by Auslander
Ukraine is dead, dead on 02 May 2014 in Odessa, the coffin nailed shut a week later in Mariupol.
Ukraine as such means nothing to USA or EU, 404 is simply another weapon to use against ‘The Russias’. The enemies of Russia thought they had a weapon to plunge in to the throat of Russia, instead they had a weapon that dealt an off arm wound, serious but not fatal and already healing rapidly.
The ring of conflagrations along the south Mediterranean coast again mean nothing to US/EU, they were and are nothing but more weapons to be used to give ‘The Russias’ the Death of a Thousand Cuts. That hasn’t worked either, in spite of tens, hundreds of thousands of deaths from the fighting. I would aver that on the official spread sheets promulgated in Pentagon those deaths, grandfathers and grandmothers, mothers and fathers, children, young women and men meeting a hideous death, lives torn asunder, entire cities reduced to rubble and very old cultures totally destroyed, are listed as collateral damage.
Lovely term, ‘collateral damage’. I don’t know who came up with that term but whoever did and those who promulgate that term to the general populace should be commended as loyal servants of the Dark Lord living in his hellfire kingdom. The Wikipedia definition is thus, and I use Wikipedia at the moment because our server that provides other sources is down yet again:
‘’In military terminology, it is frequently used where non-combatants are unintentionally killed or wounded and/or non-combatant property damage results of an attack on a legitimate military target.”
I will not explain to you in graphic detail exactly what ‘collateral damage’ is, what it really looks like, many of the readers of this blog could not stomach what they would read. The reality is hideous, families destroyed and in many instances totally wiped out, kiosks, shops, flats, streets, infrastructure totally destroyed.
This entire conflagration, spreading from Tunisia east to Syria and now Turkei beginning to show cracks in the facade and Ukraine totally destroyed, Irak and Afghan more than totally destroyed, is one and the same campaign, hatched and executed from Langley and DC with the knowing and willing assistance and connivance of EU and their satellites including Australia and Japan.
My question to them is what is wrong with you people, you ‘leaders’ of what are touted as the most advanced, educated and prosperous civilizations the world has ever seen? Are you insane? Are you hallucinating? Are you mentally ill? Are you willing to yet again risk destroying the entire world and cultures in your implacable desire to destroy ‘The Russias’? You must be one of the three if not all of them.
However, here are a few odds and ends for you ‘leaders’ to contemplate, assuming you are capable of such a mental process. If you are not capable of such mental exercises perhaps some of your citizens are.
Late summer 2015. President B. Assad, the legally elected president of the sovereign nation of Syria, after almost four years of fighting had his back to the wall, he and his loyal citizens were within two weeks of total destruction and he personally, along with his family, would be killed. He and his small army had fought against and held off the entire might of NATO and their minions but the Syrian Army was at the end of its ability to defend the country. To be blunt they were losing and losing badly as NATO licked it’s chops in anticipation of the long sought victory of their overriding chant of the last four years of ‘Assad must go’.
After a flurry of conversations and visits President Assad invited Russia to step in and help the SAA and Syria. President Putin gave the order to the Armed Forces of Russia to do so. Since the war in Syria started with the now usual ‘color’ revolution, each and every piece of military hardware and ordinance sent to the budding ‘revolutionaries’, each and every attack or aggressive action by NATO and US forces inside the borders of the Sovereign State of Syria, has been in gross and flagrant violation of Lord knows how many UN regulations, treaties and promulgations, EU, their satellites, USA, Australia and Japan having signed and agreed to abide by each and every one of them.
On 30 September 2015 Russian air force units arrived in Syria and immediately started a very successful campaign against the openly terrorist armed units attacking and on the cusp of winning the war against Syria.
After increasingly bellicose warnings and threats from NATO/EU/US et al and numerous serious provocations that could have instantly widened the war, those provocations not being ignored by Russia but addressed diplomatically, a little noticed fleet of river patrol ships, very small ships in the overall scheme of weapons, on 07 October 2015 launched a salvo of 26 Kalibr cruise missiles from the Caspian Sea, each and every missile traveling over Iran with Iranian permission and each and every missile hit within ten meters of its target among the terrorists fighting in Syria 1500 kilometers from the Caspian Sea. Tactically there was no need to do so, nor was there any need for missiles and precision guided bombs to be dropped from Russian strategic bombers flying from as far away as Murmansk and Belbek Aerodrome in Russia nor any need of Kalibr missiles launched against the terrorists from Black Sea ships in the Mediterranean Sea.
Strategically the launches were a masterpiece. In one stroke President Putin made two things very clear. One, that, far from being the rusting and archaic armed forces the west had deluded themselves in to believing, the modern Armed Forces of Russia had proved they are a force to be reckoned with, a force to be ignored and denigrated at your own risk. Two, it showed with unequivocal thoroughness the commitment of Russia to the defense and preservation of the government of President Assad and Syria.
It did not take a rocket scientist to look at a map and understand that no country in the world was now immune from conventional weapon attack if Russia is pushed to war.
What does this have to do with the events in Ukraine? Everything. Through his words and actions in defense of eastern Ukraine and Krimea President Putin sent very clear messages in regards to the obedience to international law and respect of the civilians, both legally and physically, in both areas. These words and actions were ignored by NATO/EU/US as their plans for the complete subjugation of Ukraine to US/NATO were pushed to the maximum and their plans for massive NATO bases on the very borders of Russia seemed to be coming to fruition.
Their plans for a huge strategic and tactical naval base in Sevastopol and large conventional bases in Krimea came to a sudden and positive halt as the citizens refused to allow a coup installed government in Kiev rule them and have NATO/US bases on their soil.
The US Navy and Marine Command plans to use the Russian Navy compound fronting on Chelyuskintsyev Street on North Side in Sevastopol as their HQ were known beforehand and brought to an instant halt as the small group of US/NATO functionaries were summarily invited to leave, being quietly taken by bus to the Ukraine Border just north of Armyans’k on the E97. Their plans to turn the area between the Russian Navy Compound on north side were also known, the plan being to turn the area northwest of the base, sloping gently down to the finest beach on the Black Sea in Sevastopol, in to a piece of American Suburbia, private land owners be damned.
The reality is the US/NATO plan was, indeed, for the complete subjugation and occupation of Ukraine including Krimea. Any resistance was to be ruthlessly exterminated, be the resistance in Ukraine Proper or the Krimea Peninsula. As we all know the citizens resisted in east Ukraine and Krimea. Krimea was successful in avoiding the fate of Donbas, for that fate was in the plans if Krimea resisted. Donbas did not avoid the resultant war and carnage of their resistance for many reasons although their resistance did stop the Ukraine Army from totally occupying Donetsk and Lugahnsk Oblasti, albeit at horrendous cost.
Russian Armed Forces have not, to the best of my knowledge, physically intervened in the war in Donbas although they have supported the NAF to the hilt. They have obviously taken a page from the US/NATO playbook and used it against US/NATO with great success.
The war for Donbas is not over and will not be over in the near time. More will die on both sides, more civilians will pay the ultimate price of their resistance, but in the end the citizens of Novorossiya will persevere and achieve their freedom from what is now the rump state of Ukraine. Ukraine itself, a cobbled together patchwork of different cultures and regions garnered from the various wars and governments involved in what is known as Malarus, is already dead. Ukraine died on 02 May 2014 in the massacre of almost 300 citizens in Odessa. The twitching corpse was put in its coffin on 09 May 2014 after the Mariupol Massacre. It remains to be seen when the coffin is finally buried but nothing can change the fact. Ukraine is dead, dead of her own hand with the active connivance of US/EU/NATO.
Auslander
The only point I would disagree with is the “date of death”. I think Ukraine as a united state died on February 23rd,2014. The date of the coup should be the date on the “death certificate”. After a 23 year illness,the final death stages of the patient started with the beginning of the maidan. And after lingering on in pain for the next few months.Passed away on the date of the coup. Crimea,Odessa,Donbass,are all about the heirs wanting to divide the deceased’s belongings.They should rightfully go to his brother. But some very distant cousins in the EU/US and NATO are trying to grab them.
Well Said, Auslander.
By reclaiming Crimea, Putin poked a huge stick into the eyes of the NATO Neocons. Instead of a huge, self supporting impregnable military base aimed at the heart of Russia, the Neocons gained a rump Ukraine, an almost worthless colony costing 10’s of billions of dollars yearly to support. Were it any other country, Victoria Nudelman would have been fired for incompetence, but the USSA protects her own criminals.
