moscow is likely to send its forces into eastern Ukraine. The result would be a danger of war comparable to the Cuban missile crisis of 1962. [NCW] [Russia confrontation]
• Crimea? Pshaw. CEOs Want to Party With Putin
  By Nick Summers April 24, 2014 Update: Citigroup CEO Michael Corbat will not travel to the conference, spokesman Mark Costiglio said in an e-mail sent after this story was first published. Other Citi employees will attend in his stead. “From the start, the United States has mobilized the international community in support of Ukraine to isolate Russia for its actions,” President Obama said on March 17, as he announced new sanctions against Russia for sending troops into Crimea. Putin’s aggression, he said, “will achieve nothing except to further isolate Russia and diminish its place in the world.” Top executives at Goldman Sachs (GS), Citigroup (C), Morgan Stanley (MS), Visa (V), PepsiCo (PEP), Alcoa (AA), and other corporations may not go along with the president’s shaming technique. Their chief executive officers are slated to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in May, an annual confab of economists, business figures, and policymakers that’s illustrating how the gears of commerce keep turning even as diplomacy seizes up. Two months after Russian forces entered Crimea, triggering a regional crisis and rebukes from the international community, Boston Consulting Group says it plans to send nine employees to the conference. “In the current volatile environment, it is especially important to keep the dialogue going on key economic and business topics,” Jan Dirk Waiboer, head of BCG’s Moscow office, said through a spokesman. Caterpillar (CAT) is dispatching three executives “to understand better the current economic environment,” says spokeswoman Molly Donahue. Boeing (BA) will send its American and Russian division presidents, “but we continue to watch developments closely to determine what impact, if any, there may be to our ongoing business,” says spokesman John Dern. [Russia confrontation] [Sanctions] [F&E]
• West-Imposed Sanctions Boost Russia-China Cooperation
  Andrei Akulov | 25.04.2014 | 00:00 European Commission officials in Brussels have distributed sealed reports to EU states’ ambassadors describing the potential impact of EU-Russia sanctions on their countries if the plans go ahead. New US sanctions punishing Russia for its actions in Ukraine are to be announced on Friday, April 25. The next round is likely to target influential people or companies in sectors such as energy, engineering and financial services, as spelled out in an executive order US President Obama issued last month. The US diplomacy is also working behind the scenes. According to Russian Kommersant daily, the United States unsuccessfully tries to make China join the sanctions against Russia. The White House press-service refused to comment but it did not negate the report. It’s a well-known fact President Obama discussed the possibility of China joining the West on March 24 while meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping during the G7 summit in the Hague. Visiting China on April 15 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov thanked China for its «unbiased position on Ukraine» and added that Beijing-Moscow ties had reached an «unprecedented height». The visit of Russian President Putin to China is expected on May 20… China has made known its intention to invest in large-scale ventures in Crimea after the region was reunited with Russia. The plans include two major Crimean projects: the «Power of Siberia» gas pipeline and a 25 meter deep Crimean deep water port. [Russia confrontation] [Russia China] [NCW]
• The Next Phase of Russia’s Policy on the Korean Peninsula and in Relations with the DPRK
  At present, Russian-North Korean relations are experiencing a sort of renaissance, which stands out in contrast against the background of the recent cold snap. After all, even during the celebration in the DPRK of the 60 year anniversary of the end of the “hot phase” of the Korean War in July, 2013, Moscow decided to demonstrate its negative attitude toward North Korea’s third nuclear test in February, 2013, as well as its “adventurous” behavior during the acute military and political crisis on the Korean Peninsula in March and April of the same year, and maintained only a modest Russian presence at this event. China, despite its own irritation for the same reasons, also sent the third highest ranking member in the PRC’s hierarchy to Pyongyang during the aforementioned celebration, who was at the side of the DPRK’s young leader, Kim Jong Un, throughout. In this context, the North Koreans took unprecedented steps to demonstrate their intention to strengthen bilateral relations with Russia within the framework of the holiday events. The program of large scale athletic and artistic representations of “Arirang” began with a scene symbolizing friendship between our peoples, accompanied by a slogan on the “live” platform: “Korean-Russian friendship – From generation to generation”. Even more significant was the episode during the military parade, when (for the first time in history!) the North Koreans acknowledged the participation of Soviet troops in the Korean War with gratitude. A large banner with the image of a Korean soldier, a Chinese volunteer, and a pilot with a Slavic appearance in a helmet in profile was driven along the stands on a truck. The caption under the banner read: “Thanks to all who fought together with us”. [Russia NK]
• NYT Retracts Russian-Photo Scoop
  April 23, 2014 Exclusive: After starting a propaganda stampede – with a lead story about photos of Russian troops purportedly in Ukraine – the New York Times admits the pictures really don’t prove much, and one photo was labeled as snapped in Russia when it was really taken in Ukraine, writes Robert Parry. By Robert Parry Two days after the New York Times led its editions with a one-sided article about photos supposedly proving that Russian special forces were behind the popular uprisings in eastern Ukraine, the Times published what you might call a modified, limited retraction. Buried deep inside the Wednesday editions (page 9 in my paper), the article by Michael R. Gordon and Andrew E. Kramer – two of the three authors from the earlier story – has this curious beginning: “A collection of photographs that Ukraine says shows the presence of Russian forces in the eastern part of the country, and which the United States cited as evidence of Russian involvement, has come under scrutiny.” Photograph published by the New York Times purportedly taken in Russia of Russian soldiers who later appeared in eastern Ukraine. However, the photographer has since stated that the photo was actually taken in Ukraine, and the U.S. State Department has acknowledged the error. Photograph published by the New York Times purportedly taken in Russia of Russian soldiers who later appeared in eastern Ukraine. However, the photographer has since stated that the photo was actually taken in Ukraine, and the U.S. State Department has acknowledged the error. In the old days of journalism, we used to apply the scrutiny before we published a story on the front page or on any other page, especially if it had implications toward war or peace, whether people would live or die. However, in this case – fitting with the anti-Russian bias that has pervaded the mainstream U.S. press corps – the scrutiny was set aside long enough for this powerful propaganda theme to be put in play and to sweep across the media landscape. Only now do we belatedly learn what should have been obvious: the blurry photographs provided by the coup regime in Kiev and endorsed by the Obama administration don’t really prove anything. There were obvious alternative explanations to the photos that were ignored by the Times, such as the possibility that these were military veterans who are no longer associated with the Russian military. Or that some photos are not of the same person. And, one of the photos featured by the Times in its Monday lead article, purportedly showing some of the armed men in Russia, was actually shot in the Ukrainian town of Slovyansk, according to Maxim Dondyuk, the freelance photographer who took the picture and posted it on his Instagram account. [Russia confrontation] [Disinformation] [Media]
• Another NYT-Michael Gordon Special?
  April 21, 2014 Exclusive: The New York Times is at it again with a lead story citing grainy photos from the post-putsch regime in Kiev as proving that Russian special forces are behind the popular uprisings in eastern Ukraine, another slanted story coauthored by Michael Gordon, as Robert Parry reports. By Robert Parry There is now a pattern to New York Times “investigative” stories that seek to pin the blame on some nefarious foreign enemy, as in the 2002 article on Iraq buying aluminum tubes for nuclear centrifuges; the 2013 “vector analysis” tracing sarin-laden rockets to a Syrian military base; and now a photographic analysis proving that Russian soldiers are behind unrest in eastern Ukraine. All these stories draw hard conclusions from very murky evidence while ignoring or brushing aside alternative explanations. They also pile up supportive acclamations for their conclusions from self-interested sources while treating any doubters as rubes. And, these three articles all involved reporter Michael R. Gordon. [Media] [Disinformation] [Russia confrontation] [Iraq]
• US NGOs in Ukraine – Washington’s Foreign Policy Tools or Biden Visits Kiev (I)
  Nikolai Bobkin | 23.04.2014 Vice-President John Biden came to Kiev to see with his own eyes how the events unfold in the country. The second part of the article will be devoted to the results of the visit. Here it’s important to state the fact that Ukraine serves as an irritant for Moscow which may turn into its enemy and that’s the only thing Washington needs Ukraine for. The situation in the country has deteriorated to the point of bringing it to the brink of civil war, but Washington does not care. The main thing is to keep the puppet regime in power. Biden is an author of «color revolutions» policy and the person responsible for staging unrest in other countries, for him Ukraine is just another testing ground no different from North Africa… Americans are not fantasy prone people, they always have a pattern to follow and they gauge all other nations with their own «democratic criterion» ignoring racial and religious specific features. The same thing is repeated in Kiev. The White House says that Biden will meet leaders of civil society to discuss their role in strengthening democratic institutions. It’s not an occasion that NGOs are in the focus of his attention, billions of dollars are spent to keep them afloat and they are expected to produce the pre-programmed results. The Ukraine’s government has been using every occasion to stress its independence while it is quite docile and submissive towards all kinds of NGOs and foreign special agencies operatives acting on the Ukraine’s territory. No matter US NGOs always emphasize how open, democratic and transparent they are, in reality they act as close clubs with the criteria for personnel enlistment normally practiced by the CIA when it chooses the agents for the mission of strengthening American influence. As a rule, the leading positions are held by specially selected persons ready to represent the US interests in other countries, Ukraine in the given case, for financial remuneration. They try to involve Ukrainian experts and elite into their activities while discussions and seminars are used to collect information on the country, its politics, military potential, economy, as well as religious and social life. Then the data is sent to corresponding centers of information processing and analysis in the USA. [Russia confrontation] [NGO]
• The Smoking Pop-Gun: Obama Endorses a Forgery
  April 21, 2014 by Diana Johnstone On Friday, April 18, President Obama voiced his righteous indignation over anti-Semitic fliers pasted on synagogue walls in the pro-Russian eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk. The fliers, calling on all Jews to register or face expulsion, had appeared the day before and were instantly denounced by Donetsk leaders as a gross provocation and a forgery. The next day, however, Obama “expressed his disgust quite bluntly”. At least, that is what his hawkish national security advisor, Susan Rice, told the public. “I think we all found word of those pamphlets to be utterly sickening, and they have no place in the 21st century,” she declared. This presidential reaction occurred 24 hours after the pamphlet in question had been thoroughly denounced as a fake, not only by the Donetsk leader, Denis Pushilin, who said his signature on the document had been forged, but by local Jewish community leaders and even by The New Republic, which cannot be accused of indifference to anti-Semitism. [False flag] [Anti-Semitism]
• Robocop NATO Dreams of War
  by Pepe Escobar The US State Department, via spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki, said that reports of CIA Director John Brennan telling regime changers in Kiev to “conduct tactical operations” – or an ”anti-terrorist” offensive – in eastern Ukraine are ”completely false”. This means Brennan did issue his marching orders. And by now the “anti-terrorist” campaign – with its nice little Dubya rhetorical touch – has degenerated into farce. Now couple that with NATO secretary general, Danish retriever Anders Fogh Rasmussen, yapping about the strengthening of military footprint along NATO’s eastern border: “We will have more planes in the air, mores ships on the water and more readiness on the land.” Welcome to the Two Stooges doctrine of post-modern warfare.
• Russia, eying pipeline, forgives N. Korean debt
  Expert says regional instability means project still an unlikely one April 21st, 2014 Rob York 0 Russia has formally written off 90 percent of North Korea’s debt, apparently to enable the construction of the much-talked-of gas pipeline that would stretch from Russia through the North and into the South. The lower house of the Russian Duma on Friday ratified a 2012 agreement to write off nearly $10 billion in North Korean debt, left over from the Soviet era. The total debt was equivalent to $10.96 billion as of September 2012. The remainder of the debt, equal to $1.09 billion, is to be paid off in installments every six months. Russia’s Deputy Minister of Finance Sergie Storchak told media that the funds could be spent on mutually beneficial projects in the North, including the pipeline. Gazprom, a gas producer of whom the Russian government is the majority stakeholder, has long eyed the project. However, Andrei Lankov of Kookmin University, who has been skeptical of inter-Korean projects proposed by Russia in the past due to instability in the North, said that nothing had really changed with this move. “Will it increase the likely hood of pipeline? Of course not,” he said. “The debt issue has never been a major obstacle for such a project. “The major obstacle is the complete lack of stability and a great deal of mutual distrust in the region, so the Russian investors, if they are reckless enough to really start construction works, will find themselves helpless hostages to the games played in Washington, Beijing, Seoul and Pyongyang.” [Railways] [Debt]
• Russia increases its military presence in Far East
  Xinhua, April 18, 2014 Russia is beefing up military presence in the Far East and Pacific coast, a senior defense official said Friday. "Today one of the key tasks is development of defense infrastructure on the Pacific coast and islands at Russian (Far) East," commander of the Eastern military district Sergei Surovikin told a conference in the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, capital of the insular Sakhalin region. Among the most urgent actions to be undertaken by the Defense Ministry in that region, the Colonel General mentioned building of more military garrisons in two out of the four disputed islands between Russia and Japan. [Russia Japan]
• How America Lost Vladimir Putin
  A rupture between Russia and the West, 14 years in the making David Rohde and Arshad Mohammed Apr 19 2014, 9:54 AM ET A portrait of Russian President Vladimir Putin, painted by former U.S. President George W. Bush, at the Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Dallas. (Brandon Wade/Reuters) In September 2001, as the U.S. reeled from the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Vladimir Putin supported Washington's imminent invasion of Afghanistan in ways that would have been inconceivable during the Cold War. He agreed that U.S. planes carrying humanitarian aid could fly through Russian air space. He said the U.S. military could use airbases in former Soviet republics in Central Asia. And he ordered his generals to brief their U.S. counterparts on their own ill-fated 1980s occupation of Afghanistan. During Putin's visit to President George W. Bush's Texas ranch two months later, the U.S. leader, speaking at a local high school, declared his Russian counterpart "a new style of leader, a reformer … a man who's going to make a huge difference in making the world more peaceful, by working closely with the United States." Putin promotes a conservative, ultra-nationalist form of state capitalism as an alternative to Western democracy. For a moment, it seemed, the distrust and antipathy of the Cold War were fading. Then, just weeks later, Bush announced that the United States was withdrawing from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, so that it could build a system in Eastern Europe to protect NATO allies and U.S. bases from Iranian missile attack. In a nationally televised address, Putin warned that the move would undermine arms control and nonproliferation efforts. [Russia confrontation] [Renege] [Putin] [Personalisation]
• NATO's Eastward Expansion: Did the West Break Its Promise to Moscow?
  By Uwe Klussmann, Matthias Schepp and Klaus Wiegrefe Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has accused the West of breaking promises made after the fall of the Iron Curtain, saying that NATO's expansion into Eastern Europe violated commitments made during the negotiations over German reunification. Newly discovered documents from Western archives support the Russian position. [NATO] [Renege]
• Nato's action plan in Ukraine is right out of Dr Strangelove
  From China to Ukraine, the US is pursuing its longstanding ambition to dominate the Eurasian landmass John Pilger The Guardian, Thursday 17 April 2014 16.41 BST Men wearing military fatigues in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk 'What is certain is that Barack Obama’s rapacious coup in Ukraine has ignited a civil war and Vladimir Putin is being lured into a trap.' Photograph: Anatoliy Stepanov/AFP/Getty Images I watched Dr Strangelove the other day. I have seen it perhaps a dozen times; it makes sense of senseless news. When Major TJ "King" Kong goes "toe to toe with the Rooskies" and flies his rogue B52 nuclear bomber to a target in Russia, it's left to General "Buck" Turgidson to reassure the president. Strike first, says the general, and "you got no more than 10-20 million killed, tops". President Merkin Muffley: "I will not go down in history as the greatest mass murderer since Adolf Hitler." General Turgidson: "Perhaps it might be better, Mr President, if you were more concerned with the American people than with your image in the history books." [Russia confrontation] [Ukraine] [NATO]
• Putin has more admirers than the west might think
  Russia has found out who its friends are recently – and thanks to some old resentments, that includes India and China Timothy Garton Ash The Guardian, Thursday 17 April 2014 Jump to comments (669) Tell me your Ukraine and I will tell you who you are. The Ukrainian crisis is a political Rorschach test, not just for individuals but also for states. What it reveals to us is not encouraging for the west. It turns out that Vladimir Putin has more admirers around the world than you might expect for someone using a neo-Soviet combination of violence and the big lie to dismember a neighbouring sovereign state. When I say admirers, I don't just mean the governments of Venezuela and Syria, two of his most vocal supporters. Russia's strongman garners tacit support, and even some quiet plaudits, from some of the world's most important emerging powers, starting with China and India. During a recent visit to China I was frequently asked what was going on in Ukraine, and I kept asking in return about the Chinese attitude to it. Didn't a country which has so consistently defended the principle of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of existing states (be they the former Yugoslavia or Iraq), and which itself has a couple of prospective Crimeas (Tibet, Xinjiang), feel uneasy about Russia simply grabbing a chunk of a neighbouring country? [NCW] [Russia confrontation] [Separatism]
• Vladimir Putin must be called to account on surveillance just like Obama
  I questioned the Russian president live on TV to get his answer on the record, not to whitewash him • Edward Snowden defends decision to question Putin Edward Snowden theguardian.com, Friday 18 April 2014 05.06 BST On Thursday, I questioned Russia's involvement in mass surveillance on live television. I asked Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, a question that cannot credibly be answered in the negative by any leader who runs a modern, intrusive surveillance program: "Does [your country] intercept, analyse or store millions of individuals' communications?" I went on to challenge whether, even if such a mass surveillance program were effective and technically legal, it could ever be morally justified. The question was intended to mirror the now infamous exchange in US Senate intelligence committee hearings between senator Ron Wyden and the director of national intelligence, James Clapper, about whether the NSA collected records on millions of Americans, and to invite either an important concession or a clear evasion. (See a side-by-side comparison of Wyden's question and mine here.) Clapper's lie – to the Senate and to the public – was a major motivating force behind my decision to go public, and a historic example of the importance of official accountability. In his response, Putin denied the first part of the question and dodged on the latter. There are serious inconsistencies in his denial – and we'll get to them soon – but it was not the president's suspiciously narrow answer that was criticised by many pundits. It was that I had chosen to ask a question at all. [Surveillance] [Snowden] [Putin]
• Russia is helping Iraq Return To the World Oil Market
  Now Iraq wishes to become the fastest-growing oil exporter, compensating for the loss of Libyan production in the market, and possibly reviving the competition for participation share in the market among OPEC members. Despite the escalation of violence in the country, due to the exports of instability from neighboring Syria, Iraq, which is already the second largest oil supplier among OPEC members, has shown one of the most spectacular increases in annual production in the history of the industry. These successes are associated with the fact that foreign oil companies are developing deposits in the south – a region that almost has not been affected by the unrest. Thanks to the fact that it was possible to eliminate export “bottlenecks” in the terminals of Basra in the south of Iraq, through which almost all Iraqi oil is exported, it is expected that Baghdad will be able to maintain, or even increase, the volume of oil exports. The exports in 2014 are estimated at about 140-150 million tons. If Baghdad manages to keep the export of oil at this level, its revenues will exceed $100 billion (at oil prices of $100 per barrel). [Iraq] [Libya] [Unintended consequences]
• Ukraine crisis: Crunch talks due in Geneva
  Ukrainian attack helicopters buzzed villagers in Kramatorsk, but the army eventually had to give up, as Daniel Sandford reports Russia, the United States, the European Union and Ukraine are due to meet in Geneva to try to reduce escalating tensions over eastern Ukraine. Deep disagreement over the issue has led to the worst crisis between the US and Russia since the Cold War. The West accuses Russia of aiding pro-Russian activists who have seized public buildings across the east. US President Barack Obama has warned Russia against support for further action by armed pro-Russian groups. "What I have said consistently is that each time Russia takes these kinds of steps that are designed to destabilize Ukraine and violate their sovereignty, that there are going to be consequences," he said. Meanwhile, Ukraine's military operation against separatists has hit obstacles. Called an "anti-terrorist" operation by the Kiev government, it started on Tuesday and is designed to dislodge pro-Russia gunmen from local authority buildings in a swathe of cities and towns in eastern Ukraine.
  Ukraine's "anti-terrorist" operation is looking more and more a non-event - or worse, an outright fiasco. Kiev officials have admitted they have no time to lose to extinguish the growing insurrection in the country's east. But the decision to send the army in has so far backfired terribly. The soldiers have been helpless and obviously unhappy with being deployed against crowds of civilians. [Ukraine]
• Edward Snowden asks Putin on live TV: Does Russia spy on millions?
  By Sergei L. Loiko April 17, 2014, 11:45 a.m. MOSCOW -- Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who was granted asylum in Russia, made a surprise appearance at President Vladimir Putin's annual televised call-in session Thursday to ask whether the country conducts mass surveillance like the United States does. Snowden’s revelations about U.S. spying practices set off a national debate about the trade-offs between security and privacy. “Recently in the United States, two independent White House investigations, as well as the federal court all concluded that these programs are ineffective in stopping terrorism,” Snowden said via video link from an undisclosed location. “They also found that they unreasonably intrude into the private lives of ordinary citizens -- individuals who have never been suspected of any wrongdoing or criminal activity -- and that these kinds of programs are not the least intrusive means available to such agencies for these investigative purposes. “Now, I've seen little public discussion of Russia's own involvement in such surveillance,” Snowden continued. “So I’d like to ask you: Does Russia intercept, store or analyze in any way the communications of millions of individuals, and do you believe that simply increasing the effectiveness of intelligence or law enforcement investigations can justify placing societies, rather than subjects, under surveillance?" Putin, a former KGB officer, responded with a smile. “Dear Mr. Snowden, you are a former agent, and I used to work in intelligence,” he said, a remark interrupted by massive studio applause and laughter. “So we will talk in a professional language.” “First of all, the use of special means by special services is strictly regulated by the law here,” Putin said. “And this regulation includes the need to get a court permission to [conduct surveillance on] a specific individual. And this is why it doesn't have a massive, unselective character here and cannot have in accordance with the law.” “Of course, we proceed from the fact that modern means of communication are used by criminal elements, including terrorists, in their criminal activities,” Putin continued. “And special services, of course, must react accordingly … using modern methods and means to struggle against their crimes, including terrorist crimes. And of course, we are doing it.” But, he added, “We don't allow ourselves to do it on a massive and uncontrolled scale, and I hope very much we will never allow that.” “Besides,” he said, “we don't have the technical means and the funds for it like in the United States. After all, our special services are strictly controlled by the state and society.” [Surveillance] [Putin] [Snowden]
• Putin says annexation of Crimea partly a response to NATO enlargement
  Reuters 2:13 p.m. CDT, April 17, 2014 MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said Russia had been forced to respond to NATO enlargement and that its annexation of Crimea, home to its Black Sea Fleet, was partly influenced by the Western military alliance's expansion into eastern Europe. Putin said Moscow will respond if the United States moves ahead with plans to base elements of a missile defense shield in eastern Europe, accusing Washington of fuelling a Cold War-style arms race "When the infrastructure of a military bloc is moving toward our borders, it causes us some concerns and questions. We need to take some steps in response," Putin said in a televised call-in with the nation. "Our decision on Crimea was partly due to ... considerations that if we do nothing, then at some point, guided by the same principles, NATO will drag Ukraine in and they will say: 'It doesn't have anything to do with you.'" [NATO] [Russia confrontation]
• Russia is only a regional power? Don’t bet on it, some say
  By Hannah Allam McClatchy Washington Bureau April 15, 2014 WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama dismissed Russia as a “regional power” in remarks that were interpreted as not only a jab at leader Vladimir Putin’s ego but also justification for the administration’s reluctance to wade deeper into a conflict that’s worsening by the day. In the three weeks since that presidential putdown, Putin’s military maneuvers along the border and apparent backing of rebellions in eastern Ukraine have drawn rebukes from the United Nations Security Council, triggered NATO warnings about the possibility of an impending invasion, raised the specter of “gas wars” that would disrupt supplies throughout Europe and alarmed the West into organizing crisis talks Thursday in Geneva. Put another way: Not bad for a mere “regional” bully. “That description was so ill advised and delusional in so many ways,” lamented Adele Lindenmeyr, a Russia historian at Villanova University who in the 1990s helped the U.S. Agency for International Development on civil society projects in post-Soviet Russia. Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/04/15/224532/russia-is-only-a-regional-power.html?sp=/99/117/#storylink=cpy [Russia confrontation]
• Russian economy in the red as investment slumps and capital flies
  16/04 19:39 CET Russia’s economy shrank in the first three months of this year as investment spending fell and those who could move money out of the country did so in response to the tensions over Ukraine and the threat of sanctions. GDP was down by 0.5 percent from the final quarter of last year, although it grew by 0.8 percent year-on-year. Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev said the economic situation is “not stable”. He told the Russian parliament: “In addition to the internal factors that have slowed economic growth, we also have a high level of uncertainty on the global financial markets, serious capital flight and a situation when investors are not ready to make investment decisions given the tense situation in the international arena during the past two months.” The International Monetary Fund’s growth prediction for this year has already dropped from 1.9 percent to 1.3 percent. The Russian government has slashed its estimate from 2.5 percent growth to between 0.5 percent and 1.1 percent. But Russia’s Finance Minister Anton Siluanov is even more pessimistic. One day earlier he said the economy faces “the most difficult conditions” since the global economic crisis in 2008. In the worst case scenario Siluanov believes GDP may not grow at all this year.
  Economists have said the weakness shows Moscow cannot afford a war, or even a prolonged trade war with West. [Ukraine] [Russia confrontation]
• The Putin Doctrine: Myth, Provocation, Blackmail, or the Real Deal?
  Lilia Shevtsova When it comes to explaining Russia’s Ukrainian adventurism, the West has attempted to hide behind a wall of myths and hope its problems will just go away. Published on April 14, 2014 There are all sorts of reasons to be stunned and perplexed today. Stunned by the reintroduction of the fears and phobias of the 20th century into 21st-century international affairs. And perplexed by the explanations offered for Putin’s actions in Ukraine by the world’s best and brightest. 1. How Does the West Read Putin? Here’s one explanation that has prompted many nods of approval: Putin isn’t quite in his right mind. As Madeleine Albright has said, “I think that either he does not have the facts, or he is being fed propaganda… It doesn’t make any sense… Putin is, in many ways, I think, delusional about this.” And Brent Scowcroft: “He’s a person full of venom, because he thought that [the Soviet Union’s] collapse was taken advantage of by the West, or especially the U.S. to take advantage of Russia… now we’re strong again; you can’t push us around anymore…” My question is this: If Putin is “delusional” or he “is living in another world” as Chancellor Merkel has suggested, or if Putin is “full of venom” because he sees that the United States is strong, why did these observers not notice these things until now? Why has Putin chosen this moment and not an earlier one to blow up the world order? And if he is really all that “delusional,” the Western measures to constrain him are hardly sufficient. I suspect that all the explanations aiming at provoking doubt as to Putin’s rationality and inadequacy have their origins in something other than dispassionate analysis. If Putin just suddenly lost his mind, this lets the political and expert community off the hook for failing to alert us to what was coming. If the West is dealing with an unexpected deviation from the norm, this means that the previous policy toward Russia was essentially correct. The theory of Putin’s “insanity” or “irrationality” would save so many analytical reputations. [Putin] [Conservative] [Inversion]
• Political Maneuvering In Korean Peninsula Region
  Vladimir Terehov 3523342The Korean Peninsula, along with the South China Sea and the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, remains one of the most sensitive zones in the Asia-Pacific Region (APR), which is turning into the center of gravity of a new global game. The latter mainly consists of a complex interaction of the strategies and goals of the leading global players, most of which (the United States, China, Japan, Russia and India) are located either in the Asia-Pacific Region itself or in close proximity to it. This does not mean that there is nothing left for other countries to do but play the role of extras in the game of the main world powers. However, it seems important in this context to recall the hierarchy of importance of the participants in the world political action, bearing in mind that such a hierarchy is always present in human history. Meanwhile, many of the above-mentioned “others”, in spite of having formal attributes of statehood (for example, being today UN members), are rather objects in the game which is being played by its main participants and very often in the territory of the “others”.
• Germans Attitude towards Putin’s Policy: «Mysterious Sympathy»
  Natalia Meden | 14.04.2014 | 00:00 Ukraine has a special place in German media’s reporting. The US- defined pattern prevails at present. Russia is blamed for instigating the growing unrest in the south-east part of the country. The US State Secretary put forward such an accusation on April 8 saying there would be a heavy price to pay. The German Left Party is the only political force that recognizes Russia’s right to defend its interests. Unlike the Left Party members, independent critics of Germany’s foreign policy are destitute of chances to make public appeals. The New Rhenish Newspaper (the Neue Rheinische Zeitung) was the only one to publish a letter signed by 200 representatives of German intelligensia. Russian media told about it (1), but the fact was largely ignored in Germany. At that, the Putin’s policy has significant support. According to the poll conducted at the beginning of April (2), around 49% (60% in the East) of respondents do not approve tough treatment of Russia, they support Germany’s role as a mediator between Russia and the West. 37% think the present policy is the one of a go-between, while 63% believe it has an obvious pro-US taint. German analysts try to explain the «mysterious sympathy» that Germans feel towards Russians… Liana Fix, an expert from the German Foreign Policy Society, defines the following reasons: - the enrooted pacifism and skeptical view of NATO; - dissatisfaction with the USA and the European Union; - economic interest in cooperation with Russia; - disapproval of the way German media paints the Russian President (3).
• Russian Media Report CIA Director Held 'Secret Consultations' in Kiev
  • The Moscow Times • Apr. 13 2014 18:51 • Last edited 18:51 Russian news agencies reported Sunday that U.S. CIA director John Brennan had a secret meeting with Ukrainian officials in Kiev before they began operations against separatist forces that had taken over buildings in the country's east. Brennan landed in Ukraine on Saturday under an assumed name and held a "series of secret meetings" with the country's "power bloc" Interfax reported, citing an unidentified official in the Ukrainian parliament. The unidentified official said that there were "unconfirmed reports" that the U.S. security official was behind the decision to use force in eastern Ukraine after pro-Russian separatist forces took control of the city of Slovyansk. Ukrainian parliament Communist Party deputy Vladimir Golub told RIA Novosti that lawmakers were talking about the visit openly and opined that the Ukrainian Security Service had become a unit of the CIA. [Ukraine] [Russia confrontation] [CIA]
• Russian Foreign Ministry Demands U.S. and S. Korea Stop Joint Military Exercises
  Moscow, April 11 (KCNA) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry in a statement on April 10 urged the U.S. and south Korea to stop their joint military exercises. The statement said: The move of the U.S. and the south Korea to escalate the joint military exercises on the Korean peninsula is sparking off serious concern. According to information available, the U.S. and south Korea attempt to kick off a new airborne drill with so many airplanes involved, before the end of the large-scale Foal Eagle joint military exercises. What draws attention is that a drill of mounting a precision attack on targets in the "enemy's" territory and a logistic drill for groups for subversive activities and sabotage in the rear of the "enemy" will be staged during the exercises. Russia has clarified repeatedly that the expansion of military action going beyond far the scope of the present threat in Northeast Asia will not be helpful to the normalization of the situation but bring serious consequences to the regional peace and stability. We stress once again that it is high time to abandon the thought to coordinate the pending issues of the Korean peninsula by force, and to establish a multilateral security system in Northeast Asia. All the disputes should be solved through political and diplomatic means, negotiation and talks. [Joint US military] [NCW]
• News of a Russian arms buildup next to Ukraine is part of the propaganda war
  To project strength, Nato requires a convincing enemy and a retreating Russia does not do the job Mary Dejevsky theguardian.com, Friday 11 April 2014 12.10 BST Nato secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen walks past a guard of honour at the Czech government headquarters in Prague yesterday. Photograph: David W Cerny/Reuters Any report about Ukraine these torrid days needs to come with a political health warning, even if that report originates from what might be called "our own" side. This includes the latest revelation from Nato about Russian troop deployments on the borders of eastern Ukraine. Over the past six months, but especially since the collapse of Viktor Yanukovych's government in February and his circuitous flight from Kiev, there has been as much of a propaganda war as – potentially – a real war between Russia and the west. Two distinct, and for the most part mutually exclusive, versions of the truth have been put about, and have found receptive audiences on either side. [Ukraine] [Russia confrontation] [Propaganda] [NATO]
• The US/NATO Enlargement Project
  by Renee Parsons In February, 1990, US Secretary of State James Baker (1989-1992), representing President George HW Bush, traveled to Moscow to meet with Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev regarding the possible reunification of Germany and the removal of 300,000 Soviet troops. There is little serious dispute that as the Berlin Wall teetered, Baker promised Gorbachev “there would be no extension of NATO’s jurisdiction for forces of NATO one inch to the east.” Gorbachev is reported to have taken the US at its word and responded “any extension of the zone of NATO is unacceptable.” “I agree,” replied Baker.” Unfortunately, Gorbachev never got it in writing and most historians, at the time, agreed that NATO expansion was “ill conceived, ill-timed, and above all ill-suited to the realities of the post-Cold War world.” [Russia confrontation] [NATO] [Renege]
• The Crimean Crisis and the Korean Peninsula
  Konstantin Asmolov, Notwithstanding the vast distance that separates the Crimean and Korean peninsulas, events in Crimea and their potential further development may have reverberations in Northeast Asia. And though many lessons of the Ukrainian crisis may be misunderstood, in this article we will attempt to enumerate the geopolitical consequences and implications that the responsible parties in the countries of the region, including Korea, are able to draw from those events. We will begin with the lessons relating directly to Yanukovich’s regime and its fall. From a certain point of view the fate of Yanukovich was similar to that of Qaddafi or Ceau?escu. The odious ruler attempts to navigate between two opposing camps, calculating that this “neutral status” will allow him to maintain a certain level of independence in internal politics for the purpose of being able to govern as he sees fit, including doing what is best for himself and his familial clan. Those who are “nobody’s friend” are of course tolerated, and a blind eye turned on their trickery, up to a certain point, but when a serious internal conflict hits the country, neither of the opposing sides is in any hurry to save the regime. In this sense the Ukrainian Prime Minister is a useful illustration of the way an incompetent ruler can narrow down his social base, acting on the principle “Beat your own to scare the others” and neglecting to strengthen his state apparatus, including his power bloc. Loosely speaking, the other dictators in the world were given a good lesson in what not to do.
• Crimea Annexes Russia
  by Boris Kagarlitsky No, that’s not a mistake. On March 18, Crimea annexed Russia. There were no insidious schemes or imperial ambitions involved. There was, however, a spontaneously developing situation, together with the usual, everyday willingness of the Crimean bosses, who saw a unique chance in the Russian-Ukrainian crisis. With the Ukrainian state on the brink of collapse after the flight of President Yanukovich from Kiev, the Kremlin authorities were understandably concerned to protect their interests and strengthen their position, but the most they counted on was turning Crimea into a second Trans-Dniestr enclave or Republic of Northern Cyprus – that is, into a de-facto Russian protectorate with formal independence. The presence in Crimea of “polite people” in green camouflage uniforms in no way prevented this scenario from playing out, any more than did the presence of NATO soldiers on the territory of the former Yugoslavia or of Turkish troops in Cyprus. [Crimea]
• Crimea-happy Russians want Gorbachev to pay for loss of Soviet empire
  Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, 82, gives an interview to the Associated Press at the International Government Communication Forum, in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. By Kathy Lally, Friday, April 11, 12:55 AM E-mail the writer MOSCOW — Still radiant over their annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, some members of Russia’s parliament are more nostalgic than ever for the Soviet Union — and on the prowl for someone to blame for its loss. Why not 83-year-old Mikhail Gorbachev? Five deputies of the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, have asked the nation’s prosecutor general to investigate Gorbachev, who was the president of the Soviet Union when it collapsed in 1991, and bring him to account, Russian news media reported Thursday. Many Russians — especially the older and the poorer — have long harbored wistful feelings about their Soviet past. The acquisition of Crimea, however, has begun to change the national narrative, whetting the appetite for restoration of empire among the well- educated and informed, and even making the idea respectable. [Gorbachev] [Soviet Union]
• Applying the Lessons of Ukraine to Syria's Crisis
  • By Alexander Shumilin • Apr. 10 2014 21:44 • LastLast edited 21:45 Blogs.blouinnews.com Twice in the last six months, Russia has managed to divert attention from what had previously been the central focus of international relations: the conflict in Syria. The first time was in September, when Russia averted a U.S. military strike against Syrian forces by proposing that Syrian President Bashar Assad instead eliminate all of his country'scountry's chemical weapons. That effectively shifted the world's attention from the country's ongoing and bloody civil war to the goal of "depriving Damascus of its chemical weapons arsenal." It also bought Assad time to gather strength, receive additional fighters and weapons from Hezbollah and launch a large-scale offensive against insurgents across the country. The second diversion occurred when Russia's actions in Ukraine altered the global security picture and pushed the Syrian conflict into the background. Now, global players are most concerned about the unexpected appearance of a "European front" in Ukraine, where NATO and Russian interests come into conflict and their military forces stand at only a short remove from each other. That situation is of far greater importance for the world than what is happening in distant Syria.
• Replacing Russian Gas Deliveries with US Shale Gas? Washington Lies to the EU
  By F. William Engdahl Global Research, April 10, 2014 The White House and State Department have engaged in brazen lying to EU governments regarding the ability of the US to supply more than enough natural gas to replace Russian gas deliveries. Recent statements by US President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry are so patently false that it betrays an incredible desperation in Washington over the situation in Ukraine versus Moscow. Or it suggests that Washington is so out of touch with any factual reality she simply doesn’t care what she says. Either way, it suggests an unreliable diplomatic partner for the EU. After his recent meeting with EU leaders Obama issued the incredible statement that the secret Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) that is being secretly negotiated behind closed doors by the major private multinational companies would make it easier for the United States to export gas to Europe and help it reduce its dependency on Russian energy: “Once we have a trade agreement in place, export licenses for projects for liquefied natural gas destined to Europe would be much easier, something that is obviously relevant in today’s geopolitical environment,” Obama stated. That bit of political opportunism to try to push the stalled TTIP talks by playing on EU fears of Russian gas loss after the US-orchestrated Ukraine coup of February 22, ignores the fact that the problem in getting US shale gas to the EU does not lie in easier LNG licensing procedures in the USA and EU. In other recent statements, referring to the recent boom in unconventional US shale gas, Obama and Kerry have both stated the US could more than replace all Russian gas to the EU, an outright lie based on physical realities. At his Brussels meeting Obama told EU leaders they should import shale gas from the US to replace Russian. There is a huge problem with that. Shale revolution a failure Number one, the “shale gas revolution” in the USA has failed. The dramatic rise in US natural gas production from “fracking” or forcing gas out of shale rock formations is being abandoned by the largest energy companies like Shell and BP as uneconomical. [Fracking] [Russia confrontation]
• Donetsk and Lugansk Implode Ukraine
  Alexander Boytsov | 10.04.2014 | 00:00 Since April 6-7 the situation in the south-eastern parts of Ukraine unfolded with amazing speed. The protesters in Kharkov, Donetsk and Lugansk gathered for staging “protests on day off”. But this time they did not go home as normally before another working week starts. The demonstrators continued the action. In Kharkov, the first capital of Ukraine, they repelled the attack staged by militants of Pravy Sector making them crawl through a “corridor of shame”. Then the protesters seized the regional administration’s headquarters till morning when the building was retaken by police forces sent from Kiev. It was much tougher in Lugansk, the city of Don Cossacks’ descendants. In this case, the demonstrators stormed the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) office, got hold of weapons and prepared to repel attacks. There were many retired military among the protesters ranks who knew how to wage combat actions… [Ukraine]
• President Putin wins over world leaders with 92 percent of public approval – poll
  News | 10.04.2014 | 08:35 Vladimir Putin has become a leader of the poll conducted by The Independent website with 92 percent of public approval followed by Angela Merkel and Barack Obama who have scored three and two percent of votes respectively. The Independent website has conducted a poll, allowing the respondent to vote for the following state leaders: US President Barack Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President of Russia Vladimir Putin, British PM David Cameron, French President François Hollande, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and other famous world policy-makers. Vladimir Putin has become an absolute leader of the survey with more than 92 percent of votes. He is followed by Angela Merkel (three percent of respondents voted for the German Chancellor). Barack Obama scored two percent and won the third place, while Cameron and Hollande took about 1 percent of votes of the Independent website’s visitors. [Putin] [Media] [Self-delusion]
• It's not Russia that is destabilising Ukraine
  The west has been needlessly whipping up tension – if we don't co-operate soon, chaos may take hold Sergei Lavrov The Guardian, Monday 7 April 2014 18.00 BST A rally for secession referendum at Lenin Square, Donetsk, Ukraine A rally for a secession referendum in Lenin Square, Donetsk, Ukraine. Photograph: ITAR-TASS/Barcroft Media The profound and pervasive crisis in Ukraine is a matter of grave concern for Russia. We understand perfectly well the position of a country which became independent just over 20 years ago and still faces complex tasks in constructing a sovereign state. Among them is the search for a balance of interests among its various regions, the peoples of which have different historical and cultural roots, speak different languages and have different perspectives on their past and present, and their country's future place in the world. Given these circumstances, the role of external forces should have been to help Ukrainians protect the foundations of civil peace and sustainable development, which are still fragile. Russia has done more than any other country to support the independent Ukrainian state, including for many years subsidising its economy through low energy prices. [Ukraine]
• How the Ukraine crisis is pushing two superpowers together
  31 March 2014 Author: Artyom Lukin, Far Eastern Federal University. There is one international player that stands to gain from the recent turn of events in Ukraine, regardless of its outcome. This player apparently has nothing to do with the crisis that has engulfed Russia, the EU and the United States, and makes a point of staying on the sidelines. This player is China. The leadership in Beijing must be secretly delighted watching the struggle between Russia and the West. The Ukraine mess can seriously poison Moscow’s relations with Washington and Brussels for a long time to come, thus reducing their mutual ability to coordinate policies on the major issues in world politics. One such issue is the rise of China. Up to the present, Russia has pursued a relatively balanced and circumspect policy toward its giant Asian neighbour. Although China has recently signalled that it would welcome closer strategic ties with Russia — perhaps even a security alliance — Moscow so far has been reluctant to transform their current ‘strategic partnership’ into a full-blown geopolitical entente. In particular, Russia has not been ready to back Beijing’s assertive stance on various territorial disputes in East Asia. Western political and economic sanctions will inevitably push Moscow toward Beijing, increasing the likelihood that China and Russia will align their foreign policy toward the West. [Russia confrontation] [Unintended consequences] [NCW] [Russia China]
• The US-Russia Ukrainian deal
  By Pepe Escobar By the time you read this Russia will have invaded Ukraine. Well, that's what the Supreme Allied Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, US Air Force General Philip Breedlove, is spinning. Breedlove Supreme says the Russians are "ready to go" and could easily take over eastern Ukraine. Western corporate media have already dusted off their Kevlar vests. Now compare Breedlove Supreme with a grown-up diplomat, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who has called on NATO to please de-escalate the "unreasonable" warmongering rhetoric, which also includes officially ending all civilian and military cooperation with Russia and planning more military moves in Eastern Europe. [Ukraine]
• The less Americans know about Ukraine’s location, the more they want U.S. to intervene
  By Kyle Dropp, Joshua D. Kertzer and Thomas Zeitzoff April 7 at 10:18 am Where’s Ukraine? Each dot depicts the location where a US survey respondent situated Ukraine; the dots are colored based on how far removed they are from the actual country, with the most accurate responses in red and the least accurate ones in blue. (Data: Survey Sampling International; Figure: Thomas Zeitzoff/The Monkey Cage) Joshua Tucker: The following is a guest post from political scientists Kyle Dropp (Dartmouth College) Joshua D. Kertzer (Harvard University) and Thomas Zeitzoff (Princeton University). Since Russian troops first entered the Crimean peninsula in early March, a series of media polling outlets have asked Americans how they want the U.S. to respond to the ongoing situation. Although two-thirds of Americans have reported following the situation at least “somewhat closely,” most Americans actually know very little about events on the ground — or even where the ground is. On March 28-31, 2014, we asked a national sample of 2,066 Americans (fielded via Survey Sampling International Inc. (SSI), what action they wanted the U.S. to take in Ukraine, but with a twist: In addition to measuring standard demographic characteristics and general foreign policy attitudes, we also asked our survey respondents to locate Ukraine on a map as part of a larger, ongoing project to study foreign policy knowledge. We wanted to see where Americans think Ukraine is and to learn if this knowledge (or lack thereof) is related to their foreign policy views. We found that only one out of six Americans can find Ukraine on a map, and that this lack of knowledge is related to preferences: The farther their guesses were from Ukraine’s actual location, the more they wanted the U.S. to intervene with military force. [Public opinion] [Russia confrontation]
• Mercenaries Are in Eastern Ukraine
  Russia claimed Tuesday that 150 specialists from an American private military group are in eastern Ukraine, the region where pro-Russia protesters are clashing with government forces. A woman who identified herself as an employee of the group, the security contracting company Greystone, declined comment. She also declined to provide her name. Greystone, on its website, identifies itself as a “provider of aviation and protective support services and training” formerly part of Xe Services, the security contracting company once known as Blackwater. A statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the Americans were wearing the uniforms of Sokol, a Ukrainian police force, and were “of particular concern.” A State Department official referred questions to the company and said: “As for the United States, we do not have any U.S. military units in Ukraine.” Russia also said that militants from Right Sector, a hard-line Ukrainian nationalist organization, were trying to use force to stop protesters opposed to the new Ukrainian government in Kiev. [Russia confrontation] [Privatisation]
• During Cold War, CIA used ‘Doctor Zhivago’ as a tool to undermine Soviet Union
  Soviet writer and poet Boris Pasternak near his home in the countryside outside Moscow on Oct. 23, 1958.Soviet writer and poet Boris Pasternak near his home in the countryside outside Moscow on Oct. 23, 1958. (HAROLD K. MILKS/ASSOCIATED PRESS) Written by Peter Finn Petra Couvée Published: April 6 A secret package arrived at CIA headquarters in January 1958. Inside were two rolls of film from British intelligence — pictures of the pages of a Russian-language novel titled “Doctor Zhivago.” The book, by poet Boris Pasternak, had been banned from publication in the Soviet Union. The British were suggesting that the CIA get copies of the novel behind the Iron Curtain. The idea immediately gained traction in Washington. “This book has great propaganda value,” a CIA memo to all branch chiefs of the agency’s Soviet Russia Division stated, “not only for its intrinsic message and thought-provoking nature, but also for the circumstances of its publication: we have the opportunity to make Soviet citizens wonder what is wrong with their government, when a fine literary work by the man acknowledged to be the greatest living Russian writer is not even available in his own country in his own language for his own people to read.” [Subversion] [CIA]
• Drive a Wedge Between Russia and China
  Albert B. Wolf | April 4, 2014 There’s no question that Russia’s annexation of the Crimea is a blatant violation of international law. However, talk of a new Cold War and of “containing” Russia take our eyes off of more pressing threats and potential opportunities, namely cutting a deal with Iran and driving a wedge between a (potentially) revisionist Kremlin and a rising China. The Obama White House should do three things. In the short-term, reach a settlement that Finlandizes Ukraine. Next, reassure NATO allies in Eastern Europe that Russia will be kept out of their backyards. Finally, reengage the Kremlin in order to prevent it from getting closer to Beijing. Obama got it right when he said that Putin’s behavior is driven by weakness. Russia is in a state of relative economic, military and demographic decline, having squandered the nearly decade-long oil boom to reposition itself on the international stage. The best and brightest that aren’t Kremlin insiders already voted with their feet and moved to the West—and show little interest in returning home. In prospect theory-speak, states that are in the domain of losses tend to be more risk acceptant, and, therefore more aggressive, than rising powers that have time on their side. [Russia confrontation] [US global strategy] [NCW] [Russia China] [Strategic incoherence]
• The Empire of Chaos
  by Pepe Escobar It’s hardly a match between equals – as one is playing Monopoly while the other plays chess. It’s as if Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has been postponing his checkmate, while US Secretary of State John Kerry increasingly realizes he’s facing the inevitable. Lavrov has explained over and over again, a loose federation is the only possible solution for Ukraine, as part of a “deep constitutional reform”. That would imply ethnic – and even sentimentally – Russian eastern and southern Ukraine would be largely autonomous. Kerry gave signs of agreeing around two weeks ago that Ukrainian regions need more decision power; but then the White House recharged its moral blitzkrieg – coinciding with President Barack Obama’s trip to The Hague and Brussels. Still, even after an inconclusive four-hour Kerry-Lavrov chess match in Paris, there will be a checkmate. The Russian solution is the same plan proposed by Moscow already a few weeks ago, and again discussed on the phone by Obama and President Vladimir Putin on Friday – which prompted Kerry to redirect his flight to Paris. Each Ukrainian region, according to Lavrov, would be able to control its economy, taxes, culture, language, education and “external economic and cultural connections with neighboring countries or regions”. That’s such a sound plan that even former – or perennial, depending on spin – cold warriors such as Henry Kissinger and Zbig Brzezinski reasonably agree. The key problem is that Washington immovably considers the present Kiev set up – also known as the Khaganate of Nulands, as in State Department Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nulands – as legitimate. Moscow sees them as a bunch of putschists and fascists. And Washington still refuses to press Kiev to accept a federal system – thus allowing, among other things, Russian as an official second language. [Russia confrontation]
• NATO, Russia, and the View from Mars
  comet-over-mars-Robert Heinlein’s classic novel Stranger in a Strange Land tells the story of a human, born and raised on Mars, who comes to Earth and struggles to understand the world around him. The protagonist of the novel, having no knowledge of the planet, is susceptible to misunderstanding issues based on a literal interpretation of all he sees and reads. Were he to come to the US or Europe today and pick up a newspaper or turn on the news, what would he think of Russia and its ambitions? Conversely, would he even encounter the word NATO? And would he have any concept of the fact that NATO is by far the most dominant military force in the world? Obscuring the Truth with Media The onslaught of Western propaganda in recent months has attempted to portray Russia as an aggressor – an imperial nation with designs on Ukraine and its other neighbors. Russia is presented as a belligerent actor using its military to menace former Soviet republics in order to reconstitute its former glory. However, this narrative conveniently leaves out the fact that it is NATO, not Russia, which is actually escalating military tensions throughout the former Soviet space. While the US and European media build the myth of “Bad Vlad” and Russian imperialism, NATO is quietly deploying troops and hardware to critical locations, providing material support to nations along Russia’s borders and those of its allies, and generally raising the stakes and inviting the possibility of war. [Russia confrontation] [Media] [Joint US military]
• In Crimea, Russia Showcases a Rebooted Army
  By C. J. Chivers and David M. Herszenhorn April 2, 2014 PEREVALNOYE, Crimea — The soldiers guarding the entrances to the surrounded Ukrainian military base here just south of the capital, Simferopol, had little in common with their predecessors from past Russian military actions. Lean and fit, few if any seemed to be conscripts. Their uniforms were crisp and neat, and their new helmets were bedecked with tinted safety goggles. They were sober. And there was another indicator of an army undergoing an upgrade: compact encrypted radio units distributed at the small-unit level, including for soldiers on such routine duty as guard shifts beside machine-gun trucks. The radios are a telltale sign of a sweeping modernization effort undertaken five years ago by Vladimir V. Putin that has revitalized Russia’s conventional military abilities, frightening some of its former vassal states in Eastern Europe and forcing NATO to re-evaluate its longstanding view of post-Soviet Russia as a nuclear power with limited ground muscle. Across Crimea in the past several weeks, a sleek new vanguard of the Russian military has been on display, with forces whose mobility, equipment and behavior were sharply different from those of the Russian forces seen in the brief war in Georgia in 2008 or throughout the North Caucasus over nearly two decades of conflict with Muslim separatists. [Military balance]
• Russia and China new best chums?
  David A. Andelman 6:34 p.m. EDT April 2, 2014 As Obama and EU alienate Putin, he's looking for a friend in other strong places. U.S. and Western European sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin and his cronies, however just their cause, risk undoing what more than half a century of American presidents sought to foster — continued division and distrust between China and Russia. So far, the sanctions are weak and unlikely to cause much change in the financial relationship between Europe and Russia, but if they are strengthened, as President Obama is suggesting, the calculus in Moscow and Beijing could change rapidly. Some European leaders understand the danger of uniting Eurasia's largest resource-rich nation with the world's most populous nation or, at least, the permanent disruption it could cause in both military and economic terms. This week, the French newspaper Le Monde published on its website a chilling interactive map of the ties that bind each European country to Russia, which Obama archly dismisses as merely a "regional power." In fact, for so many of its neighbors, Russia is the godfather of regional powers. Finland, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic buy virtually all their natural gas from Russia, while Poland, Austria, Latvia, Bulgaria and Greece, look to Russia for a half to three-quarters of their gas. Even Europe's economic powerhouse, Germany, relies on Russia for 40% of its gas supplies. New customers Times could be changing. In May, Putin is planning a state visit to Beijing. At the top of the agenda — a 30-year deal to redirect Russia's vast gas supplies to China. At least 38 billion cubic meters of gas a year would begin flowing to China by 2018. That's about what all of the European Union, other than Germany, buys from Russia. A decision by Russia to disentangle itself from unreliable European economic partners would have far more wide-ranging consequences. [Russia confrontation] [Sanctions] [Unintended consequences] [NCW] [Russia China]
• Russia Helped Ukraine, But Now Ukraine Needs More, IMF's Lagarde Says
  Russia wasn’t all bad for Ukraine. A 45% reduction in the price of natural gas and what was supposed to be an additional $15 billion in aid was a necessary “lifeline”, the International Monetary Fund’s Christine Lagarde said on Wednesday. Speaking to PBS News Hour on April 2, IMF's Managing Director Lagarde said, “The economy of Ukraine was against the wall and heading for disaster. It’s an economy that needed reforms, that needed profound transformation of its fiscal policy, monetary policy and on its policy on energy to mention just the key ones. Without the lifeline it was getting from Russia a few months ago, Ukraine was heading nowhere.” Russia has since cancelled all of those life lines, including Gazprom's haircut on natural gas deliveries. Ukraine owes around $1.2 billion to Gazprom. [Ukraine] [IMF]
• Russia to U.S. on Crimea annexation: Accept it and move on
  By Alexei Anishchuk MOSCOW Thu Apr 3, 2014 1:12pm EDT A woman walking by a poster calling people to vote in the upcoming referendum, in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol March 10, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Baz Ratner (Reuters) - U.S. policymakers need to calm down, maybe do some yoga and accept that Crimea is now part of Russia, a senior Russian diplomat said on Thursday in unusually caustic remarks directed at Moscow's former Cold War-era adversary. Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region last month has deepened the worst East-West crisis since the Cold War ended two decades ago. The West has imposed sanctions on officials and businessmen believed to be close to President Vladimir Putin. Many of those blacklisted have mocked the sanctions, wearing them as a badge of honor, but they have also rankled Moscow, with officials warning the West was only doing damage to itself. "What can one advise our U.S. colleagues to do? Spend more time in the open, practice yoga, stick to food-combining diets, maybe watch some comedy sketch shows on TV," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Interfax news agency. "This would be better than winding oneself up and winding up others, knowing that the ship has already sailed ... Tantrums, weeping and hysteria won't help." His remarks followed disclosure by U.S. officials that Washington had added space agency NASA to a list of U.S. entities banned from contacting Russian government envoys, a largely symbolic gesture to raise pressure on Russia. Ryabkov said such a freeze in bilateral contracts had caused "ridiculous situations" when meetings between meteorologists from both countries had to be cancelled. "Oh well, that's the Americans' choice," he said. "One can see that the U.S. leadership is 'fixated', and they fail to accept the situation which has been shaped largely by the line (pursued) by the United States and their European allies to bring anti-Russian forces into power in Ukraine." [Russia confrontation] [Unintended consequences]
• Vladimir Putin and the West: To Dance or Not to Dance
  These are the days of our discontent. At least, this is likely the lament privately voiced by many in the corridors of American and European power. Obama’s recent trip to Europe to shore up greater resolve and commitment for strengthening sanctions and isolating (or is it shaming?) Russia after the Crimea annexation (or is it secession?) was fairly uneventful. The fact of the matter is no one in Europe seems to be all that eager to truly push violent confrontation with Russia as long as Russia doesn’t seem intent on trying to obtain other new pieces of territory. Of course, no one in Western Europe approves of how things went down in Crimea. But despite constant bleatings in the West of greater aspirations to violate sovereignty and so-called desires to reinvigorate old Russian visions of imperial grandeur, the empirical reality in Crimea is that things were, well, rather dull: the Russians came, they saw, they sat down and refused to leave. That pretty much describes the affair in a nutshell. And so far, nothing else has happened. An uninvolved but curious reader in the West would think that last statement is utterly farcical: on any particular day you can read dozens of articles and opinion pieces attesting to military movements here and troop and materiel organization there that can only possibly mean one thing: preparation for a massive Russian incursion into a whole host of different areas, most notably the Eastern half of Ukraine. There are very few American reporters venturing an alternative viewpoint (the accomplished Jim Maceda of NBC News is one of the few). Think tanks and academic institutes are not doing much better. The powerful and extremely influential Foreign Policy has clearly ‘drank the Russian imperial Kool-Aid,’ putting out no less than a dozen articles in the past month veritably guaranteeing the dictatorial intentions of Vladimir Putin (the most recent one coming just three days ago, offering ten reasons why ‘no one should believe Putin when he says he is not going to invade Eastern Ukraine’). And this is what prompts my rather presumptuous opinion as to what President Vladimir Putin can do: namely, just keep laughing and for goodness sake don’t make Foreign Policy look right. The issue at hand right now is that too many powerful decision-makers in the West feel a bit bamboozled and outplayed. [Russia confrontation]
• Nigel Farage's relationship with Russian media comes under scrutiny
  The Ukip leader's Euroscepticism makes him a shoo-in at the Russian state broadcaster that is often called Putin's mouthpiece Patrick Wintour and Rowena Mason The Guardian, Monday 31 March 2014 21.37 BST Clegg and Farage Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, right, and Ukip leader Nigel Farage debating Britain's future in the EU last week. Photograph: Ian West/AFP/Getty Images Nigel Farage's near monthly appearances on state-owned Russia Today have come under scrutiny after his expression of admiration for Vladimir Putin this week. In one of his 17 appearances on the channel seen by the Guardian and transmitted since December 2010, he claims Europe is governed not by elected democracies but instead "by the worst people we have seen in Europe since 1945". [Russia confrontation] [Media]
• Russia Eyes Kaesong Industrial Complex
  North Korea and Russia will discuss the possibility of Russian companies opening factories in the joint-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex, Radio Free Asia reported Friday. Russia's Far East Development Minister Alexander Galushka visited the North for five days last week to explore ways of boosting business cooperation, according to the radio station. Galushka apparently discussed improving business conditions for Russian companies in North Korea, measures to protect Russian investments, and multiple-entry visas. Other points on the agenda were development of North Korea's Rajin-Sonbong economic zones, steps to modernize the North's mines, power plant projects, rail lines connecting Russia and Korean Peninsula and a gas pipeline from Russia to South Korea via the North. The two countries hope to boost bilateral trade to US$1 billion by 2020. According to the South's Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency, North Korea recently imported Russian-made heavy equipment for unloading cargo at dockyards. [Kaesong]
• US Uses Ukraine as Pretext for Launching Energy War against Russia
  Nikolai Bobkin | 31.03.2014 | 00:00 As it became clear that the economic sanctions against Russia are going to backlash against the United States and the European Union, the West started to study other ways to «punish» Russia, including bringing down market energy rates. Obama promised to start gas deliveries from the US straight to Europe. Many saw it as the start of energy war against Russia. On March 26, the US House Foreign Affairs Committee held hearing on «The Geopolitical Potential of the U.S. Energy Boom» to study the ways how the energy production growth in the United States could be used against Russia. The congressmen want to do away with energy export restrictions to diminish the Russian presence in Eastern Europe which is viewed as a geopolitical threat. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs, said Europe’s dependence on Russia’s energy supplies paralyzed the US Ukraine’s policy. The US influence and the authority of US President have diminished globally. According to Royce, the way to rectify the situation is to weaken Russia by pushing it away from traditional markets and bringing energy prices down… «Simply put, increasing U.S. energy production would boost both our economic and national security. Reducing our reliance on energy imports from the OPEC cartel would make the U.S. less vulnerable to political and security-related disruptions of our energy supply. And increasing our energy exports would advance our geopolitical interests, including by undermining the coercive leverage of Russia and others», he said. [Energy war] [Fracking] [Russia confrontation]
• Former U.S. Ambassador: Behind Crimea Crisis, Russia Responding to Years of “Hostile” U.S. Policy
  Posted by: Democracy Now! Posted date: 30 March 2014 Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzales for Democracy Now! The standoff over Ukraine and the fate of Crimea has sparked the worst East-West crisis since the end of the Cold War. The U.S. has imposed sanctions on top Russian officials while announcing new military exercises in Baltic states. Meanwhile in Moscow, the Russian government says it is considering changing its stance on Iran’s nuclear talks in response to newly imposed U.S. sanctions. As tensions rise, we are joined by Jack Matlock, who served as the last U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union. Matlock argues that Russian President Vladimir Putin is acting in response to years of perceived hostility from the U.S., from the eastward expansion of NATO to the bombing of Serbia to the expansion of American military bases in eastern Europe. [Russia confrontation]

