More Bad News for Russia

[mendeleyev]

A coup?

When armed men stormed parliament and unseated the government? Yes, a coup.

When those same armed men marched those parliament ministers back in and forced them to call for new elections? Yes, a coup.

When a new, and UNELECTED, government was seated? Yes, a coup.

Where? Crimea.

[sleepycat]

Does not matter what ruble will be worth,

Does matter if you need to buy some type of medicine that Russia doesn't produce locally, unless you plan to adopt a medieval lifestyle and use herbal remedies instead.
What will the regime's new slogan be; "Endure cancer and die earlier for Putin" rather than "Eat less for Putin"?

Does matter if you need to buy a smart phone as Russia doesn't manufacture them locally, unless you plan to accept a drop in living standards.

But wait... isn't a drop in living standards precisely what the regime is telling the population to expect and get use to? 

[AkMike]

Russian Deputies Complain About High Porridge Prices in State Canteen
By Delphine d'Amora
Jan. 28 2015 18:41

As food prices soar around the nation, a lawmaker in Russia's lower house of parliament has spoken out on a deeply troubling issue: the rising cost of porridge in the parliament's cafeteria.

Sergei Ivanov, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, on Wednesday called on his colleagues to wage the war against inflation every day, beginning in their very own backyard.

"In our cafeteria, the price of a bowl of porridge has risen 150 percent," news agency Interfax quoted Ivanov as saying. "We can't even make sense of that — before it cost 20 rubles, now 53 rubles."

The deputy's announcement caused such a stir that a spokesman for the Office of Presidential Affairs decided to set the record straight.

"We don't live in a vacuum," spokesman Viktor Khrekov told Interfax, explaining that if wholesalers raise their prices, the cost of food in the State Duma's cafeteria must automatically rise too.

The average price of food products soared 15.4 percent last year and is expected to continue rising as Russia's ban on a group of Western food imports and the steep devaluation of the ruble take their toll.

In a separate interview with radio station Govorit Moskva, spokesman Khrekov said that the Office of Presidential Affairs considers its prices "quite low," as — being a state enterprise — it can keep markups to a minimum.

And in truth, even the new price of 53 rubles ($0.80) is quite a deal. In the popular Russian cafe chain Coffee House, a bowl of wheat or rice porridge will cost you 145 rubles ($2.10).

Nor will the higher price be much of a burden on lawmakers' wallets. State Duma deputies earned 420,000 rubles ($6,200) a month as of September last year, newspaper Argumentу i Fakty reported.

This is more than 13 times the salary of the average Russian, who earned about 32,000 rubles ($500) a month at that time, according to state statistics service Rosstat.

The Duma deputy's complaints reaped withering irony on Russian social media. "That's it, a revolt is coming," one user wrote on Twitter.

Others marveled at the extraordinarily low porridge prices the Duma had enjoyed to begin with.

"In my journalism faculty (which is near the State Duma, incidentally), porridge even a year ago was way more expensive. And for some reason this didn't bother the deputies," journalist Alyona Vershinina wrote on Twitter.

[AkMike]

They sure know how to leave and steal everything..
 Oh Those Classy Russians at PACE! 

 After they lose their voting rights for 6 months they say they'll leave for a year, cutting off their nose to spite the face.

 And just as the door was slamming them in the arse.. 

 "cleaned out" their offices in PACE: light bulbs and took even toilet paper - journalist



The Russian delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) scandal has left his office, before taking with them all the office and even vykrutyvshy bulb.

The press secretary of the State Ecological Inspectorate of Ukraine Igor Tikholaz referring to journalists who were also in Strasbourg.

"From Strasbourg friends told news reporters who went there at PACE session, which yesterday afternoon put the door of representatives of the scandal ... They left their office, slamming the door. But before that cleaned them at zero - took office ( pens, pencils, paper A-4, staplers, profiles), where some places povykruchuvaly bulbs and even toilet soap and toilet paper grabbed. "- he writes.

He noted that members of the PACE office deeply surprised with the first encounter.
Детальніше читайте на УНІАН:

[Gator]

A coup?

When armed men stormed parliament and unseated the government? Yes, a coup.

When those same armed men marched those parliament ministers back in and forced them to call for new elections? Yes, a coup.

When a new, and UNELECTED, government was seated? Yes, a coup.

Where? Crimea.

Maybe the reality check will help those who have lost their moral compass.

[AkMike]

Defense Ministry increased service pay for soldiers and introduced rewards for each destroyed militants’ piece of equipment


Ukrainian soldiers will start receiving increased service pay. This decision was made today at a meeting of the government.


The draft regulation was developed by the Ministry of Defense on the initiative of President of Ukraine Poroshenko, Censor.NET reports citing the Defense Ministry press service.