Joe Smith
“the Neocons gained a rump Ukraine, an almost worthless colony costing 10’s of billions of dollars yearly to support.”
I know you did not really mean this. The Ukraine, and its mostly Russian people (and the others), and its fine farmland, natural resources, water supplies, rivers, industries, power stations, and geographical location, is hardly “almost worthless.”
The liberation of the Ukraine (with Kiev, the birthplace of Russia), is vital for the health, and physical security of the Russian People, and their Nation. There is no way around this fact.
The Zionist American imperialists are sitting on, repressing, looting, and humiliating 40 million Russian in the South Western part of their Nation. The Zio-Nazi American imperialists, are, as we write, occupying Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, Russian Principalities, which are just a stone’s throw from St Petersburg and the heart of Western Russia (literally a stone’s throw).
In the South, Russian tanks that rolled through the capital of Georgia, should have stayed there.
The Band (Blues Brothers) must be put back together again. That is Russia’s main mission if it wishes to survive. Time is running out; Opportunities have been missed. The Russian Army should have returned Yanukovich to power on the very day of his overthrow, and then, retired him, as they restored the Ukraine to its Motherland.
Russian strength is the only thing that will prevent a Zionist American nuclear attack upon them.
For the Democratic Republics, including the one we will restore in America!
I would agree with you on the “Rus” areas of the old USSR And the other areas of majority Russian population. But southern Central Asia,the Trans-Caucasus,and Baltic States,aren’t really Russian. And in general,Russia is better off not being joined to them. Maybe with trade agreements is good. But a political union would saddle Russia with peoples that aren’t Russian,and that the past shows don’t want to be. If they decided to ask to be joined,if of course another matter. But I’m not sure that would happen.
Uncle Bob 1
1. The problem with Estonia, Latvia, &, Lithuania, is that their governments are functioning as Puppets of the Zio American Nazis. They are members of NATO, and they point their weapons at Russia. What Russian 5th columnists allowed that to take place?
2. Their (Estonia, Latvia, &, Lithuania), puppet leaders are Hostile to Russia. They preach Hate of Russia. They foam at the mouth as they mention the name, “Russia.”
3. Their puppet leaders support the Zio American Nazi government in Occupied Ukraine.
4. They host American Military ‘Advisors,” and are rapidly upgrading their armaments and size of their armies. In wartime, their air bases would be used by NATO (they are now).
5. The Principalities host -up to 50% ethnic Russians.
6. They are located right next Russia’s most important cities (location, location, location).
*7. The Baltic Principalities are more Russian than Zionist land Thief, or American.* Therefore…
8. The War is On!!! Even Stalin, (rumored to have begun his career as a German Police Agent), understood the need for -A Buffer Zone- (between Russia and the imperialists).
9. Russia and the Arab peoples are victims of Zionist American military, political, economic, and terrorist aggression. Why do the Russians defend themselves so weakly?
10. Imperialist puppet Poland wants Zio-American Nuclear forces to be stationed on its territory.
Russia’s best Defense = Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Look at a map. Twenty (20,000) thousand Marines, each should do the trick. Soon!
We agree “on the “Rus” areas of the old USSR, and the other areas of majority Russian population.” But if the USA can seize the Northern Half of Mexico (holding an overwhelming majority Mexican ethnic population in 1848), and seize Puerto Rico, (100% ethnic Puerto Rican in 1898, and 99% in 2015), and seize Hawaii, (99% ethnic Hawaiian in 1893), then Russia’s leaders had better get cracking, if they wish their Russian Nation to Survive.
If the imperialist USA can do it, and get away with it, then Russia – Must do it, or die!
The weakening of Russia, and the separation of 50 million (my estimate) Russians from their country by the Zionist American imperialists, is the greatest single factor increasing the threat of imperialist assaults upon Russia, and the threat of a nuclear climax.
The Marxist Lemonist Stalinists surrendered (sold out) Russia in 1990. And look where that left the Russian people. Their nation is surrounded by hundreds of Nuclear armed Zionist American Military bases. The Russians must push back. They have let valuable opportunities pass. Their actions in Syria are courageous and vital.
One, Two, many Syrias!
Eat or be Eaten!
**Note to the FBI & CIA: I am not ordering any nation, or individuals to agree with me, as if I could. I am voicing my (personal) opinion.
I don’t doubt the problems that the Baltic States are. But a “regime change” would solve them as well as annexation. Those figures aren’t correct on the ethnic populations. Even in the Soviet days they were less than 50% (if they weren’t they would still be a part of Russia). In Lithuania,Russians are less than 5% of the population (the smallest number in the region). In Latvia about 28-30% and in Estonia maybe 29-33% (here your figure is closer). It might be they they would want to rejoin Russia (it would be better for them economically ,certainly). But still,if they want to stay “independent”. Having a real neutral or pro-Russian government would be better than forcing them to join. Russia has had that problem in the past with Poland and Finland (under the Tsar’s ),and it didn’t work well.Constant protests and sometimes revolts. Russia doesn’t seem to want to do that again.
I think Putin is committed to international law, not out of principle but because it contributes to Russian “soft power.” He will not intervene in the Baltics, especially as he is loath to attack an official NATO member. Nor will he actively try to regain Western Ukraine, but Eastern Ukraine may be up for negotiations with a western face-saving period of Ukrainian confederation and a subsequent vote to secede and join the Russian Federation.
It’s possible several NATO members will withdraw rather than be potential targets in a Russia-US war, and I think there will be a period of sobriety in the US after the Kalibr and electronic warfare demonstrations.
Peter J.Antonsen on December 30, 2015 · at 9:31 pm
> The Marxist Lemonist Stalinists surrendered (sold out) Russia in 1990.
You are utterly confused, Mr. Peter J.Antonsen.
Decide if you want to have the cake or eat it.
First The Zionists blame Communism for everything, then after there is no communism anymore they still continue to blame Communism for all problems.
Reminds me of Kiev-washi-washi-bing-ton muaahhh “logic”
Not Stalinists sold out the Soviet Union, but their very enemies inside the 5th column did!
Your friend Trotsky style traitors did it.
And you with such comments are in fact complicit.
Get a history lesson.
“Even Stalin, (rumored to have begun his career as a German Police Agent) /…/ “
I have another, much better potential MSM narrative on offer: Like: “The young Stalin was intent on establishing a Georgian Hare Krishna collective, but it didn’t come to fruition since nobody would tolerate a member demanding fried infants for breakfast”.
Stalin is revered and admired in Russia with good reason. This is the plain, simple, completely logical fact that navel-gazing, arrogant, deluded Westerners simply cannot deal with.
Conclusion: Western civilization originated in Crete — its cretinism stinks to High Heaven.
Nussimen, sometimes it seems to me, that even if a regular commenter here, that obviously cares alot and knows alot, is somewhat off line as far as other commenters ‘think’ he becomes the enemy.
In fact alot of people who are regulars on this blog, don’t seem to know who their enemy is.
I personally would not want to be fighting alongside someone who considered me the enemy…
So please, lets be polite to each other. We’re supposed to be on the same side in this war, even if history has its disagreements.
Ann: Less Hitler-style Anti-Soviet hatespeech then, to begin with.
Let’s not mix action and re-action.
Yes, you are right: I don’t want somebody like that at the front next to me.
A lot of what Peter J.Antonsen writes makes perfect sense.
But he as American shall finally stop ranting against the Soviet Union 209 times per day.
He didn’t live in the East – so how is it his business???
Isn’t it odd that those who allegedly must have suffered most from communism are in fact the very ones still defending it … ?!
As for Zoinism: That’s widely understood by everyone.
But it’s not helpful to make a competition in who is getting the highest density of spelling out z-i-o-n-i-s-m per inch.
That’s counterproductive! Because newcoming readers who have no clue may see this, then recall the MSM lies that “Russia-lovers are Antisemites” and then some potentially valuable mind never joins Russia …
Also: For the 1000’s times, everybody using the term ZIOnism shall make the clear distintion of it versus the jewish religion. Who continuously fails to do so harms Russia more than helping it. This way or the other way! Or do we want a progrome??
About 204,000 results
Jews Against Zionism And Rothschilds
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=jews+against+zionism
Martin, your comment is very excellent. Russian citizens are not obsessed with Zionism and Zionists and Jew-hating. They are trying to survive and save their sovereignty. You don’t hear Russian citizens criticize RT and Russia Insider day in and day out because they are not fallling in line bashing Zionists all day. Russians who actually live inside the RF are very grateful for what RT is doing, and even what RI is doing to compete with the western MSM. People ought to pay attention to the Saker’s fine example and leave out the Jew-hating tone. Love your enemy. That is what Jesus came to preach. Hate the sin, not the sinner, if you have to hate at all. Just look at Putin. He gets bashed all day, demonized, called nasty names day in and day out in the western media, but if he gave in to hate, he would not be able to focus on his job. Nope. He loves his enemies.