• Merkel not ready to back economic sanctions against Russia
  Published time: March 27, 2014 02:44 The West has not yet reached a stage where it will be ready to impose economic sanctions on Russia, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said, stressing that she hopes for a political solution to the stalemate over Ukraine crisis. The chancellor said she is “not interested in escalation” of tensions with Russia, speaking after Wednesday meeting with the South Korean president in Berlin. “On the contrary, I am working on de-escalation of the situation,” she added, as cited by Itar-Tass. Merkel believes that the West “has not reached a stage that implies the imposition of economic sanctions” against Russia, advocated by US President Barack Obama. “And I hope we will be able to avoid it,” she said. Berlin is very much dependent on economic ties with Russia with bilateral trade volume equaling to some 76 billion euros in 2013. Further around 6,000 German firms and over 300,000 jobs are dependent on Russian partners with the overall investment volume of 20 billion euros. [Russia confrontation] [Germany]
• Nigel Farage accuses EU of 'poking Russian bear with stick' over Ukraine
  Ukip leader attacks EU's foreign policy, claiming it has provoked Russia and deepened Syria crisis by giving rebels false hope Nicholas Watt The Guardian, Thursday 27 March 2014 21.23 GMT Nigel Farage has criticised the EU's foreign policy in the wake of his debate with Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister. Photograph: Simon James/GC Images Nigel Farage intensified his attack on the EU's "vanity" foreign policy on Thursday as he accused Brussels of poking the "Russian bear with a stick" over Ukraine and of deepening the Syrian civil war by giving false hope to forces hoping to topple the Assad regime. Amid widespread criticism of the Ukip leader's claim in his TV debate with Nick Clegg that the EU had "blood on its hands" after the violence in Kiev, Farage said the EU had destabilised a series of countries. The Ukip leader went on the offensive after political leaders expressed astonishment at his claim in the debate with the deputy prime minister that the EU was to blame for the bloodshed after giving false hope to people in western Ukraine when it offered a partnership agreement to the ousted president, Viktor Yanukovych. The deputy prime ministerClegg said he was "extraordinarily surprised" that the Ukip leader had allowed his "loathing of the EU" to prompt him to say in their televised LBC debate that the EU had blood on its hands in Ukraine. [Russia confrontation]
• Sanctions on Russia’s Energy Sector: Shale Gas ‘Fracking’ Will Invade Europe?
  By Timothy Alexander Guzman Global Research, March 28, 2014 Fracking will be “good for our country,” was a statement made by British Prime Minister David Cameron at a recent Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague according to the UK based news agency The Guardian. Cameron believes that the fracking industry will have the public’s support since reliance on Russia’s energy sources will be halted if sanctions are imposed due to the political crisis in the Ukraine. The Obama administration is also proposing a joint US-EU trade deal with its European partners that would reduce Europe’s dependence on Russia’s energy resources. The Guardian reported Cameron’s statement regarding shale gas fracking in Europe: The prime minister said that once wells are up and running later this year, there would be more public enthusiasm, and exploiting shale gas reserves could help Europe wean itself off reliance on exports from Russia” and that “The Ukraine crisis has increased the urgency of European efforts to find alternative sources of energy to reduce the leverage Russia’s oil and gas supplies give it across the continent Has the Ukraine crisis opened the doors for shale gas fracking in Europe? [Fracking]
• Why the EU Can’t Isolate Russia
  by Pepe Escobar German Chancellor Angela Merkel could teach US President Barack Obama one or two things about how to establish a dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin. As if Obama would listen. He’d rather boost his constitutional law professor self, and pompously lecture an elite eurocrat audience in the glittering Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, like he did this Wednesday, on how Putin is the greatest threat to the US-administered global order since World War II. Well, it didn’t go that well; most eurocrats were busy taking selfies or twittering. Putin, meanwhile, met with the CEO of German engineering and electrical conglomerate Siemens, Joe Kaeser, at his official residence outside Moscow. Siemens invested more than US$1.1 billion in Russia over the past two years, and that, Kaeser said, is bound to continue. Angela was certainly taking notes. Obama couldn’t behave otherwise. The constitutional law expert knows nothing about Russia, in his (meager) political career never had to understand how Russia works, and may even fear Russia – surrounded as he is by a coterie of spectacularly mediocre aids. His Brussels rhetorical tour de force yielded absolutely nothing – apart from the threat that if Putin persisted in his “aggression” against eastern Ukraine or even NATO members-countries the president of the United States would unroll a much stiffer sanction package. [Russia confrontation] [Gas]
• N. Korea, Russia to discuss supporting Moscow firms' advance into Kaesong park
  North Korea and Russia have agreed to boost economic ties by pushing for trilateral projects involving South Korea, including a plan to support Russian companies' entry into an inter-Korean industrial complex, a media report said Saturday. The agreement between the two was made earlier this week when Russia's Far East Development Minister Alexander Galushka visited the North for a five-day run until Friday to explore ways to boost bilateral economic cooperation, according to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti. "The Russian delegation proposed the entry of Russian businesses into the Kaesong Industrial Park, a special economic zone in North Korea just north of Seoul where South Korean companies are allowed to employ northern workers," the RIA Novosti reported, citing the ministry. Over 44,600 North Koreans work at 120 South Korean firms operating in the park to produce clothes, shoes, watches and other labor-intensive goods. The project serves as a major legitimate revenue source for the impoverished communist country. [Kaesong] [Russia]
• Three ways NATO can bolster Ukraine’s security
  Published: March 25 Ian J. Brzezinski, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, was deputy assistant secretary of defense for European and NATO policy from 2001 to 2005. NATO’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has drawn a red line, but it is one that leaves Ukraine militarily isolated, fending for itself. If the West’s economic and diplomatic sanctions are to deter Moscow from further military aggression, they must be complemented by a robust defensive strategy to reinforce Ukraine’s armed forces . When Russia invaded Crimea, it mobilized 150,000 troops along Ukraine’s eastern frontier. Most of those forces still menace Ukraine, with some 20,000 troops still occupying the peninsula while provocateurs sent by Moscow continue to stir unrest in the country’s eastern regions NATO’s response has, by contrast, been underwhelming. The United States and Britain reinforced the air space of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with a handful of fighter jets, and AWACs patrols fly over Poland and Romania. The United States deployed about a dozen F-16s to Poland and sent an additional ship to the Black Sea. No ally appears to have mobilized any ground forces. When Ukrainian Prime Minster Arseniy Yatsenyuk met with President Obama this month, his request for weapons that would enable his military to better defend against Russia’s massed forces was politely declined . Instead, the Obama administration offered uniforms and military meals. In a similarly negative move, Vice President Biden visited Warsaw and Vilnius, Lithuania, last week to reassure them of the U.S. military commitment to their security, but he bypassed Kiev. This was surely noted by Moscow, as was Obama’s recent statement that he would not allow the United States to get involved in a “military excursion” in Ukraine. [Ukraine] [Russia confrontation] [Hardliner]
• Obama urges greater NATO presence in states bordering Russia
  President Obama speaks at a news conference Wednesday after a U.S.-European Union summit in Brussels. (Julien Warnand / European Pressphoto Agency / March 26, 2014) • Obama says crisis in Crimea should not be seen in Cold War terms • Senate leader Reid drops IMF reforms from Ukraine aid package • Ukraine gets new defense minister as its troops pull out of Crimea • • By Kathleen Hennessey March 26, 2014, 9:59 a.m. BRUSSELS -- President Obama is urging European and North Atlantic Treaty Organization leaders to bolster the military alliance’s presence in countries in Eastern and Central Europe near Russia, part of an effort to ward off further Russian aggression in the wake of its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. Speaking after a meeting with European Union leaders, Obama said he has suggested that European leaders review and update their “contingency plans” at an April meeting. He said the alliance needs to “do more to ensure that a regular NATO presence among some of these states that may feel vulnerable is executed.” Obama’s made the remarks before meeting with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen at the midpoint of his European trip this week. The president’s visit has been dominated by the crisis in Ukraine, and by the attempt to craft a unified U.S.-European strategy to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from another land grab in the former Soviet republic. [Ukraine] [Germany] [Russia confrontation]
• Would America Go to War with Russia?
  James S. Robbins | March 22, 2014 Vice President Biden was in Warsaw last week to reassure our eastern NATO allies that they have the support of a “steadfast ally.” But if Russia moved against Poland or the Baltic States, would the United States really go to war? Or would we do nothing and effectively destroy the NATO alliance? [Russia confrontation] [Strategic incoherence]
• Bankrupt West Playing Russian Roulette
  TEHRAN (FNA)- The stupid Western so-called leaders are playing a fatal game of Russian roulette as they ratchet up threats of sanctions against Russia over the tensions in Ukraine. Washington, London, Paris and Berlin think they are being smart by threatening Russia over bogus claims of "aggression" and "violation" of Ukrainian sovereignty. US President Barack Obama and his European puppet pals have drawn up a list of Russian officials whom the West says it will impose "costs" on, such as travel bans and financial asset freezes. "We are at level two of sanctions, and may go up to level three," says French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius in a hollow attempt to sound macho. [Russia confrontation] [F&E] [Reserve]
• America Is Too Broke to Rescue Ukraine
  The real contest between Russia and the West involves economics, not military might. Peter Beinart Mar 17 2014, 3:47 PM ET Barack Obama concludes a press conference announcing sanctions on Russian and Ukrainian officials over the crisis in Crimea. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque) If only America were fighting more wars, Russia would never have taken Crimea. That’s basically the argument John McCain made last Friday in The New York Times. “For five years,” he complained, “Americans have been told that ‘the tide of war is receding’.… In Afghanistan and Iraq, military decisions have appeared driven more by a desire to withdraw than to succeed.” As a result, “Obama has made America look weak,” which emboldened Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine. I have no earthly idea what McCain means by ‘succeeding’ in Afghanistan and Iraq, but we can be pretty sure that in addition to claiming more American lives, it would require a lot more American money . Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a 2013 report by Linda Bilmes, a public policy lecturer at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, are the most expensive wars in U.S. history, costing the U.S. between $4 and $6 trillion when you factor in medical care. For Ukraine’s sake, McCain believes, that number needs to go up. If America and Europe have failed to defend Ukraine, it’s not for lack of guns. It's for lack of money . [Russia confrontation]
• Ukraine crisis could strengthen Russia-Iran-China ties
  Tensions between Russia and the West have simmered since Ukraine’s Russian-leaning president, Viktor Yanukovych, was ousted on Feb. 21. The crisis culminated when the Crimean Peninsula’s local government, with 60% of its inhabitants identifying themselves as ethnic Russians, called for a referendum on seceding the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. While observers view the current Ukraine standoff as the gravest post-Cold War between the West and Moscow, the impasse over Iran’s nuclear crisis is also considered the greatest challenge to Iran-West relations. Summary? Print Iran will officially remain neutral on Ukraine, but the outcome of the crisis could mean a strengthening of ties with Russia, as both countries share many strategic interests. Author Seyed Hossein Mousavian Posted March 16, 2014 Iran will remain neutral in this conflict, despite that the crisis in Ukraine may result in a favorable outcome to its future including the standoff with the West over its nuclear program. A senior Iranian official said, “Iran would surely stay out of this dispute [over Ukraine].” However, the crisis in Ukraine could have possible impacts on Russia-Iran relations. The Russian military intervention in Ukraine could result in NATO forces moving closer to Ukraine’s western borders. However, Russia is concerned that its withdrawal from Crimea may result in the West’s crawling of military forces toward the borders of Russia, thus jeopardizing its security and weakening its strategic depth. In the last two decades, Russia and Iran have been carefully watching the United States and NATO expanding their reach eastward by erecting military bases around the borders of the two countries, with near-total disregard for Moscow's and Tehran's legitimate security interests. [NCW] [Iran]
• Ukraine's Increasing Polarization and the Western Challenge
  Tuesday, March 11, 2014 - 03:02 Print Text Size Stratfor By Eugene Chausovsky Just days before the Ukrainian crisis broke out, I took an overnight train to Kiev from Sevastopol in Crimea. Three mechanics in their 30s on their way to jobs in Estonia shared my compartment. All ethnic Russians born and raised in Sevastopol, they have made the trip to the Baltic states for the past eight years for seasonal work at Baltic Sea shipyards. Our ride together, accompanied by obligatory rounds of vodka, presented the opportunity for an in-depth discussion of Ukraine's political crisis. The ensuing conversation was perhaps more enlightening than talks of similar length with Ukrainian political, economic or security officials. My fellow passengers viewed the events at Independence Square in an overwhelmingly negative light. They considered the protesters camped out in Kiev's central square terrorists, completely organized and financed by the United States and the European Union. They did not see the protesters as their fellow countrymen, and they supported then-President Viktor Yanukovich's use of the Berkut security forces to crack down on them. In fact, they were shocked by the Berkut's restraint, saying if it had been up to them, the protests would have been "cleaned up" from the outset. They added that while they usually looked forward to stopping over in Kiev during the long journey to the Baltics, this time they were ashamed of what was happening there and didn't even want to set foot in the city. They also predicted that the situation in Ukraine would worsen before it improved. [Ukraine]
• Paranoia leads Vladimir Putin to the point of no return
  The Russian leader’s personal insecurity will ensure that Crimea falls under his control Vladimir Putin, at the Winter Paralympics in Sochi, is convinced there is a 'Destroy Russia' project Photo: AP By Angus Roxburgh 8:37PM GMT 13 Mar 2014 As Sunday’s referendum, in which the people of Crimea will decide whether to join Russia, approaches, the images on Russian television are astonishing. They are more propagandistic and venomous than anything I can remember even from Soviet times. Breathless presenters whip up hysteria with bloodcurdling stories of atrocities being committed by the “neo-Nazi junta” now governing Ukraine. Overheated “victims” beg Putin to help, kindly Russians offer to give refuge to the terrified people fleeing Ukraine, and menacing music accompanies montages of swastikas, fascist thugs armed with clubs, and black-and-white images of Hitler’s troops and burning villages. It is all apparently aimed at preparing the public to accept that there may be war, and that Russia will be fighting in a just cause. Yet I have a horrible feeling that President Putin believes all this stuff. He receives his information mainly from his trusted secret services – men like himself, schooled in the dark arts of KGB disinformation. I worked as a media consultant to the Kremlin from 2006 to 2009, close enough to gain a sense of Putin’s growing paranoia. I believe this has three causes, the most important of which, perhaps, is his own terror of being dislodged by popular revolution. Putin believes the Ukrainian uprising was fomented entirely by the West. [Russia confrontation] [Putin] [Hysteria] [Media]
• How Much War Does Washington Want?
  by Paul Craig Roberts I doubt that the Ukraine crisis precipitated by Washington’s overthrow of the democratic government is over. Washington has won the propaganda war everywhere outside of Russia and Ukraine itself. Within Ukraine people are aware that the coup has made them worse off. The Crimea has already separated from the US puppet government in Kiev and rejoined Russia. Other parts of Russian Ukraine could follow. In Kiev itself where the unelected, imposed-by-Washington dictatorial government resides, extreme right-wing Ukrainian nationalists, whose roots go back to fighting for National Socialist Germany, are at work intimidating public prosecutors, media editors, and the US imposed “government” itself. There is an abundance of videos available on the Internet, some made by the extreme nationalists themselves, that clearly reveal the intimidation of the imposed and unelected government installed by Washington. In Kiev US bribes contend with naked neo-nazi force. Which will prevail? [Ukraine]
• Minutes of Talks between Governments of DPRK, Russia Signed
  Pyongyang, March 26 (KCNA) -- Minutes of talks on cooperation in trade, economy, science and technology between the governments of the DPRK and Russia were signed here Wednesday. Present at the signing ceremony were Ri Ryong Nam, minister of Foreign Trade who is chairman of the DPRK side to the Inter-governmental Committee for Cooperation in Trade, Economy, Science and Technology between the DPRK and Russia, and officials concerned, Alexandr Galushka, minister for the Development of Far East who is chairman of the Russian side to the Inter-governmental Committee, and his party and Alexandr Timonin, Russian ambassador to the DPRK. Ri Ryong Nam and Alexandr Galushka signed the minutes of the talks. [Russia NK]
• Hatred Towards Russians Boiling Over or Yulia Timoshenko «Gone Fishing»
  Boris Novoseltsev | 25.03.2014 | 14:55 Yulia Timoshenko is back into politics. Her phone conversation with Nestor Shufrych, former deputy secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (their close personal ties are an open secret), was uploaded on YouTube on March 24. A part of the recorded talk was devoted to Crimea. Timoshenko admitted it took place, though she negated saying that 8 million Russians in Ukraine should be eliminated… She spoke Russian (her native tongue) and suggested that it was «about time we grab our guns and go kill those damn katsaps» (katsap is a Ukrainian word used to refer to the Russians in a negative tone). The conversation leaves no doubt about the fate of Russians if Timoshenko is elected President. Shufrych told her about his fellow MP asking him, «What should we do now with the 8 million Russians that stayed in Ukraine? They are rogues!» Timoshenko, who is known in the West as a «beacon of democracy» and a «prisoner of conscience», says, «Use nuclear weapons against them»… So 8 million are to be exterminated because of their ethnicity. As the conversation goes, Shufrych agrees with this «final option» for finding a solution to the issue of Russians living in Ukraine. It’s impossible to take it as a botched joke; today Mrs. Timoshenko is a gray eminence who calls the shots from behind the scenes. The so-called acting president Turchinov is a puppet on a string who has been dancing to the Timoshenko’s tune for the recent 15 years. Turchinov is kind of a devoted slave daring no move without the consent of his mistress. Batkivshchyna (the All-Ukrainian Union «Fatherland»), the Timoshenko’s political party, holds the reins in Ukraine today. Yatsenyuk, the so called prime minister, is a Batkivshchyna member closely connected to Timoshenko. In some mysterious way she managed to leave the wheel-chair right upon her release from jail. Standing on her feet now, she is the person who really holds the power in the country. Timoshenko has Right Sector (Pravy Sector), Svoboda (Freedom) and Maidan self-defense groups – armed fascists free to march under the slogan «Ukraine for Ukrainians!» - on a loose leash. [Ukraine]
• West must prepare for a long struggle with Russia
  By Editorial Board, Thursday, March 27, 1:02 PM WITH RUSSIAN troops still massed near Ukraine’s borders, some in Washington are debating whether the United States and NATO should rush weapons or even troops to bolster the fragile interim government in Kiev. It’s the wrong question. While U.S. and European leaders should not be ruling out arms for Ukraine’s military, Western supplies could no more stop a Russian incursion than they prevented the 2008 invasion of Georgia. Russia’s seizure of Crimea and Vladimir Putin’s dangerous revanchism will require an overhaul of NATO’s deployments and strategy in Europe. That should mean more forward deployments in front-line states such as Poland, Estonia and Latvia and better preparation for Moscow-initiated cyber­attacks. The most important means of containing the threat, however, will be economic and political. That includes blocking a potential invasion of eastern Ukraine: The best way to stop one is for President Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other leaders to spell out, more forcefully than they have, what economic sanctions will be leveled against Russia in the event of an incursion. [Russia confrontation]
• The Rape of Ukraine: Phase Two Begins
  By F. William Engdahl February 28, 2014 "Information Clearing House - "21st Century Wire" - The events in Ukraine since November 2013 are so astonishing as almost to defy belief. An legitimately-elected (said by all international monitors) Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovich, has been driven from office, forced to flee as a war criminal after more than three months of violent protest and terrorist killings by so-called opposition. His “crime” according to protest leaders was that he rejected an EU offer of a vaguely-defined associate EU membership that offered little to Ukraine in favor of a concrete deal with Russia that gave immediate €15 billion debt relief and a huge reduction in Russian gas import prices. Washington at that point went into high gear and the result today is catastrophe. [Ukraine]
• Putin's Challenge to the West: Russia has thrown down a gauntlet that is not limited to Crimea or even Ukraine.
  By Robert M. Gates
  March 25, 2014 6:52 p.m. ET Russian President Vladimir Putin has a long-festering grudge: He deeply resents the West for winning the Cold War. He blames the United States in particular for the collapse of his beloved Soviet Union, an event he has called the "worst geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century." His list of grievances is long and was on full display in his March 18 speech announcing the annexation of Crimea by Russia. He is bitter about what he sees as Russia's humiliations in the 1990s—economic collapse; the expansion of NATO to include members of the U.S.S.R.'s own "alliance," the Warsaw Pact; Russia's agreement to the treaty limiting conventional forces in Europe, or as he calls it, "the colonial treaty"; the West's perceived dismissal of Russian interests in Serbia and elsewhere; attempts to bring Ukraine and Georgia into NATO and the European Union; and Western governments, businessmen and scholars all telling Russia how to conduct its affairs at home and abroad. Russian President Vladimir Putin. Getty Images Mr. Putin aspires to restore Russia's global power and influence and to bring the now-independent states that were once part of the Soviet Union back into Moscow's orbit. While he has no apparent desire to recreate the Soviet Union (which would include responsibility for a number of economic basket cases), he is determined to create a Russian sphere of influence—political, economic and security—and dominance. There is no grand plan or strategy to do this, just opportunistic and ruthless aspiration. And patience. [Putin] [Ukraine] [Russia confrontation] [Inversion]
• Ukraine defense chief resigns; most soldiers in Crimea expected to switch to Russia
  By Matthew Schofield McClatchy Foreign Staff March 25, 2014 KIEV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s interim defense minister resigned Tuesday, citing the shame of losing Crimea to Russia during his one month in office. A short time later, the Ukrainian parliament voted in an interim replacement, a colonel-general who earlier this month was briefly kidnapped from his post in Crimea. The departure of Ihor Tenyukh, a politician who belongs to the right-wing Svoboda party, and his replacement by Col. Gen. Mykhailo Koval, a top officer in the country’s border protection service, came as the depth of the defeat in Crimea _ and Ukraine’s inability to respond to the crisis _ continued to come into focus. The Defense Ministry said it expected only 4,300 of the 18,000 troops who were stationed in Crimea to remain in the Ukrainian military _ less than 24 percent. Others said they expected that most of the rest would join the Russian army, which has offered much higher pay and more generous retirement benefits to any Ukrainian soldier who switches sides. “They are Russian, and they will serve Russia,” said Sergey Kunitsyn, a former mayor of Sevastopol in Crimea who’s now a member of parliament representing the region. “What else would they do? They speak Russian. Their heritage is Russian. They accept Russian culture. Their loyalty was to Crimea, not Ukraine.” The government in Kiev apparently has no plan for absorbing the few Ukrainian soldiers who are expected to come to the mainland, and no plan for their evacuation from Crimea. [Ukraine]
• After Buildup of Grievances, Russia Drew Line in Crimea
  By David M. Herszenhorn March 24, 2014 SEVASTOPOL, Crimea — With a single diesel-electric submarine and a hodgepodge of other aging vessels, Russia’s rickety Black Sea Fleet would be no match for the United States’ Sixth Fleet, based in Italy, which boasts the latest in seaborne military technology and has been running drills in the Black Sea. Still, the legendary Russian fleet, whose headquarters have been here since 1783, is within a day’s sailing of the Mediterranean and remains crucial to the Kremlin’s ability to exert strategic influence in the Middle East and beyond. Safeguarding this maritime muscle may well have been one reason President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia sent armed forces to seize Crimea. But is it possible that the Sevastopol base is just the most concrete manifestation of Russia’s deep interests in Ukraine that the United States and its NATO allies either ignored or forgot as they tried to bind it more tightly with the West? For years, Mr. Putin has complained about the West moving unilaterally to reorder the Continental balance of power — promoting Western capitalism and democracy — with little indication anyone was heeding his concerns. Its courting of Ukraine, apparently, was a step too far, prompting Mr. Putin to risk sanctions and the worst conflict since the Cold War to make clear that Washington and its friends do not call all of the shots anymore. [Russia confrontation]
• Crimea: Putin’s Triumph. Now the Confrontation Moves East to “New Russia”
  Novo Rossia: The Eastern and Southeastern Mainland Provinces of Ukraine By Israel Shamir Global Research, March 21, 2014 Nobody expected events to move on with such a breath-taking speed. The Russians took their time; they sat on the fence and watched while the Brown storm-troopers conquered Kiev, and they watched while Mrs Victoria Nuland of the State Department and her pal Yatsenyuk (“Yats”) slapped each other’s backs and congratulated themselves on their quick victory. They watched when President Yanukovych escaped to Russia to save his skin. They watched when the Brown bands moved eastwards to threaten the Russian-speaking South East. They patiently listened while Mme Timoshenko, fresh out of jail, swore to void treaties with Russia and to expel the Russian Black Sea Fleet from its main harbour in Sevastopol. They paid no heed when the new government appointed oligarchs to rule Eastern provinces. Nor did they react when children in Ukrainian schools were ordered to sing “Hang a Russian on a thick branch” and the oligarch-governor’s deputy promised to hang dissatisfied Russians of the East as soon as Crimea is pacified. While these fateful events unravelled, Putin kept silence. He is a cool cucumber, Mr Putin. Everybody, including this writer, thought he was too nonchalant about Ukraine’s collapse. He waited patiently. The Russians made a few slow and hesitant, almost stealthy moves. The marines Russia had based in Crimea by virtue of an international agreement (just as the US has marines in Bahrain) secured Crimea’s airports and roadblocks, provided necessary support to the volunteers of the Crimean militia (called Self-Defence Forces), but remained under cover. The Crimean parliament asserted its autonomy and promised a plebiscite in a month time. And all of a sudden things started to move real fast! [Putin][Ukraine]
• How Cold War-Hungry Neocons Stage Managed RT Anchor Liz Wahl’s Resignation
  Posted on Mar 19, 2014 The “Freedom selfie” from James Kirchick’s Twitter feed. By Max Blumenthal and Rania Khalek For her public act of protest against Russia Today’s coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukrainian territory and supposedly advancing the agenda of Vladimir Putin in Washington, D.C., previously unknown news anchor Liz Wahl has suddenly become one of the most famous unemployed people in America. After her on-air resignation from the cable news channel, Wahl appeared on the three major American cable news outlets—CNN, Fox News, MSNBC—to denounce the heavy-handed editorial line she claims her bosses imposed on her and other staffers. “What’s clear is what’s happening right now amid this crisis is that RT is not about the truth,” she told CNN’s Anderson Cooper. “It’s about promoting a Putinist agenda. And I can tell you firsthand, it’s also about bashing America.” [Russia confrontation] [Media]
• Notorious leader of Ukraine’s protests shot dead. Circumstances are in dispute.
  By Terrence McCoy ? March 25 at 5:40 am Oleksandr Muzychko, an ultra-nationalist member of Ukraine’s recent protests who was wanted in Russia for alleged war crimes, was shot dead late Monday in the western Ukrainian city of Rivne, according to reports by Russian news outlets, RT and Interfax. There were conflicting accounts of what happened to the man also known as Sashko Biliy. [Ukraine] [Fascism]
• From Estonia to Azerbaijan: American Strategy After Ukraine
  Geopolitical Weekly Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - 03:08 ? Print ? Text Size ? By George Friedman As I discussed last week, the fundamental problem that Ukraine poses for Russia, beyond a long-term geographical threat, is a crisis in internal legitimacy. Russian President Vladimir Putin has spent his time in power rebuilding the authority of the Russian state within Russia and the authority of Russia within the former Soviet Union. The events in Ukraine undermine the second strategy and potentially the first. If Putin cannot maintain at least Ukrainian neutrality, then the world's perception of him as a master strategist is shattered, and the legitimacy and authority he has built for the Russian state is, at best, shaken. Whatever the origins of the events in Ukraine, the United States is now engaged in a confrontation with Russia. The Russians believe that the United States was the prime mover behind regime change in Ukraine. At the very least, the Russians intend to reverse events in Ukraine. At most, the Russians have reached the conclusion that the United States intends to undermine Russia's power. They will resist. The United States has the option of declining confrontation, engaging in meaningless sanctions against individuals and allowing events to take their course. Alternatively, the United States can choose to engage and confront the Russians. [Russia confrontation]
• Look for more assertive Russia in Middle East
  Russia's recognition of the results of the Crimean referendum and the independence of the Republic of Crimea, and the subsequent acceptance of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol as new constituent entities of the Russian Federation, have elicited an extremely negative reaction in the West and led Washington and Brussels to announce sanctions against Moscow. Summary? Print Unless there is a de-escalation of the crisis over Crimea, the Obama administration could expect to deal with a Russian president more willing to challenge US interests in the Middle East. Author Vitaly Naumkin Posted March 19, 2014 We can only hope that this tension will not have a negative effect on the extremely important cooperation between Russia and the West on the entire set of urgent problems of Afghanistan and the Middle East region. (It is sufficient to mention the problem of removing chemical weapons from Syria, Iran's nuclear program, resolving the Syrian crisis, the Middle East conflict, the situation in Yemen, etc.) However, there are already signs that this tension in relations between the leading global players is having an impact on their regional policies and on the behavior of the regional powers themselves. [Russia confrontation] [Ukraine] [Putin]
• On Crimea and Sevastopol
  by VLADIMIR PUTIN This is the text of Putin’s March 18 speech at the Kremlin, after signing a treaty the to annex Crimea. Federation Council members, State Duma deputies, good afternoon. Representatives of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol are here among us, citizens of Russia, residents of Crimea and Sevastopol! Dear friends, we have gathered here today in connection with an issue that is of vital, historic significance to all of us. A referendum was held in Crimea on March 16 in full compliance with democratic procedures and international norms. More than 82 percent of the electorate took part in the vote. Over 96 percent of them spoke out in favour of reuniting with Russia. These numbers speak for themselves. To understand the reason behind such a choice it is enough to know the history of Crimea and what Russia and Crimea have always meant for each other. [Ukraine] [Putin]
• A tale of two speeches
  Paul Rogers 21 March 2014 Vladimir Putin's vision of Russia's destiny has parallels with George W Bush's of the United States in the aftermath of 9/11. This makes the existing crisis over Ukraine even more acute. George W Bush delivered his first state-of-the-union address to both houses of Congress on 29 January 2002. The United States president could report that, only twenty weeks after the 9/11 atrocities, the Taliban regime in Afghanistan had been terminated and the al-Qaida movement dispersed with its leaders in hiding. The speech was permeated by a fierce American exceptionalism, reflecting the main aspirations underlying the Project for a New American Century. At the heart of both speech and project was the notion that the United States was - after the shock of 11 September 2001 - already reclaiming its role as the natural leader of a global, free-market, liberal-democratic order. In context and tone, Bush's performance resembled a declaration of victory (something reflected in the over seventy standing ovations that punctuated it). Equally striking is that this aspect was combined with an effective declaration of war. The “war on terror” had already been announced, but the address extended the enemies beyond al-Qaida and its Taliban hosts into something much greater: a global campaign against rogue states that supported terror and sought weapons of mass destruction. The named candidates of this “axis of evil” were Iraq, Iran and North Korea. [False balance] [Ukraine] [Putin]
• As U.S. war ends, Russia returns to Afghanistan with series of investment projects
  Written by Kevin Sieff Published: March 22 KABUL — To the white-bearded Afghan machinists, it felt like the Cold War era had suddenly returned. After 25 years of working in a sprawling Soviet-built factory — a vestige of a war and occupation long extinguished — they suddenly spotted a new shipment of gleaming Russian equipment arriving last fall on an 18-wheeler. The factory was abuzz. The Russians were back. As the U.S.-led war winds down and Russia reasserts itself in Ukraine and the Middle East, Moscow is also ramping up its investment in Afghanistan. It is rebuilding the relics of the Soviet occupation and promoting its own political and cultural prowess. [Decline] [Resurgence]
• A Tale of Two Peninsulas: How Will the Crimean Crisis Affect Korea?
  By Georgy Toloraya 13 March 2014 The reunification of Crimea with Russia might have unexpectedly turned a page in modern history, ushering the world into a new era of geopolitical competition. There is little doubt that the West is seeking to contain Russia as a re-emerging global player, using this controversial action as a de facto casus belli (hopefully, just a cold variety of it). This shift in the geopolitical paradigm will surely affect almost all the problem zones in the world, including the Korean peninsula. After all, the Cold War never ended there and the possible reemergence of it would only bring global realities closer to those of the peninsula. The most immediate loss is probably the drying-up (at least temporarily) of Russian-American cooperation on the North Korean issue. [NCW]
• Crimea Vote Galvanizes Separatists in Russia
  • By Yekaterina Kravtsova • Mar. 14 2014 00:00 • Last edited 21:1 For separatist groups in Dagestan, Tatarstan and other regions of Russia, the Kremlin's support of a referendum on independence in Ukraine's Crimea peninsula would seem to provide an opportunity for their own movements, which have long been repressed by Russian authorities. The Kremlin, evidently, does not agree. President Vladimir Putin has long been a vocal opponent of regional separatist movements in Russia, having risen to power by waging a bloody war against rebels in Chechnya, and last year he signed into law a bill that stipulates prison time for those who make separatist appeals. Ruling party lawmakers hold a similar position, arguing that the situation in Crimea is fundamentally different from that in the North Caucasus and in multiethnic republics of Russia that have active separatist movements. But some observers believe that in the long term, the Kremlin will not be able to restrain the activity of separatist movements across Russia if it supports measures like the Crimea referendum. [Separatism]
• Ukraine's Oligarchs Will Play a Decisive Role
  Ukraine's independence from the Soviet Union was followed by the privatization of state-owned assets, giving birth to a powerful class of business leaders known as oligarchs. Since the country's founding, they have played a crucial role in the political system -- there are close ties between Ukraine's oligarchs and the evolution of the country's political crisis. This was most recently illustrated in Donetsk on March 9, when Ukrainian presidential hopeful Vitali Klitschko met with Rinat Akhmetov, the country's richest man, to discuss the ongoing situation. The oligarchs function as a bridge between the Western-leaning interim government and Russia's interests in the country, especially in the Ukrainian east. They will play a key role in negotiations over Ukraine's political future and will prove pivotal in shaping any Ukrainian administration's relationship with Russia. Similar to Russia, the rapid transition to capitalism in Ukraine allowed politically connected individuals to amass tremendous wealth as they acquired and monopolized assets spanning the country's metals, chemicals and energy distribution industries, among others. But Russia has a long tradition of centralized power, and as the Kremlin regained its strength, Moscow subsumed or eliminated these wealthy individuals. Kiev wields no such political might. Ukraine's oligarchs were never fully subordinated by the government; their power only grew. [Ukraine] [Oligarch] [Privatisation]
• Xinhua Commentary: The West’s fiasco in Ukraine
  by Xinhua writer Ming Jinwei 9 Mar, 2014 BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) — For a brief moment, Western leaders might have stopped to congratulate themselves for their “accomplishments” in Ukraine. With their backing, Ukrainian opposition protesters successfully toppled the pro-Russian government, forcing out the president they loathe and dealing a humiliating blow to the Kremlin. The West might have scored a major victory in this latest round of goepolitical fight. But things turned out otherwise. Shortly afterwards, Russia struck back. Now, with Russian military personnel deployed in eastern Ukraine to protect Russia’s legitimate interests and pro-Russian regions clamoring for a secession from Kiev, Ukraine is teetering on the brink of total chaos and disintegration. The West’s strategy for installing a so-called democratic and pro-Western Ukrainian government did not get anywhere at all. On the contrary, they have created a mess they do not have the capacity or wisdom to clean. Their ill-fated plan was fundamentally flawed from the very beginning. First of all, they were destined to shoot their own feet when they, under the cliche pretense of supporting democracy, interfered in Ukrainian domestic affairs by engaging in biased mediation. [Ukraine]
• Ukraine’s shadow on Central Asian steppes
  Russia is increasingly left with no choice but to ‘declassify’ the privileged information in its possession regarding the western intelligence operation that forced the power grab in Kiev. It is extraordinary that Russia handed over to the UN Security Council the information with the request to hold an impartial international investigation. Of course, any such move for impartial investigation will be vetoed by the United States. Russia knows it, too, but then, there is also an information war going on today regarding the situation around Ukraine and from Moscow’s point of view, as tensions keep rising, it has become imperative to expose the US’ narrative to be sheer baloney. Clearly, Poland and Lithuania would not have ventured into the operation to train extremists to overthrow Yanukovich without getting the green signal from Washington. That is to say, Russia is putting on the horseshoe table at the UN the intelligence regarding a Holy Grail that belongs to the White House. This is deadly serious stuff because it casts President Barack Obama in an altogether new light as a ‘cold warrior’ himself, whereas the American official propaganda would have us believe that the president is a helpless statesman largely acting under domestic political compulsions. What emerges on balance is that there is no way the US-Russia tattered ties can be mended during the remaining period of Obama’s presidency. Equally, there is no way Russia is going to let down its guard about the US intelligence activities in its ‘near abroad’. [Russia confrontation] [Obama] [Ukraine]
• C'mon baby, light my (Crimean) fire
  By Pepe Escobar March 16 is C Day. The Crimean parliament - by 78 votes with 8 abstentions - decided this is the day when Crimean voters will choose between joining the Russian Federation or to remain part of Ukraine as an autonomous region with very strong powers, according to the 1992 constitution. Whatever "diplomatic" tantrums Washington and Brussels will keep pulling, and they will be incandescent, facts on the ground speak for themselves. The city council of Sevastopol - the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea fleet - has already voted to join Russia. And next week the Duma in Moscow will study a bill to simplify the mechanism of adhesion. Quick recap: this is a direct result of Washington spending US$5 billion - a Victoria "F**k the EU" Nuland official figure - to promote regime change in Ukraine. On the horizon, Crimea may be incorporated into Russia for free, while the "West" absorbs that bankrupt back-of-beyond (Western Ukraine) that an Asia Times Online reader indelibly described as the "Khaganate of Nulands" (an amalgam of khanate, Victoria's notorious neo-con husband Robert Kagan, and no man's land). What Moscow regards as an illegal, neo-nazi infiltrated government in Kiev, led by Prime Minister Arseniy "Yats" Yatsenyuk - an Ukrainian Jewish banker playing the role of Western puppet - insists Crimea must remain part of Ukraine. And it's not only Moscow; half of Ukraine itself does not recognize the Yats gang as a legitimate government, now boasting a number of oligarchs imposed as provincial governors. [Ukraine] [Russia confrontation]
• Information Warfare: New Face of Cold War
  Natalia Meden | 12.03.2014 | 00:00 Today one could only guess what the recently started, unprecedented in scope, anti-Russian campaign may lead to as mainstream Western media outlets are getting more and more involved in the effort. Russia has taken resolute steps to defend its vital interests in Crimea and Ukraine as the West unleashed a new form of cold war – information warfare… The unanimity of German media condemning Russia evokes concern calling to mind historic precedents. A hundred years ago the Kaizer Germany unleashed the First World War; the German elite unanimously supported the government those days. As the issue of war expenditure was put to Reichstag, Karl Liebknecht happened to be the only Member of Parliament to abstain. (1) Military hysteria spread on political elite and creative intelligentsia including such well-known personalities as Richard Strauss, Thomas Mann and Hermann Hesse. Friedrich Meinecke, German historian who lived in the first half of last century, wrote that the people of Germany were deeply and irreversibly convinced that the war was imposed from outside and the people had their homes to defend in the most broad sense of the word. Reading these lines one can understand that the massive brainwashing campaign has made almost ¾ of Germans known to be frugal ready to support the new regime in Kiev while 12% believe it is acceptable to offer military aid. Over one third of respondents favor sanctions against Russia (1). [Ukraine] [Russia confrontation]
• Syria, Ukraine: One Antiterrorist Front
  Boris Dolgov | 11.03.2014 | 00:00 The February armed coup in Ukraine has repeated the Syrian scenario in the Russia’s brotherly nation. It was a result of the actions planned in advance using both «soft» and «tough» power directed from outside. The very same scenario has been staged by the West in Yugoslavia, Libya. For already three years they have been trying to repeat it Syria. Each time they employ methods of outside interference aimed at toppling the ruling government and moving a country under outside control. In Kiev the coup was staged by militants trained by the CIA. There were many of them coming from Western Ukraine to join together with mercenaries from Poland and the EU states, Georgia and the Islamists with combat experience received in Syria and Libya. Using snipers hired by the Maidan leaders is also the repetition of Syrian experience… There are a few thousand of militants coming from the North Caucasus filling the ranks of anti-government forces in Syria. They are the ones to follow the call of Ukraine’s deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Dmitry Yarosh addressed to Chechen terrorist Doku Umarov asking him to join efforts in the fight against Russia…As is known, Yarosh has expressed his readiness to run for presidency «to liberate occupied Ukrainian territories» including Belgorod and other Russia’s regions. He also wants to make the armed formations of Pravy Sector join the regime’s armed forces providing them with weapons from regular army stores. [Destabilisation] [Ukraine] [Syria]
• instaPoll: Do you support assistance to Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression?
  RSS Feed Late last month, Russia sent troops across the border, taking military control of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. In coordination with our European allies, President Obama took actions to hold individuals and entities responsible for violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. President Obama issued an executive order authorizing sanctions, instructed the State Department to impose restrictions denying visas to those responsible for or complicit in threatening Ukraine’s sovereignty, as well as those involved in human rights abuses related to political oppression in Ukraine, and called on Congress to provide monetary resources to stabilize the Ukrainian economy. instaPoll: Do you support such assistance to Ukraine from the United States in the face of Russian aggression?* [Ukraine] [Russia confrontation]
• Mikhail Khodorkovsky: America's Darling in Russia...and Ukraine!
  Russian ex-oil tycoon, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who was incarcerated in Russia for a decade before he was amnestied by Vladimir Putin in December, was in Kiev's Maidan Square recently, giving aid and comfort to the new government with two rather dubious pronouncements. First, he backed the Kiev government's version of snipergate--that Russia was behind it. Second, he tried to innoculate the new government against the bad/anxious press engendered by its high profile embrace of fascists, neo-Nazis, and ultranationalists. [Ukraine]
• Nuland, Ashton, "Klitsch", "Yats" and...Oleh Tyahnybok?
  Pepe Escobar put me onto these pictures, both taken a few weeks before the new ruling troika’s accession to power in late February. Victoria Nuland in the first, Baroness Ashton in the other. Pretty clear from these formal portraits that a formal anointment by the US and the West was underway. The three are Yarsenyi Yatsenyuk, Vitali Klitschko, and Oleh Tyahnybok. Tyahnybok, the one least familiar to Western readers—and for very good reason, as shall be seen-- is the leader of the Svoboda Party and a real piece of work, according to his Wikipedia entry: [Ukraine] [Svoboda]
• Ukraine and the west: hot air and hypocrisy
  The situation in Ukraine is volatile and murky, says author Marina Lewycka. But, by oversimplifying the country's historic tug-of-war with Russia, the west plays directly into the hands of Vladimir Putin Marina Lewycka The Guardian, Monday 10 March 2014 19.12 GMT Public clashes between Ukrainians and Russians in the main square in Sevastopol. Ukrainians protesting at Russian interference; Crimean Russians demanding the return of Sevastopol to Russia, and that parliament recognise Russian as the state language. Ukrainian deputies barred from the government building; a Russian "information centre" opening in Sevastopol. Calls from the Ukrainian ministry of defence for an end to the agreement dividing the Black Sea fleet between the Russian and Ukrainian navies. The move is labelled a political provocation by Russian deputies. The presidium of the Crimean parliament announces a referendum on Crimean independence, and the Russian deputy says that Russia is ready to supervise it. A leader of the Russian Society of Crimea threatens armed mutiny and the establishment of a Russian administration in Sevastopol. A Russian navy chief accuses Ukraine of converting some of his Black Sea fleet, and conducting armed assault on his personnel. He threatens to place the fleet on alert. The conflict escalates into terrorism, arson attacks and murder. Sound familiar? All this happened in 1993, and it has been happening, in some form or other, since at least the 14th century. [Ukraine]
• Russian Roving Ambassador Leaves
  Pyongyang, March 10 (KCNA) -- Grigorii Logvinov, roving ambassador of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, left here for home on Monday. During his visit he met with officials of the DPRK Foreign Ministry and exchanged views on the issues of mutual concern including the development of bilateral relations and the regional situation.
• Brzezinski about Ukraine: Underlying Meaning of Finland Option
  Sergey Maximov | 11.03.2014 | 00:00 A coup took place in Kiev of February 22, 2014. The same day the Financial Times published the Russia Needs to be Offered a ‘Finland Option’ for Ukraine article by Zbignew Brzezinski. The editorial board found that the piece was important enough to reprint it again the next day with the changed title Russia Needs a ‘Finland Option’ for Ukraine. It makes one wonder what the author of Game Plan and Grand Chess Board really means by all of a sudden turning to the theme of Ukraine with his offer of «Finlandization»? Mr. Brzezinski has a long history of giving advices to many US administrations. Now he comes up with an offer to lend a helping hand to the new government in Kiev and deter Russia from taking resolute steps to defend its interests of vital importance in Ukraine. He recommends, «Washington to use its influence internationally to prompt steps that would be economically costly to Moscow» as he believes that contemporary Russia is vulnerable to such actions. Since long ago Brzezinski has been affirming that Ukraine is a key country for the control of the entire Russian (post-Soviet) geopolitical space. Until now the United States has not succeeded much in its endeavors to get hold of the key. The «big Zbig» explained the recent predicaments the US has encountered on the way while playing on the Grand Chess Board by the «President Vladimir Putin’s «nostalgic dream of the Eurasian Union». Ukraine is considered to be important by the US foreign policy savvy because by defending its national rights it makes the states of Central Asia, in particular Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, realize they need to be tougher while resisting the ongoing attempts by Moscow to take away their independence. The Brzezinski’s idée fixe is the further fragmentation of Eurasia’s political map (along the former Yugoslavia lines) that’s why he virulently opposes any form of integration in the post-Soviet space [Ukraine] [Russia Confrontation] [Fragmentation] [Brzezinski]
• Ukraine: The Haze of Propaganda
  Timothy Snyder Jerome Sessini/Magnum Photos Protesters in Kiev, Ukraine, February 19, 2014 From Moscow to London to New York, the Ukrainian revolution has been seen through a haze of propaganda. Russian leaders and the Russian press have insisted that Ukrainian protesters were right-wing extremists and then that their victory was a coup. Ukraine’s president, Viktor Yanukovych, used the same clichés after a visit with the Russian president at Sochi. After his regime was overturned, he maintained he had been ousted by “right-wing thugs,” a claim echoed by the armed men who seized control of airports and government buildings in the southern Ukrainian district of Crimea on Friday. Interestingly, the message from authoritarian regimes in Moscow and Kiev was not so different from some of what was written during the uprising in the English-speaking world, especially in publications of the far left and the far right. From Lyndon LaRouche’s Executive Intelligence Review through Ron Paul’s newsletter through The Nation and The Guardian, the story was essentially the same: little of the factual history of the protests, but instead a play on the idea of a nationalist, fascist, or even Nazi coup d’état. In fact, it was a classic popular revolution. It began with an unmistakably reactionary regime. A leader sought to gather all power, political as well as financial , in his own hands. This leader came to power in democratic elections, to be sure, but then altered the system from within. [Ukraine]
• New Ukraine Government: Questioned Legality or Criminal Nature of Staged Coup
  Alexander Mezyaev | 10.03.2014 | 00:54 A number of international organizations are in the process of studying the legal aspects of the situation in and around Ukraine from point of view of international law. The United Nations, in particular the Security Council, is the main entity authorized to come up with priority assessments according to article 21 of UN Charter and the very fact of Ukraine’s membership in the organization. [Ukraine]
• The Oligarchy’s Complete Triumph in Ukraine. The ‘Heroes of Maidan Square’ Hoisted by their Own Petard
  Dmitry Minin | 10.03.2014 | 00:00 It has long been known that revolutions are carried out by romantics, and their fruits harvested by cynics. But Ukraine has now put them all to shame with the unbelievable speed with which it has rushed from romanticism to cynicism. The final few dazed revolutionaries are still wandering across Maidan Square shouting «Down with thieves and oligarchs!» and «Long live the government of national confidence», while at the same time it is these same oligarchs who are confidently taking up the more substantial government posts, such as multimillionaire Arsen Avakov, for example, who has been appointed Minister of Internal Affairs, as well as getting entire regions to feed on, such as billionaires Ihor Kolomoyskyi in Dnepropetrovsk and Sergey Taruta in Donetsk. The other appointees may have fewer millions at the moment, but they will soon catch up. New changes are also afoot. The New York Times reports that the nomination of Vadim Novinsky, the owner of Smart Holding Company whose net worth is estimated to be USD 1.9 billion, for the post of Kiev’s representative to Crimea is on the cards. There is a rumour that the author of this ‘forced’ staffing strategy is former prisoner Yulia Tymoshenko, who went to see the people on Maidan Square in a wheelchair, but who was able to stand and walk about in the American Embassy. It turns out that is the place where one can breathe the salubrious air of freedom. It is assumed that the oligarchs, who represent the country’s business elite, will be able to exert a controlling influence over workers in eastern Ukraine. Yuriy Lutsenko, an ally of the magically-cured maiden Yulia Tymoshenko, has said that the reason oligarch’s are being appointed is so that big business can be as involved as possible in protecting the country’s territorial integrity, which will not just make use of public resources, but all available private resources as well. Only now, something tells us that this plan is far from spontaneous and that this is exactly the reason why the turmoil and undertaking took place to begin with. And as far as which citizens are primarily going to be saved by these private and public resources, there is absolutely no doubt at all – the most worthy, which is to say the oligarchs themselves. In essence, the era of the complete triumph of the oligarchy in Ukraine has arrived. Masks are being thrown off even more quickly than any kind of decency allows. There is a terrible hurry before the people befuddled by the incense of the burning tyres finally see the light. By then, however, it may very well be too late. [Ukraine]
• Is President Obama Trying to Break Vladimir Putin’s Political Back in Ukraine?
  [For readers who have not done so already, I urge them to take 10 minutes and 49 seconds of their time to listen to the Paet/Ashton a.k.a. “snipergate” phone call. It is not only a useful corrective to the laboriously constructed and misleading pushback now slowly working its way through the Western press, including the dubious accusation by the Ukrainian government that the snipers were Russian (which, perhaps inadvertently, supports the call’s contention that Yanyukovich was not responsible and, therefore, his ouster was improper); it also give a clear picture of the split between the Maidan activists and the rather unattractive cabal of pro-Western technocrats, oligarchs, and thugs who piggybacked on the Maidan demonstrations and vaulted into power with the help of the EU and the United States. In particular, Ashton’s palpable impatience with the whole sniper issue and her single-minded focus on cobbling together the IMF package is worth noting. The Maidan activist quoted by Paet is Olga Bogomolets, the “Mother Teresa of the Maidan” in the Daily Beast’s hyperbolic phrasing. Subsequent to the release of the tape she has made a couple of equivocal statements that have been seized upon as rebuttals but, when more closely examined, fall somewhat short. Bogomolets is perhaps unwilling to give aid and comfort to the Russian narrative on snipergate, especially while Russian is violating Ukrainian sovereignty in Crimea. She is also a major political factor and has even been mentioned as presidential timber. Indications are Petro Poroshenko, Bogomolets' preferred candidate according to Paet—a.k.a. the “Chocolate King”, seventh richest man in Ukraine, and apparently a “clean” oligarch—will win the May 25 presidential election and try to steer the new government in a direction more to the liking of the Maidan activists.] According to media reports, President Obama seems to be going all in on getting the Russians to back down over Crimea. [Ukraine] [Russia confrontation]
• U.S. Threats Against Putin Will Only Backfire
  • By Josh Cohen • Mar. 07 2014 00:00 • As pressure on U.S. President Barack Obama to "do something to punish Russia" over Ukraine mounts, the U.S. has turned to a couple of measures in their foreign policy toolkit, such as threatening President Vladimir Putin with sanctions and expulsion from the Group of Eight. U.S. Senator John McCain even repeated the line he used during the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, saying, "We are all Ukrainians now." How will Putin react to these threats? Most likely, Putin will simply ignore the West. First of all, preventing Ukraine from turning decisively West is an existential issue for Putin and the Russian establishment. U.S. policymakers and commentators have missed this fact from the very beginning of the Ukrainian crisis last November. While the U.S. national interests in Ukraine are tangential, Russia's certainly are not. Although the ruble and the Russian stock markets are down, Putin, it would seem, is prepared to incur substantial economic and political pain if necessary before he caves to the Western position on Ukraine. The West needs to realize that Ukraine is of existential importance to Putin and Russia. Second, it looks increasingly likely that Washington's European allies, especially Germany, are not prepared to go along with the U.S. position on sanctioning Russia. U.S. trade and investment in Russia is minimal anyway, so why would we expect Putin to give U.S. threats a second thought going forward? Third , the threat of punishments will only make a dangerous situation even worse by needlessly antagonizing Russia with no upside. For the West to threaten the Kremlin will only back Putin into a corner domestically. Putin's political strength both within the Russian establishment and among common Russians is heavily predicated on his ability to demonstrate that Russia is a great power. Caving in to U.S. threats would be tantamount to political suicide. [Ukraine] [Asymmetry]
• Kiev snipers hired by Maidan leaders - leaked EU's Ashton phone tape
  The snipers who shot at protesters and police in Kiev were allegedly hired by Maidan leaders, according to a leaked phone conversation between the EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton and Estonian foreign affairs minister, which has emerged online. Published time: March 05, 2014 12:41 Edited time: March 06, 2014 13:03 [Ukraine]
• Power Delusions: U.S., Russia Face Off Over Ukraine
  By Romesh Ratnesar March 06, 2014 During the Cold War, Vladimir Putin manned the KGB’s post in Dresden, East Germany, recruiting local journalists, scientists, and engineers to spy on the West. It was a cushy job for a while: Putin took his family on weekend trips to Saxony, ate lunch at home, and drank the finest beers East Germany had to offer, straight from the keg. After the Berlin Wall fell on Nov. 9, 1989, Putin and his fellow agents in Dresden burned so many secret documents that their furnace broke. At one point, a mob of locals surrounded the office, preparing to ransack it. When Soviet troops stationed nearby refused to help, Putin pulled out a pistol and warned the trespassers in German that he would open fire if they came closer. The crowd dispersed, but Putin recounted in his memoir that he viewed the USSR’s demise as a personal humiliation. “The whole country no longer existed,” he lamented. “It disappeared.” A quarter-century later, that experience goes some way toward explaining Putin’s decision to launch a military adventure that has pushed Russia to the brink of war with neighboring Ukraine, a country of 46 million; sent the Russian stock market plunging and the ruble to record lows; and provoked the most bitter clash between the Kremlin and Washington in a generation. Putin has long seen his role in epochal terms—to restore Russia’s imperial glory and reclaim the sphere of influence the nation surrendered after the collapse of communism. The Feb. 22 overthrow of Ukraine’s pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych, was as much a blow to Putin’s self-image as to Russian national interests. In ordering troops to assert control over Crimea, a predominantly Russian-speaking peninsula given to Ukraine by Nikita Khrushchev, Putin dispelled any doubt about his willingness to use force to advance his ambitions. [Putin] [Ukraine] [Inversion] [Personalisation]
• Estonian Foreign Ministry confirms authenticity of leaked call on Kiev snipers
  Published time: March 05, 2014 15:02 Edited time: March 07, 2014 10:34 The Estonian Foreign Ministry has confirmed the recording of his conversation with EU foreign policy chief is authentic. Urmas Paet said that snipers who shot at protesters and police in Kiev were hired by Maidan leaders. Paet told RIA-Novosti news agency that he talked to Catherine Ashton last week right after retiring from Kiev, but refrained from further comments, saying that he has to “listen to the tape first.” “It’s very disappointing that such surveillance took place altogether. It’s not a coincidence that this conversation was uploaded [to the web] today,” he stressed. “My conversation with Ashton took place last week right after I returned from Kiev. At that time I was already in Estonia,” Paet added. Paet also gave a press conference about the leaked tape on Wednesday, saying that the dramatic events in Kiev, which resulted in people being killed, must become the subject of an independent investigation. The Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a statement on its website, saying that the recording of the leaked telephone conversation between Paet and Ashton is “authentic.” The phone call took place on February 26 after Estonia’s FM returned from his visit to Ukraine, which took place soon after the end of street violence in Kiev, the ministry added. “We reject the claim that Paet was giving an assessment of the opposition’s involvement in the violence," the statement stressed, adding that the FM was only providing an overview of what he had heard during his Kiev visit. RT has contacted Ashton’s spokesperson, Maja Kocijancic, who said “we don’t comment on leaked phone conversations.” The US government declined to comment on the leaked phone conversation between EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton and the Estonian foreign affairs minister. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said she had nothing to say on the issue, ITAR-TASS reported. However, she did accuse Russia of leaking the tape, stating that “this was another example of how the Russians work.” [Ukraine] [Destabilisation]
• Ukraine: Ashton Phonecall On Maidan Snipers
  Someone recorded a phone call between the Estonian foreign minister Paet and the EU high representative Ashton. Paet reports from his talks with somewhat neutral people on the Maidan, including some Olga that Ashton also knows, during a recent visit in Kiev: •there is no trust of the people in the new government (2:35) •all of them in the new government have a dirty past (2:50) •the trust level (towards the new government) is absolutely low (3:20) •enormous pressure against (party of the region) members of parliament (3:40) •"uninvited visitors" enter in the night on party members (3:50) •journalists who were with me saw during the day that one member of parliament was just beaten in front of the parliament (4:00) •people will not leave the street before *real* reforms start, it is not enough that there is just change of government (4:20) •the same Olga (from a civil society group) told me that people killed by snipers on both sides, among policemen and people on the street, that they were the same snipers killing people from both sides, she showed me some photos and said she has a medical doctor and that it is the same handwriting and the same type of bullets and it is disturbing that the new coalition now don't want to investigate (8:25) •There is now stronger and stronger understanding that behind snipers it was not Yanukovich but it was somebody from the new coalition. (8:55) •it discredited itself from the very beginning this new coalition (9:20) Ashton says "gosh" to the sniper revelation but then plays over it. Note: This call does not prove that the snipers came from the new coalition site. But it is a hint that this must be investigated. Using snipers in such fashion is not uncommon. Snipers shooting at both sides in a civil conflict have been documented during the coup attempt against Chavez, the during the red-shirt vs. yellow-shirt conflicts in Thailand and during protests in Syria. [Ukraine] [Destabilisation]
• Who Was in Kiev’s Independence Square?
  by Emannuel Dreyfus Now that Viktor Yanukovych has gone, and new elections are promised, we need to assess the political and popular forces that succeeded in overturning Ukraine’s political system. Who were the protesters and what were their goals? At the barricades in central Kiev there were Ukrainian and EU flags, as well as portraits of the poet Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861), considered as a spiritual father of Ukrainian identity, and of Stepan Bandera (1909-1959) who was, depending on your point of view, either a great patriot or a Nazi collaborator. And there were pictures of five Ukrainian activists, treated as martyrs after they were killed during the clashes in Grushevsky Street. [Ukraine]
• The Ukrainian Pendulum
  by Israel Shamir The stakes are high in the Ukraine: after the coup, as Crimea and Donbas asserted their right to self determination, American and Russian troops entered Ukrainian territory, both under cover. The American soldiers are “military advisors”, ostensibly members of Blackwater private army (renamed Academi); a few hundred of them patrol Kiev while others try to suppress the revolt in Donetsk. Officially, they were invited by the new West-installed regime. They are the spearhead of the US invasion attempting to prop up the regime and break down all resistance. They have already bloodied their hands in Donetsk. Besides, the Pentagon has doubled the number of US fighter jets on a NATO air patrol mission in the Baltics; the US air carrier entered the Black Sea, some US Marines reportedly landed in Lvov “as a part of pre-planned manoeuvres”. The Russian soldiers ostensibly belong to the Russian Fleet, legally stationed in Crimea. They were in Crimea before the coup, in accordance with the Russian-Ukrainian treaty (like the US 5th fleet in Kuwait), but their presence was probably beefed up. Additional Russian troops were invited in by deposed but legitimately elected President Yanukovych (compare this with the US landing on Haiti in support of the deposed President Aristide ). They help the local pro-Russian militia maintain order, and no one gets killed in the process. In addition, Russia brought its troops on alert and returned a few warships to the Black Sea. It is only the Russian presence which is described as an “invasion” by the Western media, while the American one is hardly mentioned. [Ukraine] [Anti-Semitism] [Jews]
• Owner says Gdansk shipyard needs bailout to stave off bankruptcy
  PR dla Zagranicy Peter Gentle 02.10.2013 11:03 The Ukrainian major shareholder of the historic Gdansk shipyard says the plant urgently needs around 180 million zloty (4.5 million euro) to keep it afloat. photo - photo: sxc.hu Sergei Taruta, who owns the ISD company which bought a 75 percent stake in the yard - which gave birth to the Solidarity trade union - in 2007, appealed to the state treasury to help bailout the loss-making firm, which reportedly lost 373 million zloty in the last 18 months. "Gdansk shipyard is in a very difficult situation," Taruta, a Ukrainian steel-magnate, told Polish Radio, adding that he is able to provide an extra 80 million zloty for the plant, if the government can find the extra 100 million. The Polish government has said, however, that its Industrial Development Agency will not provide any more cash to bailout the sinking shipyard, and also accused Taruta of syphoning off funds from Gdansk back to Ukraine. Around 1800 workers are employed at the plant, down from 14,000 employees during the protests which erupted there in 1980, which resulted in Solidarity becoming the first independant trade union in the then communist bloc - See more at: http://www.thenews.pl/1/12/Artykul/148841,Owner-says-Gdansk-shipyard-needs-bailout-to-stave-off-bankruptcy#sthash.vmNTkLUl.dpuf [Capitalism]
• Israel and Ukraine
  by Uri Avnery Binyamin Netanyahu is very good at making speeches, especially to Jews, neocons and such, who jump up and applaud wildly at everything he says, including that tomorrow the sun will rise in the west. The question is: is he good at anything else? HIS FATHER, an ultra-ultra-Rightist, once said about him that he is quite unfit to be prime minister, but that he could be a good foreign minister. What he meant was that Binyamin does not have the depth of understanding needed to guide the nation, but that he is good at selling any policy decided upon by a real leader. (Reminding us of the characterization of Abba Eban by David Ben-Gurion: “He is very good at explaining, but you must tell him what to explain.”) [Ukraine] [Israel] [Jews]
• Who’s Who in Ukraine’s New “Semi-fascist” Government: Meet the People the U.S. and EU are Supporting
  By Brian Becker Global Research, March 08, 2014 The U.S. and European Union countries played a key role in the overthrow of the elected government in the Ukraine headed by Victor Yanukovych and the Party of Regions. Listening to the politicians in Washington or watching the corporate media, it would be easy to believe that the coup in the Ukraine has ushered in new era of democracy for the people of that country. Nothing could be further from the truth. The new, self-appointed government in Kiev is a coalition between right-wing and outright fascist forces, and the line between the two is often difficult to discern. Moreover, it is the fascist forces, particularly the Svoboda party and the Right Sector, who are in the ascendancy, as evidenced by the fact that they have been given key government positions in charge of the military and other core elements of the state apparatus. [Ukraine]
• Why the Paet/Ashton Phone Call Matters
  As readers may know—a necessary caveat because the story has not received wall-to-wall play as, for instance, the resignation of Liz Wray from RT has attracted—the audio of an intercepted phone call between the Foreign Minister of Estonia, one Urmas Paet, and Baron Ashton, the EU poobah in charge of foreign relations and, by extension, the Ukraine mess, made its way onto the Internet. Paet is reporting on what he saw and heard in Ukraine near the height of the crisis, shortly after the sniper attack of February 21 and the precipitous collapse of the Yanyukovich government. The contents of the phone call are pretty damning. [Ukraine] [Destabilisation]
• As talk of sanctions on Russia heats up, business groups draw cautionary line
  By Howard Schneider and Holly Yeager, Updated: Saturday, March 8, 1:50 PM Business groups are pushing to ensure that any economic sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States are joined by as much of the rest of the world as possible, warning Congress and the Obama administration that unilateral U.S. action would put tens of billions of dollars of American investment and trade at risk of retaliation. Company officials say they are caught between fast-moving U.S. foreign policy and their interests in a market many have been courting — both in the key energy sector and beyond. Top U.S. companies such as PepsiCo, General Electric and others have touted their involvement in Russia as central to their global strategy. That has involved aggressive investing — PepsiCo is now the largest food and beverage company in Russia, earning $4.8 billion in the country in 2012 — and joint ventures such as GE’s with two Russian firms to manufacture gas turbines in Rybinsk. Ford Motor Co. recently announced a partnership with the Sollers car company. Aerospace giants such as Boeing are among the top U.S. exporters to Russia. [Sanctions] [Russia confrontation] [F&E]
• BUSTED: Leaked Phone Tape with EU’s Ashton reveals, Kiev Snipers hired by Maidan Leaders
  nsnbc : A leaked, recorded phone conversation between EU Foreign Affairs Chief Catherine Ashton and Estonian Foreign Minister, reveals that the snipers, who shot protesters and police in Kiev, have been hired by Maidan leaders. The Estonian Foreign Ministry confirmed the authenticity of the recording, brought to you here in nsnbc. Ashton_Paet_EU_UkrainePart of the conversation between EU’s Catherine Ashton and Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, about the shootings and killings in Kiev, ends wist Ashton saying “Gosh”, more precisely: “There is now a stronger and stronger understanding that behind the snipers, it was not Yanukovich, but it was somebody from the new coalition”, said Foreign Minister Urmas Paet to Catherine Ashton, who relpied: “I think we do want to investigate. I mean, I didn’t pick that up, that’s interesting. Gosh”. The telephone call took place after the Estonian Foreign Minister’s visit to Kiev on 25 February, following the most heated battles after the Western-backed “opposition” broke the German, French and Polish brokered agreement between the government of President Victor Yanukovich and security forces in the Ukrainian capital. Subsequently, the new, self-appointed government illegitimately passed repressive legislation that caused the onset of the split between the western and eastern Ukraine. [Ukraine] [Destabilisation]
• The clash in Crimea is the fruit of western expansion
  The external struggle to dominate Ukraine has put fascists in power and brought the country to the brink of conflict Seumas Milne The Guardian, Wednesday 5 March 2014 20.30 GMT Diplomatic pronouncements are renowned for hypocrisy and double standards. But western denunciations of Russian intervention in Crimea have reached new depths of self parody. The so far bloodless incursion is an "incredible act of aggression", US secretary of state John Kerry declared. In the 21st century you just don't invade countries on a "completely trumped-up pretext", he insisted, as US allies agreed that it had been an unacceptable breach of international law, for which there will be "costs". [Ukraine] Russia Confrontation] [Double standards]
• Ukraine's crisis, the west's trap
  Paul Rogers 6 March 2014 The dangerous stand-off with Russia over Ukraine is also a display of the west's skewed perceptions and moral vanities. Video of the confrontation went round the world in just a few hours and seemed to capture the huge risks of a crisis transiting to war. A group of unarmed Ukraine soldiers was filmed marching determinedly from one part of their base in Crimea towards Russian troops, singing the national anthem on the way. The images were graphic, and became alarming when a few Russians fired warning-shots. After a brief exchange, the tense mood subsided. The Ukrainian soldiers failed to get through the Russian line, and retreated; the Russians were left looking aggressive, the message of Russian belligerence reinforced. The whole scene appeared a near-spontaneous effort by a contingent of courageous Ukrainian soldiers peacefully to confront armed intruders they saw as trespassing on their territory. Courageous they probably were, since the episode could so easily have ended in bloodshed, but spontaneous it most certainly wasn’t. As a few commentators have remarked, this was a carefully planned demonstration accompanied by many TV and press reporters to record every detail. Precisely who had orchestrated it, had choreographed the event and ensured the worldwide coverage is far from clear; but that is just as much the case for so many events during the past two weeks in Ukraine. It is a crisis that offers little to either the United States or Russia (see Anatol Lieven, "Why Obama shouldn't fall for Putin's Ukrainian folly", 3 March 2014). Though if it was to descend into war, it could be disastrous - not just for the people who would be killed and injured, but for Russia, much of Europe and the United States. Vladimir Putin may appear strong, and has certainly consolidated his authority over the past decade (see Dmitry Travin, "The three ages of Putinism", 4 March 2014); but any war would have a crippling impact on Russia's flawed economy, as well as limiting its potential to employ "soft power". The echoes What is striking is how many elements of the confrontation are reminiscent of the cold war in the 1970s-80s, not least in the attitudes and atmosphere surrounding it. [Ukraine] [Russia confrontation] [NCW]
• Crimea sets referendum on joining Russia
  By Carol Morello and Anthony Faiola, Updated: Friday, March 7, 8:11 AM E-mail the writers SEVASTOPOL, Ukraine — The Crimean parliament sharply escalated the stakes Thursday in a standoff over the region’s future, voting to join the Russian Federation, calling a referendum in 10 days to validate its decision and vowing to nationalize Ukrainian state industries. In Washington, President Obama condemned the moves Thursday, saying the referendum “would violate the Ukrainian constitution and violate international law. He also called for international monitors to be allowed into all of Ukraine, including Crimea, to ensure that people’s rights are being respected, including the rights of ethnic Russians. Speaking from the White House on Thursday, President Obama called “unconstitutional” a planned referendum in the Crimea over whether people there want to remain part of Ukraine, and reiterated a series of steps Russian President Vladimir Putin could take to “de-escalate” the conflict in the region. Speaking from the White House on Thursday, President Obama called “unconstitutional” a planned referendum in the Crimea over whether people there want to remain part of Ukraine, and reiterated a series of steps Russian President Vladimir Putin could take to “de-escalate” the conflict in the region. “Any discussion about the future of Ukraine must include the legitimate government of Ukraine,” Obama said. “In 2014, we are well beyond the days when borders can be redrawn over the heads of democratic leaders.” He spoke after Crimea, currently an autonomous part of Ukraine, announced not only the referendum but the formation of new ministries of energy, information, interior and pensions separate and distinct from the central government in Kiev. The moves were quickly disavowed by Ukraine’s new interim government as unconstitutional, illegal and treasonous. [Ukraine] [Separatism]
• How the Ukraine crisis ends
  By Henry A. Kissinger, Published: March 6 Henry A. Kissinger was secretary of state from 1973 to 1977. Public discussion on Ukraine is all about confrontation. But do we know where we are going? In my life, I have seen four wars begun with great enthusiasm and public support, all of which we did not know how to end and from three of which we withdrew unilaterally. The test of policy is how it ends, not how it begins. Far too often the Ukrainian issue is posed as a showdown: whether Ukraine joins the East or the West. But if Ukraine is to survive and thrive, it must not be either side’s outpost against the other — it should function as a bridge between them. Russia must accept that to try to force Ukraine into a satellite status, and thereby move Russia’s borders again, would doom Moscow to repeat its history of self-fulfilling cycles of reciprocal pressures with Europe and the United States. The West must understand that, to Russia, Ukraine can never be just a foreign country. Russian history began in what was called Kievan-Rus. The Russian religion spread from there. Ukraine has been part of Russia for centuries, and their histories were intertwined before then. Some of the most important battles for Russian freedom, starting with the Battle of Poltava in 1709 , were fought on Ukrainian soil. The Black Sea Fleet — Russia’s means of projecting power in the Mediterranean — is based by long-term lease in Sevastopol, in Crimea. Even such famed dissidents as Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and Joseph Brodsky insisted that Ukraine was an integral part of Russian history and, indeed, of Russia. [Ukraine] [Russia] [US global strategy]
• Elephant in the Room: the Black Sea Fleet Base in Crimea
  The threat to Russia’s Crimean naval base looks plausible enough to provoke Putin’s intervention. 2008 Kiev Post: Ukraine’s foreign minister says he has prepared a bill stipulating that the Russian Black Sea fleet must leave a Ukrainian port when a lease agreement expires in 2017. Ukrainian port when a lease agreement expires in 2017. The presence of Russian ships in the port of Sevastopol has become a sore point in already strained relations between the two ex­ Soviet neighbors. Ukraine wants the ships out, while Russia is eager to continue renting the naval base and is offering to pay more. [Ukraine] [Russia] [Seapower]
• Ukraine, Omidyar and the Neo-Liberal Agenda
  by Chris Floyd 1. The Western intervention in Ukraine has now led the region to the brink of war. Political opposition to government of President Viktor Yanukovych — a corrupt and thuggish regime, but as with so many corrupt and thuggish regimes one sees these days, a democratically elected one — was funded in substantial part by organizations of or affiliated with the U.S. government, such as the National Endowment for Democracy (a longtime vehicle for Washington-friendly coups), and USAID. It also received substantial financial backing from Western oligarchs, such as billionaire Pierre Omidyar, founder of eBay and sole bankroller of the new venue for “adversarial” journalism, First Look, as Pandodaily reports. Yanukovych sparked massive protests late last year when he turned down a financial deal from the European Union and chose a $15 billion aid package from Russia instead. The EU deal would have put cash-strapped Ukraine in a financial straitjacket, much like Greece, without actually promising any path for eventually joining the EU. There was one other stipulation in the EU’s proffered agreement that was almost never reported: it would have also forbidden Ukraine to “accept further assistance from the Russians,” as Patrick Smith notes in an important piece in Salon.com. It was a ruthless take-it-or-leave-it deal, and would have left Ukraine without any leverage, unable to parlay its unique position between East and West to its own advantage in the future, or conduct its foreign and economic policies as it saw fit. Yanukovych took the Russian deal, which would have given Ukraine cash in hand immediately and did not come with the same draconian restrictions. It was a policy decision. It might have been the wrong policy decision; millions of Ukrainians thought so. Yanukovych, already unpopular before the deal, would have almost certainly been ousted from office by democratic means in national elections scheduled for 2015. But the outpouring of displeasure at this policy decision grew into a call for the removal of the government. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Washington was maneuvering to put their preferred candidate, Arseniy Yatseniuk, in charge of the Ukrainian government, as a leaked tape of a conversation between Victoria Nuland, assistant secretary of state, and Geoffrey Pyatt, U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, clearly showed. It is worth noting that when Yanukovych was finally ousted from power — after the opposition reneged on an EU-brokered deal for an interim unity government and new elections in December — Arseniy Yatseniuk duly took charge of the Ukrainian government, as planned. [Ukraine]
• Is Putin Crimea Coup Reaction to a Nulandized Kiev Government...
  ...that might have intended to evict the Russian Black Sea Fleet? The coup in Kiev was a loss for Putin, but doesn’t look like much of a win for the U.S., Europe, or Ukraine. What we see in Ukraine today is the messy consequences of a clumsily executed regime change strategy. Clumsy, because somehow it excluded pro-Russian forces in Ukraine that make up about half of the country. And clumsy because it blew out of the water an EU-brokered transition deal by which Yanyukovich and his party would have stayed in the government and Russia would have supplied $12 billion to help Ukraine ride out its major economic difficulties. With Russia excluded, Putin was welcome to imagine the worst, including an attempt by the Ukraine government to install anti-Russian administrations in the eastern provinces and Crimea...and the possibility that an anti-Russian government in Kiev, liberated from EU geopolitical and energy qualms, might give priority to a key Pentagon and US foreign-policy priority: evicting the Russian Black Sea Fleet from its base at Sebastopol. [Ukraine] [US global strategy] [Response] [Russian confrontation]
• In Ukraine, fascists, oligarchs and western expansion are at the heart of the crisis
  The story we're told about the protests gripping Kiev bears only the sketchiest relationship with reality Seumas Milne The Guardian, Wednesday 29 January 2014 20.31 GMT Matt Kenyon 30 January ‘The Ukrainian faultine has the potential to draw in outside powers and lead to a strategic clash.' Illustration by Matt Kenyon We've been here before. For the past couple of months street protests in Ukraine have been played out through the western media according to a well-rehearsed script. Pro-democracy campaigners are battling an authoritarian government. The demonstrators are demanding the right to be part of the European Union. But Russia's president Vladimir Putin has vetoed their chance of freedom and prosperity. It's a story we've heard in one form or another again and again – not least in Ukraine's western-backed Orange revolution a decade ago. But it bears only the sketchiest relationship to reality. EU membership has never been – and very likely never will be – on offer to Ukraine. As in Egypt last year, the president that the protesters want to force out was elected in a poll judged fair by international observers. And many of those on the streets aren't very keen on democracy at all. [Ukraine]
• The Dark Side of the Ukraine Revolt
  by Conn Hallinan “The April 6 rally in Cherskasy, a city 100 miles southeast of Kiev, turned violent after six men took off their jackets to reveal T-shirts emblazoned with the words “Beat the Kikes” and “Svoboda,” the name of the Ukrainian ultranationalist movement and the Ukrainian word for “freedom.” –Jewish Telegraphic Agency, April 12, 2013 While most of the Western media describes the current crisis in the Ukraine as a confrontation between authoritarianism and democracy, many of the shock troops who have manned barricades in Kiev and the western city of Lviv these past months represent a dark page in the country’s history and have little interest in either democracy or the liberalism of Western Europe and the United States. “You’d never know from most of the reporting that far-right nationalists and fascists have been at the heart of the protests and attacks on government buildings,” reports Seumas Milne of the British Guardian. The most prominent of the groups has been the ultra-rightwing Svoboda or “Freedom” Party. And that even the demand for integration with Western Europe appears to be more a tactic than a strategy: “The participation of Ukrainian nationalism and Svoboda in the process of EU [European Union] integration, “ admits Svoboda political council member Yury Noyevy, “is a means to break our ties with Russia.” And lest one think that Svoboda, and parties even further to the right, will strike their tents and disappear, Ukrainian News reported Feb. 26 that Svoboda Party members have temporarily been appointed to the posts of Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Supplies, and Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources. Svoboda is hardly a fringe organization. In the 2012 election won by the now deposed president, Viktor Yanukovitch, the Party took 10.45 percent of the vote and over 40 percent in parts of the western Ukraine. While the west voted overwhelmingly for the Fatherland Party’s Yulia Tymoshenko, the more populous east went overwhelmingly for the Party of the Regions’ Yanukovitch. The latter won the election handily, 48.8 percent to 45.7 percent. Svoboda –which currently has 36 deputies in the 450-member Ukrainian parliament—began life in the mid-1990s as the Social National Party of the Ukraine, but its roots lie in World War II, when Ukrainian nationalists and Nazis found common ground in the ideology of anti-communism and anti-Semitism. In April, 1943, Dr. Otto von Wachter, the Nazi commander of Galicia—the name for the western Ukraine—turned the First Division of the Ukrainian National Army into the 14 Grenadier Division of the Waffen SS, the so-called “Galicia Division.” [Ukraine][Anti-Communism] [Anti-Semitism]
• From Russia, ‘Tourists’ Stir the Protests
  By Andrew Roth March 3, 2014 Pavel Gubarev, center, leader of the pro-Russia People’s Militia of Donbass, spoke to supporters in the Parliament chamber in Donetsk, Ukraine, on Monday. Credit Uriel Sinai for The New York Times DONETSK, Ukraine — Around the south and east of Ukraine, in vital cities in the country’s industrial heartland, ethnic Russians have staged demonstrations and stormed buildings demanding a wider invasion of their country by Moscow. But some of the people here calling for Russian intervention are themselves Russian — “protest tourists” from across the border. They have included passport-carrying Russians, like Aleksey Khudyakov, a pro-Kremlin Muscovite who said he traveled here “to watch and maybe to give some advice.” In Kharkiv, another Russian scaled a government building to dramatically plant his country’s flag — offering at least the image that President Vladimir V. Putin’s forces were being invited in. It is clear that in this part of Ukraine, many ethnic Russians distrust the fledgling government, and some would indeed welcome Russian troops. But the events unfolding in major Ukrainian cities in recent days appear to match a pattern played by the Kremlin in Crimea, where pro-Moscow forces paving the way for Russia to seize control were neither altogether spontaneous, nor entirely local. As pro-Russia demonstrations in 11 cities have suddenly erupted where significant populations of ethnic Russians live, the apparent organization of the demonstrators, appearances of Russian citizens and reports of busloads of activists arriving from Russia itself suggest a high degree of coordination with Moscow. At a minimum, Russians are instigating protests by Ukrainians sympathetic to Moscow, helping to create a pretext for a broader intervention if Mr. Putin decides to push things that far. In Donetsk, when the crowd took control of the Parliament building on Monday, the Soviet-era ballad “Russians Don’t Surrender” blasted from loudspeakers and Mr. Khudyakov huddled in conversation with the leader of Donetsk Republic, a local organization demanding greater autonomy from Kiev. Back home, Mr. Khudyakov is better known for having founded several nationalist vigilante groups with the tacit blessing of the Russian government. The most dramatic expressions of the new pro-Russia fervor have taken place here, the former political base of Viktor F. Yanukovych, the country’s deposed president, and in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second most populous city, just 20 miles from the Russian border. [Ukraine]
• Shale Gas Revolution and Desperate "Eastward" Energy Policy of Russia
  by Oh Sung-hwan 4 March 2014 This Special Report was originally published as a Working Paper 2013-11 by the Center for Energy, Governance and Security at Hanyang University, Seoul. I. INTRODUCTION North America’s shale gas revolution has fundamentally changed North America’ s energy market, thereby bringing new opportunities and challenges to the Northeast Asian LNG market. For North America, due to the increase in shale gas production, the export-import structure of gas in the US has been reversed, and the possibility of energy independence has increased. In the meantime, Canada, being almost fully dependent on the US for gas export, can not help but explore new markets, which is in fact the Asian market. [Energy]
• In Kiev, an Israeli army vet led a street-fighting unit
  By Cnaan Liphshiz February 28, 2014 1:30pm Delta, the nom de guerre of the Jewish commander of a Ukrainian street-fighting unit, is pictured in Kiev earlier this month. (Courtesy of 'Delta') Delta, the nom de guerre of the Jewish commander of a Ukrainian street-fighting unit, is pictured in Kiev earlier this month. (Courtesy of ‘Delta’) (JTA) — He calls his troops “the Blue Helmets of Maidan,” but brown is the color of the headgear worn by Delta — the nom de guerre of the commander of a Jewish-led militia force that participated in the Ukrainian revolution. Under his helmet, he also wears a kippah. Delta, a Ukraine-born former soldier in the Israel Defense Forces, spoke to JTA Thursday on condition of anonymity. He explained how he came to use combat skills he acquired in the Shu’alei Shimshon reconnaissance battalion of the Givati infantry brigade to rise through the ranks of Kiev’s street fighters Read more: http://www.jta.org/2014/02/28/news-opinion/world/in-kiev-an-israeli-militia-commander-fights-in-the-streets-and-saves-lives#ixzz2v1vGimY9 [Ukraine] [Irony]
• Ukraine and the 'Little Cold War'
  Geopolitical Weekly Tuesday, March 4, 2014 - 03:09 Editor's Note: In place of George Friedman's regular Geopolitical Weekly, this column is derived from two chapters of Friedman's 2009 book, The Next 100 Years. We are running this abstract of the chapters that focused on Eastern Europe and Russia because the forecast -- written in 2008 -- is prescient in its anticipation of events unfolding today in Russia, Ukraine and Crimea. By George Friedman We must consider the future of Eurasia after the fall of the Soviet Union. Since 1991, the region has fragmented and decayed. The successor state to the Soviet Union, Russia, is emerging from this period with renewed self-confidence. Yet Russia is also in an untenable geopolitical position. Unless Russia exerts itself to create a sphere of influence, the Russian Federation could itself fragment. For most of the second half of the 20th century, the Soviet Union controlled Eurasia -- from central Germany to the Pacific, as far south as the Caucasus and the Hindu Kush. When the Soviet Union collapsed, its western frontier moved east nearly 1,000 miles, from the West German border to the Russian border with Belarus. Russian power has now retreated farther east than it has been in centuries. During the Cold War it had moved farther west than ever before. In the coming decades, Russian power will settle somewhere between those two lines. [NCW] [Russia confrontation] [Fragmentation] [Ukraine]
• Why Obama shouldn’t fall for Putin’s Ukrainian folly
  Anatol Lieven 3 March 2014 Russia and the west have conspired to tear the country apart. Both sides must stand down now or face the consequences. We’re now witnessing the consequences of how grossly both Russia and the west have overplayed their hands in Ukraine. It is urgently necessary that both should find ways of withdrawing from some of the positions that they have taken. Otherwise, the result could very easily be civil war, Russian invasion, the partition of Ukraine, and a conflict that will haunt Europe for generations to come. The only country that could possibly benefit from such an outcome is China. As with the invasion of Iraq and the horrible mismanagement of the campaign in Afghanistan, the US would be distracted for another decade from the question of how to deal with its only competitive peer in the world today. Yet given the potentially appalling consequences for the world economy of a war in Ukraine, it is probable that even Beijing would not welcome such an outcome. [False balance] [China confrontation] [Ukraine]
• Putin's decision to send troops to Ukraine, recall ambassador from US depends on developments – Peskov
  Photo: RIA Novosti Dmitry Peskov Putin to decide whether to send troops to Ukraine, recall ambassador from US depending on developments, Vladimir Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. Russia’s Federation Council has unanimously approved President Vladimir Putin’s request to use Russian military forces in Ukraine. The move is aimed to settle the turmoil in the split country. President Vladimir Putin has not yet decided whethe to deploy Russian troops in Ukraine, his spokesman was quoted as saying on Saturday after the Federation Council upper house of parliament empowered him to do so. "After the decision by the Federation Council, the president has received the full arsenal of means needed to resolve the situation, in terms of using (military) forces and in terms of taking decisions about (withdrawing) the head of our diplomatic mission in the United States," Dmitry Peskov was cited as saying. "At the same time, it's necessary to underscore that the president has not yet taken either decision. These decisions have not yet been taken." Dmitry Peskov aalso said that the Kremlin hopes that there will be no further escalation of the crisis. The Russian parliament's approval of the use of armed forces in Ukraine does not mean it will happen immediately, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin says. "Today's consent ... means only that the president has the free hand [to act] if the situation gets worse," the Russian news agency quotes Karasin as saying. "I am convinced that it [decision] will be understood correctly in Ukraine, but I do not rule out that it will be distorted as always by Western mass media which barely understand the processes unfolding in Ukraine both now and before." [Ukraine]
• Ukraine Neo-Nazi Party Threatens Russia with Nukes: “We’ll Regain our Nuclear Status in 6 Months”
  By Russia Today Global Research, March 01, 2014 Calls in Kiev to ‘regain nuclear status in six months’ Unable to resolve tensions with the largely pro-Russian autonomous region of Crimea, Kiev is bombarding Moscow with accusations and warnings. Some politicians have even threatened to restock Ukraine’s nuclear arsenal. Throughout Friday, Russian diplomats and the military had to refute media speculation and explain that the armed people at the Crimean airports in Simferopol and Sevastopol weren’t Russian troops. “There are no troops whatsoever. No Russian troops, at least… Some civilians claiming to be representing groups of ‘self-defense of Crimea’ arrived at Simferopol airport overnight, but they retreated and nothing happened,” Russian ambassador to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov, told Euronews. [Ukraine] [Nuclearisation]
• Russian troops seize Ukraine's Crimea
  By Kathy Lally, William Booth and Will Englund, Published: March 1 E-mail the writers MOSCOW — Russian troops took control of vital installations across the Crimean Peninsula on Saturday, and Russian President Vladimir Putin secured authorization to send in more as the Kremlin set the stage for a high-stakes international showdown over the future of Ukraine. On Sunday, Ukraine's leader urged Putin to pull back his military, saying "we are on the brink of disaster," according to the Associated Press.
• Obama’s Dumbest Plan Yet
  by Mike Whitney “Washington and Brussels … used a Nazi coup, carried out by insurgents, terrorists and politicians of Euromaidan to serve the geopolitical interests of the West.” – Natalia Vitrenko, The Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine The United States helped defeat Nazism in World War 2. Obama helped bring it back. As you probably know by now, Obama and Co. have ousted Ukraine’s democratically-elected president, Viktor Yanukovych, with the help of ultra-right, paramilitary, neo-Nazi gangs who seized and burned government offices, killed riot police, and spread mayhem and terror across the country. These are America’s new allies in the Great Game, the grand plan to “pivot to Asia” by pushing further eastward, toppling peaceful governments, securing vital pipeline corridors, accessing scarce oil and natural gas reserves and dismantling the Russian Federation consistent with the strategy proposed by geopolitical mastermind, Zbigniew Brzezinski. Brzezinski’s magnum opus–”The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy and it’s Geostrategic Imperatives” has become the Mein Kampf for aspiring western imperialists. It provides the basic blueprint for establishing US military-political-economic hegemony in the century’s most promising and prosperous region, Asia. In an article in Foreign Affairs Brzezinski laid out his ideas about neutralizing Russia by splitting the country into smaller parts, thus, allowing the US to maintain its dominant role in the region without threat of challenge or interference. Here’s an excerpt from the article: “Given (Russia’s) size and diversity, a decentralized political system and free-market economics would be most likely to unleash the creative potential of the Russian people and Russia’s vast natural resources. A loosely confederated Russia — composed of a European Russia, a Siberian Republic, and a Far Eastern Republic — would also find it easier to cultivate closer economic relations with its neighbors. Each of the confederated entitles would be able to tap its local creative potential, stifled for centuries by Moscow’s heavy bureaucratic hand. In turn, a decentralized Russia would be less susceptible to imperial mobilization.” (Zbigniew Brzezinski,“A Geostrategy for Eurasia”) Moscow is keenly aware of Washington’s divide and conquer strategy, but has downplayed the issue in order to avoid a confrontation. [Fragmentation] Russia confrontation] [Ukraine]
• Ukraine: there's no way out unless the west understands its past mistakes
  Western leaders mostly paint the whole dispute as totally one-sided: it is all Russia’s fault. But the Crimea crisis is directly related to the misguided steps taken after the Soviet Union’s fall
  Malcolm Fraser
  theguardian.com, Monday 3 March 2014 01.43 GMT After the fall of the Soviet Union, many hoped the cold war ideology could be put behind, and that the powers could work for a more co-operative and a better world. Nato had done its job. There were many ways in which the former members of the Soviet Union in eastern Europe could have been given security for the future. Nato chose to provide that security by moving eastward to the borders of Russia. The then president, Gorbachev, in negotiating with secretary of state, James Baker, had insisted that Nato should not move one foot east – this was an area of traditional Russian influence. President Clinton pushed to expand the Nato alliance to the very borders of Russia. There was talk of Ukraine and Georgia being included. The move east, despite the negotiations held with Gorbachev, was provocative, unwise and a very clear signal to Russia: we are not willing to make you a co-operative partner in the management of European or world affairs; we will exercise the power available to us and you will have to put up with it. [Russia confrontation] [Missile defense]
• Putin's decision to send troops to Ukraine, recall ambassador from US depends on developments – Peskov
  Photo: RIA Novosti Dmitry Peskov Putin to decide whether to send troops to Ukraine, recall ambassador from US depending on developments, Vladimir Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. Russia’s Federation Council has unanimously approved President Vladimir Putin’s request to use Russian military forces in Ukraine. The move is aimed to settle the turmoil in the split country. President Vladimir Putin has not yet decided whethe to deploy Russian troops in Ukraine, his spokesman was quoted as saying on Saturday after the Federation Council upper house of parliament empowered him to do so. "After the decision by the Federation Council, the president has received the full arsenal of means needed to resolve the situation, in terms of using (military) forces and in terms of taking decisions about (withdrawing) the head of our diplomatic mission in the United States," Dmitry Peskov was cited as saying. "At the same time, it's necessary to underscore that the president has not yet taken either decision. These decisions have not yet been taken." Dmitry Peskov aalso said that the Kremlin hopes that there will be no further escalation of the crisis. The Russian parliament's approval of the use of armed forces in Ukraine does not mean it will happen immediately, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin says. "Today's consent ... means only that the president has the free hand [to act] if the situation gets worse," the Russian news agency quotes Karasin as saying. "I am convinced that it [decision] will be understood correctly in Ukraine, but I do not rule out that it will be distorted as always by Western mass media which barely understand the processes unfolding in Ukraine both now and before." [Ukraine]
• Ukraine Neo-Nazi Party Threatens Russia with Nukes: “We’ll Regain our Nuclear Status in 6 Months”
  By Russia Today Global Research, March 01, 2014 Calls in Kiev to ‘regain nuclear status in six months’ Unable to resolve tensions with the largely pro-Russian autonomous region of Crimea, Kiev is bombarding Moscow with accusations and warnings. Some politicians have even threatened to restock Ukraine’s nuclear arsenal. Throughout Friday, Russian diplomats and the military had to refute media speculation and explain that the armed people at the Crimean airports in Simferopol and Sevastopol weren’t Russian troops. “There are no troops whatsoever. No Russian troops, at least… Some civilians claiming to be representing groups of ‘self-defense of Crimea’ arrived at Simferopol airport overnight, but they retreated and nothing happened,” Russian ambassador to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov, told Euronews. [Ukraine] [Nuclearisation]
• Russian troops seize Ukraine's Crimea
  By Kathy Lally, William Booth and Will Englund, Published: March 1 E-mail the writers MOSCOW — Russian troops took control of vital installations across the Crimean Peninsula on Saturday, and Russian President Vladimir Putin secured authorization to send in more as the Kremlin set the stage for a high-stakes international showdown over the future of Ukraine. On Sunday, Ukraine's leader urged Putin to pull back his military, saying "we are on the brink of disaster," according to the Associated Press.
• The New Great Game: Why Ukraine Matters to So Many Other Nations
  By Peter Coy, Carol Matlack, and Henry Meyer February 27, 2014 The New Great Game: Why Ukraine Matters to So Many Other Nations Photo illustration by 731 Ukraine doesn’t seem like the kind of place that world powers would want to tussle over. It’s as poor as Paraguay and as corrupt as Iran. During the 20th century it was home to a deadly famine under Stalin (the Holomodor, 1933), a historic massacre of Jews (Babi Yar, 1941), and one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters (Chernobyl, 1986). Now, with former President Viktor Yanukovych in hiding, it’s struggling to form a government, its credit rating is down to CCC, a recession looms, and foreign reserves are running low. Arseniy Yatsenyuk, head of the opposition party affiliated with former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, said on Feb. 24 in Parliament, “Ukraine has never faced such a terrible financial catastrophe in all its years of independence.” But Ukraine is also a breadbasket, a natural gas chokepoint, and a nation of 45 million people in a pivotal spot north of the Black Sea. Ukraine matters—to Russia, Europe, the U.S., and even China. President Obama denied on Feb. 19 that it’s a piece on “some Cold War chessboard.” But the best hope for Ukraine is that it will get special treatment precisely because it is a valued pawn in a new version of the Great Game, the 19th century struggle for influence between Russia and Britain. [Ukraine] [US global strategy]
• Ukraine: Noose around Neck of US Diplomacy
  Nikolai Bobkin | 28.02.2014 | 10:29 The White House has decided that Ukraine is in for a transition period, though it’s not clear where exactly the country is heading to. President Obama promises to cooperate with all parties without having an idea who he means exactly. It’s not known as yet who has happened to be a winner or a loser as a result of US intervention, but the contemporary plight of Ukraine allows calling it a non-existent state. America cannot stay away from the events in Ukraine but it is not ready to act on its own. The US knows how to destabilize other countries but in the given case it would like to rectify the situation with the help of Moscow… Washington did not think about Ukraine when it was calm there, at least it never manifested its interest in developing bilateral ties. The US is the tenth largest investor into the Ukraine’s economy with the stock of only one billion dollars. It ignores the interest of the partner. The US is pushing for non-traditional gas production in the low-profit western deposits where the population is not inclined to support the “shale friendship” with the United States. No other energy sector investment projects exist and there is nothing to make the trade turnover grow. It’s tiny; the US exports to Ukraine do not exceed 200 million dollars while the Ukrainian exports to the United States are only $60-70 million. Unlike that, the Ukraine’s ties with Russia are much closer, actually its beyond comparison. The trade turnover between Russia and Ukraine exceeds 40 billion dollars; Russia is the largest market for Ukraine (approximately 10 billion dollars). [Ukraine]