The draft resolution provides for the following payments:

Read also: Poroshenko's Administration announces fulfillment of mobilization plan


- The service pay of military who are directly involved in the ATO or military conflict, will be doubled;

- The service pay of military who are directly involved in hostilities since the announcement of military situation, will be tripled;

- A serviceman will additionally receive 1,000 hryvnia ($50) for each day of the direct engagement.

- Additional reward is envisaged for the destruction of the military equipment of the enemy. Thus, the reward for the destruction of the vehicle will be 12,000 hryvnia ($600); the reward for a destroyed tank will be 48,000 hryvnia ($2,400), for a multiple rocket launcher - 60,000 hryvnia ($3,000), for a warplane 121,000 hryvnia ($6,050).

Read also: Special operation of Ukrainian Army destroys terrorists' aviation


The decision comes into  force on the day of its official publication.

[LiveFromUkraine]

Maybe the reality check will help those who have lost their moral compass.

I am sure there are members here who would be happy to help you correct your moral compass. 

[LiveFromUkraine]

A coup?

When armed men stormed parliament and unseated the government? Yes, a coup.

When those same armed men marched those parliament ministers back in and forced them to call for new elections? Yes, a coup.

When a new, and UNELECTED, government was seated? Yes, a coup.

Where? Crimea.

"One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter"

Gerald Seymour

[AkMike]

Russians say international isolation is fine, but lower incomes and loss of Internet access aren?t!

Mikhail Sergeyev, that paper?s chief economics reporter, says that the study shows that the majority of Russian citizens are ready to give up using foreign currency, making trips abroad, using bank cards, and purchasing foreign goods and that they expect they may have to for a lengthy period.

The only exception to this list of self-imposed limitations concerns the Internet and social networks. Nearly half say that they are not prepared to stop using the web, although a majority indicates that it is willing to live with some restrictions. Twenty-two percent of the sample said they don?t use the Internet now, and 37 percent said they would be willing to stop using it.

Moreover, the study found that Russians are very much opposed to any decline in their incomes and benefits or any increase in taxes and fees. Fewer than one in eight supports such ideas. Russians overwhelmingly support their government in its struggle with the West, but they oppose ?attempts by bureaucrats to shift budgetary problems onto the shoulders of citizens.?

?Almost half of the respondents, Institute director Mikhail Gorshkov said, ?agree that the country faces difficult times ahead,? although a quarter say that ?the country is developing successfully,? and another quarter say that they do not expect ?any significant changes in the development of the country.?

Gorshkov stressed that over the last year there has been a fundamental shift in Russian assessments of the source of threats to Russia. A year ago, he says, most viewed any threats as being internal, but now they view them as coming from abroad, with only 18 percent saying there are threats from within the country.

The study suggests that only the very top of society has been much affected by sanctions but that most Russians have been touched by changes in the exchange rate which have sparked inflation and forced Russians to cut back in their spending on recreation, food, clothing, and medicines but led others to purchase goods out of fear that prices will rise still further.
http://euromaidanpress.com/2015/01/29/russians-say-international-isolation-is-fine-but-lower-incomes-and-loss-of-internet-access-arent/

[AkMike]

Doll will be happy to hear that there will be NO MORE Cargo 200 from Ukraine!
 They'll toast them instead. IIRC that's against the tenants of the RO Religion though.

Russian General Staff expects its casualties at 56-70 killed per day, brought in 7 mobile crematoria

In interview to Channel 5 TV, the Chairman of the Ukrainian Security Service Valentin Nalyvaychenko disclosed that, on the orders of Russia’s General Staff, bodies of Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine are burned in mobile crematoria.

According to him, between 20 and 23 January on the orders of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, seven mobile crematoria arrived into the territory of Ukraine temporarily-controlled by the Russian-terrorist forces. The crematoria are mounted on the chassis of KAMAZ trucks.

Nalyvaychenko noted that each of these crematoria burns 8-10 bodies per day [that would mean Russia expects its regular army losses not to exceed 56-70 KIA per day, the total capacity for all 7 crematoria – Transl.]

According to the information, the work of these “death furnaces” is coordinated directly by Russian military intelligence. At the end of 2014, these “special” KAMAZ trucks were reported being in the Rostov oblast of Russia near the border with Ukraine.

Nalyvaychenko said that the hotline established by the Ukrainian Security Service daily receives dozens of calls from Russian citizens searching for their relatives serving in Russian military and sent to Ukraine.

He noted that the Ukrainian government will behave humanely and will return mothers of Russian soldiers the bodies of their sons together with personal effects.

