Events in Russia

[angelburst29]

Several leading Kommersant journalists quit after colleagues fired
Several leading Kommersant journalists quit after colleagues fired

© Donat Sorokin/TASS

Gleb Cherkasov, deputy editor-in-chief of the newspaper Kommersant, and a number of leading journalists reigned on Monday, over the decision to dismiss special correspondent Ivan Safronov and deputy editor of the Politics department Maxim Ivanov, Cherkasov wrote on Facebook.

"A few days ago, at the initiative of the shareholders, the Kommersant Publishing House severed labor relations with the Special Correspondent Ivan Safronov and Deputy Editor of the Policy Department Maxim Ivanov. The reason for this is the publication on the possible change of the Federation Council speaker. The shareholder has the right to make personnel decisions, the employees have the right to disagree with them in the only possible way - changing their place of work," wrote Cherkasov.

According to him, Alla Barakhova, the head of the political department, her deputy Maria-Louise Tirmaste, correspondents Natalya Korchenkova, Alexandra Djordjevic, Sofia Samokhina, Elizaveta Miller, Katerina Grobman, Vsevolod Inyutin, columnist Viktor Khamrayev and special correspondent Anna Puskarskaya also resigned. All these employees, Cherkasov said, "plan to complete their work commitments in the near future."

As the Vedomosti newspaper clarified, letters of resignation were filed by all employees of the Politics department and their supervisors. According to the publication, the decision to dismiss Safronov and Ivanov was taken by shareholder Alisher Usmanov.

"We parted with journalists because the editorial standards of Kommersant were violated during the preparation of the article," the publication quotes Vladimir Zhelonkin, the Kommersant General Director. At the same time, he did not disclose what exactly was violated and refused to comment on the interference of shareholders.

The materials about the possible resignation of Valentina Matvienko was published in Kommersant on April 17. It said that in May, the Federation Council Speaker would discuss the possibility of leaving the post with President Putin. The most likely candidate for her position was Sergey Naryshkin, head of the Foreign Intelligence Service.


Russian senator describes scandal around ex-Austrian vice chancellor as provocation
Kosachev compared the incident to the scandal around 2017 French presidential candidate Francois Fillon who had faced accusations in relation to his wife’s job

The scandal around former Austrian Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache is a "perfect provocation" staged by European liberal forces, Chairman of the Russian Federation Council (the upper house of parliament) Foreign Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachev wrote on Facebook.

"It is so clear that we can say it was an ideal provocation: an attack on the leader of the right-wing Freedom Party of Austria and, eventually, at Chancellor Kurz, who is unpopular with Europe's liberal mainstream, right before the European parliamentary election because Europe's right forces have a chance to gain a record-high share of the vote, so there is "a Russian trace" and an allegedly independent journalistic investigation," the Senior Russian Senator pointed out.

Kosachev compared the incident to the scandal around 2017 French presidential candidate Francois Fillon who had faced accusations in relation to his wife’s job. "The system has worked once again: the ruling liberal forces are trying to discredit right-wing politicians at all costs, they are labeling them as populists and fascists but nevertheless, they are unable to reduce their growing popularity and the Europeans’ fatigue from having to choose between similarly looking liberal parties that differ only in their names," he noted.

Kosachev also said that the incident was "part of a well-planned International campaign" and other "revelations" would follow with "a Russian trace" to be found.

On May 18, Austrian Chancellor and leader of the Austrian People's Party Sebastian Kurz gave up cooperation with the Freedom Party of Austria within the current coalition government and called a snap election.

Leader of the Freedom Party of Austria Heinz-Christian Strache earlier stepped down as the country’s Vice Chancellor after the German magazine Der Spiegel and the newspaper Sьddeutsche Zeitung had published a hidden camera video, which showed Strache, his aide Johann Gudenus and an unknown Russian-speaking woman discussing the possibility of buying the tabloid Kronen Zeitung and securing information support for the party ahead of the 2017 parliamentary election in return for access to construction contracts in Austria.

As a result, both Strache and Gudenus had to step down. Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen suggested holding a snap parliamentary election in September. The chancellor said he expected the coalition government to continue its activities until the election took place.

 

[Voyageur]

The shareholder has the right to make personnel decisions, the employees have the right to disagree with them in the only possible way - changing their place of work," wrote Cherkasov.
[...]
As the Vedomosti newspaper clarified, letters of resignation were filed by all employees of the Politics department and their supervisors. According to the publication, the decision to dismiss Safronov and Ivanov was taken by shareholder Alisher Usmanov.

"We parted with journalists because the editorial standards of Kommersant were violated during the preparation of the article," the publication quotes Vladimir Zhelonkin, the Kommersant General Director. At the same time, he did not disclose what exactly was violated and refused to comment on the interference of shareholders.

Sometimes I can get confused by the business players names, and in this case where it says shareholders plural, it is likely the second paragraph shareholder singular (or he was signaled by another).

John Helmer, who has his own slants, writes about him often enough - here from last year: THE LAST OLIGARCH STANDING – ALISHER USMANOV ATTACKS VLADIMIR POTANIN

From October 2018 (snip):

Alisher Usmanov (lead image, left) has announced that the Russian oligarchs have almost died out.

Not counting himself, he claimed in a television interview on the weekend there is only one oligarch left. “I think we have one passenger in this car, it is already empty, and he sits alone — still rolling along. He is an oligarch. And he knows that about himself. He lost everything but one company, which is why he stays in it. And there are no more oligarchs.”

Asked whether he meant Roman Abramovich or Oleg Deripaska, Usmanov said they are “big businessmen, leading businessmen, the best businessmen, talented businessmen, and so on, and so on.”

Another oligarch said through his spokesman that “for sure” Usmanov was speaking of Vladimir Potanin (lead image, right).

Almost every Russian in the land believes Usmanov is lying. According to a nationwide poll in April, 94% said they consider there are oligarchs in Russia; 3% said there are not; and 3% said it was difficult for them to answer.

A poll of the leading business editors and reporters in Moscow this week, plus bankers and the staffs of the oligarchs themselves, also found it difficult to identify whom Usmanov was referring to as the last oligarch. These sources mentioned so many names that the poll demonstrates the opposite of what Usmanov is claiming. But none of the journalists wished to be named themselves. This reveals not only that they believe the oligarchs continue in wealth, but also that they are powerful enough to attack any reporter whose remarks they don’t approve of.

The Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VTsIOM) polled a nationwide sample of Russians in April on whether they identify the oligarchs as a group with a combination of economic and political power in the country. In the survey release almost half of those who recognize the oligarchs said they are a force for harm; 9% said they are a force for good; and 36% said the oligarchs do both. Men were more hostile than women; rural residents more than urban ones; the poor more than the well-off.

Our Western oligarchs, to use that name, are rather plentiful in their own right, and if running the equivalency of Vedomosti it could be repeated that 'they are powerful enough to attack any reporter whose remarks they don’t approve of," which is why our press are mute most of the time - with the possibility of the deeper state weighing in at anytime when journalists go out of the corral.

What this group at Vedomosti had of recent mind re violating 'editorial standards' was obviously not welcomed for print, for source.

