Russian news

[2tallbill]

Russian Publisher Rewrites Books on Putin Without Western Authors’ Consent
By SOPHIA KISHKOVSKYAUG. 14, 2015
MOSCOW — In the original 2012 form of “Expelled: A Journalist’s Descent Into the Russian Mafia State,” the British journalist Luke Harding gives a personal account of the harassment he and his family experienced at the hands of the F.S.B., the chief successor agency to the K.G.B. It covers his time in Russia as he reported on such stories as the radiation poisoning of the former F.S.B. officer Alexander V. Litvinenko and the murder of the human rights activist Natalya Estemirova.

But a new version, published without consultation with Mr. Harding this year by a Russian house, Algoritm Publishers, bears only a fleeting resemblance to the original, the author said by telephone from London.

“They took out Litvinenko, F.S.B. methods, the harassment that my family faced,” Mr. Harding said, as well as the war in Georgia and the murders of Kremlin critics such as Ms. Estemirova. The new version of the book was released as part of a series about President Vladimir V. Putin.

“Crimea is missing,” added Mr. Harding, who was expelled from Russia in 2011. “What is fascinating is that Putin and the money trail are there. It’s almost an indicator about the red lines on publishing in Russia. Ukraine is taboo. Litvinenko is taboo. Putin and money are not taboo.”

There is a lot more read all about it here
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/15/world/europe/russian-publisher-rewrites-books-on-putin-without-western-authors-consent.html

[mendeleyev]

(The Mendeleyev Journal)

The sounds of explosions were thunderous and flames and smoke rose over the Moscow River this past Wednesday when an underwater oil pipeline exploded in the Maryino district of Russia's capital. At least three people, including a child, were injured and amateur footage of the blaze showed large plumes of black smoke rising over the water.



Investigators at first thought that the sudden rupture of an underwater oil pipeline caused the blast, but later reports indicated that a slow and previously undetected leak may have been accidentally ignited by workers who were burning brush along the riverbank. The fireball erupted about 200 meters upstream from a Moscow oil refinery site.

The fire and plume of smoke could be seen as far away as Red Square, about 1600 meters (a mile) from the explosion site. Residents of nearby apartments and office workers watched from highrise windows as fire crews battled the blaze for over an hour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?t=12&v=JrbHgzR1x40

On Monday local residents had begun to complain of unusual smells coming from the refinery and the river. Inspectors suspected a leak but could not pinpoint it at the time. A cloud of hydrogen sulfide gas had enveloped parts of Moscow in November of last year and investigators had concluded then that the gases were coming from the same Moscow refinery.

Officials with Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry advised residents to say indoors as a protection against respiratory issues caused by the smoke. Russia Beyond The Headlines is reporting that environment damage is estimated at almost 30 million rubles ($464,000).

RT reported that some frightened residents at first believed that nuclear war had commenced with an attack from the West.

[2tallbill]

RT reported that some frightened residents at first believed that nuclear war had commenced with an attack from the West.

I wonder how that idea got into their heads?

[2tallbill]

Russia and China to stage naval drills in Sea of Japan, train for beach landing
RT Published time: 16 Aug, 2015 13:02

International naval drills by the Russian and Chinese navies will be conducted in the Sea of Japan next week. Sailors, marines and naval air pilots of the two countries will be training together in combined operations in an amphibious assault exercise.

A Chinese squadron has left the port of Qingdao in Shandong province on Saturday and headed for Russia’s Vladivostok to take part in the bilateral naval exercise to be held in Peter the Great Bay on August 20-28.




read the entire story here

http://www.rt.com/news/312582-russia-china-naval-drills/

[2tallbill]

Russian Presence Near Undersea Cables Concerns U.S.
By DAVID E. SANGER and ERIC SCHMITT New York Times

WASHINGTON — Russian submarines and spy ships are aggressively operating near the vital
undersea cables that carry almost all global Internet communications, raising concerns among
some American military and intelligence officials that the Russians might be planning to attack
those lines in times of conflict.

The issue goes beyond old Cold War worries that the Russians would tap into the cables — a task
American intelligence agencies also mastered decades ago. The alarm today is deeper: In times of
tension or conflict, the ultimate Russian hack on the United States could involve severing the
fiber-optic cables at some of their hardest-to-access locations to halt the instant communications
on which the West’s governments, economies and citizens have grown dependent.