• Russian Nuclear Bombers Stray into Korea's Air Defense Zone
  Two Russian TU-95 nuclear bombers entered Korea's Air Defense Identification Zone near Dokdo and the submerged reef of Ieo on Monday without permission. The identification zone is airspace which foreign military aircraft need approval to enter 24 hours in advance. But such zones are not governed by any international treaties and respecting them is a matter of discretion. One Soviet-built airborne early-warning aircraft A-50 was apparently flying in the northeastern part of the East Sea. The Korean Air Force scrambled fighter jets and issued verbal warnings. Japanese fighter jets were also dispatched, Japan's Sankei Shimbun reported. The air defense identification zones of Korea, China and Japan overlap around Ieo. [ADIZ]
• Sochi Olympics Close with Russia on a Roll
  A choir of 1,000 Russian children sang the national anthem in a stirring closing ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympics. The 40,000-seat stadium was bursting with Russian pride. Four years ago, at Vancouver, Russia placed 11th in the medals count. In Sochi, they unexpectedly vaulted to the top. Khristina, a volunteer from Moscow, captured Russia's mood: "I am not a very patriotic person, but I have seen Russia at the top of the medals table, and seen them win two events today. This is really great, really good for the country," said she. The glittering closing ceremony involved 5,500 costumes and 44,000 props. Russian themes dominated -- classical ballerinas twirled, circus acrobats performed flips, a pianist played classical Russian compositions, and a whirlwind funneled skyward the writings of Tolstoy, Chekhov and Dostoevsky. Confetti rains down at the end of the closing ceremony for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics on Feb. 23, 2014. /Reuters Confetti rains down at the end of the closing ceremony for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics on Feb. 23, 2014. /Reuters President Putin appeared in a business suit, smiling and waving in his usual restrained style. He left it to the head of his Olympic organizing committee, Dmitriy Chernyshenko, to proclaim that the world had seen the "face of the new Russia." And the politicians left mood creation to the platoons of world class winter athletes who paraded -- dancing, waving and cheering -- around the packed stadium. After all the nervousness about possible terrorist attacks or construction failings, Russians basked Sunday in the praise of international Olympic officials, who told reporters that the Sochi Winter Olympics were a success. Khristina, the volunteer, confirmed this. "It was really great that the Olympics went well, that Russia got the most medals, that the closing ceremony was amazing, and nothing major happened, no terrorist attacks" said she. Toward the end of Sunday's ceremony, Korea's national anthem was played, and the Olympic flag was handed to Lee Seok-rae, mayor of Pyeongchang, Korea -- the host city for the 2018 Winter Olympics. At the very end, the Polar Bear, one of Sochi's three Olympic mascots, shed an ice blue tear -- and then blew out the Olympic flame. [Sochi]
• Ukraine Turns From Revolution to Recovery
  Geopolitical Weekly Monday, February 24, 2014 - 10:16 Stratfor By George Friedman The uprising in Kiev has apparently reached its conclusion. President Viktor Yanukovich and the opposition reached an agreement, negotiated by the Polish, German and French foreign ministers. The parliament is now effectively in charge, deciding who will be ministers and when elections will be held, whether to dismiss judges and so on. It isn't clear whether the parliament can fire the sitting president without impeachment and trial, but all of this is now moot. What is interesting is that the Polish, French and German foreign ministers negotiated an outcome that, for practical purposes, ignored the Constitution of Ukraine. It sets an interesting precedent. But for Ukraine, the constitution didn't have the patina of tradition that a true constitution requires, and few will miss Yanukovich. The question now is whether all of this makes any real difference in Ukraine or the world. There is a new temporary leadership, although it is still factionalized and the leaders of the factions have not fully emerged. The effect of hostile gunfire will forge unity in Kiev for a while, but in due course, ideology, ambition and animosity will re-emerge. That will make governing Ukraine as difficult as in the past, particularly because the differences among the neo-Nazis, the liberals and groups in between -- all of which manned the barricades -- are profound. A government of national unity will be difficult to form. [Democracy]
• The Groom at the Feast The Attacks on the Sochi Games
  by Israel Shamir Russian president Vladimir Putin behaves like a groom at his wedding feast in the midst of gang warfare: he tries to attend to his bride and disregard the gunshots, with less and less success. His wedding party is the Olympic games, a sports event that occupies him immensely; meanwhile his house is under attack from all directions. In the Ukraine, a confrontation between a weak government and pro-Western radicals threatens to eliminate his previous achievements. The Ruble is under heavy pressure and losing value, despite stable oil prices. In Syria, the US and France are planning a new offensive and pinning the blame on Russia for non-delivery in Geneva. And even his own Olympic games is under attack from the powerful international media machine. Despite all the commotion, he still sticks to sports. Is this some crazy obsession, like Nero’s with his fiddle, or is Putin playing a cool game of poker? Does he know what he is doing? [Putin] [Sochi] [Media] [US global strategy]
• N.Korea, Russia to Cooperate in Large-Scale Projects
  North Korea and Russia agreed to expand economic cooperation in large-scale projects such as coal, railroad, and transportation. North Korean Ambassador to Russia Kim Yong-jae made the announcement to Russia's ITAR-TASS news agency. The North plans to expand joint ventures with Russia in the ongoing modernization drive in the Rajin-Sonbong region and other large-scale projects, it quoted Kim as saying last Friday. Currently, Russian engineers are refitting facilities at Rajin Port as a container terminal. Russia is also reportedly considering exporting refined crude oil produced in its Far Eastern region through the port.
• The Impact of the “Shale Gas Revolution” on Russian Energy Strategy
  by Fabio Indeo 18 February 2014 This Special Report was originally published as a Working Paper 2013-8 by the Center for Energy, Governance and Security at Hanyang university, Seoul. I. Introduction The successful development of shale gas extraction and production in North America has spread a positive outlook within the international energy community, which envisages that a great availability of gas in the next years will contribute to diversifying the energy mix, reducing emissions, and enhancing energy security. However, the emergence of the “shale revolution” is perceived as a serious energy threat by Russia, because it could severely affect its role as a major gas supplier. Thanks to the combination of LNG developments and shale gas production, a growing gas availability in global markets poses questions about the ability of Russia to keep gas exports to Europe at current levels and to develop the Eastern vector through growing gas exports to Asian markets. [Gas]
• Elegant support
  Alexander Salitzki | 13.02.2014 | 00:00 Russia and China’s pairs skating on the ice rink of world politics continues. In Sochi, we have observed with pleasure yet one more element in the routine of this increasingly harmonious duet. Let us call it elegant support. Fearless athletes have emphasised the modest dignity of a reliable partner. The fact that partners have a well-developed mutual understanding is not their only merit. Paradoxically, the antipathy of foreign audiences has made a considerable contribution to the development of a team spirit. The torrents of grim reality that were poured out ahead of the sporting celebrations in Beijing in 2008 and in Sochi in 2014 could not but give rise to a response. The clumsy work of the Western media regarding the Sochi Olympics is exactly the same as in 2008, when they aroused the mass indignation of Chinese people around the world. This fact has been emphasised in nearly all the reports in the Chinese press, which has devoted considerable attention to Xi Jinping’s visit to Sochi. Here are just a few quotes: «the new cold war that soldiers in the West are so eager for», «the persecution of Russia is going too far», and «criticism should not be confused with hostility». Also of interest is one more comparison from the Chinese media. Despite the March riots in Lhasa in 2008, George Bush and Nicolas Sarkozy still honoured the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics with their presence, while Gordon Brown attended the closing ceremony. Nothing like those riots has taken place in Russia in the last two years, yet there were no major Western leaders. From this, the authors of editorial columns have come to the completely obvious conclusion that the West is particularly hostile towards Russia. As a result, they believe that Xi Jinping’s extraordinary visit to Russia seems to be quite a deliberate move strategically.
• Snow Blind
  When Americans look at Russia, they see what they want to see. And that's dangerous. BY Christian Caryl February 7, 2014 Two of Russia's most famous dissidents are visiting the United States. I speak, of course, of Nadya Tolokonnikova and Masha Alyokhina, members of the feminist conceptual art group known as Pussy Riot who were recently released from jail by President Vladimir Putin. The U.S. media have been raving. "Pussy Riot gals stun Brooklyn crowd with powerful speech," blared the New York Post about the duo's appearance at a charity concert in New York this week. "Pussy Riot stole the show from Madonna" was the verdict from Time. They put in a bravado performance on The Colbert Report and even had the New Yorker gushing about their presumed artistic achievements. Pretty impressive. There's just one problem. Most of the adoring coverage of the two Pussy Riot stars presumes that their protest is having an enormous impact on the political situation in their home country. If not, why are we (and Madonna) paying such inordinate attention to them? In fact, though, there is little evidence that they have any sort of influence on Russian public opinion at all. Most Russians regard Pussy Riot with outright hostility. [Subversion] [Putin] [Wishful thinking]
• Park 'Too Busy' to Visit Sochi Olympics
  President Park Geun-hye is too busy to attend the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Park told senior Cheong Wa Dae staff on Tuesday she has no time to visit Sochi because she is "tied up with a heavy workload, including a schedule to receive briefings on this year's projects from ministries and a plan to announce a three-year plan for economic innovation." Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi. And even though no North Korean athlete has earned a ticket for the Olympics, a delegation led the North's titular head of state Kim Yong-nam attended the opening ceremony last Friday. From South Korea, only Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo Jin-ryong was at the opening. [Sochi] [SK Russia] [US dominance]
• New Dimensions of U.S. Foreign Policy Toward Russia
  Geopolitical Weekly Tuesday, February 11, 2014 - 04:13 ? Print ? Text Size ? By George Friedman The struggle for some of the most strategic territory in the world took an interesting twist this week. Last week we discussed what appeared to be a significant shift in German national strategy in which Berlin seemed to declare a new doctrine of increased assertiveness in the world -- a shift that followed intense German interest in Ukraine. This week, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, in a now-famous cellphone conversation, declared her strong contempt for the European Union and its weakness and counseled the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine to proceed quickly and without the Europeans to piece together a specific opposition coalition before the Russians saw what was happening and took action. This is a new twist not because it makes clear that the United States is not the only country intercepting phone calls, but because it puts U.S. policy in Ukraine in a new light and forces us to reconsider U.S. strategy toward Russia and Germany. Nuland's cellphone conversation is hardly definitive, but it is an additional indicator of American strategic thinking. [US Russia]
• Senior N.Korean Apparatchik Meets Xi, Putin in Sochi
  Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) shakes hands with North Koreas titular head of state Kim Yong-nam at an Olympic reception in Sochi, Russia on Friday. /AP-Newsis Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) shakes hands with North Korea's titular head of state Kim Yong-nam at an Olympic reception in Sochi, Russia on Friday. /AP-Newsis Kim Yong-nam, North Korea's titular head of state, met Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Sochi last Friday. As a guest of honor at the ceremony, Kim also met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the North's official KCNA news agency reported on Saturday. Kim conveyed leader Kim Jong-un's greetings to Xi and discussed with Putin ways to promote relations between the two countries, it added. No North Korean athlete has earned a ticket for the Winter Olympics, but a government delegation led by Kim Yong-nam, who is over 90, was dispatched in an apparent attempt to improve relations with China and Russia in times of growing international isolation. [Media] [slander]
• Big hand to Putin Potemkin
  _No innuendo intended By Oh Young-jin The opening gala show of the Sochi Winter Olympic Games was better than any of its predecessors including summer versions I have ever seen. As a matter of fact, I don’t remember any of pre-Sochi galas because I dozed off during some broadcasts and switched off others for a variety of reasons ? time difference, a lack of discipline, organization and coherence. Simply put, they didn’t reach my expectations for Olympic proportions. A bit past 2 a.m. Saturday morning, I woke up in a mild case of curiosity-driven insomnia and turned the television on, feeling secure in the thought that the Sochi show would be so uninteresting that I would fall back to sleep shortly. I was wrong. It proved to be a true spectacle. [Sochi] [Putin] [Media]
• Vladimir Putin all smiles for an elegant, surreal look at Russian history in Sochi
  Winter Olympics' opening ceremony was light on nationalism but with a share of psychedelia and a utopian view of history Shaun Walker in Sochi theguardian.com, Friday 7 February 2014 21.12 GMT Dancers perform against a backdrop of onion domes during the opening of the Sochi Winter Olympics Dancers perform against a backdrop of inflatable onion domes during the opening ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympics. Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty In a buttoned-down black overcoat with a fur collar, Vladimir Putin smiled a big smile as the lights went down in the Fisht Stadium. Putin himself may have been restricted to an uncharacteristic peripheral role by the Olympic charter, which only allowed him to say one sentence, announcing the official opening of the Games. But the triumphant smile on his face was worth a thousand words. For him, these are the biggest two weeks of his political career. Misfiring Olympic ring aside, the games got off to an impressive start with an opening ceremony that took a dreamy and sumptuous look at Russian history, mounted on a scale that matches the preparations for the Games themselves. The official opening ceremony came after another warm and sunny day in Sochi, and was preceded by an hour of entertainment for those in the stadium, not shown to television audiences either in Russia or abroad. In a somewhat surreal turn of events, much of the hour had been given a – perhaps unintended – gay theme. The competitors' seats were painted in rainbow colours, the first song was a rendition of Queen's We Are the Champions, followed by the faux-lesbian pop duo tATu, who sang one of their hits from a decade ago, Not Gonna Get Us. Tatu came on stage wearing schoolgirl outfits and holding hands. Although both women later said that the lesbian act was thought up by their manager as a PR stunt, they have remained supporters of the gay community in Russia. The ceremony's director said that the reason Tatu were chosen was that they are one of the few Russian bands that are known internationally, and it was their music that was played when the Russian Olympic team entered the arena. [media] [Putin]
• Rethinking Energy Security in Northeast Asia
  by Younkyoo Kim 4 February 2014 This Special Report was originally published as a Working Paper 2013-5 by the Center for Energy, Governance and Security at Hanyang university, Seoul. I. Introduction In this Special Report, Younkyoo Kim writes that 'despite both governments’ endless profession of an identity of interests between Russia and China, the truth is quite different. On global issues like intervention in third countries, non-proliferation, democracy promotion and Central Asia, Russia and China jointly act to resist US notions of a liberal world order dominated by its power. However, in regard to the regional security agenda in Asia we find only barely concealed and even potentially serious, if unadvertised, rivalries, e.g. in regard to Japan and Southeast Asia. Thus Russia is trying to do two contradictory things at the same time, namely bandwagon with China on the global and anti-American agenda, while attempting to carve out an independent balancing act directed to constrain China at the regional level. The deep-seated regional divergences between Moscow and Beijing throughout Asia have not been resolved and may not be capable of resolution given the dynamic forces at play throughout these areas.' [China Russia] [Energy]

• Russia's Growing Regional Debts Threaten Stability
  Analysis January 20, 2014 | Russia's New Crisis: Regional Debt Summary Editor's Note: The following is the first installment of a three-part series on growing debt for Russia's regional governments. Since the 2009 financial crisis, the Kremlin has allowed Russia's regions to take the brunt of the country's economic decline in order to keep the federal government seemingly healthy, with a nominally small budget deficit and large currency reserves. But now most of Russia's regional governments' debt is so high, it is becoming dangerous for the federal government and big banks and could soon become unmanageable.
• Russia chided for meager aid to Syrian war victims
  By Paul Richter January 15, 2014, 3:51 p.m. WASHINGTON – Russia, an arms provider and principal player in the ongoing Syrian civil war, is doing far too little to help the war's millions of victims, international humanitarian agencies say. As world powers pledged new aid Wednesday at a donors conference in Kuwait, humanitarian groups said Moscow had been a standout in its failure to contribute adequately to the struggling international effort to help the injured and displaced. Russia has contributed about $24 million toward the United Nations appeal, about 5% of what it should give based on its size, according to Oxfam America. It didn’t make any pledge at the conference in Kuwait, though aid officials said it was possible it might pledge more in the next few days. Russia “has made only minimal contributions,” Amnesty International said. http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-russia-chided-for-meager-aid-to-syrian-sufferers-20140115,0,1311136.story#ixzz2qhCY2SEB [Syria] [NGO] [Shill]
• Exclusive: Iran, Russia negotiating big oil-for-goods deal
  By Jonathan Saul and Parisa Hafezi LONDON/ANKARA Fri Jan 10, 2014 6:30am EST EDITORS' NOTE: Reuters and other foreign media are subject to Iranian restrictions on leaving the office to report, film or take pictures in Tehran. Credit: Reuters/Morteza Nikoubazl (Reuters) - Iran and Russia are negotiating an oil-for-goods swap worth $1.5 billion a month that would let Iran lift oil exports substantially, in defiance of Western sanctions that helped force Tehran to agree a preliminary deal to end its nuclear program. Russian and Iranian sources close to the barter negotiations said final details were in discussion for a deal that would see Moscow buy up to 500,000 barrels a day of Iranian oil in exchange for Russian equipment and goods. "Good progress is being made at the moment with strong chances of success," said a Russian source. "We are discussing the details and the date of signing a deal depends on those details." The Kremlin declined comment.
• Russia to argue ‘historical legitimacy’ in Northern Territories dispute
  AKIYOSHI KOMAKI January 6, 2014 – Asahi Shimbun MOSCOW–Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to Yasukuni Shrine may prompt Russia to toughen its stance on historical recognition of World War II events during negotiations over the disputed Northern Territories. A number of sources close to the negotiations said Moscow will explain the legitimacy of its occupation of the islands off Hokkaido in the waning months of World War II when talks are held between the deputy foreign ministers of the two nations in late January. Russia has emphasized two points in defending its position on the Northern Territories. One argument is that the leaders of the United States, Britain and the Soviet Union agreed at the Yalta meeting in February 1945 that Moscow would gain the Chishima islands, which include the Northern Territories, in return for entering the war against Japan. Putin has said that Russia’s aggressive role that led to the Yalta agreement was the reason for the long period of peace that has followed. Moscow’s other point is that Japan abandoned its claims to the Chishima islands, including the Northern Territories, under the San Francisco Peace Treaty. [Japan Russia] [Territorial disputes]
• High and low points in Obama’s effort to ‘reset’ U.S.-Russian relations
  Published: January 3 Four ‘reset’ highs April 1, 2009 Moscow opens an air corridor allowing the United States to fly supplies through Russian airspace to Afghanistan. April 8, 2010 The New START treaty, mandating further cuts in nuclear arms, is signed by President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Prague. It is the most significant achievement of the reset. [US Russia]
• The Waste and Corruption of Vladimir Putin's 2014 Winter Olympics
  By Joshua Yaffa January 02, 2014 The new road and railway to Krasnaya Polyana, the mountain resort that will host the ski and snowboard events of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, start in Adler, a beachfront town that has become a boisterous tangle of highway interchanges and construction sites. A newly opened, glass-fronted train station—the largest in Russia—sits like a sparkling prism between the green and brown peaks of the Caucasus Mountains and the lapping waves of the Black Sea. The state agency that oversaw the infrastructure project is Russian Railways, or RZhD. The agency’s head is Vladimir Yakunin, a close associate of Vladimir Putin. It oversees 52,000 miles of rail track, the third-largest network in the world, and employs nearly a million people. The 31-mile Adler-to-Krasnaya Polyana project is among its most ambitious, reminiscent in its man-against-nature quality of the Baikal-Amur Mainline railway built by the Soviet Union in the 1970s and ’80s across the remote taiga forests of the Russian Far East. Now, as then, grandeur and showmanship are as important as the finished project. Putin sees the Sochi Games as a capstone to the economic and geopolitical revival of Russia, which he has effectively ruled for 14 years. The route connects the arenas and Olympic Village along the Black Sea with the mountains above. Andrey Dudnik, the deputy head of Sochi construction for RZhD, is proud of his company’s accomplishment, given the region’s difficult terrain and the rushed time frame for finishing construction. “Few people believed,” he says. “But we did it.” [Olympics] [Putin] [Personalisation]
• Russia Warns of Nuclear Response to US Global Strike Program
  17:15 11/12/2013 MOSCOW, December 11 (RIA Novosti) – A senior government minister warned Wednesday that Russia could retaliate with a nuclear strike if a new US military strategy threatened its security. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said that Russia was “preparing a response” to plans by the United States to develop a new fast-strike weapons platform capable of hitting high-priority targets around the globe. He told the State Duma that the development of a global strike program was “the most important new strategy being developed by the United States today.” “They may experiment with conventional weapons on strategic delivery platforms, but they must bear in mind, that if we are attacked, in certain circumstances we will of course respond with nuclear weapons,” Rogozin said. He stressed that Russia cannot ignore the development of high-precision hypersonic weapon systems. Rogozin’s comment came a day after President Putin announced that 40 new Yars (SS-29) Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) would be added to Russia’s nuclear arsenal in 2014. The US administration under President George W. Bush considered the idea of a global strike capability, but abandoned the project over fears that launching an ICBM with a conventional warhead might accidentally trigger a nuclear war. [Deterrence] [PGS] [Nuclear-conventional]
• Russia and US in Middle East: Summing Up 2013 Events
  Nikolai BOBKIN | 31.12.2013 | 00:00 Summing up the main political events which have taken place in 2013 it could be said that Russia expanded its agenda to the global level trying to stabilize the situation and get off the ground what has been stymied for many years. The Arab world has said the Russia’s regional clout is growing while the US reputation is falling down. Americans don’t argue. A recent Pew Research Center conducted in partnership with the Council on Foreign Relations showed that full 70% of Americans believe the United States is less respected than in the past. The public also disapproves of Obama’s handling of Syria, Iran, China and Afghanistan by wide margins... The situation in Syria has drastically turned for the better. By the end of this summer it looked like a US strike against Syria was inevitable, now many politicians consent that Bashar Assad’s remaining in power is the best scenario for Washington. The Russian initiative on elimination of Syria’s chemical weapons was a starting point for changing the West’s attitude. Those days US State Secretary John Kerry sounded belligerent enough saying to the whole world that strikes on Syria could be avoided, if President Bashar al-Assad handed over his stockpile of chemical weapons, «Sure, he could turn over every single bit of his chemical weapons to the international community in the next week – turn it over, all of it without delay and allow the full and total accounting (of it). But he isn't about to do it and it can't be done». [Decline] [Strategic incoherence] [Syria] [cbw]

• What are the Europeans Afraid of?
  Dmitriy SEDOV | 20.12.2013 | 10:33 News that Russia has placed Iskander-M missiles in Kaliningrad Oblast near the borders of NATO member states has spread around the world. The West is keeping silent about the reasons for such a move. They are keeping silent about the fact that the appearance of Iskander missiles alongside Russia’s western borders is in response to the deployment of a US missile defence system in Europe. The asymmetrical response that Russia has long warned about has finally come. The military and strategic situation in Europe following the deployment of new Russian missiles aimed at the territory of NATO member states is changing drastically. Let us remind ourselves of some history. When the USSR placed SS-20 missiles on its western borders in response to the emergence of plans to deploy American Pershing missiles in Germany in the mid-1980s, Western Europe was horrified. At the time, Germany was engulfed by a wave of anti-war protests. Soviet diplomacy made considerable efforts to come to an agreement with Washington not to continue with the deployment of Pershing missiles in Germany with a reciprocal reduction of SS-20 missiles. It was only after this that Europe was able to breathe easily again. And now, thirty years later, the US is mixing exactly the same hellish potion, just with new ingredients. The nightmare of waiting for the Apocalypse has once again returned to the European people. The Russian Iskander missile, developed by KB Mashynostroyeniya in Kolomna, is currently one of the best tactical ballistic missile systems around. With regard to its capabilities, the Iskander-M missile surpasses foreign analogues in its class both in terms of its accuracy and the speed with which the missile is ready for launch. In addition, thanks to its unique stealth technology, the Iskander-M has a high probability of penetrating missile defence systems. The missile is also capable of high-G manoeuvres and follows an unpredictable trajectory. Washington’s reaction to the deployment of Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad Oblast was typically hypocritical. “We have urged Russia to take no steps to destabilise the region,” announced US State Department Deputy Spokeswoman Marie Harf. What can one say to that? The Russian government has long indicated that if the US EuroABM programme is implemented, the world will become a less safe place. While alluding to a mythical threat from Iran, however, Washington did not hear Moscow’s argument. [Missile defense] [Response]
• December 17: Russia, Ukraine Achieve Breakthrough into Future
  Victor KRYLENKO | 19.12.2013 | 00:00 The sixth session of the Russian-Ukrainian interstate commission in Moscow and the meeting of Vladimir Putin with Viktor Yanukovych on December 17 yielded the results to make one say with confidence that a revolutionary step forward is made in the relationship between the Russian Federation and Ukraine. The parties signed 14 documents to spur the process of mutual cooperation. A production cooperation protocol for 2014 incorporates commodities (and services) free of value added tax and excise payments, the list includes raw and other materials, manufactured goods and services required for joint production of finished products which are either not produced in Russia and Ukraine, or the production quantities fail to meet the needs of internal markets. This is a real step forward made to upkeep cooperation links and Ukrainian producers. It’s worth to note that the production facilities in question would be hard-hit (perhaps they would even stop functioning at all) in case the Association Agreement with the European Union were signed.
• Seoul may need Moscow to deter NK provocation
  By Chung Min-uck The execution of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s uncle Jang Song-thaek is causing concerns here that the North might soon launch its fourth nuclear test to turn the attention of its people to potential external threats. The U.S. last week officially stressed that its core policy toward that nation “remains unchanged,” saying North Korea must take concrete steps toward denuclearization before any negotiations can be held. Against this backdrop, some experts say South Korea must appeal to Russia to get actively involved in resolving the perennial regional threat posed by North Korea. “Seoul must strategically interact with Moscow in discouraging North Korea from developing its nuclear program,” said a foreign ministry official. “We have overlapping national interests with Russia, and the country has the potential to play a bigger role in addressing the issue.”[Provocation]
• Russia Strengthens Ties With Vietnam
  Analysis December 12, 2013 Summary Editor's Note: This is the first of a three-part series about Russia's intensifying focus on East Asia. Part 1 examines Russia's traditional interests in the region and its closer relationship with Vietnam. Recent challenges in exporting energy to Europe have made an orientation toward Asia more desirable for Moscow. Russia's economy depends on hydrocarbon exports, and while Western Europe is attempting to become less dependent on Russia by seeking new energy sources, Asian markets have large and indiscriminate appetites for energy. Although Russia's focus in Asia traditionally has been on China, Japan and South Korea, it also has ties to Southeast Asia, which remains a strategically significant -- though not absolutely essential -- area for Moscow's efforts to extend its influence and energy exports eastward. Notably, Moscow recently struck a spate of energy and defense deals with Hanoi in an effort to strengthen their relationship, open up new markets for Russian energy and balance against China's moves in Central Asia. Moscow's moves into Asia through Vietnam are proceeding piecemeal, paralleling Russian moves elsewhere in the region.
• Russia not to dispute Canada's claim on North Pole
  Xinhua, December 12, 2013 Russia now is not going to dispute sharing of the North Pole with Canada and other countries, Russia' s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment said Wednesday. "Actual delimitation of the continental shelf in the Northern Ocean is not today's or even tomorrow's issue," the minister Sergei Donskoy said in a statement published by the ministry's press service. Earlier this week, Canada revealed its plans to extend its territorial claims in the Arctic to include the North Pole, despite that it currently lacks enough scientific evidence to support the claim. Ottawa said it needed to do more work to ensure the submission to the United Nations, which has been put forward last Friday to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS), includes the North Pole. Donskoy said Russia, Canada and Denmark have the common [Territorial disputes]
• Putin dissolves state news agency, tightens grip on Russia media
  By Timothy Heritage MOSCOW Mon Dec 9, 2013 10:12am EST Russian President Vladimir Putin listens during his meeting with Armenian President Serge Sarksyan in Yerevan December 2, 2013. Credit: Reuters/Aleksey Nikolskyi/RIA Novosti/Kremlin (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin tightened his control over Russia's media on Monday by dissolving the main state news agency and replacing it with an organization that is to promote Moscow's image abroad. The move to abolish RIA Novosti and create a news agency to be known as Rossiya Segodnya is the second in two weeks strengthening Putin's hold on the media as he tries to reassert his authority after protests against his rule. [Media]

• Russians to Louis Vuitton: Get Rid of That Giant Suitcase on Red Square
  By Carol Matlack November 27, 2013 Louis Vuitton, the French luxury house, is facing protests over a giant replica of a steamer trunk it had installed in Red Square, Moscow’s best-known historic landmark. The 100-foot-long, 30-foot-tall structure was built to house a temporary exhibit honoring the 120th anniversary of the adjacent GUM department store. A GUM spokesman told RIA Novosti today that the store had asked Vuitton (MC:FP) to remove the structure, described by critics as “alien” and “indecent.” For now, Vuitton is holding its ground. “Louis Vuitton has not received any official request to dismantle the pavilion,” a company spokeswoman in Moscow said in a statement to Bloomberg News. “All necessary authorizations have been obtained in advance.” In a separate statement issued late today, a Kremlin spokesman said that the government had given no orders to dismantle the structure.
• Lavrov: No need for European missile defense shield if Iran deal a success
  Published time: November 25, 2013 12:33 Edited time: November 25, 2013 19:47 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says the US will no longer have a reason to build the long-touted missile defense shield in Europe, if Iran fulfills its obligations in the recently-signed nuclear program deal. “If the Iran deal is put into practice, the stated reason for the construction of the defense shield will no longer apply,” Lavrov told journalists in Rome. NATO is currently rolling out its new Europe-wide missile defense shield, which will include two interceptor bases close to the Russian border in Romania and Poland, with the first of the first ground missiles becoming operational in 2015. The bases will be able to shoot down short and medium-range ballistic missiles. [Iran] [Missile defense]
• A Eurasian Bridge Across North Korea?
  By Georgy Toloraya 22 November 2013 Russian influence on Korean affairs is often neglected in the West, regardless of the fact that Russia is among the four major global powers whose policies, to a large extent, determine the checks-and-balances system on the strategically important Korean peninsula. One of the latest examples of such an attitude is the public outcry in connection with Russian President Putin’s (who Forbes describes as “the most influential man in the world”) recent visit to Seoul, his first in 11 years. Reports of this visit seemed focused on “Putin’s arrogance,” demonstrated by his reducing the time of his sojourn in South Korea and being late for almost every function (of which, he is notorious so Koreans should not suspect they were singled out or discriminated against). Some analysts even concluded President Putin was showing his dissatisfaction with Korea as well as sending some kind of signal to Japan to act more prudently in East Asia (the countries which aggravate the situation there, implying Japan, were criticized in the joint Russia-ROK statement).[1] President Park Geun-hye (back right) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (back left) attend the signing ceremony to waive visa requirements between Russia and Korea, in Seoul on November 13. (Photo: Cheong Wa Dae) However, Russian efforts to make South Korea one of its strongholds in Asia and to play a mediator role in securing peace and stability in East Asia deserves more than such a passing dismissal. [Eurasian landbridge] [Putin]
• Russian Ministers Pay Landmark Visit to Egypt
  Andrei AKULOV | 16.11.2013 | 00:00 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu arrived in Cairo on November 13 for a two-day visit to hold separate talks, as well as meeting in the format of «2 plus 2» with acting president of Egypt Adli Mansour, Egypt's interim Defense Minister Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, Egypt's interim Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy and other officials. The «2 + 2» format is a new phenomenon in the Russian-Egyptian relations. The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement that the delegation would discuss «the full spectrum» of ties between the two countries, including «military-technical cooperation». The statement pointed out that this would be «the first time in the history of bilateral relations» a visit would be conducted in this way, «which confirms the high priority» that Russia attaches to these talks on regional and international issues as well as bilateral talks covering political, military, technological and economic cooperation. «The visit and discussion in such a format will be conducted for the first time in the history of our friendly relations», Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a briefing on Nov. 8. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Egypt's Al-Ahram newspaper on November 13 that for more than two years Russia had expressed its support for democratic change in Egypt. «We are ready to help Egypt in all the fields where it seeks cooperation», he said including the modernization of projects built with Soviet help in the Nasser era. Before the visit, the Russian Minister noted that Russian Defence Ministers had not visited Egypt for 40 years. «A visit by the Russian defence minister to a friendly country is a milestone event in bilateral relations», Lavrov said. «Naturally, within the framework of such visit topics for discussion include cooperation in the defence and military technical areas. The visit to Cairo by Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu will not an exception». Apart from that, the Russian Foreign Minister said that Russia was ready to cooperate with Egyptian partners fighting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, it’s an issue of paramount importance. «We are ready for such cooperation with our Egyptian partners; we are open for really efficient and systemic work». It is expected President Putin will pay a visit to Egypt, perhaps as early as in late November. [Resurgence] [Russia Egypt]
• Putin in Seoul pushes new ‘Silk Road’ via North Korea
  By AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE | November 13, 2013 South Korean President Park Geun-Hye (R) shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the presidential Blue House in Seoul on November 13, 2013/AFP South Korean President Park Geun-Hye (R) shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the presidential Blue House in Seoul on November 13, 2013/AFP Seoul November 13- Russian President Vladimir Putin was in South Korea Wednesday, pushing a pet project for a new trading route linking Asia and Europe by rail that requires prying open North Korea. The ambitious scheme envisages an “Iron Silk Road” uniting the rail networks of South and North Korea and connecting them to Europe via the Trans Siberian Railway. But it faces huge political obstacles, given the volatility of inter Korean relations and the international community’s struggle to contain the North’s nuclear ambitions through UN sanctions. Speaking to a South Korea Russia business conference during his one-day visit, Putin acknowledged the difficulties but said they were outweighed by the project’s potential advantages. “I hope political problems will be solved at an early date, as South Korea, North Korea and Russia will reap great economic benefits when it’s completed,” Putin said, urging South Korean investors to come on board. “This project, if accomplished, will help make a great contribution to the establishment of peace and stability on the Korean peninsula,” he added [Railways] [Peace effort]
• Pres. Park and Putin discuss political and economic cooperation during summit
  Posted on : Nov.14,2013 15:31 KST President Park Geun-hye shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin at their summit at the Blue House, Nov. 13. (Blue House photo pool) On Russian leader’s visit, two sides agree to work on N. Korean denuclearization and railroad cooperation By Seok Jin-hwan, Blue House correspondent South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to work toward resuming the six-party talks on North Korea’s nuclear program at a summit meeting on Nov. 13 at the Blue House. The leaders also exchanged six memoranda of understanding (MOU) for economic cooperation efforts, including South Korean participation in the North Korean-Russian Rajin-Hasan project and collaboration on finance, investment, shipbuilding and transportation, and signed an agreement to offer each other’s citizens visa exemptions on visits shorter than 60 days.
• Putin Plays Havoc with Diplomatic Protocol
  Russian President Vladimir Putin behaved erratically during his visit to Seoul on Wednesday, arriving 30 minutes late for a summit with President Park Geun-hye and making several last-minute changes to his itinerary. Seoul and Moscow agreed on Nov. 1 that Putin would visit Korea this Tuesday and Wednesday, but Russia informed the Korean government on Nov. 4 that Putin wanted a change in schedule, shortening the trip to a single-day visit. That means the government had to give invited guests for the official luncheon short notice that it had been moved. The Russians gave no clear reason for the change in schedule. Putin arrived at Incheon Airport at 2:50 a.m. Wednesday from Vietnam and rested in a hotel in Seoul. He met with Korean and Russian business representatives later in the morning and apparently told them his arrival had been delayed by typhoon Haiyan. But the Korean Embassy in Vietnam said the typhoon already passed on Monday and should not have impacted Putin's schedule. Instead, the embassy said, Putin had a packed schedule during his one-day visit on Tuesday to the Southeast Asian country, where he met Prime Minister Ngyuen Tan Dung and other officials, which could have delayed his scheduled departure.
• Will railway project lift ban on NK?
  By Kim Tae-gyu With Korean companies possibly set to join in a Russia-North Korean railway project, questions have arisen as to whether Seoul will lift a two-year-old ban ? called the May 24 measure ? on any fresh investments in the Stalinist nation. On the sidelines of a summit between President Park Geun-hye and her Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Wednesday, Seoul and Moscow signed an agreement on potential cooperation in the railway venture. [Railways] [TSR] [Peace effort] [Sanctions]
• Russian media: Russia can survive US blitz strike
  By Chen Boyuan China.org.cn, November 13, 2013 The United States' prompt global strike will be able to cripple strategic forces in China, North Korea and Iran in the foreseeable future, whereas those in Russia will remain intact, claimed an article in Russian VPK News. The story said Russian political and military leaders have become concerned about the probability of such an attack taking place since the U.S. is developing what is called the Prompt Global Strike (PGS), a system capable of delivering precision conventional weapon strikes anywhere in the world within one hour. According to the Pentagon's intentions, U.S. aircrafts and hypersonic conventional warheads will hence be able to strike an opponent country's nuclear silos and road mobile strategic missiles. Despite Washington's official denials that Russia would form a potential target of its PGS, Moscow still felt the urge to analyze the chances of the U.S. launching a blitz strike against the world's biggest country. Leaders from the Pentagon, the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), and the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) earlier in their reports confirmed the primary PGS mission is to target China's anti-satellite systems and any nuclear facilities or weapons in Iran and North Korea. The second mission on the PGS target list is to annihilate what the U.S. called "anti-intervention weapon systems," such as the People's Liberation Army's DF-21D, reportedly the world's first anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM). The ASBM is able to seriously restrict the mobility of any U.S. aircraft carrier battle group, meaning that the U.S. will have to destroy such a missile preemptively in the event of war. [Military balance] [PGS] [US military]
• Trilateral Rail Project to Dominate S.Korea-Russia Talks
  South Korea's possible participation in a joint railway project between Russia and North Korea will largely dominate the upcoming summit between President Park Geun-hye and her Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Running between Russia's eastern border town of Khasan and the North Korean port city of Rajin, the 54-km railroad is part of Putin's goal of turning Russia into a major transit route for trade between East Asia and Europe. The Russian leader has been calling for Seoul's participation in the project -- most recently in September at the G20 summit in St. Petersburg -- and the two sides are expected to strike a deal this week. The two leaders are also expected to discuss other forms of trilateral cooperation, including the construction of a gas pipeline running through Russia and North Korea to South Korea, as well as a similar project to build a three-way power line. The discussions come at a time when Seoul is seeking Moscow's help in persuading its northern neighbor to give up its nuclear ambitions. [Railways] [TSR]
• Park, Putin to hold summit Tuesday
  By Kang Seung-woo President Park Geun-hye will meet her Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Seoul, Tuesday, for bilateral talks that will mainly focus on economic and regional-stability issues. The Seoul meeting will mark the second time the two state leaders will meet each other since Park’s inauguration in February. In September, Park met Putin on the sidelines of a Group of 20 major economies meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia. In addition, Putin’s state visit has extra significance as it will be the first by a leader from the so-called four neighboring powers, which refer to the United States, China, Japan and Russia, since Park took office
• Peacemaker or Political Hostage? Prospects for the Moscow-Busan “Iron Silk Road Express”
  By Sabine van Ameijden | November 11, 2013 Cooperation and development via internal improvements: the Khasan-Rajin/Rajin (Rason district) railway | Image: PressTV As Juliette Morillot and Dorian Malovic observe at the austere beginning of their text Les Evadés deCorée du Nord, the point at which the Tumen River empties into the Sea of Japan feels rather like the end of the earth. Irrespective of national boundaries, Koreans have criss-crossed this region for hundreds of years, as laborers, migrants, slash-and-burn farmers, and observers. As a descendant of two such migrant-soldier-observers who spent four years in the Russian Far East, Kim Jong-un is well-positioned to open the gates to a renewed age of iron-limned cooperation between Russia and the state he leads. As Vladimir Putin shoulders his way into Seoul, Sabine van Ameijden writes a dispatch from the South Korean capital, where she is presently researching at the International Crisis Group. – Adam Cathcart, Editor-in-Chief Peacemaker or Political Hostage? Prospects for the Moscow-Busan “Iron Silk Road Express” by Sabine van Ameijden The DPRK’s northeast is once again the place to look for economic and political policy changes in the hermit kingdom. Since Rason Special Economic Zone’s 2009 rise in development, China has been the main investor in the borderlands. But now Russia is realizing its Eurasian dream by turning its gaze to the Korean Peninsula. The September 22 completion of the railroad between the Russian city of Khasan and North Korea’s Rason was a major breakthrough; infrastructure, it is well-known, has been a main stumbling block for the development of the North Korean port city. And the project will not end here. The ultimate aim is to extend the Trans-Siberian Railway, which will connect the cities of Moscow, Vladivostok, Rason, and Busan. [Railways] [TSR]
• "Transcending Mutual Deterrence in the U.S.-Russian Relationship"
  Paper, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School September 30, 2013 Authors: Matthew Bunn, Professor of Practice; Co-Principal Investigator, Project on Managing the Atom, Kuznetsov Valentin, Yuri Morozov, Gary Samore, Executive Director for Research, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Simon Saradzhyan, Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, William H. Tobey, Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Viktor I. Yesin, Pavel S. Zolotarev Belfer Center Programs or Projects: The US-Russia Initiative to Prevent Nuclear Terrorism Introduction Even as this paper was being written and edited, U.S.-Russian relations have warmed and chilled. Today, as we are about to go to press, marks a particularly chilly period in recent history, with the cancellation of a planned Moscow Summit in September 2013. To some, this cold spell might signal an inapt moment to consider issues related to transcending mutual deterrence. Such a view would overlook the aims of the paper, which attempts to assess the central and enduring interests of the United States and Russia, the extent to which they coincide or conflict, and whether or not in light of these interests mutual deterrence should remain a fundamental feature of the relationship. The analysis and recommendations offered below are based on a long-term view. The inevitable and transitory changes in the U.S.-Russian relationship cannot gainsay them. Indeed, at moments of temporary frustration or elation it is most important to think strategically about central and enduring national interests and how best to secure them. [US Russia]
• Russia to Up Nuclear Weapons Spending 50% by 2016
  © RIA Novosti. Sergey Kazak 15:45 08/10/2013 MOSCOW, October 8 (RIA Novosti) – Russia is to increase annual spending on nuclear weapons by more than 50 percent in the next three years, a parliamentary defense committee said Tuesday. In 2016, 46.26 billion rubles ($1.4 billion) is to be spent on Russia’s nuclear weapons systems, up from 29.29 billion rubles this year, according to the State Duma Defense Committee’s report on the draft federal budget for 2014-2016. The draft federal budget provides for a 60 percent increase in overall national defense spending by 2016, according to the report, rising from 2.1 trillion rubles this year to 3.38 trillion rubles in 2016. Defense spending in 2014 and 2015 will be 2.49 trillion rubles and 3.03 trillion rubles, respectively. The government’s 2014 budget, which Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has described as “very harsh,” was submitted to the Duma last Monday. According to the budget, which also includes projections for 2015 and 2016, Russia is set to record a budget deficit of 391 billion rubles ($12 billion) in 2014, rising to 817 billion rubles ($25 billion) the following year. Medvedev warned that budget cuts between 2014 and 2016 could amount to 5 percent in some areas. President Vladimir Putin has said that budget expenditure will have to be cut to take account of reduced growth forecasts, but that a sequester – a series of automatic budget cuts – is not on the table. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the budget would not mean any cuts in the Defense Ministry’s procurement plans. Russia is currently in the midst of its biggest rearmament drive for a generation, part of a massive overhaul of the forces including a move toward all-professional services. [Resurgence]
• Russia conducts large-scale exercise of its strategic forces
  On 30 October 2013 Russia conducted a large-scale exercise to check the readiness of its strategic forces. The exercise was carried out under command of the President of Russia. The exercise involved launches of ballistic missiles as well as missile defense and air defense interceptors. All launches were reported to be successful. The Strategic Rocket Forces conducted two ICBM launches - a Topol missile was launched from the Plesetsk test site and an R-36M2 (RS-10V/SS-18) missile from a silo in Dombarovskiy. Both missiles delivered their warheads to the Kura test site in Kamchatka. (Most recent launches of Topol and R-36M2 were conducted in October 2013 and in December 2009 respectively)

• Putin skips the East Asia Summit (again)
  October 22nd, 2013 Author: Artyom Lukin, FEFU The recent East Asia Summit (EAS) in Brunei was remarkable for the absence of two key world leaders — Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin. The reason why Obama did not attend was plain enough: the US budget crisis forced the president to cancel his major Asian tour, which was to include not only the EAS, but also an APEC summit, as well as visits to Malaysia and the Philippines. But it is much less clear why Vladimir Putin chose not to go to Brunei, especially given that just two days prior to the EAS the Russian president attended the APEC Leaders’ events in Bali — and even celebrated his 61st birthday there. It is striking that the Russian president failed to take part in the EAS for a third time running. Just a few years ago Moscow had vigorously sought membership in the grouping and was finally invited to join the EAS in 2010 as a full participant, along with the United States. Yet, although the EAS calls for the attendance of heads of state or government, Russia has never been represented at the highest level. In 2011 then-president Dmitri Medvedev did not attend the EAS held in Bali; in 2012 Putin chose not to travel to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. And now Russia has another no-show: its representation was lowered to the level of foreign minister, a post held by Sergey Lavrov. It should come as no surprise that another non-appearance by the Russian leader has caused some resentment among ASEAN countries, which view themselves as the driving force behind the EAS. According to a Southeast Asian diplomat, Putin’s absence ‘just reflects how Russia looks at ASEAN — that it doesn’t give much weight to ASEAN’. [EAS] [Putin]
• A Plea for Caution From Russia
  What Putin Has to Say to Americans About Syria
  By VLADIMIR V. PUTIN
  Published: September 11, 2013 ¶ MOSCOW — RECENT events surrounding Syria have prompted me to speak directly to the American people and their political leaders. It is important to do so at a time of insufficient communication between our societies. Readers responded to multiple aspects of an Op-Ed by Russian President Vladimir V. Putin, published by The New York Times on Wednesday, Sept. 11. ¶ Relations between us have passed through different stages. We stood against each other during the cold war. But we were also allies once, and defeated the Nazis together. The universal international organization — the United Nations — was then established to prevent such devastation from ever happening again. ¶ The United Nations’ founders understood that decisions affecting war and peace should happen only by consensus, and with America’s consent the veto by Security Council permanent members was enshrined in the United Nations Charter. The profound wisdom of this has underpinned the stability of international relations for decades. ¶ No one wants the United Nations to suffer the fate of the League of Nations, which collapsed because it lacked real leverage. This is possible if influential countries bypass the United Nations and take military action without Security Council authorization. ¶ The potential strike by the United States against Syria, despite strong opposition from many countries and major political and religious leaders, including the pope, will result in more innocent victims and escalation, potentially spreading the conflict far beyond Syria’s borders. A strike would increase violence and unleash a new wave of terrorism. It could undermine multilateral efforts to resolve the Iranian nuclear problem and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and further destabilize the Middle East and North Africa. It could throw the entire system of international law and order out of balance. ¶ Syria is not witnessing a battle for democracy, but an armed conflict between government and opposition in a multireligious country. There are few champions of democracy in Syria. But there are more than enough Qaeda fighters and extremists of all stripes battling the government. The United States State Department has designated Al Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, fighting with the opposition, as terrorist organizations. This internal conflict, fueled by foreign weapons supplied to the opposition, is one of the bloodiest in the world. ¶ Mercenaries from Arab countries fighting there, and hundreds of militants from Western countries and even Russia, are an issue of our deep concern. Might they not return to our countries with experience acquired in Syria? After all, after fighting in Libya, extremists moved on to Mali. This threatens us all. [Exceptionalism] [Putin]

• Russia demands DPRK explanation over ship incident
  Xinhua, September 22, 2013 The Russian Foreign Ministry on Saturday demanded the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) explain a latest ship inspection incident taking place in the Sea of Japan. A DPRK warship on Friday shot at a Russian fishing vessel without warning in the Sea of Japan before boarding the vessel, the ministry said in a statement. DPRK coast guards onboard the warship allowed the vessel, Altai, to continue its voyage after questioning the captain, said the ministry. No one was injured in the shooting, and the fishing boat was not damaged, the fishing company that owns Altai told RIA Novosti news agency. Altai, loaded with crabs, was heading from the port of Zarubino in the Far Eastern Primorye Territory to South Korea, local media reported. According to the spokesperson of the fishing company, coast guards from the DPRK "grossly violated international law on maritime traffic," as they started shooting without warning.

• Russia should use own electronics in defence industry - deputy PM
  By Alexei Anishchuk, NOVO-OGARYOVO, Russia, at uk.reuters.com, Mon Jul 29, 2013, (Reuters) - Russia's defence industry is cutting down on its use of foreign electronics as a result of leaks by ex-U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden, a Russian government official said on Monday. Snowden's actions in divulging details of U.S. government intelligence programmes had shown the need for arms makers to be careful in importing any equipment that contained software capable of transmitting sensitive data abroad, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said. Rogozin specifically referred to foreign-made lathes. "Those lathes contain software which can have certain settings. They could either shut down at some point or transmit certain data about the engineering parameters of an assignment (in progress)," Rogozin, who oversees the defence industry, told reporters after a meeting on arms contracts chaired by President Vladimir Putin. [Cyberespionage] [Trade]
• Minister of People's Armed Forces Meets Delegation of Russian Korean War Veterans
  Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- Jang Jong Nam, minister of the People's Armed Forces, Tuesday met and had a talk with the delegation of the Russian Korean war veterans led by Ya. V. Kanov, vice-chairman of the Korean War Veterans' Council of Russia.

• Putin Observes Russian War Games On China, Japan Doorstep
  Jul. 16, 2013 - 10:35AM | By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE MOSCOW — President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday inspected huge military exercises Russia’s army is carrying out close to the borders with Japan and China, in one of its biggest shows of force in the Asia-Pacific region of recent years. Thousands of tanks, 160,000 servicemen, 130 aircraft and 70 ships are involved in maneuvers that extend over a vast area from southeastern Siberia on the border with China to Sakhalin Island north of Japan. Putin on Tuesday visited Sakhalin Island, and state television showed him peering through binoculars at the operations alongside Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu before taking to a helicopter to watch from the air. Despite the proximity to two of Russia’s most important neighbors, Moscow insists that the exercises carry no hostile intent and are within international law. “I can report that no actions that would violate international obligations have been allowed,” said Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov, quoted by the Interfax news agency. The maneuvers are part of a series of last-minute drills that the military was ordered to carry out in order to check its battle-preparedness. The forces involved had to mobilize swiftly after receiving orders this weekend to carry out the war games. Antonov said foreign military attaches in Moscow were then immediately informed about the tactical exercises, which are due to end July 20. The defense ministry said that two Russian Tu-95 fighter jets, which carried out a seven-hour flight as part of the exercises, were accompanied part of the way by a pair of jets from both the Japanese and South Korean airforces. “The flights were made in strict accordance with international rules using airspace over neutral waters, without violating the borders of other states,” the defense ministry said. The new military drills come after Putin in March ordered surprise maneuvers in the Black Sea region involving 7,000 troops and dozens of ships to test battle-readiness. [Military exercises] [Media] [Double standards]
• ROK Air Force jets chase Russian bombers over East Sea
  By Kang Seung-woo Two Russian bombers were tailed by Korean fighter jets Monday after attempting to violate the air defense safety zone above the East Sea, an Air Force officer said, Tuesday. The Tu-95 strategic bombers tried to enter the Korea Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) at 11 a.m. on Monday and in response, two F-15Ks were dispatched to send a warning, according to the officer. Foreign airplanes and ships are required to get approval from Korea’s military before entering the KADIZ. The KADIZ was designated by the commander of the U.S. Pacific Air Force Command in 1951 to prevent air clashes between nations surrounding the Korean Peninsula. Airspace over Dokdo is included in the KADIZ. [Legality]
• S.Korea, Russia to Cooperate on Siberian Development Projects
  South Korea and Russia have agreed to cooperate in development projects in Siberia. The two countries also agreed to improve cooperation in trade, investment, resource development and agriculture, as well as in joint projects involving North Korea. The agreements were made in a meeting of a bilateral committee on the economy, science and technology in Seoul on Tuesday. Russia pledged to help South Korean businesses develop grain distribution infrastructure including silos in Siberia. The two countries will also conduct feasibility studies on linking power lines and railways between Russia and South Korea through North Korea. [Railways]
• Russia, DPRK consult nuclear program settlement
  Xinhua, July 5, 2013 Diplomats from Russia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) met Thursday with a focus on the prospects for resuming six-party talks on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. "The sides conferred on the current condition and prospects of bilateral relations and the situation on the Korean Peninsula, accentuating the nuclear problem settlement," Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Talks between Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov and his DPRK counterpart Kim Kye Gwan lasted for about five hours, the Interfax news agency reported. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov also attended the meeting. The ministry said joint efforts were needed on easing tensions and fostering the soonest resumption of the six-party negotiations involving the DPRK, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Japan, China, the U.S. and Russia.
• North Korean nuclear negotiator due in Moscow
  Published July 03, 2013 AFP North Korea's first vice foreign minister Kim Kye-Gwan leaves the North Korean embassy in Geneva on October 24, 2011. He was due in Moscow for a series of meetings aimed at reviving the stalled six-party process after months of tensions. (AFP/File) MOSCOW (AFP) – A high-ranking North Korean official with long experience in nuclear talks was due in Moscow for a series of meetings aimed at reviving the stalled six-party process after months of tensions. Russian officials said North Korea's first vice foreign minister Kim Kye-Gwan would meet on Thursday with First Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov and Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov. "We will discuss the prospects of launching a new six-party negotiating process," Morgulov told reporters on Tuesday. "Russia has always firmly insisted that the six-party process has no alternatives," he said. "We will discuss this with our North Korean partners." Kim has been a key figure in six-party talks aimed at persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear programme in exchange for aid and security guarantees. The negotiations began in 2003 but have been long dormant. They also involve the United States, China, South Korea and Japan. North Korea has vowed never to give up its nuclear power but says it is open to direct talks with the United States. Kim late last month discussed restarting the six-party talks in Beijing with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi. [Media] [Six Party Talks] [Russia NK]
• Russia to hold talks with N. Korea about ending its nuclear program
  By Greg Botelho, CNN June 29, 2013 -- Updated 2023 GMT (0423 HKT) (CNN) -- North Korea's chief nuclear negotiator will meet senior Russian officials next week to discuss ending the embattled nation's nuclear program, Russia's foreign ministry said. The talks involving Kim Kye Gwan, North Korea's first deputy foreign minister, and Russian deputy foreign ministers Vladimir Titov and Igor Morgulov will take place Thursday, the ministry said in a statement, according to Russia's RIA Novosti news agency. The meeting is "part of efforts to resume the six-party talks" related to North Korea's controversial nuclear program, according to Russia's foreign ministry. [Six Party Talks] [Russia NK]

• Russia reports pullout from small base in Syria
  By Will Englund, Thursday, June 27, 12:12 AM E-mail the writer MOSCOW — Russia has evacuated all military personnel from its small naval base in Syria, Russian news organizations reported Wednesday. The base, at Tartus on the Mediterranean, has been Russia’s only foothold in the Middle East. Although it is a minor facility, its importance has grown as Russia continues to support the regime of President Bashar al-Assad in its war against rebel forces. A 16-ship Russian naval task force in the eastern Mediterranean remains on post, reports said. Cyprus has made its ports available to the Russian fleet if needed. Word that Russian forces had pulled out of Syria first came in an interview with Mikhail Bogdanov, the deputy foreign minister, published in the newspaper al-Hayat on Friday. Russian newspapers and agencies reported Wednesday that they had confirmed the evacuation with unnamed personnel in Russia’s military and Foreign Ministry.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin talks NSA, Syria, Iran, Drones and Terrorism
  RT interview (FULL VIDEO) By President Vladimir Putin Global Research, June 16, 2013 RT Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has spoken at length with RT about the world’s burning issues, including war-torn Syria, Iran, US surveillance and terrorism. He exclusively answered questions from RT journalists while paying a visit to the channel. Margarita Simonyan: My first question is a bit immodest – about our channel. What are your impressions of it? Vladimir Putin: I have good impressions. When we designed this project back in 2005 we intended introducing another strong player on the world’s scene, a player that wouldn’t just provide an unbiased coverage of the events in Russia but also try, let me stress, I mean – try to break the Anglo-Saxon monopoly on the global information streams. And it seems to me that you’re succeeding in this job. I’d like to emphasize something of the key importance. We never expected this to be a news agency or a channel which would defend the position of the Russian political line. We wanted to bring an absolutely independent news channel to the news arena. Certainly the channel is funded by the government, so it cannot help but reflect the Russian government’s official position on the events in our country and in the rest of the world one way or another. But I’d like to underline again that we never intended this channel, RT, as any kind of apologetics for the Russian political line, whether domestic or foreign. Margarita Simonyan: One issue that at least our viewers are generally excited about today is the Snowden case. A man who is now being dubbed ‘a second Assange’ has exposed total surveillance practices employed by the American government. There are two sides to this story: on the one hand, that was classified information, which makes this man a traitor. But on the other hand, the information he has leaked is of crucial importance, primarily for the American public, and for the world in general. What do you think of that? Vladimir Putin: He told us nothing we didn’t know before. [Media][Putin] [Russia global strategy]
• Russia to create Mediterranean fleet to protect Syria
  12.06.2013 Russia to create Mediterranean fleet to protect Syria. 50314.jpeg During the Cold War, the Mediterranean was the most important area of ??strategic struggle between the West and the USSR. Many years have passed, a lot has happened, but the importance of the Mediterranean Sea has remained the same. Russia, a successor of the USSR, has lost some of its influence in the region over the years. It appears, though, that the country is not going to sit on its hands watching others taking its place under the Mediterranean sun. Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking in front of the military, announced plans to restore the permanent presence of the Russian Federation Fleet in the Mediterranean. Putin believes that such a move is not an act of "saber rattling." The president said that Russia had its own interests in the Mediterranean that are related to the national security of the country. The region is strategically important to Russia, and the country plans to deploy its warships in the Mediterranean Sea on a permanent basis.
• Russia may grant asylum for CIA whistleblower
  Xinhua, June 12, 2013 Russia may grant political asylum to a former CIA whistleblower who has revealed Washington's highly classified global surveillance programs, the Kremlin said Tuesday. "If we receive such a request, we'll consider it," local business daily Kommersant quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying. Edward Snowden, 29, an employee of defense contractor Booz Allen Hamilton, leaked to the Guardian last week details of how the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) "traced" millions of netizens worldwide, saying his goal was to inform U.S. citizens on how the government gathers private information under the so-called Patriot Act of 2001. Offering asylum to a former technical assistant for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), who revealed his identity in China's Hong Kong on May 20 and checked out a local hotel on Monday, would benefit the entire international community, local expert said. "Russia, as a sovereign state, can offer asylum to anyone it considers to be right," Chief Editor of the Moscow's National Defense magazine Igor Korotchenko told Xinhua. [Surveillance] [human rights]

• On the Foreign Policy Concept of Russia
  Alexander MEZYAEV | 15.05.2013 | 00:00 A new version of the Foreign Policy Concept of Russia was approved 12 February 2013. President Putin signed a decree regarding the development of this concept on the day of his inauguration, which clearly shows how much importance the Russian head of state attaches to foreign policy. There was a time when Russia's foreign policy concept could be expressed in a brief circular which stated that Russia had "achieved her natural development; there is nothing for her to wish for, nothing for her to solicit from anyone," and "it only remains for her to consolidate her position, defend herself from external danger and develop her internal strengths, both moral and material, by accumulating reserves of resources and multiplying her prosperity." That was in the time of Emperor Alexander III. Today the situation is completely different.Moscow's approval of a new foreign policy concept took place amid serious changes in international relations and the introduction of new foreign policy concepts by several large states.
• Russia eyes stronger naval presence in Mediterranean
  Xinhua, May 12, 2013 The Russian Navy plans to strengthen its Mediterranean task force and increase the number of its warships, Navy Commander Admiral Viktor Chirkov said Sunday. Currently, the navy is forming the headquarters of the Mediterranean task force, Chirkov said during a celebration of the 230th anniversary of the Black Sea Fleet. "We are selecting and appointing officers to posts in accordance with the headquarters structure. The headquarters will include twenty officers, mainly from the Black Sea Fleet," Chirkov told local media. The Mediterranean task force will comprise warships from the Northern, Baltic, Black Sea Fleet and probably the Pacific Fleet, Chirkov said, adding it plans to have five to six warships and support vessels from those fleets starting from this year.
• Russia's New Tip of the Spear
  What's got the Kremlin so worried that it created a Special Operations Command? BY DMITRI TRENIN | MAY 8, 2013 Addressing the Russian National Security Council meeting on May 8, President Vladimir Putin said that the forthcoming departure of U.S. and coalition forces from Afghanistan confronts Russia with a more precarious situation on its southern borders. Valery Gerasimov, Russia's chief of the General Staff since November 2012, who was also present at the meeting, had announced last month the formation of a Special Operations Command -- Russia's version of SOCOM. According to Gen. Gerasimov, the new command will include a special forces brigade, a training center, and helicopter and air transportation squadrons. These forces will be used exclusively outside Russian territory, including in U.N.-mandated operations. Creation of a separate SOCOM is not a new idea; it had been presented to Anatoly Serdyukov, who retired last fall as defense minister amid allegations of corruption in the Ministry of Defense (MOD), and who rejected it. The new minister, Sergei Shoigu, decided differently. What's behind this about face? [Special forces]

• The Korean crisis: The peak is over, what next?
  April 23, 2013 Ekaterina Zabrovskaya, RBTH Experts warn diplomats not to overlook the chance to continue talks on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The Korean crisis: The peak is over, what next? North Korean soldiers, workers and students place flowers before the statues of North Korean founder Kim Il-sung (left) and his son, late leader Kim Jong-il, on the 101st anniversary of Kim Il-sung's birth, in Pyongyang. Source: Reuters The peak of the crisis on the Korean Peninsula that threatened to escalate into a military conflict is behind us, experts believe. It is important not to let the “window of opportunity” close and establish a dialog with North Korea. Instead of the six-party talks, which many analysts think have fizzled out, one option is to call a large-scale conference involving a wide circle of countries. Is the worst behind us? Many analysts expected the crisis on the Korean Peninsula, which was triggered by North Korea’s third nuclear test in February, to hit its peak on April 15. This is the day North Korea marked the 101st birthday of Kim Il-sung – founder of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the grandfather of the country’s current leader. Experts did not rule out that a ballistic missile could be launched on the occasion, as a “gift” to the country’s leader and its people. But that did not happen. “The crisis is easing. Of course, it cannot be kept up forever, but tensions will persist at least until the end of the month, while the U.S. is holding military exercises on the peninsula,” Alexander Panov, senior research fellow with the Institute for U.S. and Canadian Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) and former Russian ambassador to South Korea, told a press conference in Moscow.