East or West, these issues (going back centuries to some extent), particularly as has been seen in the last two years, let alone the last two decades or so, leaves one without possible resolve on the horizon. We have all these journalistic ethics, oaths and declarations that don't amount to a hill of beans as the half-truth's, manipulations, lies and outright attacks have become staples in the information diet. Of course, it needs information consumers who do not mind the diet.

A bit of a lament, yet I don't know what the answer is other than by each individual journalist at a time, one after the other in full support of each other making a stand (like some brave souls do), and yet again perhaps it is too far gone to change any of it now with the types of controls buttoning it all down.

 

[angelburst29]

What the BBC is trying to promote "as satire" - is pure devious character assassination of a Countries President! Shame on THEM!

BBC's 'Vladimir Putin' talk show prompts sharp intake of breath in Russia
BBC's 'Vladimir Putin' talk show prompts sharp intake of breath in Russia [IMG alt="BBC's satirical show, called Tonight With Vladimir Putin, uses a three-dimensional cartoon of Putin interviewing real guests in front of an audience.
"]https://www.straitstimes.com/sites/....jpg?itok=-avuwvBz&timestamp=1558667457[/IMG]
BBC's satirical show, called "Tonight With Vladimir Putin", uses a three-dimensional cartoon of Putin interviewing real guests in front of an audience. PHOTO: AFP

Published Friday May 24, 2019

LONDON (NYTIMES) - Whether it be the suspicion that he meddled in the Brexit referendum or the accusation that he ordered the poisoning of a former spy, President Vladimir Putin of Russia stirs strong emotions in Britain.

Now, the BBC is hoping to mine the Russian leader's fame - or infamy - with a comedy series presented by a digital effigy of Mr Putin, who cackles in a trailer for the programme that his next great geopolitical victory will be to host the "No. 1 chat show in the UK".

The satirical show, called "Tonight With Vladimir Putin", uses a three-dimensional cartoon of Mr Putin interviewing real guests in front of an audience, the BBC announced on Wednesday (May 22).

Whether the Kremlin will see the funny side is debatable.

"He doesn't often get mocked and I don't think that he'll like it," said Dr Joanna Szostek, a lecturer in political communication at the University of Glasgow.

"It's not going to help bilateral relations, obviously," Dr Szostek added, noting that Moscow was likely to see the show as politically motivated because it considered the BBC a propaganda arm of the British government. The tone of the show could feed the Kremlin narrative that Western criticism of Mr Putin was driven by an anti-Russian agenda, she said.

The Putin caricature begins the trailer provocatively. "Greetings, people of the 'United Kingdom'!" the digital puppet yells outside Buckingham Palace, miming air quotes in a less-than-subtle reference to the bruising political battles around Britain's departure from the European Union and the fractious elections for the European Parliament which are being held this week.

In the first episode, planned to air on June 14, "Mr Putin" - or "everybody's favorite bear-wrestling global strongman", as the BBC described him - will meet Mr Alastair Campbell, the one-time spokesman for former prime minister Tony Blair. In the next episode, the digital host will try "to get his head around feminism" in a discussion with comedian and podcaster Deborah Frances-White, according to the statement.

The sharp intake of breath from observers of Russian politics was almost audible after the BBC's announcement. Comments on Twitter from Moscow-based journalists and researchers included a face-palm emoji in reaction to the puppet's accent and a warning that the broadcaster was "playing with fire".

In Russia, such a caricature would be unthinkable nowadays. A show in the 1990s on the Russian network NTV, called "Puppets", featured a cartoon figure of Mr Putin and other prominent politicians, including former president Boris Yeltsin. But the show was discontinued soon after Mr Putin assumed the presidency in 2000 and nothing like it has been shown on television since.

Mr Dmitri Peskov, the Kremlin's spokesman, dismissed the BBC show in a conference call with journalists on Thursday. "Lots of books have been written about Putin, lots of caricatures have been drawn, lots of puppets and cartoons have been created," he said.

"Putin hasn't read books about himself or looked at caricatures," Mr Peskov added. "He doesn't want to take after them. Let these caricatures take after him."

Russia Today, the English-language network that is widely seen as part of the Kremlin's propaganda machine, also raised an arched eyebrow.

"The show appears to be a regurgitated dystopian nightmare," the Russian broadcaster said on its website.

"Surprisingly, many people were able to overcome bouts of nausea and cringe-induced spasms long enough to air their disgust," the article said, citing negative reaction on Twitter.

A spokesman for the BBC said on Wednesday that the show's creators would not be available to comment.

BBC Has No 'Permission' For Putin Image In New 3D Talk Show, Kremlin Says
BBC Has No 'Permission' For Putin Image In New 3D Talk Show, Kremlin Says

The BBC's Tonight With Vladimir Putin

The Kremlin says the BBC never requested permission to use the image of Vladimir Putin in a new program featuring a 3D animation of the Russian president.

“No, [the authors of the program] have not asked us for this," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS on May 23.

The BBC has described Tonight With Vladimir Putin as a “television first” with technology making it possible for a “3D digital cartoon of Putin to walk around and sit behind the desk, interviewing real human guests in front of a studio audience, all in real time.”

The show has yet to air, but two 12-minute pilots have been recorded.

In a short preview for the show, the Putin character appears outside Buckingham Palace talking about the “forbidden delights of the West,” including blue jeans and rock and roll.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1130972065169858560

‘Vladimir Putin’ Talk Show in U.K. Prompts Sharp Intake of Breath in Russia - The New York Times

Published on May 23, 2019 (3:58 min.)
(Video comes up "as error".)

Russian broadcaster hits out at BBC show parodying Putin
Russian broadcaster hits out at BBC show parodying Putin

Russia’s government-owned news service RT has denounced a BBC comedy chatshow featuring a 3D animation of Vladimir Putin interviewing the likes of Alastair Campbell.

The BBC described Tonight With Vladimir Putin, which has yet to air, as a “television first” with new technology enabling a “3D digital cartoon of Putin to walk around and sit behind the desk, interviewing real human guests in front of a studio audience, all in real time.”

In response, RT – described this month by the British foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, as a “weapon of disinformation” – published an article describing the show’s concept as a “regurgitated dystopian nightmare copied from the popular Channel 4/Netflix series Black Mirror but bastardized almost beyond recognition”.

It said: “Surprisingly, many people were able to overcome bouts of nausea and cringe-induced spasms long enough to air their disgust at what their compulsory licence fee is funding these days.”

It went on to criticise the rest of the BBC’s comedy output and suggested the hit TV show Mrs Brown’s Boys counted as a “potential crime against humanity”.

Along with Campbell, guests on the Putin show include the TV presenters Joe Swash and June Sarpong. The latter plays “a game of Diversity Challenge” with the animation of the Russian president.

A BBC statement said: “Forget global politics, landing two pilot episodes on BBC Two of his soon-to-be world-famous chatshow marks the ultimate victory for Vlad, leader of the free world.” It described Putin as “everybody’s favourite bear-wrestling global strongman”.

The Putin character is written and performed by the comedian Natt Tapley, who has previously worked on Have I Got News for You.