Inside the Pentagon and the nation’s intelligence agencies, the assessments of Russia’s increasing
activities are highly classified and not publicly discussed in detail. American officials are secretive
about what they are doing to both monitor the activity and find ways to recover quickly if cables
are cut. But more than half a dozen officials confirmed in broad terms that it had become the
source of significant attention in the Pentagon.

read the entire story here
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/26/world/europe/russian-presence-near-undersea-cables-concerns-us.html

[2tallbill]

Russia and Ukraine suspend direct flights between countries
Talks aimed at ending trade war fail with thousands of travellers visiting family and on business now facing arduous journeys

read all about it here
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/25/russia-and-ukraine-suspend-direct-flights-between-countries

[2tallbill]

With Russia's Economy, Talk is Cheap (Op-Ed)
By Mark Adomanis The Moscow Times

Some Russian analysts have spoken of the "war between the television and the refrigerator," a
pithy way to describe an escalating clash between a politicized propaganda narrative in which
Russia is  "rising from its knees" and an increasingly bleak economic reality in which inflation,
shortages, and recession loom ever larger.

In terms of what Western Russian analysts should pay attention to I would rephrase this slightly
as the fight between Sputnik (a state-run news agency) and Rosstat (the state statistics service).

To examine what I'm talking about let's take a very clear example from the economic realm:
import substitution.

Officially, Russia's program of import substitution is already bearing fruit. The West is supposedly
"deeply concerned" over Russia's policy, with the implication that this concern is based on the program's
overawing success. The official narrative spends a great deal of time highlighting the losses faced by
Western firms locked out of Russia's market while, of course, totally eliding any mention of the much
steeper costs faced by Russian consumers.

Other stories in Russian state-run media optimistically focus on import substitution's future successes.
In terms that sound like they were plucked from an old five-year plan, official media parrot claims that
"90 percent of pharmaceuticals will be home-made by 2018" or that Russia's defense industry will be
"free of Western technology by 2020."

Essentially the official narrative is an exceedingly optimistic one full of dynamism and success. Russia
is moving forward! The West is losing out on all of the Russian market's many opportunities!

The only problem with this narrative is that there is no data to support it. In fact, figures from
Russia's own statistics agency show that, contrary to the Kremlin's numerous and cheery
proclamations, the country's manufacturing sector is currently declining. Through the first
nine months of the year, the output of Russian manufacturers shrank by about 3 percent,
hardly a catastrophe but also clear evidence that there is no renaissance under way.

The reality, then, is of a Russian economy that is becoming even more dependent on natural
resource extraction (where output continues to nudge upwards) and where virtually every other
sector is struggling. The negative trajectory of Russia's manufacturing sector is not a Western
conspiracy or a CIA-funded plot, it is the banal conclusion of downloading spreadsheets from
Rosstat's website.

There is a lot more read all about it here
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/opinion/article/with-russias-economy-talk-is-cheap-op-ed/540320.html

[mendeleyev]

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/10/putin-russia-obama-kasparov/412804/

Truer words have seldom been spoken. Thoughts on democracy from Gary Kasparov.

[Muzh]

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/10/putin-russia-obama-kasparov/412804/

Truer words have seldom been spoken. Thoughts on democracy from Gary Kasparov.

Mendy, I've been "following" Kasparov on his USA tour and the man is almost begging for American military intervention. Is that how you see it there?

[Brasscasing]

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/10/putin-russia-obama-kasparov/412804/

Truer words have seldom been spoken. Thoughts on democracy from Gary Kasparov.

+1

"The politicians of the free world know that it is easier and more popular to do nothing and claim to be peacemakers." ~ Garry Kasparov

Brass

[mendeleyev]

Muzh, that is the first that I've heard of him for a while, so I am not in a position to know. I do think that he should not return, there is no safety any longer for opposition figures in Russia.

[Muzh]

Muzh, that is the first that I've heard of him for a while, so I am not in a position to know. I do think that he should not return, there is no safety any longer for opposition figures in Russia.

Oh, that's a given. The man is not dumb.


Anyway, he has become a regular contributor to the WSJ and every piece he writes is asking the neocons to do some military arm twisting. And on the same breadth, he touts himself as the savior of Russia.

[2tallbill]

US faces renewed challenge from Russian navy

The US is debating whether to position more ships and naval assets in Europe as Russian
warships and submarines operate at levels not seen in two decades, according to the new
head of the US Navy.

