More Bad News for Russia

[AC]

This photo is for Doll and Belvis but good for others to see as well.  The photo on the left was doctored for Russian public consumption, and the photo on the right shows as it actually was.


http://www.facebook.com/theministryofdefence.ua/photos/ms.c.eJxFktlxBEEIQzNyNTfkn5i9aIU~;X6kRGjFlGk8jzKtH5qfACW7ygIPc4Dw9W1Sd79OeeET9M3QnO~;QiF~;h0~_L883nljvlIw8xT8jfMR69d5OvyEXB~;u4f6Cv57~;7Hzql1uXg3ojf9Qx5o2cYO5r~_MX5oa~;rd2TzNOcH33d9z96na46h0296~;f07b~_~;hvR~;v~_1dk3MeajL4sybiH3Tz6Ss7Lgy7HH3~_Z09EX~_zRJcByvX3C~;ID~;7M4Vf008FzHyfU3~;mlRzQj7GP~;ZnufYX92V~;g1d~;x~_l1~;ZnjP7zfkvb4sofP7baBznyNvMq9vHz7c7w3mPsf89ePIy~;~;NYu~;l3cfQ~;Rfa18E1.bps.a.732502540145587.1073742116.207023122693534/732502553478919/?type=1&theater


http://www.facebook.com/theministryofdefence.ua?fref=photo

[AC]

Information from Dmitry Timchuk about Hybrid warfare in general and in Ukraine in specific.

"In the case of Ukraine, it is seen very clearly. Between the summer 2013th until the end of February 2014 no one in the world and in Ukraine did not accept Russia's policy towards Ukraine as aggression - because of the lack of the military component. Even the beginning of the annexation of the Crimea is not immediately and not everyone in Ukraine perceive as the beginning of the military phase. Similarly, the events of April 2014 in the eastern regions of Ukraine is still not perceived as a war of Russia against Ukraine, and were classified as armed actions of the separatists and terrorists, against whom and started an anti-terrorist operation is still ongoing. In Europe, the war of Russia against Ukraine has not officially called aggression, preferring to use the term "Ukrainian-Russian crisis", "escalation of the east", "penetration". According to UN figures, 4,317 people were killed and 9.921 wounded during the war in the east of Ukraine from mid-April to November 18, 2014 [4]. Data for the dead and wounded include both military personnel and civilians. According to the Ukrainian The sides of this "war-not-war" has already claimed the lives of more than 2,000 Ukrainian voennosluzhazhih [5]. According to the Russian non-governmental organization "Union of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia" since the beginning of conflict in eastern Ukraine killed 1,500 Russian soldiers. [6] For comparison, according to official figures nine-year war in Afghanistan claimed the lives of 13.833 lives [7] Soviet soldiers and officers.

It can be stated that the Russian aggression against Ukraine in a hybrid form was the best option in terms of official non-recognition of it as such. 9 months after the beginning of the annexation of the Crimea, the EU doubted the presence of evidence of Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine. "In the EU, due to lack of" accurate information "is not willing to admit that in eastern Ukraine, the presence of Russian troops" [8] - this testimony European diplomat in an interview with Ukrainian agency UNIAN November 14, 2014 the same day, the commander of NATO forces in Europe General F.Bridlav said that "we see the column of Russian military equipment, especially tanks, artillery, air defense systems and infantry" includes the territory of Ukraine."


http://sprotyv.info/ru/news/10007-gibridnaya-voyna-v-vostochnoy-evrope-nevoennoe-izmerenie-energeticheskiy-komponent-chast

[AC]

Strelkov is your evidence...

Russia's Igor Strelkov: I Am Responsible for War in Eastern Ukraine

Russian Involvement

Strelkov also gave an account of the degree of Russia's involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

At the start of this summer, 90 percent of the rebel forces were made up of local residents, Strelkov was quoted as saying. However, by early August, Russian servicemen supposedly on "vacation" from the army had begun to arrive, he said.

According to Strelkov, the assault on the Black Sea town of Mariupol in September, which prompted concerns in Ukraine and the West that Russia has entered the conflict on a large scale, was conducted mostly by the Russian military "vacationers."

The rebel forces advancing on Mariupol at that time met with little resistance from government troops and "could have been taken without a fight, "but there was an order not to take it," he was quoted as saying.

While Moscow has repeatedly denied supplying the rebels with weaponry and manpower, Strelkov said the assistance offered to rebels remains significant: "I can't say that we fully provide for them. But we are really helping them," he said, noting that half of the rebel army was equipped with winter clothes sent from Russia.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/russias-igor-strelkov-i-am-responsible-for-war-in-eastern-ukraine/511584.html

Brass

   Excellent post and analysis.  I don't know how the pro-Russian crowd can dispute this, but they are welcome to try.