 

[angelburst29]

Lavrov recalled that under the Declaration Russia and Japan agreed on taking steps to achieve a peace treaty, and this implies the recognition of the outcome of WWII.

Tokyo recognized USSR’s ownership of Kuril Islands in 1956 Declaration, Lavrov says

© Sergei Krasnoukhov/TASS

TOKYO, May 31, 2019 - The wording of the 1956 Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration on a peace treaty shows that Tokyo then considered
the Southern Kuril Islands as an inalienable part of the Soviet Union's territory, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters on Friday.

"We have never rejected the 1956 Declaration, unlike Japan, which was forced by the Americans to put its implementation on hold, by signing a treaty on a military alliance in 1962," Lavrov said.

Since the first days of his presidency, Russian President Vladimir Putin has stressed that Moscow will have a responsible approach to all commitments undertaken by the Soviet Union, he noted.

Lavrov recalled that under the Declaration Russia and Japan agreed on taking steps to achieve a peace treaty, and this implies the recognition of the outcome of World War II. The Declaration says that after signing this agreement Moscow will be ready to solve the border disengagement issue as a good will gesture and to meet the Japanese people’s interests, he noted.

"The mere fact that the basis of such a prospect was defined as the Soviet Union’s good will gesture and its intention to take into account the interests of the Japanese people means only one thing - at the moment of signing the declaration both sides considered these islands as an inalienable part of the Soviet territory," Lavrov said. "Without recognizing this fact it is impossible to move forward on the basis of the declaration."

Lavrov invites Japan's top diplomat to visit Russia
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that he invited his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono to visit Russia.

"The minister has my invitation to visit Russia, so that our contacts continue," Lavrov said after talks with Kono. This was the second meeting between the foreign ministers this month. On May 10, Kono visited Moscow for another round of consultations on the peace treaty.

Japan says Russia supports its plan to help ease U.S.-Iran tensions

Russia expressed support for Japan's intention to play a role in helping ease tensions between Iran and the United States, an official in Tokyo said on Thursday after a meeting of Japan and Russia's foreign and defense ministers.

Russia rebuffs Japan's military buildup warning: RIA

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that Russia was only operating on its own territory after Japan accused Moscow of a military buildup on a chain of islands in the Pacific, RIA news agency reported.

Russia's Putin, Japan's Abe to hold summit meet on June 29

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will hold a summit meeting on June 29, when Putin visits Japan for a meeting of leaders of the Group of 20 nations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the unveiling of a statue of Davorin Hostnik, a Slovenian philologist and author of the first Russian-Slovenian dictionary, Smartno Pri Litiji, Slovenia, May 29 © Mikhail Japaridze/TASS

 

[Ca.]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1136698372017008640

Jun 06, 2019, 12:00 PM CDT
Russia doesn’t need oil prices to be too high and sees the $60-65 a barrel price—the price at which Brent Crude currently trades—as “quite satisfactory,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with media on Thursday.

“The Russian processing industry itself is not interested in very high oil prices. Well, the average price around 60-65 dollars per barrel is quite satisfactory, we don’t need to drive up [price] to the top, we already have a decent margin, in terms of budget,” Russian news agency TASS quoted Putin as saying at the meeting with heads of news agencies today.

Russia’s budget is based on a price of oil at $40 a barrel, the president said, adding that at that price Moscow can replenish its gold and forex reserves.

Russia will consider all factors currently shaping the oil market, including the production declines in Iran and Venezuela and the risk of outages in Nigeria and Libya, as well as demand for crude and refined oil products in the summer, Putin said, but refrained from commenting on what Russia and its OPEC partners should do next.

At the end of November last year, just before OPEC and its Russia-led allies decided to implement another round of production cuts until June this year, Putin said that $60 oil is comfortable enough for Russia.

However, OPEC and Saudi Arabia, the cartel’s de facto leader and key partner of Russia in the OPEC+ deal, are definitely not comfortable with oil prices at $60, as Saudi Arabia needs the price of oil at $85 to balance its budget. Related: Oil Sands Production To Hit 4 Million Bpd By 2030

Russia and Putin are not giving away any hints into what the Russian position would be at the next OPEC+ meeting currently scheduled for June 25-26.

Yet, Igor Sechin, the chief executive of Russia’s largest oil producer Rosneft, said earlier this week that the company was in talks with the government for possible compensation for losses in case OPEC+ decides to extend the production cut deal through the end of the year.

Due to the production cuts, Russia’s economy is expected to grow by just 1.2 percent in 2019, a downward revision from a previous estimate for 1.5-percent growth, the World Bank said this week.

‘No way!’: Russia’s Health Ministry vocally decries calls to ban abortions

Outlawing abortions won’t increase the population, but will cause a spike in maternal deaths, Russia’s deputy health minister has warned. The Orthodox Church has recently been pushing for a ban.

www.rt.com

Published time: 6 Jun, 2019 16:30
Outlawing abortions won’t increase the population, but will cause a spike in maternal deaths, Russia’s deputy health minister has warned. The Orthodox Church has recently been pushing for a ban.

“We won’t solve the problem with restrictive measures, but only make it worse,” Deputy Health Minister Tatyana Yakovleva said, adding that she was a pediatrician herself and knew the issue from the inside.

Making abortions illegal “will only lead to increased maternal and infant mortality as well as criminalization of the situation. No way!” she warned the guests of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

Besides, the Russian state has already successfully managed to bring the abortion rate down through consulting and supporting women, Yakovleva pointed out. According to her stats, 582,000 such operations, not caused by medical grounds, were performed in the country in 2013, while last year the number of abortions requested by females only stood at 294,450.

The trend reveals that women in Russia are themselves trying to avoid having an abortion if it’s possible, she said.

The deputy minister’s words were in sharp contrast with a recent statement by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, who insisted that Russia’s population will increase to 156 million by 2029 and to 166 million by 2039 if induced termination of pregnancy is made illegal.

In recent years, the Church has been actively advocating a ban on free abortions, saying that it’s wrong that state funds are used to “kill life.” The initiative garnered some support from the public, and backing from a number of MPs, but never came close to becoming a law.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1136453924272181248

On April 26, 1986, a steam explosion and subsequent fire at the No. 4 reactor of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, near the Belarusian border — then part of the Soviet Union — projected a plume of radioactive material into the sky. The subsequent contamination, driven by prevailing weather systems, would span across Eurasia. Over 30 years later, an exclusion zone with a radius of roughly 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) is still enforced. The catastrophic accident was the result of a flawed reactor design and lapsed safety protocols and the incident severely damaged the reputation of Soviet (now Russian) nuclear power production. In fact, the Russian nuclear sector — now led by state-owned company Rosatom — may never fully escape the ghost of Chernobyl.

Stratfor Senior Science and Technology Analyst Rebecca Keller and Senior Eurasia Analyst Eugene Chausovsky join Editorial Director Ben Sheen to explore the implications of the Chernobyl incident, then and now.