Nalyvaychenko reminded that a few days ago the Security Service publicly expressed its readiness to transfer the body of a Russian citizen Andrey Emelyanov to the Russian side.

However, the Security Service press center later added that the Russian Federation consulate has yet to respond to this offer.



http://euromaidanpress.com/2015/01/28/russian-general-staff-expects-its-losses-at-56-70-killed-per-day-brought-in-7-mobile-crematoria/

[AnonMod]

I direct everyone's attention to Mod3's post here.

http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=18830.msg391445#new

I am not going to delete posts yet.  But keep this in mind for the future.  No moderator is going to slog through posts to clean them up.

[Belvis]

Russian General Staff expects its casualties at 56-70 killed per day, brought in 7 mobile crematoria

In interview to Channel 5 TV, the Chairman of the Ukrainian Security Service Valentin Nalyvaychenko disclosed that, on the orders of Russia’s General Staff, bodies of Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine are burned in mobile crematoria.

According to him, between 20 and 23 January on the orders of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, seven mobile crematoria arrived into the territory of Ukraine temporarily-controlled by the Russian-terrorist forces. The crematoria are mounted on the chassis of KAMAZ trucks.

Then people ask why Americans are considered to be not very smart. Some posters are certainly contribute in creating this myth 

The chief of Ukraine’s General Military Staff Viktor Muzhenko acknowledged that Russian regular army units were not involved in combat action in the troubled Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

“Right now the Ukrainian army is not engaged in combat operations against Russian regular units,” he underscored.

Muzhenko added, however, that he had information about Russian civilian and military individuals fighting alongside independence supporters in the country’s east.

http://www.5.ua/ato-na-shodi/myjenko-ykrajna-ne-maye-dokaziv-masovoj-ychasti-zbroinih-sil-rf-y-boyah-na-donbasi-68687.html

[jone]

It would be helpful for all who post here to give some examples of posts that are okay and some that are not.  I have tried to abide by the policies that  MOD 3 rules seem to embrace, but am unsure if what I have posted in the past meets your new criteria.

Here are two recent postings that I did: 

http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=17542.msg391073#msg391073

http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=18349.msg390615#msg390615

Please opine and let me know if this type of posting works under the new policy (which is really an old policy that we seem to have gotten away from).

[AkMike]

Try again B.. Either you're telling untruths or you used the wrong link or both..

 From your link.

"Muzhenko Is the involvement of Russian citizens and Russian armiytsiv in illegal armed formations in the Donbas
14:51 January 29, 2015 | ATO in the East

Armed Forces General Staff has information about the participation of soldiers of the army of the Russian Federation in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

This was announced during a briefing Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Victor Muzhenko.

"To date, we have only the involvement of some members of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Russian citizens as part of illegal armed groups in the fighting. Fighting units of the regular Russian army today we're also not. We have enough forces and means in order to inflict a final defeat even illegal armed formation "- he said."

[AkMike]

I direct everyone's attention to Mod3's post here.

http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=18830.msg391445#new

I am not going to delete posts yet.  But keep this in mind for the future.  No moderator is going to slog through posts to clean them up.

 Rather than miscount and have 251 words how about 2 or 3 paragraphs instead?

[AnonMod]

Both of your examples are fine, jone.  Exactly what we're looking for.

Mike, 251 words would be fine too.  The intent is to get away from posting whole articles.  Just give the readers a synopsis.  And keep it within the RWD reading panes!

[AkMike]

What reading panes? The quote boxes?
How is that done?

[jone]

Ruble at 69.21 to the dollar today.  No end in sight for slide as expected additional sanctions against Russia give a continued push to the downward spiral of the ruble's value.  In related news oil is now trading at 44 - a six year low. 

Wasn't it just a couple of months ago that there was a joke in Russia that the Ruble, the price per barrel of oil and Putin's age were all going to meet at 62? 

Well, the Ruble is above 62 and going up, the price per barrel of oil is below 62 and headed downward.  But Putin still remains at 62 years of age.  So all must be right in Russia.   

[Belvis]

Either you're telling untruths or you used the wrong link or both.

I have delivered to you more full content of Muzhenko's talk. But if you suppose I told you untruth... ask your wife to translate Ukrainian text, don't use Google translator 

[Boethius]

What reading panes? The quote boxes?
How is that done?

I think what is meant is that the way the forum is read changes.  Some links will change the reading pane, so you have to scroll across and can't read the whole post without lots of scrolling back and forth.

[bagalia]

I have delivered to you more full content of Muzhenko's talk. But if you suppose I told you untruth... ask your wife to translate Ukrainian text, don't use Google translator 

The link is somewhat correct. AT THIS MOMENT there is no proof of direct involvement with the Russian army (proper) in the D/L areas but there has been evidence of active duty military personnel in the fighting. You can also find this evidence in utube interrogations of Russian prisoners complete with military papers.