[Gator]

Gator, are you really read columnists?
Your words about Tom Friedman have reminded me the old soviet joke.
American and Russian dispute about freedom of speech.
А.: I can come to the central square in Washington and cry: Reagan is fool!
R.: OK, I can do it too, come to the Red Square and cry: Reagan is fool!

An oldie but a goodie.   

Maybe Putin will hire the North Koreans to cyber attack Tom Friedman.  OTOH, maybe Putin's people trained the North Koreans.

[Gator]

Heh, if you truly believe this, then I'm afraid to ask your definition of a Conservative.  Yeee ikes!

LMAO

On the same basis, I can assume your definition of liberalism would give me palpitations.  . 

Friedman was born and raised near Minneapolis.   What other evidence do you need?   

He admitted today that he has been against the past expansion of NATO.   That's two.  Besides, don't bust my bubble.   I need to be able to say that I read liberal writings and have an open mind.  Regardless, his writings are creative, bold and intriguing.

[lordtiberius]

Mendy, you didn't need to justify yourself to this clown. I think every rational man would understand what you have been saying.

If its so obvious why don't you tell us what he said and why he said it, if you can.

Nuremberg is useless if we excuse the Russian people

[Gator]

Why don't you start a thread of Russian women's tits and asses?

Too late!   Sandro has that one covered and trumped, replete with photographs of genitalia, in his thread Double Dealers.

[Muzh]

LMAO

On the same basis, I can assume your definition of liberalism would give me palpitations.  . 

Friedman was born and raised near Minneapolis.   What other evidence do you need?   

He admitted today that he has been against the past expansion of NATO.   That's two.  Besides, don't bust my bubble.   I need to be able to say that I read liberal writings and have an open mind.  Regardless, his writings are creative, bold and intriguing.

Heh, the bastion of American liberalism is/was Wisconsin. First union movement bordering on Socialism.


Can you spell Scott Walker?   

[sleepycat]

So, just a reminder- nobody tells me what to write here, got it?

Except the Kremlin Propaganda Ministry...

[JayH]

If its so obvious why don't you tell us what he said and why he said it, if you can.

Nuremberg is useless if we excuse the Russian people

Mende was making the point that it is not the Russian people at large responsible--it is the leadership of Russia. Upthread it was discussed about the difficulties for ordinary Russians to have any input into the political process. So condemning all Russians is misguided .
You keep quoting history as if it supports your point-- using Nuremberg like you have is clearly wrong-

The Nuremberg trials were a series of military tribunals, held by the Allied forces after World War II, most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of Nazi Germany.

[lordtiberius]

Germany paid reparations, lost territory, in short repented as a people.  Now they lead Europe.  Russia has yet to do that.

[Doll]

This page is not readable on my ipad because of the long links

[AC]

This page is not readable on my ipad because of the long links

Don't you know better than to use an Ipad?  It was engineered by the CIA in conjunction with Apple to work against state enemies of the USA.   

[AC]

Ukrainian Cyber volunteers hack into Russian military server:


"Ukrainian cyber-volunteers, coordinated by a programmer by the name of Eugene Dokukin, published the first part of an information download, hacked from servers of Russian Federation Ministry of Internal Affairs in October 2014.

The 1.78 GB of archive documents were posted on multiple file storage to share. To download and read the full data revealed by hackers is possible at: Disk Google.

Among the body of documentation from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs were several documents confirming the involvement of the security forces of Russia in the war in the east of Ukraine. While this war is called a `civil war’ by Russian propagandists and this evidence is additional information proofing that de facto terrorists actions in the Donbas are tightly coordinated and sponsored by the Russian Special Services.

In one of the emergency reports dated August 26, 2014 and addressed to the Chief Directorate of the MIA of Russia in Rostov Region Police Major General A. Larionov, is reported:

“On August 25, 2014 at around 3.50 pm the fact the following soldiers were injured – M. Polstyankinym, O.Volgin, A.Alekseev , A. Gerasimenko, from the Russian military unit №51182 extending service at Millerovo, during their clashes with the forces of the National Army of Ukraine, this occurred 10 km northwest from the village of Prohnoy, Tarasovskoye district. At 6.52 pm on August 25, 2014 wounded soldiers were evacuated to Rostov Garrison Hospital with a Mi-8 helicopter of the Russian Armed Forces “.


http://en.informnapalm.org/ukrainian-cyber-troops-hack-servers-russian-federation-evidence-russian-military-actions-revealed/

[AkMike]

That's true Doll.. They're reading everything you write.