Nuclear Options: What Chernobyl Taught the World About Nuclear Power - Stratfor Podcast - Backtracks Player
Run Time / 16:00 Minuets Emily Hawthorne


Russia will address the United Nations to declare victory in World War II as the ‘heritage of humanity,’ while also making the monuments to those who fought against the Nazis as part of a global memorial.

The speaker of the Upper House of the Russian Parliament, Valentina Matviyenko, shared those plans with UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). Russian MPs have already made the same offer to their colleagues in foreign parliaments, she added.

The call to recognize the victory against the Nazis as the ‘heritage of humanity’ and protect the monuments to WWII troops was formulated during the Livadia International Humanitarian Forum, which took place in the Crimea’s Yalta earlier this week and was attended by representatives of 50 countries.

The Black Sea resort was the venue of the historic Yalta Conference in 1945, during which Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill, decided how the world was to be shaped after WWII.

During the Livadia event, Matviyenko promised that those proposals of the forum will be included in the draft resolution of the 74th UN General Assembly in New York in September.

The Federation Council speaker vowed that the parliament will to do everything to make sure “that no dirty hand will be allowed to destroy the monuments to those who died while protecting Europe; defending it from Nazis.”

She also decried the Western attempts to diminish the decisive role of the Soviet Union in the WWII victory, warning that attempts to rewrite history cause the rise of neo-Nazism in Europe and elsewhere.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1136626294697988096

 

[angelburst29]

Russian police uncovered around $3 million worth of stolen diamonds, and over $2.5 million in cash, at the homes of a criminal ring operating inside state-controlled diamond producer Alrosa, authorities said on Monday.

Russian police uncover diamond theft gang inside state mining firm Alrosa

Plastic bags with various diamonds, seized during an investigation, are shown in this undated photo released June 10, 2019. The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation/Handout via REUTERS

Alrosa, the world's largest producer of rough diamonds in carat terms. confirmed that security services had uncovered an ongoing diamond theft ring in its sorting and grading department.

Russia’s Investigative Committee said in a statement that three suspects, one of whom is an Alrosa employee, have been placed in custody by a Russian court.

“Alrosa completely confirms information from Russia’s FSB (security service) about the interception of an extensive scheme to steal rough diamonds in the company’s United Selling Organization,” Alrosa said in a statement, referring to its valuation and sales department.

Alrosa competes with Anglo American's De Beers, the biggest seller of rough diamonds by value.

The suspects were caught red-handed last Thursday attempting to steal another batch of diamonds worth over 22 million rubles ($340,000), investigators said.

During the course of their subsequent investigation, a bigger cache of diamonds and cash was found, as well as jewelry and dozens of diamond-encrusted watches.

A video shared by the Investigative Committee showed several opened safes filled with wads of $100 bills, Tiffany and Dior jewelry boxes, and multiple plastic bags of unpolished diamonds of different shapes and colors.


The court ordered that the three suspects be held in custody while the investigation continues.

“A few years ago the company announced its focus on rooting out corruption cases. This focus will be continued,” Alrosa said in its statement, adding its own security team had been involved in the investigation.

Alrosa produced 36.7 million carats of diamonds last year.

 

[Ca.]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1138495735987625984

https://twitter.com/x/status/1138489216923578368

https://twitter.com/x/status/1138475984334729216

Earlier, charges against Ivan were dropped - initially, they included producing, selling and transporting drugs
June 11, 18:20 UTC+3
MOSCOW, June 11. /TASS/. Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev will ask the Russian president to dismiss Major-General Andrei Puchkov, the chief of Moscow’s Western Administrative District police force, which opened a criminal case against Ivan Golunov, an investigative reporter of the Internet resource Meduza.

"I have made a decision to ask the Russian president to dismiss the chief of the Moscow Western Administrative District’s police force Major-General Andrei Puchkov and chief of the Drug Control Directorate of the Moscow police force, Major-General Yuri Devyatkin," Kolokoltsev told the media on Tuesday

International Biathlon Union called the dates of the next world championships

MOSCOW, June 11 - RIA News. The Executive Committee of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) determined the dates for the World Championships 2021 and 2023, according to the IBU official website.

The World Cup 2021 will be held in Slovenian Pokljuka from February 10 to 21. Two years later, the tournament will be held in German Oberhof from February 8 to 19.

Also announced that the extraordinary IBU congress will be held from 18 to 20 October in Munich. The next meeting of the executive committee of the union will be held from 13 to 14 July in the Czech Znojmo.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1138431984294928384

The Russian ship almost collided with the American one. The press service of the Pacific Fleet reported that on the morning of June 7 in the East China Sea, the US Navy Chancellorsville cruiser suddenly crossed the course of the large anti-submarine ship Admiral Vinogradov. It is noted that the American cruiser suddenly changed direction and passed just 50 meters from the Russians. To avoid a collision, the crew of "Admiral Vinogradov" was forced to make emergency maneuvering. “On the international wave, the command of the American ship was protested and pointed out the inadmissibility of such actions,” RIA Novosti quotes representatives of Russian sailors.

The former commander of the Northern Fleet, Admiral Vyacheslav Popov, told NSN that such incidents could have occurred either due to the carelessness of the captains, or as a result of malicious intent.

“If the distance between the ships was really 50 meters, then I don’t even know what to call it. Just rudeness! Because for ships of such a displacement, such as a large anti-submarine ship or a cruiser ship, to move closer to such distances at sea is either complete ignorance of the maneuvering maneuver, or deliberate malicious actions. Educated sailors of any fleet do not allow such things. This is a very dangerous maneuver that could lead to a collision. If this is all properly documented, here it is possible to reach a diplomatic note. Because self-respecting sailors carrying the flag of a serious state should not allow such things into the sea. Even in Soviet times, we didn’t maneuver on the open waters on neutral waters, ”he added.

In turn, the US Navy accused Admiral Vinogradov of what happened. Representatives called the “unsafe” actions of the Russian warship, which the American missile cruiser almost collided with, the Seventh Fleet press service said.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1137959737109204992

Translated from Russian by Microsoft
#Russia #Moscow Approaching the end of the SVD era Chukavin Sniper Rifle - Microwave, created as a replacement for the outdated SVD concern "Kalashnikov" in caliber308 Win 7.62x54 and 338. lapua Magnum at a presentation in Moscow.

 

[angelburst29]

© Mikhail Klimentyev/Press service of the Russian president/TASS

Foreign leaders congratulate Putin on Russia Day
MOSCOW - Leaders across the world have congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on Russia Day, a national holiday celebrated annually on June 12.

The declaration of Russia’s sovereignty was passed by the 1st Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic on June 12, 1990, 29 years ago. The day was later announced as the national holiday by the presidential decree. The official name, Russia Day, was given to the holiday in 2002.


Russia’s ‘Independence Day’: How June 12 became a national holiday

© Maxim Korotchenko/TASS

Declaration of State Sovereignty
On June 12, 1990, the 1st Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR, part of the Soviet Union) adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the RSFSR. The document declared the primacy of the Constitution and the laws of the Russian republic over the Soviet Union’s legislation, establishing equal rights for all citizens, political parties and non-governmental organizations, the principle of separation of powers into three branches, namely the legislative, executive and judicial and the necessity to substantially expand the rights of the regions. The document also stated that the Declaration is the basis to frame a new constitution. In all, 907 deputies voted to adopt the document, 13 voted against it, while 9 abstained. Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet Boris Yeltsin signed the Declaration.