Who is our common enemy?
NATO-ists…
NATO-ists…
NATO-ists…
NATO-ists…
I protest and find Vile this last comment re “Cretin”.
The impotent degenerate “West” could have learnt
from this valiant strong manly people. They were the
last to free themselves from the Ottoman yoke all alone.
See the geography – far off the mainland, sth of Tunis…
There even was an outstanding woman who turned a bad
looking naval battle totally around – later honoured rightfully
as an admiral. !!! The Palikare ( Kretan freedom fighters)
were the fiercest peoples’ Milizia I have met; met their sons
who gave the WWII Nazi troops (paratroopers) bloody curry.
Saw Nikos Xylouris ( musician from Krete) mount a tank of
the CIA installed fascist Junta with his Lyra and play a. sing
to the demonstrators there in the middle of Syntagma square
before the Greek (USUKIS) anaesthesized parliament.
He thus avoided a planned massacre.
Now Crete is overtaken by English and German tourists buying
up land and by Nato; Angloamerican bases and harbours.
For their imperialist mud brick houses bombing , and “regime
change” fascist policies and murderous illegal terrorist support…
I visited the grave of Nikos Katzanzakis in Hieraklion who gave you
” Zorba the Greek” ( brilliant Anthony Quinn).
The Donbass has very much this Spirit !!!
Do not ever ever denigrate my friends and brothers in arms of Crete (Kreta).
A Bessarabian Curse would be imminent and devastating, followed by one well
placed stroke of our Schaschka. My ancestors had to do this for about 300 years
cos of em Ottomaniacs, in order to regain “Novorossia” to the homeland.
Stefan
Your final comment directed towards the forces that bleed both overtly and covertly tells both they have nothing to fear.
Russia must keep Transcaucasia under tight control. It is the gate through which the enemy would always try to infiltrate, aided by a volatile population.
Yes,but through pro-Russian governments. Annexing Georgia and Azerbaijan isn’t a good answer. The problems would outweigh the benefits (unless they freely asked for reunion. Something I doubt will happen).
But if Russia creates the conditions…they would ask to join Russia.
America created conditions that other countries ask USA to become her vassalas. One must find the way how to send sombody to hell and that he looks forward to it.
the areas you mention are known as Eurasia.
The proto-russians from the 9th century actively traded and interacted there.
It is wrong to say they are separate because the Kievan rus, Moscovy and later the Russian Empire then the Soviets all developed and interacted in a (southern) Balkans-Byzantine-islamic civilisational mix separate from the Frankish Europeans.
They did interact with what we call western europe as far west as Cracow and along the danube yes, but that is another story.
I will be writing a thesis about this next year.
Hi andrew: Yep, correct.
Also, you are certainly aware of the Lithuanian’s history as previously mother of all Rus’s :
Black Ruthenia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Ruthenia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Duchy_of_Lithuania
“””””The Grand Duchy later expanded to include large portions of the former Kievan Rus’ and other Slavic lands, covering the territory of present-day Belarus, Latvia, and Lithuania, and parts of Estonia, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine. At its greatest extent in the 15th century, it was the largest state in Europe.[6] It was a multi-ethnic and multi-confessional state with great diversity in languages, religion, and cultural heritage.”””””
“””””Lithuanian language situation
Area of the Lithuanian language in the 16th century
Ruthenian and Polish languages were used as state languages of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, besides Latin and German in diplomatic correspondence.”””””
This means Ruthenian == RUS’ian was one of the 2 official state languages, but Lithuanian was _not_.
And before these Galicians got Austro-Germanized: Red Ruthenia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Ruthenia
Dear Peter
given the brevity of expression in my commentary, you offer useful clarifications.
I firmly believe that the grand prize sought by NATO and the Neocons was the Crimea, with hundreds of billions in offshore resources, a dominating position in the Black Sea, and one of the very best deep water military harbors in the world. Had the USSA succeeded, nuclear armed aircraft carriers would be parked in Sevastopol, threatening and humiliating Russia.
Moreover, their plan was to domicile radical Muslim elements in Crimea, to ultimately target Russia. Only through Putins decisive and courageous actions, coupled with the Will of the Crimeans did we avoid a potential nuclear war.
Frankly, without Crimea, the rump Ukraine is far less useful to the Neocon’s military goals. It is also a huge financial burden now carried by the EU and USSA instead of Russia, and is non viable without Russia. Eventually, the Oligarchs of the Ukraine will cut a deal with Putin, and kick out the Neocons when it becomes obvious that they are going to lose everything.
Joe Smith,
The Crimea action was vital; the Air Corps in Syria is fantastic; standing the ground in Novorossiya is necessary, the Battle of Borodino was courageous; I reiterate all I wrote above.
For the Democratic Republics!
No, anton, but I concede here the disagree is just a game of words or semantics.
It is both worth and useless for the deep state/Langley/DC depending on what they can achieve with it.
And much valuable in future to Russia in different alternative ways: as a neutral or buffer state with ties all over the world just figured out in Minsk-2 or
as a kind of Russian Puerto Rico… You know what I mean.
Can you inform me with the names of the “democratic republics” you incessantly refer to? Are there any in reality, or is the referrence to a future hope they might at some point emerge?
>>>>>>>>>>>>with Kiev, the birthplace of Russia
Brother, I believe it’s time for historiography to redress this view of Kiev as birthplace of Russia. The birthplace of the Russia is not Kiev but Novgorod, which to this day remains Russian heartland. Rurik first established rule there in the 800s, and it was from there that Oleg went southwest and established rule in Kiev (mid 900s). Over time, Kiev became too vulnerable and so the center of Rus’ power returned back to the heartland. In the meantime, the brothers who remained in Kiev became infected by Polish RCism and the attendant “Austrian corporal’s disease” that comes with it, and became different, but the Russian heartland did not.
Consider, you cannot lose what is not yours.
if anything the Ukrainian possession of Crimea from 1954-2014 was a political aberration.
Khruschev was wrong and lawfully improper to gift it to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.
Now we see the possibility of alleged turkish involvement to assist the Tatar Mejilis to engage in blockades of civilian activity across Kerch strait and around the maritime borders of Crimea.
That I believe is an unofficial declaration of war.
What I find funny when people talk about Crimea legitimacy is how nearly noone ever mentions the january 1991 referendum. It establishes without doubt that Crimea was illegally annexed by the Ukraininan SSR as the people of Crima voted with 94,3% to be its own SSR and not an oblast of Ukraine.
Good point. Essential to keep that in mind.
In any case, there is no need to go on about this: Crimea is back home. Period.
“Lovely term, ‘collateral damage’. I don’t know who came up with that term but whoever did and those who promulgate that term to the general populace should be commended as loyal servants of the Dark Lord living in his hellfire kingdom”.
It turns out that there were people exactly like that nearly 3000 years ago. I know, because here is a perfect description of them:
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
“Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”
– Isaiah 5, 20-21
Thank you very much Auslander for this thoughtful analysis. It is good to hear someone as knowledgeable as you are confirming the little bit that we know, and adding relevant details and providing a high level understanding of the issue.
I am in the process of reading your excellent book “Never the Last One: A Novel of Spetznaz”. The problem with this book is that once you are hooked to it, it is very difficult to let it go. This book is an excellent amalgam of reality and fiction, and the whole story line has enough material to make an excellent movie, Russian style.
The book is also an excellent back door for anyone who wants to understand you a little bit better. So again, thank you for your continued contribution to our understanding of current issues affecting the Russian war with its main protagonist, the Empire of Chaos and Destruction.
This is not Russia’s war; this is the war that Russia is fighting on behalf of all of us. You often mention God in your book. Here is a short quote: “All will be as God’s Wills, it is His way”
SunLion
I thank you for your compliments on my writing, both blog and literature. Sometimes, as in this article, I am working on my books and the inspiration just comes so I stop what I am doing and write for Saker. We do have an intimate idea of what happened and is happening in Sevastopol and the Sevastopol Region and a good idea of what happened in all of Krim, the informations concerning Krim becoming quite detailed as we spoke to comrades through summer of last year.