• North Korea impasse: Will there be the second Korean war?
  April 4, 2013 Alexander Vorontsov, special to RBTH Asian studies expert Alexander Vorontsov examines recent events surrounding the conflict on the Korean Peninsula. Vorontsov argues that North Korea’s belligerent rhetoric is just a warning – the country is actually more focused on economic development. However, the expert warns that further antagonistic steps taken by North Korea’s external opponents could escalate the situation. [Spring Crisis]
• Once Championed By Putin, Medvedev Falls Precipitously Out Of Favor
  by Corey Flintoff April 02, 2013 3:13 PM Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev appears increasingly isolated from the centers of power surrounding President Vladimir Putin. Analysts say Medvedev is the target of a campaign to wreck his reputation and drive him from office. It's a risky situation for the former president, who was once regarded as Putin's partner. The attacks have come from many directions. One of the harshest was an anonymous, documentary-style film that was posted on the Internet in January. The film, Game at Giveaway, accuses Medvedev of betraying Russia's national interest. It refers to the Medvedev's decision as president not to oppose the U.N. resolution that authorized NATO military action in Libya. Why, the announcer asks, did Medvedev give away all of Russia's interests in Libya, its military and civilian contracts, and its friendly relations with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi? Why, he asks, did Medvedev take away the gains made by Putin and give them to Russia's main rival, the West? “I think that Putin miscalculated the fact that although Medvedev was a weak leader, he served as a banner for the camp that was pushing in the direction of political modernization. - Nikolay Petrov, political analyst The film calls for Medvedev to be court-martialed. [Medvedev] [Putin] [UNUS] [Libya] [Russia confrontation]
• War and Peace on the Korean Peninsula
  By Alexander Vorontsov 15 April 2013 Reports coming from the Korean peninsula in the past few weeks have been disturbing and contradictory. On the one hand, tensions continue to escalate as Pyongyang and Seoul are locked in an upward spiral of threats to raze each other to the ground. This is the most severe situation since the 1968 Korean crisis, when the DPRK captured the US Navy spy ship USS Pueblo. Pyongyang’s suggestion on April 5, 2013, to evacuate foreign diplomats from North Korea for their own safety is also unprecedented. On the other hand, the March 31 plenary session of the Korean Workers’ Party (KWP) adopted a policy of economic development to run parallel with a further build-up of the country’s nuclear forces. This event was followed by a session of the Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA), which re-appointed former Prime Minister Pak Pong Ju, a supporter of economic reforms, to head the cabinet. These developments suggest that, rather than unleashing an all-out war, Pyongyang is in fact keen to develop its economy. Of no less importance is the fact that, for the time being, people in both countries continue to live their normal daily lives. In analyzing the current Korean escalation we must specifically look at two major recent events: North Korea’s announcement on March 8 that it was invalidating the 1953 Armistice and all associated agreements with South Korea; and also Pyongyang’s cutting of military hotlines between Seoul and Washington. International media reports have been primarily focusing on Pyongyang’s increasingly belligerent statements that an order had already been issued to deliver nuclear strikes against US military bases in different regions of the world and that North Korea is now at war with South Korea. This news certainly cannot leave anyone indifferent. However if we discard emotions and scrutinize the North Korean documents that are being cited by the media, we will find the following. First, just as was the case with similar statements Pyongyang has made in the past, the fresh threats clearly state that any military action would be entirely reciprocal, only to be resorted to if the country was subjected to an outside aggression. [Buildup] [Conditionality][Spring Crisis]
• The reasons for the crisis on the Korean Peninsula
  Alexander VORONTSOV | 12.04.2013 | 09:27 Tensions are rising on the Korean Peninsula. Pyongyang has decided to close the industrial complex in Kaesong, which is a joint enterprise zone with South Korea, and has suggested that foreign embassies evacuate the Democratic People's Republic of Korea for reasons of safety. Most significant in this series of steps has been the decision of the Plenum of the Central Committee of the Korean Workers' Party, held in March 2013, regarding legal confirmation of North Korea's nuclear status and the decision of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea «On further strengthening the status of a country in possession of nuclear weapons for the purposes of self-defence». The majority of media, while painting a vivid picture of North Korea's militancy, is not trying to understand the reasons why the conflict on Korean soil is currently escalating so dramatically. When they do try, they usually name Pyongyang as the instigator of all the troubles, stressing that it was North Korea's third nuclear test that triggered the «nightmare». Consequently, a pressing need has arisen to examine the real, underlying causes of what is commonly referred to as «the Korean problem». [US NK policy] [Buildup]
• Russian War Games send a Strong Message against NATO Intervention in Syria?
  By Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya Global Research, April 04, 2013 RT Op-Edge 3 April 2013 Is there a connection between events in Syria (maybe even US tension with North Korea) and Russia’s impromptu Black Sea war games that started on March 28, 2013? While on his way from Durban in South Africa, where the BRICS — Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — announced they were forming a new development bank to challenge the IMF and World Bank, Russia’s Vladimir Putin gave the go ahead for unscheduled war games in the Black Sea. By themselves the games mean little, but in a global context they mean a lot. According to the Kremlin, the war games involved about 7,000 Russian servicemen; Russian Special Forces, Russian Marines, and airborne rapid deployment troops. All of Russia’s different services were involved and used the exercises to test their interoperability. Over thirty Russian warships based out of the Ukrainian port of Sevastopol in the Crimean Peninsula and the Russian port of Novorossiysk in Krasnodar Krai will be participating. The objective of the games are to show that Russia could mobilize for any event at a moments notice.
• North Korea: Sabre Rattling Escalates to State of War
  Andrei AKULOV | 03.04.2013 | 00:00 The round of threats is taking on a more virulent tone than ever. On March 7, Pyongyang threatened to launch «preemptive» nuclear strikes on the United States. On March 12, North Korea threatened to «wipe out» an island in the South as tension on the Korean Peninsula has risen to its highest level for years. It announced that the armistice agreement has been nullified, Making good on its threats, Pyongyang appeared to have suspended the Red Cross hotline with South Korea, an emergency link for quick, two-way communication used by the countries in the absence of official diplomatic channels. On March 30 North Korea declared that it is in a «state of war» with South Korea. It warned that any provocation by Seoul and Washington will trigger an all-out nuclear war. «The long-standing situation of the Korean Peninsula being neither at peace nor at war is finally over», a statement said. On March 26, North Korea said that its military should be prepared to attack «All US military bases in the Asia-Pacific region, including the US mainland, Hawaii, and Guam» and South Korea». The North Korean state media announced that the country was going into a «No. 1 combat readiness status», the highest state of alert. The statement said the participation of US B-52 and B-2 nuclear-capable bombers in South Korea as part of an ongoing annual military drill was viewed as intimidation. On March 31, US air force F-22 stealth fighter jets were flown from a base in Japan to South Korea to join the exercises too. The announcement came days after South Korea and the US signed a new military agreement in response to what they called provocations by Pyongyang. The excessively strident rhetoric out of Pyongyang follows the adoption of U.N. Security Council Resolution 2094 that imposed additional sanctions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) for its third nuclear test on Feb. 12. [Joint US military]
• Korea: North and South on Verge of War
  Alexander VORONTSOV | 02.04.2013 | 00:00 The tensions on the Korean Peninsula have been escalating these days. A flow of tough rhetoric exchanges is unrelenting, Seoul and Pyongyang promise to wipe each other off from the face of the earth. The new phase of crisis was launched on March 8. North Korea pulled out of the 1953 armistice agreement and cut off the hot line with the United States and Seoul. For over half a century the unstable peace and balance of forces on the Peninsula had been based on this very legal infrastructure. Now North Korea has destroyed it. Pyongyang is launching bellicose statements. It is saying the order is given to strike US military bases in different parts of the world, including the United States territory, North Korea considers itself to be in the state of war with South Korea etc. It’s hard to remain indifferent having heard such news. At that! If we try to keep away from raging emotions and make a deep insight into the recent events, if we attentively study the cited North Korean documents, then we’ll see the following. 1) As before, the North Korea’s declarations make it clear the devastating strikes will be delivered only in response, in case the country is under attack. But there is ground to believe the words are a warning not to cross the “red line”.

• Russia warns against unilateral actions on Korean Peninsula – Lavrov
  30.03.2013 | 06:11 Russia warns against unilateral actions on the Korean Peninsula, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday. "Our attitude is negative to any steps from any side that in some or other way increase tension. We will monitor the situation," he said. "We will judge not by bellicose statements, which, by the way, are heard not only from Pyongyang, but what specific steps one or the other party can take, and only then we will take a position." The steps taken by North Korea – the missile and nuclear excesses in the form of launches and nuclear weapon tests – are prohibited by the U.N. Security Council resolution, the minister noted. "We actively supported the corresponding response of the U.N. Security Council to the actions." he added. The main thing is that the resolution has emphasized the priority of efforts to overcome the deadlock in the six-nation talks. The mechanism must work as soon as possible, the minister noted. "We are concerned that along with the adequate collective reaction of the U.N. Security Council, unilateral actions are taken to step up military activity," he noted. "We may just lose control of the situation. It is sliding into a spiral of a vicious circle,” he said. It is necessary not to build up military muscles, not to use (the situation) as a pretext to solve geopolitical problems by military means, but to concentrate efforts to create conditions for the resumption of the six-nation talks," the Russian foreign minister stressed.
• China Purchasing Russian Jets and Subs?
  By Harry Kazianis March 27, 2013 Yesterday various news outlets reported Russia and China had seemingly concluded a large defense deal with important implications for the Asia-Pacific. If accurate, the deal will be the largest purchases by China of Russian military equipment in recent memory – and some of the most technologically advanced. Such a deal has been rumored for several months. As CCTV explains: “According to the contract, the two countries will jointly produce four Lada Class air-independent propulsion submarines which will then be sold to China. China will also buy 24 Su-35 jet fighters from Russia. Experts say that the Su-35 will reduce the pressure on China’s air-defense before China’s stealth fighter is put into use. This is the first time China has bought important military equipment from Russia in ten years. The Defense Ministries of both countries have said that military cooperation between the two countries is of great significance in maintaining regional stability.” Such a deal would be a major boon for China, giving the PLA access to advanced fighter jet engines as well as possible advanced Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology for potential future use in domestic submarine designs. Beyond gaining access to advanced technology for later use, such weapons could be of deterrent value in ongoing disputes with neighbors in the East and South China Seas.
  Russia must also consider the long term ramifications of such a deal. While Russia and China have cordial relations at the moment, selling some of your most advanced military equipment to a possible future geostrategic competitor is always a risky proposition. Given China’s history Moscow is likely concerned that such technology could be reproduced and resold at lower prices, undercutting Russia’s own position in the arms export business. This is especially to be on Moscow’s mind given recent reports that China’s position in the global arms business has been steadily rising. While Russia may gain a lucrative arms sale in the short term, the long term ramifications must weigh heavily in Moscow’s strategic calculus. Could China have floated the idea of an agreement to put pressure on Russia? It’s possible. Or maybe Moscow just got cold feet. [Arms sales]
• Russia: No Deal on Sale of Fighters, Subs to China
  Mar. 25, 2013 By Wendell Minnick TAIPEI — Russia is denying Chinese media claims that Moscow and Beijing have signed agreements to sell Russian-made arms and military technology to China, including 24 Su-35 multirole fighter jets and four Amur-class diesel submarines. During a recent visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Moscow from Friday to Sunday, no discussions took place regarding “military-technical cooperation” issues, the ITAR-TASS news agency reported Monday. This was in response to an earlier report by China’s CCTV on the same day. [Arms sales]
• Agreements strengthen China-Russia ties
  China Daily, March 23, 2013 China and Russia signed a joint statement to strengthen their key partnership on Friday after President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow to start his first visit abroad since taking office last week. Despite the frigid weather, Xi received a warm welcome at the airport, which was blanketed in snow. The Chinese leader stepped off the plane with his wife Peng Liyuan. The couple wore dark coats lightened by Peng's blue scarf. The visit, during which more than 20 documents and deals were signed, will create the blueprint for future cooperation between Beijing and Moscow and "start a new era", experts and diplomats said. It also testifies to the two countries' solid political ties and will deepen tangible cooperation, they added. "China will make developing its relations with Russia a priority of its diplomacy," Xi said in a written statement released upon his arrival.
• China wants strong Russian army ties: Xi
  From: AAP THE new Chinese president has met with Russia's military leaders to reinforce the main message of his trip that the two countries must work together more closely if they want to counter rising US influence in Asia. Xi Jinping said his visit to the Defence Ministry on Saturday was intended to show that China and Russia will strengthen their military and political relations and improve cooperation between their armed forces. Russia's state media stressed that Xi was the first foreign leader ever to be allowed inside the Russian armed forces' Operational Command Centre. He began his trip to Russia - his first outside of China since becoming president last week - by holding talks in the Kremlin on Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Xi pointedly told Putin that he expected Russia and China to "resolutely back each other's efforts to protect sovereignty, security and developmental interests". Xi repeated the message in a speech on Saturday to Russian and Chinese students. "Strong high-level Chinese-Russian ties not only meet our interests, but serve as an important, reliable guarantee of international strategic balance and peace," Xi said in his speech before a full auditorium at the prestigious Moscow State Institute for International Relations. [Russia China]
• Russia shows little concern over North Korean nukes (for now)
  March 3rd, 2013 Author: Artyom Lukin, FEFU The international community has unanimously condemned the nuclear test conducted by North Korea on 12 February 2013. But the danger emanating from the DPRK’s nuclear and missile programs is perceived in very different ways by the key players in Northeast Asia. Whereas Seoul, Washington and Tokyo are extremely worried and want to impose harsher sanctions on the recalcitrant regime, Beijing and Moscow are obviously not ready to act tough on Pyongyang, even while showing some concern. Russian Foreign Ministry officials have made bland statements on the matter, and the public’s reaction has been muted as well. Overall, Russia’s reaction to the test in February was certainly more subdued than its reaction to North Korea’s first nuclear detonation in 2006, when there was even a mass rally of protest in Russia’s main Far Eastern city of Vladivostok. Russia’s soft stance appears difficult to comprehend. Many South Korean, Japanese and US supporters of a tougher line on Pyongyang believe that Russia has ample reason to be far more proactive on the North Korean nuclear problem than it is now.

• China, Russia oppose military action against DPRK
  China Daily, February 23, 2013 UN deputy chief says China 'could have a positive influence on developments' China and Russia expressed their opposition on Friday to any foreign military intervention on the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, as the UN's deputy head and Chinese foreign affairs officials discussed the tension. The two countries' foreign ministers condemned last week's test and said any action against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has to be agreed at the United Nations Security Council. "We are against the carrying out of a nuclear test in the DPRK," Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi told a joint news conference after talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow. "The UN Security Council should give an adequate response, but the action should be directed towards peace on the Korean peninsula," he said. Lavrov said China and Russia had agreed that it was "vitally important not to allow the situation to be used as a pretext for military intervention". [Takeover] [Military option]
• Russia’s Strategic Nuclear Forces and Deterrence
  Yuriy RUBTSOV | 18.02.2013 | 00:00 Rose Gottemoeller, the United States Department of State's Assistant Secretary for Arms Control, Verification, and Compliance and also Acting Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, has visited Moscow recently. The visit took place within the framework of the second round of the Obama’s reset Russia’s policy, which places the strategic arms control issues at the top of priorities list. «We will engage Russia to seek further reductions in our nuclear arsenals», Obama said in his recent State of the Union address. [Deterrence] [Missile defense]
• Funding Russian NGOs: opportunity in a crisis?
  Almut Rochowanski 13 February 2013 Russian NGOs have traditionally looked abroad for their funding, and are dismayed at recent legislation setting up new barriers to this practice. Almut Rochowanski argues, however, that this should be seen as a challenge to increase the involvement of the Russian public in the development of civil society. Russian civil society had not yet recovered from the upheaval caused by the notorious ‘foreign agent’ law (which requires organizations receiving funds from foreign donors and engaging in ‘political activities’ to declare themselves foreign agents), when the so-called Dima Yakovlev bill, signed into law by President Putin on December 28, delivered yet another blow: organizations receiving funding from the US and engaging in ‘political activities’ would simply have ‘their activities stopped’. ‘Stopped’ is, it seems, to be read as ‘temporarily halted’; the law has provision for an NGO to resume its work after it has discontinued its offending activities and renounced US funding. But even with this less than final threat, the spectre of months and years of frozen accounts, sealed offices and prolonged court battles is just about the worst-case scenario for the average Russian NGO. This newest law was adopted as a retaliatory measure for the US’s Magnitsky Act and, not surprisingly, reeks of mean-spirited hostility. It’s the same law that prohibits US adoptions of Russian children – the bill was named after a Russian child who died after adoption by an American couple. [NGO] [Russia] [US global strategy]
• Russia Slams N.Korean Nuclear Test
  Russia on Tuesday denounced North Korea's latest nuclear test. Reuters cited Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying, "Increasing military tensions in the region is extremely dangerous." Speaking in South Africa, Lavrov added, "North Korea should abandon it nuclear arms program." The Russian Foreign Ministry on its official website voiced regret that North Korea, its longtime ally, went ahead with the nuclear test. [test]
• Battle of Stalingrad: 70 years later
  Russia this weekend remembers the Red Army victory in the Battle of Stalingrad, defeating invading Nazi forces in one of the bloodiest battles in human history. [Photos]
• Russia marks 70th anniversary of end of Battle of Stalingrad, a turning point in WWII
  (hpr, File/ Associated Press ) - FILE - In this early 1943 photo, captured German soldiers, their uniforms tattered from the battle, make their way in the bitter cold through the ruins of Stalingrad, Russia. On Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013, Russia marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Stalingrad, considered a turning point in World War II. By Associated Press, VOLGOGRAD, Russia — An aged T-34 tank clattered into the center of the southern Russian city once known as Stalingrad and soldiers dressed in World War II-era uniforms marched solemnly as Russia marked the 70th anniversary of the end of one of modern warfare’s bloodiest battles. President Vladimir Putin came to the city later Saturday to take part in the commemorations, including a visit to the famous hilltop memorial complex surmounted by a towering 87-meter (280-foot) statue of a sword-wielding woman representing the motherland. “Stalingrad will forever remain a symbol of unity and invincibility of our people, a symbol of genuine patriotism, a symbol of the greatest victory of the Soviet liberator soldier. And as long as we are devoted to Russia, our language, culture, roots and national memory, Russia will be invincible,” Putin said at an evening commemorative concert.

• Russia, China Working On Deal Despite Property Rights Trouble
  Jan. 24, 2013 - 04:44PM | By WENDELL MINNICK Russia is in negotiations to sell the Su-35 fighter (above) and the Amur-1650 submarine to China. TAIPEI — “Once bitten, twice shy” appears to mean nothing to Moscow in doing business with Beijing. Russia was badly burned by China a decade ago after an agreement to build the Sukhoi Su-27/J-11A in China ended up being reverse-engineered by Shenyang Aircraft Corp. as the J-11B fighter. China’s decision to ignore intellectual property rights (IPRs) in the Su-27 deal ended further production of the fighter in 2004. China appears to have made no effort to hide the fact it was violating IPR and would continue to do so. And yet, it was recently announced that Russia is in negotiations to sell the Su-35 fighter and the Amur-1650 submarine to China. [IPR] [Arms sales]
• The rise and fall of China-watching in Russia
  Alexander Gabuyev 21 January 2013 Russia’s relations with China have long been governed by need and fear, even when they were supposedly linked by common ideology. Now China’s financial might means it can offer seductive loans to its cash-light neighbour. But Russia has so few specialist China-watchers to offer proper advice, says Alexander Gabuyev. In their time, both imperial Russia and the USSR were home to many outstanding sinologists. Russia today is very considerably more dependent on China than she was even 20 years ago, but the levels of knowledge about her eastern neighbour have fallen dramatically. This deterioration could well lead to miscalculations in Russia’s policy decisions as regards China, entailing significant risks for Moscow.
• Lavrov: 'Either secure Syria's chemical weapons, or arm its rebels'
  24-12-2012, 14:00 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov tells RT that Western powers' habit of dividing terrorists between "bad and acceptable" could have lasting consequences for the whole world. Syria’s chemical arsenal has become a central point of international concern since the country’s civil conflict flared up in March 2011. Syria is reportedly in possession of nerve agents including mustard gas, while NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen has already accused the country’s government of deploying the Scud missiles needed to deliver it. The worst-case scenario, as acknowledged by many governments including the US, would be for the weapons to fall into the hands of Syria’s various opposition groups – some of whom are affiliated with al-Qaeda. But to date Syria’s chemical arsenal is secure, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told RT in an exclusive interview. “Every time we hear rumors, or pieces of information come to the surface that the Syrians are doing something with the chemical weapons, we double-check, we triple-check,” says Lavrov, adding that the latest move concerning the chemical weapons was related to the Syrian government’s intent to gather and consolidate the dispersed arsenal in order to make sure that it is “absolutely” protected. However, Lavrov says it shows a “strange logic” when the Western powers involved in solving the Syrian crisis pin the full responsibility for the arsenal on the sitting Syrian government – “even if the rebels take hold of it” – and at the same time, continue to encourage the conflict by supplying the rebels with arms and money. Meanwhile, Western governments have begun distinguishing between “bad terrorists and acceptable terrorists” on the ground in Syria, refusing to condemn acts of terror there, saying the overall context should be taken into account to explain why people choose terror – an “absolutely unacceptable,” route, the FM continues. No war can last forever, and all wars finish in the same way: parties sit down to talks. This is what will happen in Syria – and it should happen as soon as possible, Lavrov concluded. [Heading] [Russia global strategy]

• Russia Faces New Missile Defense Threat
  Andrei AKULOV | 14.11.2012 | 00:00 It’s an open secret the locus of global military spending and global military power is shifting towards Asia. The US Asia’s pivot threatens to exacerbate the trend. Asian powers are beginning to transform post-Cold War economic growth into military might, producing more modern and capable military organizations. The bulk of new investment is in air and naval capabilities, a universal phenomenon. The purveyors of the most sophisticated defense technology start to come from the region. Japan, of course, remains constitutionally committed to 1% spending, but it is an enormous amount taking into account the sheer size of the Japanese economy. As a result new breakthrough technologies appear that are not limited by the region’s borders but have a global affect leading to a revolutionary turn in contemporary warfare. Japan is planning «to develop the drone, which will be equipped with an infrared sensor to seek out low-altitude missiles that could help detect a North Korean nuclear missile attack and to counter China’s military buildup», the Japanese defense ministry report said on November 4. According Yomiuri Shimbun, the ministry has demanded 3 billion yen ($372 million) over the next four years to develop the aircraft, which would come into operation in 2020. A portion of this amount is expected to be allocated in the draft budget to be decided this December. Taiwan and South Korea are already looking at the development with interest. Being a US strategic ally and having a special agreement on missile defense technology cooperation, Japan’s will provide full access to whatever it comes up with to the United States. It means an advent of a new killing component for Russian intercontinental strategic ballistic missiles (ICBM) is to be expected pretty soon. Now the issue of US (and allies) – Russia divergence on the issue is becoming much more complicated than it has been until now… [Missile defense] [Japanese remilitarisation] [Threat]
• Democracy in America today (I)
  Dmitry MININ | 03.11.2012 | 16:53 Who has more rights to human rights? Washington believes that one of the achievements of its propaganda and diplomatic machinery was that after a meeting in Helsinki in 1975, they managed to make the so-called «third basket» which in the main placed emphasis on human rights. Decade after decade, the United States used the «third basket» as an important weapon of foreign policy influence. Tectonic upheavals happened in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union in the late 80's and 90's. The twentieth century convinced the Americans of the effectiveness of the chosen instrument... In the end; Washington began to claim almost a monopoly in the field of human rights and the role of final arbiter in determining who is observing them, and who is not. And the more accusations put forward about others, the more hobbled became America`s own practice in this area. Claims to an absolute right, are absolutely ruined by absolute power. Russia has tried to respond to the constant assaults in this regard, but sluggishly, working on the principle: «You do not touch us, and we will not touch you». And then, finally, it looks like the ice broke. On October 22, 2012 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation presented the first special report on the human rights situation in the United States, and brought it to be heard in the State Duma. The strength of the document is that it refers to the systemic problems facing American society, and this is all illustrated by convincing examples. The report presented by the Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stressed, «That the treatment of human rights in the U.S. are is far from perfect, and even sometimes resemble something from another era». [Human rights] [Softpower] [Resurgence]

• Putin in Beijing: testing new political course
  Igor TOMBERG
  18.10.2011
  Though Vladimir Putin planned his two-day visit to Beijing (from October 11 to 12) as the current Prime Minister in the result but arrived there as the future president. It is quite symbolic that in his new status Putin made his first foreign to China where he definitely could not avoid speaking about changes in the Russian foreign policy, which is by all accounts turning towards the East. The receiving party, which traditionally gives Putin a warm welcome, has seized the shift of Moscow’s foreign policy and the commonality in setting strategic tasks on the global level…Beijing was very touchy upon the fact that the US’ Senate approved the bill aimed at making China revaluate Yuan. In such conditions the task to “reform the current institutions and first of all global financial institutions such as the Internationally Monetary Fund and the World Bank”, which was openly assigned by V. Putin, as well as the increasing role of BRICS countries in these processes set the guidelines for the Sino-Russian strategic partnership. [Russia China]
• Russia writes off 90 percent of DPRK's debt to Soviet Union
  (Xinhua)09:28, September 19, 2012 MOSCOW, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Russia has agreed to write off 90 percent of the 11-billion-U.S.-dollar debt owed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the former Soviet Union, Russian Finance Ministry said Tuesday. An agreement on the restructuring of the debt was signed on Monday in Moscow, deputy finance minister Sergei Storchak told reporters. DPRK owed former Soviet Union 11 billion dollars since the 1950s. Russia claims to be a legal successor of the Soviet Union which has built 70 plants and factories in DPRK and supplied the country with energy on subsidized prices. Moscow and Pyongyang have been negotiating the debt issue for four years without finding a mutually acceptable solution, said the Russian Finance Ministry. Under the newly-reached agreement, Russia decided to write off 90 percent of the debt and offered to restructure the remaining part. The remaining debt would be included into a "debt for assistance" exchange scheme as investment to be injected into Russia-DPRK joint projects in humanitarian areas and energy sector, said the ministry. [Debt]

• Kim Jong-un 'Visited Siberia Last Year'
  North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited Siberia last year, the ITAR-TASS news agency reported Tuesday quoting a senior North Korean official. In a speech marking Liberation Day at the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang, North Korea's Minister of Foreign Trade Ri Ryong-nam said this year marks the 10th anniversary of former leader Kim Jong-il's visit to Russia and the first anniversary of the "new leader's" visit to Siberia. Ri did not name the "new leader" but would evidently have been referring to Kim Jong-un. South Korean intelligence officials appear to have no inkling of the visit. At the time, they said Kim Jong-il alone traveled to Russia and China. At the time they reported that Kim Jong-un seemed to be on stand-by back home while refraining from official activities. It is also possible that Kim junior visited Russia either before or after Kim senior's trip, or that Ri's remarks were for whatever reason wholly inaccurate. Meanwhile, Ri pledged to expand economic cooperation with Russia, singling out the modernization of railways linking the North's Rajin-Sonbong Port with Russia's Khasan and cooperation in oil and gas projects. [Intelligence] [Russia NK]
• Kim Jong Un Sends Greetings to Russian President
  Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) -- The dear respected Kim Jong Un sent a message of greeting to Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin on Wednesday. The message said: I extend warm greetings to you and, through you, to the Russian people on the occasion of the 67th anniversary of Korea's liberation. Believing that the traditional relationship of friendship and cooperation between the DPRK and Russia provided in the hard-fought anti-Japanese war will steadily develop in the spirit of the joint documents agreed upon at the top level and in conformity with the aspiration and desire of the two peoples, I wish you greater success in your responsible work to build powerful Russia.
• Dispatch from Moscow: What to Expect When Russia Finally Joins the WTO
  July 26, 2012 by Jan Dirk Waiboer July 26, 2012One of the biggest remaining holes in the formal global trading system could be filled in late August. That is when Russia is expected to finally join the World Trade Organization. Russia is entering the trade body with dramatically less fanfare than China received when it joined in 2001. One reason is that negotiations have dragged on for 18 years. Another is that many top Russian leaders have seemed indifferent to the prospect until recently. But enthusiasm clearly is building. In our meetings with multinational corporations, executives say they are revamping their Russia strategies to take advantage of lower duties and more liberal investment rules in order to tap the growing consumer market, directly invest in industries such as insurance and telecom, and sell advanced equipment to the country’s burgeoning oil, chemical, aerospace, and telecom industries. Russian executives, for their part, are planning to take advantage of lower tariffs on all kinds of state-of-the-art capital equipment to become more globally competitive by modernizing their facilities [WTO]
• The Pussy Riot Flap
  by MIKE WHITNEY In March 2012, three women from the feminist punk-rock band Pussy Riot were arrested and charged with “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred or hostility” for staging an unauthorised and profane performance at Moscow’s Christ the Saviour church. The women who were arrested — Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Ekaterina Samutsevitch– claim that their action was not intended to ridicule the church or poke fun at religious believers, but to draw attention to political repression under Russian President Vladimir Putin. “We did not want to offend anybody…Our motives were exclusively political,” said Tolokonnikova. ???The trial of the 3 girls is now underway in Moscow where a verdict is expected any day. The prosecution is asking for a 3 year sentence in a minimum security prison. The trial has attracted worldwide attention and a number of celebrities, including Sting, Madonna and Danny Devito have spoken out on the defendants behalf. Here’s an except from an article in Reuters which appeared on Tuesday morning:??? “Pop singer Madonna urged Russia on Monday not to jail three women from the punk band Pussy Riot for staging a protest in a church, while jailed former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky likened their trial to a medieval inquisition.” (Reuters) [Putin]

• Moscow supports Kim Jong-un
  July 21st, 2012 Author: Leonid Petrov, University of Sydney Russia claims it is willing to link divided Korea through energy pipelines and electricity grids, but its economic relations with North Korea indicate a return to the Cold War politics of the past. In 1948 Stalin sponsored the creation of the DPRK in the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. The following year, Prime Minister Kim Il-sung travelled to Moscow to collect a loan of 212 million roubles at 2 per cent interest. Some of this money was allocated to build the centrally planned economy, but much of the funding was used to fuel the 1950–53 war against the South. After the end of the disastrous Korean War, the Soviet Union continued to help North Koreato rebuild its cities, industry and infrastructure.
• DPRK FM Spokesman Refers to Russian Roving Ambassador's Visit to DPRK
  Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry Monday gave the following answer to a question put by KCNA as regards the Pyongyang visit paid by the roving ambassador of the Russian Foreign Ministry: Grigory Semyonovich Rogbinov, roving ambassador of the Russian Foreign Ministry for the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, paid a visit to the DPRK from June 29 to July 2.
• Roadblock Removed—The Issue of North Korean Debt to Russia Settled
  by Georgy Toloraya June 29, 2012 Georgy Toloraya considers the implications of Russia’s recent decision to forgive 90% North Korea’s 11 billion dollar debt (USD). According to reports, the remainder will be transferred to the Russian Vnesheconom bank account at the North Korean Bank of Foreign Trade, to be used for projects that will promote the development of educational and health care systems and the energy industry. Toloraya notes that the absence of the debt problem will make financial arrangements for future projects, like the proposed gas pipeline, easier, but that the fate of such projects now depends on Seoul’s position, not on Pyongyang’s credit rating. [Debt]

• Russia to write off North Korean debt
  By Kim Young-jin Russia’s finance ministry said Saturday it has agreed to a plan to write off 90 percent of North Korea’s debt of $11 billion, underscoring what observers say is an interest to boost economic ties with the Stalinist state. The remaining 10 percent will be invested in joint projects in the impoverished North in education as well as medical and energy sectors, the ministry said on its website. The agreement over the Soviet-era debt was struck during a trip to Pyongyang by Russian Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak early this month and will soon be submitted to the Russian Cabinet for approval. [Debt]
• Pragmatism, transparency, multi-vector approach
  Sergey Filatov, observer with the International Affairs journal 09.05.2012 Right after his inauguration Russia’s President Vladimir Putin signed more than ten decrees of strategic nature which set the guidelines for the country’s development and the activities of the governing bodies. The documents, including Executive Order “On Measures to Implement the Russian Federation Foreign Policy”,[1] concern the directions for Russia’s development in both foreign and domestic policies, which are regarded as priorities by the head of the state. Let’ have a look at the key aspects of Russia’s foreign policy the President points out, how he sets the priorities, whom he sees as a partner and what tasks he sets. It is an extended document and it contains answers to all these questions. In the first lines of the document three principles are formulated, which must serve as a base for implementation of a coherent foreign policy of the Russian Federation that would protect its national interests. These are principles of pragmatism, transparency and a multiple-vector approach in “forming a new polycentric system of international relations”. Thus: pragmatism, transparency and a multiple-vector approach. Let’s try to expand it. Pragmatism means being guided first of all by Russia’s interests. Transparency - Russia’s foreign policy is open, transparent and predictable. Multiple-vector approach – Russia is ready to cooperate with all the countries, all the regions, all the international organizations and associations. It is important to remember that the Russian coat of arms has a two-head eagle, which eyes both the West and the East! [Russia global strategy] [Putin]
• Debt Deal Looks Like Set Deal
  Andray Abrahamian | Tuesday, June 26th, 2012 | No Comments » Russia has decided that if North Korea’s Soviet-era debt is never going to be repayed, it might as well not stand in the way of better trade relations and geopolitical influence. Over the weekend, Russia’s finance ministry said it has agreed to write off 90% of North Korea’s debt of $11 billion. This is a huge sum, obviously, equivalent to 20-25% of North Korea’s GDP, depending on which set of made-up statistics you like best. North Korea’s previous attempts -and failures – to free itself from the burden of Cold War era debt are well documented, including asking Hungary to write off 10 million in debt two years ago and, more curiously, offering to pay part of a similar sized debt to the Czech Republic in Ginseng. The debt that Russia holds dwarves the amounts owed the other former Eastern-bloc states. As such, it represents a huge victory for the budding Kim Jong Un era. Kim Jong Il’s “fun trip” to Siberia last fall to meet President Medvedev was partly about political succession, but was also in no small part about debt, aid and economic co-operation. It was then that the debt restructuring was agreed upon and now looks set to be implemented. [Debt]
• History’s Obscure Pages: The Plight of Russian Soldiers in Polish Captivity (III)
  Nikolai MALISHEVSKI | 15.06.2012 | 00:00 Part I, Part II Russian captives were exploited as a replacement for horse traction or sent to work as lumberjacks, road construction workers, or plowmen in many of the Polish prisoner camps. It was known that inmates, not horses, hauled carts when cesspits were cleaned in Strzalkowo. Russia's official envoy to Poland wrote on January 6, 1922 that “inmates were on a daily basis taken outdoors, and the people extremely weakened physically were ordered to run, drop into mud, and rise. Those who refused to or were unable to stand up after falling were systematically beaten with riffle butts”. The envoy's August 10, 1922 report from Warsaw read that “the punishments imposed on prisoners of war in Poland are deliberately barbarian. The lock-up cells are abnormally small and as dirty as pigsties, and are routinely used to contain 10-17 people. The inmates frequently suffer beatings with fists or clubs. The Polish side serially neutralized our delegation's attempts to get the camp administrations to soften the regime”. It must be noted in the context that Polish communists, of whom several thousands perished in Poland, were subject to similar treatment in the camps.
• History’s Obscure Pages: The Plight of Russian Soldiers in Polish Captivity (II)
  Nikolai MALISHEVSKI | 13.06.2012 | 00:00 Part I Contrary to the claims circulating in the Polish media, mass executions of Russian prisoners of war in Poland in 1919-1920 are not a propaganda myth. One of the earlies accounts of the massacres can be found in "Jak to bylo w armii austriackiej (How it was in the Austrian Army)” by Tadeusz Kossak who served in the Polish Corps which Austria created in 1914. The book describes the execution of 18 Red Army soldiers in Volynia by the uhlans from the Legion's 1st regiment. Polish researcher A. Weleweisky wrote in a paper featured on February 23, 1994 by Gazeta Wyborcza that Gen. W. Sikorski, subsequently Poland's premier, ordered to mow down 230 Russian captives by machine gun fire and Gen. Piasecki – to kill Russian soldiers upon surrender. Information about similar cases can be found elsewhere - for example, K. Switalski, an associate of J. Pilsudski, admitted that the Polish forces routinely butchered captives in the battle zones. Polish historian M. Handelsman, a volunteer in 1920, also mentioned that the Red Army commissars were always murdered instead of being taken captive. S. Kawchak who fought in the battle of Warsaw wrote in his “Eternal Echo. Reminiscences of the 1914-1920 War” that the chief of the Polish 18th regiment ordered to hang all captive Red Army commissars. Red Army soldier A. Chestnov, taken captive by the Polish forces in May, 1920, testified that all communists from their group of prisoners – a total of 33 people – were separated from others and immediately shot dead in Siedlce. Another Red Army serviceman, V.V. Valuev, captured on August 18 near Nowominsk, managed to escape and later told interrogators in Kowno (Kaunas) that communists, commissars, and Jews had been picked from the ranks of Soviet captives and one of them – a commissar of Jewish nationality - beaten and shot dead right away. Valuev added that cloths were taken from all of the captives and that whoever disobeyed the Polish legionnaires on any occasion was beaten to death. In Valuev's account, the captives were sent to the Tuchola concentration camp. Many of the people held there had wounds, with the bondages not changed for weeks, so that parasites bred in the wounds. Many of the wounded - 30-35 prisoners daily – died in the camp.
• Asia-Pacific International Relations Study Center, Khabarovsk
  Asia-Pacific International Relations Study Center (APIR Center) is an autonomous non-profit organization established by private persons. Now Asia-Pacific region is the third largest center of economic integration in the world after North America and Europe. It accounts about 60% of world Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 1/2 of world trade, 40% of the population, 1/2 direct foreign investment. Russia is geographically and politically presents in the Asia-Pacific region, but its integration with the region is extremely weak. Weak influence of Russia in the Asia-Pacific region is partly caused by a lack of awareness of Russian political, economic and other spheres of processes that take place in the Asia-Pacific region. Insufficiency of information about the economic and political situation of individual countries in the region, their attitude towards Russia and the degree of their readiness for wider cooperation with Russia.
• History’s Obscure Pages: The Plight of Russian Soldiers in Polish Captivity (I)
  Nikolai MALISHEVSKI | 11.06.2012 | 00:00 Last spring, the European Court of Human Rights issued a landmark decision that Russia was not guilty of the massacre of Polish soldiers and officers in Katyn. Apart from relatively minor aspects, Warsaw lost the case which was central to its historical agenda, but, unfairly, the Court’s ruling went practically unreported in the media. It would be a huge mistake to let the informational vacuum persist, with allegations and political bias dominating the Polish-Russian discourse. Complete truth must be revealed, and not only about the deaths of thousands of Poles in Katyn, but also about the plight of tens of thousands of Russian soldiers who were held in Polish captivity in the wake of the 1919-1921 conflict. The present paper was written as an attempt to shed light on the tragic and least-known pages of the history of the Polish-Soviet relations. Over 150,000 Red Army servicemen ended up in Polish captivity as a result of the war unleashed by Warsaw against the Soviet Russia in 1919. Moreover, counting political convicts, civilians, soldiers and officers of the Russian anticommunist White Army, plus members of Ukrainian and Belorussian nationalist groups, the number of inmates in Polish concentration camps topped 200,000. At that time, Poland ran a giant Gulag comprising dozens of concentration camps, train stations for shifting prisoners, jails, and detention facilities as in Modlin and Brest fortresses, the latter serving as a site for four prison camps. The network stretched across Poland and parts of Belarus, Ukraine, and Lithuania, with its concentration camps, most of which - Strzalkowo, Szczypiorno, Lancut, Tuchola - had originally been built by Germany and Austria, unequivocally described as death camps in European newspapers.
• Russia claims new missile can overcome missile defenses
  Russia says it conducted a successful test of a new missile that is meant to outwit the NATO antimissile shield and has a maximum range of 10,000 miles. By Fred Weir, Correspondent / May 24, 2012 MOSCOW Within days of NATO's announcement that its European antimissile shield is now "provisionally operational," Russia has claimed to have tested a new type of intercontinental missile that can outwit the new missile defenses. Russia's new threats may endanger Obama's 'reset' policy The new missile, which some Russian media said is named the "Avante-garde," was successfully fired on Wednesday from Plesetsk cosmodrome in northwestern Russia, and reportedly hit its target on the Kamchatka Peninsula, several thousand miles away, a few minutes later. The Russian Defense Ministry says the new weapon has a maximum range of about 10,000 miles and can carry a bigger payload than any previous Russian missile. "This new intercontinental ballistic missile is intended to strengthen the capabilities of Russia's Strategic Missile Forces, including its capabilities for overcoming antimissile defenses," Defense Ministry spokesman Vadim Koval told journalists. "The missile was built with maximum use of existing components with new elements and technologies developed during the production of fifth-generation missile systems, in order to shorten its development time," he added. In Pictures: Russia's military might Analysts say the new missile is probably a modification of the Topol-M, a modern, mobile ICBM that is well known in the West and is accounted for under the terms of the new START accord signed by US and Russian leaders two years ago. That treaty stipulates that both sides have the right to modernize their missile delivery systems as long as they remain under a ceiling of 1,550 deployed strategic warheads. The new missile reportedly can boost into space faster than previous models thanks to a powerful new fuel, which would presumably enable it to outrun any ground-launched interceptors from NATO's European antimissile system. [Military balance] [Missile defense]

• Fundamental Treatise on the History of Russia's 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War
  Yuriy Rubtsov | 08.05.2012 | 12:09 In 2011, on the eve of the 70th anniversary of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union which marked the start of Russia's Great Patriotic War, the country launched a fundamental academic project by publishing the first of the planned twelve volumes of the treatise titled The 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War. The final volume of the series is due in May 2015, by the 70th anniversary of the victory in World War II. The last collection of comparable scope saw the light of day in the early 1980ies, when the Soviet Union presented to the readership the 12-volume History of the 1939-1945 World War II. It was preceded by a six-volume collection - the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union - released in the 1960ies and, in the post Soviet-era, followed by the release of four volumes of The Military-Historical Studies of the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War. The latter was composed in the process of Russia's economic and political transition and under the conditions of a dramatic change in the social climate in the country, but, as the initiative originated in the former USSR, largely reflected the entrenched approaches and perceptions of the Soviet school of historical thought. The past two decades have been a period of time sufficiently long and rich in intellectual dynamics for the conditions to arise which clearly necessitated a new fundamental portrayal of the Great War. It must be noted that the theme continues to attract exceptionally wide audiences. ?ven these days - 67 years since the end of World War II - the majority of respondents in polls conducted in Russia describe the Great Patriotic War as the central event of the XX century.

• Navies begin maiden drill
  Global Times | April 23, 2012 01:45 By Huang Jingjing China and Russia Sunday launched a joint naval exercise in the Yellow Sea. The six-day drill, following six military exercises between the two nations since 2003, is their first formal joint navy drill. The exercise, themed as "joint maritime defense and protection of navigation," marks a deepening of Sino-Russian military ties and will help ease the regional tensions and prevent outside intervention in regional issues, experts say. A total of more than 4,000 servicemen and 16 vessels and two submarines from the Chinese navy, including a missile destroyer, missile frigate, support vessel and hospital ship, will participate. They will be joined by 13 aircraft and five helicopters, the Xinhua News Agency reported. Another four warships as well as three supply ships from Russia's Pacific Fleet, including the missile cruiser Varyag, flagship of the naval force dubbed as "aircraft carrier killer," will join them. "The drill has sent a message, one that hopes other countries in the region will cautiously deal with conflicts and avoid worsening tensions," Li Jie, a senior researcher at the Chinese Naval Research Institute, told the Global Times Sunday, adding that both sides have sent their top fleet elements. [Military exercises] [Russia China] [Warning] [NCW]
• Russia-China joint naval exercise starts
  Xinhua | April 22, 2012 10:07 By Agencies Admiral Vinogradov, a Udaloy-class destroyer of Russia's Pacific Fleet, arrives at a naval base in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, April 21, 2012. A China-Russia joint maritime drill is scheduled to take place from April 22 to 27 on the Yellow Sea. A welcome ceremony was held by China's Beihai Fleet at the naval base on Saturday. Photo: Xinhua Russian naval deputy chief of staff Rear Admiral Leonid Sukhanov announced on Sunday the official start of the joint exercise with the Chinese navy. Ding Yiping, deputy commander of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, delivered exercise tasks. This marks the first naval drill between China and Russia, following four military exercises involving the two nations since 2005. The April 22-27 drill, taking place in the Yellow Sea off China's east coast, involves a total of 16 vessels and two submarines from Chinese navy and four warships from Russian navy's Pacific Fleet as well as three supply ships being summoned for the exercise. The exercise will focus on joint maritime air defense and defense of marine traffic arteries, including subjects of joint escort, maritime search and rescue, anti-submarine tactics as well as joint effort to rescue hijacked vessels. [Military exercises] [China Russia] [
• Russians say they’ll keep trying to bring home arms dealer imprisoned in NYC terror case
  Elizabeth Williams/AP - In this courtroom illustration, defendant Viktor Bout, right, is seated next to his defense lawyer Albert Dayan at the federal courthouse in New York, Thursday, April 5, 2012. Text Size PrintE-mailReprintsBy Associated Press, Published: April 6 | Updated: Saturday, April 7, 10:55 AMAP NEW YORK — Russian authorities say they’ll pressure the U.S. government, including Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, to send home an ex-Soviet officer known as the Merchant of Death after he was sentenced to 25 years in prison on terrorism charges. The subject of 45-year-old Viktor Bout will be raised in talks with Clinton, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was quoted by the Russian news agency ITAR-Tass as saying Friday in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. An arms dealer once known as the Merchant of Death has been convicted of trying to sell heavy weapons to a Colombian terror group. A federal jury in New York City reached the verdict Wednesday against Viktor Bout. (Nov. 2) .“We are not being guided by a desire to take revenge but by the desire to ensure the observance and respect of the rights of our countryman,” Lavrov was quoted as saying. “We will actively support the appeal that Bout’s lawyers plan and in any case will secure his return to his homeland. We have legal instruments for this in relations with the United States.” Separately, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement: “The Russian Foreign Ministry is taking all necessary measures for the return of Viktor Bout to his homeland, using existing international legal mechanisms. This matter, without a doubt, will remain among our priorities in the Russian-American agenda.” {Arms sales] [Double standards] [Russia US] [Resurgence]
• Viktor Bout sentenced to 25 years in prison
  Russian arms dealer known as 'the Merchant of Death' convicted on terrorism charges resulting from a US sting operation Share 38 reddit this Associated Press guardian.co.uk, Thursday 5 April 2012 23.32 BST Article history Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout, the 'Merchant of Death' has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. Photograph: AP Viktor Bout, the notorious Russian arms dealer dubbed 'the Merchant of Death', has been sentenced to 25 years in prison following his conviction on terrorism charges resulting from a US sting operation. Bout, 45, had faced a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison and a maximum life sentence when he faced US district judge Shira Scheindlin in Manhattan. He was arrested in Thailand four years ago, and held there until his extradition to the US for trial in late 2010. The judge also ordered a $15m forfeiture. The sentencing came after the government portrayed Bout as one of the world's worst villains, capable of empowering dictators in war-torn countries by supplying weapons that they could turn on their own people [Arms sales] [Double standards] [Extraterritoriality]
• Rajin-Khassan Cargo Train Service to Begin in October
  Pyongyang, April 2 (KCNA) -- A Rajin-Khassan cargo train service will run from October this year. Kim Chang Sik, a department director of the DPRK Ministry of Railways, told KCNA that the laying of railroad and renovation of railway stations, tunnels and communications facilities are now under way in the section. The railway project was highlighted in the historic DPRK-Russia Moscow Declaration, which was signed in August 2001, he said, adding: In line with the declaration, a cooperation agreement between the DPRK Ministry of Railways and the Russia Railway Holding Corporation was concluded in April 2008 to be followed by an agreement on joint venture between Rajin Port and the Corporation. A contract on the lease of the Rajin-Tumangang railway was made between the Ministry's Eastern Railway Ryonun Company and the Rason International Joint Venture Container Terminal, under which the 54 km-section has been rebuilt into a mixed track from October 2008. A trial train service took place in October 2011 between Rajin of the DPRK and Khassan of Russia. At least 100 000 containers will be yearly carried along the line. This section will serve as an international railway container transport line linking Northeast Asia with Europe. [Railway] [TSR]
• Russia Warns of Response to U.S. Missile Shield
  Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says Russia will aim missiles at U.S. anti-missile sites in eastern Europe if the United States does not heed Russian concerns about its missile defense plans. Medvedev said in a televised statement Wednesday that Russia will deploy long-range missiles in the southern and western parts of the country if it fails to agree with the United States on its plans for an anti-missile shield. [Missile defense]

• Putin's Russia Presents Worries and Opportunities
  Han Sung-joo Vladimir Putin has become Russian president for the third time after winning an overwhelming 63 percent of the votes in election early this month. Putin was also elected president in 2000 and in 2004, and in 2008 only handed the presidency to his sidekick Dmitry Medvedev to become prime minister instead. Under the revised constitution, Putin can now hold the presidency again for the next six years and up to 12 years if he is re-elected.
• Russia looks to the Pacific in 2012
  March 6th, 2012 Author: Artyom Lukin, Far Eastern Federal University Russia’s foreign ambitions have been directed almost entirely westward throughout its long history. And while relations with the West continue to dominate Moscow’s foreign policy, recent developments suggest that Russian policy makers are now reassessing the importance of the Asia Pacific region. In the last decade, Russia has actively engaged with its neighbours through multilateral cooperation and efforts at economic integration. This year, Moscow’s new Pacific strategy will be highlighted as Russia hosts the 2012 APEC Summit in its principal Pacific city, Vladivostok
• Why Putin is driving Washington nuts
  By Pepe Escobar Forget the past (Saddam, Osama, Gaddafi) and the present (Assad, Ahmadinejad). A bet can be made over a bottle of Petrus 1989 (the problem is waiting the next six years to collect); for the foreseeable future, Washington's top bogeyman - and also for its rogue North Atlantic Treaty Organization partners and assorted media shills - will be none other than back-to-the-future Russian President Vladimir Putin. And make no mistake; Vlad the Putinator will relish it. He's back exactly where he wants to be; as Russia's commander-in-chief, in charge of the military, foreign policy and all national security matters [Putin]
• North Korean vice foreign minister visiting Moscow and Beijing
  Ri Yong-ho apparently improving relations with US, Russia and China, while North-South relations remain frozen By Kwon Tae-ho, Washington correspondent in New York North Korean vice foreign minister Ri Yong-ho departed Monday for Moscow after attending a seminar on Korean Peninsula security in New York organized by Germany’s Friedrich Ebert Foundation and others. Ri flew out of New York Monday on Aeroflot Flight 316, which left John F. Kennedy Airport at 8:05 pm. He arrived in Moscow at 1:25 pm Tuesday. Ri is expected to meet with Igor Margulov, the Russian foreign ministry’s vice minister for Asia-Pacific affairs and Ri‘s counterpart in six-party talks. After visiting Moscow, Ri is expected to visit China to meet with officials involved in the six-party talks. Observers are predicting North Korea will speed up efforts to resume the talks. After that, Ri is believed be to heading to Beijing for discussions on the talks with Chinese special representative for Korean Peninsula affairs Wu Dawei before returning to Pyongyang. Ri initially scheduled a return flight when coming to New York from Beijing, but ended up canceling from the US and booking a new flight for Moscow, sources reported. Analysts believe Ri will be sharing the outcome of the New York seminar with Moscow and Beijing and soliciting their cooperation on the normalization of Pyongyang-Washington relations and the resumption of the six-party talks

• In Russia, Putin allies sharpen anti-American attacks ahead of elections
  View Photo Gallery — Can U.S.-Russian relations withstand the damage from a new wave of anti-Americanism sparked by Vladi­mir Putin? View photos of Putin’s rise and rule. Text Size PrintE-mailReprintsBy Kathy Lally, Published: February 17 MOSCOW — A nasty spate of anti-Americanism set off by Vladimir V. Putin has grown into waves of attacks aimed at the new American ambassador and Russian opposition leaders, raising questions about the future of U.S.-Russian relations. The attacks started just before the December parliamentary elections and have intensified as the March 4 presidential vote approaches. Although widely viewed as aimed primarily at a domestic audience, they have grown shriller and more aggressive, provoking debate about whether Russia is deliberately giving a cold shoulder to President Obama’s effort to promote more productive relations. Tens of thousands of people filled the streets after December’s parliamentary elections to demand government reform and continue to pressure Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. .A main target of the attacks is Michael McFaul, the new ambassador, a longtime democracy advocate and Russia expert who as a top aide to Obama has been an architect of what the White House calls a “reset’’ with Moscow. [Putin] [Inversion] [Media]
• The Tug of War in Moscow
  by Israel Shamir Moscow For a month, Moscow was bracing itself for the February 4 Rally. It was pre-planned and prepared by the anti-Putin pro-Western liberal opposition. Despite sub-zero Fahrenheit (minus 20 degrees Centigrade) arctic frost, the organizers hoped to break their pre-Christmas record and gather a huge crowd and a procession to shatter the will of the government supporters. They had bought up all the thermal underwear in the city stores, joined forces with anti-Muslim nationalists of Pym Fortuyn kind, and marched in strength probably exceeding the previous rallies. Police counted them at 38,000; by their own calculation they were up at 60,000. But the surprise of the day loomed elsewhere. While the pro-Western opposition gathered on the Bolotnaya Heath («Marais») just across the river from the Kremlin’s red crenelated walls, a small demo was also planned as a token of government support on the Poklonnaya Hill, overlooking Moscow from the west. The White Fronde of the Heath applied for a 60,000 rally permit and made it; pro-government forces planned for 15,000, and even this assessment was considered too optimistic: a previous pro-government rally made between three to five thousand. Indeed, demos are good “against”, not “for” the government. But the Poklonnaya Hill demo turned something completely different – the rally of the opposition to the White Fronde. And this rally had 138,000 participants, by the police count, almost ten times more than predicted. Vechernyya Moskva, a city paper, ran a huge headline 138 000 : 36 000 Putin Leads. Echo Moskvy, the voice of the Orange, liberal opposition, gave 62, 000 Bolotnaya vs 80, 000 Poklonnaya. There’s the usual gap in assessments partly due to methods of counting. One can count how many people were located on the square at any given time (this will be a low estimate) but it is just a guess how many people came and went away; perhaps the flow was high. By this guess you can reach a very high estimate. I would guess that on Bolotnaya there was a considerable flow: it is a downtown place, easy to come, easy to go. Probably Poklonnaya would have less flow, as it is an out-of-town place, hard to get there, hard to leave. So my estimate would be 50,000 on Bolotnaya, and 110,000 on Poklonnaya. Though precise numbers are being argued over, the numerical victory of Poklonnaya was accepted by the Boloto people. [Putin] [Subversion] [Media]

• Russia pulls out of Korea fighter project
  By Lee Tae-hoon Russia will not enter Korea’s advanced jet acquisition project as none of its aircraft manufacturers including Sukhoi expressed their intent to join the heated competition, officials here said. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) listed Sukhoi’s T-50 PAK-FA in July last year as one of the four contenders to have expressed an interest in joining the open bidding worth 8.29 trillion won ($7.3 billion) along with Boeing, Lockheed Martin and the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS). [Arms sales]
• Russia asserting itself against West, this time over Syria regime change
  By Colum Lynch, Published: January 29 UNITED NATIONS — With the United States and its allies pressing President Bashar al-Assad to step down, the Arab League last week issued a detailed plan for a political transition in Syria. The plan was welcomed by the Obama administration, and Arab leaders quickly said they would refer it to the United Nations. And a day later, Russia had its say: Not a chance. .“This is an effort from the Arab League, if I understand correctly, to sort of already put a precooked solution on the table,” said Vitaly I. Churkin, Moscow’s envoy to the United Nations. “I understand that the attitude of Damascus to that has been negative.” [Syria] [Resurgence]
• Situation in DPRK Is Peaceful as It Was: Russian Foreign Minister
  Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- Moscow did not see any sign that the situation on the DPRK is likely to develop in the direction of instability, said Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, when interviewed by Kyodo News on Thursday. He continued: According to the information we have received, the situation on the DPRK is peaceful as it was before. After its mourning period, the life in the DPRK has gradually returned to normal. It is our view that the announcement of Kim Jong Un's assumption of the supreme commandership of the Korean People's Army showed a smooth transition of power. Therefore, there is no sign that the situation in the DPRK is likely to develop in the direction of instability. As a close neighbor, Russia is interested in maintaining and developing political and economic relations with the DPRK. This was mentioned in the condolence message sent by President Medvedev, in particular, over the passing of Kim Jong Il. As far as the settlement of the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula is concerned, we are sure that there is no other alternative but to find a political and diplomatic solution to the issue within the framework of the six-party talks. Russia and other parties to the talks are seeking a reasonable way for restarting the talks. What is important, I think, is for all parties to be most prudent and exercise maximum restraint in their actions on the Peninsula and in its vicinity so that the tension is not escalated again. Lavrov's remarks amount to Russia's total denial of the misinformation about "the instability of the system" in the DPRK, etc. spread by hostile forces. [Transition]
• First stage of reconstruction of North Korea – Russia rail line completed
  14 Oct 2011 · by A. Samuel · in Rail News, Rail Projects · 0 Comments On October 13, the first stage of reconstruction of the railway between Hasan, Russia and Rajin, North Korea was completed. This section of the railway is part of a pilot project to restore the entire Trans-Korean line and connect it to the Trans-Siberian Railway. The project will also set up the port of Rajin as a major transit hub, said Russian Railways Senior Vice President Valeriy Reshetnikov. For three years, specialists from the Russian and Korean railway networks have worked together, and accomplished much. [Railways] [TSR]
• NK renews commitment to gas pipeline project with Russia
  MOSCOW (Yonhap) -- Top North Korean officials have vowed to move ahead with an ambitious project to build a pipeline through their isolated country to ship Siberian gas to South Korea. The North Korean officials reaffirmed their commitment to Russia following the death last month of their former leader Kim Jong-il, according to a diplomatic source in Moscow, without identifying the North Korean officials. Russia's Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko conveyed the North's intention to the South Korean ambassador to Moscow, Wi Sung-lac, on Wednesday, the source said. [Pipeline]
• Caught in Turbulence
  Elena PONOMAREVA | 23.01.2012 | 00:00 “The world has entered the era of thorough transformation. Geopolitical landscape is radically evolving, and those changes are accompanied by the growing turbulence both globally and regionally”, said Russian diplomacy chief Sergey Lavrov at the opening of the media conference which convened at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on January 18, 2012 to draw the line under the key developments of 2011. As a country tightly integrated into the global economy Russia is, similarly to the rest of the world, exposed to the sweeping turbulence. As a result, Moscow's foreign-policy priorities have to depend on the answer to the pressing question: what should the country do to preserve its statehood in the epoch of globalization and mounting challenges to the principle of national sovereignty which for decades served as the foundation of the world order? By doing so, Russia has a potential to prevent a global slide into a new conflict and unrestrained chaos, and Moscow indeed has a solution to offer, though this solution obviously runs against the plans of some international policy players. [Resurgence]
• Any conflict on Iran is a direct threat to Russia’s security – Rogozin
  13 January, 2012, 22:55 Edited: 14 January, 2012, 17:51 The escalating conflict around Iran should be contained by common effort, otherwise the promising Arab Spring will grow into a “scorching Arab Summer,” says Dmitry Rogozin, Russia’s former envoy to NATO. ­“Iran is our close neighbor, just south of the Caucasus. Should anything happen to Iran, should Iran get drawn into any political or military hardships, this will be a direct threat to our national security,” stressed Rogozin. Dmitry Rogozin, who served as Russia’s special envoy to NATO in 2008-2011, was appointed deputy prime minister by Vladimir Putin in December. On Friday he was bidding farewell to his NATO colleagues in the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels. As for Syria, if NATO persists in interfering in its affairs, a catastrophe will be hard to avoid, said Rogozin, talking to journalists on the premises of the Russian mission to the alliance. “The example of Libya should have cooled everybody down in matters dealing with foreign civil wars,” he said, stressing that this is his personal point of view.
• Not quite a foe, U.S. looms large in Russian world view
  Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters - Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said a Western military strike on Iran would be a "catastrophe" that would aggravate dangerous divisions already present in the Muslim world. Text Size PrintE-mailReprintsBy Will Englund, Thursday, January 19, 4:34 AM MOSCOW — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pushed back against U.S. policy on a wide range of topics Wednesday, from Syria to Iran to child adoption, his remarks coming on the heels of a program on state-run television attacking the new American ambassador, Michael McFaul. The five-minute segment on McFaul concentrated on his role with the National Democratic Institute promoting democracy in Russia in the 1990s. It overlooked his work of the past three years, when he was coordinating the Obama administration’s policy on Russia for the National Security Council and largely responsible for the “reset” in relations. [Russia global strategy]
• Nigeria with Nukes
  By John Feffer, January 3, 2012 John F. Kennedy essentially bought his way into politics. His father, the wealthy Joseph Kennedy, picked out a nice congressional seat in Massachusetts and basically paid the occupant of the position to step down and run instead for the Boston mayoralty. JFK’s father then tried to pay off the Democratic frontrunner to drop out of the race, and when that didn’t work, persuaded William Randolph Hearst not to run any of the candidate’s ads or pictures in Hearst-owned newspapers. Joe Kennedy even paid a janitor named Joseph Russo to run in the race in order to dilute support for another leading candidate named Joseph Russo. Recognizing the importance of PR, the Kennedy family contributed $600,000 – an enormous sum in 1946 – for a children’s hospital in the district where JFK was running for office. [Corruption] [Democracy] [Russia bashing] [Putin]