Holiday established
On June 11, 1992, the Supreme Soviet of Russia published a decree designating June 12 as a public holiday. On September 25, 1992, the corresponding amendments were introduced into the Russian Labor Code.


Holiday’s history in Russia
On Russia Day, the country traditionally holds holiday concerts, mass open air celebrations and sports events.

On June 12, 1995, the holiday was celebrated for the first time. The first ceremony of awarding the State Prizes (introduced in 1992-1993) in science and technology, literature and the arts was held in the Kremlin on that day. In later years, the State Prize awarding ceremonies on June 12 became a tradition. The holiday also received the unofficial title of "Independence Day". This wording has never been used in the official documents, but can be seen in the media, appears on placards and banners.

In 1998, then Russian President Boris Yeltsin proposed calling this day "Day of Adoption of the Declaration of State Sovereignty of RSFSR" - Russia Day - in his address to the nation broadcasted by the main TV channels. However, the holiday was officially renamed only on February 1, 2002, when the new Labor Code came into force with all the official public holidays set out.

Since 2001, Russia Day has been celebrated with fireworks in Moscow and in other cities around the country.

 

[Ca.]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1140323463527305218

Translated from Russian by Microsoft
Take out the Proton-M launch vehicle with the Spectrum-RG X-ray telescope. An unparalleled observatory. Launch on June 21! #КосмосРоссии

https://twitter.com/x/status/1140308563946037249

Translated from Russian by Microsoft
On this day on June 16, 1963 on the vostok-6 spacecraft Valentina Tereshkova became the world's first female cosmonaut in space in earth orbit!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1139850811046006784

Putin-Trump meeting in Osaka may be prepared on the eve of G20 - Kremlin

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that if the two presidents meet "on the go" they won’t manage to discuss the whole range of issues on the bilateral agenda

tass.com

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that if the two presidents meet "on the go" they won’t manage to discuss the whole range of issues on the bilateral agend
16 Jun, 14:48
YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK, June 16. /TASS/. A full-fledged meeting between the Russian and US Presidents, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, in the framework of the G20 summit in Japan’s Osaka may be prepared by the leaders’ teams even on the eve of this event, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday.

Speaking in an interview with the program "Moscow. Kremlin. Putin" on the Rossiya-1 TV channel, Peskov noted that if the two presidents meet "on the go" they won’t manage to discuss the whole range of issues on the bilateral agenda.

"This [the meeting’s organization] may happen even on the eve of the G20’s beginning," Peskov said.

In comment on Trump’s earlier statement on his readiness to meet with the Chinese and Russian sides and other countries at the G20 summit, Peskov said the US leader probably meant brief meetings. "They won’t manage [to discuss] the amount of issues, which they need to discuss and what is indeed on the agenda," he noted.

Putin and Trump were expected to meet on the sidelines of the previous Group of Twenty summit, in Argentina last December, but the US president cancelled it literally a day before the agreed date. Following this move, the Russian side said it was ready for dialogue with the United States but on conditions that such a contact was initiated by Washington.

Earlier this week, Kremlin Aide Yuri Ushakov told journalists that the idea of a possible Putin-Trump meeting on the sidelines of the Group of Twenty summit was up in the air, as "after outlining this idea, the US side has not yet specified it."

At a meeting with President Putin in Sochi on May 14, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo spoke about potential readiness to organize such a meeting. However, no official US request has been ever issued.

The Group of Twenty summit will be held in Osaka, Japan, on June 27-28.

Trump denies New York Times’ report on more frequent US cyber-attacks against Russia

The newspaper reported earlier that Washington made more frequent attempts during the last year to introduce malware programs into the Russian energy system

tass.com

The newspaper reported earlier that Washington made more frequent attempts during the last year to introduce malware programs into the Russian energy system
NEW YORK. June 16. /TASS/. Assertions made by the New York Times that US special services became much more active during the last year in attempts to introduce malware into the Russian energy system run contrary to facts, US President Donald Trump said.

"Do you believe that the Failing New York Times just did a story stating that the United States is substantially increasing Cyber Attacks on Russia," Trump tweeted. "This is a virtual act of Treason by a once great paper so desperate for a story, any story, even if bad for our Country," the US President said. This is not true, he added.

"Anything goes with our Corrupt News Media today," Trump tweeted. "They will do, or say, whatever it takes, with not even the slightest thought of consequence!" he wrote.

The New York Times reported earlier, citing sources, that Washington made more frequent attempts during the last year to introduce malware programs into the Russian energy system.

Pentagon representatives did not respond earlier to a request from TASS to clarify whether assertions in the publication correspond to facts.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1140333411866939393

Russia floats out new ice-class patrol ship

The Project 22100 ‘Polyarnaya Zvezda' lead ship is designed to efficiantly protecting the state border and Russia’s lawful interests in the northern seas of the Arctic Ocean and in the western Arctic

tass.com

The Project 22100 ‘Polyarnaya Zvezda' lead ship is designed to efficiantly protecting the state border and Russia’s lawful interests in the northern seas of the Arctic Ocean and in the western Arctic
MOSCOW, June 14. /TASS/. The Zelenodolsk Shipyard in the Republic of Tatarstan in the Volga area has floated out the second serial-produced ice-class patrol ship Anadyr.

"Today we are present at a remarkable event of floating out the ‘Okean-’ [‘Ocean’]-series 1st rank ship Anadyr," Head of the Coast Guard Department within the Border Guard Service of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) Admiral Gennady Medvedev said.

The Project 22100 ‘Polyarnaya Zvezda’ (‘Polar Star’) lead ship "is today successfully accomplishing the tasks of protecting the state border and Russia’s economic and other lawful interests in the northern seas of the Arctic Ocean and in the western Arctic region," the admiral said.

It can be stated today that "ships of this Project are in no way inferior to the world’s best vessels of this class (both Russian and foreign) and outshine them by some parameters," he stressed.

The new-generation ‘Okean’ (‘Ocean’) Project coast guard patrol ship developed by the Almaz Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering (St. Petersburg) is the first vessel in Russia’s modern history fully designed in compliance with the requirements of sea border guards.

Project 22100 ‘Okean’ ice-class vessels are designed to protect Russia’s exclusive economic zone. The ships of this class can also take part in operations to search for and rescue crews and passengers from the water surface and provide support for Special Forces of Russia’s Federal Security Service in fighting terrorism and piracy and countering smuggling and illegal migration.

The Project 22100 lead vessel Polyarnaya Zvezda (Polar Star) is currently in service with the FSB’s Border Guard Department for the Western Arctic District. Two more vessels of this class are currently at the stage of their construction at the Zelenodolsk Shipyard.