You are quite correct in your thoughts on the current war, and that is what it is, a war. Russia is fighting for all of us and we hope and pray Russia can stave off the evil that is extant in our world.
My next book I think you will also enjoy, it is being written in the same style and dealing with the events of last year. It will not be as long as the first tome and I want to publish by early summer of ’16. It will again be fiction. There are some events I will not include in the coming book, they are not public knowledge no matter how deep one digs but everything I can put in the story I will. Chapter 1 is finished and Chapter 2 is well underway.
Auslander
“In one stroke President Putin made two things very clear. One, that, far from being the rusting and archaic armed forces the west had deluded themselves in to believing, the modern Armed Forces of Russia had proved they are a force to be reckoned with, a force to be ignored and denigrated at your own risk”.
To my mind, the funniest aspect of this was precipitate flight of the gigantic American floating white elephant, er, aircraft carrier “Theodore Roosevelt” from the Persian Gulf. Apparently it was suddenly discovered that it needed “maintenance” – although one might think that such a vast and professional organization as the US Navy would have made sure such maintenance was done before sending one of its biggest ships to the other side of the world on active duty. It’s extremely ironic that this ship, which has been on the receiving end of so much bad publicity of late, should be named after President Theodore Roosevelt. In spite of his famous saying, “speak softly and carry a big stick”, Roosevelt was a notorious blusterer, braggart and bully who would never have dreamed of tackling an enemy who could fight back.
http://southfront.org/us-pulls-aircraft-carrier-out-of-persian-gulf-as-russian-ships-enter/
Better to cremate so the dead don’t walk again.
Many thanks….any thoughts on the ministerial changes in Crimea announced in the last couple of days??????
Superb writing!
I have met a few strange Westerners in my time here, and have wondered what they were up to now, and if any were still here.
I’m glad to see things put to rights, even though it has made life a bit more difficult for me.
С Новым Годом Auslander.
thought id try one more time to get a comment/link through.
cheers
https://step-back.org/ukraine-reporting-and-opinion/
mpk
Well, if the Ukraine is dead, then what is to come, and doesn’t this defeat the Russian goal of keeping a neutral buffer state there? In other words, isn’t this a bit of a Western success?
As for the question of whether Western puppet states are insane, that implies that there is no reasonable basis for thinking that the Western financial oligarchy can build what some call a New World Order. But this idea is totally rational. China doesn’t have the modern military required, and is surrounded by countries who don’t trust her. Russia has had an economic, financial, and even technological system that doesn’t seem independent. So it is a reasonable supposition that all those great military technologies cannot be used, same as was the case during the end of the USSR. It is not exactly hard to see and feel that the Russian elite are full of pro-Western and oligarchical interests that cannot really defend Russia as an independent force. It seems to be an old story that Russia’s elite want to be part of the West by learning French, German, or English and spending half of their lives in West. And then the Western armies attack Russia, and those Russian elites in the West have to return home to lead the fight against the invasion.
Hi Paul, trolling as usual I see – a small part of the comment you made.
“…Russia has had an economic, financial, and even technological system that doesn’t seem independent. So it is a reasonable supposition that all those great military technologies cannot be used, same as was the case during the end of the USSR. It is not exactly hard to see and feel that the Russian elite are full of pro-Western and oligarchical interests that cannot really defend Russia as an independent force. It seems to be an old story that Russia’s elite want to be part of the West by learning French, German, or English and spending half of their lives in…etc etc etc…”
Ann, the rest of your comment was edited out, or else the whole comment would have to be trashed. You seem to forget Saker’s rule 2 ) All comment have to be impeccably courteous to me, the blog’s author, moderators, any guest author and all the other commentators.
In any fight, the first thing is to know your strengths and weaknesses. Then your opponent’s. If you don’t like my idea of Russia’s weaknesses, then how about you write them? It isn’t trolling; it is common sense in all sports or areas of competition. Russia has lots of strengths, too. Like a very good leadership team in the Kremlin.
And the comment I made is made endless times on Russian blogs and web sites. It is like saying that Russia’s winters have helped in war. What a shock.
But I admit to being somewhat amazed by the optimism many Russian supporters feel about the situation in the Ukraine. The current situation is a Transdenistria-like reality for the rebel republics with regular shelling to add to the pain. Without a legal status, it is hard to do complicated business involving equipment from various countries. The people don’t even have a normal way of getting passports. All the while, the US is busily reformatting the Ukraine in everything from trade arrangements to police uniforms to you name it. If I had been super pessimistic and suggested this as an outcome back after Russia incorporated the Crimea, you and many others here would have said I was a troll, maybe working for the bad guys. Yet, it is reality, and there is no obvious way out of the mess. But it has been a good stall for time. This was a big success, and the number of deaths in the war have been limited.
True,there were some serious mistakes made right from the start with Ukraine (premier among them not cobbling together a “government in exile”,and officially recognizing it was one of the largest errors made) . Whether those can be fixed or not isn’t clear right now. Being able to hold on to a sliver of Donbass (if that is even possible ) is not “winning”. Its stopping total defeat,but not winning. Winning is the fall of the junta. And the liberation of most if not all of Ukraine (certainly all Novorossian regions at least). Those things are how “winning” is defined. Having 40 million fellow “Rus” people left under a fascist regime. With that regime poised as a dagger pointed at Russia. And in league with NATO. That is not in any way a part of “winning”. So until that situation is fixed we are not anywhere near to a “win”.
We will never know what happened to cause certain actions or non-actions. A “real” government-in-exile would have required not supporting the incorporation of the Crimea. Once you take the Crimea, you are breaking what is left of a very fragile situation. Cynics and other jaded folks have argued that the Kremlin was hoping to trade the Donbass for recognition of incorporating the Crimea, as long as a promise was made to not have the Ukraine join NATO. This would have made sense because Russia would still have had a fair bit of leverage to try to gradually change the attitude of so many inside the Ukraine, or at least their oligarchs.
Many of us were surprised that Moscow recognized Poroshenko. There is no telling why they did it, but maybe that was necessary for Gazprom. In which case, we get back to the whole problem of the Ukraine being one big blackmail weapon to use against Russia, whether over gas, the Crimea, or joining NATO.
“A “real” government-in-exile would have required not supporting the incorporation of the Crimea. ”
There is a simple way around this, the government in exile could endorse the referendum as binding.
This would look shady, as would supporting a crook like Yanacovitch, looking shady doesn’t stop the US from supporting Yats or Poreshenco.
“… It seems to be an old story that Russia’s elite want to be part of the West by learning French, German, or English and spending half of their lives in West. …”
Of course. Even Tolstoy’s true to history “War and Peace” is replete with entire passages quoting Russian nobility speaking those languages of the West…
While on the obvious to all profuse copying of Western (American!) cultural barbarism that got wings in more recent times, on those pervasive corrupt oligarchs and their spoiled children and so on, one need not waste one’s breath… (Just imagine, Putin has to take in account it all, all those “interests”, in order to maintain a stable power base.) And yes, expressing juvenile unquestioning optimism is easy, assessing the reality is harder.
Remind people how the gold was spirited out of Ukraine on the dawn of the Kiev
takeover. I have not seen too much about that but it speaks volumes.
My friend, Auslander, it is with sadness and joy that I read your article.
We all review the painful and shameful wars of US/NATO and the devastation to Syrians and Donbass peoples and their homes and workplaces. Summing up this past two years as you have with the details regarding Russia’s military achievement and the US’s treacherous attempt to grab Krimea is valuable. You are ‘on scene’ and have a view of the truth and facts to add to the summation and record.
What is important about Krimea is the charge by the West that Russia “annexed” it is made trite and false by the facts that the US/NATO was about to annex it and make it a launchpad against Russia and destroying the home base of the Black Sea Fleet. The mortal threat to Russia would have necessitated war or surrender.
Your reminder of the two massacres, still being covered up with repression in Odessa and Mariupol that clearly have been massive and repeated over and over. The few remaining activist resistors try to fight the nazis and special operator contractors marauding these cities. But the disappearances, murders and torture have worked so far.
I also commend your link of the military demonstration of Russian prowess and capacity in Syria, especially after the treachery by Turkey and the devastating loss of the airliner and 224 citizens in Sinai. Weaker souls would have retreated. Putin doubled down. He has bottled up Turkey behind its border and now threatens Erdogan with his Kurds, turning the dagger of Kurdistan upon the Ottoman’s throat.
All the while, as NATO encroaches through the Baltics, East Europe and tries in the Balkans and Central Asia, Russia responds in scale and scope to all these moves.