• China finds promise and setbacks in pursuit of Russian energy
  MOSCOW — At exactly 48 minutes past midnight on Jan. 1, Russia did something it had never done before: It began pumping oil to China across a 2,600-mile border that once bristled with tanks, troops and nerve-shredding tension. The oil flowed from eastern Siberia through a newly completed pipeline, the first such link between the world’s largest petroleum producer and its biggest energy consumer — and a symbol of what the two giant neighbors hail as a perfect symmetry of interests. .“We and the Chinese need each other,” said Nikolai Tokarev, the head of Transneft, a state company responsible for the Russian portion of the pipeline. “They need oil, and we need a market,” added the Russian, a longtime associate of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. [Energy] [Russia China]
• Post-Kim Jong Il DPRK
  Alexander VORONTSOV | 25.12.2011 | 20:20 The death of Kim Jong Il two months before his 70th birthday grabbed the headlines worldwide. False reports of his death had been a recurrent phenomenon, but his passing, when it did happen, came unexpectedly. The communist leader's death possibly marks a watershed moment between distinct epochs in the history of the DPRK, prompting intense debates over the scenarios of the anticipated transition. [Succession] [Takeover]
• Russians still nostalgic for Soviet comforts
  Global Times | December 22, 2011 20:13 By Kondrokov Alexander Share Sunday marks the 20th anniversary of the collapse of the Soviet Union. When I remember the Soviet Union I once lived in, even though there were various disappointments, I, like many others, am nostalgic for the past. The days of the Soviet Union were featured by stability and public confidence for future. A college student could be guaranteed a job in his or her major after graduation. And babies would have their names registered for kindergarten as soon as they were born. The country made every effort to develop education, focusing on the cultivation and development of children and providing them the opportunity to explore their talent. It was basically free for children to study music, dance, and sports. To many Russians of the previous generation, their memories of the Soviet Union are like a fairy tale of a golden age. [Communist]
• In Russia, the lost generation of science
  View Photo Gallery — ?The country has poured money into research in the past decade, but corruption and exhaustion have largely hollowed out its gains. By Will Englund, Thursday, December 22, 12:51 PM PUSHCHINO, Russia — For the past decade, Russia has been pouring money into scientific research, trying to make up for the collapse of the 1990s, but innovation is losing out to exhaustion, corruption and cronyism. In a rut and out of favor, the labs are barely wheezing here at Pushchino, once one of the brimming engines of Soviet science, a special closed city devoted to prestigious biological research. The government has turned its focus to newer ventures. The year 2011 marks the 20th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s collapse. Here’s a look back on the chaos that surrounded the USSR’s final months. Final days of the Soviet Union .But the result has been like a great deal else in this country: expensive, flashy and largely hollow. Shot through with back-scratching and favoritism, the government’s science program has tripled its spending in the past 10 years — and achieved very little. The number of papers published in scientific journals is the same as it was in 2000 and as it was in 1990, even while the rest of the world’s output has exploded. [Innovation] [S&T]
• Korea, Russia Agree to Try Another Rocket Launch Next Year
  Korea and Russia agreed to attempt a third launch of the Korean space rocket Naro before October 2012. The Korea Aerospace Research Institute and Russia's Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center reached the agreement after a technical consultation in Moscow on Dec. 14-16, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said Tuesday. [Satellite]
• Where Communists See an Opening, Many Russians See a Closed Door
  By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN Published: December 20, 2011 MOSCOW — If there was ever a moment for a Communist comeback, it would seem to be now. The Communists were big winners in recent parliamentary elections, capturing nearly 20 percent of the popular vote and cementing their place as the most formidable opposition bloc, as voters began to express their exhaustion with United Russia, the governing party of Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin. [Communist] [Putin] [NCW]
• Question Mark Hangs Over Russian Oil Pipeline Through North
  The prospects of a project aimed at building a gas pipeline linking South Korea and Russia via North Korea have become more uncertain due to the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. The planned project is based on an estimated investment of US$3.4 billion. Before Kim's death was reported on Monday, two days after the "Dear Leader" died of a heart attack, Seoul and Moscow were making significant progress in terms of negotiations on the project. The two sides completed talks on how to supply the gas from Russia to the South, and aimed to conclude the deal in the first half of next year. As Kim is known to have visited Russia in August for discussions on the issue, the likelihood of the project being realized was believed to be high. "There is a high possibility that the project to receive gas from Russia via North Korea will make rapid progress," Choi Joong-Kyung, the former Minister of Knowledge Economy, said in September. He added that things were progressing smoothly and even faster than expected as Russia was actively chasing the deal and the North was not presenting any opposition to the plan. [Pipeline][KJI_death]
• Vladimir Putin blasts John McCain as a war criminal
  Vladimir Putin accused the United States of masterminding the murder of Libyan dictator Col Muammar Gaddafi as he mounted an extraordinary personal attack on Senator John McCain. Vladimir Putin, left, and John McCain Photo: AP By Andrew Osborn, Moscow and Alex Spillius 4:11PM GMT 15 Dec 2011 In his strongest outburst against America in years, the Russian prime minister alleged that Col Gaddafi's death had been meticulously planned and executed by Washington. "Who did this?," he asked rhetorically when discussing the late Libyan leader's death during a televised question and answer session designed to smooth his return to the Russian presidency next year. "Drones, including American ones. They attacked his column. Then using the radio - through the Special Forces, who should not have been there - they brought in the so-called opposition and fighters, and killed him without court or investigation." The Pentagon dismissed Mr Putin's claim out of hand.
• Putin says protesters were paid by rivals
  By Natasha Abbakumova and Michael Birnbaum, Published: December 15 | Updated: Friday, December 16, 4:26 AM MOSCOW — Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin worked to soften his authoritarian image Thursday, hinting at democratic concessions but also pushing back at protesters who have rocked the country in recent weeks, saying they had been paid to show up. Using a marathon televised question-and-answer session as his first full-scale response to demonstrations after a disputed parliamentary election earlier this month unsettled Russia’s stolid political order, Putin portrayed himself as tough but reasonable, agreeing that not all was perfect in the country he has led for 12 years. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin vehemently rejected opposition calls for a rerun the parliamentary election, accusing those who organized massive protests against vote fraud of working to weaken Russia at the West's behest. (Dec. 15) .If protests are “the result of ‘Putin’s regime,’ then it is good,” he said. “These are absolutely normal things as long as all the actions are within the law.”
• Russia's Elections and the Export of Chaos from the US
  Yuri GAVRILECHKO | 12.12.2011 | 00:00 Russia held parliamentary and several local elections on December 4, with crowds gathering across the country to protest against alleged rigging next day after the preliminary results for Moscow and St. Petersburg were announced. Needless to say, the federal media reports setting voter turnouts in the Rostov and Voronezh provinces at 146% and 130% simply had to prompt a public outcry, but the incidents should not overshadow a wider picture. As the pressure on Iran is mounting and the imminent military campaign against Syria is drawing closer, the West immediately put to work the complete arsenal of its manipulative techniques with the aim of destabilizing Russia. It is well-known that chaos can be successfully exported only to countries where the conditions making them receptive to such external influences exist, and in Russia we are witnessing at the moment barely disguised efforts to create the conditions… [Destabilisation] [Elections][US global strategy]
• Russia's Eastern Gas Program
  Alexander VORONTSOV | 09.12.2011 | 00:00 The plan to construct a pipeline linking Russia and South Korea is not exactly new. A similar project – building a pipeline from Russia's Yakutia to South Korea across the northern part of the Korean Peninsula – was eyed back in the late 1990ies, and at the time North Korea's ambassador to Moscow even told the Russian parliament that his government already had land lots earmarked to host the infrastructure. Later, Russia switched to the Sakhalin and adjacent marine shelf gas fields, where output grew steadily, as the resource base to sustain its export strategy in East Asia. [Pipeline]
• DPRK, Russia to Boost Cooperation in Air Search and Rescue
  Pyongyang, December 13 (KCNA) -- An agreement on cooperation in air search and rescue between the DPRK and Russian governments was signed at the Mansudae Assembly Hall Tuesday. Present at the signing ceremony from the DPRK side were Director Kang Ki Sop and other officials of the General Bureau of Civil Aviation of the DPRK and officials concerned and from the Russian side a delegation of the Russian Aerial Transport Administration led by Director Neradiko Alexandr and Russian Ambassador to the DPRK Valery Sukhinin. Kang Ki Sop and Neradiko Alexandr inked the agreement.
• FOX, lies & the wrong videotape: What’s NOT happening in Moscow
  Get short URL 07 December, 2011, 23:10 With so much going on in the world today, one can see how easy it would be to get confused. Are those pictures of the war in Iraq or Afghanistan? Poverty in Somalia or Congo? And what’s a news program to do if there aren’t any good pictures? So producers all over the world search, and talk to their own crews or news agencies who provide feeds for everyone, and find the best shots to grace their air time. Or – in some cases – ANY shots that look more or less similar to the covered topic. Case in point: protests in Russia and the ever-blundering FOX News. [Media]
• What Really Happened in the Russian Elections
  by ISRAEL SHAMIR Moscow is unusually warm: the temperature refuses to dip below zero degrees Centigrade, the freezing point. Instead, it is wet and dark. The sun gets up late and goes to sleep early. To make matters worse, President Medvedev decided to keep Russia on daylight savings time throughout winter. To offset this stupid decision, Christmas illumination was turned on a month before the usual time, in order to cheer up the voters. Now it lights the way for the armoured vans of the riot police sent in to pacify the cheery electorate. The parliamentary elections were deemed in advance as a futile and vain exercise of no practical importance. “It does not matter how you vote, what matters is how they count”, pundits said. But the results were quite impressive and they point to great changes ahead. The Russians have said to communism: “Come back, all is forgiven.” They effectively voted to restore the Soviet Union, in one form or another. Perhaps this vote will not be acted upon, but now we know – the people are disappointed with capitalism, with the low place of post-Soviet Russia in the world and with the marriage of big business and government.
  If communists proved the fallacy of their ideas in 70 years, the capitalists needed only twenty years to achieve this same result, joked Maxim Kantor, a prominent modern Russian painter, writer and thinker. [Communism] [Election]
• Putin accuses Clinton, U.S. of stirring election protests
  By Kathy Lally and Karen DeYoung, Friday, December 9, 4:29 AM MOSCOW — Russian Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin on Thursday accused the United States of supporting street protests against last Sunday’s elections and blasted Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton for suggesting the voting was rigged. In Brussels, meanwhile, Russian officials said the NATO alliance was trying to bully it into participating in a Europe-based missile defense system, which Moscow fears could be used against Russia but the United States says is intended to curtail threats from elsewhere. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton criticized Russia for a parliamentary election she said was rigged. Later, Clinton encouraged activists from Belarus to continue opposing a crackdown by President Alexander Lukashenko's regime. (Dec. 6) .Putin accused Clinton of declaring the vote unfair even before hearing from election watchdogs. He also expanded an attack he began last month on Golos, Russia’s only independent election monitor, which has raised serious questions about the legitimacy of the balloting. The organization receives aid from the United States and Europe. [Elections] [NGO]
• Russia targets U.S.-linked election monitor
  By Kathy Lally, Published: December 1 MOSCOW — Just days before parliamentary elections scheduled for Sunday, Russia’s only independent election monitor has been coming under ever more forceful attack. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin set the tone in a televised speech this past Sunday to delegates of the ruling United Russia party before they nominated him for the presidency. He made a lacerating, if veiled, allusion to the monitor, Golos, which operates on grants from the United States and Europe. .“Representatives of some states are organizing meetings with those who receive money from them, the so-called grant recipients, briefing them on how to ‘work’ in order to influence the course of the election campaign in our country,” Putin said.
• BOMBSHELL: US Caught Meddling in Russian Elections!
  Putin compares US funded NGOs to Judas the betrayer by Tony Cartalucci Global Research, December 6, 2011 landdestroyer.blogspot.com - 2011-12-05 December 4, 2011 - What would Americans say if they found their polling stations and certain political parties entirely infiltrated by Chinese money, Chinese observers, and Chinese-backed candidates promoting China's interests in an AMERICAN election? The answer ranges from incarceration, to trials featuring charges ranging from fraud, to sedition and even treason with sentences ranging from decades to life in prison, perhaps even death, as well as possible military action for what could easily be considered an act of war. Indeed, the attempted subversion of a foreign nation and/or meddling in its elections are acts of war, an act of war the United States government through its various "Non-Governmental Organizations" (NGOs) have been committing on and off for decades around the globe. In fact, the very "Arab Spring" is a geopolitical conflagration tipped off by this vast network of Western backed NGOs. [NGO] [Outsourcing]
• Russian election: police, troops and youth groups stifle anti-Putin protests
  Pro-Kremlin activists outnumber pro-democracy demonstrators in Moscow after disputed election result Miriam Elder in Moscow guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 6 December 2011 20.07 GMT Article history Russia sees anti and pro-Kremlin rallies in Moscow Link to this video The Kremlin mobilised thousands of police, interior troops and pro-government youth groups on Tuesday night to crack down on protests against the rule of Vladimir Putin after elections that saw his party returned to power with a greatly reduced majority. Riot police, clad in camouflage and black crash helmets, arrested around 250 people who had gathered at Moscow's Triumphal Square in an attempt to build a wave of demonstrations following Sunday's disputed parliamentary election, in which support for Putin's United Russia party fell below 50%. But the protesters were vastly outnumbered by pro-Kremlin youth activists, who converged on the square waving huge Russian flags and shouting "Medvedev, victory!" and "Putin, Russia!". [Media] [Spin]
• Russia voters turn away from Putin party
  By Kathy Lally and Will Englund, Published: December 5 MOSCOW — Russians voting in parliamentary elections apparently turned against the ruling United Russia party in large numbers Sunday, exit polls and early results suggested, to the great benefit of the Communist Party. In what only months ago would have been a nearly unimaginable scenario, the party dominated by Vladimir Putin was predicted to get less than 50 percent of the vote, while polling organizations put the Communists at about 20 percent, nearly double their count in the last election. Since taking the office in 2000, Vladimir Putin has expanded the powers of Russia's presidency, consolidating authority in the Kremlin and weakening other democratic institutions. Russia’s only independent election monitor called the vote the most flawed to date, an assessment echoed by opposition leaders, implying that United Russia’s actual haul would have been even less had the election been free and fair. Not long ago, anything under the 64.3 percent that United Russia won in 2007 would have been seen as unacceptable failure for the party and Putin, who has relied on its control of government and bureaucrats across the country to deliver ever more votes and entrench his authority. But now its aura of invincibility is badly dented, and opponents may begin to sense an opportunity. If United Russia falls short of 50 percent of the seats in the lower house of parliament, it will turn to the nationalist Liberal Democrats, or even the Communists, for support [Elections] [Other]
• Russia Urges N.Korea to Halt Nuclear Activities
  Russia has urged North Korea to halt its uranium enrichment program and re-admit United Nations nuclear monitors to pave the way for international disarmament talks. The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Thursday that consistent implementation of the uranium program in North Korea cannot but create serious worry. It called on Pyongyang to announce a moratorium on all of its nuclear activities including the uranium enrichment program. Moscow is also urging its communist neighbor to invite inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to examine its nuclear program and verify that it is purely peaceful.
• Russian MFA Press and Information Department Comment on the DPRK Foreign Ministry’s Announcement of a Uranium Enrichment Program
  1895-01-12-2011 We have taken note of the announcement by the North Korean side regarding the construction, at full pace, of a light water reactor (LWR) in the DPRK and capacity building for production of low enriched uranium as fuel for the LWR. In this connection we would like to note the following. The consistent implementation of uranium programs in the DPRK cannot but cause serious concern. Although we have never questioned the DPRK’s sovereign right to develop peaceful nuclear energy, we cannot agree with the fact that this right is being realized outside the scope of the generally recognized nonproliferation regimes, contrary to the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. We urge our North Korean partners to heed the opinion of the international community as expressed in UNSCRs 1718 and 1874, to begin practical efforts to return to NPT and IAEA safeguards, and as a first step – to declare a moratorium on all nuclear activity, including uranium enrichment, and invite IAEA specialists to examine its uranium enrichment facility at the Yongbyon nuclear centre. Favorable conditions will thus be created for the restart of the six-party talks on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the reinforcement of peace and stability in the Northeast Asia region. December 1, 2011 [LWR]

• Reward for Russian appeasement is futility
  Global Times | November 25, 2011 00:16 By Global Times Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sent a harsh warning to the US over its missile defense installations in East Europe on Wednesday. Despite these strongly-toned remarks, the White House firmly insists on keeping its missile shield, risking the destruction of easing tensions and improving relations. Moscow has been making efforts to reduce hostility with the US since Mikhail Gorbachev was in office. However it is frustrated because the dissolution of the Warsaw Treaty Organization and the collapse of the Soviet Union did not remove US vigilance. Former US president Bill Clinton initiated NATO's eastward expansion in the 1990s, which smashed the Russian dream of emerging into the West. The Russians realized that the US and the whole Western world did not truly wish to embrace Russia. What they want is to take advantage of Russia's difficulties and extend their influences into the area Russia formerly controlled. [NCW]
• The Kremlin Signals the Need for a Sensible Approach to the European Missile Defense and Warns that Moscow's Patience Has Its Limits
  23.11.2011 Victor Kazimirov is a Moscow-based military-political commentator On November 23, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev addressed the citizens of Russia – and also, from a broader perspective, a number of the world's countries – in connection with the alarming situation which has arisen as a result of the US and NATO efforts to build a broad missile defense system in Europe. The Russian leader announced a set of decisions made in response to the Washington-led European missile defense deployment which clearly undermines Russia's national and military-strategic interests. The process is gaining momentum, with the implementation of the program de facto underway in Poland, Romania, Turkey, and Spain and with Russia facing a fait accompli, said President Medvedev in a televised statement. [Missile defense] [NCW]
• PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA DMITRY MEDVEDEV: Citizens of Russia,
  I address you today in connection with the situation concerning the NATO countries’ missile defence system in Europe. Russia’s relations with the USA and NATO in the missile defence area have a long and complicated history. I remember that when US President Barack Obama revised his predecessor’s plans to build a missile defence system in Europe in September 2009, we welcomed this as a positive step. This decision paved the way to our being able to conclude the important New START Treaty which was signed not too long ago and which clearly states the intrinsic link between strategic offensive weapons and missile defence. Let me state that again, this was a major achievement. Subsequently, however, the USA began carrying out a new missile defence plan that foresaw the creation of a missile defence system in stages. This specifically raises concerns in Russia. It would eventually see the deployment of US missiles and military capability in close proximity to Russia’s borders and in the neighbouring waters. [Missile defense] [NCW]
• Russian ambassador proposes trilateral talks over pipeline
  The talks could include the expansion of trilateral collaboration between Russia, North Korea and South Korea By Son Won-je, Staff Writer Russian Ambassador to South Korea Konstantin Vnukov said the issue of a Russian pipeline passing through the North Korean and South Korean border may be discussed when the three countries engage in trilateral consultations on the issue. Vnukov made the proposal Tuesday while attending a forum at the Seoul Press Center sponsored by the Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation and organized by the Hankyoreh Peace Research Institute. During his keynote address at the debate, Vnukov said, “The Russian government is currently discussing [the project] separately with North Korea and South Korea given the difficulty of getting all three countries at the same table for discussions.” Vnukov added, “During the stage of discussions on the issue of the pipeline passing through the Demilitarized Zone, there will naturally need to be trilateral dialogue” among North Korea, South Korea and Russia. Regarding concerns that North Korea might block the pipeline, Vnukov said the matter of the pipeline and the trilateral collaboration with North Korea and South Korea had been discussed in depth at a Russia-South Korea summit in St. Petersburg on Nov. 2. “Russia can make every guarantee, including the risks regarding the pipeline through North Korea,” he said. Vnukov added, “As all of you well know, Russia proposed trilateral collaboration projects among Russia, South Korea, and North Korea in the 1990s, including pipeline, railway, and power line connections.” “Russia is willing to discuss pursuit of the other two projects in addition to the pipeline with North Korea and South Korea,” he said. In the forum’s opening address, KCRC Chairman Kim Deok-ryong said, “Russia does need to have ways of guaranteeing a stable supply of gas through North Korea, but it is more important to build trust and cooperation between North and South.” [Pipeline]
• The West’s reaction to Russia-North Korea summit
  November 11th, 2011 Author: Alexander Vorontsov, RAS The Ulan-Ude summit on 24 August 2011 highlighted Russia and North Korea’s commitment to overcoming the Korean Peninsula nuclear problem — and they must be credited with considerable success. [Russia1108]
• Russia expects North Korea to collapse in late 2020s
  By Chung Min-uck The North Korean regime is likely to collapse by the late 2020s amid an intensifying power struggle among the government and military elite, a Russian state think tank said in a report Friday. “The destructive tendency of North Korea will strengthen and as a result the current form of North Korea could no longer exist,” according to Russia’s state-run think tank World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO). Under the IMEMO scenario, de facto unification between South and North Korea would start in the late 2020s. [Collapse] [Approval]
• Russia Expects N.Korea to Collapse by 2020
  The Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), Russia's foremost national policy think tank, takes the imminent collapse of the North Korean regime as a given in a special report published recently. IMEMO concludes that Korean reunification led by South Korea coincides with Russia's national interests. IMEMO spent years to prepare the report, which is part of the Russian government's 20-year master plan and was published in September. [Collapse] [Russia SK] [Takeover] [Approval]
• S.Korea, Russia Agree to Push Gas Pipeline Through N.Korea
  President Lee Myung-bak and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev greet each other at the closing ceremony of the annual Korea-Russia Dialogue in St. Petersburg on Wednesday. President Lee Myung-bak and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday said they will push ahead with a project to build a gas pipeline linking the two countries via North Korea. The two met in St. Petersburg. Presidential spokesman Park Jeong-ha said the two leaders "agreed that the Russian natural gas pipeline project involving the North will bring economic benefits to all three countries." Lee said the project could contribute to peace on the Korean Peninsula and called for the commercial terms to satisfy the needs of all parties. [Pipeline]
• Seoul, Moscow agree to cooperate on pipeline
  By Kang Hyun-kyung ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — President Lee Myung-bak and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed Wednesday to work closely together to push a pipeline project to send Russian gas to South Korea via North Korea. During a summit here, Lee and Medvedev shared the view that the three sides involved will benefit if the project goes ahead. Russia could send as much as 10 billion cubic meters of gas to South Korea a year if the trans-Korea pipeline is built. [Pipeline]

• S.Korea, Russia Discuss Gas Pipeline
  South Korea and Russia are in discussions this week about a project that would supply natural gas from Russia to the South, according to the ITAR-TASS news agency. It cited a Russian official as saying negotiations on building a gas pipeline from Russia to South Korea through North Korea will begin once Seoul and Moscow reach agreement. On Wednesday, high-ranking officials from the two countries will seek ways to expand cooperation in business, science and technology. [Pipeline]
• Friendship and cooperation between North Korea and Russia keep growing - Foreign Minister PAK Ui Chun
  TASS-TVPYONGYANG, May 17 (Itar-Tass) -- Relations of friendship and cooperation between North Korea and Russia are positive and continue to grow, North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun said in an exclusive interview with Itar-Tass. "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Russia share a border, and peoples of the two countries have a long history and tradition of friendship and cooperation. Our countries have displayed the noble spirit of cooperation, they have always helped each other under complicated conditions and they have a huge potential for further broadening and development of bilateral relations. The Korean-Russian relations of friendship and cooperation have been positive and continue to grow," he said. "In the year of the tenth anniversary of the historic Moscow Declaration of the DPRK and Russia, our government is ready for the most active implementation of bilateral agreements and for raising to a new level of the
• Friendship and cooperation between North Korea and Russia keep growing - Foreign Minister PAK Ui Chun
  TASS-TVPYONGYANG, May 17 (Itar-Tass) -- Relations of friendship and cooperation between North Korea and Russia are positive and continue to grow, North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun said in an exclusive interview with Itar-Tass. "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Russia share a border, and peoples of the two countries have a long history and tradition of friendship and cooperation. Our countries have displayed the noble spirit of cooperation, they have always helped each other under complicated conditions and they have a huge potential for further broadening and development of bilateral relations. The Korean-Russian relations of friendship and cooperation have been positive and continue to grow," he said. "In the year of the tenth anniversary of the historic Moscow Declaration of the DPRK and Russia, our government is ready for the most active implementation of bilateral agreements and for raising to a new level of the
• Anniversary of DPRK-Russia Diplomatic Ties Marked in Moscow
  Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- A reception was given at the DPRK embassy in Moscow on Tuesday to mark the 63rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the DPRK and Russia. Present there on invitation were Vice Foreign Minister Aleksei Borodavkin and officials of the Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Extraordinary Situation, Ministry of Agriculture, Academy of Sciences and the Railways Company of Russia
• Agreement on DPRK-Russia Cooperation Concluded
  Pyongyang, October 18 (KCNA) -- An agreement on cooperation in trade and economy between the DPRK Ministry of Foreign Trade and the Amur regional government of the Russian Federation was signed here on Tuesday. Present at the signing ceremony from the DPRK side were Minister Ri Ryong Nam and Vice-Minister So Kil Bok of Foreign Trade, Sim Kuk Ryong, DPRK consul-general to Nakhodka of Russia and officials concerned and from the opposite side Oleg Kozhemyako, governor of Amur Region and his party, Ambassador Valery Sukhinin and officials of the Russian embassy here. Ri Ryong Nam and Oleg Kozhemyako inked the agreement.
• Talks between DPRK Minister of Foreign Trade and Governor of Amur Region of Russia Held
  Pyongyang, October 17 (KCNA) -- Talks between Ri Ryong Nam, DPRK minister of Foreign Trade, and Oleg Kozhemyako, governor of Amur Region of Russia, were held here Monday. Present there were Kim Man Su, first vice-minister of Electric Power Industry, Sim Kuk Ryong, consul-general in Nakhodka of Russia, and officials concerned and entourage of the governor and Valery Sukhinin, Russian ambassador to the DPRK. The talks dealt with the matter of economic cooperation between the two sides and other matters of mutual concern. The talks proceeded in a friendly atmosphere.
• Who Doesn’t Like Russia-North Korean Rapprochement?
  By Alexander Vorontsov Observers from many countries have tried to analyze the breakthrough in relations between Moscow and Pyongyang that was reached at the August 24, 2011 summit. The Ulan-Ude meeting highlighted the commitment of both countries’ leaders to find a solution to the nuclear problem plaguing the Korean peninsula, and at the moment, the summit partners must be credited with considerable success. Kim Jong Il confirmed that North Korea is ready to return to the Six Party Talks, hoping they will commence without delay and without preconditions of any kind. Another key result produced by the summit is the Moscow-Pyongyang agreement to give a boost to the construction of a gas pipeline linking Russia and South Korea via North Korea. [Russia1108]
• Behind the Scenes with Kim and Dmitry
  By Stephen J. Blank The recent Russia-DPRK summit was both eventful and insightful regarding the devious multiple games being played behind the scenes of the Six Party Talks. At his summit with President Medvedev on August 24, 2011, Kim Jong Il agreed to resume the Six Party Talks without preconditions, and if the Talks take place, to then impose a moratorium on nuclear testing and production of (unspecified) nuclear materials. Kim also agreed to set up a commission to explore the possibility of building a gas pipeline from Siberia through the DPRK to South Korea. North Korea would obtain approximately $100 million in fees from this pipeline, which would open in 2017 and apparently ship 10BCM annually to South Korea for 30 years. Subsequently both Korean governments have expressed interest in building this pipeline and have started separate discussions with Russia about the logistics. Beyond those negotiations, Moscow has entered into unspecified discussions on military cooperation with Pyongyang, which could ultimately result in some form of arms sales or technology transfer, and the two countries are evidently preparing for naval search and rescue drills. [Russia1108]
• Russia proposes gas pipeline route through N.Korea’s east coast
  The estimated $2.2B project would represent significant economic cooperation between Russia, N.Korea and S.Korea » A map of the gas pipeline route linking Russia, North Korea and South Korea. By Son Won-je, Staff Writer It emerged on Tuesday that Russia has suggested a route for the gas pipeline that will connect it to South Korea via North Korea. The proposal would have a pipeline run through North Korea’s Gyeongseong and Wonsan, then on to South Korea’s Goseong, Incheon and Pyeongtaek. [Pipeline]
• Russia a Force to Be Reckoned with in the Coming Years
  13.10.2011 Dmitri Sedov, political scientist It is not going to be forgotten any time soon how, at the 43rd Munich Conference on Security Policy in 2007, V. Putin charged the US with building a unipolar world at the cost of “frequently illegitimate actions” and “new human tragedies”. A key point that loomed through the energetic speech delivered by the Russian leader was that the global proliferation of armed conflicts was in fact attributable to Washington's “almost unconstrained hyper use of force” and disregard for international law. “One state and, of course, first and foremost the United States, has overstepped its national borders in every way. This is visible in the economic, political, cultural and educational policies it imposes on other nations”, said Putin in Munich. At the conference, Putin hammered NATO over its expansion, which he described as “a serious provocation that reduces the level of mutual trust”, and made it clear that Moscow would not be buying the stated goals of modernizing the alliance and maintaining European security as the agenda behind the process. He further criticized the US for pressing ahead with the European missile defense and ignoring Russia's legitimate concerns about the impact the plan would likely have on the global security climate. [Resurgence] [Imperialism] [NGO]
• Putin visit to strengthen ties
  Global Times | October 11, 2011 01:12 By Huang Shaojie Share Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is set to arrive in Beijing today for a two-day visit, during which the two giants will sign billions of dollars in trade deals and seal a partnership to ensure mutual modernization. This will be Putin's first trip abroad since announcing in September his ambition to return to the presidency in Russia's 2012 elections after a power-swap agreement with incumbent President Dmitry Medvedev. A 160-member delegation, including top business leaders such as the CEOs of State-controlled energy firms Gazprom and Rosneft, will come with the prime minister.
• Eurasian Project a Threat to New World Order
  10.10.2011 Elena Ponomareva, PhD (History), MGIMO One might be tempted to regard Russian premier V. Putin's paper “A new integration project for Eurasia: The future in the making”, which saw the light of day in Izvestia on October 3, 2011, as the presidential front-runner's sketchily laid out program, but upon scrutiny that appears to be only one part of a wider picture. The opinion piece momentarily ignited wide-scale controversy in and outside of Russia and highlighted the ongoing clash of positions on global development. Regardless of interpretation details, the reaction of the Western media to the integration project unveiled by the Russian premier was uniformly negative and reflected with utmost clarity an a priori hostility towards Russia and any initiatives it floats. Mao Zedong, though, used to say that facing pressure from your enemies is better than being in such a condition that they do not bother to keep you under pressure. It helps to understand why, at the moment, Cold War-style headlines are constantly popping up in Western media and what perceived threat the West discerned in Putin's recent Eurasian integration. The obvious explanation is that, if implemented, the plan would come as a geopolitical challenge to the new world order, to the dominance of NATO, the IMF, the EU and other supranational bodies, and to the undisguised US primacy. Today's increasingly assertive Russia suggests and is ready to start building an inclusive alliance based on principles providing a viable alternative to Atlantism and neoliberalism. It is an open secret that these days the West is putting into practice an array of far-reaching geopolitical projects, reconfiguring Europe in the wake of the Balkan conflicts and against the backdrop of the crises provoked in Greece and Cyprus, assembling the Greater Middle East based on serial regime changes across the Arab world, and, as a relatively novel design, implementing the Asia project in which the recent disaster in Japan was an active phase. [NCW] [Russian global policy] [Resurgence]
• Russia-North Korea trade
  October 6th, 2011 Author: Andrei Lankov, Kookmin University and ANU In mid-August, the armoured train of the ‘Dear Leader’, Marshall Kim Jong-il once again crossed the Russian border. This time, he did not venture far: the summit with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev took place in the city of Ulan-Ude. Among other things, the summit produced a statement about a gas pipeline which is to go through the North to reach the South. This is an interesting and important project, so it is pertinent to take a brief look at its background, and at the state of the economic interaction between Russia and North Korea. In 2010, the volume of trade between these two countries was merely US$110 million. As international trade goes, this volume is tiny. By comparison, in the same year North Korea’s trade with China was around US$3.4 billion, some 30 times larger than its trade with Russia. [Russia NK] [Trade] [Gas]
• Putin's China Visit Watched for Strategic Signals
  By REUTERS Published: October 9, 2011 at 5:15 AM ET . MOSCOW (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin visits China on Tuesday in his first foreign trip since revealing plans to reclaim Russia's presidency, addressing a challenging relationship with a giant neighbour whose growth is both an opportunity and a potential threat for Moscow. .For Putin, whose main focus has been domestic in nearly four years as prime minister, the trip sets in motion a return to forefront of Russian foreign policy ahead of a March election in which he is expected to win a six-year term as president.
  His meetings with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao will feature warm affirmations of friendship and solidarity on big global issues between two countries that often move in lockstep to counter the United States and Europe. [NCW]

• Russia-North Korea: Denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula
  September 17th, 2011 Authors: Alexander Vorontsov and Oleg Revenko, Russian Academy of Sciences Kim Jong-il’s recent visit to Russia and his brief meeting with President Dmitri Medvedev [Russia1108]
• Will pipeline give fresh hope?
  Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, right, shakes hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, outside Ulan-Ude in Byryatia, on Aug. 24. In the summit in a remote eastern Siberia, the two leaders discussed issues of energy deals, gas pilpeline construction and nuclear disarmament. / AP-Yonhap By Park Si-soo Given recently unfolding events, the roaring sound of construction is likely to resonate all the way from the northern tip of North Korea to its southern neighbor in the near future. President Lee Myung-bak has predicted “faster than expected” progress in talks with the North and Russia to build a transnational gas pipeline linking the three nations. Rep. Hong Joon-pyo, chairman of the ruling party in Seoul, has bolstered the view, saying “good news” will come in November. In the latest favorable signal, Russian state-controlled gas supplier Gazprom said Friday it has discussed prospects for building the pipeline with energy officials from both Koreas. All these remarks and events happened in less than a month after North Korean leader Kim Jong-il discussed the matter with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev during his trip to Russia last month. It’s obvious that the two Koreas will economically benefit from the project. The conduit, if realized, will enable South Korea to secure 7.5 million tons of high-quality Russian natural gas each year at cheaper prices than its existing sources, while the cash-strapped North is expected to earn $150 million in compensation for the facility’s passage through its territory. Yet, it’s still doubtful as to how much it would help ease inter-Korean tensions and eventually bring peace to the divided peninsula. Experts have presented mixed opinions with skepticism prevailing. “It is a ridiculous idea,” said Michael Green, a senior adviser for the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in the United States. “A pipeline project would allow North Korea multiple opportunities to blackmail the South.” [Pipeline] [US NK policy] [Russia1108]
• U.S. Concerned About Russia-N. Korea Exercises
  AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Published: 15 Sep 2011 14:08 WASHINGTON - The United States said Sept. 15 that Russia's planned joint military exercises with North Korea should not be done in a way that undercuts international concern about its nuclear program. The State Department said in a written response to journalists' questions it was "aware from press reports that Russia and North Korea have announced their intention to hold joint naval exercises next year." "Any engagement with the North Koreans should be conducted in a way that does not detract from the international community's clear message of concern about the North's weapons programs, and the necessity for Pyongyang to do what is necessary to return to the six-party talks," the statement said.
  The decision to stage the unprecedented joint search-and-rescue naval operations was reached during a late August visit to Pyongyang by Russia's Eastern Military District commander, Igor Muginov, Interfax reported. "The idea is to hold the joint rescue maneuvers next year," Muginov said in reference to a Japanese news report suggesting that the exercises could begin later this year. Muginov's visit to Pyongyang for talks with one of North's Korea's top army commanders came less than a week after strongman Kim Jong-Il held rare talks in Siberia with President Dmitry Medvedev that focused on trade and economic assistance. North Korea rarely stages joint maneuvers with other nations. Russia's involvement is expected to be watched closely by the United States and South Korea, which conduct regular war games in the region. [Russia NK] [Military exercises]
• 2 Koreas, Russia Inch Closer to Pipeline Deal
  The energy chiefs of South and North Korea have discussed with Russian energy giant Gazprom a pipeline to funnel Russian natural gas across the peninsula to South Korea. Gazprom on Thursday said it signed a memorandum of understanding with North Korea's Ministry of Oil Industry and agreed to set up a working group on the project. Gazprom also said it signed a "roadmap" for future gas deliveries with South Korean gas pipeline operator KOGAS. There was no confirmation whether the energy chiefs of the two Koreas met as well. The pipeline is expected to be over 1,100 km long, including 700 km across North Korea. Arirang News / Sep. 16, 2011 12:48 KST [Gas] [Pipeline]
• Gas Chiefs of Two Koreas in Moscow to Discuss Pipeline
  Plans to build a natural-gas pipeline linking Russia to the Korean peninsula may be gaining momentum. The head of South Korea's state gas company left for Moscow on Wednesday to hold talks on a multi-billion-dollar plan to funnel Russian natural gas to South Korea via the reclusive North. The Korea Gas Corporation said that its president, Choo Kang-Soo would hold talks with executives of Russia's largest gas firm Gazprom during his four-day stay in Moscow. The trip came a day after Pyongyang's state media reported that a North Korean delegation led by Oil Industry Minister Kim Hui-yong had left for Russia. It was not known whether Choo would meet Kim in Moscow. The pipeline returned to the headlines last month when the North's leader Kim Jong-il reportedly gave it his backing during a summit in Russia with President Dmitry Medvedev. [Gas] [Russia1108][Pipeline]
• Russia, N. Korea forging closer ties
  By Kim Young-jin Russia has apparently launched a series of cooperative moves with North Korea following a recent summit between their leaders, including a large debt write-off and planned joint military drills, reports say. These appear to be part of a push by Moscow to boost its influence in the region. But how much pull the Kremlin has with its communist neighbor and on the peninsula remains to be seen. They come as the Kremlin pushes its proposal to pipe Siberian natural gas to the South via the North, which North Korean leader Kim Jong-il expressed his support for during a visit to his giant neighbor last month. On Wednesday, Russian newspaper Izvestiya reported that the Kremlin would write off some 90 percent of liabilities Pyongyang owed before the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, a total of some $11 billion. [Russia NK]
• N.Korea, Russia 'to Hold Joint Military Drills This Year'
  North Korea could hold its first-ever joint military exercise with Russia before the end of this year, the Asahi Shimbun reported Monday citing an unnamed North Korean source. The Japanese paper said the two countries' navies and air forces will engage in search and rescue training at sea. It is extremely rare for North Korea to stage a joint military drill with another country. North Korean leader Kim Jong-il proposed a full-scale joint military exercise when he met Russian President Dmitry Medvedev last month, but sources say Moscow was reluctant, so the two sides settled on rudimentary search and rescue training exercises instead. [Russia NK] [Military exercises]
• Russia to Deploy Nuclear Sub in Pacific
  Russia will deploy the new nuclear submarine Yury Dolgoruky with its Pacific Fleet this year, Russia's state-run ITAR-TASS news agency reported Thursday. The Pacific Fleet is headquartered in Vladivostok. ITAR-TASS quoted Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as telling members of his United Russia Party on Sept. 5 that the submarine is successfully undergoing trials and should be delivered to the Pacific Fleet this year. Russia will cultivate the capacity to modernize its Navy so it can deal with matters ranging from nuclear deterrence to securing maritime interests, he added. [Military balance][Resurgence]
• Changing Lanes: The Russian Alternative
  By Georgy Toloraya After a considerable cooling of relations with Pyongyang in the wake of North Korean missile and nuclear tests and provocations in 2009-2010, Russia is back in the game. Kim Jong Il’s visit to Russia after a 9-year hiatus was a manifestation of this, although at first, it may have seemed for many observers to have strange timing and doubtful purposes. Was North Korea expecting new aid? Was Kim soliciting Russian support in his confrontation with South Korea and the West? Did Kim want to find an alternative to China’s tightening embrace? The diplomatic process on Korea is at a delicate crossroads now with the under-the-carpet struggle mainly between China and the US-ROK alliance. Whether or not the talks on denuclearization will start before the end of Obama’s first term in office will, I believe, largely determine their agenda. If negotiations do not resume now, future talks will likely have as a starting point North Korea’s full-fledged uranium enrichment program, its half-constructed new light water reactors, and whatever next stage of missile development can be achieved before the 2012 US and ROK presidential elections. In the absence of talks, we may well expect new nuclear and missile tests, production of highly enriched uranium, and maybe even new border conflicts. [Russia1108]
• Kim Jong Il's Visit to Russia: Just More Mixed Messages?
  By Ikhwan Kim, August 27, 2011 Kim Jong Il visits Russia.Historical partners North Korea and Russia held a bilateral summit on August 24th for the first time in a decade. According to a Russian spokeswoman, Kim Jong Il "made known his position that North Korea is ready to return to the six party talks without preconditions, and also ready to impose a moratorium on tests of weapons of mass destruction.” [Russia1108]
• Medvedev and Kim make capital
  By Sunny Lee BEIJING - Pundits are taking time to digest the significance or otherwise of North Korea leader Kim Jong-il's visit to Russia last week. Most attention is on the question of how it will reconfigure the geopolitical chess game surrounding Pyongyang's nuclear drive. On the surface, the summit between Kim and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was a diplomatic stunt meant to draw outside attention and create a false sense of a "big deal" between the two. Perhaps that was the essence, since there was no big deal made. In Russia, Kim expressed his willingness to rejoin six-party talks aimed at persuading Pyongyang to ditch its nukes in exchange for economic aid and security guarantees. Kim also reportedly agreed to consider a moratorium on nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches once multilateral talks resume. [Russia1108]
• Russia’s Stake in a Denuclearized Korean Peninsula - Will the Ulan-Ude Summit Help?
  By Georgy D. Toloraya September 1st, 2011 Georgy D. Toloraya, Professor of International Relations (Korean studies) and Director of Korean Research Programs at the Institute of Economics of Russian Academy of Science, analyzes the prospects for resumption of the Six Party Talks and discusses Russia’s position on the Ulan-Ude Summit. He writes, “The first step is to freeze North Korea’s missile and nuclear activities, then reduce the state’s WMD arsenal. The chance to come back to the negotiating table should not be lost, and both President Obama and President Lee Myong-Bak should positively consider North Korean’s proposal at the Ulan-Ude Summit. The resumption of talks would get full support from Russia.” [Russia1108] [Six Party Talks]
• Russia-DPRK Joint Energy Program
  Pyongyang, August 31 (KCNA) -- Some countries are seeking to diversify transport of energy resources to suit the worldwide trend of energy use and development. The DPRK and Russia are now discussing a gas pipe project. At the talks in Ulan-Ude, Russia, on August 24, the top leaders of the DPRK and Russia agreed to form working groups for the development of economic cooperation in various fields, including gas and other energy sector, and railroad connection. After the talks, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev said, "I ordered our organs to form a special committee. The committee will confirm detailed issues of bilateral cooperation concerning the program of gas transport through the DPRK." In early August Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that officials of the two countries held talks and discussed the prospect of the program. If gas experts reached the identity of views on the issue, the Russian government will support it in a political aspect, he said. Russia is one of the world's biggest nations in natural gas deposit and production and crude oil production. Russia, situated favorably for gas supply to Europe and other regions, is now interested in expanding its supply capacity. When the Sakhalin-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok natural gas pipe project with the annual capacity of 30 billion cubic meters, which was launched in 2009, is completed, Russia will be able to not only meet its domestic demand but have the capacity of supplying gas to Asia-Pacific nations. Russia plans to expand the energy supply to this region so that in 2020 crude oil and gas can take 30 percent from 3 percent, and 25 percent from 5 percent respectively in the country's total export. The gas pipe linking Russia with the DPRK is important in the effort for fulfilling the plan. Speaking to reporters on August 25, Russian Vice-Minister of Industry and Energy Anatoli Yanovsky said the gas pipe project has been under deliberation for years and various proposals have been examined for the project, but it has been confirmed that the project will cost most reasonably in case the pipe is laid across the DPRK. Analysts also pay attention to the political significance of the project. Dr. Leonid Petrov at National University of Australia said the project will be profitable to all parties concerned. The joint energy program Russia and the DPRK are discussing at a time when many countries are trying to make an effective use of energy draws interest of the international community. [Russia1108] [Gas]

• Pipeline project talks set for Nov.
  GNP chief says both Koreas and Russia to meet August 31, 2011 The two Koreas and Russia will begin discussing in November the construction of a pipeline through North Korea that will supply Russian natural gas to the South, the chairman of the ruling Grand National Party, Hong Joon-pyo, disclosed yesterday. “The project had been agreed to by South Korea and Russia and also won agreement between the North and Russia,” Hong said in two speeches for Grand National Party members. “Now, the project will be realized after reaching agreement by working-level officials of the three countries.” The director of the National Intelligence Service, Won Sei-hoon, told the National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee earlier this month that North Korea had agreed to the pipeline project. The pipeline was also discussed at North Korean leader Kim Jong-il’s meeting with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev last week. Speaking unusually optimistically about the ambitious project, Hong said the pipeline was “a dream of President Lee Myung-bak since he was chief executive of Hyundai Engineering and Construction.” Hong also said that Lee had pushed forward the project clandestinely since the beginning of his term. But the Blue House refused to discuss the pipeline project. “I have no information about what Hong’s remarks mean,” said Park Jeong-ha, presidential spokesman. [Pipeline] [Railways][Russia1108]
• Detailed Report about Kim Jong Il's Transit and Visit to Northeast China
  Pyongyang, August 29 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, paid a historic visit to Northeast China while passing through it from August 25 to 27 on his way home after winding up his tours of the Siberian and Far East regions of Russia. [Russia1108]
• Kim Jong-il 'Keen on Fees from Russia-S.Korea Pipeline'
  North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is prepared to let a gas pipeline be built through his country so Russia can export gas to South Korea, according to Viktor Ishayev, the Russian president's envoy to the Far Eastern Region who accompanied Kim during his stay in Russia on Aug. 20-25. Kim "apparently doesn't intend to participate in any consortium for the pipeline project linking Russia and South Korea, but seems interested only in collecting fees from handling transit and leasing territory," said Ishayev in an interview with a local press agency. [Russsia1108] [Opening] [Gas]
• N.Korea's Air Force Chief with Kim Jong-il on Russia Trip
  North Korean leader Kim Jong-il was accompanied on his Russia trip by the commander of the belligerent country's Air Force. "Photos taken by foreign news agencies during the North Korea-Russia summit show Gen. Ri Pyong-chol, the commander of the North Korean Air Force, standing in formal suits [not in military uniform] between Kim and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev," a South Korean security official said Sunday. [Russia1108] [Media] [Intelligence] [Arms sales]
• Detailed Report on Kim Jong Il's Visit to Far East and Siberian Regions of Russia
  Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission, paid an unofficial visit to the Far East and Siberian regions of the Russian Federation from August 20 to 25 at the invitation of Dmitri Anatoliyevich Medvedev, president of the Russian Federation. [Russia1108]
• Kim Jong-il: Tactical genius
  By Aidan Foster-Carter Coming from me, the title of this article might surprise you. No, I haven't suddenly turned into dear old Kim Myong Chol, whose cheery dispatches from a parallel universe through the looking-glass about how well North Korea is doing - or alternatively, is ready to nuke the rest of us to kingdom come - regularly entertain readers of Asia Times Online [Russia1108] [Agency]
• 'Kim's trip to neighbors successful'
  Kim Jong-il By Kim Young-jin North Korea’s state run media on Sunday reported the return of leader Kim Jong-il the previous day from a “successful” trip to Russia and China, saying he was greeted at a border train station by his youngest son and heir, Jong-un. The 69-year-old leader focused on the possible resumption of stalled negotiations on Pyongyang’s denuclearization and economic cooperation during the week-long trip during which he met with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev. [Russia1108]
• The West is jealous of Russia's diplomatic success
  26.08.2011 The first in nine years visit of "Dear Leader" Kim Jong Il to Russia attracted the attention of Western officials and Western media. They are eager to find out what agreements he has reached with the Russian leadership. At the same time the West does not believe in longevity of the agreements reached, and the media emphasize the dangerous behavior of North Koreans. [Russia1108]
• Uncertain World: Russia proposes a new Korean paradigm
  16:03 25/08/2011 Weekly column by Fyodor Lukyanov Any foreign trip by North Korean leader Kim Jong-il arouses a great deal of interest, as he practically never leaves his country. The only exceptions are his relatively regular trips to China and also a tour of Russia ten years ago. Therefore, his current visit to Siberia is an extraordinary event. Still, a diplomatic breakthrough is unlikely. The regime in Pyongyang remains very idiosyncratic. But even if the trip fails to produce any direct results (they will not be announced in any case), it still creates a chance that the political deadlock on the Korean Peninsula will be broken. Just attempting to do so is important, because the previous approach has not worked. [Russia1108]
• N.Korea to allow trans-Korean Peninsula gas pipeline through its territory
  North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has expressed support for a Russian project to pipe Siberian natural gas to South Korea through his country's territory, a Russian news agency said Friday, quoting a Russian official. The gas pipeline project was a major topic when Kim held a summit with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in a Siberian city earlier this week. The two countries said after the summit that they have agreed to set up a joint committee to push the project. In a meeting with reporters in Khabarovsk after the summit, Viktor Ishaev, Russia's presidential envoy to the Far East Federal District, quoted Kim as telling him separately that North Korea will permit the pipeline to go through its territory if Russia and South Korean sign a contract on the project, according to the Interfax news agency. Ishaev said he had a chat with Kim as he was assigned to escort Kim throughout his train journey for the summit with Medvedev, the agency said in a report. During the trip, Kim commented on the pipeline project, Interfax quoted Ishaev as saying. North Korean leader Kim Jong-il toured industrial facilities in northeastern China on Friday on his way back home from a trip to Russia, a source said. Kim visited the facilities in the Chinese city of Qiqihar, a hub of automobile industries, and Daqing, home to China's largest oilfield, the source said. After the tour, the North Korean leader met with Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo, according to China's state-run Xinhua news agency. During the talks, Kim told the Chinese official that North Korea wants the six-party talks to be opened without any pre-conditions attached, the news agency reported. (Yonhap News) [Russa1108] [Gas]
• Kim Jong Il Sends Message of Thanks to Medvedev
  Pyongyang, August 26 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, Thursday sent a message of thanks to Dmitri Anatoliyevich Medvedev, president of the Russian Federation, on his way home after winding up his visit to Siberia and the Far East Region of Russia. [Russia1108]
• Why Kim's nuke offer fell flat
  Guards watch over the military base outside the Siberian city of Ulan Ude where North Korean leader Kim Jong-il held summit talks with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, Wednesday. / Yonhap By Kim Young-jin North Korean leader Kim Jong-il’s reported offer to impose a moratorium on nuclear and missile tests holds little water and is likely a tactic to win aid, analysts said Friday, explaining the tepid response in Seoul. [Russia1108] [Six Party Talks] [Rebuff]
• North Korea’s Strategic Outlook on Northeast Asia: The Syrian Litmus Test
  By Ruediger Frank The Libyan story seems to be over, at least for now. We do not exactly know who is going to rule that country next and with what consequences. There is room for experience-based pessimism, but only time will tell. So it is now worth looking closer at another of the anti-dictatorship uprisings in the region. What is the meaning of Syria for North Korea? The case is particularly interesting if we consider the international debate about its resolution. A few countries felt uneasy about intervening in Libya; however, in the case of Syria, one country is outspokenly against any international interference. That country is Russia, a long-time ally of Syria and a permanent member of the UN Security Council [Russia1108]
• Gas Pipeline Through N.Korea 'Part of a Bigger Game'
  Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in a meeting Wednesday apparently agreed in principle to lay a gas pipeline through North Korea to South Korea. Pundits say the project is a tactical move by Russia, which finds itself in fierce competition with China. Russia has bickered with China over the export price of Siberian gas since 2008, but their negotiations have reached a stalemate due to Chinese demands for a drastic price cut. [Russia1108] [Gas]
• Russia hopes pipeline through Korean Peninsula improves economy, political climate
  English.news.cn 2011-08-26 03:22:32 FeedbackPrintRSS MOSCOW, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Russia hopes that a gas pipeline project from Russia to South Korea via the Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) will bring both economical and political fruits for the Korean Peninsula, said Russian Deputy Energy Minister Anatoly Yanovsky on Thursday. "Any infrastructure projects linking the two countries of the Korean Peninsula, including railroads, gas pipelines, or electric grids, will not only be economically efficient but also would work for normalization of their bilateral relations," Yanovsky told a news conference here. [Russia1108] [Gas]
• US, South Korea cool to North Korea’s efforts to restart stalled nuclear talks
  By Associated Press, Published: August 25MOSCOW — The United States and South Korea have reacted coolly to North Korean leader Kim Jong Il’s reported readiness to impose a nuclear test and production moratorium if international talks on Pyongyang’s atomic program resume. Kim’s armored train was said to be heading Thursday toward Manchuria in China, a day after he led his country’s latest effort to win new aid-for-disarmament discussions at a rare summit with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in eastern Siberia. [Russia1108] [Six Party Talks] [Rebuff]
• US: North Korean Nuclear Concessions Welcome, But Insufficient
  David Gollust | State Department ..... The United States has called reported North Korean nuclear concessions welcome but insufficient. North Korean leader Kim Jong Il told Russian officials that Pyongyang would freeze tests and production of nuclear weapons and missiles in the context of renewed six-party negotiations. [Precondition] US NK Negotiations] [Six Party Talks] [Russia1108]
• Medvedev, Kim Jong Il Meet in Siberia
  Jessica Golloher | Moscow ..... Photo: AP North Korean leader Kim Jong Il shakes hands with chief conductor of the main orchestra of the Defense Ministry, Viktor Yeliseyev, left, as Russian President Dmitry Medvedev smiles in Siberia's Buryatia region, August 24, 2011.Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and North Korea's Kim Jong Il met in Siberia to discuss resuming six-party nuclear talks, among other issues. This was Kim Jong Il's first trip to Russia in nearly a decade. He arrived in Russia, via his armored train, on Saturday, but his visit to Siberia and Russia’s Far East has been shrouded in secrecy. Medvedev met Kim at a military base in Sosnovy Bor. [Russia1108]
• Russian Gas Pipeline Could Improve Inter-Korean Ties
  North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met in Ulan-Ude near Lake Baikal on Wednesday. Medvedev told reporters after the summit Kim "supported" a project to lay a gas pipeline from Russia to South Korea across North Korea. A spokesman for the Russian president said Kim also agreed to resume the stalled six-party nuclear disarmament talks. [Russia1108] [Gas]
• N.Korea, Russia Agree on Gas Pipeline
  North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met at a military base in Sosnovy Bor on the outskirts of Ulan-Ude near Lake Baikal in Siberia on Wednesday. They discussed bilateral cooperation. [Russia1108] [Gas]
• Kim and Medvedev propose six-party talks without preconditions
  The proposal has reportedly been dismissed by South Korea and the United States » North Korean leader Kim Jong-il says goodbye to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev following the conclusion of their summit, Aug. 24. (AP Yonhap) By Son Won-je, Staff Writer North Korean leader Kim Jong-il reportedly suggested Wednesday a moratorium on nuclear testing and unconditional resumption of six-party talks on its nuclear program. This suggestion was dismissed by South Korea and the United States. [Russia1108] [Six Party Talks] [Preconditions]
• Kim, Medvedev agree on pipeline
  Summit succeeds in clearing deal, Russian media reports ?·? ????? ??? ???? ????… August 25, 2011 Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, right, welcomes North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-il, left, to a meeting at Sosnovy Bor military garrison in Zaigrayevsky District, Buryatia, yesterday. [AFP /YONHAP] North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met for a rare summit in a military town in Russia’s Siberian region yesterday afternoon, according to reports, to discuss the North’s nuclear programs and economic deals, including one involving South Korea. [Russia1108] [Gas]
• Kim Jong Il Meets with Russian President
  Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission, met with Dmitri Anatoliyevich Medvedev, president of the Russian Federation, in Ulan-Ude, the capital city of the Republic of Buryatia in Russia, on Wednesday. Kim Jong Il exchanged warm greetings with Medvedev and had a talk with him. [Russia1108]
• Talks Held between Top Leaders of DPRK and Russia
  Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- Talks were held between Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission, and Dmitri Anatoliyevich Medvedev, president of the Russian Federation, in Ulan-Ude, the capital city of the Republic of Buryatia of Russia, on Wednesday. [Russia1108]
• Russian President Hosts Banquet in Honor of Kim Jong Il
  Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- Dmitri Anatoliyevich Medvedev, president of the Russian Federation, hosted a grand banquet at the Presidential Guest House of the Russian Federation in Ulan-Ude City this evening in welcome of Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, visiting Russia. [Russia1108]
• Speech Made by Kim Jong Il at Banquet
  Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il made a speech at the banquet given by Dmitri Anatoliyevich Medvedev, president of the Russian Federation, in welcome of his visit to Russia. He said: Respected Your Excellency President Dmitri Anatoliyevich Medvedev, Close friends of Russia, It gives me great pleasure to revisit Siberia and the Far East Region of Russia, a friendly neighbor, after the lapse of a decade and meet with you. [Russia1108]
• Speech Made by Medvedev at Banquet
  Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- The following is the speech made by Russian President Dmitri Anatoliyevich Medvedev at the banquet given in honor of General Secretary Kim Jong Il visiting Russia: Respected Your Excellency Kim Jong Il, Respected friends, The working-level meeting between me and Your Excellency Kim Jong Il, chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, is just over. [Russia1108]
• Kim Jong Il Seen off by Russian President
  Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission, was warmly seen off by Dmitri Anatoliyevich Medvedev, president of the Russian Federation, on Wednesday upon the conclusion of his historical visit to the Russian Federation. Present there were Alexandr Avramov, assistant to president for regional policy, Sergei Prikhodiko, assistant to president for external policy, Viktor Ishayev, presidential envoy to the Far East Region of the Russian Federation, Viktor Tolokonski, presidential envoy to the Siberian Region of the Russian Federation, Anatoly Serzhukov, minister of Defense, Igor Levitin, minister of Transport, Viktor Basargin, minister of Regional Development who is chairman of the Russian side to the Governmental Committee between Russia-DPRK for the Cooperation of Trade and Economy, Science and Technology, Valery Sukhinin, Russian ambassador to the DPRK, Aleksei Borodavkin, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Byacheslav Nagovitsin, president of the Republic of Buryatia, Matbei Gershevich, chairman of the People's Khural, Gennadi Aidayev, mayor of Ulan-Ude, Anatoly Sidorov, first vice commander of the Eastern Military District of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Tsilko, comma nder of the 36th Combined Forces of the Eastern Military District, and other central and local leading officials and commanding officers of the armed forces. Kim Jong Il and Dmitri Anatoliyevich Medvedev exchanged farewell greetings. [Russia1108]
• Kim Jong Il's Russian Visit Hailed as Great Event
  Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- Vorontsov, chief of Section for Korea of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, on a visit to the DPRK had this to say upon hearing the news of General Secretary Kim Jong Il's unofficial visit to Siberia and the Far East Region of the Russian Federation: Kim Jong Il's visit to Russia is a great event and it cannot but be an auspicious event for the peoples of the two countries. Kim Jong Il is a great leader. He has paid deep attention to the development of relations with Russia. It has great expectation towards his current visit. The visit would contribute to boosting the cooperation between the two countries in different domains. He visited the Bureya Hydro-electric Plant, a large power base in the Far East Region of Russia. His visit to Russia would mark an important occasion in developing the traditional friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries onto a new higher stage. I wish Kim Jong Il success in his Russian visit. [Russia1108]
• NK-Russia summit to focus on energy
  By Kim Young-jin North Korean leader Kim Jong-il arrived Tuesday by train in the eastern Siberian city of Ulan-Ude, where he is expected to hold summit talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev today. Kim was greeted by Russian officials at the town some 3,000 kilometers from Bureiskaya and ushered away by car on the fourth day of his rare trip to the neighboring country. [Russia1108] [Gas]
• North Koreans ‘pine’ for Dear Leader Kim as Russia trip winds up
  Topic: Kim Jong-il visits Russia North Koreans are counting the days until leader Kim Jong-il returns from his trip to Russia with “endless melancholia” in their hearts © RIA Novosti. Sergey Guneev12:23 25/08/2011MOSCOW, August 25 (RIA North Koreans are counting the days until leader Kim Jong-il returns from his trip to Russia with “endless melancholia” in their hearts, North Korean state media has said. Kim arrived in Russia at the weekend on a rare foreign visit and met with President Dmitry Medvedev for talks on Wednesday in East Siberia’s Buratiya region. He is currently travelling home in his armored train. [Media] [Russia1108]
• Kim Jong-il Arrives in Ulan-Ude
  North Korean leader Kim Jong-il on Wednesday meets Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Ulan-Ude, the capital of the Republic of Buryatia in Siberia. Kim arrived in Ulan-Ude at around 9 a.m. Tuesday aboard his armored train and was greeted by Buryatia President Vyacheslav Nagovitsyn. A government source on Tuesday said since Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is visiting Vladivostok on Friday to check preparations for the APEC Summit in 2012, Seoul is "keeping an eye" on whether Putin will also meet Kim. Kim and Putin, who is widely seen as Russia's real ruler, met in Vladivostok in 2002. On arrival in Ulan-Ude, Kim moved under police escort to the downtown area in a bullet-proof Mercedes sedan that had traveled aboard the armored train. A limousine without license plates reportedly carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is seen in Ulan-Ude, Russia on Tuesday. /AP-Newsis Local media reported that residents of Ulan-Ude were surprised to see the North Korean leader traveling in an old Mercedes that dates back to the 1990s
• North Korea seeks allies in Russia talks
  By Charles Clover in Moscow and Christian Oliver in Seoul Kim Jong-il, North Korea’s leader, met Russia’s president, Dmitry Medvedev, in Siberia on Wednesday in a further attempt to reintegrate himself into the diplomatic fold after international condemnation over two attacks against South Korea last year. Mr Medvedev hailed him as one of his “partners”, which Mr Kim is likely to see as an important sign of reacceptance after Seoul accused North Korea of killing 50 South Koreans in military attacks last year. [Russia NK] [Media] [Russia1108]
• North Korea to return to Six-Party Talks: Kim
  Global Times | August 25, 2011 01:06 By Liu Linlin Share North Korean leader Kim Jong-il speaks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev during their meeting on Wednesday. Photo: AFP North Korean leader Kim Jong-il reiterated Pyongyang's readiness to return to the Six-Party nuclear talks at a meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday in Siberia. "Kim expressed readiness to return to the talks without preconditions," Natalya Timakova, Medvedev's spokeswoman, told reporters after the two leaders met at a military base in the Siberian town of Sosnovy Bor near Lake Baikal. "In the course of the nuclear talks, the North Koreans will be ready to resolve the issue of imposing a moratorium on testing and production of missile and nuclear weaponry," she added. [Russia1108]
• Russia's Medvedev begins talks with DPRK top leader
  Xinhua | August 24, 2011 15:22 Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday met with Kim Jong Il, the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), near Russia's eastern Siberian city of Ulan Ude, according to the Itar-Tass news agency. The meeting was held at a closed military base in the Sosnovy Bor village, some 50 km from Ulan-Ude, the capital of Buryatia republic, it said. [Russia1108]
• Resumption of six-party talks top agenda at DPRK's Kim, Medvedev meeting
  Xinhua | August 24, 2011 15:16 The resumption of the six-party talks will be a top agenda at an upcoming meeting between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and visiting Kim Jong Il of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the Itar Tass reported on Wednesday. Citing a source from the Russian president's office, the report said both leaders will concentrate on the topic of resuming the stalled talks on denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. [Russia1108] [Six Party Talks]
• NK to halt nuke tests if six-way talks resume
  North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, left, shakes hands with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev prior to a summit at a military garrison outside Ulan-Ude in Byryatia, Wednesday. The meeting’s agenda focused on energy deals, economic aid and nuclear disarmament. / AP-Yonhap Kim backs Russian gas pipeline to South By Kim Young-jin North Korea is willing to impose a moratorium on its testing of weapons of mass destruction if stalled denuclearization talks resume, an official said, in a move likely to provide momentum to efforts to revive negotiations. The offer came during summit talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev outside the Siberian city of Ulan Ude, a spokeswoman for the Kremlin said on the fifth day of Kim’s rare trip to the giant neighbor. [Russia1108] [Six Party Talks] [Overtures] [Gas]
• Kim Jong-il's armored train returns to North Korea after Russia visit
  Topic: Kim Jong-il visits Russia © RIA Novosti. Dmitry Astakhov20:28 24/08/2011ULAN-UDE, August 24 (RIA Novosti) North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is returning to his homeland after talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and visiting the east Siberian republic of Buryatia, a government spokesman for the republic said on Wednesday. Kim, who is traveling in his own armored train, arrived on Tuesday in Ulan-Ude, the capital of Buryatia. "The main purpose [of the visit] was to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev [in Buryatia]," the spokesman said. The meeting was held on Wednesday in the military town of Sosnovy Bor. One of the main results after negotiations was the start of cooperation in the gas industry. Medvedev and Kim gave instructions to create a special commission that would determine the specific parameters of the bilateral cooperation on gas transit through the territory of North Korea. [Russia1108]
• Medvedev and Kim Jong-il at President’s Temporary Residence in Buryatia
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• North Korea may return to nuclear talks, Russia says
  The reclusive leader is to discuss economic projects, such as railways and gas pipelines, with President Dmitry Medvedev. By Will Englund, Updated: Wednesday, August 24, 9:14 PM MOSCOW — North Korea is ready to resume international talks over its nuclear weapons program without “preconditions,” according to a Russian official describing the meeting Wednesday between North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev [Russia1108] [Media]
• A Quiet Day for Kim Jong-il in Siberia
  North Korean leader Kim Jong-il did not attend any public events on the second day of his visit to Siberia, leaving it to pundits to speculate what the secretive North Korean leader may have been up to. Diplomatic sources speculated that he may have visited Skovorodino, a town in Amur Oblast where a Russia-China crude oil pipeline starts. Kim is interested in securing energy resources for his impoverished country and may have taken a look to review a pipeline project involving both Koreas and Russia, they said. The Russian business daily Vedomosti said Kim will meet Russian President Dmitri Medvedev on Wednesday, not at a military base in Ulan-Ude, as previously reported, but at a government guest house nearby. A special warfare unit of the 11th Airborne Brigade in the Russian Eastern Military District in Ulan-Ude is preparing to demonstrate various activities for Kim, including detonation of bombs, laying of mines, penetration of a building, and hand-to-hand combat with terrorists, the Russian daily Izvestia reported. The daily quoted a Russian Defense Ministry official as saying, "Airborne troops and a scout search team are awaiting North Korean guests, but we will not show any new weapons to Kim Jong-il." It added this suggests Russia decided not to sell any up-to-date weapons to the North.
• N. Korea's Kim Jong-il arrives in Russia's Buryatia
  Topic: Kim Jong-il visits Russia North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, who is traveling across Russia in his armored train, arrived on Tuesday to the south Siberian republic of Buryatia © Photo Port Amur09:40 23/08/2011ULAN-UDE, August 23 (RIA Novosti) Related News North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, who is traveling across Russia in his armored train, arrived in the south Siberian republic of Buryatia on Tuesday, the regional government said. Kim's route across Buryatia is under tight secrecy. However witnesses said his cortege was headed towards Lake Baikal, where ambitious resort facilities are under construction.
• Kim Jong-il's Russia Trip Prompted by Economic Hardship
  North Korean leader Kim Jong-il talks with the governor of Amur Oblast, Oleg Kozhemyako, on arrival at Bureya Station on Sunday. /Courtesy of Port Amur The main reason for Kim Jong-il's visit to Russia that began on Saturday seems to be North Korea's dire economic hardship, a senior Unification Ministry official said Sunday. The North Korean regime urgently needs money to celebrate regime founder Kim Il-sung's 100th birthday next year, when it has announced it will become a "powerful and prosperous" nation.
• Kim Jong Il Visits Amur Region of Russian Federation
  Pyongyang, August 21 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, visited Amur Region in the Far East Region of the Russian Federation on August 21. He arrived in Amur Region this morning. Flags of the two countries were seen fluttering at Bureya Railway Station and crowd was present there with pennants of the two countries in their hands.
• NK, Russia likely to hold summit Wednesday
  By Kim Young-jin North Korean leader Kim Jong-il will likely hold summit talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday, a day later than expected, officials said as the reclusive leader continued his trip to the neighboring country. The meeting could be pushed back to enable Kim to make a symbolic stop at an oil pipeline, an intelligence source said. Reports said Kim’s armored train was headed to the eastern Siberian city of Ulan-Ude, where the summit will be held, on the third day of Kim’s first trip to Russia in nine years.
• Russia Trip Hints North Korea Is Ready to Do Business
  By CHOE SANG-HUN Published: August 21, 2011 SEOUL, South Korea — An armored train carried the North Korean leader Kim Jong-il to a hydroelectric plant in Siberia on Sunday, according to news reports and two South Korean officials, amid signs that Mr. Kim might be seeking a lucrative role in relaying Russian energy sources to South Korea and Japan. [Russia NK] [Inversion]
• North Korean leader Kim Jong Il arrives in Russia
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• N.Korean leader's train arrives in Russia's Khasan
  North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's special train arrived in Russia's Khasan Saturday, a government source here said. “We understand Chairman Kim's special train arrived at Khasan Station at about 10 a.m. after crossing the border between North Korea and Russia and that a welcoming ceremony is happening there,” the source said. Kim Jong-il may begin his Russian visit on Saturday and is expected to hold summit talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in a Siberian city on Tuesday, an informed source here said. The Kim-Medvedev summit will take place at a military facility in Ulan Ude, said the source, noting an advance team from the Kremlin has already arrived in the third-largest city in eastern Siberia. The Russian daily Izvestia also reported Friday, quoting an official of the country's presidential office, that the leaders of North Korea and Russia will meet in Ulan Ude next week. Ulan Ude is the capital city of the Buryat Republic, Russia, located about 100 kilometers southeast of Lake Baikal, with a population of about 400,000. Major industries there are metals and machinery.
• NK leader welcomed by Russian officials in border station
  08-20-2011 18:23 SEOUL/MOSCOW (Yonhap) ? North Korean leader Kim Jong-il arrived in the Russian Far East aboard a special train on Saturday on his first visit to the neighbor country since 2002, a government source in Seoul said. Kim's train crossed the North Korean-Russian border early Saturday morning and stopped in the Russian border city of Khasan around 10 a.m., about two to three hours behind schedule, said the source.
• With North Korea in Need, Kim Jong-il Goes to Russia
  By MICHAEL SCHWIRTZ Published: August 20, 2011 MOSCOW — North Korea’s reclusive leader, Kim Jong-il, rumbled across the border into Russia aboard an armored train early Saturday amid growing hopes for a resumption of talks over ending his country’s nuclear weapons program. It was Mr. Kim’s first visit to Russia in nearly a decade, part of a return to the international stage that experts say may have been prompted by an urgent need for economic aid to assuage a spiraling food crisis at home. Yet, as in past visits abroad, Mr. Kim, who reports say lives in constant fear for his security, has kept the details of his trip secret. The Kremlin released a terse statement on Saturday, saying the North Korean leader would visit sites in Russia’s Far East and Siberia, and meet with the president, Dmitri A. Medvedev. [Media]
• N. Korean leader Kim Jong Il arrives in Russia ahead of Medvedev meeting
  By Chico Harlan, Saturday, August 20, 10:21 AM TOKYO — In a rare foreign visit confirmed by Pyongyang’s state-run media, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il arrived Saturday via armored train in Russia, where he is to discuss economic projects and meet with President Dmitry Medvedev. A Kremlin statement described the meeting between the leaders as the “main event” during Kim’s trip to the Far East and Siberian regions. The trip comes at a time when the Stalinist dictatorship is pushing for aid and facing international pressure to resume nuclear talks, suspended since early 2009. N. Korean leader Kim Jong Il arrives in Russia ahead of summit meeting .Kim’s train passed into Russia on Saturday morning near the border town of Khasan. South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, citing a government source in Seoul, said that Kim would meet with Medvedev on Tuesday in Ulan Ude, a Siberian town several hundred miles northwest of Vladivostok.
• Short Track Star Ahn Confirms Emigration to Russia
  Ahn Hyun-soo Short track star Ahn Hyun-soo has applied for Russian citizenship, he confirmed on his website on Wednesday. This is a preliminary move for the skater, who has notched an impressive haul of five world titles and three Olympic gold medals in his illustrious career, to represent Russia when it hosts the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014.
• Vladivostok Teeming with N.Korean Laborers
  In the scorching afternoon heat last Thursday, two Asian laborers sat in front of a grocery store near a building site in Vladivostok, Russia, cooling themselves with mugs of draft beer. When asked if they were North Koreans, the men asked, "Are you from South Korea?" One of the laborers, who was in his 40s, then said there were around 50 workers from all over North Korea, including Pyongyang and Nampo, at this particular site alone, and they can be seen at practically every construction site in Vladivostok
• Russia Wants to Boost Cooperation with 2 Koreas
  Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said his country is willing to step up cooperation with both Koreas in gas, energy and railways, North Korea's state-run KCNA news agency reported Monday. In a message to North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il on Korea’s 66th Liberation Day, Medvedev said Russia is willing to expand cooperation with North Korea in matters of mutual concern, including a trilateral project in gas, energy and railway construction involving Russia and both Koreas.
• Russia urges N.Korea to help with border projects
  Global Times | August 16, 2011 04:40 By AFP Share South Korean family members of victims of World War II hold portraits of family members during an anti-Japanese rally to commemorate the 66th anniversary of liberation from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule in Seoul Monday. Photo: AFP Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has called for cooperation with North Korea in the building of a gas pipeline, railways and power lines across the heavily fortified border with South Korea. The call came in a message sent by Medvedev to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il Monday, on the occasion of the anniversary of the end of Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean peninsula. "We have willingness to boost cooperation with North Korea in all directions of mutual concern including a three-party plan encompassing Russia, North and South Korea in the fields of gasification, energy and railway construction," read the message published by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. Russia will ship at least 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas to South Korea every year from 2017, and wants to build a gas pipeline across North Korea to transport this gas. Talks are also under way between Russia and North Korea on the laying of power lines and railways. "They will be of important economic significance and contribute to stabilizing the situation in Northeast Asia and denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula," the Russian leader said. South Korean President Lee Myung-bak also urged North Korea in a speech marking the anniversary to stop military "provocation" and work toward peace and cooperation on the divided peninsula. "We have lived in an era of confrontation for the past six decades. Now is the time to ... open the age of peace and cooperation," Lee said. [Media]
• Greetings to Kim Jong Il from Russian President
  Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, Monday received a message of greeting from D. Medvedev, president of the Russian Federation on the occasion of the day of Korea's liberation. The message said: Esteemed Your Excellency Kim Jong Il, I congratulate you on the occasion of the day of Korea's liberation, national holiday of the Korean people. We feel thankful to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea for valuing the memory of the Soviet Army soldiers who made great contributions to the cause of liberating Korea from the colonial rule. History proved the solidity of the friendship between the peoples of our two countries. We have willingness to boost cooperation with the DPRK in all directions of mutual concern including a three-party plan encompassing Russia, the DPRK and the Republic of Korea in the fields of gasification, energy and railway construction. They will be of important economic significance and contribute to stabilizing the situation in Northeast Asia and denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. Respected Your Excellency Kim Jong Il, Please accept my best wishes for your good health and success in your work and the Korean people's peace and prosperity. Respectfully Yours.
• N.Korea Favors S.Korea-Russia Gas Pipeline
  North Korea is "positive" about a project to lay an overland gas pipeline transporting Russian natural gas to South Korea, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Thursday. Lavrov, who met with his South Korean counterpart Kim Sung-hwan in Moscow on Monday, added he is optimistic about the success of the project, according to a South Korean government official. Executives from Gazprom, Russia's largest extractor of natural gas, met with North Korean officials recently and agreed to meet again to discuss the details, Russian officials told their South Korean counterparts. During President Lee Myung-bak's first visit to Russia in September 2008, South Korea and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding whereby Seoul will import 7.5 million tons of natural gas from Siberia every year for 30 years from 2015. Once completed, the pipeline would reduce transportation cost for Russian natural gas to a mere 30 percent of the current cost of transporting it by ship. Meanwhile, diplomatic sources speculated that there is a chance that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il will visit Vladivostok to meet with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, probably next month when Putin is in Siberia to mark the completion of a gas pipeline from Sakhalin to Vladivostok.
• S.Korea, Russia and N.Korea move forward with gas pipeline
  Seoul has promoted the project in part as a step toward improving inter-Korean relations By Son Won-je, Staff Writer The South Korean government has decided to move ahead with a three-way economic cooperation project, together with North Korea and Russia, to build a pipeline to carry Russian natural gas through North Korea without preconditions such as an apology from North Korean for the sinking of the Cheonan and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island. [Energy]

• U.S.-Russian Relations and the Rise of China
  By Anatol Lieven, New America Foundation July 11, 2011 | President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sign documents on nuclear arms reduction before a news conference at the Kremlin in Moscow on July 6, 2009. (Photo/White House - Chuck Kennedy) Since the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union, U.S. policies towards Russia have been characterized by a level of hostility which is not justified by Russian threats to U.S. interests. These U.S. attitudes towards Russia have both encouraged and been encouraged by a strategy of the expansion of U.S. influence and U.S.-led alliance systems at Russia's expense. This has led the U.S. into strategic commitments in regions which past generations of U.S. policymakers would have regarded as almost surreally distant from real U.S. concerns. Not surprisingly, this U.S. strategy has converted what in the early 1990s was an almost exaggerated level of respect for the U.S. among educated Russians into feelings of distrust and hostility which extend from the security elites into much of the population. [US Russia] [US global strategy] [China confrontation]
• Talks Held between Ministry of Oil Industry, Gazprom of Russia Delegations
  Pyongyang, July 5 (KCNA) --Talks between the delegation of the Ministry of Oil Industry of the DPRK and the delegation of Gazprom of Russia were held at the Mansudae Assembly Hall Tuesday. Present at the talks from the DPRK side were Minister of Oil Industry Kim Hui Yong, officials concerned and from the Russian side members of the delegation of Gazprom of Russia headed by its Deputy Managing Chairman Alexandr Ananenkov. At the talks both sides discussed cooperation in oil and gas and a series of other issues of bilateral concern.