Sovcomflot Chooses Orange Business Services' VSAT for its Arctic fleet

Russian shipping company Sovcomflot has chosen Orange Business Services to deploy an advanced Mariti...

www.maritime-executive.com

Russian shipping company Sovcomflot has chosen Orange Business Services to deploy an advanced Maritime VSAT solution on eight vessels. This initial rollout will keep the ships connected even when operating on the high seas, improving safety and optimizing navigation in challenging conditions. In addition, this solution will make it easier for crews to stay in touch with friends and family, which is essential to keep staff morale high.

The first ships to receive the solution during this initial rollout phase are the Arctic shuttle tankers Mikhail Ulyanov and Kirill Lavrov, which are the largest oil tankers built in Russia. Three other tankers operating in the Arctic will also be connected, along with three supply vessels, which ensure the safe operation of offshore platforms in the Russian Far East.

The Orange solution automatically chooses the best quality satellite available to optimize the vessels’ connection to the corporate network. Sovcomflot will use the network to transmit the vessels’ telemetry data from onboard cameras and sensors to its Fleet Operations Center in St Petersburg. This allows Sovcomflot to monitor the condition of its fleet in real time and optimize routing based on factors such as weather or sea ice movements.

Sovcomflot is the largest shipping company in Russia and one of the world's leaders in energy shipping. It transports oil and liquified gas, and services offshore oil and gas exploration and production, with a special focus on operating in harsh environments. Sovcomflot has a fleet of 146 vessels, more than 80 of which have an ice class, enabling safe operations in regions with challenging ice conditions.

“With Sovcomflot, Orange Business Services once again demonstrates its expertise as a leader in Maritime Satellite solutions and reaffirms its ambition to connect people and companies wherever they are on the globe, including in the remote Arctic. Thanks to our intelligent satellite solution that automatically connects to the highest quality network, Sovcomflot can support crew welfare and safety while ensuring business continuity,” said Richard van Wageningen, senior vice president IMEAR, Orange Business Services.

 

[Keit]

Hundreds of guests take part in annual Sevastopol Officer's Ball

Russian naval officers, their partners, civilian couples and attaches from countries such as Armenia, Venezuela and Syria arrived in Sevastopol, Crimea, for the ball on Sunday night.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[angelburst29]

MOSCOW, June 20, 2019 - About 2.2 million questions received for Putin’s televised Q&A session
About 2.2 million questions received for Putin’s televised Q&A session

Alexei Nikolsky/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

About 2.182 million questions and messages came to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s annual televised question-and-answer session, the Rossiya-24 television channel said on Thursday after Putin’s seventeenth session.

Initially, Rossiya-24 cited preliminary data of about 2.6 million questions

Notably, about 600,000 calls and messages were received during the four-hour session only, despite the DDoS attacks.

Such question-and-answer sessions have been held annually since 2001. About 400,000 questions were received by the first session. A record of 3.25 million questions was set in 2015. The figure has been between 2.5 to 2.8 million in the recent years.

Vladimir Putin's Q&A marathon in pictures
Vladimir Putin's Q&A marathon in pictures
The Q&A session dubbed the "Direct Line with Vladimir Putin" was the 17th one held since 2001

Highlights: Vladimir Putin's annual question and answer session
Following are highlights of Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual question and answer session which was broadcast live on state television on Thursday.

ON DUTCH ALLEGATIONS RUSSIA WAS LINKED TO 2014 DOWNING OF MH17 PASSENGER PLANE OVER UKRAINE

“Russia has never evaded responsibility when responsibility lay on its shoulders. What was presented as proof of Russia’s responsibility does not satisfy us at all. There is no proof there. Everything that was presented does not say anything. We have our own version, we have presented it. But unless we have normal dialogue, we won’t find the right answer to the questions that remain unanswered.”

ON POSSIBLE U.S. MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAN
“This would be a catastrophe for the region, at the very least. Because this would lead to a surge in violence and, maybe, an increase in the number of refugees from the region. For those who would make such attempts, it could also have gloomy consequences, because it’s very difficult to work out in advance what may follow the use of military force.”

“We would not want this scenario to unfold.”

ON ALLEGED CYBER ATTACKS AGAINST RUSSIAN INFRASTRUCTURE
“First of all we more than once offered our American partners to start a dialogue to come up with cyber space regulations, including those that have impact on strategic infrastructure and the media. But we haven’t received any cohesive response yet.

ON TIES WITH WASHINGTON
“Dialogue is always good and needed. If the American side shows interest, of course we are ready for such dialogue. We see what is happening in U.S. domestic politics. There are many restrictions from different institutions, so I think it won’t be that easy... We have things to discuss, both in the field of international security and the economy, among other things.”

ON CAPTURED UKRAINIAN SAILORS
“The release of the Ukrainian sailors who were detained as part of an incident near the Kerch Strait.... issues like this should not be resolved in isolation. Before resolving these issues, we should think about how to resolve the fate of people we are concerned about, including Russian citizens who are in a similar situation in Ukraine.”

ON SANCTIONS
“We are accused of occupying Donbass (in Ukraine) - That’s complete nonsense and lies. But China has nothing to do with it (Ukraine). (U.S.) tariffs on its goods are essentially sanctions as well. They are growing and growing.”
“As for sanctions, my point of view is that it’s a big mistake from the American side. I hope that one day the realization will come and that this will be fixed.”

ON U.S. RESTRICTIONS ON HUAWEI
“An attack on Huawei. Where did it come from? And what is the point of it? The only point is to hold back China’s development, which has become a global competitor for another global power - the United States. The same thing is happening in respect of Russia and will be happening going forward.”

ON RUSSIANS’ REAL DISPOSABLE INCOMES
“It’s true that real incomes have been falling for several years. The biggest fall was in 2016, but now incomes have gradually started to recover.”

ON CONSUMER LENDING
“One of the significant elements of (household) expenses today are loan repayments. Banks today give out loans that are secured against 40 percent of wages, which is risky. In my opinion, the central bank should pay attention to this, because we don’t want to create these bubbles in the economy.”

ON RUSSIA’S NEW INTERNET LAW
“This has nothing to do with restrictions on the Internet. We have already spoken about Chinese firm Huawei. The United States took a decision and restricted its operations. Most servers are abroad. I hope it won’t come to this (the U.S. switching off servers to hurt Russia), that they won’t go that far because it would destroy their own system... but in theory, if these servers were switched off and their operations compromised, then we have to ensure that the “Runet,” the Russian segment of the Internet, functions in a reliable way.”

Putin: ready for Trump talks but U.S. elections could complicate ties

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he was ready to hold talks with Donald Trump if that was what his U.S. counterpart wanted, but added that Trump's re-election campaign could complicate U.S.-Russia relations.

Putin says U.S. attack on Iran would be a catastrophe

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that a U.S. military attack on Iran would be a catastrophe for the Middle East that would trigger a surge in violence and a possible refugee exodus.

Putin: Fate of captured Ukrainian sailors must be tied to jailed Russians

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the fate of 24 Ukrainian sailors held in Russia since last year must be linked to the release of Russian citizens held in Ukraine whom Moscow wants to see freed.

 

[goyacobol]

About 2.182 million questions and messages came to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s annual televised question-and-answer session, the Rossiya-24 television channel said on Thursday after Putin’s seventeenth session.