But the quintessential strategic move was Crimea. Delivering a painless journey home was genius military tactics and historic legal justification (95% vote of a massive turnout vote).
I look for your next book, Auslander. You promised it would encapsulate that history of 2014.
Meanwhile, we look toward you for more reports on the geopolitical and local events.
Be well, and have a great New Year.
I recommend everyone to get your first book. A work of very entertaining fiction with characters quite unique.
Never The Last One: A Novel of Spetznaz
amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZGCY8KK?keywords=auslander&qid=1451490295&ref_=sr_1_2&s=books&sr=1-2
I echo Larchmonter… great update on Ukraine.
I have just finished Auslander’s book and have posted a review on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/B00ZGCY8KK/ref=cm_cr_dp_syn_footer?k=Never%20the%20Last%20One%3A%20A%20Novel%20of%20Spetznaz&showViewpoints=1
As a woman with no military background and who does not usually read books about war, I found this book to be a page turner. I was reduced to tears and to goosebumps.
The characters were believable with interesting backstories and through their words and deeds, conveyed the sense of kinship that comes only from a terrible collective loss (war). Knowing that life is instantly perishable the characters beautifully portray how love is forged in the anvil of destruction. Auslander has really grasped the Russian character, especially Russian humour.
I think this fiction is in fact more fact than fiction.
Thank you.
Larchmonter, my friend, a select few of us were very well aware of the plans US/EU/NATO/Lemberg had for us, very much so, not from some clandestine Russian organization or planning but from simple common sense. I think even Mr. Putin was surprised at the sudden and overwhelming response of the citizens of Sevastopol and Krimea to the coup d’etat in Kiev and the summary invitation to the small US/NATO cadre already in our city to kindly leave. Toss in the almost instant blockading of Ukrops military facilities and the die was cast within three days of the coup.
When our Berkut and Militsiya returned from Kiev having fought their way down bringing their dead and wounded with them, the tumultuous welcome they received in Naxhimova Square in City Center said it all and sent a very clear message to Kiev that what was done in Kiev would not be done here.
For those of you who have not read my first book, Never The Last One, I would suggest you get the book, read it end to end and pay particular attention to the Post Scriptum. That was written in early summer of 2013, almost two years before the book was completed and published and six months before the coup in Kiev started. A simple sentence of six words tells all.
I do totally agree with you in regards to the statesmanship of Mr. Putin. So far he has masterfully checked and mated every move made against the interests of Russia and Russian Federation. The cost has not been negligible but the end result, so far, has been no overt war against Russia and the vast majority of US/EU/NATO goals have been frustrated. We can only hope this successful statesmanship will continue.
Auslander
Great piece. Thank you Auslander.
‘It’s dead, Jim’
I think maybe Ukraine was always more like a colony of creatures, a tentative and artificial ecological system, than an integrated and unified nation, with various parts glued on to it. It might have become a nation if it had pulled together, but never really did, and never got the fascists under control. This is seen, for example, i how quickly Crimea became part of Russia again — and had never completely left it: it was tacked on to Ukraine as an appendage, but was not to become part of it.
The question now is what is to be done with the parts, and how shall the people reorganize into whatever configurations it ends up being, what integrations might be made with neighboring territories, and who shal decide? It will be a messy process.
http://fortruss.blogspot.com/2015/12/poroshenko-prepares-great-purge-of.html
Poroshenko Prepares “Great Purge” Of Ukrainian Authorities
Translated by Ollie Richardson for Fort Russ
30th December, 2015
Tvzvezda
Petro Poroshenko will inspect employees of his administration and other senior officials. “The great purge” is scheduled for the coming summer. The procedure shall take place in accordance with the law “regarding the cleansing of power”. This was reported on the website of the Ukrainian President.
It is already known who Poroshenko decided to check first: the President’s press Secretary, assistants and advisers, and a representative of the Ukrainian President on Crimea and its deputies, and also head of Secretariat of National tripartite social and economic Council and Chairman of the National service of mediation and reconciliation.
The framework of the so-called lustration process has already dismissed many officials who worked under Viktor Yanukovych.
Maybe the Russian vision of the Ukraine as a buffer state was too reactive and passive, besides not offering Ukrainians much hope, in the sense of the cheap hope that Obama promised. From a Russian point of view, it makes sense to say that what you care about is keeping the fleet in the Crimea, keeping the pipelines open to Europe, and keeping NATO out. But those are not motivating for Ukrainians, and, indeed, can be seen as interfering in local decisions. If Russia can join a military alliance, why can’t the Ukraine?
It seems to me that Moscow needed to do things differently at the end of the USSR days. Some of the borders and power arrangements practically guaranteed serious problems in the future.
@ Paul II
Concerning your last passage. Of course that “Moscow needed to do things differently at the end of USSR days”.
The problem was that “Moscow” those days meant, first the arch-traitor Gorbachov – and then the arch-alcoholic Yeltsin. Both great darlings of “the West”!
http://i.imgur.com/VZCKTtt.gifv [enable Java script to see “action”…]
And “the West” (= the U.S. & its satellites) had a very definite and clear plan: to break the country apart exactly along the artificial internal borders of the USSR.
(In this context, one may also recall the breakup of Yugoslavia at that time. The West, which brutally effected that breakup, took then a great care not to “violate” the completely artificial and meaningless internal borders between the constituent Yugoslav “republics” in the process, stressing that any such “violation” would create a precedent for what they planned for the USSR. A mini-model for the grand prize – emasculation of the USSR.)
I was turned off by reading the first two chapters of Never The Last One at Amazon but I’m turned on by your writing here.
Truth resides on the borderline between fact and fiction.
The death of Ukraine presages the death of the unipolar empire.
Unless things change dramatically, the multi-polar empire will be more less the same.
We need a multi-solar world which is yearning to be born.
Putin is the Man but who is the Woman behind him?
Elvira Nabiullina, playing Cleopatra to his Antony?
A strong man needs a strong woman as a self-mirror. Who could be a better chess challenger than a woman of the west residing in the heart of Russia’s economy?
How can you discard your finest competitor and possibly latent lover? It would ruin a fine game.
Check-mate move is coming (sex pun intended). The polar king is threatened by the solar queen. Vlad is in a quandary. Sacrifice my queen to kill her king? Maybe kill myself and my kin if I make a move at the wrong time and place?
“I am hanging in the balance of the reality of man
Like every sparrow falling and every grain of sand”
@James Leary on December 30, 2015 · at 4:24 pm UTC
“Vlad is in a quandary.”
I can assure you for 100% that Vlad he exactly knows where he is and where he going to lead the Russian nation and make a peace around the world.
It was not just a prediction from the Edgar Caycee, but also from the blind Vanga from Bulgaria when she predicted that Vlad will push the West back and he will teach them how to respect the East.
Even it is doesn’t look like right now from outside that this plan is going ahead, well you will see in the very near future when the most of this world is going to be behind Vlad and helping him to stop the madness of the psychopaths.
Very much agree with you…Good politician should have vision for future of nation..Mr. Putin have it…Those on West not….the see only only balance of theirs personal accounts…What a visionary great American EDGAR CAYCE
Re: Dennis James Leary on December 30, 2015 · at 4:24 pm UTC
“I was turned off by reading …”
The demeaning references to women and sexual puns in your post.
The ignorance of Russian culture in your comments. The President’s name is not ‘Vlad’ – only westerners use this… go do some research.
The silly poems….
Please stop promoting of your lovegovernment nonsense here.
I am turned off by it.
But it’s not quite dead -lawsuits proliferate from the corpse. This from the British Bloviator Corp.:
Ukraine says Crimea vintage wine sale at Massandra illegal
“A spokesman for Ukraine’s agriculture ministry, Olexander Liev, warned Massandra staff that they would be held “criminally responsible for the illegal sale of Ukrainian national heritage”.
“We are sure that respected international and Russian collectors recognise that they risk having international sanctions applied to them for illegal economic activities,” he said.
Ha-ha-ha! Perhaps there’s a very nice 1959 Chateau Stepan Bandera on offer?
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35198065
(Qu. Isn’t the purpose of a winery to sell wines? )
Maybe Ukraine is now undead, like vampires and zombies?