• Kim Jong-il's Train Stops Short of Russian Border
  Kim Jong-il (left) and Dmitry Medvedev An armored train believed to be carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong-il was spotted heading to the Russian border on Tuesday evening. Diplomatic sources in Seoul said U.S. and South Korean intelligence officials confirmed that the armored train left Pyongyang and headed toward Hamgyong Province, and Kim was expected to meet Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Vladivostok. But the train never crossed the border, according to a source.
• N.Korea, Russia Cancel Summit
  North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has apparently cancelled a visit to the eastern Russian port city of Vladivostok to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. "It's my understanding that a summit between Chairman Kim Jong-il and President Dmitry Mevedev was known to be scheduled to take place in Russia's Far Eastern region of Vladivostok on June 30 or July 1," a senior South Korean government source told the Yonhap news agency. "We have no idea yet why the talks were canceled."
• Leaders of N. Korea, Russia planning summit: reports
  TOKYO/MOSCOW (Yonhap) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il are planning to hold their first meeting later this month or early next month in the Russian Far East, news reports claimed late Thursday. Citing local officials and Russian public security officials, Kyodo News reported that the two countries are considering having a summit around next Thursday on the outskirts of Vladivostok or in the Khasan region of Russia, near the border with North Korea.
• Kim Jong-il 'to Meet Medvedev'
  Dmitry Medvedev /Yonhap-Reuters North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev may meet next week in Vladivostok, PrimaMedia, a news agency for Russia's Far East, said Thursday. Medvedev "will visit Vladivostok between June 29 and July 1 to inspect preparations for the APEC Summit there next year and there is the possibility of a summit with North Korean leader Kim during the visit," PrimaMedia reported. "This has been confirmed by several sources." If the summit takes place, it would be the first meeting between the leaders of the two countries in nine years. Kim and Putin also met in Pyongyang in July of 2000, in Moscow in August 2001 and in Vladivostok in August of 2002 to discuss economic cooperation.

• Resolving the North Korean nuclear impasse: a Russian perspective
  May 19th, 2011 Author: Alexander Vorontsov, Russian Academy of Sciences During 2010, the nuclear problem on the Korean Peninsula played itself out in an intense, unchecked manner in the midst of worsening inter-Korean relations. At the same time, the mechanisms for resolving, freezing and eventually eliminating its nuclear program were virtually inactive. This applies to both the bilateral formats and the main international tool designed to meet those goals, the six-party talks. A fundamental factor behind the crisis on the Korean peninsula, beginning with the tragic sinking of the Cheonan in March 2010, appears to be North Korean resistance to the US-ROK alliance. This is not new, but escalated to a new level of antagonism. The initial strategic vision of the current ROK administration of Lee Myung-bak was to rapidly and decisively push North Korea to breaking point and unify the two countries — ‘absorbing’ the North. [Takeover]
• Lend-Lease Contribution to the Victory Over Nazis Overstated
  07.05.2011 Sergei Smolyannikov, political scientist (Ukraine) On the eve of the anniversary of the triumph over Nazis, we are reliving step by step the Soviet people's march to the great victory. It took years of fighting – in deep defense and in fearless attacks - to go all the way from the first battles at the border of the USSR to the glorious moments when Berlin was finally taken and the red flag was put atop the hills of Port Arthur. Those who worked tirelessly in the wartime to supply the Red Army which permanently needed new supplies of weapons and materiel made a tremendous contribution to the victory. In Russia in that epoch, it was not uncommon for women, senior citizens, and even children to take the physically challenging jobs left by the men who were fighting the Nazi. [F&E]

• Moscow’s Views on the Korean Peninsula
  By Alexander Vorontsov The Korean peninsula quite often reminds one of a pendulum swinging back and forth from crisis to negotiation. Now it looks as if the situation is beginning to move toward a new phase of talks. Observers often view this process as a vicious cycle. Nevertheless, from Russia’s perspective, negotiations are definitely better then confrontation. Last year, inter-Korean relations were aggravated to a point of dangerous escalation. There were many reasons why this happened. One reason was that throughout 2010, the U.S.-ROK alliance exerted unprecedented pressure on both North Korea (in order to facilitate regime collapse) and China to show Beijing that the price of supporting North Korea was becoming excessively burdensome, hoping thus to break the Chinese away from Pyongyang. What has been the result? These goals have gone unfulfilled. North Korea’s domestic political environment not only remains quite stable, but the political system has become increasingly consolidated and friendly relations between China and North Korea have continued to deepen across the board. At the same time, North Korea’s nuclear programs have remained largely unchecked. Pyongyang’s behavior has not improved, but instead has become more decisive and dangerous. For instance, North Korea’s November 23 artillery shelling of South Korea’s Yeonpyeong Island was, in part, to send a signal that the North is ready to fight for its survival at any price. As Victor Cha so soundly stressed in his recent Congressional testimony, “even a hawk must acknowledge that a long-term policy of sanctions and military exercises, in the end, may lead to war before they lead to a collapse of the regime.”[1] [Collapse] [Buildup]
• N.Korean Embassy Buildings in Moscow 'House Casino'
  A building that is part of the North Korean Embassy in Moscow is being used as an illegal casino, Russian media reported Thursday. According to the daily Izvestia, the North Korean government rented out a 2,000 sq. m administrative building adjoining the embassy to a company which registered it as a restaurant, but Russian authorities believe a casino has been operating there since December.
• The Russian Perspective on the Korean Peninsula in 2010 and Implications for the Future
  by Alexander Vorontsov April 1, 2011 Alexander Vorontsov, Director of the Department for Korean and Mongolian Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences, writes, “We have concluded that the only real, workable method to first halt, then try gradually to limit, and, in the long run, eliminate North Korea’s nuclear programs and capability is for the main players to enter substantive negotiations on the issues as soon as possible. And while we closely monitor Pyongyang’s fulfillment of its obligations, we should not fail to meet our own.” [Engagement] [Russia]

• Pyongyang – Seoul: In Quagmire, with Dim Prospects for Solution
  21.02.2011 Alexander Vorontsov Head Korea Department Institute for Oriental studies of the Russian Academy of Science Oleg Revenko Political analyst Early this February, the South and North Korean army command envoys met in Panmunjom, on the de facto border between the two countries, to reach an agreement on the agenda, date, and location for the higher level talks suggested by Pyongyang at the end of January. The otherwise routine event drew abundant international coverage as the first inter-Korean contact since the unprecedented escalation in the late 2010, when, perhaps for the first time since the 1950-1953 war, a shelling of an island in the proximity of the border left the two Koreas on the brink of a full-blown armed conflict. At the time, only the urgent involvement of the neighbor countries, including Russia, combined with the UN Security Council's efforts helped to prevent the spiraling of the hostilities.
  While the mainstream perception is that the conflicts between the Koreas stem from the North Korean “totalitarian” regime's maintaining a nuclear program and pursuing likewise risky policies, the crisis actually has much deeper roots. In particular, certain aspects of the approach to North Korea adopted by Lee Myung-bak's conservative administration are downright alarming. Fairly quickly, South Korea wasted fully the positive inertia accumulated over the relatively peaceful past decade and opted for undermining the regime in North Korea as the cornerstone of its strategy. The lesson to be learned is that the egoistic and short-sighted policies on both sides contributed to the stalemate. As a result, other countries, notably Russia which under an unfavorable scenario may face a threat to its security, should seek a bigger role in resolving the conflict.
• N.Korea Red-Faced as Russia Denies UN Security Council Claim
  North Korea was acutely embarrassed on Saturday when the Russian Foreign Ministry rebutted its claim that Moscow does not back UN Security Council debate on its uranium enrichment program. The North made the claim last Wednesday. But the Russian statement said North Korea's uranium enrichment capability has reached a level where it can violate UNSC resolutions and needs more careful international inspection. "We respect the opinions of other permanent members of the Security Council on this issue," it added. The North's official KCNA news agency had claimed, "Russia does not back UNSC debate, but media reports make it look as if the country were backing such debate." Earlier on Jan. 28, Alexei Borodavkin, the chief Russian negotiator to the six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear program, said in Seoul that Russia does not oppose UNSC debate on the issue. "Russia is displeased at the North's arbitrary distortion of its stance," a South Korean Foreign Ministry official said. "The Russian statement is a warning to the North."

• Russia Distances Itself from China Over N.Korea
  Russia distanced itself from China in discussions about North Korea at the UN Security Council on Sunday, Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan said Tuesday. "In the process of adopting the statement, Russia clearly stated its intention to join international condemnation," Kim said. "I do not believe Russia is acting in concert with China." It was Russia that called the emergency UNSC meeting on Sunday to discuss South Korea's artillery drill on Yeonpyeong Island. But it apparently agreed to most of the demands made by the U.S. and the U.K., which stressed that the statement must focus on North Korea's provocations. "Russia supported calls to condemn North Korea's artillery attack on Yeonpyeong Island. The statement was not adopted because of opposition from China," Kim said.
• Russian, N.Korean Diplomats Discuss Regional Situation
  Senior Russian and North Korean diplomats met Tuesday in Moscow to discuss ways of stabilizing the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksey Borodavkin told North Korean ambassador Kim Jong-yae that Moscow remains committed to six-party talks on North Korean disarmament. He said Russia will work to help find
• End of an Epoch or a Fresh Start?
  20.12.2010 Andrei Volodin,political scientist, PhD(History), professor Russian president D. Medvedev will visit Delhi on December 21-22. Russia and India share a decades-long record of strategic partnership, and – considering that the relations between the two countries will largely shape the configuration of the emerging post-unipolar world order - the two heavyweights' contacts are drawing attention worldwide. The Soviet-Indian strategic partnership can be traced back to the epoch which followed the 1962 border conflict between India and China. By the time Moscow was already locked in an ideological conflict with Beijing and readily responded to Delhi's arms-buying appetites, while the West avoided clearly-defined obligations to India. Shortly thereafter, in the 1960ies-1970ies, the relations between the USSR and India grew into a full-scale strategic partnership. In the 1970ies the Soviet foreign-politics strategy gave India the role of a counterforce to China as the US-Chinese rapprochement was looming on the horizon. [Border war][Russia India]
• Russia's Diplomacy Moves in Mysterious Ways
  Jung Byung-sun The diplomatic moves Russia made last week carried the classic signature of the Kremlin. The "citadel," as Kremlin literally translates, remains shrouded in a thick veil of secrecy, and its moves are difficult to predict. After criticizing North Korea repeatedly over the artillery attack on Yeonpyong, Russia on Saturday abruptly demanded an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, taking issue with planned South Korean artillery drills on on Yeonpyeong Island that have been held annually for decades. Just a few days ago Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov sharply criticized the artillery attack when he met North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun, and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin also criticized North Korea's uranium enrichment program. Such contradictory behavior affirms Moscow's reputation for unpredictability. Following Russia's rare rebuke of the North, some South Korean diplomats got mistaken impression that they had gained a new ally. One South Korean diplomat even said, "Russia showed clear resolve not to protect North Korea any longer on the international stage." When it became clear that the North was solely responsible for the artillery attack, Russia could no longer remain silent on the issue and abandoned its amiable attitude to the North, the diplomat said. But that view quickly lost ground when Moscow began to take issue with the South Korean military exercises [Peace effort] [Cash]
• Russia urges Seoul to skip military drills in Yellow Sea
  English.news.cn 2010-12-17 21:44:42 MOSCOW, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday urged South Korea to skip planned military drills in the Yellow Sea, the ministry said in a statement. "The Russian Foreign Ministry importantly urges the Republic of Korea to restrain from the planned artillery gunnery to prevent further escalation of the tension in the Korean peninsula," the ministry said, adding that Moscow has been "highly concerned" with the possible aggravation of the situation there. The Foreign Ministry called on Pyongyang and Seoul to resume dialogue and to resolve all problems between the two states through political and diplomatic means. South Korea plans a live fire artillery drill from Dec 18 to Dec 21 near the island of Yeonpyeong in the Yellow Sea. The firing range practice in the same area in November led to the exchange of artillery fire between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and South Korea, killing two marines and two civilians. [Clash] [Peace effort]
• U.S. and Russia find some common ground on the Koreas
  15:33 16/12/2010© REUTERS/ Kim Kyung-HoonRIA Novosti political commentator Dmitry Kosyrev On Wednesday night, South Korea's Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Wi Sung-lac departed from Moscow after talks at the Russian Foreign Ministry, two days after North Korean Foreign Minister Park Ui Chun had been there. These visits might look like the usual and often useless routine that always precedes the latest round of six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear program. But there are a few meaningful differences this time. To begin with, it is unclear whether it will even be possible to gather together all six nations - China, Japan, North Korea, Russia, South Korea and the United States. Moreover, there are doubts about the values of the talks. Some have proposed trying a new negotiating format. What is clear is that the Korean nuclear threat and related problems demand solutions, whether they are found in Beijing or elsewhere. There have been muted signals that Moscow and Washington are coming to a silent understanding on the Korean problem, given recent developments in the region. This has the potential to realign forces in Northeast Asia.
• Putin Urges N.Korea to Comply with UN Resolutions
  Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Tuesday urged North Korea to "unconditionally comply with UN Security Council resolutions" on its nuclear development. The previous day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov denounced the North for its shelling of the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong in November.
• Russia Slams N.Korea Over Island Attack
  Russia on Monday criticized North Korea over the artillery attack on Yeonpyeong Island last month, brushing aside claims that it was a response to a preemptive strike by the South.    "It was confirmed that a fatal artillery attack on a nation's territory deserves denouncement," said a statement the Russian Foreign Ministry issued Monday after Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met his North Korean counterpart Pak Ui-chun [Clash]
• DPRK FM Spokesman on Talks between DPRK and Russia  
    Pyongyang, December 14 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry today gave the following answer to a question put by KCNA as regards the talks held between foreign ministers of the DPRK and Russia in Moscow: Pak Ui Chun, foreign minister of the DPRK on a visit to Russia at the invitation of its Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, had talks with his Russian counterpart and signed the 2011-2012 plan for exchange between the two foreign ministries in Moscow on December 13. At the talks both sides estimated the fact that the two countries jointly commemorated in a significant manner the 10th anniversary of the DPRK-Russia joint declaration and the conclusion of the DPRK-Russia treaty this year and had an in-depth discussion on the matters of further developing the traditional DPRK-Russia relations of friendship and cooperation before reaching an agreement of views. An open-hearted exchange of views was also made there on regional and international issues of mutual concern. The Russian side gave a profound understanding of the DPRK's stand toward the grave situation recently prevailed on the Korean Peninsula and expressed deep apprehension over the facts that the Yonphyong Island incident occurred due to south Korea's provocation and the U.S. and south Korea have staged large-scale military exercises one after another, steadily aggravating the situation of the peninsula. On the LWR construction and production of enriched uranium for fuel supply by the DPRK, the Russian side took notice of the DPRK's stand that nuclear activity for peaceful purposes is the independent right of each country. Both sides agreed to make joint efforts to defend peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula through bilateral and multilateral talks, including the six-party talks, in keeping with the spirit of respect for sovereignty and the principle of simultaneous action stipulated in the September 19 Joint Statement.  
• Russian Armed Forces on High Alert Over North Korea
  Photo Courtesy - Yonhap News Agency(MOSCOW) -- Russia announced Tuesday that its armed forces in the east are on high alert. This comes in light of what it calls an "inadequate situation" on the Korean peninsula as tensions have increased in recent weeks between the North and South. The head of Russia's military said they continue to follow what is happening and have taken measures to raise the forces' combat readiness. On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov welcomed his North Korean counterpart to Moscow. In the meeting, Lavrov expressed concern with North Korea's ongoing uranium enrichment activities. He also condemned North Korea's attack on the South's Yeonpyeong Island, which has been the source of the recent increased tension. South Korea's top nuclear official is on his way to Moscow to discuss the disclosure of North Korea's newest uranium enrichment facility and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island. Russia joined the U.S. and others in condemning the November attack, which killed four people and brought about the highest tension on the peninsula in years. Copyright 2010 ABC News Radio [Media]
• 2 Koreas Lobby Russia for Support
  Senior South and North Korean foreign ministry officials are visiting Russia almost simultaneously this week to persuade Moscow of their point of view about the North's artillery attack on Yeonpyeong Island and its uranium program. South Korea's chief nuclear negotiator Wi Sung-lac is to meet Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Borodavkin on Wednesday, while North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun holds held talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Monday. Russian officials did not directly blame the North for the torpedo attack on the South Korean Navy corvette Cheonan in March, but Lavrov himself strongly denounced the North for the shelling of Yeonpyeong. However, Russia, a participating nation of the six-party nuclear talks, believes China's proposal for a meeting of chief negotiators in the talks should be discussed, whereas South Korea, the U.S. and Japan have rejected the idea. A South Korean Foreign Ministry official said, "Russia too is concerned about the North's recent disclosure of a uranium enrichment facility, so we'll explain to Russian officials that Seoul, Washington and Tokyo demand the North stop uranium enrichment and ask Russia to join us." Russia, like China, is a permanent UN Security Council member. The North's Pak reportedly asked Lavrov for Russia's support and relayed the regime's claim that the shelling of Yeonpyeong was a response to a "preemptive strike" by the South. Lavrov visited Pyongyang in April last year. Wi has no plan to meet Pak in Moscow, a Foreign Ministry official said.
• WorldRussia concerned over North Korean nukes
  Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed concern on Monday over North Korea's recent nuclear revelations. In late November, Pyongyang disclosed to visiting U.S. experts an operational uranium enrichment facility at Yongbyon, prompting fears that the isolated country has begun developing nuclear weapons. Lavrov held talks with North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-Chun in Moscow earlier on Monday. "Lavrov has expressed deep concern over the information that facilities to enrich uranium are being built at Yongbyon and called on North Korea to abide by UN Security Council resolutions 1718 and 1874," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The statement also condemned Pyongyang's shelling of the South's Yeonpyeong Island in the Yellow Sea on November 23, which killed four people and led both sides to threaten war. North Korea has been subjected to several rounds of UN Security Council sanctions since it declared itself a nuclear power in 2005. The state broke off talks with South Korea, China, the United States, Japan and Russia over its nuclear program last April. [LWR] [UNUS] [Double standards]
• Moscow dismisses Tokyo’s claims of disrupting US-Japanese naval drills
  08 December, 2010, 12:28 Edited: 08 December, 2010, 19:35 Il -38 (RIA Novosti / Vitaly Ankov) Japan claims two Russian military planes violated its airspace in the middle of the largest ever US-Japanese military exercises. On Wednesday, a Japanese official said a pair of Russian military planes illegally flew over Japanese waters during US-Japanese military exercises in the Sea of Japan. The incident apparently took place on Monday, and caused the drills to be temporarily suspended. Russia denies the allegations. Interfax news agency quoted Roman Martov, a spokesperson for Russia's Pacific Fleet, as saying: “The planes were carrying out planned flights in the area of everyday activity for the fleet. Russia did not commit any breaches of international rules on the use of air space or of flight rules.” The military exercises, named “Keen Sword”, kicked off on December 3, and will last for another two days. They are the largest joint war games to be held in the region, with around 44,000 military personnel taking part. South Korea is an observer in the exercises. The drills follow similar US-South Korean maneuvers in the Yellow Sea, which began after the shelling of a South Korean island by the North two weeks ago, that killed at least four South Koreans. Meanwhile, Dmitry Streltsov, head of Asian and African studies at Moscow State University of International Relations, told RT that border violations have happened numerous times in the past, both on the Russian and Japanese side. He noted that such incidents do not usually spark any sort of conflict. Streltsov added that the incident probably has nothing to do with Russia’s Kuril Islands in the Far East, which Japan claims as its own. The two countries have still not signed a peace treaty after the end of World War II, leaving the Kurils a disputed territory. Last month President Dmitry Medvedev visited the islands, sparking a diplomatic row with Tokyo. [Joint US military]
• North Korea no longer takes the U.S. security guarantees seriously
  South Korea's troops near Korean Demilitarized Zone 16:09 08/12/2010© REUTERS/ Kim Jae-HwanBy Alexei Fenenko Valdai Club's interview with Alexei Fenenko, Leading Research Fellow, Institute of International Security Studies of RAS, Russian Academy of Sciences What, in your opinion, the most likely scenario for the situation on the Korean Peninsula? The situation on the Korean peninsula has been tense for the past 20 years. During this period, Korea has already experienced three nuclear scares – in 1994, 2003 and 2009 – when both the regional war scenario and that of pre-emptive U.S. strikes on North Korean nuclear facilities were seriously considered. From my point of view, the greatest danger in the Korean crisis lays in the fact that continued tension benefits all key regional players. First of all, it is favorable for North Korea itself, which uses it as a tool to exert leverage on other countries, mainly the United States, while demanding economic aid and security guarantees from the international community. Secondly, it is beneficial for the United States, which on the one hand, is seeking to establish a forced disarmament plan for the “illegal nuclear state”, and on the other, to implement a major commercial project: the 1994 Agreed Framework, under which the Americans sought to replace North Korea’s heavy water reactors with light water ones. Japan also benefits from this strained state of affairs. It is exploiting the tension to push for the re-signing of the United States-Japan 1960 Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security. And it is certainly beneficial for China, as it can use the North Korean crisis to demonstrate that without China, there will be little chance of resolving the region’s major problems. [Bizarre]
• Allies ratchet up pressure on China, Russia
  By Kang Hyun-kyung South Korea’s chief nuclear negotiator Wi Sung-lac will head for Russia next week to discuss with his counterpart there ways to handle North Korea, which recently unveiled a uranium enrichment program and launched a deadly attack on Yeonpyeong Island. His trip to Russia coincides with the U.S. government’s increasing pressure on China, a decades-long benefactor of the North, to exert its influence to stop the Stalinist state’s belligerent acts.
• NKorea sends top diplomat to Russia amid tensions
  By KIM KWANG-TAE The Associated Press Saturday, December 11, 2010; 8:35 AM SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea warned Saturday that it is ready for an all-out war even as it dispatched its top diplomat to Russia amid a flurry of regional diplomatic efforts to defuse tensions over the North's deadly artillery attack on South Korea. North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun left for Russia, the North's official Korean Central News Agency said in a one-sentence report. No details were given, but Pak accused South Korea and the United States on Friday of pursuing a policy of hostility and confrontation and reiterated that North Korea needs its nuclear program to fend them off. "We once again feel convinced that we have made the right choice in strengthening our defenses with the nuclear deterrent," the Russian news agency Interfax quoted him as saying in an interview. The North's National Peace Committee also claimed that the U.S. and South Korea are pushing the situation on the Korean peninsula close to all-out war.
• N.Korean Attack (sic) 'Acute and Disturbing,' Says Putin
  Vladimir Putin Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has suggested that China certainly has leverage to rein in North Korea. Putin was speaking on the Larry King Live talk show on CNN on Thursday. Asked if China should be more active in resolving the North Korean issues, Putin said, "Everyone should do everything possible so that the situation could enter into a normal channel. The People's Republic of China has levers of influence, first of all in the economic sense, but it's more important to remember that when relating to the interests of the Korean people, this has to be done with respect, both to the North and South Koreans." Putin said that he finds the situation (sic) in the Korean Peninsula "very acute and disturbing" after a series of recent incidents -- North Korea’s shelling of Yeonpyeong Island and disclosure of an uranium enrichment facility -- as they are happening right near Russian borders. But he was evasive about whether he supports China’s proposal of continuing six-party talks. "The president manages the country's foreign policies and that question needs to be addressed to him first of all, but I believe on the whole that Russia is interested in the continuation of dialogue," he said. Putin added, "You have to have patience and choose the correct tone in dialogue and develop a unified position of all six states, which are all taking part in this quite complex agreement process. A unity of approaches is very important for overall success." If the U.S. does not ratify the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) signed with Russia, it will inevitably result in competition of expanding military budget. "That's not our choice. We don't want that to happen. But this is not a threat on our part," Putin said. "We've been simply saying that this is what all of us expects to happen if we don't agree on a joint effort there." U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev signed the new START in April, which would require both countries to limit the number of strategic nuclear warheads from current 2,200 to 1,550 each. [Media] [Clash]
• Russia sees N. Korea's uranium enrichment program as violation of U.N. resolutions
  SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- A senior Russian diplomat told South Korean officials Thursday that North Korea's alleged uranium enrichment program constitutes a violation of U.N. resolutions and its own commitment to give up nuclear programs, an official said. Moscow's deputy nuclear envoy, Grigory Logvinov, made the remark at a meeting in Seoul with South Korea's chief nuclear negotiator Wi Sung-lac and his deputy Cho Hyun-dong, a foreign ministry official said on condition of anonymity. "Regarding the UEP (uranium enrichment program) issue, Russia takes a clear position that the North's uranium enrichment is a violation of U.S. Security Council resolutions and the Sept. 19 joint statement" under which Pyongyang pledged to give up nuclear programs, the ministry official said. [Double standards] [JS050919] [UNUS]
• The Korean Peninsula: a Territory of Recurring Crises
  29.11.2010
  Alexander Vorontsov Head Korea DepartmentInstitute for Oriental studies of the Russian Academy of Science Oleg Revenko Political analyst A new escalation took place on the Korean Peninsula. The crisis began to unravel when a US envoy who visited N. Korea stated that up to 2,000 centrifuges were installed at the Yongbyon uranium enrichment facilities. The number, albeit too low to worry that the production of weapons-grade plutonium was on track, resonated with the West's traditionally alarmist perception of any news concerning N. Korea. To further complicate the situation, Pyongyang declared launching in the same region the construction of a light-water reactor which – according to the initial plan - was supposed to absorb the low-grade uranium from the Yongbyon facilities. The legality of N. Korea's nuclear program in the light of the international law continues to stir debates. No doubt, a sovereign country is entitled to civilian use of nuclear energy. The right was reaffirmed in the key September, 2005 joint statement adopted as a result of the six-party talks. On the other hand, Pyongyang should allow full IAEA oversight of its nuclear activities, which automatically implies N. Korea's reverting to the non-proliferation regime in the role of a non-nuclear state. UN Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874 require that N. Korea fully suspend its nuclear program until the international cooperation in the framework of the nonproliferation regime is re-established. In fact, the whole story looks mysterious. First, it is unclear how N. Korea managed to secretly build extensive enrichment facilities despite the extremely intense and technically advanced US surveillance. Experts deemed it a realistic assumption that N. Korea could be operating a dozen or two dozens of centrifuges formerly imported from Pakistan as experimental equipment, but the figure that surfaced recently sounds striking, especially considering that Pyongyang could have more facilities than it chose to demonstrate. The realism of the plan to build a light-water reactor in a poor country lacking the corresponding industrial base and technologies is questionable. For N. Korea, making the entire range of necessary equipment domestically is out of question while importing them should be impossible due to the current sanctions regime. The recent escalation between the Koreas did overshadow N. Korea's nuclear problem. On November 23 Pyongyang subjected the Yeonpyeong Island located 12-15 km away from the inter-Korean border to massive shelling, killing 4 people, injuring 20, and causing considerable devastations. N. Korea justified the shelling with a reference to S. Korea's aggressive conduct as the latter was carrying out military exercises on the island including missile launches. Missiles were of course fired not at N. Korea but towards the marine zone which remains contested since the end of the Korean War. S. Korea did not submit an advance notification concerning the launches and ignored Pyongyang's request that no military exercises be conducted in the proximity (sic) of the N. Korean territory.

• Russia to back UNSC statement on N. Korea
  By Kang Hyun-kyung South Korea’s push to take North Korea’s latest deadly attack on an island in the West Sea to the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) gained momentum after Russia, a permanent council member, gave its explicit support. In a news briefing Thursday (local time), Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed the hope that UNSC members will produce a statement to condemn the North’s bombardment of Yeonpyeong Island. The deadly attack claimed the lives of two marines and two civilians — 15 marines and three civilians were wounded.
• North Koreans leave Russia's Far East to protect homeland – paper
  14:48 26/11/2010 North Korean citizens working in Russia's Far East rushed home after the recent military skirmish between North and South Korea, Russian popular daily Moskovsky Komsomolets said on Friday. North Korea opened artillery fire on the South's Yeonpyeong Island in the Yellow Sea Tuesday, killing at least two South Korean marines and two civilians. Sixteen others were injured, along with three civilians. The South retaliated and warned of further strikes. The North later accused South Korea of attacking first. "As soon as the message about rising tensions between both countries appeared, North Koreans took it as an unspoken call to stand up and protect their dictator Kim Jong-il," Moskovsky Komsomolets cited Russian news agency VladNews as saying. North Koreans, suffering from severe food shortages at home, often put their lives at risk to cross the short Russian-North Korean border in order to earn some money in outdoor markets and construction sites and buy food for malnourished relatives. Their disappearance has already affected the Russian Far East labor market, since the North Koreans are the lowest paid employees there, Moskovsky Komsomolets said. In the 1990s, North Korea suffered from one of the gravest famines in the 20th century. At least one million people died of hunger. "Hordes of malnourished children wander across the country. If policemen detain them, they are sent to overcrowded asylums where they die," the daily quoted a spokesman for the Open Doors human rights organization as saying. Until recently, North Korea was almost totally dependent on humanitarian aid from South Korea, China and the World Food Program, the main food aid supplier to North Korea. Recently, donors have been reluctant to render aid to North Korea because of restrictions on aid workers and the international condemnation of its nuclear program. MOSCOW, November 26 (RIA Novosti)  [Media]

• North, South Korea exchange artillery fire
  (Update 2) Topic: North Korea attacks South Korean island North Korea launched artillery fire at a South Korean island on Tuesday 10:12 23/11/2010© flickr.com/ diongillardRelated News North Korea attacks South Korean island (Update 1) North Korea launched artillery fire at a South Korean island on Tuesday, injuring four soldiers and provoking a retaliatory attack from the South, Seoul's YTN television reported. An eyewitness told the TV station that some 60 to 70 houses were ablaze on the Yeonpyeong island in the Yellow Sea. The island, which is off the countries' west coast, is populated by some 1,200 people.(suic) A spokesman for South Korea's joint chief of staff, Lee Bung-woo told the Xinhua news agency that "South Korea fired some 30 artillery shells back in response."
  The attack is the second by North Korea this year against its neighbor in the tense Yellow Sea border area. In March, a North Korean submarine was alleged to have torpedoed a South Korean naval ship, the Cheonan.(sic) [Media] [Clash] [Omission]
• Russia makes its debut at ASEM
  13:27 07/10/2010© RIA Novosti. Eduard PesovRIA Novosti political commentator Dmitry Kosyrev Related News Russia switching vector of interest to Asia - analyst Russia might handle 10-15% of cargo turnover between Asia and Europe Is Russia's bid for Europe "without borders" just wishful thinking? Russia's European security initiative should get fair hearing - Merkel A bridge connecting Europe and Asia Dmitry Medvedev attends European and Asian media forum Russia's debut at the Asia-Europe Meeting's (ASEM) latest session in Brussels was understated but elegant. President of the European Council Herman van Rompuy welcomed the three newcomers - Russia, Australia and New Zealand - and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov gave a short speech. With this latest addition, ASEM now has 48 members. ASEM is essentially a conference where participants can exchange views as equals. We live in an age of conferences and forums, which have become more frequent and numerous since the global financial crisis struck in September 2008.
• The Korean Peninsula: Challenges and Opportunities for Russia
  Special Report, October 7th, 2010 Russian National Committee
  Vyacheslav A. Nikonov (lead), Georgy D. Toloraya (editor), Alexander V. Vorotsov, Alexander Z. Zhebin, Ivan S. Zakharchenko, Grigory S. Logvinov, V.E. Novikov ,Alexander A. Pikaev, I.I. Sagitov.
  The Russian National Committee writes, “From the conceptual point of view, for Russia the most desired outcome is national reconciliation and the peaceful coexistence of the two Korean states on the path to an eventual unification of Korea over a long period of time. The appearance in the long-perspective of a unified Korea that seeks to maintain friendly, neighborly and cooperative relations with Russia does not contradict Russia’s core interests (in particular in comparison to other neighboring countries). At the same time, the prospects for a united Korea in the foreseeable future are quite low. However, it would be prudent to hedge our risks, as we cannot completely rule out the possibility of a sudden crisis that could lead to a rushed unification. The uncontrollable escalation of the Korean conflict remains a possibility, and the task of Russian policy is to not allow the “explosive” scenario to unfold and to explain that the most advantageous scenario is gradual convergence, which at the appropriate time would put voluntary rapprochement of state mechanisms on the agenda.”
  The escalation of tensions caused by the sinking of the Cheonan has largely been a result of a number of intentional actions taken by the South Korean government with support from the United States. Seoul has unleashed a campaign of unprecedented international pressure on North Korea, trying to achieve further isolation of Pyongyang, weakening of the regime and, subsequently, its capitulation. The path for achieving this is the strangling of North Korea through international pressure, bilateral sanctions and an economic blockade of the country, and a psychological war against Pyongyang aimed at breaking apart North Korean society from within. The success of such a policy, as they probably believe in Seoul, would allow its authors to inscribe their names in gold print in history as the “unifiers” of Korea. The stakes are high – if the Democratic opposition party comes to power in 2012 (and this party won in regional elections in early June 2010), investigations of corruption charges against might be restarted against Lee Myung-Bak and he may be accused of breaking economic cooperation agreements with North Korea [Takeover [Lee Myung-bak] [Russia] [Cheonan] [China confrontation]

• Russia won’t hand over Cheonan report to S Korea
  Russia will not hand over its findings on the Cheonan incident to South Korea, Yonhap News Agency reported Wednesday, citing a ranking Russian government official. “The report by Russian investigators on the sinking of the warship was prepared as a secret document for the Russian leadership. The government will not hand it over to South Korea or North Korea,” said Yonhap quoted Russia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexei Borodavkin as saying at a Tuesday forum in Moscow. “Right now is not a time to determine the cause of the incident, but it is a time to find a way to lessen the tension in the East Asian region,” he said. “For that to be possible, it’s imperative for the six-party talks to resume.” In June, Russia dispatched four investigators to South Korea, who stayed in Seoul for a week, looking into what caused the warship to sink broken into two parts [Cheonan] [Coverup] [Russia]
• Russians need our support Only corruption and force hold Putin's pyramid of power together.
  Protests could bring about change Susan Richards The Guardian, Monday 30 August 2010 Russia is entering a potentially volatile period. Though Vladimir Putin remains a popular leader – and the economy, thanks to rising oil prices, looks set to grow by an enviable 4% this year – the pressure for political change is building. People's daily experience is of a yawning gap between their own poverty and the wealth of those with power; of a pyramid of power held together by greed and networks of corruption. This has been dramatically demonstrated by the inability of officialdom to bring this summer's forest fires under control. Around 75% of full-time forest rangers' jobs have gone; and in 2007 responsibility for firefighting was transferred from the state to the local authorities, where corruption is rampant. [Media] [Bizarre]
• Russian TV Blames N.Korea for Cheonan Sinking
  Russia's state-run television network reported that the South Korean warship Cheonan was sunk by a North Korean torpedo, citing international findings. The network 1-TV reported Friday that a North Korean torpedo was responsible for the sinking, which broke the vessel into two, killing 46 sailors on board in late March. Seoul's Defense Ministry said the announcement is confirmation that Moscow has accepted the evidence and that North Korea is at fault in the deadly incident. In May, a multinational team of investigators concluded that a North Korean torpedo sank the Cheonan. However, after the probe result was announced, a Russian investigation team of submarine and torpedo experts made an independent assessment which concluded that the multinational team's verdict was unconvincing as there was not enough evidence that a torpedo sank the warship. [Cheonan] [Coverup] [Media] [Russia]
• Gifts from Russia and the New Zealand Associations
  Pyongyang, September 13 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il was presented with gifts by the Russkiy Mir Foundation of Russia, Far Eastern National University of Russia and the New Zealand-DPRK Society. The gifts were separately handed over to an official concerned by Georgii Toloraya, head of the delegation of the Russkiy Mir Foundation of Russia, Vladimir Verkholyak, member of the delegation of Far Eastern National University of Russia, and Richard Lawrence, delegate of Waikato Institute of Technology of New Zealand, who are participating in the 7th Pyongyang International Scientific and Technological Book Exhibition.
• A Weakened Russia Looks to Europe
   By STEPHEN FIDLER  The severe blow dealt to Russia by the West's financial crisis is prompting a recalibration of Russia's foreign policy. Among the ideas now surfacing in Moscow: a much closer relationship between Russia and the European Union. After years of rapid economic growth, Russia was hit hard by the crisis. Last year, its economy shrank by 7.9%. That put its economic performance in 206th place out of 213 countries, according to the Central Intelligence Agency. "What became clear from the financial crisis is that Russia is not a sustainable BRIC," said Mark Leonard, director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, using the initials for Brazil, Russia, India and China coined in 2001 to identify fast-growing, emerging economic powers. "While the other BRICs kept on growing, Russia's economy contracted. This emphasized the limits of Russian power." The enthusiastic "Russia is Back" slogans being bandied about two or three years ago have been replaced by growing fears of further decline. A draft report prepared by Russian members of the Valdai International Discussion Club, a group of academics and journalists who met over the past week in Russia, spelled out that fear. Unless Russia and the EU join forces and develop a strategy for co-development, the report said, "their international political influence will most likely be doomed to degradation." Without that alliance, the report said, Europe would turn into a "monument to its old grandeur," while Russia would risk becoming a raw-materials backyard for a rising Asia.   [Realignment] [Rising China]
• Russian Investigators' Report on Cheonan Sinking 'Inconclusive'
  Russian investigators submitted their final report on the sinking of the South Korean Navy corvette Cheonan to the National Security Council, an agency under presidential supervision, the RIA Novosti news agency reported Saturday. The news agency did not say what their conclusion was. The Komsomolskaya Pravda and the Rossiyskaya Gazeta said the investigators failed to come up with a definitive conclusion. They said the only thing that is certain is that an external shock sank the ship in March, killing 46 sailors. Russia's Foreign Ministry will deliver the report to South Korea. Since major issues in Russia are open to the tightly controlled media a few days after decisions are made, it appears that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has already received the report on the Cheonan sinking. The Rossiyskaya Gazeta pointed out that President Lee Myung-bak is to visit Russia to attend the Yaroslavl Global Policy Forum on Thursday through Saturday, and the two leaders will likely discuss the sinking of the Cheonan at a summit on Friday. [Cheonan] [Coverup] [Russia]
• Russia's Cheonan 'Investigation' Is a Political Minefield
  Yu Yong-won Three Russian investigators visited South Korea from May 31 to June 7 to look into the sinking of the Navy corvette Cheonan. They checked the hull of the Cheonan at the Second Naval Fleet Command in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, and held three meetings with South Korean investigators. They also looked at the propulsion shaft of the torpedo believed to have sunk the corvette, the decisive evidence of the attack which was collected from the site of the wreck, and compared it to a North Korean experimental torpedo collected off the southeastern coast in 2003. They kept out of the way of the press and quietly returned home on June 7. A few days later, some local media outlets reported that the Russian team concluded that an underwater mine exploded after having been dragged by nets -- a suggestion whose plausibility was near zero. Then former American ambassador to Seoul Donald Gregg, a fan of the Sunshine Policy, recently quoted one of his Russian friends as saying the South Korean government denied the Russian team access to evidence, and that the outcome of the Russian investigation, if made public, could deal a major political blow to President Lee Myung-bak. [Cheonan] [Coverup] [Russia]
• Lee, Putin agree to cooperate in handling NK nuke issue
  By Na Jeong-ju President Lee Myung-bak and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin agreed Thursday to work closely together to move the international talks on denuclearizing North Korea forward, Cheong Wa Dae said.
  Presidential aides said the ship sinking wasn’t a topic at Lee’s meeting with Putin and won’t be discussed either at today’s summit with Medvedev. However, many observers say Russia could share details of its own investigation into the sinking. Russia reportedly refuted Seoul’s claims that a North Korean submarine torpedoed the ship and concluded that it was more likely a mine rather than a torpedo that caused the ship to sink. [Cheonan] [Coverup] [Russia] [Spin]
• Russia in Asia and the Pacific
  August 26th, 2010
  Author: Georgy Toloraya, CSCAP, Russia The Asia Pacific is a global region of primary significance. It is imperative that Russia grasps this fact, and lays out a comprehensive vision for its role in the region. If Russia can do this, it can greatly advance the cause of developing effective arrangements in the region. What are the key elements of the economic, political and security situation in the Asia-Pacific region?
  And in dealing with Korean Peninsula, Russia should be measured. It is more realistic to strive toward the freezing of North’s Korea’s nuclear missile potential than towards its immediate denuclearisation. Fundamentally, the key to strengthening Russia’s position on the Korean Peninsula is the maintenance of a continuous dialogue with the North Korean leadership with a view to positive evolution of the regime.
• Lee to Head to Russia for Summit Next Week
  President Lee Myung-bak is slated to travel to Russia next week to hold a summit with his counterpart President Dmitry Medvedev and attend an international conference. Lee will kick off his three-day visit next Thursday and take part in the second World Political Forum in Yaroslavl some 250 km northeast of Moscow. There he is expected to deliver a keynote speech and promote Korea's hosting of the November G20 summit. During Lee's meeting with Medvedev scheduled for Friday, which will be the fourth of its kind, the two leaders are likely to discuss ways to boost the strategic partnership between Korea and Russia in time for the 20th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.
• Russia opens China pipeline for Siberian oil
  By Isabel Gorst in Moscow Published: August 29 2010 18:00 | Last updated: August 29 2010 18:00 Vladimir Putin, the Russian prime minister, on Sunday opened a new pipeline to export east Siberian oil to China that will help Russia reorientate its oil trade towards the east. The pipeline, running 67km from Skovorodino in east Siberia to China’s north-eastern frontier, is an offshoot of a new oil export route Russia is building to the Pacific Ocean, providing a strategic window on the fast-growing energy markets of Asia. “This is a vital project for us as we begin to diversify our sales of strategic raw materials,” Mr Putin said. “So far we have delivered most oil to Europe ... The Asia-Pacific region has received insubstantial volumes. [Energy] [Oil] [Realignment] [China rising]

• Nuclear threat from North Korea
  RIA Novosti (277 sec./20.42Mb Views: 639) What kind of measures should be taken to resolve the conflict on the Korean Peninsula? Is it possible to reunite the two Koreas after a 50-year-long standoff? And is there any real threat of a nuclear catastrophe? Vagif Guseinov, President of the Institute of Strategic Studies and Analysis, shares his opinions in an interview with Samir Shakhbaz. [Media]
• Government protests Russia’s Conflicting Cheonan findings
  Russia shared their investigation findings with China and the U.S., but did not notify the S.Korean government
  By Lee Yeong-in It came to light Friday that the South Korean government summoned the Russian Ambassador to South Korea and expressed strenuous objections over the Russian government’s failure to provide notification of the findings of its independent team that investigated the Cheonan sinking. The team was dispatched to South Korea around one month ago and concluded that it was unable to view the “No. 1 torpedo” as being the cause of the sinking. According to military and foreign affairs sources connected to Russia, the Russian government provided notification of its independent investigation results only to the Chinese and U.S. governments last week, and South Korea only found out about the content indirectly through those two countries. [Cheonan] [Coverup] [Russia]
• Russian specialists have questions on S. Korean corvette's sinking – navy commander
  MOSCOW. July 24 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian specialists have so far not received answers to some of their questions concerning the sinking of the South Korean corvette Cheonan, Russian Navy Commander Adm. Vladimir Vysotsky said. "We have fulfilled the president's instruction and sent a group of experts there. We were provided with favorable working conditions, but we still have some questions regarding the results of this work to which we have not received clear answers," Vysotsky said on Echo Moskvy radio on Saturday. [Cheonan] [Coverup] [Russia]
• Russian experts unable to give answers on Cheonan sinking - Navy commander
  Topic: Consequences of the South Korean Cheonan corvette sinking 14:25 24/07/2010© RIA Novosti. Ivan Zakharchenko Related News Russian Defense Ministry to report on Cheonan sinking in July Russian experts to probe Cheonan issue at home Russian experts to report Cheonan sinking conclusions to Defense Ministry soon N. Korea, U.S. hold consultations on Cheonan sinking Russian experts, who assessed an international probe into the sinking of a South Korean warship in June, are still unable to give any decisive answers, Russian Navy Commander Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky said on Saturday. The 1,200-ton Cheonan warship sank near the disputed Northern Limit Line in the Yellow Sea on March 26, causing the loss of 46 lives. In early June, a group of Russian Navy experts went to Seoul to assess an international probe into the incident, which revealed that North Korea fired a torpedo at the vessel from a submarine, although Pyongyang denies the allegations. "We still have questions about the results of the probe," Vysotsky told the Ekho Moskvy radio station. Whether the answers will come or not, "doesn't depend on us," he said. MOSCOW, July 24 (RIA Novosti) [Cheonan] [Evidence] [Russia]
• Russian experts unable to give answers on Cheonan sinking - Navy commander
  14:25 24/07/2010© RIA Novosti. Ivan Zakharchenko Russian experts, who assessed an international probe into the sinking of a South Korean warship in June, are still unable to give any decisive answers, Russian Navy Commander Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky said on Saturday. The 1,200-ton Cheonan warship sank near the disputed Northern Limit Line in the Yellow Sea on March 26, causing the loss of 46 lives. In early June, a group of Russian Navy experts went to Seoul to assess an international(sic) probe into the incident, which revealed (sic) that North Korea fired a torpedo at the vessel from a submarine, although Pyongyang denies the allegations. "We still have questions about the results of the probe," Vysotsky told the Ekho Moskvy radio station. Whether the answers will come or not, "doesn't depend on us," he said. [Cheonan] [evidence]
• Russia’s Cheonan investigation suspects that the sinking Cheonan ship was caused by a mine in water
  Russia’s Cheonan investigation findings contrast with S.Korea’s report S.Korea’s joint civilian-military investigation team concluded the sinking was caused by a torpedo attack by N.Korea
  » A report by the Russian investigation team concludes that the combat patrol corvette (PCC) Cheonan likely sunk due to an external explosion caused by a mine.
  A document shows that the Russian investigation team that came to Korea from May 31 to June 7 to conduct its own investigation into the sinking of the Cheonan concluded that the sinking resulted from an "indirect outside underwater explosion," but that the blast was more likely from a mine than a torpedo. In particular, the Russian team raised doubts about the time of the explosion reported by South Korea's joint civilian-military investigation team, which announced that the blast to the Cheonan came from a North Korean torpedo attack at 9:21:58 p.m. on March 26. The Russian team's conclusion was based on factors such as the last time indicated on the Cheonan's closed circuit television footage, which was 9:17:03 p.m. on the night in question. On Monday, the Hankyoreh acquired a document titled "Data from the Russian Naval Expert Group's Investigation into the Cause of the South Korean Naval Vessel Cheonan's Sinking," in which the Russian team stated, "The explosion time officially stated by South Korea [9:21:58 p.m.] does not coincide with the time of the last video footage taken on the day in question when the power current was cut off within the vessel [9:17:03 p.m.]." This statement hints that an uncontrollable situation may have arisen at least four to five minutes before the time announced by the South Korean team. The Russian team also said that a sailor on board the Cheonan made a cell phone call at 9:12:03 p.m. notifying a Naval signalman that crew members were injured. "The record of this first communication does not accord with what was official stated by South Korea," the team said. This coincides with a July 8 Hankyoreh report stating that the Russian team had "detected the transmission of a distress signal at a time earlier than the time of the Cheonan explosion." In response, the Ministry of National Defense explained that the CCTV time was some three minutes and 47 to 50 seconds off the actual time, but that it did not disclose this fact at the time because it might "give rise to unnecessary misunderstandings." The ministry also said, "Beyond what was already disclosed, there is no record at all of anything like a Cheonan crew member providing notification about injuries by cell phone."
  The Russian team also raised questions about the so-called "No. 1 torpedo" fragment presented by the South Korean team as "conclusive evidence" of North Korean responsibility for the sinking. "While the torpedo fragment may have been made in North Korea, the characters written in ink do not conform to general standards" in terms of location and lettering, the Russian team said. The Russian team went to say, "Based on a naked-eye analysis of the torpedo fragment presented, one could believe that the fragment had been underwater for six months or more." Previously, the South Korean team announced that a naked-eye analysis of the degree of corrosion indicated that the torpedo debris had been underwater for around one to two months.
  Regarding damage to the Cheonan's propeller screws, the Russian team wrote, "Since before the time of the disaster in question, all five of the right-side screw wings and two of the screw wings on the left had been damaged due to contact with the ocean floor." In short, the Russian team held that the screws became broken or bent due to contact with the ocean floor, which varies considerably from the official announcement by the South Korean team. On its conclusions regarding the cause of the sinking, the Russian team wrote, "The claims that it was a non-contact external underwater explosion were borne out." At the same time, it conjectured that the accident occurred when "the vessel's propeller happened to get caught in a net as it was sailing through shallow waters near the coast, and as the vessel was trying to extricate itself to deep waters, its lower part struck a [mine] antenna and set off the triggering device." [Cheonan] [Coverup] [Russia]
• “Complex combination of factors” responsible for Cheonan sinking, Russian investigation concludes
  The Russian investigation team has proposed that the primary problem was damage to the ship’s propeller prior to the explosion
  The Russian team that investigated the cause of the Cheonan's sinking concluded that a “complex combination of factors” were responsible. The report on its investigation findings essentially states that the primary problem arose while the Cheonan was sailing through deep waters, and that the underwater explosion was a secondary factor resulting from a mine. The Russian team agreed with the South Korean joint civilian-military investigation team’s conclusion that the sinking resulting from a non-contact underwater explosion. However, in light of the state of damage to propeller screws on the Cheonan, the Russian team surmised that they had likely come into contact with the ocean floor before the explosion took place. [Cheonan] [Coverup] [Russia]
• Russia Clams Up Over Cheonan Sinking
  Russia will not announce an official position on the sinking of the South Korean Navy corvette Cheonan, it emerged Tuesday. Moscow sent three torpedo and explosion experts to South Korea and analyzed findings of an international probe from May 31 to June 7 and was expected to announce its official position early this month. A Foreign Ministry official said the Russian experts will eventually finish drawing up a report and submit it to the Russian government, but it seems Moscow "has no plan to make any announcement about it." There is speculation that Russia decided to delay the announcement while the U.S. and China are at odds over the sinking at the UN Security Council. [Cheonan] [Coverup]

• S-400s will protect Russia against missile threats – official
  Jul 13, 2010 18:19 Moscow Time S-400. Photo: RIA Novosti The deployment of up-to-date S-400 Triumph surface-to-air missiles in the Russian Far East will help avert potential missile threats from North Korea, a Russian defense official has told Interfax. He acknowledged that North Korean missile programs posed a certain danger to neighboring Russian regions, for example, in case of failed launches or stray rockets. North Korea’s missile test field is not far from the Russian border, the official said in an interview following an earlier statement by Air Force Commander Colonel General Alexander Zelin that two S-400 missiles systems would be put on combat duty in far-eastern Russia.
• Russia Clams Up Over Cheonan Sinking
  Russia will not announce an official position on the sinking of the South Korean Navy corvette Cheonan, it emerged Tuesday. Moscow sent three torpedo and explosion experts to South Korea and analyzed findings of an international probe from May 31 to June 7 and was expected to announce its official position early this month. A Foreign Ministry official said the Russian experts will eventually finish drawing up a report and submit it to the Russian government, but it seems Moscow "has no plan to make any announcement about it." There is speculation that Russia decided to delay the announcement while the U.S. and China are at odds over the sinking at the UN Security Council. The UNSC has been unable to reach any conclusion because China is declining to point the finger of blame at North Korea. If Russia endorses the findings of the international probe that the Cheonan sank due to a torpedo attack from the North, Russia would have to join the U.S., the U.K., and Japan, which support South Korea's position, against the North, a long-term ally. If it remains noncommittal, Russia could face criticism that it is standing up for a rogue state, as China already does. Its best course of action may be to postpone any announcement until the UNSC takes action against the North. Russia, a UNSC permanent member, is not as openly supportive of the North as China, but it is not criticizing the North for attacking the Cheonan either. Russia joined the other G8 countries in a joint communique on June 26 condemning the sinking, but it opposed the idea of pointing directly at the North as the culprit. [Cheonan] [Evidence] Russia]
• Russia, S.Korea to hold joint military drills in Sea of Japan
  Russian and South Korean coast guards will hold joint anti-piracy and antiterrorism drills on Wednesday in the Sea of Japan, a Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) border guard spokesman said. Russia's FSB patrol ship Herluf Bidstrup with a Ka-27 helicopter on board and Boug Coast Guard ship arrived at the port of Mukho for the tactical exercises on Tuesday.
• Russia's Lavrov calls for calm over S.Korea ship sinking to resume six-party talks
  16:07 14/07/2010MOSCOW, July 14 (RIA Novosti) - Negotiators from the six party talks on North Korea's nuclear disarmament should avoid the escalation of emotions in the wake of South Korea's Cheonan warship sinking, the Russian foreign minister said on Wednesday. The 1,200-ton South Korean warship sank near the disputed Northern Limit Line in the Yellow Sea on March 26, causing the loss of 46 lives. South Korea says it has proof that North Korea fired a torpedo at the vessel from a submarine, although Pyongyang denies the attack. "I believe that the most important at the present time is to ease the situation, avoid agitation, escalation of emotions and start preparing conditions for the resumption of the six-party talks," Sergei Lavrov told journalists concerning the situation with the Cheonan. [Cheonan] [Six Party Talks]
• Government protests Russia’s Conflicting Cheonan findings
  Russia shared their investigation findings with China and the U.S., but did not notify the S.Korean government
  Lee Yeong-in It came to light Friday that the South Korean government summoned the Russian Ambassador to South Korea and expressed strenuous objections over the Russian government’s failure to provide notification of the findings of its independent team that investigated the Cheonan sinking. The team was dispatched to South Korea around one month ago and concluded that it was unable to view the “No. 1 torpedo” as being the cause of the sinking. According to military and foreign affairs sources connected to Russia, the Russian government provided notification of its independent investigation results only to the Chinese and U.S. governments last week, and South Korea only found out about the content indirectly through those two countries. Following this, 1st Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Shin Kak-soo summoned Russian Ambassador to South Korea Konstantin Vnukov to the Foreign Ministry on July 4 to express “astonishment” at Russia’s investigation findings because the findings were a complete contradiction to the South Korean government’s announcement. They also expressed severe dismay about the fact that Russian notified only the U.S. and China about the findings, while leaving South Korea out of the communication loop. Foreign affairs sources reported that Shin used forceful and diplomatically irregular language to denounce Russia’s behavior, calling it “unfriendly conduct that violates trust,” “bewildering,” and “disappointing.” It was also reported to Shin proposed additional discussions with Russia during the meeting, and that the South Korean government subsequently provided additional information to the Russian government.? “Was it not the South Korean government that provided assistance to the Russian investigation, saying that they would be objective?” asked a former senior official in foreign affairs and national security, adding that the Russian investigation results “raise fundamental doubts about the [South Korean] government’s announcement of its Cheonan investigation findings.” It was reported that while the Russian investigation team did conclude that the Cheonan was not sunk by a North Korean bubble jet torpedo, it did not present any definitive conclusions about the direct cause, suggesting several possible scenarios such as a secondary mine explosion following a problem with the Cheonan during its maneuvers. Analysts are interpreting this as being due to the fact that the Russian team, made up of submersible and torpedo experts, focused its examination on the question of whether the sinking resulted from a strike by the “No. 1 torpedo.” “The Russian investigation team’s primary interest was in whether North Korea, which had been unable to produce its own torpedoes until 1995, suddenly was able to attack the Cheonan with a state-of-the-art bubble jet torpedo,” said a South Korean diplomatic source. Indeed, the technology for bubble jet torpedoes, which are capable of splitting a vessel in two through the expansion and contraction of a bubble resulting from a powerful explosion, is possessed only by the U.S. and a small number of other countries, and has only been successful to date in experiments on stationary ships rather than actual fighting. The joint civilian-military investigation team also acknowledged in its June 29 briefing to media groups that North Korea was the first to have succeeded in using a bubble jet torpedo in the field. [Cheonan] [Evidence] [Russia]
• Russian Probe Sees No N Korea Hand In Cheonan Sinking
  6/9/2010 2:13 AM ET TOP MARKET NEWS (RTTNews) - In what could be a morale-booster for North Korea in its stand-off with South Korea--and, by extension, the U.S.,-- Russian naval experts who inquired into the sinking of a South Korean warship March 26, found unconvincing the arguments put forward by a four-nation team of investigators, blaming Pyongyang for the tragedy, an Interfax-AVN news wire report, quoting an anonymous Russian Navy source, said Tuesday. The revelation followed the return Monday of a team of four Russian Navy submarine and torpedo experts to Moscow after making an independent assessment of the March 26 sinking of the 1,200-ton South Korean Navy corvette "Cheonan" near the disputed Yellow Sea border, in which 46 sailors drowned. The report said the experts had not found convincing evidence that a heavy torpedo fired by a North Korean submarine sank the South Korean vessel. "After examining the available evidence and the ship wreckage, Russian experts came to the conclusion that a number of arguments adduced by the international investigation team in favor of the DPRK's (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) involvement in the corvette-sinking were not weighty enough," the Russian Navy source said. [Cheonan] [Coverup] [Russia]
• Russia's Cheonan Report Nearing Completion
  By Park Sung Kook [2010-07-02 16:23 ] The report of Russian experts investigating the cause of the Cheonan sinking, is nearly finished, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow. Andrey Nesterenko, a spokesperson for the Ministry said, "The Russian experts who were given access (to information about the Cheonan) are finishing up their final report. The report shall be submitted to the national leadership, and then Russia will be able to take whatever measures it needs to take." Russia has thus far kept neutral on the Cheonan incident, claiming that it can decide what to do only after their experts have reached a conclusion. Now the Russian experts are finishing up their report, Russia's position on UN Security Council sanctions is gaining import. [Cheonan] [Evidence] [Russia]

• Putin boasts new jet fighter better than U.S. plane
  Thu, Jun 17 2010 MOSCOW (Reuters) - Prime Minister Vladimir Putin climbed into the cockpit of Russia's newest fighter jet on Thursday and said it would trump a U.S.-built rival, the F-22 Raptor. Putin watched a test flight of a "fifth-generation" stealth fighter, dubbed the T-50 and billed as Russia's first all-new warplane since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. "This machine will be superior to our main competitor, the F-22, in terms of maneuverability, weaponry and range," Putin told the pilot after the flight, according to an account on the government website. Putin said the plane would cost up to three times less than similar aircraft in the West and could remain in service for 30 to 35 years with upgrades, according to the report. Successful development of the fighter, built by Sukhoi, is crucial to showing Russia can challenge U.S. technology and modernize its military after a period of post-Soviet decay.
  Russia also plans to manufacture T-50s jointly with India.
  The F-22 raptor stealth fighter first flew in 1997 and is the only fifth-generation fighter in service. Fifth-generation aircraft have advanced flight and weapons control systems and can cruise at supersonic speeds. According to the government website, the test pilot told Putin the controls of the T-50 allowed the pilot to operate most of the plane's systems without taking his hands off the joystick, which he said would be very useful under high forces of gravity. "I know, I've flown," Putin replied. Sukhoi has said the plane should be ready for use in 2015. [Arms sales] [Military Balance] [Russia India]
• Russia refusing to blame N. Korea for deadly ship sinking at G-8+
  Jun 21 07:41 AM US/Eastern Comments (0) Email to a friend Share on Facebook Tweet this Bookmark and Share TOKYO, June 21 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Russia is demanding that other member countries of the upcoming Group of Eight summit remove the words blaming North Korea for the deadly sinking of a South Korean warship from a draft of the meeting's statement, delaying its preparations, a Japanese government source said Monday. Russia is basing its request on its own investigation into the March 26 sinking of the Cheonan in the Yellow Sea in which 46 sailors died, saying it has yet to reach an official conclusion, according to the source [Cheonan] [Evidence] [Russia]
• Russia Hedges Bets Over Cheonan Sinking
  Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday called for a "thorough investigation" of the sinking of the South Korean Navy corvette Cheonan before taking any action against North Korea. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Medvedev said, "Although only one version has been broadly circulated, we should not take it immediately for granted. A thorough investigation is needed." The sinking, which claimed the lives of 46 South Korean sailors, was "tragic," he said, adding that the "hypothesis" that it was torpedoed by "a neighboring country" -- i.e. North Korea -- is one of the possible scenarios. "As soon as the results are obvious and become public knowledge, we can talk about punishing the guilty... I mean a certain state or some other forces," he said. A team of Russian experts has already reviewed the investigation in South Korea and is currently preparing a report, he added. Medvedev said he spoke to President Lee Myung-bak by telephone on May 25, when he expressed sympathy over the sinking and stressed the need for a thorough investigation. Commenting on North Korea, he recounted his visit in 2000 as a member of a Russian delegation to what he called a "peculiar nation." [Cheonan] [Evidence]
• Moscow Seeks Room to Maneuver as Crisis on the Korean Peninsula Intensifies
  Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 7 Issue: 118June 18, 2010 03:22 PM By: Jacob W. Kipp ROKS Cheonan The sinking of the Republic of Korea’s (ROK) Corvette, Cheonan, on March 26, has proven to be a slow-building crisis, but one fraught with grave risks of conflict on the Korean peninsula. Moscow’s response has revealed much about the limits affecting Russian policy in the Far East. [Cheonan] [Evidence]
• Russia ‘not an ally’ of Pyongyang
  June 17, 2010 Russia’s ambassador to South Korea denied that his country’s historic ties with North Korea will make it side with its former ally on the Cheonan issue now being debated by the UN Security Council. But he said it would take two or three more weeks for Russia to decide its position. In a speech yesterday to members of the Korean Council on Foreign Relations, Konstantin V. Vnukov emphasized Russia is no longer North Korea’s ally. “We can see ... journalists mention ‘even China and Russia, as closet allies of North Korea,’ but we are not an ally of North Korea,” Vnukov said. During the Cold War, Russia and North Korea had a special treaty requiring either country to offer assistance if the other was faced with an “external invasion.” Russia officially ended the mutual assistance treaty in 1995 and replaced it with “friendship” treaty that excludes that guarantee. “We don’t have such obligations, so our relationship with North Korea is very practical.”
• '2-3 weeks needed before Russia concludes on Cheonan'
  By Kang Hyun-kyung Staff reporter Russian Ambassador to Korea Konstantin V. Vnukov hinted Wednesday that Russia is not what it used to be during the Cold War era when it comes to foreign policy.
  Regarding the Cheonan case, Vnukov said it will take two to three weeks more for Russian specialists to conclude the cause of the ship sinking. Earlier, the Russian government said it will decide its position on the maritime incident that killed 46 sailors after the Russian delegation reaches a conclusion over the cause of the tragedy. "After returning to Moscow last Monday, the Russian experts are carefully examining the materials of the outcomes of the multinational investigation team which were provided by South Korea," he said. The ambassador called the three Russian specialists who visited Seoul for a week "highly qualified," adding they will come up with "objective and scientific" results in two or three weeks time. During their stay, they had good cooperation from their South Korean counterparts as the latter provided the former with additional materials, he said. "Their main task now is to use our all facilities and expertise of the Russian Navy for further investigation. And we consider this job very serious and important," Vnukov said. [Cheonan] [Evidence]
• Russian Experts 'Unconvinced by Cheonan Evidence'
  Russian Navy experts who assessed the South Korean investigation of the sinking of the Navy corvette Cheonan, concluded North Korea cannot with absolute certainty be held responsible for the shipwreck, according to the Yomiuri Shimbun. Citing Russia's Interfax news agency, the Japanese daily said although the Russians examined the hull of Cheonan and other evidence, they concluded it was insufficient to implicate North Korea. This makes it likely that Russia, one of the North's few allies, will offer little support in the UN Security Council to action against Pyongyang. The four Russian submarine and torpedo experts arrived in Korea on May 31. They stayed away from the media and left on Monday. [Cheonan] [Evidence] [Coverup]
• Russians doubt about ship sinking by NK attack
  Russian inspectors have refused to blame North Korea for the sinking of a South Korean warship, an Indian online paper reported. A team of four submarine and torpedo experts from the Russian Navy returned to Moscow on Monday after making an independent assessment of the March 26 sinking of the South Korean corvette, the Hindu reported Tuesday, quoting Russian military sources. The paper said the experts had not found "convincing evidence of North Korea's involvement." "After examining the available evidence and the ship wreckage, Russian experts came to the conclusion that a number of arguments produced by the international investigation in favor of the DPRK's [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] involvement in the corvette sinking were not weighty enough," a Russian Navy source was quoted as telling the Interfax-AVN news wire on Tuesday. Russia's Armed Forces Chief of Staff Nikolai Makarov said only that the Russian Foreign Ministry would make an official statement on the issue after the experts prepared their report. "It is too early to make a definitive conclusion on the causes of the tragedy," he was quoted as saying. A leading Russian expert on Korea suggested that the ship had been probably hit by friendly fire. "I think it was a tragic accident during war games that cynical politicians are trying to exploit to maximum advantage," said Dr. Konstantin Asmolov of the Korea Center at the Institute of the Far East. [Cheonan] [Coverup]
• Russian Defense Ministry to report on Cheonan sinking in July
  Topic: Consequences of the South Korean Cheonan corvette sinking 15:37 09/06/2010© RIA Novosti. Ivan Zakharchenko Related News The Russian Defense Ministry will release a report on the sinking of a South Korean vessel in July, a senior defense official said on Wednesday. The head of the Federation Council's committee on defense and security, Viktor Ozerov, made the statement after a meeting with Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov. "We discussed North Korea. The minister said that our experts had already returned from South Korea with samples from the sunken ship as well as parts of the explosive device," Ozerov said. "He also said that it would take about a month to examine them and come to a conclusion," he added. A group of Russian Navy experts left Seoul on Monday after assessing an international investigation that found North Korea responsible for the sinking of the South Korean warship in late March. The 1,200-ton Cheonan warship sank near the disputed Northern Limit Line in the Yellow Sea on March 26, causing the loss of 46 lives. Although initial comments from South Korean naval and intelligence chiefs ruled out foul play, after an investigation involving U.S. and South Korean experts Seoul accused North Korea of firing a torpedo from a submarine at the vessel. Pyongyang has denied the allegations and claims the incident was "orchestrated" by the United States in order to "hype the threat from North Korea" ahead of "Congress mid-term elections slated for the coming November." [Cheonan] [Evidence]
• Russian experts to probe Cheonan issue at home
  Topic: Consequences of the South Korean Cheonan corvette sinking 1/3 Russian experts to probe Cheonan issue at home 19:52 08/06/2010© RIA Novosti. Ivan Zakharchenko Related News The South Korean Defense Ministry has given materials on the sinking of the Cheonan warship to Russian experts for further investigations, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. A group of Russian Navy experts left Seoul on Monday after assessing an international investigation that found North Korea responsible for the sinking of the warship in March. The Russian experts did not draw their own conclusions on the issue. "The South Korean Defense Ministry gave Russian Naval Experts an array of documents and materials for physical-chemical analysis," the source said, adding that the move would open the investigation to a wider rage of Russian experts. The 1,200-ton Cheonan warship sank near the disputed Northern Limit Line in the Yellow Sea on March 26, causing the loss of 46 lives. An international investigation, carried out by U.S. and Australian experts (sic), revealed that North Korea fired a torpedo at the vessel from a submarine, although Pyongyang has denied the allegations. [Cheonan] [Evidence]
• 'Russia unlikely to back Cheonan findings'
  By Kim Young Jin Staff reporter As Seoul lobbies the international community to censure North Korea for its sinking of the warship Cheonan, attention now swings to whether Russia, a veto-wielding member of the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) with ties to Pyongyang, will back the effort. Speculation is high as a team of Russian experts, sent to South Korea to review the findings of the multinational investigation into the incident, returned home Monday to report to Moscow, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. But regardless of what its experts determine, a prominent North Korea expert here expects Russia to avoid taking a firm stance on the findings, as it has too much to lose by supporting either side. [Cheonan] [Evidence]
• Russian experts to report Cheonan sinking conclusions to Defense Ministry soon
  01:09 08/06/2010© REUTERS/ Lee Jae-Won Related News The conclusions of Russian experts on the sinking of South Korea's Cheonan corvette will be reported to the Defense Ministry in two to three days, a top ministry official said. [Cheonan] [Evidence]
• Russia urges Seoul, Pyongyang to show restraint over ship sinking
  "We urge all parties concerned to exercise restraint and caution so that tensions on the Korean Peninsula, which increased recently, do not escalate into a conflict," the Russian Foreign Ministry's official spokesman said. Andrei Nesterenko added that Moscow was paying close attention to how the results of the investigation were being reported in Seoul, as well as to the statement made by the North Korean National Defense Committee, which strongly denied that the North Korean side is connected to the incident. "Russian experts are scrupulously studying all the data they have on the issue," Nesterenko said. "Once again I would like to express condolences to the people of the Republic of Korea over the tragic loss of a warship, and numerous human casualties," he said. The conclusions of the investigation may lead to further deterioration of the already sour relations between the two Koreas and jeopardize international efforts to stop Pyongyang's controversial nuclear weapons and ballistic missile development programs. North Korea has already called the results of the investigation "a fabrication" and warned Seoul of a harsh response if the South retaliates with new sanctions against Pyongyang over the alleged attack on its warship. The two countries remain technically at war as their 1950-1953 conflict ended only in an armistice. Naval clashes between the two states over the disputed sea border took place in 1999, 2002 and last year. MOSCOW, May 20 (RIA Novosti) [Cheonan]
• Russian team wraps up probe
  Experts confirm that the Cheonan was sunk by an external explosion June 08, 2010 The team conducting Russia’s probe of the Cheonan disaster have concluded that the ship was sunk by an external explosion, according to officials from the South Korean joint investigation team. The three Russian experts returned home yesterday after an eight-day probe into the incident, which South Korea has concluded was caused by a North Korean torpedo attack. “The Russian team admitted the Cheonan sank due to an external underwater blast at its left side,” said the official, who asked not to be named. “But while they admitted that there was no possibility that the external blast was caused by anything other than a torpedo, the Russians never said that a torpedo sunk the ship.” The official also said he believed the Russian submarine and explosion experts “had detailed knowledge about the incident” even before they arrived in Seoul. The Russian experts inspected the ship, watched computer simulations that showed how a torpedo destroyed it, and Seoul officials also offered them the computer file that detailed how the simulation was created. The South Korean team also offered the Russians detailed records of the 2000 suicide bombing of the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Cole in the waters off of Yemen. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for that bombing. During their investigation, the Russians also asked to see the combat information center of a South Korean warship similar to the Cheonan. The military refused that request because of security protocols, but offered a tour of the captain’s cabin (sic). “The Russian team members were very seasoned experts,” the source said. “Russia may have its own stance on North Korea...but the officials at least understood the results of our investigation.” By Kim Min-seok [hawon@joongang.co.kr] [Cheonan] [Evidence]
• The Conundrum of the South Korean Corvette (I)
  25.05.2010 Alexander Vorontsov Head Korea Department Institute for Oriental studies of the Russian Academy of Science Oleg Revenko Political analyst Seoul has unveiled the results of the investigation into the sinking of the Cheonan corvette in the Yellow Sea on May 26. According to the report put together by a commission of South Korean military and unnamed experts from the US, Canada, Great Britain, and Sweden, “Cheonan was sunk as the result of an external underwater explosion caused by a torpedo made in North Korea. The evidence points overwhelmingly to the conclusion that the torpedo was fired by a North Korean submarine”. Responsibility for stating that evidence points to the conclusion “overwhelmingly” rests entirely with the authors of the document. The key peace of evidence cited is a fragment of a torpedo propeller – somehow recovered at the final phase of the investigation - with a marking which reads “No. 1” and matches a N. Korean torpedo found 7 years ago in the Yellow Sea. Considering that the blast was allegedly caused by a torpedo carrying a net explosive weight of 250 kg, investigators must have been remarkably lucky to find the right fragment with the marking implicating N. Korea. The marking, which is the sole indication of the country of origin of the torpedo, could of course look exactly the same on a South Korean torpedo. [Cheonan] [Coverup]
  [Lavrov] was diplomatically cautious. Lavrov said Moscow would carefully review the pertinent materials, both those from South Korea and “from other sources”. Thus he made it clear that Moscow had reservations about the S. Korean version of the incident and deemed further verification necessary.
  Unofficialy, China criticizes the evidence at South Korea`s disposal as unconvincing, patchy, and contradictory and says it is going to assess the situation independently.
  Pyongyang`s offer to delegate representatives to review South Korea`s “evidence” is a timely and rational initiative. This form of cooperation should keep the inter-Korean dialog afloat during the crisis and, if both sides approach the problem honestly, help defuse the conflict. A lot depends on how Seoul reacts to the proposal but, sadly, initial reports seem to indicate that the Korean leadership is under various pretexts trying to dodge the issue. South Korea`s stonewalling Pyongyang would further diminish the credibility of the evidence. [Cheonan] [Coverup]
• The Conundrum of the South Korean Corvette (II)
  4.06.2010 Alexander Vorontsov Head Korea DepartmentInstitute for Oriental studies of the Russian Academy of Science Oleg Revenko Political analyst The report on the sinking of S. Korea`s Cheonan corvette claiming that the tragedy had been caused by a torpedo fired by a N. Korean submarine caused further escalation on the Korean Peninsula. The current escalation on the Korean Peninsula is unprecedented. The post-war history of the relations between the two Koreas abounds with incidents which were hard to attribute undoubtedly to either side but, importantly, problems were invariably localized and never triggered broader escalations
  The widespread impression among the watchers is that Lee Myung-bak`s team which, its reconciliatory rhetoric notwithstanding, was eager from the outset to dump the positive legacy in the inter-Korean relations, now feels that the time has come.
  It appears that the idea is to make the already troubled country face further problems and thus to weaken or even dislodge its current regime
  At this point the question arises naturally what force could have been behind the Cheonan incident and in whose interests it was inflated to become a global problem. One must be naive to believe that S. Korea could independently – without its patron`s blessing and support - make such far-reaching decisions and, in a matter of days, float the broad international campaign. Whoever is actually responsible for the Cheonan tragedy, the very developments warrant the hypothesis that they are a result of careful a priori planning.
  Preoccupied with Iran and Afghanistan, the US can`t at the same time focus on the six-party talks. The present US negotiating team headed by Stephen Bosworth is clearly weak and even has no specific plan for breaking the stalemate should N. Korea revert to the negotiations. Accordingly, there could be an intention to freeze the negotiating situation under some pretext, for example blaming a provocation on Pyongyang, and, for the time being, rely on sanctions against N. Korea. Perhaps, the freeze of the six-party talks became the option of choice for Washington not only because the US cannot afford to stretch its resources thin, but also because – contrary to official claims – the White House and the Pentagon do not regard the threat posed by N. Korea`s nuclear program as truly serious due to the more than modest proportions of the country`s nuclear arsenal and missile capability.
  the US priority is to contain China`s ambitions on the Korean peninsula and in the entire region
  Japan is also active – it has put together a heftier 2011 military budget and is about to adopt a new national defense program for the coming 10-15 years. In the context, the N. Korean threat looks clearly inflated while containing China is an absolutely real objective.
  Actually, the situation still evokes serious questions, but in any case the lesson to be learned is that the chronic tensions on the Korean Peninsula pose a threat to Russia`s Far East. The tensions stem not so much from Pyongyang`s “unpredictability and aggressiveness” as from the risky and short-sighted politics of Seoul. Another pertinent factor is Washington`s tendency to freeze the military-political configuration sustaining tensions on the Korean Peninsula at the level making it possible for the US to contain both Russia and China in the world`s strategic region. [Cheonan] [Coverup] [China confrontation] [Six Party Talks] [US global strategy] [Threat] [Japanese remilitarisation] [takeover]
• Russian experts inspect results of Cheonan probe
  A team of Russian navy experts started its own inspection Monday of a multinational investigation that concluded North Korea torpedoed a South Korean warship in March, defense ministry officials in Seoul said. The four-member Russian team of experts in submarine and torpedoes arrived in Seoul earlier in the day. They will be briefed about the results of the international probe, officials said, and will also inspect the wreckage of the ship, the Cheonan, as well as the site of the sinking during their stay. "Starting tomorrow, they will be briefed about detailed evidence from the multinational investigation," said a ministry official. [Cheonan] [Evidence]
• Russian Experts Arrive to Check Cheonan Findings
  Experts sent by the Russian government arrived in South Korea on Monday to review findings of an international probe into the sinking of the Navy corvette Cheonan in March. But a diplomatic source said that China, another permanent member of the UN Security Council, rejected Seoul's offer to supply more data and a proposal that China also send specialists to check the findings. Visiting Russian experts enter the defense minister's office in Seoul on Monday. The Russian experts listened to a briefing by investigators at the Defense Ministry. They will be briefed in greater detail Tuesday. The four submarine and torpedo experts from Russia are expected to visit the Second Naval Fleet Command in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province and the scene of the wreck off Baeknyeong Island. They will stay until June 7. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Borodavkin said the team "will find out the truth by examining as much data as possible, including shipwreck debris and fragments," and the Russian government will closely review the experts' report. On Saturday, Russia said once it is established who sank the Cheonan, any measure the international community believes is necessary and appropriate should be taken. A South Korean Foreign Ministry official said, "If the Russian probe team verifies North Korea's involvement, Russia will take appropriate action at the UN." [Cheonan] [Evidence]
• Russians to study warship sinking probe
  By HYUNG-JIN KIM The Associated Press Monday, May 31, 2010; 3:40 AM SEOUL, South Korea -- Russian experts arrived in Seoul on Monday to review findings of an investigation that blamed North Korea for the deadly sinking of a South Korean warship, as the South sought to build support for U.N. punishment of the North.
  The Russian team - including torpedo and submarine experts - arrived Monday and were to stay in South Korea for several days as they review the investigation results and examine the ship's wreckage, said a Defense Ministry official who spoke on condition of anonymity citing department policy [Cheonan] [Evidence]