I can't even imagine if a U.S. president was anywhere close to attempting to be this engaged with American voters. I have to say Putin is AMAZING in my book.

 

[angelburst29]

On June 22, 1941, German troops invaded the Soviet Union's territory.

Russia marks Day of Memory and Sorrow commemorating start of 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War
Russia marks Day of Memory and Sorrow commemorating start of 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War

The Victory Museum facade illuminated as part of the Memory Candle event. 1,418 candles burn for each day of the Great Patriotic War.
© Mikhail Tereshchenko/TASS

June 22, the day when the Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union and the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 began, is marked as the Day of Memory and Sorrow in Russia.

Great Patriotic War
On June 22, 1941, German troops invaded the Soviet Union’s territory. German planes dropped bombs on Kiev (now the capital of Ukraine), Minsk (now the capital of Belarus), Riga (now the capital of Latvia), Sevastopol (Crimea) and other cities and towns. The war lasted 1,418 days. A total of 27 million Soviet people were killed, including 18 million civilians and 8.7 million servicemen. Four million people were tortured and killed at Nazi death camps. Some 4.5 million Red Army soldiers and officers were captured, and 2.5 million of them died in captivity.

On June13, 1992, the presidium of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation declared that June 22 should be marked as The Memory Day for Defenders of the Fatherland. On June 8, 1996, then President Boris Yeltsin issued a decree to rename it the Day of Memory and Sorrow.

Commemorative events
On June 22, all flags on the Russian territory are flown at half staff. All cultural centers, TV and radio stations are recommended to exclude entertainment events and shows from their schedule.

Senior Russian officials traditionally lay wreaths to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow. All across Russia, various events to honor the memory of WWII victims are held, and minutes of silence are observed.

Since 1994, Moscow holds the annual Memory Watch campaign to mark the sad date. Youth movements, war veterans and Moscow government officials traditionally take part. Overnight to June 22, participants gather near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on the Red Square to observe a minute of silence and lay wreaths to the monument, dedicated to all unidentified soldiers who lost their lives in the war.

Another notable campaign, the Candle of Memory, is held annually since 2009. On June 21, a memorial candle is lit at Moscow’s Yelokhovo Cathedral and is taken to the Hall of Memory and Grief of the Great Patriotic War museum on the Bow Hill. This candle is used to light many others, which are brought to WWII burial sites and monuments all over the country. In 2015, other former Soviet States, including Kazakhstan, Armenia and Belarus joined the campaign.

In 2009, the Memory Alley opened at Moscow’s Sparrow Hills. Overnight to June 22, people lit up candles and attach bells to tree branches there to honor the memory of the deceased.

Annually since 2017, a demilitarized convoy of armored vehicles departs from Moscow to Minsk and then returns back to Moscow. The event coincides with the beginning of the Great Patriotic War.

Besides, remains of WWII victims, discovered by search parties during the past year, are reburied with military honors on this day. Last year, such ceremonies took place in Central Russia’s city of Voronezh, in the northwestern regions of Novgorod, Vologda and Komi and south Russia’s Stavropol region.

June 22 is also marked in Belarus, as the day of Day of Remembrance of the victims of the Great Patriotic War, and in Ukraine, as the Day of Sorrow and Remembrance of Victims of War.

Memorial events to mark start of Great Patriotic War held in Washington
Memorial event to mark start of Great Patriotic War held in Washington

WASHINGTON, June 22, 2019 - A memorial event, headlined the Candle of Memory, took place near a WWII memorial in Washington on the Day of Memory and Sorrow, observed in Russia annually on June 22 to commemorate the start of the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War against the Nazi Germany and its allies.

At 21:00 local time on Friday (04:00 Moscow time on Saturday), participants lit up candles and laid a wreath to the to the Spirit of Elbe memorial. The monument commemorates the day when Soviet forces, advancing from the east, and American troops, advancing from the West, cut through the Wehrmacht divisions and met some 85 miles from Berlin, on the Elbe River.

The Candle of Memory is held annually in Russia since 2009. On June 21, a memorial candle is lit at Moscow’s Yelokhovo Cathedral and is taken to the Hall of Memory and Grief of the Great Patriotic War museum on the Bow Hill. This candle is used to light many others, which are brought to WWII burial sites and monuments all over the country. In 2015, other former Soviet States, including Kazakhstan, Armenia and Belarus joined the campaign.

This year's gathering was the third Candle of Memory event in the United States.

 

[angelburst29]

Georgians angry over Russian lawmaker's visit try to storm parliament

Crowds angry over the visit of a Russian lawmaker tried to storm Georgia's parliament building on Thursday evening, pushing against lines of riot police, throwing bottles and grabbing riot shields from some officers and tearing off their helmets.

Russia accuses Georgian opposition forces of trying to sabotage ties: TASS
Russia accused Georgian opposition forces on Friday of trying to prevent ties between the countries improving, the TASS news agency reported, a day after violent unrest in Tbilisi.

Georgia's parliament speaker resigns after violent unrest

Georgian Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze resigned on Friday, a day after violent protests outside the parliament building rocked Tbilisi, the ruling Georgian Dream party's secretary general Kakha Kaladze said.

Kremlin calls protest in Georgia a dangerous anti-Russian provocation
The Kremlin on Friday condemned a violent street protest in Georgia the previous night, calling it an anti-Russian provocation that had threatened the safety of Russian citizens.

Opposition in Georgia demand more resignations, early election
A coalition of opposition parties in Georgia on Friday demanded the interior minister's resignation, the release of protesters detained the previous night, and talks on holding an early parliamentary election, one opposition leader said.

Putin orders suspension of passenger flights from Russia to Georgia

Russian President Vladimir Putin has temporarily banned passenger flights from Russia to Georgia, the Kremlin said on Friday following an outbreak of unrest in Tbilisi triggered by the visit of a Russian lawmaker.

Georgia and Russia trade blame over unrest as crisis brews

Georgia and Russia traded blame on Friday for an outbreak of unrest in Tbilisi sparked by the visit of a Russian lawmaker with the Kremlin announcing it would suspend passenger flights between the two countries to protect its citizens.

Russia to suspend Georgian airlines flights to Russia from July 8
Russia will suspend passenger flights of Georgian airlines to Russia, the Transport Ministry said on Saturday following an outbreak of unrest in Tbilisi triggered by the visit of a Russian lawmaker.

Kremlin: Georgia in grip of Russophobic hysteria

Ex-Soviet Georgia is in the grip of a wave of Russophobic hysteria which is being artificially whipped up and is getting worse, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

Georgia 2020 parliament vote to use proportional system: ruling party head

A parliamentary election in Georgia in 2020 should be held under a proportional system, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, said on Monday.

Russia threatens more economic pain in standoff with Georgia

Russia on Monday served notice to ex-Soviet Georgia it faces painful consequences if anti-Russian protests are not brought under control, saying it was tightening controls on wine imports that bring Georgia millions of dollars in revenue each year.