Seriously I’m sick and tired of hearing about those threats from the junta over Crimea. Its really time for the Crimean prosecutors to open criminal cases on the junta officials over their interference in Crimea. And to issue arrest warrants for them. I really don’t understand why they haven’t done that months ago. I suspect they haven’t because Moscow won’t let them. Which opens up the question of why someone in Moscow is protecting junta officials from justice. It might be that criminal cases need to be opened in Crimea on those in Moscow doing that. There needs to be a huge purge in Russia of those elements. And it looks more and more like the Russian people may have to wait for a change in government for that to happen. Pretty much every Russian that I see posting on sites seems to value Putin. But has no confidence in the overall government. Unless we are all wrong about Putin’s feelings. With the support of so many Russians,and the security and military that he seems to have. I can’t see a legitimate reason for him not taking action to purge the 5th column. When he didn’t have a clear mandate of support from the people it might of made sense to not “rock the boat”. But that isn’t the case today. And if the 5th column sabotages reforms.,and that holds back the economy.Then much of Putin’s support may vanish. Making it nearly impossible then to carry out the reforms.
On a sightly side note, I have long thought that the world is getting stupider by the day; and certainly in the polarity of knowledge where we know more and more about less and less.
A colleague agreed but said that there is no longer much need for intellligence because if you don’t know something it can be found in seconds on any smart phone. This of course leads to superficial ‘smarts’ with no connections, depth or cross-science/cultural understanding etc.
Well-rounded broad knowledge leads to better understanding, cultural respect and generally a more humane society with rock-solid stability. But that is not what elites and empires want -and certainly not wanted are those with crtical thought that might pose dissension and a threat to power.
Elites demand an uncritical compliant and obedient population. Basically stupid ‘slave’ masses as captive clients and workers -and cannon fodder when required.
They seem to be succeeding -and those that study the phenomenon might wish to concentrate less on the USA and the EU and more on Kiev Ukraine as the latter appears in the vanguard of this descent.
Very well explained, thank you
Very astute comment! Hope you don’t mind if I use it frequently elsewhere.
Please use wherever and whenever, no attribution necessary; feel free to improve -or at least corrrect my leading fat-finger ‘slightly’ typo!
Cheers and Happy New Year!
I agree there ,the “dumbing” down of society in the World is a horrible thing. I’ve heard comments like your friend’s said before too. And while to some extent he was right. He would need to know something about a subject to know the information he was getting was reliable as a possibility to start with. I value the internet as a way to “enhance” knowledge. Not to use it as an only source. If we are reduced to that,we are totally at the mercy of those controlling what is available on the internet.
I agree and obviously it doesn’t replace skill and experience or the ability to interact intelligently and accurately with other people. You can’t drive a car, fly a plane or run a nuclear reactor using a smart phone.
Your last line though says it all, unfortunately.
There’s an app for that!
Your data is collected, analyzed and your emotional/mental profile determines what kind of manipulation program is sent to “help” you with all your problems and decisions. That is where Siri, GoogleNow, Cortana, and, Amazon Echo are leading to.
Once the programs are perfected, they will likely be made mandatory. At first only for people with “Problems.” (law breakers, domestic violence, drugs, alcohol, philological, learning disabled, the very poor.) They will be forced to use an electronic therapist/assistant, but as it becomes more acceptable,…Well, lets just say the few remaining resistors will be dealt with.
The research is coming together as we speak. Google it.
Oligarchs love mass behavioral control technology.
Oh Lord please collapse the magnetic field, and end all this wickedness!
Where would a case be opened, who would hear it, and who has power to act on it? We don’t have world ruled by law now, but by politics and raw power, and even when it was putatively a lawful world it worked rather differently than one might hope, with law being an instrument of those with power more than anything universal. We should not underestimate the power of the Russian 5th column either: it has to be played and reeled in like a large fish with slender line.
The Russian electorate will “purge” the 5th Column. How else should it be done? Russia is trying to be the beacon of light that Edgar Cayce was talking about. Putin has no intention of returning to repression and black mariahs and 3:00 a.m. knocks at the door. He wants to replace the statues in front of the Lubyanka with friendly fountains. He wants the Russian people to master themselves, and not to be ruled by Czars forevermore. He refuses to behave like a dictator, and he is right, because the people have to take charge of their own fate if Russia is to be strong.
@Anonymous on December 30, 2015 · at 9:03 pm UTC
Thank you for explaining especially for the Western readers what Mr. Putin would like to achieve not just for the Russians, but for the all world to live in peace,harmony and social balance.
It is a very big task not just for Putin, but for the rest of leaders who has already experienced the street bully guys.
That’s all well and good. Along the lines of “Nirvana”. But in a life and death situation its not that simple. How is what you described much different than what Gorbachev “said” his ideas for ending the Cold War and bringing the East and West together in friendship was. I remember all the ” can’t we all be friends” talk of that era. And all that happened was Russia got a “knife in the back” from it. Only if “both” sides are united in wanting the same thing can you get the right results. The “mean beast” Stalin,industrialized the USSR. Defeated fascism in Europe,and make the USSR a superpower. Bringing stability to a Europe that saw peace for generations. And a peasant society transformed into a World powerhouse. Whether he had to use some of the methods he did,I don’t know. I thing he went overboard with some of them. But the results were plain to see. We now see a new Russia. A more democratic Russia. But we also see the same old enemies of the past trying to destroy that new Russia. Not because they are communist,or because a Stalin rules there. But simply because it is “Russia”. A country they have always wanted to possess. Can the new Russia survive with enemies running wild outside,and “inside” as well. History says it can’t. So we’ll have to see. But I don’t want to look back and say “well at least they went down,trying to be democratic”. That really won’t be much comfort for the Russian people. Anymore than Gorbachev’s “perestroika and glasnost” was for the USSR’s population.
@Uncle Bob 1 on December 30, 2015 · at 6:39 pm UTC
Be patient, everything is going to be fine. Putin just don’t want to have the same result what was orchestrated many, many times before in the Russian history like in 1917.
Don’t worry everything has its own perfect timing and Putin knows about it very well. He had a very professional teachers regarding to the history of Russia and he definitely was a very good student in this part.
P.S. I’m not Russian
I’d feel more comfort in your comment (which I liked) if you were Russian.
@Uncle Bob 1 on December 30, 2015 · at 11:31 pm UTC
I’d feel more comfort in your comment (which I liked) if you were Russian
Well I’m German – /Bavaria / -Hungarian, but I have read a lot about a Russian history
Happy New Year to you and everyone on this very precious discussion club
When all is said and done “It’s the economy…”
Russia may use up its Reserve and National Welfare Funds by 2019 compensating for the budget deficit.
Read more: http://sputniknews.com/business/20151223/1032219375/russia-budget-reserve-fund.html#ixzz3vt6efUD3
The sanctions are hurting, without a doubt, there have been remarkable victories, but Russia was not fully prepared, and the West smells blood from the wounded bear. The Sanctions, bleeding from a thousande cuts, have created situations that very well can throw a damper on the President’s plans.
http://cassad.net/politika/analitika/22396-sergey-glazev-sovety-v-pustotu.html
Sergey Glazev the advise in the void.
“Sergei Glazyev, who, for a moment, is the adviser of the President of Russia on regional economic integration during the interview, noticed in the economic paradigm, which is today, Russia is at best shines a zero growth or growth within the stated uncertainty. While Glazyev proposes a range of measures, which, according to him, is able to accelerate the economy to 8-9% annual growth in the short term. ”
Glazev adamantly speaks that the Monetary measures of the Russian Central Bank are stiffling growth, he advocates for increasing spending, printing Rubles, just as the USA and Japan and Europe do by the trillions.
In a measured manner this would give greater impetus to development. Unleash credit in rubles, and that will unleash investment, growth and development.
Glazev agrees that Ukraine is basically a non-entity:
“Let us speak frankly. Ukraine today is not a country, it is not a state, but an occupied territory. There’s even no Constitution. It was canceled last amended by Yanukovych, and the new and not adopted. In Ukraine American power, and decision-making center is the us Embassy and Washington, as we have seen in the recent visit of Biden, who came as the führer on their territory.”
Use Yandex Browser, it will automatially translate the article.
The alarming numbers are that poverty is rising steadily in Russia, real income is decreasing, inflation is not under control as the Central Bank would like us to believe.
The great battle ahead for Russia, is against the entrenched fifth column in the spheres of government. That will be the decisive battle for President Putin. How long will it be postponed?
@SanctuaryOne on December 30, 2015 · at 5:01 pm UTC
No just the Ukraine’s oligarchs and their phony US / Israel comrades are upset they didn’t have enough time to loot this vinery too.
This vinery was a state vinery and the money from the sale will go against the Crimea social development and economy improvement.