It is what it does not say that is important.

There is proof that some of the Russian army (proper) is within Russia *Ukraine. Mariupol was not mentioned as one of the locations where the Russian army was not fighting. Most importantly, contract and volunteer forces are not considered to be Russian army (proper).

I made mention not long ago that Russian forces were said to be holding to the background and moving the separatists to the front for the real fighting.

Anyone with a Ukrainian wife should have known the above many weeks ago at the least. Mostly it is just semantics.

*Edited Russia for Ukraine (my bad)

[JayH]

The link is somewhat correct. AT THIS MOMENT there is no proof of direct involvement with the Russian army (proper) in the D/L areas but there has been evidence of active duty military personnel in the fighting. You can also find this evidence in utube interrogations of Russian prisoners complete with military papers.

It is what it does not say that is important.

There is proof that some of the Russian army (proper) is within Russia. Mariupol was not mentioned as one of the locations where the Russian army was not fighting.
).

I made mention not long ago that Russian forces were said to be holding to the background and moving the separatists to the front for the real fighting.

Anyone with a Ukrainian wife should have known the above many weeks ago at the least. Mostly it is just semantics.

AT THIS MOMENT there is no proof of direct involvement with the Russian army
That is ridiculous comment-- there is volumes of 'proof"
Most importantly, contract and volunteer forces are not considered to be Russian army (proper
Equally ridiculous comment-- it is straight out of Putin and Kremlin lying playbook-- saying they are not regular does not make it a fact. Perhaps you could explain how regular Russian army and special forces are getting killed in Ukraine? Who do you think are operating tanks,artillery,etc-- guys they just employed?
In case you missed it-- many links have been posted on this forum detailing how in fact the Russian Army regulars have been replacing the hired thugs and mercenaries in numerous areas across eastern Ukraine.
Trying to create shades of reinterpretation of the fact does not change the reality-- Putin and the Kremlin pump so much crap out in the hope to muddy the waters in the west-- and for home consumption.

[Larry1]

The link is somewhat correct. AT THIS MOMENT there is no proof of direct involvement with the Russian army (proper) in the D/L areas but there has been evidence of active duty military personnel in the fighting. You can also find this evidence in utube interrogations of Russian prisoners complete with military papers.

It is what it does not say that is important.

There is proof that some of the Russian army (proper) is within Russia. Mariupol was not mentioned as one of the locations where the Russian army was not fighting. Most importantly, contract and volunteer forces are not considered to be Russian army (proper).

I made mention not long ago that Russian forces were said to be holding to the background and moving the separatists to the front for the real fighting.

Anyone with a Ukrainian wife should have known the above many weeks ago at the least. Mostly it is just semantics.

Here is more about contract and volunteer Russian soldiers:

ST. PETERSBURG  — Russian army conscripts are being tricked or pressured into signing up to become contract soldiers, human rights groups say — and their relatives fear that once they turn professional, they run the risk of being secretly dispatched to fight in eastern Ukraine...

"We were told that we would be labeled traitors of the motherland and shot if war breaks out. That they would alter our military records so that we would never be able to get a job," the letter said. Another message, apparently concerning the same person, said that 10 other soldiers had signed contracts following the threats.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/conscripts-relatives-fear-they-ll-be-sent-to-ukraine-amid-alleged-coercion/515139.html

[jone]

The link is somewhat correct. AT THIS MOMENT there is no proof of direct involvement with the Russian army (proper) in the D/L areas but there has been evidence of active duty military personnel in the fighting. You can also find this evidence in utube interrogations of Russian prisoners complete with military papers.

It is what it does not say that is important.

There is proof that some of the Russian army (proper) is within Russia. Mariupol was not mentioned as one of the locations where the Russian army was not fighting. Most importantly, contract and volunteer forces are not considered to be Russian army (proper).

I made mention not long ago that Russian forces were said to be holding to the background and moving the separatists to the front for the real fighting.

Anyone with a Ukrainian wife should have known the above many weeks ago at the least. Mostly it is just semantics.

Good Post Baglia -

I get where you're coming from.  Except that we'd expect that the Russian Army would be operational in Russia.   

[BillyB]

  No President of any country should be without protection

Ukraine's military didn't back Yanukovych up with protection. The corrupt cops did though. If our president stole trillions from Americans, I's expect our troops and police to back off when American citizens physically remove him from power. There's a reason I believe citizens have the right to own guns and those guns should be used when government abuses their power. In my opinion, Ukrainians were rather peaceful. If Americans experienced the same corrupt and dysfunctional government Ukrainians had, we'd be much more violent.