Organizers of Tbilisi rallies plan to stage motor rally to interior ministry’s building
Organizers of Tbilisi rallies plan to stage motor rally to interior ministry’s building

TBILISI, June 23, 2019 - Mass protests in Tbilisi will be resumed on Monday. It is planned to stage a motor rally from the central Republic Square to the building of the interior ministry located several kilometers away, Shota Digmelashvili, one of the organizers of the rallies in front of the parliament building, said on Sunday.

According to Digmelashvili, the motor rally will be begin at two p.m., or during the lunch time in most of offices, to attract as many people as possible.

On June 20, thousands of protesters along with the opposition activists tries to break into the building of Georgia’s parliament demanding resignation of the interior minister and parliament speaker. Police used tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons to disperse the demonstrators. As many as 305 people were detained, 240 people were reported to be injured.

The rally followed a row over the participation of Russian State Duma member Sergei Gavrilov and other Russian delegates in the 26th session of the General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO). On Thursday morning, Gavrilov opened the IAO session inside the Georgian parliament’s building in the capacity of IAO president. Georgian opposition legislators were very angry Gavrilov addressed the delegates from the seat of the parliament speaker. In protest, the opposition disrupted the General Assembly. According to mass media reports, Gavrilov allegedly participated in combat operation in Abkhazia and Transnistria. Gavrilov refuted these allegations as untrue.

Georgia’s parliament speaker Irakli Kobakhidze stepped down amidst the protests on June 21.

Protests in front of the parliament building continued on Sunday. Protesters demanded resignation of Interior Minister Georgy Gakhariya, early parliamentary elections under the proportional representation system and release of those detained on Thursday. Clashes with police were reported.

Kremlin says flights to Georgia to resume once anti-Russian hysteria ends
Kremlin says flights to Georgia to resume once anti-Russian hysteria ends

MOSCOW, June 24. /TASS/. The resumption of airline flights from Russia to Georgia is possible after the situation in the country returns to non-Russophobic state, Russian President’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"The issued documents [the President’s decree on introducing a temporary ban on air travel from Russia to Georgia since July 8] show that there’s no specific time period. It is only about the return to non-Russophobic state. As soon as it is observed, it will be a reason to think about reconsidering this decision," Peskov said.

At the same time, Peskov said that he did not have an answer to the question of whether paid holiday packages of Russian tourists would be refunded. "I cannot answer your question, I do not know the details, we will try to find out," he said.

Putin imposed temporary restrictions on direct flights to Georgia to ensure the safety of Russians who may be in danger in that country, Peskov said.

He stressed that these measures could not be referred to as sanctions.

"Our journalists [in Georgia] faced the aggressive behavior of far-right nationalists, our parliamentarians faced aggressive attitude towards them," the Kremlin spokesman said. In his view, "these example are sufficient to understand that it could be dangerous [for Russians to travel to Georgia]." "Of course, these restrictions were imposed amid these risks," he explained.

According to Peskov, "so far the situation tends to deteriorate, there are certain symptoms of a domestic political crisis in Georgia." "This is not our affair, this is Georgia’s business. It is our affair when it becomes anti-Russian. This is something that makes us worry," he added.

Answering the question on how Moscow makes decision on restricting flights to certain countries, where anti-Russian statements are delivered or anti-Russian campaigns are launched, the Kremlin spokesman said that "the limit is very easy" when solving these problems. "If the situation in the countries where Russian MPs inside the Parliament’s building as part of an international event are attacked by extremists with very unambiguous slogans, which cannot be interpreted in any other way, then these countries are subject to special treatment and this is something to think about," Peskov clarified.

 

[angelburst29]

President Putin at G20, Osaka, .Japan.
Russia's Putin says liberal values are obsolete: Financial Times

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview published on Thursday that liberal values were obsolete because they had been rejected by the majority of the people in Western nations.

Putin expects no breakthrough from G20 summit
Putin expects no breakthrough from G20 summit

© Alexei Nikolsky/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

MOSCOW, June 27, 2019 - Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with Financial Times published by the Kremlin’s official website on Thursday that he did not expect any breakthrough results from the G20 summit in Osaka.

"I would very much like all the participants in this event, and the G20, in my opinion, is a key international economic development forum today, so I would like all the G20 members to reaffirm their intention - at least an intention - to work out some general rules that everyone would follow, and show their commitment and dedication to strengthening international financial and trade institutions," the Russian leader said.

"It is hard to expect any breakthroughs or landmark decisions in the current conditions; we can hardly count on it today," he added.

Putin: Meeting with British PM could be step to moving past Skripal row

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a published interview he believed his meeting with Britain's Theresa May at the G20 summit this week could help repair relations after the poisoning of a former Russian spy on British soil.

Putin says Skripal poisoning story not worth a dime
Putin says Skripal poisoning story not worth a dime

© Mikhail Metzel/TASS

June 27, 2019 - The Skripal poisoning narrative is not worth a dime, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with The Financial Times on Thursday.

"Listen, all this fuss about spies and counterspies, it is not worth serious interstate relations. This spy story, as we say, it is not worth five kopecks. Or even five pounds, for that matter," he said. "And the issues concerning interstate relations, they are measured in billions and the fate of millions of people. How can we compare one with the other?"

According to the Russian leader, Moscow and London can keep on accusing each other endlessly but any allegations about Russia’s involvement in the Skripal poisoning must be proved.

"The average person listens and says, "Who are these Skripals?" And it turns out that Skripal was engaged in espionage against us [Russia]. So this person asks the next question, "Why did you spy on us using Skripal? Maybe you should not have done that?" You know, these questions are infinite," he noted. "We need to just leave it alone and let security agencies deal with it."

In his words, UK’s outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May "could not help but be concerned that these spy scandals made our relations reach a deadlock so we could not develop our ties normally and support business people."

Kremlin lauds PACE’s reinstatement of Russian delegation’s rights as ‘victory of reason’
Kremlin lauds PACE’s reinstatement of Russian delegation’s rights as ‘victory of reason’

Russian President’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov © Vitaliy Nevar/TASS

MOSCOW, June 25, 2019 - The Kremlin is positive about the adoption of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) resolution, reinstating the Russian delegation’s rights, Russian President’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"Speaking about the return of our delegation to PACE, adoption of the corresponding resolution and the mission of our parliamentarians, it is a very positive event, [which] can only be viewed positively," the Kremlin spokesman said. "It is not about a diplomatic victory of Moscow, this is about a victory of reason, because PACE cannot adequately work without the participation of the Russian delegation," he underlined.

On Tuesday, PACE approved the resolution of Belgian representative Petra De Sutter that will allow the Russian delegation to take part in the Assembly's June session. The resolution was backed by 118 members, 62 parliamentarians voted against it, while 10 abstained.

The Russian delegation to PACE was stripped off its rights to vote, to take part in monitoring missions or make up the PACE leadership institutions in April 2014, following the events in Ukraine and Crimea’s reunification with Russia. In 2015, PACE considered the issues of reinstating the rights of the Russian delegation twice, but the sanctions only got tighter then. In response, the Russian delegation announced that it refused to work in such conditions and since 2016 did not submit its application to confirm its rights. In 2017 Russia also froze the payment of its membership dues to the CE budget.