Admiral John Richardson, chief of naval operations, told the Financial Times that the navy
was reassessing its global posture in the face of the Russian activity, which stretches from
the Black Sea and Mediterranean to the Pacific.

“Their submarine force and their navy are as active as they have been in a long time, 20
years or so,” Adm Richardson said in an interview. “How are we going to posture our forces
to make sure that we maintain the appropriate balance and are suitably engaged?”

There is more read all about it here
 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/47314ece-80a8-11e5-8095-ed1a37d1e096.html#ixzz3qMhi4fOP

[2tallbill]

Vladimir Putin orders Russian security council to stockpile nuclear protective equipment
President says country must be prepared for threats 'both in peacetime, and – God forbid... in wartime'
Damien Sharkov



There is more read all about it here
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/vladimir-putin-orders-russian-security-council-to-stockpile-nuclear-protective-equipment-a6717791.html

[2tallbill]

What will Canada do now that they hired a lefty? are their lefties as moronic as our lefties?
Is this even a legit concern? does Canada need to worry about any of this?

Forget Syria, Russia's muscle is moving closer to Canada's doorstep
Putin's military buildup in Arctic, Pacific could set new Canadian defense priorities
By Brian Stewart, CBC News

Russian Pacific Navy ships sail near the Sakhalin Island during military
exercises two years ago. Moscow has spent almost $600 billion over the past decade
upgrading its military. (Alexei Nikolsky/RIA Novosti/AP Photo)


An oddity of Canada's foreign policy of late is how gravely we viewed Russia's expanding power in
distant Eastern Europe and Syria, yet took scarce note of Moscow's actions closer to our own Arctic
and Asia-Pacific interests.

Even allowing for the vast distances involved, Vladimir Putin's strategic thrusts are almost on our
doorstep and may well require far more serious attention from the incoming Liberal government.

For Russia is militarizing its section of the Arctic and expanding its naval operations through the
already tense Asian rim of the Pacific at a time when more than half dozen nations there — including,
in particular, the U.S., China and Japan — are struggling to redefine a new balance of power in the region.

Granted, Russia is not Canada's only concern, but Russia is special.

read all about it here
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/russia-pacific-arctic-brian-stewart-1.3297267

[Muzh]

What will Canada do now that they hired a lefty? are their lefties as moronic as our lefties?
Is this even a legit concern? does Canada need to worry about any of this?

LMAO


Are you suggesting that the righties will blind you with their brilliance?

[Muzh]

Forget Syria, Russia's muscle is moving closer to Canada's doorstep
Putin's military buildup in Arctic, Pacific could set new Canadian defense priorities
By Brian Stewart, CBC News

Russian Pacific Navy ships sail near the Sakhalin Island during military
exercises two years ago. Moscow has spent almost $600 billion over the past decade
upgrading its military. (Alexei Nikolsky/RIA Novosti/AP Photo)

According to top military analysts covering the Soviet Russian military build up, this number quoted above was their targeted budget. Think again how much is the real budget and how much it will accomplish.


Bill, there are a number of clips I've posted which clearly explain where and what the Soviet's Russkiy's military budget is.


C'mon, be more diligent on your searches. 

[deccie]

These are the  same cables that the US already records ALL data going across them right?

Russian Presence Near Undersea Cables Concerns U.S.
By DAVID E. SANGER and ERIC SCHMITT New York Times

[deccie]

US faces renewed challenge from Russian navy

The US is debating whether to position more ships and naval assets in Europe as Russian
warships and submarines operate at levels not seen in two decades, according to the new
head of the US Navy.

Admiral John Richardson, chief of naval operations, told the Financial Times that the navy
was reassessing its global posture in the face of the Russian activity, which stretches from
the Black Sea and Mediterranean to the Pacific.

“Their submarine force and their navy are as active as they have been in a long time, 20
years or so,” Adm Richardson said in an interview. “How are we going to posture our forces
to make sure that we maintain the appropriate balance and are suitably engaged?”

There is more read all about it here
 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/47314ece-80a8-11e5-8095-ed1a37d1e096.html#ixzz3qMhi4fOP

Interesting. This at at a time when there is no replacement in the pipeline for the Tico cruisers and the last OHP frigates have just been retired this year. I guess it's the Arleigh Burke's or nothing...

[deccie]

What will Canada do now that they hired a lefty? are their lefties as moronic as our lefties?