• Russia Declares Its Stand on Case of "Cheonan"
  Pyongyang, May 28 (KCNA) -- Igor Lyakin-Frolov, official deputy spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, declared on May 26 that Russia would not refer the case of the sinking of south Korea's warship "Cheonan" to the UN Security Council nor support such action until it possesses 100 percent correct evidence that the DPRK has anything to do with the case. Saying that Russian experts are now examining the "results of investigation," he stated: We should make the conclusions by ourselves, so everything will depend on the circumstances and definite evidence." [Cheonan] [Evidence]
• Russian Expert on "Cheonan" Sinking
  Pyongyang, May 28 (KCNA) -- Georgy Toloraya, director for research programs of the Center for the Study of Modern Korea under the Institute of World Economic and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences, commented on the truth behind the case of the warship sinking of the south Korean puppet navy when interviewed by ITAR-TASS on May 26. Noting that what is characteristic of the present crisis on the Korean Peninsula is that it was deliberately created by the south Korean authorities, he added that they used the tragic warship sinking as a motive of dispute, in fact, and as a formal pretext for declaring a war in other words. The fact that the south Korean warship was sunken by a DPRK submarine attack has not been verified in actuality, he said, and went on: As far as the case of the warship sinking is concerned, where the south Korean warship and the imaginary submarine of the DPRK were at the moment the case occurred has not been clearly known. It is too early to draw any right conclusion as regards the above-said case. This being a hard reality, the south Korean authorities are conducting unprecedented propaganda campaign, far from waiting for it, and contemplating referring this issue to the UN Security Council. This is an action taken according to a script, and the United States, too, expressed support for it. Such action assuming clear political nature is aimed at slapping new sanctions against the DPRK to isolate and weaken it and at bringing it down. [Cheonan] [Evidence]
• Russia wants '100% proof' N.Korea sunk ship
  Thu May 27, 5:48 am ET MOSCOW (AFP) – Russia will not support efforts to punish North Korea for sinking a South Korean warship until it is fully convinced Pyongyang was behind the incident, a foreign ministry spokesman said Thursday. "We need to receive 100 percent proof of North Korea's role in the sinking of the corvette," the spokesman, Igor Lyakin-Frolov, was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency. "Our specialists are currently studying the materials of the investigation. We need to draw our own conclusions about what happened. Everything will depend on the situation and the body of evidence." The comments came a day after Russia announced that it was sending a team of experts to South Korea to assess the evidence about North Korea's involvement in the sinking of the warship, which left 46 sailors dead. In a separate report, a senior source in Russia's navy suggested that Moscow was unhappy about being excluded from the lengthy multinational investigation into the sinking of the Cheonan, a 1,200-tonne corvette. The investigation -- which included experts from South Korea, the United States, Australia, Britain and Sweden -- concluded last week that there was overwhelming evidence that the ship had been sunk by a North Korean torpedo. "With the participation of Russian specialists, the results of the investigation into the incident might have been more complete and objective," the Russian navy source told Interfax. [Cheonan] [Evidence] {Coverup]
• Russia, N. Korea to continue consultations to settle inter-Korean conflict
  Russia and North Korea will continue consultations aimed at preventing the escalation of the situation on the Korean Peninsula following the sinking of a south Korean warship, the Russian Foreign Ministry has said, RIA Novosti reported. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Borodavkin has discussed the inter-Korean conflict with North Korea's Ambassador to Russia Kim Yong Jae, a statement posted on the ministry's website on Friday said. "Both parties reaffirmed the need to prevent the further escalation of tensions in the region and expressed their readiness to continue consultations in order to look for ways to overcome the current inter-Korean crisis," the statement said. [Cheonan]
• Moscow to send team over ship sinking
  Russia will soon send a team of experts to South Korea to look into the cause of the sinking of a South Korean warship, a senior U.S. State Department official said Wednesday in Washington. "Russia is intending to send a team to South Korea," Yonhap News quoted an official as saying. "Obviously, Russia will have to satisfy itself as to the findings of the investigation." Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan said earlier in the day that Seoul has asked both Beijing and Moscow to dispatch their own teams for a transparent examination of the outcome of the probe of the Cheonan, which sank along the western sea border with North Korea, killing 46 sailors [Cheonan] [Evidence]
• Divergent briefings raise questions about Lee-Medvedev telephone conversation
  S.Korea’s briefing implied a pledge of Russian cooperation, while Russia’s briefing stressed restraint and opposition to heigntening tensions in the Korean peninsula Significantly different briefings issued by South Korea and Russia regarding President Lee Myung-bak’s phone conversation with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev regarding the sinking of the Cheonan emerged Tuesday. The Cheong Wa Dae (the presidential office in South Korea or Blue House) stated in a briefing after the phone call that President Medvedev pledged to work to send North Korea the proper signal while guaranteeing peace and security on the Korean Peninsula. The Cheong Wa Dae also said President Medvedev has a firm understanding of the North Korea measures explained to him by President Lee during the conversation, including the issue of referring the matter to the UN Security Council. In a briefing by the Presidential Executive Office of Russia, however, none of these expressions were used. Instead, it says the President Medvedev expressed hope that through the adoption of restrained attitudes that tensions on the Korean Peninsula would heighten no further. It also said the two leaders expressed regret that an inter-Korean trade and economy project planned several years ago in which Russia was also a slated participant had not materialized, and that the current situation had deteriorated into confrontation. There was a significant difference in tone. The South Korean government seemed to imply that Russia had agreed to cooperate in measures against North Korea, while Russia stressed opposition to raising tensions on the Korean Peninsula and restraint on the part of North Korea and South Korea. [Media] [Disinformation]
• Russia stays mum on North Korean torpedo attack
  May 20, 2010 19:47 Moscow Time Andrei Nesterenko. Photo: RIA Novosti Russia will refrain from speculating on North Korea’s attack on a South Korean Navy ship that killed 46 sailors in March pending a full-blown investigation, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said on Thursday. “We regret the mass loss of life but we need time to deal with the results of the probe into the incident”, Nesterenko told a news briefing in Moscow earlier in the day. [NLL] [Media] [Evidence]

• Russia marks 140th anniversary of Lenin's birth
  © RIA Novosti. Russia marks on Thursday the 140th anniversary of the birth of revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin. Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov Lenin was born in the provincial city of Simbirsk (now Ulyanovsk) on the Volga River on April 22, 1870. His father was a secondary-school teacher. In 1887, soon after the death of his father, Lenin's older brother Alexander was arrested in St. Petersburg for plotting against the Tsar. He was convicted and hanged. The tragic event affected young Vladimir deeply, laying the foundation for his revolutionary ideas. After graduating from high school with a gold medal, Lenin began studying at the University of Kazan, but was soon expelled for holding radical views. In 1891, Lenin began studying at St. Petersburg University as an external student and was awarded a first class diploma in law in January 1892. During his time at university, Lenin started a Marxist underground movement. In 1895, he travelled to Switzerland, where he met Social Democrat Georgy Plekhanov. After returning to Russia in 1895, Lenin established the Union of Struggle for the Liberation of the Working Class. He was soon arrested and exiled to Siberia, where he spent three years. During his exile, he wrote a book called The Development of Capitalism in Russia, which was published in 1985. In 1900, Lenin left for Switzerland where founded a paper, entitled Iskra, in order to promote his ideas. Inspired by Lenin's views, his supporters began creating underground organizations across Russia. The 1905 St. Petersburg Massacre, when the tsar's troops fired at a peaceful demonstration led by priest Georgy Gapon, spurred Lenin to advocate violent action. During the 1905 revolution he returned to Russia, but was forced to go abroad again two years later. After the 1917 February Revolution and overthrew Tsar Nicholas II, Lenin returned to his homeland. He came to power in October 1917 after an almost bloodless coup. Lenin led the Soviet state until 1924. He died on January 21, 1924 after having a series of strokes. Lenin's embalmed body has been displayed in a glass case in a mausoleum in Red Square since his death. His continuing presence in the heart of Moscow has been an ongoing source of controversy since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. It has been suggested that Lenin's body should be buried in a new national military cemetery, which is to opened in 2011
• Russia and the North Korean Knot
  By Georgy Toloraya Reacting to the publication of the US Nuclear Posture Review, Pyongyang in mid-April 2010 officially confirmed its own position on nuclear weapons: “As long as the U.S. nuclear threat persists, the DPRK will increase and update various type nuclear weapons as its deterrent in such a manner as it deems necessary in the days ahead”.1 Along with other countries, Russia, has to seriously question the viability of the two decades-old efforts for denuclearization of the neighboring country, with special accent on the relevance to the existing diplomatic framework. What is the purpose of the Six-Party talks and what are Russian goals in this exercise? The need to determine real options on the Korean peninsula is obvious. I believe the Russian strategy, coordinated through the Six-Party talks, of making the early denuclearization of North Korea a priority goal should be analyzed from the point of view of broader Russian interests vis-à-vis both the Korean Peninsula and global interaction with major partners, including the US, China, Japan and South Korea. [Russia NK policy] [Six Party talks]
• Kyrgyzstan and the Russian Resurgence
  April 13, 2010 | 0854 GMT By Lauren Goodrich This past week saw another key success in Russia’s resurgence in former Soviet territory when pro-Russian forces took control of Kyrgyzstan. The Kyrgyz revolution was quick and intense. Within 24 hours, protests that had been simmering for months spun into countrywide riots as the president fled and a replacement government took control. The manner in which every piece necessary to exchange one government for another fell into place in such a short period discredits arguments that this was a spontaneous uprising of the people in response to unsatisfactory economic conditions. Instead, this revolution appears prearranged. [Resurgence]
• Russia needs independent policy on North Korea – experts
  19:3230/03/2010 North Korea is unlikely to give up its nuclear program and Russia has to take this fact into account to adjust its policy towards the reclusive Communist state, Russian experts said on Tuesday. Earlier on Tuesday, President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree putting in force sanctions imposed by the U.N. Security Council against Pyongyang over its 2009 nuclear test. The international community is trying to force North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons and halt its nuclear arms program. "Unless the current rules of the game change, we cannot expect a voluntary denuclearization of North Korea," Georgy Toloraya, the director of Korean programs at the Institute of Economy told an expert conference in Moscow. He said that attempts to force North Korea to give up all its nuclear programs would "contradict the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty" and that Pyongyang had enough human and technological resources to renew nuclear research anytime in the future. [Russia NK policy] [Six Party Talks]

• Russia implements North Korea sanctions
  The Associated Press Tuesday, March 30, 2010; 7:11 AM MOSCOW -- Russia's president has signed an order formally implementing U.N. Security Council-approved sanctions against North Korea. The sanctions were passed in June by the Security Council, which includes Russia, after the country conducted a nuclear test. The sanctions are aimed at pushing North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program. To conform with the sanctions, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday ordered that all sales or imports of North Korean weapons and materials connected to them are forbidden. It also bans weapons exports to the reclusive Communist country and bars transport of North Korean weapons through Russian territory, including its waters and airspace. [Sanctions] [UNUS]
• Thousands in Russia protest government in ‘Day of Wrath'  
    By Philip P. Pan Sunday, March 21, 2010 KALININGRAD, RUSSIA -- Thousands of people participated in anti-government rallies across Russia on Saturday, including nearly 3,000 residents of this Baltic exclave who defied police and staged a boisterous, rain-soaked protest calling on Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to step down. The coordinated demonstrations, which opposition leaders dubbed a "Day of Wrath," occurred in dozens of cities and towns across 11 time zones, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Irkutsk and Vladivostok. Though turnout appeared limited (sic), the string of protests hinted at widespread frustration with Russia's most serious economic downturn in more than a decade [Media]  

• Russia opposes 'endless' sanctions against North Korea
  18:1719/02/2010 Russia argued on Friday against the "endless" continuation of sanctions against North Korea, saying they should be revoked once they have had their effect. The statement comes after talks between Russian officials and a UN-mandated independent expert group in the Foreign Ministry in Moscow earlier on Friday. "The UN Security Council's decisions are aimed primarily at easing concern over North Korea's nuclear program, and not at the economic isolation of the country," Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said. The expert group on sanctions, headed by Eric Marzolf, met earlier on Friday with Russian ambassador-at-large Grigory Logvinov, who represents Moscow at the six-nation talks on ending Pyongyang's nuclear program. "We exchanged opinions [on the issue] and specified Russia's position, which is to restart the six-party talks and the denuclearization process," Logvinov said, adding that Russia was against taking a broad interpretation of the sanctions. Earlier in the day, Pyongyang said it would be conducting artillery drills near its sea borders with U.S. ally South Korea. The six-party talks involving the two Koreas, China, the United States, Russia and Japan came to a halt last April when North Korea walked out of negotiations in protest against the United Nations' condemnation of its missile tests. The North recently hinted that it was willing to return to the talks, but insisted it first negotiate directly with the United States to repair "hostile relations." The country is banned from conducting nuclear or ballistic tests under UN Resolution 1718, adopted after North Korea's first nuclear test on October 9, 2006. However, Pyongyang carried out a second nuclear test on May 25 last year, followed by a series of short-range missile launches, and has threatened to build up its nuclear arsenal to counter what it calls hostile U.S. policies. The move led to the UN imposing new sanctions on North Korea banning the import and export of nuclear material and all weapons except small arms. MOSCOW, February 19 (RIA Novosti) [Sanctions]
• Speech by Sergei Ivanov at the 46th Munich Security Conference
  by Sergueï Ivanov * 6 February 2010 Mr. Chairman, Ladies and gentlemen, Excellencies, Speaking today at the 46th Munich Conference on Security Policy is for me a matter of emotional value at least for two reasons. First, this is the tenth time I have the honour to be invited to the Conference and address the audience. Second, although I have not yet decided in what form to claim Veteran benefits, I have already been rewarded by the possibility to cast a retrospective glance at how the political climate change has been reflected in Munich Conference findings. Dear colleagues, I must admit that recent years have proved specifically productive for Munich Conference activity because it has coincided with the end of inter-bloc confrontation and creation of the atmosphere of confidence and partnership. This refers also to the prospects of comprehensive and complete elimination of nuclear weapons.
  Security and stability in the context of nuclear disarmament require establishment of relationship between strategic offensive and strategic defensive arms. One cannot seriously talk about reduction in nuclear capabilities if a nuclear state consistently develops and deploys Systems aimed at providing its invulnerability to means of deterrence possessed by other states. lt is like a theory about a sword and a shield. Both are developing and one has to keep in mind the advantages of each of them [Disarmament] [Missile defense]

• Russia and the Koreas: Past Policies and Future Possibilities
  by Richard Weitz Geography alone would give Russia a prominent role in the Korean peninsula. The Russian Federation currently shares a recently demarcated 17-kilometer common border along the Tumen River with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).1 The proximity is suffi cient to ensure that Russian leaders closely follow events in the Koreas and try to infl uence developments. In addition, the histories of the Russian and Korean nations have intertwined for centuries. The Soviet Union created North Korea and imparted the new state with its horrifi c Stalinist political-economic model. Although Russian-DPRK relations have atrophied since the USSR’s demise, ties between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Korea (ROK) have improved considerably in recent years.
• Seoul Seeks to Get Moscow’s Arms Technology
  By Jung Sung-ki Staff Reporter South Korea and Russia are engaged in negotiations over the transfer of key arms technologies, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said Tuesday. The negotiations are part of the so-called third "Brown Bear" arms-for-debt swap project. [Military balance] [Arms sales]
• Russia Willing to Build Railways If N.Korea Gives Up Nukes
  Russia is willing to construct gas pipes, electrical power networks and railways that could bridge the two Koreas and Russia if North Korea gives up its nuclear weapons. This is according to Russian Ambassador to South Korea Konstantin Vnukov, who told Yonhap News that the proposal could be included in the idea of the "grand bargain," which was proposed by President Lee Myung-bak as a comprehensive rewards package for North Korea if it abandons its nuclear program. The South Korean government responded positively to Russia's overture, saying the deal can be reviewed when the six-party talks resume.

2009

• Sakhalin Koreans Foiled in Campaign to Come Home
  By Andrei Lankov Korea Times Columnist SAKHALIN ? For decades, Sakhalin Koreans had a dream. They wanted to go home, to South Korea. Back in the 1930s and early 1940s, most of them did not want to go to Sakhalin in the first place, and even those who did assumed that their stay would be short. However, in 1945 they were locked on the island. By the early 1970s, this desire for repatriation was cooling down. Most were reconciled with their fate, and some positively enjoyed it. However, in 1974 a sudden change in the situation led to a revival of hope ? with tragic consequences, however. The Soviet authorities for a brief while came close to allowing the repatriation and then changed their mind.
• Russian History Textbook Includes Criticism of N.Korea
  A negative image of North Korea appears to have been included in a Russian history textbook approved by Moscow's education ministry this year. According to the Yonhap News Agency an 11th grade history text to be introduced in this year's new semester was compiled by three professors at Moscow State University and contains details of the Kim Il-sung regime during the 1960s and 70s as well as Kim Jong-il's nuclear weapons programs.
  In contrast to its negative portrait of the North, the book presents South Korea's economic and industrial development as admirable.
• Russia welcomes intention of N Korea, US to hold dialogue
  06.10.2009, 14.42 MOSCOW, October 6 (Itar-Tass) - Russia has welcomed as positive the intention of North Korea and the United States to hold a bilateral dialogue as well as Pyongyang’s readiness to resume the six-party talks on nuclear dossier, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Borodavkin told Itar-Tass on Tuesday. [Bilateral] [Six Party Talks]
• N. Korean Mirage Collapses in Sakhalin
  This is the second in a series of articles highlighting the life of Koreans in Sakhalin. By Andrei Lankov Korea Times Columnist Nowadays, it's difficult to believe that North Korea, a brutal but impoverished dictatorship, once enjoyed great popularity among Asian countries and also in Korean communities overseas. Indeed, in the mid-1950s most ethnic Koreans of Japan chose North Korean citizenship, even though they largely originated from the southern part of the peninsula.
• N.Korean Workers Earn Dollars for Construction Work in Russia
  Some of the North Koreans building this luxury house in Vladivostok, Russia were doctors and soldiers back home. Some of the North Koreans building this luxury house in Vladivostok, Russia were doctors and soldiers back home. With the international community tightening economic sanctions on North Korean entities for their alleged involvement in nuclear and weapons activities, Pyongyang is ever more eager to earn hard currency. One of the few options for the regime to get foreign dollars is to rely on its own labor exports. VOA's Korean Service reporter Young Ran-jeon recently visited Vladivostok, Russia and filed this report voiced by Kate Woodsome. Pseudonyms were used to protect the workers interviewed for this story.
• Russia Sought to Send Koreans to NK in 1947
  By Kwon Mee-yoo Staff Reporter The government of the former Soviet Union had planned to forcibly relocate some 22,000 Koreans living in Sakhalin to North Korea in the late 1940s, according to documents released by the National Archives of Korea (NAK), Friday. The document was among the 1,256 pages making up 214 confidential documents compiled by the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The NAK received the documents from the Russian national archive after requesting their declassification several times since 2005. "The document officially verifies the plan to relocate Koreans in Sakhalin to North Korea, information which had been unconfirmed before this," an NAK official said. "However, it did not identify whether they were actually sent to the North or how many of them were sent." [Japanese colonialism]
• S.Korea, Russia to discuss laying gas pipeline across N.Korea
  Alexey Nikolskiy 18:4430/07/2009 MOSCOW, July 30 (RIA Novosti) - South Korea's economics minister along with oil and gas executives will visit Russia in August to discuss the possibility of laying a gas pipeline across North Korea, the Maeil business daily said on Thursday. During his visit, Lee Youn-Ho will meet with Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko. The talks will involve the heads of the Korea Gas Corporation and Korea National Oil Corporation. The countries hope to be able to pump natural gas from Yakutia in the Russian Far East to South Korea directly via the North. However, all economic projects between the two Koreas are currently frozen. According to information from the South Korean government, Russia is set to supply 750 metric tons of natural gas annually to South Korea for 30 years, to meet about 20% of the country's gas demand. The talks in Moscow are also expected to focus on an action plan for the joint development of oil and gas deposits, and also the development of offshore deposits to the west of Kamchatka in the Russian Far East, the paper said.
• Future of Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces
  In the Wake of Obama's Moscow Visit
  By General Leonid Ivashov
  Global Research, July 19, 2009 Now that US President Obama's visit to Moscow is over, what do we have at the bottom line? First, the summit produced a framework document defining the number of strategic carriers quite broadly (500-1,100) and the number of nuclear warheads – in a narrower corridor (1,500-1,675). The limits are set by the US and Russian Presidents for their negotiating teams and can easily be adjusted in case the sides reach another consensus on the issue. Secondly, Presidents Obama and Medvedev discussed the future of the US missile defense, but this part of the talks led to no definite agreements. All that was said was that the existing viewpoints would have to be taken into account. Moreover, by default the examination of missile defense was limited to just two – and not even the most important – of the hundreds of elements it actually comprises. There were indefinite suggestions to go on discussing the possibility to cooperate in building the missile shield, jointly analyzing the XXI century missile challenges, and monitoring missile programs across the world. As a clear reference to North Korea and Iran, the two Presidents warned all the countries having missile potentials against missile technology proliferation. Thirdly, Russia allowed the US Air Forces to use its airspace, leaving the general public oblivious to details of the deal.
  The above are the practical results of the Moscow summit. Can the Russian side be satisfied with the parameters of the agreement on carriers and warheads? Yes and no at the same time. Given the current situation in the nuclear arms sphere (the condition of Russia's strategic nuclear forces, the level of development of the US missile defense and precision weapons, the magnitude of the return potential concealed by the START-1 Treaty) Russia should regard 1,700 warheads as the critical minimum. Why? Estimates show that with this number of warheads and the corresponding number of carriers the Russian nuclear forces can retain functionality after an attack by US high-precision weapons, launch on warning before nuclear warheads carried by US ballistic missiles reach Russia, penetrate the US missile defense (with some 800-1,000 warheads) and inflict unacceptable damage on the US. This is the essence of the nuclear deterrence. [Nuclear weapons]
• Moscow hopes N. Korea stops nuclear tests, starts talks – Lavrov
  19:0423/06/2009 VIENNA, June 23 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow hopes international talks on Korea's nuclear problem will be resumed shortly and is waiting for Pyongyang to confirm that it will stop all nuclear tests, the Russian foreign minister said on Tuesday. "We are concerned by the deadlock that has evolved, primarily due to North Korea's unacceptable actions," Sergei Lavrov said. He said the UN Security Council had tightened sanctions on North Korea not to punish it but to encourage the impoverished communist state to return to the negotiating table and fulfill its obligations. He added, however, that the talks could only be resumed "after North Korea confirmed that it will conduct no more nuclear tests." [Test]
• Russia: News Conference following Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit
  President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev: Colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, As president of the nation that just turned over its chairmanship of the SCO, I would like to tell you about some of the outcomes of our work within the meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State. I would like to make a few general remarks before moving on to questions.
  We discussed other regional problems, including North Korea and some of the threatening statements it has recently made. We also noted that its behaviour is unacceptable in today’s situation and that the international community had to respond by adopting a corresponding [UN] Security Council resolution. [test] [Sanctions]
• Russia says new UN resolution should not impose isolation on DPRK
  www.chinaview.cn 2009-05-26 16:37:31 MOSCOW, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Russia believes that a new UN resolution on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) should not impose an international isolation or blockade on the country, the Itar-Tass news agency reported Tuesday, citing a source with the Russian Foreign Ministry. "In any case it is counterproductive to raise the question of the DPRK's international isolation. The path to dialogue should not be disrupted, and the problem can be solved only in political and diplomatic ways," an unidentified official was quoted as saying by Itar-Tass. "The reaction must be sufficiently serious because the authority of the Security Council is at stake," said the diplomat. On the one hand, the reaction should be clear enough, on the other, it should not envision an international isolation or blockade, he said. [test] [Sanctions]
• Russia-China Strategic Relations Warm in Wake of Mounting Russian Tensions with NATO/US
  M K Bhadrakumar
  Westernism is giving way to Orientalism in Moscow's outlook, if the past week's happenings are any guide. As Russia's ties with the West deteriorate, an upswing in its strategic partnership with China becomes almost inevitable. The resumption of Russia-NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) dialogue has gone awry. And the nascent hopes regarding a "reset of the button" of the Russian-American relationship are belied. With Moscow under multiple pressures from the West, two top Chinese officials have arrived in the Russian capital to offer support - Defense Minister Liang Guanglie and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi. [SCO]
• Russia Offers Use of Territory for N.Korean Satellite Launches
  Russia is a member of the six-party talks aimed at persuading North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program. It has often sided with China to prevent tough UN sanctions against Pyongyang.
  During his trip to the region last month, Sergei Lavrov made a little-noted statement. Speaking through an interpreter, he said Moscow is willing to help Pyongyang launch satellites into space from its territory. "Russia is cooperating with many countries in the peaceful exploration of space, including launching satellites by our boosters. We have such agreements with South Korea and we are ready to develop similar projects with North Korea, and hope our proposal will be examined," said Lavrov. [Satellite]
• No breakthrough yet
  April 25, 2009 South Korea’s Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan (right) meets Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov last night at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Seoul. Lavrov on Thursday met his North Korean counterpart Pak Ui-chun. North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Russia “took note” of the North’s intention to never again participate in the six-party nuclear disarmament talks. “We’re not expecting a breakthrough yet,” Lavrov told the Russian news agency RIA Novosti. KCNA also reported that Russia “recognized that a satellite launch is the sovereign right of each country,” referring to the North’s April 5 launch. [NEWSIS]
• Foreign Ministry Spokesman on Russian FM's Visit to DPRK
  Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry gave the following answer to a question put by KCNA Friday as regards the Russian foreign minister's visit to the DPRK: The Russian foreign minister and his party visited the DPRK on April 23 and 24 as part of exchanges for significantly marking this year in which falls the 60th anniversary of the conclusion of agreement on economic and cultural cooperation between the DPRK and Russia under the agreement reached between the two ministries toward the end of last year. During his visit the Russian foreign minister paid a courtesy call on the president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly and had talks with the DPRK foreign minister. The talks and meetings dealt with the matters on boosting the traditional, friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries, and agreement was reached there. Also discussed at the talks was the prevailing situation after the release of the UN Security Council's "presidential statement" critical of the DPRK's satellite launch for peaceful purposes.
  Both sides recognized that satellite launch is a sovereign right of each country.
  The Russian side reconfirmed its stand on the UN sanctions against the DPRK and paid attention to the DPRK's stand that there is no need to hold the six-party talks any longer. [Sanctions] [Satellite]
• Russian Official Visits N.Korea in Attempt to Break Nuclear Deadlock
  Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (left) shakes hands with North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kung Sok Ung upon arrival in Pyongyang on April 23, 2009. Russia's top diplomat says he is paying a visit to North Korea, in hopes of easing the North's resistance to talking to its neighbors. The North has pulled out of nuclear weapons talks and continues to detain South Korean and American nationals on political charges. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned other countries not to expect any breakthroughs from his visit to the North Korean capital.
• Talks Held between DPRK and Russian FMs
  Pyongyang, April 23 (KCNA) -- Talks were held between Pak Ui Chun, foreign minister of the DPRK, and Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov, foreign minister of the Russian Federation, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today. Present at the talks from the DPRK side were officials concerned and from the Russian side Lavrov's party and the Russian ambassador to the DPRK. At the talks both sides exchanged views on developing the relations between the two countries and a series of matters of mutual concern. [Media]
• Plan of Cultural and Scientific Exchange between DPRK and Russian Governments Signed
  Pyongyang, April 23 (KCNA) -- A 2009-2010 plan of cultural and scientific exchange between the governments of the DPRK and Russia was signed in Pyongyang on Thursday. Present at the signing ceremony from the DPRK side were Mun Jae Chol, acting chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, and officials concerned and from the Russian side Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov, foreign minister of the Russian Federation, and his party and Valery Sukhinin, Russian ambassador to the DPRK. It was inked by Mun Jae Chol and Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov
• Russian FM to Visit N.Korea This Month
  Russia is to send Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to North Korea to persuade the renegade country to return to talks on its nuclear program. Russian government officials on Thursday said Lavrov will fly to Pyongyang around April 24 for a two-day stay and will tell his North Korean counterpart Pak Ui-chun of the Russian government's position that it is essential for the North to return to the six-party talks.
• First Red Koreans
  By Andrei Lankov [The Dawn of Modern Korea] (513) In the early 1920s, everybody in the maritime province of Russia knew one fact very well: the local Koreans were for the Reds. The country was still in the middle of a civil war, and the communist guerrillas knew that their chances of finding food and shelter in a Korean village were high ? actually, much higher than in a Russian village. Koreans were very likely to be Communist sympathizers, but why? To start with, prior to 1917, the vast majority of the large Russian-Korean community did not care much about Russian politics. Most of the Koreans were farmers who had fled their home country because of rampant corruption, high taxes, and a shortage of arable land. In Russia they were doing well, and were quite content with that. The Korean intellectuals in Russia usually remained immersed in Korean political and social life. Most of them were political refugees who moved to the Russian maritime province after 1905, fleeing the Japanese colonial regime. They were frequently involved in politics, but it was the politics of the Korean independence movement. Until the 1930s it was quite possible for a Korean to spend years in Russia without coming into much contact with Russian society. Koreans lived in their villages, attended Korean-language schools, read Korean books and newspapers, and shopped in Korean stores. This situation is dramatically different from the circumstances of most Korean communities today. In a sense, one had to make a special effort, not to maintain one's ethnic identity, but rather to assimilate oneself into Russian culture. Nonetheless, the potential political sympathies of the Russian Koreans became absolutely clear with the advent of the Communist Revolution in 1917. The revolution was followed by the Civil War which lasted to 1922, and during this conflict few ethnic groups supported the Communist Red Army with the same devotion and enthusiasm as the Koreans. Some 8,000 Koreans joined the Red forces. This might not appear to be a large number, but the ethnic Korean community was roughly 100,000 strong in 1917, so it means that roughly one out of four able-bodied males joined the Communist army.
• A Sturdier Russia Beckons Its Children Home
  By CLIFFORD J. LEVY Published: March 21, 2009 VLADIVOSTOK, Russia — Vasily Reutov had never set foot in Russia until a few months ago, but the moment he did, he knew he had finally made it home. His ancestors, members of an ascetic offshoot of Russian Orthodoxy known as Old Believers, fled this region in the 1920s after the Communist Party violently suppressed religion. They settled in cloistered villages in South America that they turned into Little Russias, as if by preserving the ways of the past, they would somehow, someday, be able to return. Now, with Russia itself beckoning and sturdier than before, that time has come. The government is trying to head off the country’s severe population decline by luring back Russians who live abroad as well as their descendants. [Migration]
• FM Meets Delegation of Russian Foreign Ministry
  Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- Minister of Foreign Affairs Pak Ui Chun met and had a talk with the delegation of the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation headed by its Vice-Minister Aleksei Borodavkin when it paid a courtesy call on him at the Mansudae Assembly Hall Thursday.
• North Korea's Military Action Is Intolerable, Russian Amb. Says
  Russia will not tolerate any kind of military threat from North Korea, the Russian ambassador said Wednesday, warning its long-time ally, which proclaimed an ``all-out war posture'' against South Korea last week. Speaking at the World Korean Forum at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul, Ambassador Gleb A. Ivashentsov, said, ``We oppose a missile test or nuclear activity by North Korea near our border. When it carried out a nuclear test in October 2006, the site was only 177 kilometers away from Russian territory.'' The forum was hosted by the Korean Global Foundation and supported by www.hankooki.com.

2008

• Condolences Expressed over Death of Russian Patriarch
  Pyongyang, December 8 (KCNA) -- Jang Jae On, chairman of the Korean Council of Religionists, and Ho Il Jin, chairman of the Korean Orthodox Church Committee, on Monday sent messages of condolences to Chairman of the Office of Foreign Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church Kirill who is patriarch of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Regions over the death of Patriarch Alexy II of the Russian Orthodox Church. His death is a great loss for the Russian Orthodox Church and people, the messages said, praying for the immortality of the deceased.
• (Presidential) Address to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
  President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev: Citizens of Russia
  November 5, 2008, Grand Kremlin Palace, Moscow
• S. Korea and Russia agree to pursue natural gas pipeline
  Pipeline could run through North Korea, bringing the country US$100 million in income, and would reduce gas prices in the South South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met at the Kremlin September 29 and agreed to jointly pursue a project that would bring Russian natural gas to Korea beginning in 2015. The two sides agreed to elevate bilateral relations to the level of a strategic cooperative partnership and issued a ten-point statement.
• DPRK FM and His Party Leave for Russia
  Pyongyang, October 14 (KCNA) -- DPRK Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun and his party left here today to visit Russia. They were seen off at the airport by Kung Sok Ung, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, and Valery Sukhinin, Russian ambassador to the DPRK.
• The Russians are coming — loaded with cash
  By Sergei Guriev and Aleh Tsyvinski Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008 MOSCOW — Russia's government is sitting on a giant pile of cash that it plans to invest in foreign assets. The glimpse of its economic muscle was revealed when the prime minister of Iceland announced that Russia may come with about $5 billion to save its troubled economy. Who could have thought that, given the chaotic Russia of the 1990s, only 10 years later it would be in the position to bail out a developed country? Even more surprising is the fact that the helping hand for Iceland comes at a time when the domestic stock market is in a free fall and trading on the Moscow stock exchange is routinely halted. The Kremlin thinks that now is the time to buy assets cheaply, using the current financial crisis to emerge as a powerful global economic player. As Prime Minister Vladimir Putin remarked at a recent meeting with the CEO of state-owned bank VTB, "Perhaps we should buy something (abroad)? Something that is up for grabs?" According to Arkady Dvorkovich, an economic aide to President Dmitry Medvedev, the government will support — both diplomatically and financially — the expansion of Russian companies abroad.
  The key benefit of Russian foreign investment is not economic, but that it helps Russia become a global citizen. Consider Russia's elites, who buy houses in London, ski in the Alps, and educate their children in Switzerland. They have too much to lose from a worsening political climate between Russia and the West. It is time to make Russia's big business — and its government — stakeholders in the world economy. [Decline] [resurgence] [Globalisation]
• Improved relations with Russia
  [Editorial]   President Lee Myung-bak and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met yesterday and decided to elevate relations to the level of strategic cooperative partnership from that of a constructive partnership. The two countries will increase the level of their discussions and cooperation in all areas, including economics, diplomacy, security, and politics. One feels as if Russia is again coming closer, having grown considerably distant from the Korean Peninsula since the fall of the Soviet Union.
  The Russo-Korean summit signals the completion of President Lee’s tour of the "big four powers" (the United States, China, Japan and Russia). Compared to relations with the United States, Japan, and China, countries with which there remain many uncertainties, relations with Russia seem to be smooth sailing. The fact the two countries have almost no directly conflicting security interests contributes positively to the relationship. This is a time when we should cooperate in a substantial way that corresponds to the strategic partnership.
• Russia to Talk to N. Korea About Pipeline to S. Korea
  By Shinhye Kang Bloomberg SEOUL — South Korea plans to import $90 billion of natural gas from Russia via North Korea, with which it shares one of the world’s most heavily fortified borders, to reduce its reliance on more expensive cargoes arriving by sea. State-run Korea Gas signed a preliminary agreement with Gazprom, Russia’s largest energy company, to import 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas over 30 years starting in 2015, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy said in a statement. The accord was signed in Moscow during President Lee Myung Bak’s three-day visit that began Sunday. Gazprom Chief Executive Officer Alexei Miller said after talks Monday between Lee and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that the exact delivery route hasn’t been determined and that shipments could begin as early as 2015. [Resurgence] [Realignment]
• Russia to offer exclusive Korean port, factory site
  October 01, 2008 MOSCOW - Expressing satisfaction after talks with Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Monday, President Lee Myung-bak said yesterday that Seoul and Moscow have agreed to build a port at Vladivostok exclusively for Korea. [Resurgence] [Realignment]
• Korea, Russia Agree to Forge Closer Energy Ties
    President Lee Myung-bak and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev met at the Kremlin on Monday afternoon to discuss released expanding cooperation in political, diplomacy, defense and the economy.
• Korea Backs Russia’s WTO Membership
  By Na Jeong-ju Staff Reporter South Korea and Russia agreed Monday to upgrade their relations to a strategic partnership to accelerate two-way cooperation on North Korea's nuclear program and the development of natural resources and aerospace technologies. President Lee Myung-bak, who is on a three-day visit to Russia, and President Dmitry Medvedev adopted a joint statement calling for closer diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries following their summit in Moscow. [Realignment]
• N. Korea, Russia to Redraw Border Along Tumen River
  By Kim Sue-young Staff Reporter North Korea and Russia will redraw their border along the Tumen River as the terrain has changed over time, a report said Thursday. The two countries first discussed the matter in Pyongyang in 2000.
• SuperJet-100: A Hopeful Test Flight
  MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) - The first flight of the SuperJet-100, Sukhoi's new medium-haul passenger airliner, offers hope that Russia's program to resurrect its civil aviation industry may yet succeed. Completion of the 40-minute test flight allowed the Sukhoi Aviation Holding to strike deals for delivery of another 27 planes, bringing its order portfolio to 100 airliners. The bulk of these aircraft will be sold abroad, but more important for Russians is the fact that the rest will be purchased by domestic carriers, augmenting Russia's significantly deteriorated air fleet. The SuperJet-100 is the first civilian airplane to be launched into mass production since the disintegration of the USSR. Two decades ago the civilian air fleet was the pride of the country, with the Soviet Union producing a quarter of the world's civil airliners, and new aircraft developed by the Tupolev, Ilyushin, Antonov and Yakovlev design bureaus fascinating visitors at international air shows. Now it's all gone. Since the late 80's the industry has steadily sunk into crisis, with plants falling idle, equipment aging, and thousands of engineers and workers forced to look for a different occupation. This resulted in production output decreasing to single planes, air fleet numbers falling due to natural wear and tear, and the airline system shrinking dramatically. In 1990 Russian airlines carried 103 million passengers, in the past year only 45 million. Currently there are 5,700 aircraft registered in Russia, less than half of which actually fly. The bulk of the operable planes became obsolete long ago - only one tenth of them can be regarded as modern. The average age of long-distance airliners is over 17, and that of medium-haul aircraft over 30.
• Russia’s ‘Power Politics’ and North Korea
  By Leonid Petrov
  August 7th, 2008 Leonid Petrov, Research Associate at the Australian National University, writes, “In this light, Russian-Korean relations can be seen as based on a solid footing and replete with opportunities that can benefit each of them. The new administrations in the Kremlin and Seoul’s “Blue House”, together with the new generation of leaders in Pyongyang, can radically change the political climate in the region. A simple strengthening of economic relationships between the three countries will contribute to the peaceful solution of the “Korean nuclear problem” and prepare the basis for durable peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia.”
• Wrong on Russia
  By Stephen F. Cohen Published: July 1, 2008 Neither of the two major American presidential candidates has seriously addressed, or even seems fully aware of, what should be our greatest foreign policy concern - Russia's singular capacity to endanger or enhance our national security. Despite its diminished status following the Soviet breakup in 1991, Russia alone possesses weapons that can destroy the United States, a military-industrial complex nearly America's equal in exporting arms, vast quantities of questionably secured nuclear materials sought by terrorists, and the planet's largest oil and natural gas reserves. It also remains the world's largest territorial country, pivotally situated in the West and the East, at the crossroads of colliding civilizations, with strategic capabilities from Europe, Iran and other Middle East nations to North Korea, China, India, Afghanistan and even Latin America. All things considered, our national security may depend more on Russia than Russia's does on us. And yet U.S.-Russian relations are worse today than they have been in 20 years
  During the last eight years, Putin's foreign policies have been largely a reaction to Washington's winner-take-all approach to Moscow since the early 1990s, which resulted from a revised U.S. view of how the cold war ended. In that new triumphalist narrative, America "won" the 40-year conflict and post-Soviet Russia was a defeated nation analogous to post-World War II Germany and Japan - a nation without full sovereignty at home or autonomous national interests abroad. The policy implication of that bipartisan triumphalism, which persists today,
• S. Korea pushes for Russian helicopter purchase
  The South Korean military is pushing for its plan to buy 32 Kamov (KA-32) helicopters from Russia at a date earlier than anticipated to support landing and infiltration operations for marines ahead of the planned takeover of wartime operational control from the United States. [Military balance] [Sovereignty]
• Misreading Medvedev’s China Mission
  by Yu Bin
  YU Bin is (byu@wittenberg.edu) Senior Fellow for the Shanghai Institute of American Studies and regular contributor to the Pacific Forum’s Comparative Connections (www.csis.org/pacfor/ccejournal.html). No matter how presidential Dymitry Medvedev may act, his late May summit in Beijing has been discounted in the West as routine, unsubstantial, and overshadowed by the meetings of his predecessor, Vladimir Putin. The “growing” conflict of interests between Russia and China over various issues – trade, energy, military sales, to mention a few – has also been the focus of media coverage. In keeping with this image, (now) Prime Minister Putin’s visit to Paris a week after was described as more “presidential” than Medvedev’s east-bound mission. These assessments miss important aspects of the evolving and broadening relations between the two largest nations on the Eurasian continent. [China-Russia relations]
• From Russia, A Cinematic Double Take On WWII Era
  Director Nikita Mikhalkov's original, 1994 movie, "Burnt by the Sun," won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film. The sequel is surprisingly different. (By Peter Finn -- The Washington Post) By Peter Finn Washington Post Foreign Service Saturday, May 31, 2008; Page A01 VOISKOVITSY, Russia -- In the 1994 Russian film "Burnt by the Sun," the idyllic life of a family at their country home outside Moscow is smashed on a single day by Stalinism. Fans of the movie, which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film, are likely to be startled by a coming sequel. And not only because director Nikita Mikhalkov has reanimated characters who appeared to die in the original. The first film, an intimate drama that shimmered with dread, played out almost entirely on a small set. The new movie, part of which is being filmed at this rural railway junction about 30 miles south of St. Petersburg, is a panoramic blockbuster with battle scenes straight out of Hollywood. With a budget of $55 million, it is the most expensive movie in Russian history. In the sequel, the four main characters from the first movie, three of whom were thought to be dead, hurtle unawares toward each other in the furnace of World War II. And Joseph Stalin, hovering unseen like a malign spirit in the first film, steps onto this stage as a speaking character. And what a stage. Mikhalkov, 62, is not making one movie but two full-length films, "Burnt by the Sun 2," Parts 1 and 2, plus a 12-part television series that will track and expand on the material in the two movies. Mikhalkov plans to release the first part of the film version May 9, 2010, the 65th anniversary of victory in World War II. The movie's second part is to be released several months later, with the television version following in 2011 or 2012. "It's an epic in the tradition of war films," said Kirill Razlogov, a leading film scholar and critic in Moscow. "And if the film is a success, I don't think people will care that it's completely different in scope than the original." The memorialization of World War II, which Russians call the Great Patriotic War, has become an almost state-sanctified event increasingly coated in a neo-Soviet historical orthodoxy. [Reassertion]
• Congratulations to Russian PM
  Pyongyang, May 9 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Il, premier of the DPRK Cabinet, sent a congratulatory message to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin on his appointment as Prime Minister of the government of the Russian Federation. Expressing the belief that the DPRK-Russia relations would grow stronger in the interests of the two peoples in the future, too, the message wished him great success in his responsible work for the country's development and prosperity.
• S. Korea, Russia to press ahead with projects involving N. Korea
  SEOUL, April 7 KYODO South Korea's new President Lee Myung Bak and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed Monday to push ahead with efforts to link the trans-Korean railway with the trans-Siberian railway and other tripartite economic cooperation projects involving North Korea, according to local media. Lee and Putin exchanged views on the matter in a telephone conservation in which Lee also sought greater Russian efforts to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program, Yonhap News Agency quoted presidential spokesman Lee Dong Kwan as saying. [Railways]
• Rodong Sinmun on DPRK-Russia Relations
  Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- The conclusion of the agreement on economic and cultural cooperation between the DPRK and the Soviet Union put the DPRK-Russia friendly and cooperative relations on a new stage of development. Rodong Sinmun Monday stresses this in a by-lined article dedicated to the 59th anniversary of the signing of the agreement. The article notes that the historic visits to the Russian Federation and its Far Eastern Region by General Secretary Kim Jong Il in the new century and the visit to the DPRK by Russian President V. V. Putin in 2000 served as a new milestone and the motive force for the overall development of the DPRK-Russia friendly relations including economic and cultural cooperation.
• Russia, India Sign Billion Dollar Deal to Upgrade Indian Fighter Jets
    A fighter jet type Mikojan MIG-29M OVT of the Russian Aircraft Corporation overflies the area of the International Aerospace Exhibition Show in Berlin-Schoenefeld, 13 May 2006      Russian news reports say Moscow has signed a $1 billion deal with India to upgrade more than 60 MIG-29 jet fighters it had previously sold to New Delhi. The reports Tuesday quote sources in Russia's defense manufacturing sector as saying a five-year contract calls for Russia to install new radars, weapons control systems and improved engines. The reports say the upgrade will extend the operational service of the planes by 15 years. Russia has aggressively sought to expand arms sales on the world market, and is currently refurbishing a Soviet-era aircraft carrier set for sale to India in 2011.  
• Congratulations to Russian President-elect
  Pyongyang, March 4 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, on Monday sent a congratulatory message to Dmitri Anatoliyevich Medvedev upon his election as President of the Russian Federation. Expressing the belief that the DPRK-Russia relations will steadily develop in the interests of the two peoples and in the spirit of the joint documents signed between both sides in the future, too, Kim in the message wished the Russian President great success in his responsible work for stability and prosperity of the country.
• North Korea-Russia Relations: A Strained Friendship
  By the International Crisis Group February 7th, 2008
  The International Crisis Group, an independent, non-profit, multinational organization, working through field-based analysis and high-level advocacy to prevent and resolve deadly conflict, writes, “Pyongyang wants Russia to balance China’s growing influence but appears to recognise that Moscow will never provide the level of support it once did. The North has been keen to discuss economic cooperation but has lacked the political will to reform its economy sufficiently for foreign investment, even from a country as inured to corruption and government interference as Russia… there is unlikely to be much growth in bilateral cooperation unless the nuclear crisis is resolved peacefully, and the North opens its economy.”
• Presidential Elections and Russia-Korea Relations
  [Analysis] Prof. Leonid Petrov looks at the future of bilateral ties
  Published 2008-02-22 14:00 (KST) At the end of this month the inauguration of the recently elected President of the Republic of Korea will take place in Seoul. Russia is poised for its own presidential elections in early March. In North Korea (formally known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK), it has been reported, the grooming of a new leader is already under way. Nevertheless, the dynamics of relations between Russia and the two Koreas will depend not so much on personalities but on the joint efforts of the sides.
• Korea’s Russia Trade Booming, Chinese Market Cools
  Korea’s exports to Russia are robust but Korean products have lost their competitive edge in China. The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) on Wednesday said trade between Korea and Russia grew 54 percent last year to US$15.06 billion. Trade with Russia has surged between 34 and 65 percent over the last five years. [China competition]

• Korea's 1st Astronaut to Lift Off Next April
  The time and date have been set for Korea's first astronaut to travel into space. Ko San will depart Earth aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft at the Baikonur Space Center on April 8, 2008 at 8:00 p.m. Korean time. Ko made the announcement to Korean reporters at a press conference in a hotel in Moscow, Russia, along with Yi So-yeon, his backup.
• What Does Putin Want?
  Immanuel Wallerstein
  Commentary No. 221, Nov. 15, 2007
  Is the question, what does Putin want, the same question as what does Russia want? I think the answer is that the answers to the two questions are fairly close. In any case, Putin has not been at all shy about telling us what he wants on behalf of Russia. He used two high-level European conferences recently to spell out exactly what his concerns are. The first was his speech at the 43rd Munich Conference on Security Policy on October 2, 2007, in the presence of Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany. And the second was at a press conference following the Summit of the European Union in Lisbon on October 26.
  Putin wants, as Russians have wanted for centuries, to be accepted as a principal player in the world-system. He obviously feels that the United States, and even western Europe, used the Yeltsin interlude to ignore Russia. He seems confident that the tide has turned, primarily because of changes in the world-economy. And, confident of the future, Putin lays down his conditions. He appears to be appealing to Europe for active cooperation and to the United States for a de facto military truce. We shall see in the next decade how successful such policies will be.
• DPRK and Russia Cooperate in Commerce and Economy
  Pyongyang, November 14 (KCNA) -- A protocol of the second meeting of the joint working group on cooperation in commerce and economy between the Committee for the Promotion of International Trade of the DPRK and the Sakhalin Regional Administration of Russia was signed here Wednesday. Present at the signing ceremony from the DPRK side were members of the committee and from the Russian side were members of the delegation of the administration and a councilor of the Russian embassy here.
• Plan for Exchange Signed between Foreign Ministries of DPRK and Russia
  Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- A 2007-2008 plan for exchange between the foreign ministries of the DPRK and Russia was signed in Moscow on October 19. Present at the signing ceremony from the DPRK side were members of the delegation of the DPRK Foreign Ministry headed by Vice-Minister Kung Sok Ung and from the Russian side officials of the Russian Foreign Ministry including Vice-Minister Alexandr Losyukov.
• Stark Differences on Arms Threaten U.S.-Russia Talks
  By THOM SHANKER and STEVEN LEE MYERS
  Published: October 10, 2007 WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 — Growing disagreements over how to carry forward arms control treaties threaten to bog down meetings in Moscow this week between top-level Americans and their Russian counterparts that are intended to seek a compromise on missile defense. The talks, in Moscow, are becoming both the latest indication of the troubled state of relations between the White House and the Kremlin and one of the last opportunities for President Bush and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to overcome the deepening distrust that has strained the relationship.
• Roh says inter-Korean summit accord to accelerate Korea-Siberia rail link
  October 10, 2007 South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun said Tuesday (Oct.9) that the latest inter-Korean summit agreement would provide momentum for the connection of the trans-Korean railway, or TKR, with the trans-Siberian railway, known as TSR. Roh made the remarks during his telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to Roh's spokesman, Cheon Ho-seon. "Roh called Putin at 5 p.m. and briefed the Russian leader for 20 minutes on the result of the inter-Korean summit talks in Pyongyang last week," said Cheon. [Railways] [KR_summit07]
• Putin Sees No Proof of Iran Arms Plans
  By SOPHIA KISHKOVSKY Published: October 11, 2007 MOSCOW, Oct. 10 — The first bilateral meeting of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and President Nicolas Sarkozy of France quickly brought to the surface their split views on Iran, with Mr. Putin expressing doubts that Iran was trying to build nuclear weapons [Evidence]
• Russian View on Inter Korean Summit
  By Georgy Bulychev
  Georgy Bulychev, Director for Korean Research Programs, Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), Moscow, writes, "if the DPRK gains short-term profits (like fostering her stance vis-à-vis the U.S. and receiving economic aid), the South and other interested countries will gain over the long-term. For the South, it is an important step forward on the way towards normalizing relations with the North and strengthening the common potential of the Korean states. Looking from the angle of regional geopolitics, it would provide for stronger stability and growing interaction and coincide with Russia's priorities." [KR_Summit07]
• Seoul Mulls Russian Helicopters Instead of Debt Deal: US Weekly
  South Korea's Navy is considering obtaining some 30 Russian Kamov Ka-32 utility helicopters as the two countries negotiate Moscow's debt repayment with arms, the U.S. military weekly Defense News reported Monday. Adm. Song Young-moo, chief of naval operations, discussed the plan with Russian officials during his Moscow visit last month, according to the weekly. Song hoped that the Russian aircraft would fly from the 14,000-ton, large-deck landing ship Dokdo for transport missions until South Korea deploys its own copters in 2012 through the Korea Helicopter Program (KHP), it said. [Military balance] [Arms sales]
• Politicus: America's misplaced hopes on Russia
  By John Vinocur Published: September 10, 2007
  WASHINGTON: Suppose the Russians, as Iran's monopoly supplier of nuclear wherewithal, decided they could live with a few atomic weapons in the hands of the mullahs. Suppose the Russians, flush with money and superpower fantasies, believed that weakening and humiliating the United States was well worth the instability that might come with Moscow's refusal to help block Iran's drive toward nuclear arms. Where's the downside? From Vladimir Putin's point of view, it's win-win. With Russia's obstructive tactics encouraging Iran to plunge ahead, he may figure the Americans will eventually strike Iranian nuclear installations. The Yanks would harvest opprobrium in much of the world. Still, if their strike does eradicate the Iranian nuclear program, that's fine, too. Russia's oil and gas prices are sure to shoot up. Russia becomes Iran's key reconstruction contractor, and sets out a rare claim to international righteousness. What's irrational about the above scenario? Or its counterpart, which is that Russian now calculates the United States in the end will sit on its hands concerning Iran? Nothing. Multiple versions of them get discussed within the Bush Administration, all stamped, Non Whacko. It's exemplary of the misery of the American situation. [Imperialism] [In denial]
• Putin Supports Korean Summit
  President Roh Moo-hyun, left, talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a summit meeting in Sydney, Australia, Sunday. / Korea Times By Kim Yon-se Korea Times Correspondent SYDNEY _ Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would bolster support for the inter-Korean summit, slated for Oct. 2-4 in Pyongyang. In his summit with President Roh Moo-hyun on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum here, Sunday, Putin said he strongly backs Roh's planned meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. Putin agreed with Roh's remarks that ``the inter-Korean summit will make a contribution to resolving North Korea's nuclear issue, promoting peace in the Northeast Asia and economic cooperation between Russia and two Koreas.'' Roh expressed gratitude to Russia which played a crucial role for the successful six-party talks and breaking the impasse over a long-running banking dispute blocking North Korea's nuclear disarmament. [BDA] [KR_summit07]
• Russia arms old and new friends in Asia
  By Donald Greenlees Published: September 5, 2007 HONG KONG: On the way to the annual summit meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders in Australia, President Vladimir Putin of Russia has scheduled a brief stop-off in Jakarta on Thursday. High on Putin's agenda: the signing of a $1 billion arms deal that includes supplying Indonesia with two Kilo-class submarines, the first of a small fleet of the vessels. It comes on the heels of other deals to sell advanced Su-27 and Su-30 combat fighters to Indonesia, Malaysia and other countries in the region, helping to entrench Russia's place as the leading arms supplier to Asia. The signs that the Russian bear wants to return to its old stamping grounds in East Asia and the Pacific have become increasingly apparent in recent times, analysts say.
  The consumption of Russian military hardware has been led by two traditional customers, China and India, as both spend billions of dollars to rapidly expand their military capabilities by buying Russian combat aircraft, warships, submarines and missiles. Russia has been deepening both of those relationships by establishing joint-development programs of some weapons and agreeing to license the manufacture of others.
  "The Russians are not indiscriminately selling arms," Muraviev said. "Russia has pursued a policy driven by strategic design. If it creates a strong client base, that can later be transformed into a larger relationship." [Arms sales] [Russia confrontation]
• Russia rains on Bretton Woods parade
  By Zorawar Daulet Singh Russia's unexpected decision late last month to pick a non-consensus candidate, Joseph Tosovsky, from the Czech Republic, to head the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has once again brought to the fore the apparent illegitimacy of the international economic architecture, which has remained frozen since 1944. The Russian Finance Ministry stated, "We believe that Mr Tosovsky would be the right person at the right place at the right time." Former Russian prime minister Yegor Gaidar wrote, "The countries of eastern Europe should consider ways of increasing their influence in key decisions within the EU on questions of world financial politics." There are perhaps two overlapping motives for Moscow. First, the move reflects Russia's quest to broaden the scope of economic globalization and advance the agenda for the equitable management of the international political economy. Second, at the geopolitical level, the move is another sign of Moscow's nuanced foreign policies that are seeking to restore its influence in the post-Soviet space without provoking a cold war. [Russia confrontation]
• Russia Resumes Its Long-Range Air Patrols
  Putin Announces Regular Tours
  By Anton Troianovski Special to The Washington Post Saturday, August 18, 2007; A07
  MOSCOW, Aug. 17 -- In Russia's latest assertion of a broader global military presence, President Vladimir Putin announced Friday that the country had resumed the regular long-range air patrols that ended after the Soviet Union collapsed. The flights are necessary to protect Russia because "other states," an allusion to the United States and its allies, continue patrols of their own, he said. Speaking after completion of the first Russian-Chinese joint military exercise held on Russian soil, Putin said the flights began at midnight Friday morning and involved 20 aircraft that would stay in the air for about 20 hours. "Starting today, such tours of duty will be conducted regularly," Putin told reporters at a military range near Kazakhstan, according to a transcript released by the Kremlin. "We proceed from the assumption that our partners will view the resumption of flights of Russia's strategic aviation with understanding." [Missile defense] [SCO] [Russia confrontation]
• Kim Jong Il Greets Putin
  Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il sent a message of greetings to Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin today on the occasion of the 62nd anniversary of the liberation of Korea. The message says: I send greetings to you and, through you, to the Russian people on the occasion of the 62nd anniversary of Korea's liberation. Expressing the belief that the cooperative relations between the DPRK and Russia would develop in the interests of the two peoples, I wish you success in your work.
• Greetings to Kim Jong Il from Putin
  Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a message of greetings from Russian President V. Putin Wednesday on the occasion of the day of Korea's liberation. In the message the president said that Korea achieved freedom and independence through an arduous and protracted struggle against the colonial rule, stressing that Russia highly appreciates the fact that the DPRK deems it important to remember the Russians who alongside the Korean patriots laid down their lives for the liberation of the Korean Peninsula and victory in the Second World War. He expressed the belief that the good-neighborly relations between the DPRK and Russia would develop for the well-being of the two peoples in the future, too, and they would make a distinct contribution to peace, stability and security in the Korean Peninsula and all other regions. He wished the friendly DPRK fresh success in its socio-economic development.
• S. Korea welcomes cooperation with Russia, N. Korea – ambassador
  20:36 | 14/ 08/ 2007 MOSCOW, August 14 (RIA Novosti) - Seoul backs Russia's proposal to set up tripartite intergovernmental commissions with North Korea to discuss major joint economic projects, South Korea's ambassador to Russia said Tuesday. Russia has proposed setting up commissions in various areas of cooperation with North and South Korea, including a possible link-up of the Trans-Korean Railroad with the Trans-Siberian Railroad. [Railways]
• North Korea to settle debts with Russia
        RBC, 06.08.2007, Moscow 18:03:51.Russia is currently planning negotiations with North Korea on the Korean debt settlement for the fall 2007, Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak told RBC today. If North Korea does not sign an agreement with the International Monetary Fund and does not join the Paris Club, settling debts with Pyongyang will be tough, the Deputy Minister noted. The negotiations are of great importance, as all Paris Club members, including Russia, are obliged to settle non-members' debts, he said.       North Korea's debt to the former USSR is estimated at $8bn, but the debt's exact evaluation poses certain difficulties, as it is denominated in various currencies and, most importantly, Korea has not yet acknowledged Russia as a moneylender, Storchak added.
• The Putin Charisma
  Immanuel Wallerstein
  Commentary No. 213, July 15, 2007 Vladimir Putin has not been getting good press in the United States or even Western Europe in the last year or so. He has been charged with being authoritarian, with attempting to recreate Russia's imperial control over its neighbors, and with reviving Cold War obstructionism in the United Nations.
  So one must ask, is this the only place where Putin has been exercising his charisma? And the answer has to be no. There is first of all his internal political strength in Russia. Yes, he has upset a good portion of the intelligentsia, but there is every indication that he is quite popular with most Russians, unlike some other presidents of major states today.
  Even more important however are Putin's political accomplishments on the world scene. He has resisted, so far successfully, any and all attempts by the United States to obtain United Nations authorization of real punitive action against Iran, North Korea, and Sudan. He has held up any moving forward to independence for Kosovo. To be sure, Russia's positions have been China's positions on these questions, so Russia is not alone. But in the 1990s, such strong and so far effective Russian political stands were not thinkable.
• Floral Tribute Paid to Fallen Fighters of Soviet Army
  Pyongyang, June 12 (KCNA) -- Officials of the Russian embassy here laid a wreath before the Liberation Tower Tuesday on the occasion of Russia's national day. Present at the wreath-laying ceremony were Russian Ambassador to the DPRK Valery Sukhinin and embassy officials. Amid the playing of the wreath-laying music a wreath in the name of the Russian embassy and bouquets were placed before the tower. The participants paid a silent tribute to the fallen fighters of the Soviet army before looking round the tower. Then they laid a wreath and bouquets at the cemetery of fallen fighters of the Soviet army in Sadong District, Pyongyang.
• Russia Belatedly Joins in Sanctions against N.Korea
  According to Russia's Itar Tass news agency on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree imposing sanctions on North Korea in compliance with a UN Security Council resolution in the wake of Pyongyang's nuclear test last October. The presidential decree applies a full weapons embargo against North Korea in pursuance of UN Security Council Resolution 1718. All Russian government agencies and enterprises will be banned from exporting to North Korea tanks, fighter jets, warships, heavy artillery pieces, missiles, and missile launchers, as well as materials that can be used for nuclear weapons development. In addition, North Korean officials involved in development programs for weapons of mass destruction including nuclear weapons are banned from entering Russia. Shipments of luxury goods to North Korea are also banned. The measure will likely have no tangible effects, however, given that the current annual trade volume between Russia and North Korea is only about $200 million. [Sanctions]
• The Iron Archives
  By RACHEL DONADIO Published: April 22, 2007 Since the end of the cold war, historians have mined the Russian archives for insights into the nature of the Soviet empire and its global reach. New documents have shed light on such matters as the Alger Hiss and Rosenberg spy cases and also illuminated the relationships between Moscow and revolutionary movements in other countries - sometimes fueling old debates more than settling them. But after a golden age in the early 1990s, archival access eroded. Today, conversations with nearly two dozen historians point to a worrisome tightening that has kept key archives closed and subjected others to unpredictable "re-secretization
  Similarly, James Person, an associate at the Cold War International History Project, which publishes material from former Communist countries, said that five years ago he consulted documents from 1956 concerning the Soviet relationship with North Korea; when he returned in March 2006, they had been reclassified.
• Russia Pushing for Inter-Korean Summit - Ex-NIS Official
  A former senior official with the National Intelligence Service said Tuesday he has information that if an inter-Korean summit is held in a third country, it will be on Vladivostok's Russkiy Island in Russia. The former official, Prof. Song Jong-hwan of Myongji University, made the remarks at a conference held by the National Crisis Council. "Russian President Vladimir Putin's wish to win the Nobel Peace Prize fits with the timeline for inter-Korean events," Song said. According to Song, Putin wants the summit to be announced around Aug. 31 Independence Day, and before nominations close for the Nobel Peace Prize. Putin could then be announced as the prize winner on Oct. 22 and awarded the prize on Dec. 5, Song said. He claimed that fits with the Korean government's planned schedule for a summit and the presidential elections.
• Thousands of S.Korean POWs 'Disappeared in Russia'
  North Korea sent thousands of South Korean prisoners of war to the former Soviet Union during the Korean War, the U.S. edition of the Hankook Ilbo reported citing a newly declassified U.S. document on Wednesday. The South Korean POWs have never been repatriated. Entitled "The Transfer of U.S. Korean War POWs to the Soviet Union," the report was written in August 1993 based on testimony obtained by the U.S.-Russia Joint Commission Support Branch of the Research and Analysis Division under the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO) after the Cold War ended.   South Korean prisoners of war step out of an ambulance in Munsan, South Korea after they were released following an April 26, 1953 agreement to exchange war prisoner during the Korean War.   According to the report, the former North Korean officer Kan San Kho stated in November 1992 that he assisted in the transfer of thousands of South Korean POWs into 300 to 400 camps in the Soviet Union, most in the taiga but some in Central Asia as well. Already in May 1953, Zygmunt Nagorski, a reporter with the magazine Esquire, covered the transfer of South Korean POWs and their life in the Soviet Union in an in-depth report based on testimony from two agents of the Russian Interior Ministry and an employee of the Trans-Siberian Railroad. The witnesses testified the transit point was through the North Korean-Soviet border at Pos'yet between November 1951 and April 1952 when ice closed the Pacific coast and the Tatar Straits. "These POWs were taken from Pos'yet through Chita by rail to Molotov" now Perm. According to the 1993 report, "The exploitation of POWs as Soviet state policy was blatantly contained in the minutes of a Sept. 19, 1952 meeting between Stalin and Chinese Foreign Minister Chou en-lai in which he recommended that the Communists keep back 20 percent of United Nations POWs as hostages." The POWs sent to the Chukotsk Peninsula, apparently at least 12,000 of them, "were used to build roads, electric power plants, and airfields. There was a high mortality rate among all these prisoners." [Korean War events]
• The Myth of Russian Resurgence
  By Rajan Menon, New America Foundation   with Alexander J. Motyl, professor of political science and deputy director of the Division of Global Affairs, Rutgers University-Newark The American Interest | March/April 2007  
  According to much recent commentary, Russia is back as a major power. The cover of the July 15, 2006 Economist, a magazine noted for its measured tone and sober assessments featured a phtograph of President Vladimir Putin, with a confident air and stern visage, next to the words "Living with a Strong Russia." New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman quipped that "Russia has gone from the sick man of Europe to the boos man." And in the Holidays (November/December) 2006 issue of The American Interest, Paul Dibb made the case for taking Russia's return seriously. Russia's resurgence, we are told, is indisputable; the only question is how to deal with it. As with almost any broad generalization, this one is not entirely false. Indeed, it cannot be. Russia sprawls across Eurasia, contains 148 million people, possesses more than 3,000 strategic nuclear warheads, is the world's second-largest exporter of oil and armaments, is the foremost exporter of natural gas and is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. Any country with these attributes will have strategic heft. But a scrutiny of its power reveals that Russia is far weaker than the reigning consensus suggests. Russia is not "back." If anything, the next few years may show Russia with its back to the wall....
• DPRK Government Economic Delegation Leaves for Russia
  Pyongyang, March 20 (KCNA) -- A DPRK government economic delegation led by Minister of Foreign Trade Rim Kyong Man left here Tuesday to attend the fourth meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee for Cooperation in Trade, Economy and Science and Technology between the DPRK and Russia to be held in Russia.
• Russia-N Korea Trade Down To USD 209 Mln In 2006 - Official
  MOSCOW, March 5 (Itar-Tass) - Russian-North Korean trade reduced to 209 million U.S. dollars in 2006, the deputy co-chair of the two countries' intergovernmental commission on trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation, Vitaly Gudin, said on Monday. "Russia's export to North Korea amounted to 190 million U.S. dollars," the Economic Development and Trade Ministry official said. He pointed out that "the two countries' bilateral trade is unbalanced - Russia exports mainly raw materials, while North Korea's export to Russia has not exceeded 15 million U.S. dollars for several years." Gudin believes that the development of investment cooperation remains most promising, but several unresolved problems, including North Korea's unsettled debt hamper the process. He said North Korea's debt to Russia "makes up 8.8 billion U.S. dollars, no debt payments are made." The debt settlement talks of Russian and North Korean finance ministries that had been disrupted by North Korea in 2002 "resumed only late last year," Gudin said. The two country's trade made up 240 million U.S. dollars in 2005. The reduction in last year's trade "is caused by decrease in Russian oil exports, while North Korea's import increased by 6 million U.S. dollars," he said.
• Korea-Russia Trade Hit Record High Last Year
  Updated Feb.26,2007 08:36 KST             Trade between Korea and Russia hit a record high of US$9.7 billion last year. The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency says Korean exports to Russia amounted to more than $5 billion last year, up 34 percent from 2005. Imports increased 16 percent to $4.5 billion over the same period. Bilateral trade has expanded more than 50 times since 1992 when two-way volume reached $190 million. And for the first time in eight years, Korea recorded a trade surplus with Russia of about $600 million.
• N. Korea's debt to Russia could be dramatically cut - Lavrov
  20:28 | 14/ 02/ 2007 ABU DHABI, February 14 (RIA Novosti) - The resolution of North Korea's $8-billion debt to Russia will mean its substantial reduction, Russia's foreign minister said Wednesday.
  Media reports said Tuesday that the six-party talks in Beijing had discussed Russia's plan to write off North Korea's debt to the former Soviet Union as a way of aiding the impoverished nation. "We are discussing the resolution of the debt issue. There can be various terms, but it will definitely be a dramatic reduction of the debt," Sergei Lavrov said onboard a plane from New Delhi to Abu Dhabi. The latest round of six-party talks in Beijing on Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program ended up in an agreement that Russia, the United States, South Korea and China will provide humanitarian aid to North Korea in return for its nuclear disarmament, a joint statement at the talks said Tuesday. "We are completing negotiations on Pyongyang's debt to Russia and we think this will help ease North Korea's economic and financial problems," the Russian minister said. Russia's envoy to the six-nation talks, Alexander Losyukov, denied reports Tuesday that Russia might write off the debt completely. He said the two countries would hold a meeting of an intergovernmental commission on the issue in March.
• Russian Policy Toward Northeast Asia: In Search of a New Approach
  Yuri Tsyganov
  The Contemporary Europe Research Centre , University of Melbourne, 2003
• Moscow ready to sell Delhi modern fighter aircraft
  Reuters Published: 24/01/2007 12:00 AM (UAE) Bangalore: Russia will pitch its MiG-35 combat jet for an Indian tender for 126 fighter aircraft, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov said yesterday, adding that Moscow was willing to boost nuclear cooperation. "The Russian Federation is going to actively participate in the tender for supply of 126 light fighters," Ivanov told reporters in Bangalore. Ivanov, on a three-day visit to India ahead of a trip by Russian President Vladimir Putin later this week, said Moscow would be sending its cutting-edge MiG-35 fighter to an international air show in Bangalore next month. He also confirmed reports Moscow was ready to construct four new nuclear reactors in India, in addition to two already agreed. [India-Russia relations]
• Report: Russia completes delivery of missile defense systems to Iran
  www.chinaview.cn 2007-01-23 15:56:48 Special report: Iran Nuclear Crisis MOSCOW, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Russia has completed the delivery of Tor-M1 missile systems to Iran, Itar-Tass news agency reported on Tuesday, citing the head of the state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport. Russia has fulfilled its contract and "fully completed deliveries of Tor-M1 air defense systems to Iran at the end of December 2006," Rosoboronexport chief Sergei Chemezov was quoted as saying. Moscow cut a 1-billion-U.S.-dollar deal with Tehran in November 2005 to supply it with the short-range Tor-M1 missiles. Russian officials described the missiles as air defense systems that are used only to bring down aircraft and guided missiles at low altitudes but cannot strike ground targets
• Russian President on Developing Russia-DPRK Relations of Friendship
  Moscow, January 19 (KCNA) -- The Russian Federation is interested in boosting the good-neighborly contacts with the DPRK and the relations between the two countries are developing on a high level, said President of the Russian Federation V. V. Putin, on Jan. 18, when receiving credentials from the DPRK ambassador to Russia. The President noted that he is very proud of maintaining the good friendship with Kim Jong Il. He hoped that the Korean people would achieve good successes in all domains, in the future, too under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il.
• Russia to Forgive Most of N.Korea's Debt
  Russia has reportedly decided to write off some 80 percent of the US$8 billion it is owed by North Korea, it emerged on Thursday. Russia’s Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Strochak and his North Korean counterpart Kim Young-gil reached the agreement in negotiations from Dec. 17 to 22 last year, diplomatic sources in Moscow said Thursday. The North wants most its debt to Russia forgiven, and the two countries agreed to discuss in detail via diplomatic channels how much of it will be written off and how to settle the rest of the debt and conclude negotiations before March, when an intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation between the two countries meets.
  North Korea borrowed 3.8 billion rubles from the Soviet Union since the 1960s to build power plants. Russia's Vneshtorgbank and the Foreign Trade Bank of North Korea agreed to estimate Pyongyang's debt to Russia at US$8 billion on the assumption that 1 ruble equals some US$2 considering interest and changes in the exchange rate. "Russia earlier said it won’t continue economic cooperation unless the North pays its debt. But it changed its mind as it wants to relieve the financial burden on Pyongyang so it can persuade the North to take part in trilateral economic cooperation with South Korea and Russia and any six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program in the future,” a diplomat said.