[AC]

Oh dear.

LT, I've been very clear on my support for Ukraine in this matter, and at great personal cost I'd add. I just have the ability to see and know many fine Russian people, in addition to those for whom I have incalculably deep disagreements. There are some Ukrainians in the East for whom I have great disagreements, also.

I also have first hand knowledge of living and working in a dictatorship, and how that can shape those who are unfortunate enough to be trapped inside. Your view that people long to be free and simply choose to be misled, instead of breaking out in revolt, is naive.

While I don't agree with LT that the current situation in Russia is yet to be at the level of what happened to Germany during WWII and resulted in Nuremburg, I do wonder if the part that I bolded has been affecting your reporting.

[AC]

Is the dam about to burst in Russia?  Is the financial situation there far worse than what any in the West think it is?


excerpt
"Traders in the City watched open-mouthed as the dam broke on Black Tuesday. The event exposed the awful reality that the Kremlin does not have the infinite foreign reserves that many had supposed. “What is happening is a nightmare that we could not even have imagined a year ago,” says the central bank’s deputy chief, Sergei Shvetsov.


The currency has since stabilised at 60 to the dollar. But it has lost half its value in a year. Russia’s $2.1 trillion (£1.3 trillion) economy has shrunk to $1.1 trillion, half the GDP of California.


The external debt of Russian banks and companies has by mathematical effect ballooned to 70pc of total output. “A Russian downgrade to junk is only a matter of time,” says Tim Ash, from Standard Bank."


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11305146/The-week-the-dam-broke-in-Russia-and-ended-Putins-dreams.html

[JayH]

While I don't agree with LT that the current situation in Russia is yet to be at the level of what happened to Germany during WWII and resulted in Nuremburg, I do wonder if the part that I bolded has been affecting your reporting.

You have to understand how serious the issues guys like Mende are facing. I don't want to sound too dramatic--but Mende is no internet'warrior"--is issues are real life-- he does not have the luxury of not being in the 'frontline" and  zero accountability.

For anyone publishing anything that is not in accord with Kremlin propaganda the potential consequences are all to real.

[JayH]

Is the dam about to burst in Russia?  Is the financial situation there far worse than what any in the West think it is?


excerpt
"Traders in the City watched open-mouthed as the dam broke on Black Tuesday. The event exposed the awful reality that the Kremlin does not have the infinite foreign reserves that many had supposed. “What is happening is a nightmare that we could not even have imagined a year ago,” says the central bank’s deputy chief, Sergei Shvetsov.


The currency has since stabilised at 60 to the dollar. But it has lost half its value in a year. Russia’s $2.1 trillion (£1.3 trillion) economy has shrunk to $1.1 trillion, half the GDP of California.


The external debt of Russian banks and companies has by mathematical effect ballooned to 70pc of total output. “A Russian downgrade to junk is only a matter of time,” says Tim Ash, from Standard Bank."


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11305146/The-week-the-dam-broke-in-Russia-and-ended-Putins-dreams.html

Hate pumping my own tyres-- but-- I have been saying that for a year. The comments recently that Putin was attempting to tough it out and trying a giant bluff are pretty close to the mark in my estimation.Anything -but-admit the depth of the problems.It seems like he has convinced the Russian population that it is the west responsible for all Russia's problems.
 One key pointer-- the supposed cash reserves are nowhere near what is claimed and often reported-- big problems coming very soon. Major Russian companies are falling over everyday now.

[JohnDearGreen]

Holiday congratulations

http://atn.ua/obshchestvo/zhiteli-moskvy-i-peterburga-pozdravili-putina-i-chekistov-s-prazdnikom-vam-nedolgo

[sleepycat]

Oh Dear!!! Now the regime is asking Russian women to use beetroot as make-up instead of imported lipsticks...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2882705/Russian-women-advised-use-BEETROOT-instead-imported-lipstick-economic-crisis-worsens.html

What's next? The regime to tell the population to drink mud as the ingredients for making Borscht become unaffordable?
 

[lordtiberius]

Holiday congratulations

http://atn.ua/obshchestvo/zhiteli-moskvy-i-peterburga-pozdravili-putina-i-chekistov-s-prazdnikom-vam-nedolgo

These are the real Russians Mendy not the "honest" Russians like Doll and Belvis

[AC]

Hate pumping my own tyres-- but-- I have been saying that for a year.

It's been said by another poster that you tend to hyperventilate and blow a lot of hot air and it sure appears to be true with that statement.  You may have had some opinions along the lines of the article, but none of your opinions were backed up by cold hard facts like the article is.  So yeah, you're trying to "pump your own tyres".