Oligarch always thought that everything and absolutely everything / especially from the former East European countries/ is going to be theirs no matter what! Look at the Kolomojski what kind of castles he looted in Crimea, but fortunately it is back to the state including the private beach where people can enjoy their holiday for the prize of the hotel payment..
Russian Army will formally intervene in the event of Ukraine attacking Donbass | Donbass International News Agency
https://t.co/mZQ4HGo7m2
mmiriww,
“It was stated by Denis Denisov, the head of the Kiev branch of the UIS (Union of Independent States) Institute.”
https://t.co/mZQ4HGo7m2
Is there anything “official” about this? It is a rather important assertion, and not to be depended upon as other than an opinion or a rumor unless it is confirmed by an appropriate government official. Given that Putin is not normally a practitioner of threats, I doubt that he or his spokespersons would be making a statement such as this (or does the Kremlin use such an organization to make “intentional leaks”)? Thanks in advance for clarification.
A Russian invasion will come. It has always been inevitable, only a question of timing.
When Europe is finally overrun by angry young men, believing in nothing, it will be up to Russia to again save the world from fascism.
This time, when Europe is but smouldering ruins, Russia must cross the channel and correct the perfidious Albionites. It is a necessary condition for the achievement of final victory and we ‘Westerners’ will be begging for it long before.
This is/was my most vivid dream.
I agree, that in the event of a future large-scale attack on the Donbass, Russia will respond more forcefully than previously. Connect the article linked by mmiriww on this thread, then read the facts in the 2 articles I’ve now linked, then combine all this with the appointment of Boris Gryzlov to the Minsk contact group, and with Russia’s muscular actions over Syria, and I think we’ll see Russia is now more assertive and confident – although naturally still very cautious and level-headed. And remember, that the Ukranian Government are now officially state sponsors of terrorism through their support of AQ and Daesh linked jihadis on their territory, which gives Russia a legal reason to attack. Also, the presence of terrorist groups officially sponsored by Turkey threatening the Crimea, especially after the downing and murder of the Russian pilot, indicates the writing is on the wall.
Head of LPR Igor Plotnitsky’s appeal to residents of Kherson region
https://dninews.com/article/head-lpr-igor-plotnitsky’s-appeal-residents-kherson-region
Putin Vows to Protect Pro-Russian Ukrainians From Nationalists
http://russia-insider.com/en/politics/putin-says-will-not-abandon-russian-republics-ukraine/ri11993
Auslander explains his geopolitical position,—but cites no sources for claims about USA and NATO
on the verge of taking over the Crimea as a major military base aimed at Russia, which of course would also violate the Budapest Memorandum and Ukrainian sovereignty.
But his narrative is clarified, as it seems he would really want an eventual global world order
governed by Russia,—would that eventually become some neo-stalinist neo-feudal system like currently in North Korea?—but still at least maybe not as bad as the Islamic State regime would be.
Too bad that any world order involving human creativity in liberty and peace, and with leaders serving followers rather than lording it over them, seems crashing and burning amidst universal warfare, everyone against everyone, each side pointing finger at another.
I took the article by Auslander to be describing USA/NATO plans for Crimea not now, but rather before the events of Feb-Mar 2014 described in the documentary recently posted here: https://vimeo.com/123194285 Crimea: The Way Back Home.
Porky and NATO may have wished to impose their plans on Crimeans in early 2014, but happily, they failed, those plans have been set back if not quite permanently cancelled, because Crimeans themselves acted with remarkable clarity and resolve in advance of any help arriving from Russia. Hardly a neo-Stalinist process of any sort of imposition of anything! Check it out.
Crimeans and most Russians seek what sane Americans should also seek, today: A multi-polar world where no hegemonic power exists that can impose its will worldwide on anyone with no counterbalance to such absolute power/corruption. In that regard, Russia is an ally leading the resistance to a Uni-polar world, and the Obama government and its London/Wall St owners are our own worst enemy (of 99% of us!) committed to world hegemony by any means, no matter how violent, dishonest or disgusting. And that hegemony is not intended for your or my benefit. Quite the opposite.
Crimeans deserve great credit for the very large part they played in saving Russia. Their heroic conduct thwarted Nato attempts to turn their peninsula into a dagger aimed at the heart of Moscow. Putin recognized the danger in time and acted swiftly. That is why the Russian people support him so. Rump Ukraine is still dangerous, but largely neutered. Mostly a danger to itself. The moral of the story is that Russians are unafraid to act decisively in their own self interest. That is the conundrum for the Anglo-American empire.
Curious that what you’re expecting are “claims”.
As if it that alone was the requirement to end all doubts, and leave aside actual preceding events on the ground.
As if the most concrete and significant military ill intentioned strategies of the countries at war was discussed in the open for the adversaries to conveniently prepare for.
As if Russia (though not exclusively) generaly and objectively, via official statements and long term strategy documents, had not been already picked by USA and NATO as a “threat” (if not the threat, you, of all people, the second commenter to mention the word “geopolitical” in this thread).
But your narrative falls just into place of trolldom when reading into what is obviously not in the text, extending the strawman from infidel to salafi heights (which is a feat in itself).
Too bad your argument as easily equates the sum of all current barbarisms with the young yet decades-old human reference of civilization.
I let myself be trolled from time to time, you should try too.
“Auslander…cites no sources for claims about USA and NATO on the verge of taking over the Crimea”
If you aren’t aware of the original US plan to take over Crimea after the coup d’etat in the Ukraine then you simply haven’t been following events there as closely as most regular readers of this blog.
The Ukraine coup was marked by Victoria Nulan’s graphic comment ‘f* the EU’
A photograph taken at a recent meeting with Putin shows Alexey Chaly on the far right, the recently resigned mayor of Sevastopol shaking hands with Putin and other high level politicos.
http://s00.yaplakal.com/pics/pics_original/2/2/0/2979022.jpg
Russian humor in action, and a fitting response following Syria.
Yes Ukraine is dead by her own hand, but what I never read in TR.com or hear, as in “Crosstalk”, is the grand US plan! Nor is it mentioned, even if just in passing, here in this piece. Peter Laval of Crosstalk keeps saying the US actions are so messy, unthought out, chaotic, he exclaims in excited exasperation, over and over.
“They don’t know what they are doing!” he repeats over and over. He could not be further from the truth. The plan is basically very simple and working extremely well. Chaos is what it is all about! !00% surveillance enables pinpointing any single or grouped individuals from being instantaneously eliminated and replaced by those who will further US aims. Regime change is holy grail. Doesn’t work? It does work.Extremely well. For the last 60 or 70 years. Finally both Russia and China are encircled.
The wars move to ready the invasion of China are two fold. Eliminate all the Fertile Crescent set of Muslim oil lands, meaning genocide on vast scales. And the vast land mass that is China is nakedly exposed to attack.
One reason the US is actively supporting Saudi Arabia as it genocidally removes Yemen.A repeat of the generations the US has supported the Israeli Zionist government genocide of the Palestinians. Basically, the USA is a genocidal nation, formally a rogue police state that enjoys killing.It has killed it’s own by the millions with great ease for hundred of years, still does so.
Any formal or informal agreement the US comes to will be broken within days. She has no integrity at al. Everyone knows she committed suicide generations ago. 9/11 was just the final nail in her coffin. she set up 9/11. M16 of the UK told the US one year before the event, that 9/11 was coming.
D. Cheney, the US Vice President, pulled all surveillance of the Manhattan area from Denver, Clorado, the evening before 9/11. He is very proud. A bronze bust was even made of him and is set up someplace iconic in DC.
But, no-one says any of these facts. Well, I just did.
@Majo on December 30, 2015 · at 9:14 pm UTC
Everything what you have mentioned here is true but don’t worry. We can use the glass pitcher till it is going to broke one day.
This comparison if fitting for these psychopaths very well, who has orchestrated the 9/11 a many more atrocities around the world. Us citizens are already slowly, but in a steady paste can see the pattern what is revealing at the front of their eyes by every single day.
What the big guys has prepared for us for the year 2016
http://www.jewishjournal.com/rob_eshman/article/in_defense_of_optimism
The real concern I have is one of understanding on each side. Particularly the US. I don’t think the arrogant degenerates in Washington understand or take Russia seriously and will push it to a conflict via miscalculation. For instance Russia in response to the cowardly Turks used ‘soft power’ as a response and Russia has ‘passively’ supported Eastern Ukraine. This has probably been read as weakness. The other issue is that it must have occurred to the Russians and Chinese by now that any agreement with the US not worth paper it is written on.