2006

• The New Cold War and US-Russian Relations
  By Stephen F. Cohen Contrary to established opinion, the gravest threats to America's national security are still in Russia. They derive from an unprecedented development that most US policy-makers have recklessly disregarded, as evidenced by the undeclared cold war Washington has waged, under both parties, against post-Communist Russia during the past fifteen years.
• North Korea offers Russia rights to uranium deposits, newspaper says Russian support expected in return
  The Associated Press Published: December 3, 2006
  TOKYO: North Korea has offered Russia exclusive rights to its natural uranium deposits in exchange for support at the stalled talks on Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions, a Japanese newspaper reported Sunday. Separately, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported that the United States and five other countries had proposed that North Korea abandon its nuclear program by the end of 2008 in return for security guarantees and economic aid. Pyongyang and Moscow have been in talks since 2002 on a deal for Russia to import uranium, which it wants to enrich and sell as nuclear fuel to China and Vietnam, according to a report in the Tokyo Shimbun, citing unnamed Russian officials. North Korea recently offered Russia exclusive rights to the uranium in exchange for open support at the six- party talks on the North's nuclear program, which have stalled since last year, the report stated.
• Report: N.Korea Offers Uranium to Russia
  The Associated Press Sunday, December 3, 2006; 5:46 AM TOKYO -- North Korea has offered Russia exclusive rights to its natural uranium deposits in exchange for support at the stalled talks on Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions, a newspaper reported Sunday. The two countries have been in talks since 2002 on a deal for Russia to import uranium, which it wants to enrich and sell as nuclear fuel to China and Vietnam, according to a report in the regional daily, Tokyo Shimbun, citing unnamed Russian officials.
  North Korea recently offered Russia exclusive rights to the uranium in exchange for open support at the six-party talks on the North's nuclear program, which have stalled since last year, the report stated. Russia, which already exports natural gas and oil, hopes to become a major exporter of nuclear fuel, according to the report. Negotiations between Russia and North Korea were set to continue, the report added.
• Russia to write off large part of North Korea's $8bln debt
  17:56 | 29/ 11/ 2006 MOSCOW, November 29, (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Finance Ministry said Wednesday it plans to launch talks in a few weeks on writing off a major portion of North Korea's debt. Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak said the country's debt to Russia was estimated at $8 billion. "I believe it will be a large write-off," Storchak said, responding to a question on whether Russia will forgive 80-90% of North Korea's debt.
• ‘Seoul-Moscow Ties Essential for Peace Regime on Peninsula’
  By Park Song-wu Staff Reporter Park Jae-kyu Park Jae-kyu, president of Kyungnam University, said on Wednesday that close cooperation between South Korea and Russia is essential for the construction of a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula as well as for the vibrant growth and prosperity of both countries. A day after hosting the 21st Century Korea-Russia Community Forum in Seoul, he said it is important to promote exchanges and mutual understanding in social, cultural, academic and other fields to facilitate Korea-Russia cooperation.
• Russia-China Security Cooperation
  Dr. Marcel de Haas
  27 November 2006
  Russia and China have joined together in a strategic partnership aimed at countering the U.S. and Western "monopoly in world affairs," as was made clear in a joint statement released by the Chinese and Russian presidents in July 2005. The long standing border disputes between the two countries were settled in agreements in 2005, and joint military exercises were carried out in the same year. Furthermore, Russia, in addition to its arms exports, has been increasing its oil and gas commitments to China. Clearly, the recent comprehensive improvement of bilateral relations between China and Russia is a remarkable development. What is the meaning of this military and security related cooperation, and is the Sino-Russian military liaison likely to expand? Should this rapprochement be considered as a structural shift of power with the goal of repelling Western influence from Central Asia and the adjacent areas?
  If China indeed achieves such a superpower position, the West and Russia may find common ground to seek closer cooperation. [Russia-China relations] [Realignment]
• The Emerging Russian Giant: The US, Eurasia and Global Geopolitics
  By F William Engdahl
  Ironically, the aggressive Washington foreign policy of the era of Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld since 2001 has done more to nurture the one strategic combination in Eurasia most dreaded by Washington political realists such as Henry Kissinger or Zbigniew Brzezinski, namely a strategic military and economic cooperation on a deep, long-term basis between two former Cold War foes, China and President Vladimir Putin's Russia. [Sino-Russian relations] [US policy] [Energy] [Realignment]
• Russian Energy Maneuvers Challenge Japan: The Sakhalin Ploy
  By Hisane Masaki
  TOKYO - The imbroglio over the huge Sakhalin-2 oil-and-gas project in Russia's Far East involving two Japanese firms has cast a cloud over resource-poor Japan's new national energy strategy. It has also served as a fresh reminder that Japan's economic power seems to have lost much of its luster, at least in the eyes of the Russians. In September, the Russian Natural Resources Ministry froze a key environmental permit for the project off the Coast of Sakhalin Island, citing problems with conservation. The decision drew immediate protests from Japan and the European Union. Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, then still chief cabinet secretary of the Koizumi cabinet, said a major delay to Sakhalin-2 could hurt diplomatic relations. [Russo-Japan relations] [Energy security] [Environment]
• The Geopolitics of Energy: Russia sets the pace in energy race
  By M K Bhadrakumar
  Speaking at a conference under the rubric "Summit on Energy Security" at West Lafayette, Indiana, this month, the powerful chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Richard Lugar, characterized Venezuela, Iran and Russia as "adversarial regimes" that were using energy supplies as "leverage" in foreign policy.
  Lugar said: "We are used to thinking in terms of conventional warfare between nations, but energy is becoming a weapon of choice for those who possess it."
  Senior Russian figures were quick to dismiss Lugar's admonition as "groundless Russophobia", but the US administration is already opening new battle fronts against Russia in the energy war.
  Next week's meeting in Beijing on energy security involving the United States, China, Japan, India and South Korea is a dramatic manifestation of the new battle plans and war doctrines that Washington is conceptualizing. The conclave in Beijing, significantly, leaves out Western Europe. [Energy security]
• LG opens new factory in Russia
    September 07, 2006 ? LG Electronics has opened a large complex to make digital appliances and televisions in Russia, the company said yesterday. The plant began production Tuesday. Located in the Ruza region, about 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) west of Moscow, the plant will produce plasma display panel and liquid crystal display TVs, washing machines, refrigerators and audio equipment. LG spent $150 million over a period of 16 months to complete the facilities. Along with LG, seven smaller parts manufacturers that provide accessories for LG products went to Russia and set up their production facilities within the LG complex. The supplier companies provided $50 million toward the cost of the facility. "We chose Russia as the location for this plant to better serve customers in the region. We can pass on savings on distribution costs and tariffs directly to our customers, while taking advantage of the region's highly skilled workforce," said Young Rha, an LG spokesman
• Jongbaek Church Completed
  Pyongyang, August 13 (KCNA) -- A ceremony for the completion of the Jongbaek Church standing on the bank of the River Taedong was held on the spot Sunday. Present there were Kwak Pom Gi, vice-premier of the Cabinet, officials concerned and members of various religious organizations. Also present there were members of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church led by its Chairman of the Office for Foreign Relations Kirill, patriarch of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Regions, Andrei Karlov, Russian ambassador to the DPRK, and staff members of the embassy, diplomatic envoys of various other countries and representatives of international organizations here. Ho Il Jin, chairman of the Korean Orthodox Church Committee, made a speech at the ceremony to be followed by congratulatory speeches by Patriarch Kirill, Jang Jae On, chairman of the Korean Religionists' Association, and Viktor Gorchyakov, deputy governor of the Maritime Provincial Administration of the Russian Federation. Ho Il Jin in his speech said the inauguration of the Jongbaek Church on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of Kim Jong Il's historic visit to the Russian Federation marked an occasion in boosting the relations between the DPRK and Russia. The speaker recalled that Kim Jong Il, during his visit to the Far Eastern region of Russia, highly praised the Orthodox Church for having played the role of a pacemaker in developing the history and culture of Russia in the past and preserving the national tradition and gave an instruction on building a church in Pyongyang so that Orthodox Church goers might lead a pious life during their visit to Korea. [Religion]
• Russia reignites feud with Japan by investing £350m in disputed islands
  · Snub from Moscow stirs 500-year-old conflict · Dispute prevented signing of second world war treaty
  Tom Parfitt in Moscow Saturday August 5, 2006 The Guardian
  Russia is to pour hundreds of millions of pounds into developing a group of small islands seized from Japan at the end of the second world war, in a calculated snub to Tokyo. The decision will aggravate a dispute that has kept the countries technically at war for more than 60 years. Moscow denies the huge funding boost for the Kuril Islands is political, but it is sure to antagonise the Japanese who want to regain control of them. [Northern territories]
• Anniversary of DPRK-Russia Moscow Declaration Observed
  Pyongyang, August 4 (KCNA) -- Today marks the 5th anniversary of the DPRK-Russia Moscow Declaration adopted during the historic Russia visit paid by General Secretary Kim Jong Il. Papers carry articles on this occasion.
• Visits: Russia and Japan
  Pyongyang, July 29 (KCNA) -- A delegation of the Korea-Russia Friendship Association led by Hong Son Ok, vice-chairperson of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries who is chairperson of the association, left here Saturday to visit Russia. It was seen off at Pyongyang Railway Station by officials concerned and the Russian charge d'affaires ad interim here. A delegation of Japan-Korea Friendship led by Hiroyuki Kasai, dietman of the Saitama Prefectural Council for Japan-Korea Friendship and Solidarity, arrived here by air on Saturday.
• Russia talks with North about deal for energy
  July 04, 2006 ? KHABAROVSK, Russia ? Russia has been in discussions with North Korea to supply it with surplus electricity, Russian officials at a state-owned electric power company recently told the JoongAng Ilbo. In return, North Korea would provide Russia with natural resources. "We have been discussing exporting surplus electricity from the far eastern district of the country to North Korea," Victor Minakov, president of Vostokenergo, the far eastern branch of the United Energy System of Russia, said in an interview last week in Khabarovsk. "The fastest and most efficient way to resolve North Korea's electricity problem is to supply electricity from Russia," Mr. Minakov said. According to Mr. Minakov, negotiations have been delayed because Russia initially asked North Korea to pay cash for the electricity, and then asked it to cover the expenses for building power transmission lines, neither of which the North could afford. However, the negotiations resumed after Pyongyang offered to pay for the electricity with natural mineral resources.
• Russian Dance Company Presents Sacred Picture to Jongbaek Orthodox Church
  Pyongyang, June 18 (KCNA) -- The visiting State Academic Moiseyev Folk Dance Company of Russia led by Director Elena Scherbakova presented a sacred picture to the Jongbaek Orthodox Church. Jesus is depicted on the sacred picture. A presentation ceremony took place on the spot on June 17. Present at the ceremony were members of the dance company, Russian Ambassador to the DPRK Andrei Karlov and officials of the embassy, diplomatic envoys of various countries and representatives of international organizations here. Also on hand were Hong Son Ok, vice-chairperson of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries who is chairwoman of the DPRK-Russia Friendship Association, Ho Il Jin, chairman of the Korean Orthodox Church Committee, and officials concerned. The participants were briefed on how the Jongbaek Orthodox Church was established. Then the head of the dance company conveyed the sacred picture sanctified by Alexy II, patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, to the chairman of the Korean Orthodox Church Committee. Speeches were made at the ceremony. They looked round the church at the end of the ceremony. [Religion]
• Reassessing Soviet motives for invading Afghanistan: A declassified history
  David N. Gibbs A1 A1 history and political science, University of Arizona
  Abstract: This article reassesses Soviet motives for invading Afghanistan in 1979, based on newly available archival materials, especially from the former USSR. The article argues that these Soviet documents show that the 1979 invasion reflected defensive rather than offensive objectives. Specifically, the USSR sought to restrain extremist elements of the Afghan communist party, who were undermining stability on the southern Soviet frontier. The findings of this article are at odds with with long-standing views that the invasion of Afghanistan was part of a larger Soviet strategy aimed at threatening the Persian Gulf and other western interests [Imperialism] [Soviet Union] [Spin]
• World Korean Forum Seeks Increasing Ties With Russia
  By Lee Jin-woo Staff Reporter Jan Jung, chairwoman of the Korean Global Foundation ``Russia has a crucial role as a balancer in Far Eastern Asia, but we, South Koreans, both at home and abroad, still lack enough cooperation with the emerging economic power,'' said Jan Jung, chairwoman of the Korean Global Foundation (KGF). Jung, 55, who has led the Los Angeles-based non-profit organization for ethnic Koreans since last year, has been preparing for the 7th World Korean Forum scheduled to be held in two Russian cities from June 15 to 20 this year.
• Russians Sense the Heat of Cold War
  Intensifying U.S. Criticism of Government and Its Role in Region Provokes Resentment By Peter Finn Washington Post Foreign Service Monday, April 3, 2006; Page A14
  MOSCOW -- In this city, it's beginning to feel like a new Cold War, driven by what many people here see as an old American impulse: to encircle, weaken or even destroy Russia, just as the country is emerging from post-Soviet ruins as a cohesive, self-confident and global power. The specter of a U.S. nuclear first strike even resurfaced this month. An article in Foreign Affairs magazine, published by the Council on Foreign Relations, suggested that the United States could hit Russia and China without serious risk of retaliation. That sent heads spinning here with visions of Dr. Strangelove.
  "The publication of these ideas in a respectable American journal has had an explosive effect," former Russian prime minister Yegor Gaidar wrote in an article in London's Financial Times newspaper. "Even those Russian journalists and analysts who are not prone to hysteria or anti-Americanism took it as an outline of the official position of the U.S. Administration." [Imperialism]
• Russian Military Band Performs in Pyongyang
  The central military band of Russian Defense Ministry parading with the DPRK's military band in a street in Pyongyang on February 14. The central military band of Russian Defense Ministry paid its official visit to the DPRK from February 9 to 17. It was headed by Valerii Khalilov, chief of the Military Orchestral Service and its chief conductor of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The band gave its premiere at the Ponghwa Art Theatre on February 9. The band has come to the DPRK for the first time.
• Russia Opposes Sanctions Against North Korea
  By Park Song-wu Staff Reporter
  Russia opposes any kind of sanctions against what the United States calls rogue states such as Iran and North Korea, Glev Ivashentsov, Moscow's top diplomat to Seoul, said on Tuesday. His remarks came as U.S. and North Korean officials were to hold a meeting in New York hours later amid Washington's financial sanctions against Pyongyang for the communist state's alleged counterfeiting of U.S. dollars. ``In principle, we are against any economic sanctions because they do not work,'' Ivashentsov told The Korea Times after a forum hosted by the Korea News Editors' Association in Seoul. ``There should be dialogue, there should be consultation, but sanctions do not work neither against North Korea, nor against Iran, nor against any other country,'' he said. In New York, North Korean officials were to receive a briefing by U.S. Treasury Department officials on the ``financial restrictions'' Washington imposed in September against a bank in Macau for its alleged money-laundering service to Pyongyang for over 20 years.
  As for a claim that Moscow was one of the venues North Koreans used to circulate the bogus U.S. dollars, Ivashentsov said that his government is not aware of any substantial evidence to prove it. ``Our law-enforcement agencies have not seen substantial evidence, regarding such claims,'' he said through an interpreter during the forum. ``What we've heard of till now is at the level of rumor.'' Quoting unnamed U.S. officials, the Washington Times reported last year that North Korean diplomats and Sean Garland, head of Ireland's communist Workers Party and part of a ring that allegedly trafficked in the North Korean counterfeit notes, met at the North Korean Embassy in Moscow. Ivashentsov said that the United States should present concrete evidence that can entangle Pyongyang in financial illegalities. ``The party that raises such suspicions should present the corresponding evidence,'' he said. [Evidence] [Sanctions]

• Pak Pong Ju Meets Mayor of Sankt-Petersburg of Russia
  Pyongyang, December 5 (KCNA) -- Pak Pong Ju, premier of the DPRK Cabinet, met and had a friendly conversation with Valentina Matvienko, mayor of Sankt-Petersburg of the Russian Federation, and her party who paid a courtesy call on him at the Mansudae Assembly Hall Monday. On hand were Rim Kyong Man, minister of Foreign Trade, Kung Sok Ung, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, officials concerned and Russian Ambassador to the DPRK Andrei Gennadiyevich Karlov.
• Putin's Diplomatic Victory in Tokyo: Regional perspective on Russia-Japan Relations
  By Masaki Hisane Known as a black-belt judoist, Russian President Vladimir Putin has scored wazaari, if not ippon, in his diplomatic bout with Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro. Putin ended a three-day official visit to Japan on Tuesday (Nov.22), his first in more than five years, after meeting with Koizumi and signing a dozen documents on expanding business cooperation and technological issues. But as widely expected, the two leaders failed to achieve a breakthrough on the long-standing territorial dispute. Even worse, the gulf between the two sides over the islands row had grown so wide that no joint political statement on the dispute was issued, dealing a significant setback to Tokyo. It is quite unusual that no political statement is issued when top leaders of Japan and Russia make official visits to each other's capitals [Northern Territories]
• 2005-2007 Plan for Cultural and Scientific Exchange between Governments of DPRK and Russia Signed
  Pyongyang, November 16 (KCNA) -- 2005-2007 plan for cultural and scientific exchange between the governments of the DPRK and Russia was signed at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today. Present at the signing ceremony from the DPRK side were officials concerned including Jon Hyon Chan, vice-chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, and from the opposite side Russian Ambassador to the DPRK Andrei Karlov and embassy officials. The plan was signed by Vice-Chairman Jon Hyon Chan and Ambassador Andrei Karlov.
• Paek Nam Sun Meets Russian Delegation
  Pyongyang, November 7 (KCNA) -- Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun Sunday met and conversed with a delegation of the Russian Foreign Ministry led by Vice-Minister Aleksandr Alekseyev who paid a courtesy call on him. On hand were officials of the DPRK Foreign Ministry, the Russian ambassador to the DPRK and embassy officials.
• Roh, Putin to discuss North's nuclear issue
  November 05, 2005 ? Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders summit on Nov. 18 and 19 in Busan, Blue House spokesman Kim Man- soo said yesterday. On Nov. 19, the Russian leader will have one-on- one talks with President Roh Moo-hyun on matters of mutual interest, including the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear disarmament and other issues concerning the Korean Peninsula, building a lasting peace in the Northeast Asian region and cooperation within international bodies, including the United Nations.
• Roh, Putin to Discuss North Korean Nukes
  By Park Song-wu Staff Reporter Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a summit with President Roh Moo-hyun on Nov. 19, a day after his arrival in South Korea, Chong Wa Dae said on Friday. The meeting will take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which will be held for two days in Pusan (Busan) beginning Nov. 18. The summit could provide the two countries with an opportunity to magnify the ``substantial'' and ``reciprocal'' relationship, which was agreed on in September 2004 when Roh visited Moscow, presidential spokesman Kim Man-soo said
• Protocol Signed between DPRK and Russia
  Pyongyang, November 4 (KCNA) -- A protocol of the 8th meeting of the Forestry Sub-committee of the Committee for the Cooperation of Trade, Economy and Science and Technology between the governments of the DPRK and Russia was signed in Amur, Russia on October 26. Present at the signing ceremony from the DPRK side were members of a delegation of the Ministry of Forestry led by Vice-minister Ri Jin Son and from the Russian side were Vice-Minister of Industry and Energy Ivan Matsorov, and officials concerned.
• Russian Presidential Envoy Winds up Its Korea Visit
  Pyongyang, October 11 (KCNA) -- Konstantin Borisovich Pulikovski, presidential envoy to the Far East region of the Russian Federation, and his party Tuesday flew back home after winding up their Korea visit to participate in the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea. They were seen off at the airport by Vice-Premier of the DPRK Cabinet Ro Tu Chol, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Kung Sok Ung and officials concerned, Russian Ambassador to the DPRK Andrei Gennadiyevich Karlov and staff members of the Russian embassy.
• Roh, Putin Discuss NK Nuke
  By Ryu Jin Staff Reporter President Roh Moo-hyun yesterday spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the phone about the latest achievements in the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program, Chong Wa Dae said. Roh expressed gratitude for Russia's cooperation in the latest round of six-party talks in Beijing, which ended with a joint statement that includes principles to resolve the nuclear standoff, presidential spokesman Kim Man-soo said.
• Kim Jong Il Meets Russian Presidential Envoy
  Photo shows Chairman Kim Jong Il with Russian presidential envoy on Aug.15. Kim Jong Il, the General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea met with Konstantin Borisovich Pulikovski, presidential envoy to the Far East Federal District of Russia and his party on Aug 15. Present there were Kim Yang Gon, councilor of the DPRK National Defence Commission, and Andrei Karlov, Russian Ambassador to the DPRK. The presidential envoy conveyed a personal letter and a gift to Kim Jong Il from Russian President V. V. Putin and his own gift to Kim Jong Il on the occasion.
• Further Development of DPRK-Russia Relations
  Rodong Sinmun The DPRK-Russia Moscow Declaration signed by leader Kim Jong Il and President Vladimir Vladimirivich Putin was issued on Aug 4, 2001. It was an epochal event of weighty significance for steadily developing the DPRK-Russia friendship. The DPRK's national newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, carried an article on Aug 4 to mark the 4th anniversary of the dealaration. The paper says: The meeting and talks between Kim Jong Il and Putin marked a historic event to boost the bilateral ties of friendship.
• Newspapers on Further Development of DPRK-Russia Relations
  Pyongyang, August 4 (KCNA) -- The publication of the DPRK-Russia Moscow Declaration signed by leader Kim Jong Il and President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin four years ago was an epochal event of weighty significance in steadily developing the DPRK-Russia friendship on a new high stage in the new century, say newspapers Thursday. Recalling that Kim Jong Il stayed in Russia from July 26, 2001 and paid an official visit to it between Aug. 4 and 5 at the invitation of Putin, Rodong Sinmun says: Meetings and talks between Kim Jong Il and Putin marked a historic occasion in boosting the bilateral ties of friendship.
• Anniversary of DPRK-Russia Joint Declaration Marked
  Pyongyang, July 19 (KCNA) -- Russian President V.V. Putin visited the DPRK from July 19 to 20, 2000 at the invitation of leader Kim Jong Il. Putin was the first head of state of Russia to visit the DPRK. The DPRK-Russia Joint Declaration was adopted during the visit. Pyongyang-based newspapers today dedicate articles to this anniversary. The articles say that the adoption of the joint declaration was an important event as it provided a solid basis for developing in depth the DPRK-Russia relations of friendship and cooperation on a new track as required by the new century. Over the last five years these relations have steadily developed on a new stage under the special care of the top leaders of the two countries, they added.
• DPRK-Russia Joint Declaration, New Chapter of Friendship
  Pyongyang, July 18 (KCNA) -- July 19 is the fifth anniversary of the historic DPRK-Russia Joint Declaration. It was adopted during Russian President V.V. Putin's visit to the DPRK from July 19 to 20 Juche 89 (2000) at the invitation of Kim Jong Il, chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK. It has been conducive to the development of the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries on new terms, peace and security in Asia and the rest of the world and to the sound progress of international relations.
• China and Russia agree on closer ties
  July 05, 2005 ? In a joint statement released during Chinese President Hu Jintao's recently ended four-day visit to Russia, both sides agreed to deepen their military, economic and cultural ties, while reiterating that they supported the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Both countries also said they supported normalization of ties between the United States and North Korea, and between North Korea and Japan. [China-Russia relations]
• China, Russia issue joint statement on new world order
  China and Russia here Friday issued a joint statement on a new world order in the 21st century, setting forth their common stand on major international issues, such as UN reforms, globalization, North-South cooperation, and world economy and trade.
  The statement was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao after their talks. During their talks, the two leaders discussed ways to further enhance the strategic and cooperative partnership between China and Russia, and exchanged views on major regional and international issues. The joint statement said the two countries are determined to strengthen their strategic coordination in international affairs and promote peace, stability and prosperity of the world. [China-Russia relations]
• Russian Dietmen Support Pyongyang's Stand on Nuke Issue
• DPRK Celebrates 60th Anniversary of Russia's "Great Patriotic War"
  Russian ambassador to the DPRK Andrei Karlov awards a medal of commemorating the 60th anniversary of the victory of Russia's Great Patriotic War to anti-Japanese revolutionary fighters of Korea.
• Kim Jong Il Sends Greetings to Putin on 60th Anniversary of War Victory
  Kim Jong Il, chairman of the DPRK National Defense Commission, on May 9 sent a message of greetings to Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin on the 60th anniversary of the victory of the Russian people in the Great Patriotic War.
• Floral Tribute Paid to Fallen Servicepersons of Soviet Army
  Pyongyang, May 9 (KCNA) -- Wreaths were laid before the Liberation Tower today on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Russia's victory in the Great Patriotic War. Guards of honor of the Korean People's Army lined up there.
• Russian Ambassador to DPRK Interviewed
  Pyongyang, May 8 (KCNA) -- The May 8 issue of Minju Joson, the organ of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly and the Cabinet of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, runs answers given by Russian Ambassador to the DPRK Andrei Karlov to the questions put by the newspaper. Answering the question as to his view on the historic significance of the defeat of fascism and the 60th anniversary of the victory of Russia in the war, the ambassador said that the servicepersons of the Soviet Army saved Europe and the world from the fascist subjugation.
  Precisely for this reason heads of state and government of at least 50 countries as well as leaders of major international organizations are expected to come to Moscow to participate in the celebrations. I am pleased that Russia will see the delegates of the DPRK among them.
  The 2000 north-south joint declaration and the DPRK-proposed initiative for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula enjoyed strong support from the Russian Federation. I am convinced that all the regional issues including the nuclear issue should be peacefully settled in view of the security of your side and in the interests of its economic development. In this sense Russia holds that the Beijing six- way talks should be resumed as they are regarded as a modality most suitable for the discussion on the afore-said issues
• Roh, Putin Agree to Keep Six-Party Talks Afloat
  By Shim Jae-yun Korea Times Correspondent MOSCOW _ President Roh Moo-hyun and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Monday to keep the six-party talks afloat.
• Kim Jong-il Sends Congratulatory Message to Putin
  By Reuben Staines Staff Reporter North Korean leader Kim Jong-il sent a congratulatory message to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Allies' victory in World War II, the North's Korean Central News Agency reported.
• Envoy Wants to Resume Korea Nuke Talks
  By SOO-JEONG LEEThe Associated Press Sunday, May 8, 2005; 1:29 PM SEOUL, South Korea -- A Russian diplomat called for resuming six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program in remarks published Sunday in a North Korean newspaper, a message certain to be viewed favorably by President Bush who met Russian President Vladimir Putin near Moscow. The remarks by Russian Ambassador to North Korea Andrei Karlov came at a time of growing concern in the United States that Pyongyang was preparing to test an atomic weapon.
  _ "I am convinced that all the regional issues including the nuclear issue should be peacefully settled in view of the security of your side and in the interests of its economic development," Karlov told North Korea's Minju Joson newspaper. "In this sense, Russia holds that the Beijing six-way talks should be resumed," he was quoted as saying.
• Events Held to Mark Russia's Day of War Victory
  Pyongyang, May 6 (KCNA) -- The Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries and the DPRK-Russia Friendship Association arranged a photo exhibition and a film show at the Chollima House of Culture Thursday to mark the 60th anniversary of the victory of Russia in the Great Patriotic War. Present on invitation were Russian Ambassador to the DPRK Andrei Karlov and embassy officials. On hand were Mun Jae Chol, acting chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, Hong Son Ok, vice-chairperson of the committee and chairperson of the association, officials concerned and working people in the city.
• Korean Student Places First at International Concours
  Pyongyang, May 6 (KCNA) -- Korean student Yun Jin Bok studying at Moscow State Conservatory Named after Tchaikovsky in Russia placed first at the "Art of the 21st Century" International Concours (piano). More than 90 pianists of the DPRK, Russia, China, Japan and other countries participated in the concours held in Kiev from April 24 to 30. Yun Jin Bok was highly appreciated by the jury for successfully representing piano tunes through his excellent and refined rendition. The first prize was awarded to Yun Jin Bok at the prize-awarding ceremony.
• Roh Focusing on Peace in Northeast Asia
  By Shim Jae-yun Korea Times Correspondent MOSCOW - President Roh Moo-hyun is now focusing on promoting peace and security in Northeast Asia and the Korean Peninsula during his visit to Russia. The visit is significant as it is the first time South Korea has been invited to the World War II victory celebration. ``Roh's participation will help expand the nation's diplomatic scope as a responsible member of the international community,'' Chung Woo-sung, presidential secretary on foreign policy, told The Korea Times. Heads of state from about 50 countries around the world are taking part in the ceremony Monday. In the Asia-Pacific region, five nations were invited _ South and North Korea, China, Japan and India. President Roh Moo-hyun, third from left, walks with first lady Kwon Yang-suk, on his left, and other dignitaries upon arrival at an airport in Moscow, Sunday. Korea Times Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly instructed South Korea be included on the invitation list although the nation was originally excluded from it.
  North Korea was also invited but will not have official representation there. Presidential aide Chung declined to explain why North Korea would not send its representative, saying, ``It is not proper for me to elaborate on the reason.''
• Visit
  A delegation of the State Duma of the Russian Federation headed by Konstantin Kosachev arrived here by air Thursday. It was greeted at the airport by officials concerns and the Russian ambassador to the DPRK.
• Kim Jong Il Visits Russian Embassy
• Russia joins the anti-Japan axis of China and the Koreas
  Lee Wha Rang
  Russia is to supply China with oil and gas leaving energy-starved Japan out of the loop. The latest move by Russia is in retaliation of the emerging Japan's role as an instrument of Bush's foreign policies in the Far East. Japan has become a snarling lapdog of Uncle Sam. A Russian official told Japanese news reporters that "Russia can live without Japanese money." Victor Kristenko, Russian Minister of Commerce and Energy, held a press conference with Japanese reporters on April 19, 2005 and stated that Russia plans to complete a gas pipeline from Siberia to Daqing, China on a priority basis. He said that Russia plans to build a pipeline from the Irkusk gas field to the Amur region, from gas will be shipped to China on rail or a pipe line. Japan has been lobbying for a pipeline to Nakhodka, a port city facing the East Sea that would make shipping gas to Japan economical. This port city is only 50 km from Japan. On the coming summit of Putin and Koizumi, Kristemko poured a cold water on the Japan's hope for an agreement on the Japan-centric pipeline.
• Back to Geostrategics
  by Yu Bin Wittenberg University
  The Year of the Rooster ushered in a quite different mold of Chinese-Russian interaction. In sharp contrast to the "oil-politicking" of much of the previous year, strategic gaming topped the agenda of bilateral relations for the first quarter of 2005. Several high-profile visits occurred, including the first China-Russia inter-governmental consultation on security issues and three rounds of talks between top military officers to prepare for the first ever joint military exercise in the fall. All this occurred in the midst of a sudden burst of "orange revolutions" in Russia and China's western peripheries (Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan). To the East, Washington and Tokyo were hardening their alliance with the "2+2" meeting in Washington D.C. in February, in anticipation of China's anti-secession law that was adopted in March. [Russia-China relations]
• Seoul Wants Russian Weapons Technology
  By Jung Sung-ki Staff Reporter The Defense Ministry said Wednesday that it will ask Russia to transfer its advanced weapons technology, including an anti-aircraft guided missile system, to South Korea to repay its overdue debts to Seoul.
• Russian, Chinese forces reportedly to drill jointly
  March 25, 2005 ? Russian and Chinese military forces are planning large-scale, joint exercises in the Yellow Sea region, Chinese media have reported. A subsidiary of the Chinese People's Daily published a report Wednesday that said China and Russia will conduct major military drills this fall near China's Laodong Peninsula, across the Yellow Sea from Korea. The Hong Kong media reported details of the exercises were agreed upon in meetings between senior military officials from both countries in Beijing last week. Reportedly, units from all three branches of the Chinese and Russian forces, including marines and airborne troops, will participate. Russian marine special forces, long-range strategic bombers and submarines are expected to participate. Some Chinese media have characterized the exercises as significant because the training takes place near U.S. bases in South Korea and Japan, but analysts are divided on the issue.
• Security lies in Korea-U.S. ties
  It is significant that for the first time in history, China and Russia will hold a joint military exercise in the Yellow Sea in September. The two countries agreed to a strategic partnership in 1996 and have strengthened military and economic cooperation since then. Now, cooperation between them has developed into a military exercise involving navy and air force troops with state-of-the-art weaponry. The military drill is a response to the strengthening of the U.S.-Japan alliance. In February, Washington and Tokyo proclaimed a "New Japan-U.S. Joint Declaration on Security" which is aimed at China by defining Taiwan as their "joint security concern." The interests of China and Russia ? engaged in a territorial dispute with Japan over four northern islands ? coincide with each other.
• Russians Visit Jongbaek Church under Construction
  Pyongyang, March 19 (KCNA) -- Ambassador Andrei Karlov and staff members of the Russian embassy here visited Jongbaek Church under construction in Thongil Street, Pyongyang, on Friday to plant trees there. After being briefed on the progress of its construction, the visitors planted scores of white birches representing the DPRK-Russia friendship around the church, together with Chairman of the Korean Orthodox Church Committee Ho Il Jin and officials concerned
• Korea, Russia to Increase Military Exchanges
  By Jung Sung-ki Staff Reporter Top South Korean and Russian military officers agreed Monday to promote military exchanges, to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula, a military officer said. Kim Jong-hwan, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made the agreement with his Russian counterpart Yuri Baluyevsky, during his three-day trip in Seoul, Won Tae-jae, an aide to Kim, said.
• Boosting of DPRK-Russia Ties Called for
  Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- Papers here today mark the 56th anniversary of the inter- governmental agreement on economic and cultural cooperation between the DPRK and the former Soviet Union (March 17, 1949). Rodong Sinmun in a signed article says that the two countries have boosted cooperation and exchange in various fields on the basis of the agreement. The DPRK-Russia friendly and cooperative relations have entered the phase of a new turning point in the new century, the article says, and goes on:
• Russian Embassy Rebuffs Remark on NK's Nuclear Capability
  By Park Song-wu Staff Reporter The Russian Embassy in Seoul Sunday repudiated a high-ranking Russian official's remarks that North Korea has no nuclear weapons. Sergei Antipov, deputy director of the Federal Nuclear Power Agency, said in an interview with Itar-Tass in Tokyo on Thursday that Pyongyang has ``no possibilities to produce arms-grade (nuclear) charges.'' It was the first time for a Russian official to publicly question Pyongyang's alleged possession of nuclear warheads since North Korea's Foreign Ministry declared last month that it has nuclear bombs. But the Russian Embassy spokesman called Antipov's remarks only a personal view. ``It's not an official position of the Russian government,'' he told The Korea Times. ``I think it was an expression of his personal opinion.'' Antipov said reprocessing nuclear fuel rods does not necessarily mean that Pyongyang has successfully developed nuclear warheads because ``the technology of their production is more difficult than the use of atom for peace.''
• Defense Ministry Rebuffs Using Russian Field Ground
  By Yoon Won-sup Staff Reporter The Ministry of National Defense Sunday played down speculation that the Army is considering renting training grounds in eastern Russia to conduct large-scale drills. ``The ministry is considering using Russian territory as reported by some news media,'' Shin Hyun-don, the ministry's spokesman told The Korea Times.
• Kim Jong Il Enjoys Performance of Russian Dancing Troupe
• Army looks to Russia for bigger training grounds
  March 05, 2005 ? Reporting on initial contacts with the Russian military, a Defense Ministry official in Seoul said yesterday that South Korea is considering paying to use training grounds in eastern Russia in order to practice large-scale troop maneuvers.
  If South Korea indeed decides to push ahead with the plan, the biggest obstacle would be the movement of South Korean troops to Russia. Some military officials point out that the only realistic option would be to move the troops by air, but such large-scale movement would be sensitive and likely to upset other nations in the region, such as China and North Korea.
• Congratulatory Message to Kim Jong Il from Putin
  Pyongyang, February 16 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il received a personal congratulatory message from Russian President V. V. Putin on Wednesday, his birthday. The message says: Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on your birthday. Russia highly appreciates the exploits performed by you in developing the traditional Russia-DPRK relations of friendship and promoting the constructive dialogue between our two countries. I am convinced that multi-faceted relations between Russia and the DPRK will as ever expand for the wellbeing of our peoples and contribute to ensuring peace and security on the Korean Peninsula. I wish you success in your state activities and happiness and good health as well as the people of the DPRK wellbeing and prosperity.
• Protocol Signed between DPRK and Russia
  Pyongyang, November 19 (KCNA) -- A protocol of the 7th meeting of the forestry committee of the Inter-Governmental Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Committee was signed between the DPRK and the Russian Federation in Pyongyang on Friday. Present there from the DPRK side were officials concerned and from the Russian side members of the forestry delegation headed by the deputy governor of the Amur Regional Administration and a councilor of the Russian embassy here.
• Russian Envoy Stresses Dialogue for NK Issue
  By Yoon Won-sup Staff Reporter A high-profile Russian envoy, who arrived in South Korea Monday, on Wednesday met Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan to discuss ways to promote the mutual interests of South Korea and Russia. Konstantin Pulikovsky, 57, Russian presidential envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District, who is versed in the two Koreas' issue, stressed ``dialogue'' and ``international assistance'' toward North Korea will forge a breakthrough in the North's nuclear problem during his meeting with the premier, officials said.
• President to Seek Bigger Russian Role in N. Korean Nuclear Dispute
  [Yonhap,Sep.17th] President Roh Moo-hyun's four-day visit to Russia, starting on Monday, will cap South Korea's efforts to enhance peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula through summit diplomacy with the four major powers concerned. Roh's Russian visit will follow his summits in the United States, Japan and China over the past year. With all of the four powers members of the six-party talks on the dispute over North Korea's nuclear program, the president's summit diplomacy will further boost international cooperation against the North's nuclear weapons program.
• Russian Federation Council Chairman Visits DPRK
  Sergei Mikhailovich Mironov, chairman of the Federation Council of Russia visited the DPRK from September 12 to 14. Kim Jong Il, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the DPRK National Defense Commission, met with Sergei Mikhailovich Mironov on September 13. Present there were Oleg Nikolayevich Kozhemyako, member of the Federation Council; Bato-Zhargal Zhyambalnimbuyev, vice-chairman of the Control Committee for the Activities of the council; Valery Pavlovich Parfyonov, director of the Secretariat for the Chairman of the council, and other dignitaries and Andrei Gennadievich Karlov, Russian ambassador to the DPRK. Kang Sok Ju, first vice-minister of the Foreign Affairs of the DPRK, was on hand.
• Russia's Efforts for Reconciliation and Peace in Korea (2)
  By Alexander Zhebin Director of the Center for Korean Studies Institute of Far Eastern Studies Russian Academy of Sciences A paper for the 2nd World Congress of Korean Studies Pyongyang, August 3-7, 2004
• Koreans in Russia: Historical Perspective
  By Ban Byung-yool Today about 500,000 ethnic Koreans live in the former Soviet Union (the CIS). About 70 percent of them live in Central Asian countries, while the remaining 30 percent live in Russia.
• Seoul, Moscow Hail Summit as Success
  By Shim Jae-yun Korea Times Correspondent MOSCOW - Observers in Seoul and Moscow gave a relatively positive assessment of the summit talks between President Roh Moo-hyun and Russian President Vladimir Putin. President Roh Moo-hyun, center left, and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, center right, talk about bilateral issues during their summit meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Tuesday. / Korea Times They cited the two leaders' agreements on the expansion of bilateral cooperation in energy, aeronautical science and transportation as significant developments in relations. But critics refrained from labeling the talks a success due to the lack of tangible progress in dealing with the standoff over North Korea's nuclear weapons programs
• Roh, Putin Seek Closer Ties Through Summit
  By Shim Jae-yun Korea Times Correspondent ASTANA, Kazakhstan _ Undoubtedly, the main summit talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sept. 21 will be the highlight of President Roh Moo-hyun's first official visit to Russia.
• Kim Jong Il Receives Mironov
  Pyongyang, September 13 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission, Monday received Sergei Mikhailovich Mironov, chairman of the Federation Council of Russia, on an official goodwill visit to the DPRK. Present there were Oleg Nikolayevich Kozhemyako, member of the Federation Council, Bato-Zhargal Zhyambalnimbuyev, vice-chairman of the Control Committee for t he Activities of the council, Valery Pavlovich Parfyonov, director of the Secretariat for the Chairman of the council, and other dignitaries and Andrei Gennadievich Karlov, Russian ambassador to the DPRK. Kang Sok Ju, first vice-minister of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK, was on hand.
• Gorbachev Calls for International Aid to NK
  By Shim Jae-yun Staff Reporter Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev called on the international community to expand support for North Korea in its bid toward openness and economic development. During an exclusive interview with The Korea Times on the occasion of President Roh Moo-hyun's visit to Russia starting Sept. 20, Gorbachev expressed hope North Korea will overcome its difficulties to begin the constructi on of a modern society.
• North Korean Students' Mission Visits Primorskii Krai, Russia.
  [Vladivostok/KOTRA] Vladivostok news reported on August 20 that North Korean students from Pyongyang University of Foreign Language have been visiting Primorskii Krai, Russia since August 13. The students stayed there for 12 days and had an official interview with vice-governor, Boris Galcher on August 18. According to the Primorskii Krai government, the mission has a deep understanding of Russian culture and is fluent in Russian. The mission will return to North Korea on August 24 after joining the Russian Children's Center Concert. *Source: The Vladivostok news on August 20 (Aug. 24, 2004, KOTRA-North Korea Team, Koo Kyung-hee, Tel: 82-2-3460-7423)
• Russia's Efforts for Reconciliation and Peace in Korea (1)
  By Alexander Zhebin Director of the Center for Korean Studies Institute of Far Eastern Studies Russian Academy of Sciences A paper for the 2nd World Congress of Korean Studies Pyongyang, August 3-7, 2004
  1. Introduction Russia is an integral part of the Asia-Pacific region (APR). Two thirds of the Russian Federation's territories with more than 30 million Russian citizens are in Asia. We do not have any basic contradiction with any of the APR countries, a contradiction, such as would create ground for mistrust. However, the Asia-Pacific region still harbors a significant potential for disputes. There are forces, which would like to take advantage of the situation. Moscow is convinced that the remaining knots of tension and disagreements should be resolved by peaceful, political means. The purposes of Russia's policy in the APR are very clear-- our country is interested in a general improvement of the regional situation, in making it more stable and predictable. By the beginning of the current century Russia basically had finished the almost 10-years-long period of its policy toward Korea. The new course takes into account both social and economic changes in Russia and geopolitical realities on the international arena. Russia's new foreign policy is characterized, including that toward the Korean Peninsula, by a total disappearance of an ideological factor and by an appreciable increase in pragmatism in defining its approaches to the current global and regional problems.
• Sergey Mironov to visit DPRK
  Sergey Mironov, Chairman of the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation is to pay an official visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. September 12-14
  Sergey Mironov visits the capital city of North Korea Pyeongyang to hold meetings with the President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Kim Yong-nam, President of the Supreme People's Assembly Zhoj The Bok, Prime Minister of DPRK Pak Ponq Ju and the Chairman of the National Defense Committee of DPRK Kim Jong-il.
  Sergey Mironov plans to visit the Supreme People's Assembly of DPRK, the Mausoleum of Kim Il-sung, National palace of studies and lay a wreath to the Monument of liberation. Chairman of the Council of Federation also plans to address to the faculty and students of the Kim Il-sung University.
  
• Trains, oil on agenda for Roh's road trip
  The Blue House announced yesterday that President Roh Moo-hyun will visit Russia and Kazakhstan at the invitation of leaders from each country. Mr. Roh travels to Kazakhstan for two days beginning Sept. 19 to meet with President Nursultan Nazarbaev. He then makes an official visit to Russia for three days through Sept. 23, for talks with President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders are expected to discuss linking the Trans-Siberian Railway with the Trans-Korean Railway, South Korea's participation in the East Siberian Gas Company and importing liquefied natural gas from the Sakhalin Islands. "The two will also discuss how to provide energy to North Korea when the North agrees to dismantle its nuclear program," said Chung Woo- seong, the presidential adviser on foreign policy. [Railways]
• Message of Sympathy to Russian President
  Pyongyang, September 4 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, Saturday sent a message of sympathy to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, president of the Russian Federation, in connection with the recent explosions and hostage-taking incident in Russia perpetrated by terrorists that caused huge casualties among innocent inhabitants. The message said: A chain of recent hideous terrorism in your country can never be justified as they were the dastardly criminal acts perpetrated by the separatist forces and international terrorists to foil the process of the political settlement of the Chechen issue.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesman on Recent Terrorism in Russia
  Pyongyang, September 4 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry gave the following answer to a question put by KCNA Saturday in connection with a series of recent terrorist acts in Russia that caused huge casualties: The terrorist acts committed in different parts of Russia recently have greatly shocked and infuriated the international community.
  It is the consistent and fixed stand of the DPRK government to oppose all forms of terrorism and any aid to it. Proceeding from this stand, the DPRK has actively supported the measures taken by the Russian government to cleanse Chechen terrorists and protect the security and territorial integrity of the country.
• Putin Sends Message on NK's Founding Day
  SEOUL (Yonhap) _ Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a congratulatory message to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il on the occasion of the 56th anniversary of North Korea's foundation, North Korea's media said
• Russian Provincial Government of Primorskii Krai Donates US$10,000 For the Construction of a Russian
  [Vladivostok, KOTRA] According to a report of the Itar-tass on Aug. 18, the Russian provincial government of Primorskii Krai donated $10,000 for constructing a Russian Orthodox church in Pyongyang, North Korea. The donation value was reportedly promised by Darkin, the governor of the Russian province, in the Autumn of 2003 when the governor visited Pyongyang. The event of the donation was performed at the National Cultural Palace in Pyongyang with attendees including Andrei Karlov, Russia¡¯s ambassador to the NK and Gang Chi-hyeon, a member of the NK¡¯s Religion Committee, the Russian news agency added. The construction of the church building which will sit on an area of 300 sq. m and nearby the Daedong River, started in June of last year, 2003. A part of the church building has already been constructed, while the construction of the parts requiring professional technology such as a roof is still in the process. Itar-tass reported that after the construction of the exterior aspect of the building, the interior items such as furniture would be installed. The news agency forecast that it would take more time for the building to have the actual appearance of a Russian Orthodox church. Meanwhile, two North Korean students are currently studying the theology of the church in Moscow. After graduation, they will serve the Saint Trinity Church, Pyongyang¡¯s first Russian Orthodox church under construction, Itar-tass added. *Itar-tass, Aug. 18, 2004
• Kim Jong Il Meets Russian FM Visiting DPRK
  Personal Letter From Putin Conveyed Kim Jong Il and the Russian Foreign Minister talk about matters of mutual concern including the nuclear issue. Kim Jong Il, General Secretary of the Worker's Party of Korea and Chairman of the National Defense Commission of the DPRK, met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov on July 5. The Russian Foreign Minister stayed in Pyongyang from July 4 to 5.
• Kim Il Sung's Soviet Image-Maker
  By Anatoly Medetsky Staff Writer Thursday, July 22, 2004 When World War II ended, and the Korean peninsula was divided into Soviet and U.S. occupation zones, South Korean radio began reporting that the leader of communist North Korea, Kim Il Sung, was not an ethnic Korean. At a time when Koreans ached for a leader of their own after decades of Japanese subjugation, Kim's grassroots popularity appeared to be in jeopardy. The job of masterminding a response to the South Korean claims fell to Lieutenant Colonel Grigory Mekler, the top Soviet propaganda officer in Korea.
• Kim Jong-il Plans Russia Visit
  [Yonhap,Jul.28th] North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is planning a visit to Russia as early as within this month, diplomatic sources here said Wednesday, citing North Korea's balanced diplomacy toward Russia and China and Kim's recent trip to China. The North Korean leader will likely visit Vladivostok to hold a summit with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, possibly before the end of the month or early next month, sources familiar with North Korean affairs said on condition of anonymity.
• Rodong Sinmun on Daily Developing DPRK-Russia Relations
  Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article recalls that an agreement on economic and cultural cooperation was signed between the governments of the DPRK and the former Soviet Union on March 17, 1949.
  The bilateral economic and cultural cooperation has become closer in recent years. Substantial work has been promoted between the two countries to boost exchange and cooperation in economic, cultural and other fields of social life
• North Korean Diplomat Prospects Favorable for a North Korea-Russia Relationship This Year
• Russian tanks to face off along demilitarized Zone
  In an odd juxtaposition, Russian tanks in North Korea will soon be facing Russian-made tanks in South Korea across the inter-Korean border, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. The ministry confirmed a report in Chosun Ilbo, a Korean daily newspaper, that the army plans to deploy the Russian-made armored vehicles to the central-eastern Demilitarized Zone. A defense ministry spokesman said yesterday that about 30 T-80U Russian-made tanks and some BMP-3 infantry combat vehicles will begin guarding the border before the end of this year. South Korea's Russian tanks are far more modern than those of North Korea.
• South Korea to Deploy Russian Tanks on Frontline This Year
• Kim Jong Il Enjoys Performance by Russian Folk Dance Troupe
• Russia Sees Chance of Progress at Korea Talks
  Published: February 19, 2004 Filed at 7:13 a.m. ET MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's top Asia diplomat was quoted as saying on Thursday that Moscow saw the chance for ``some progress'' at six-sided talks in Beijing next week on North Korea's suspected nuclear weapons program.
• Kim Jong Il Attends Reception of Russian Embassy
• Russia's good graces with North Korea on trial
  [Foreign trade] [Rocketry]
• Russia Worried About U.S. Moves to Add Forces in Asia: Lawmakers
  [Belligerence]
• Russia Voices Opposition to Referring Nuclear Issue to UNSC
  [Exclusion] [Nuclear]
• North Korea?! Where Is It?
  [Russia] [US NK relations] [Exclusion]
• Friendship meeting hosted by Russian Ambassador
  [Cultural relations]
• Russians Say Times Report Is Untrue
  [Espionage] [Black]
• Special envoy of Russian President interviewed
  [Losyukov]
• Kim Jong Il receives special envoy of Russian President
  [Losyukov]
• Russia Helped U.S. on Nuclear Spying Inside North Korea
  {James Risen} [Nuclear] [Espionage]
• DPRK officials meet special envoy of Russian President
  [Losyukov]
• Russian Envoy in N. Korea for Nuclear Crisis Talks
  [Nuclear] [Russia] [Peace Efforts] [Losyukov] [United Nations] [Starvation]
• Russia's Putin to Send Envoy to North Korea
  [Peace efforts][Spin][Losyukov]
• S. Korea, Russia Urge NK to Revoke NPT Withdrawal
  [NPT]
• Moscow Is Negotiating With North Korean Officials In Quiet Effort To Defuse Tensions
  [Peace efforts] [NPT][Friction] [Nuclear]
• Koizumi joins Russia in N Korea 'concern'
  [NPT]
• S. Korea, Russia Urge NK to Revoke NPT Withdrawal
  [NPT]
• Russian Defence Minister on DPRK's nuclear problem
  [NPT][Pro-Pyongyang]
• Koizumi joins Russia in N Korea 'concern'
  [NPT] [Peace efforts] [Japan Russia relations]
• Russia and Japan Want to Cooperate, Territory Problem Still Unsolved
  [Japan Russia relations]
• Kim Jong-il's Manual
  [Admission] [Iraq]
• Moscow pledged to assist Seoul in dealing with N.K. nukes
  [Nuclear]
• Deputy South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Hang-kyung, left, and his Russian counterpart Alexander Losyukov smile during a meeting in Moscow, Sunday.
  [photo]
• North Korea is Playing the Game of Threats and Bribery
  [Nuclear] [Admission] [James Kelly]
• George Bush's Web of Lies
  [Iraq][Missile Defense]
• Russia seeks to calm nuclear row
  [Nuclear]
• Kim Yong Nam sends message of sympathy to V. Putin
  [terrorism]
• Russia Warns N. Korea to Stay in Treaty -AP
  [NPT]
• Protocol on cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow inked
• Russia talks to North about nuclear issue
• Russian defense official to visit Seoul
• Russia offers to help soothe tension over North Korea's nuclear intentions -AP
  [Nuclear]
• Gov't Procures $534 Mil. Worth of Russian Weaponry
  [Armaments]
• Russia expresses "deep concern" about North Korean nuclear announcement -AP
  [Agreed Framework]
• Moscow calls for N.K. U.S. to adopt favorable stance for each other
  [Nuclear]
• Russia Leery of N. Korea's Nuke Info -AP
  [Nuclear]
• Seoul, Moscow vow military cooperation
• Seoul, Moscow fail to reach loan accord
• Russia expresses concern over North Korea's "contradictory" claims on nuclear arms -AP
  [Nuclear]
• Russian foreign minister expresses concern to North Korean ambassador over nuclear weapons charges -AP
  [Nuclear]
• N.K. air force officials visit Russia
• Report: Moscow unconvinced North Korea is pursuing a nuclear weapons program -AP
  [nuclear]
• North Korean military delegation in Russia
• Russia and N.K. to practice joint military drill next month
• Russia to continue military exchanges with N.K., Iran
  [armaments]
• Putin Hails Railway, Road Project
  [Connections] [Railways]
• South's Foreign Minister holds talks with Russian counterpart
• Russia's Putin praises Japan's Koizumi for plans to visit North Korea -AP
  [Putin] [Koizumi]
• Kim Jong Il Holds Third Summit Talks with Putin during Tour of Far Eastern Region of Russia
• North asks Russia for help removing land mines
  [Railways]
• Russia in hurry to link Koreas to the Trans-Siberia Railway
  [Railways] [China]
• North said shopping for Russian weapons
  [Armaments]
• Detailed report on Kim Jong Il's visit to Far Eastern region of Russia
• Russia sells military spare parts to North Korea -AP
  [Armaments]
• Achievements in DPRK
• Kim Jong Il returns home
• North media abuzz as leader returns
• North Korean, Russian ties firmly on track
  {Sergei Blagov} [Railways]
• Koreans deeply impressed by Kim Jong Il's foreign tour
• Kim Jong Il meets with Putin
• Chairman Kim Jong-il looking around the pharmaceutical plant in Khavarovsk, Far Eastern district of Russia on Thursday, August 22
  [photo]
• N. Korea, Russia Talk Economics -AP
• Putin, Kim discuss linking railroads
  [Railways]
• Kim, Putin talk railroad links, economic cooperation
  [Railways]
• Sergeyevna Remembers Kim Jong Il
  [Kim Jong Il]
• Kim Jong Il visits Komsomolsk-on-Amur
• N.K. Chairman Kim Jong-il observing the statue of Lenin at military museum at Khavarovsk in Far East Russia Thursday, August 22
  [photo]
• Kim, Putin meeting set on Friday
  [Religion] [Kim Jong Il]
• Third day: Kim Jong-il visits factories in Khabarovsk
• Kim's trip said to promote North's economic reforms
  [Economic reform]
• North Korean leader heartedly embraces his Russian host
  {James Brook} [Arrogance]
• N. Korea's Kim talks economics with Putin
• North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, second from left, visits an aircraft plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Wednesday
  [photo]
• Kim's Tour Troubles ROK Diplomats
• Kim Jong Il leaves to visit Far Eastern region of Russia
• Kim Jong-il in Russia
• DPRK-Russia friendly relations grow stronger
• N.K.-Russia's strategic partnership would pressure U.S.
• North's leader sits in cockpit of Russian jet; summit unsure
  [Armaments] [Kim Jong Il]
• North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, center, waves as Russian presidential envoy Konstantin Pulikovsky stands....
  [photo]
• Kim Jong-il reaches first destination; discusses military cooperation
  [Armaments][Russia]
• North Korea Chairman Kim Jong-il at Russia's border station of Khasan on Tuesday, August 20
  [photo]
• Second day in Russia: Kim Jong-il to view fighter jets
  [Railways] [Armaments]
• North Korean Leader's 2nd-day Itinerary Focused on Economy
  [Joint venture] [Armaments] [Russia]
• North-Russia ties at a mature stage, Russian ambassador says
• Kim Jong-il rolls into Russia
• Military, Economic Figures Accompany Kim Jong-il
• Kim Jong-il begins trip to Russia's Far East
• North-Russia ties stronger than ever, says Russian ambassador
• Russia's Far East tensed over preparations for N.K.-Russia summit
• Russian Paper Says N. K. Talks to be Held in Late August
• Signature campaign by Koreans in Russia
  [Diaspora]
• NK Confirms Kim to Visit Russia Soon
• N.K. media confirms Kim Jong-il to visit Russia this month
• Kim Jong Il to visit Russia
• Kim Jong-il plans Russia visit
• Kim Jong Il's visit to Russia given wide publicity abroad
• Russian delegation from Amur region visits Pyeongyang
• Seoul to use part of debt for Russian armaments
  [Armaments]
• Russian rail journey set for North's Kim
  [Kim Jong Il] [Railways] [Energy]
• Anniversary of Kim Jong Il's Russian visit observed
• North's Kim, Putin expected to confer
• North's Kim reported set for another Russia visit
• DPRK Ready for Talks with U.S., Japan: Ivanov
  [Peace efforts]
• North celebrates 1st anniversary of Kim Jong-il's visit to Moscow
• Russian foreign minister interviewed
• Chairman Kim Jong-il may visit Russia's Far East
  [Russia]
• Kim Jong Il sees performance "Arirang"
  [Arirang] [Russia]
• Kim Jong Il receives Russian foreign minister
• N.K. ready for unconditional talks with U.S., Japan
  [US-NK negotiations] [Peace efforts] [Russia]
• Ivanov Meets Paek Nam-sun in Pyongyang
  [Russia] [Peace efforts]
• Ivanov to Deliver Putin's Letter to NK Leader
  [Russia] [Peace efforts]
• Russian foreign minister arrives in North Korea -AP
  [Russia] [Peace efforts]
• Embassy Opening Heralds New Russo-Korean Ties
• Ivanov to deliver Putin's letter to N.K. leader
  [Russia] [Peace efforts]
• Korea, Russia Agree on Security Cooperation
  [Railways]
• Seoul Rejects Moscow's Mediation
  [Russia] [Peace efforts]
• South Korea only venue for 2nd inter-Korean summit: ministry
• Russia to Propose Two Kim's Meeting in Khabarovsk
  [Peace efforts] [Russia]
• Kim Will Ask Ivanov to Persuade NK Leader
  [Sunshine policy]
• Russian Envoy to Convey ROK Message to NK
  [continuities]
• Russian official: North Korea ready for dialogue with South Korea -AP
  [Railways] [Continuities] {Konstantin Pulikovsky}
• Russian foreign minister to visit both Koreas
• Book Shows Arrest of N. Korea Agents -AP
  [drugs]
• Kim Jong Il meets with Russian military delegation
• N.K. defense minister meets with Russian military delegation
• DPRK, Russian FMs Sign Plan of Exchange; Mutual Commitment Confirmed
• DPRK foreign minister's visit to Russia
• North, Russia reaffirm agreement with the South
• Russian foreign minister praises warming ties with North Korea -AP
• DPRK foreign minister Paek Nam Sun leaves for Russian Federation
• N. Korean Foreign Minister Embarks on Visit to Russia
• North says its security is directly linked to Russia
• Kim Jong Il Meets Russian Envoy and Mayor
• Kim Jong-il to visit Far East within year
• Pulikovsky wishes success for army-first policy
• North's foreign minister to visit Russia in May
• Army-first policy lauded
• Kim Jong Il meets Pulikovski
• Russian musicians entertain Kim Jong-il
• Mayor calls visit a success
• Russia welcomes North Korean readiness to resume reconciliation talks with South -AP
• Russian mayor on way to Seoul after N.K. visit
• N.K. delegation wraps up trip to Russia
• Moscow's ties with Pyongyang back on track
• Kim Jong Il receives mayor of St. Petersburg of Russia
• North Korea's Other Axis: With Moscow
• Papers on DPRK-Russia relations
• Kim Jong Il attends holiday celebration hosted by Russian ambassador
• DPRK delegation of general bureau of atomic energy leaves for Russia
• Russia celebrates a half-century of aid to North
• Russian defense minister sees Bush about potential U.S. nuclear targeting -AP
• Kim Jong Il Meets Putin's Envoy; Mutual Commitment Reconfirmed
• N.K.'s rejection of dialogue is no surprise, says VOR
• Seoul Snubs Sukhoi in Fighter Project
• Plenipotentiary Representative of Russia Visits Pyongyang
• Russian Envoy Stresses Russo-DPRK Ties Are Good
• Congratulatory letter to Kim Jong Il from V. Putin
• Beijing and Moscow offer birthday wishes
• Kim Jong Il meets Pulikovski
• Kim Jong Il receives Pulikovski from Russia
• NK Leader Meets Russia, China Envoys in Pyongyang
• Representative of Russian President to Far East Federal District here
• North and Russia to reinforce ties in various fields
• Russia Set to Mediate S-N Talks
• Pyongyang and Moscow open friendly ties
• Kim Jong Il Visits Russian Embassy
• Russia's Foreign Minister meets with North Korean ambassador
• N. Koreans rescued by Russian vessel
• NK Leader Visits Russian Embassy
• Kim visits Russian Embassy in Pyeongyang
• Kim Jong Il visits Russian embassy here
• Korea, Russia hold policy meeting today
• Russia Reports Spying by U.S. Foes -AP
• Text of Putin's ABM Statement - AP
• Friendly gathering between Russia ambassador and N.K. military heads
• N.K. criticizes China and Russia for joining anti-terror moves
• North Korea and Russia may be laying grounds for MIG-29 production
• Make better use of DPRK-Russia relations, says analysis
• Chairman Kim to receive new Russian ambassador Karlov
• Russia to Send Military Delegation to North
• Russia Credited With Convincing North to Join Anti-Terror Pacts
• Sunshine Policy Going the Right Way, Says Gorbachev
• Putin Blames U.S. for Frosty North Korean Stance
• North Korean Workers in Siberia Wandering Around as Aliens
• Russia names new envoy to P'yang
• DPRK, Russia Reconfirm Revitalized Traditional Ties; Kim Jong Il Meets V. Putin Again in Moscow
• Speech of Kim Jong Il at Banquet (in Russia)
• Speech of V.V. Putin at Banquet
• Kim Jong Il's visit to Russia reported by Russian media
• Detailed report about Kim Jong Il's visit and stay in Russia
• Kim's visit to Russia to aid normalization of ties
• Kim Jong Il's message of thanks to Putin
• Joint statement of WPK, CMC of WPK and DPRK NDC
• Kim Jong-il Returns Home
• U.S. Thanks Russia for Encouraging North Korea
• Seoul Assesses North Korea -Russia Summit
• Kim Jong Il has unofficial meeting with V.V. Putin
• Russia, N. Korea Leaders Sign Pact
• Abrupt Kim-Putin Talks Grab Seoul's Attention
• Speculation mounts in Seoul over 2nd Kim-Putin meeting
• Rediscovered North Korean ties raise doubts in Moscow
• DPRK-Russia Moscow Declaration [via People's Korea]
• Full Text of DPRK-Russia Moscow Declaration[via KOTRA]
• Foreign minister says Putin may have urged Kim to visit Seoul
• Editorial]N.K.-Russian summitry
• Highlights of Saturday's N.K.-Russia declaration
• Talks held between leader Kim Jong Il and President V.V. Putin
  (various other articles in same and subsequent issues)
• DPRK-Russia Moscow Declaration
• NK-Russia Summit Refocuses Attention on USFK
• Withdrawal of U.S. troops included in N.K.-Russia pact
• Putin-Kim pact feared to prolong stalemate
• Kim visits Moscow space Sites
• Kim's visit annoys Russian press
• Russian-North Korean Declaration: Excerpts
• Economy, security to top N.K.-Russia summit agenda
• Putin Congratulates Kim on Trans-Siberian Odyssey
• Seoul Hails Summit Accord
• Putin, left, shakes hands with Kim Jong-il (photo)
• Kim Jong-il, Putin to Hold Summit Today
• Kim's Omsk visit seen as plan to modernize weapons
• Kim goes on Siberian walkabout
• Kim to Stay in Russia for 24 Days
• [Today's Editorial] Kim Jong-il's Visit to Moscow/Selection of Leader for Super Bank
• 'Russia, N.K. make progress on high-tech weapons trade'
• [Editorial]Kim Jong-il's journey to Moscow
• Kim Jong Il to visit Russia
• Answers given by Kim Jong Il to questions raised by Itar-Tass
• Kim Jong-il's Railroad Trip to Moscow
• 'N.K.-Russia talks will benefit inter-Korean relations'
• Officials: N Korea Leader in Russia
• Chong Wa Dae Welcomes Kim's Trip as Positive Sign
• Kim's Visit Raises Hopes for S-N Ties
• Kim takes slow route to Moscow
• Breakthrough in Pyongyang-Moscow Debt Talks
• First anniversary of DPRK-Russia joint declaration marked
• DPRK, Russia Sign New Military Pacts to Develop Military Ties
• NK Seeks to Purchase Weapons From Russia
• Moscow firms military ties with Pyongyang
• Talks held between vice-chairman of DPRK NDC and Russian deputy prime Minister
• Russia's defense deal with N. Korea not viewed as threat to ties with S. Korea
• NK ASKS FOR DELAY IN KIM JONG IL'S MOSCOW VISIT
• News Analysis: Russia May Help Persuade North Korea to Give Up Missiles
• South Korea Now Pulls Back From Russia on Missile Shield
• [Today's Editorial] Outcome of Kim-Putin Summit
• Putin Meets Opposition Leader
• Stability on Korean Peninsula important to Russia, says Putin
• Putin Swipes at Bush After Winning Seoul's Support
  [See related stories on US page]
• Putin in Korea: A Mix of Trade and Politics
• Putin Backs `Sunshine' Policy
• Summit Produces `Perfect' Trade-Off
• Kim, Putin agree on support for S-N detente, arms control
• Putin Expected to Seek `Constructive' Role in Inter-Korean Détente
• [Putin's speech] Russia Steps Up Friendship, Practical Cooperation With Asian Neighbors
• [Today's Editorial] Putin's Visit to Korea
• Kim, Putin to issue joint communique on N. Korea, economic cooperation
• [Editorial]Putin in Seoul
• Defense Tops Putin's Seoul Talks
• Putin arrives in Seoul today
• Russia's Putin to Arrive in Seoul Today
• Putin's East Asian adventure to court old allies
• Russia hoping to offset its debt to S.K. through N.K. investment
• Rodong Sinmun on Friendly and Cooperative Relations between DPRK and Russia
• Putin to Visit Korea Feb. 27-28
• Putin to discuss N.K., economic cooperation in Seoul next week
• 2 Koreas to attend missile talks in Moscow
• Papers on friendly and cooperative relations between DPRK and Russia
• Kim Jong-il to Visit Russia in April
• 'Putin-Kim Jong-il summit in April'
• Russia, North Korea agree summit date

  2000
  

• Rodong Sinmun Runs Putin's Article
• P.M. Lee says Russia visit consolidated bilateral Ties
• Russian Policy Towards North Korea
• Russia Backs Korea's Peace Initiative Putin Assures President Kim
• PUTIN TO VISIT NORTH KOREA IN JULY (New York Times 9 June)