At least he cancelled the F-35. That will actually give him a budget to do a lot of other things in the defence budget. If your talking about moronic look at the US Air Force trying to replace the A-10 with the F-35. Almost every Army guy who ever had the A-10 save his butt whilst on active duty seems not amused by this...
The Canadian military has some severe issues. The submarines bought from the UK are still not in full service and may never be. The "classic" Hornets are reaching end of life at a fast rate and the amphibious and replenishment capability of the navy is almost non existent. A  lot of those issues were at a minimum not resolved by Harper. Some were exacerbated by his government (like the replenishment issue).

I suspect the new government will buy F/A-18F's and perhaps a few Growlers as well to get a new, capable aircraft in service NOW and worry about future stealth needs later on. New Hornet will certainly be cheaper to operate than the F-35.

Forget Syria, Russia's muscle is moving closer to Canada's doorstep
Putin's military buildup in Arctic, Pacific could set new Canadian defense priorities
By Brian Stewart, CBC News

Russian Pacific Navy ships sail near the Sakhalin Island during military
exercises two years ago. Moscow has spent almost $600 billion over the past decade
upgrading its military. (Alexei Nikolsky/RIA Novosti/AP Photo)

The Russian Navy still has only 1 carrier in service and the most significant surface asset they have is 1 Kirov Class ship from the 1980's. The US has assets that cost multiple billions EACH. C'mon this is not serous. The Russian Navy of today is still just a shadow of its Soviet forebear.

[2tallbill]

LMAO

Are you suggesting that the righties will blind you with their brilliance?

You mean like with the brilliance of guys like George W Bush?

[2tallbill]

At least he cancelled the F-35. That will actually give him a budget to do a lot of other things in the defence budget. If your talking about moronic look at the US Air Force trying to replace the A-10 with the F-35. Almost every Army guy who ever had the A-10 save his butt whilst on active duty seems not amused by this...

A Boeing 727 with a full crew and passengers can flat out run away from an A10. An A10 would be
instant scrap metal against 1980's handheld Russian Igla  SAMS. They are only suitable for chasing
down tanks and men on camels.

Having said that an A10 is extremely accomplished at close ground support and giving men on camels a
very miserable day. If Canada committed to buying an aircraft then they should follow through with
the promise, if they didn't then I would be the last person to tell them what to do with their tax money.

I suspect the new government will buy F/A-18F's and perhaps a few Growlers as well to get a new, capable aircraft in service NOW and worry about future stealth needs later on. New Hornet will certainly be cheaper to operate than the F-35.

The Russian Navy still has only 1 carrier in service and the most significant surface asset they have is 1 Kirov Class ship from the 1980's. The US has assets that cost multiple billions EACH. C'mon this is not serous. The Russian Navy of today is still just a shadow of its Soviet forebear.

Most of the was discussed on the Great White North thread, Russia has been spending money upgrading their
Navy and they have been saber rattling in the Arctic and probing Canada's air defenses for quite some time now.

I agree that the US Navy would be up to the task of discouraging any country (lunatics included) from
threatening Canada by sea. The US Gerald Ford cost US taxpayers over $13 billion and is probably more
technically advanced than the A10 Warthog Russian boat. 

I do imagine that Canadians generally don't like Russia probing their air defenses with Nuclear capable bombers
or the various other saber rattling that they have been doing.

Udachi!

Bill

[Brasscasing]

At least he cancelled the F-35. That will actually give him a budget to do a lot of other things in the defence budget. If your talking about moronic look at the US Air Force trying to replace the A-10 with the F-35. Almost every Army guy who ever had the A-10 save his butt whilst on active duty seems not amused by this...
The Canadian military has some severe issues. The submarines bought from the UK are still not in full service and may never be. The "classic" Hornets are reaching end of life at a fast rate and the amphibious and replenishment capability of the navy is almost non existent. A  lot of those issues were at a minimum not resolved by Harper. Some were exacerbated by his government (like the replenishment issue).

I suspect the new government will buy F/A-18F's and perhaps a few Growlers as well to get a new, capable aircraft in service NOW and worry about future stealth needs later on. New Hornet will certainly be cheaper to operate than the F-35.

The Russian Navy still has only 1 carrier in service and the most significant surface asset they have is 1 Kirov Class ship from the 1980's. The US has assets that cost multiple billions EACH. C'mon this is not serous. The Russian Navy of today is still just a shadow of its Soviet forebear.