[mendeleyev]

While I don't agree with LT that the current situation in Russia is yet to be at the level of what happened to Germany during WWII and resulted in Nuremburg, I do wonder if the part that I bolded has been affecting your reporting

If it had, there would be no significant personal costs to worry about.

At the same time, I am not willing to paint everything in and about Russia with a black brush. I have pointed out the issues with an economy that was propped up only by oil, written about corruption in the legal system, pointed out the hypocrisy and lies about troops in Crimea and about the coup that displaced an elected parliament and government in Crimea, and I have written long and hard about the Russian troops in Ukraine. I have written about the lack of "federalization" in Russia, while at the same time Russia wants a federalized Ukraine. What is good for one, should be good for both. The Kremlin wants a top down, everything run from Moscow approach for Russia, but seem to think that Ukraine should be government just the opposite. Why? Because Moscow can then at least influence regions of Ukraine if they can't control Kyiv.

For years I have held the banner on the "31" movement--that has cost me. However, the RF Constitution's article 31 gives every Russian the right to meet, speak and form alliances without the approval of government. As the Duma passes laws that limit those rights, I have been one of the few Western journalists to point out that violation of rights. I have been temporarily detained (so far not arrested) twice in Russia, once in Belarus. If I actively participated in events and protests there is no doubt that I'd be arrested and deported promptly. However, there are forms of pressure that do not include arrest when one writes or broadcasts reports contrary to the official narrative.

I have also reported on dirty elections. That is something that the current government has perfected into a fine art. From "caravan voting" to busing in pro-government "protestors" from hours away (with pay) while at the same time limiting permits for opposition events, and to stuffing ballot boxes even in front of cameras, this government is a master of rigging elections.

That being said, there are some good things happening in Russia, but they are done locally by ordinary people and not at the behest of a strong central government. There are good people all over Russia. Every morning my MIL and my wife meet in the living room to pray. When home I join them. They are worried about a war, and they pray every day that war will not come to Russia. I also walk the streets and ride the subway and everywhere, I mean everywhere, there are messages about resisting the fascists in Ukraine and protecting the Motherland against invasion (by the USA and NATO). One cannot escape the war footing, and I understand how easy it is to be swayed when the main sources for news are feeding the populace a non-stop diet of war and patriotic messages. Until you live here, it is impossible to understand the near total domination of media and public policy.

[Gator]

If it had, there would be no significant personal costs to worry about.

At the same time, I am not willing to paint everything in and about Russia with a black brush. I have pointed out the issues with an economy that was propped up only by oil, written about corruption in the legal system, pointed out the hypocrisy and lies about troops in Crimea and about the coup that displaced an elected parliament and government in Crimea, and I have written long and hard about the Russian troops in Ukraine. I have written about the lack of "federalization" in Russia, while at the same time Russia wants a federalized Ukraine. What is good for one, should be good for both. The Kremlin wants a top down, everything run from Moscow approach for Russia, but seem to think that Ukraine should be government just the opposite. Why? Because Moscow can then at least influence regions of Ukraine if they can't control Kyiv.

For years I have held the banner on the "31" movement--that has cost me. However, the RF Constitution's article 31 gives every Russian the right to meet, speak and form alliances without the approval of government. As the Duma passes laws that limit those rights, I have been one of the few Western journalists to point out that violation of rights. I have been temporarily detained (so far not arrested) twice in Russia, once in Belarus. If I actively participated in events and protests there is no doubt that I'd be arrested and deported promptly. However, there are forms of pressure that do not include arrest when one writes or broadcasts reports contrary to the official narrative.

I have also reported on dirty elections. That is something that the current government has perfected into a fine art. From "caravan voting" to busing in pro-government "protestors" from hours away (with pay) while at the same time limiting permits for opposition events, and to stuffing ballot boxes even in front of cameras, this government is a master of rigging elections.

That being said, there are some good things happening in Russia, but they are done locally by ordinary people and not at the behest of a strong central government. There are good people all over Russia. Every morning my MIL and my wife meet in the living room to pray. When home I join them. They are worried about a war, and they pray every day that war will not come to Russia. I also walk the streets and ride the subway and everywhere, I mean everywhere, there are messages about resisting the fascists in Ukraine and protecting the Motherland against invasion (by the USA and NATO). One cannot escape the war footing, and I understand how easy it is to be swayed when the main sources for news are feeding the populace a non-stop diet of war and patriotic messages. Until you live here, it is impossible to understand the near total domination of media and public policy.

Thank you Mendy.  Thank you for poignant revelations about the country of my dear wife,  and brave of you to report them.  May God ride with you along your journalistic quest.