Unlikely. The Liberal government will re-allocate the funds to pay for their social programs (campaign promises).

Besides, it's common knowledge that cancelling the f-35 procurement at this point won't save Canada any significant amount of money...

Scrapping F-35 fighter jets may not lead to big savings, experts say

..."Defence experts are skeptical that Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government will reap any significant windfall from buying a warplane that is cheaper than the controversial F-35 fighter."...

..."The Liberals promised during the election campaign to look elsewhere for a plane and plow the savings into more ships for the Royal Canadian Navy. But military experts say different aircraft might not be a bargain when the costs of buying, operating and maintaining them over 20 to 30 years are tallied up."...

..."The Liberals pledged to buy “an equal or greater number of lower-priced, but equally effective, replacement aircraft.” They said they do not believe Canada requires a plane with the F-35’s stealth technology, but rather one that focuses on the defence of North America."...

..."The Liberal promise means Canada will have to resign its partnership in the U.S. Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program.

This will affect future business for Canadian companies that won about $750-million in contracts related to the F-35 because Canada was a partner in the program. Canadian firms’ contracts will wind down and they will not be eligible to bid on further work."...

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/scrapping-f-35-fighter-jets-may-not-lead-to-big-savings-experts-say/article27012886/

Now, having just posted all that. The liberals may not scrap the program after they take the helm. It financially as well as militarily/strategically makes no sense.

Your blame of Harper is misplaced. The Conservatives were committed to replacing/augmenting with the F-35. If the project is scrapped, that clearly lays at the feet of the new Liberal government.

The Submarines are being refitted to Canadian standards and that project, although still underway, is almost complete. Again, it was a former Liberal government that bought the subs in the first place.

The Canadian Navy's replenishment capability is non-existent. We rely on the US Navy for resupply and are apparently entering into some deal with the Spanish and Chilean Navies to lease support ships...

Canada's Navy 'Rents' Chilean Resupply Ship

..."VICTORIA, B.C. — Chile and Spain will provide resupply ships to the Royal Canadian Navy on a temporary basis as the Canadian government tries to fast-track the leasing and conversion of a commercial vessel that can provide fuel and provisions to its warships.

The Royal Canadian Navy's senior leaders have been scrambling over the last six months to put in place such measures because of ongoing delays in the construction of its two new supply ships."...

http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/naval/ships/2015/07/11/canada-renting-resupply-ships-from-chile-spain/29869123/

Now, this is a boondoggle because there was a time that the US would have just given us the oilers we needed. The US Navy has a quantity of oilers in mothball that Canada could literally have 'borrowed indefinitely' if they'd so chosen as both Navies work hand in hand and are constantly on joint exercises/operations.

However, Harper's Conservatives and Obama's Dems didn't see eye to eye on a lot of issues and Harper wasn't about to ask for any favors.

Brass

 

[mendeleyev]

In the Mendeleyev Journal...

Russia's consumer rights authority, Rospotrebnadzor, has won a court case ordering French supermarket chain Auchan to stop selling bulk food items in its Russian stores.


 
(Photo by A.Savin.)

The case had been appealed, but on Monday the Moscow Arbitration Court ruled in Rospotrebnadzor's favour. The ruling applies to bulk and unpackaged goods. The Moscow Times newspaper detailed the items as "tea, frozen shrimp, dumplings, vegetable mixes, semi-processed meat and vegetables, as well as cookies, candy, nuts and dried food." It was not clear why only bulk or unpackaged items violate Russia's reverse sanctions.

Rospotrebnadzor inspectors claim that Auchan routinely violates Russia's reverse sanctions by selling products banned by the Kremlin.  Auchan says that its hypermarkets offer a wide choice of goods, but the majority of items are produced in Russia.

In addition to the large "big box" supermarkets, Auchan operates a variety of branded stores ranging from inner city markets to neighborhood convenience stores. Products vary depending on the size of each store, and aside from grocery products the retailer offers furniture, garden products, children's items and clothing.





Auchan officials believe the repeated inspections and alleged violations step from the Kremlin's desire to punish French companies for Western sanctions, and the refusal of France to deliver two large "Mistrial" war ships to Russia.

Some retailers and fast food operators claim that the Russian consumer rights organization has a history of targeting Western companies for political leverage.

[AkMike]

If they sell the bulk items pre-packaged it'll drive the price up for the Russian consumers. That'll help who? 

Once again the Kremlin isn't thinking this through.