OT, just a note to comment that the Choir, Ballet and Orchestra of St. Petersburg Russian Army acted tonight in the Kursaal Auditorium in San Sebastian garnering tremendous success.
So beautiful show, great voices, musicians and dancers, totally worth it, we spent a great time.
Thanks to all for coming to visit us!
Happy and safe back home!
Happy New Year!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kEBZWd53no
My lady, thank you for the link.
One has to admit that Russian culture is grand, for instance no ballet troop in the world can perform Swan Lake like Bolshoi.
Here’s a sample of what we listen to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T25Eikj7kg
Pyatnitsky. We also enjoy Kuban Kossak Choir.
In hindsight, Putin’s speech to the UN on Sept. 28th was his coming out that he was not going to allow The Anglozion their prize of another destroyed nation
Would have loved to have been a fly on the wall 2 days later when the Russian Genral visited the American embassy in Baghdad when it was announced that bombing will commence in 1 hour
I bet Obama threw a tantrum of epic proportions
Isnt it payback time when the Ukronazis begin another January offensive in Donbass? /s
Merkel didnt deserve Time’s person of the year, Putin did
@Anunnaki on December 31, 2015 · at 2:34 am UTC
You have to have a look who is the owner of the “Time” magazine and you will get the respond why Mrs. Merkel is the person of the year and not Mr. Putin. Also Mr. Milton Friedman the father of the Globalization was the person of the year???????????? This is just a hint for you.
It is very clear who is running the show, but not for long anymore.
The trail of destruction moves once again to Africa. In Burundi, ten years of peace have been punished with “colour revolution” and threats of imminent “humanitarian intervention”. The peace President Nkurunziza is being demonised. The country is small, but it can be “a sprat to catch a mackerel.” I mean, the new war may not stop in Burundi. It is to be AU chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s war. Her eye is on the Presidency of South Africa, where she is the enemy, and not the friend of her ex-husband, who is the current President of SA and is the one who brought SA into BRICS.
Thankyou for highlighting the effectiveness of a man of steel acting quietly, resolutely, within the boundaries of international law coupled with national and humanitarian absolutes.
It has taken time, admittedly horrific deaths and destruction of thousands of innocents, but in the end Russia and Putin will prevail without having precipitated an international major conflagration.
What an amazing man, what unbelievable self-control, restraint, and adherence to integrity he has shown.
really well written from the heart Auslander, we’re lucky to have your writings on the blog here.
Ukraine has until January 1 to repay its $3 billion debt to Russia to avoid a default.
A pensioner begs for money as pedestrians pass by in central Kiev, Ukraine
© AP PHOTO/ EFREM LUKATSKY
Epic Fail: IMF Tricks Did Not Save Ukraine From Economic Collapse – German Newspaper
The Russian Finance Ministry announced on Wednesday that Ukraine’s formal default would occur on December 31 after the expiration of the 10-day “grace” period, during which Kiev was still able to make a payment.
Read more: http://sputniknews.com/europe/20151231/1032534006/ukraine-debt-default.html#ixzz3vtkKH3HT
Ukraine may face complete economic failure as inflation progresses and foreign loans are unable to save the country’s economy. Kiev should admit that its plans to join the EU were unsuccessful, German newspaper Deutsche Wirtschafts Nachrichten (DWN) reported.
Kiev, Ukraine
© FLICKR/ ALEXXX MALEV
Western Anti-Russian Sanctions Ruining Ukraine’s Economy
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has done a lot to contribute to the rehabilitation of Ukraine, but the threat of hyperinflation is still urgent, while the country itself is close to bankruptcy, the newspaper wrote.
According to the National Bank of Ukraine, inflation in the country reached 44 percent this year compared to 24.9 percent last year. Chaotic economic policies, corruption and civil war in the eastern regions of the country have put Ukraine on the brink of national bankruptcy, the article said.
The IMF tried to stop the destruction of the Ukrainian economy using various legal tricks. In order to help Ukraine which still has not repaid its debt to Russia, the IMF hastily changed its rules and can now provide loans to insolvent countries.
Just this year alone, Ukraine has received about ten billion dollars in loans from the IMF and other international donors. The financial aid, however, failed to improve the state of the country’s economy.
If the devaluation continues at the current pace, Kiev will not only run out of money, but also lose the trust of its Western partners. At the moment, Ukraine is actually living on the money of European and American taxpayers. Sooner or later, European countries may stop “pumping” their finances into the economically desperate state, the article said.
With regard to the catastrophic economic situation, the prospect of membership in the European Union, which the Ukrainian government dreams of, is a complete fiasco. Neither Ukraine nor the EU can afford such a serious challenge under the current conditions, DWN concluded.
Read more: http://sputniknews.com/europe/20151230/1032491754/epic-fail-ukraine-collapse.html#ixzz3vtks9csn………………….
note ukr finance minister says although 2016 budget has gone through the RADA(note Yats says there is no provision in this budget for repaying Rus debt)
According to the Ukrainian economic minister, the approval of a new state budget does not guarantee the approval of a new IMF tranche.
Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk (3rd R), Finance Minister Natalia Yaresko (4th R), Interior Minister Arsen Avakov (2nd R) and other ministers react after parliament approved the budget during a session in Kiev, Ukraine, December 25, 2015
© REUTERS/ ANASTASIA SIROTKINA/POOL
Wishful Thinking: Ukraine OKs ‘Unrealistic’ Budget to Avoid Bankruptcy
KIEV (Sputnik) – The approval of Ukraine’s 2016 state budget is not a guarantee that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will transfer the next tranche of financial aid to the country, Ukrainian Economic Minister Natalie Jaresko said Wednesday.
“Although the confirmation of the budget is the basis for receiving a new IMF tranche, this still does not serve as a guarantee for the approval of a new tranche since during negotiations on the budget in the Verkhovna Rada [Ukraine’s parliament] a number of changes was made in the legislation and these need to be individually agreed upon with the IMF. I’m not completely sure that all of these changes will be agreed upon,” Jaresko said during a press conference.
Read more: http://sputniknews.com/europe/20151230/1032486785/ukraine-budget-imf-tranche.html#ixzz3vtnJJzWY
comment here
Described the sagging Cabinet in parliament budget of Ukraine for 2016 city council deputy Volodymyr Bondarenko, incidentally, a former associate of the Prime Minister Yatsenyuk party “Fatherland.”
“Today we have a budget that emasculated the whole system of social protection, violates the rights of teachers, doctors and other vulnerable groups, creates the conditions that impair the lives of people, particularly small businesses, said Bondarenko at a press conference in Kiev. – Today, the entire agricultural business protests, blocked the main roads of Ukraine. Business conditions for farmers to change unacceptable. They tried to prove that the decisions adopted by the Parliament today will encourage the destruction of cattle and pigs … But this government Yatsenyuk and “guardsmen” think only about one thing – how to attract loans and plunder them again. ”
Recall that the producers of agricultural products from all regions of Ukraine blocked the road every day to protest against the new tax, which really destroys the business of farmers. In addition, the result of the new tax would be a dramatic (20%) rise in prices of food for the citizens of Ukraine, most of which already choose: to pay communal and live from hand to mouth, or vice versa”
http://www.anna-news.info/node/50356
google translate
and Poland wants its old territories back as a condition of Ukr joining EU
plus
Ukraine’s and Polish National Banks signed a swap line agreement for the zloty-euro currency parity.
KIEV (Sputnik) – The National Bank of Poland has opened a currency swap line for Kiev in the amount of 4 billion zlotys, just over $1 billion, the Ukrainian National Bank said Tuesday.
Read more: http://sputniknews.com/europe/20151222/1032140940/ukraine-poland-currency-swap-deal.html#ixzz3vtrKgadJ
no idea if this is good or bad, ukr inflation about 45% at the moment, forecasts are for worse
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – He urged Kiev to speed up the reforms to assure Swedish companies that their investments in Ukraine would be protected by law.
“We have to be honest and admit that the fight against corruption in the last two years is the biggest disappointment in the sphere of Ukrainian reforms. The majority of Swedish companies have not noticed any significant changes in the issue of corruption, therefore I think that speeding up the reforms is the biggest challenge for Ukrainian authorities and leaders,” Beckerath said in an interview with the Ukrainian 5 Kanal.
Read more: http://sputniknews.com/europe/20151229/1032451768/corruption-ukraine-ambassador-fight.html#ixzz3vtrn2e6b
KIEV (Sputnik) — Inflation in Ukraine will likely stand at 44 percent for 2015, Governor of the country’s National Bank Valeria Gontareva said Tuesday.
“According to our forecasts, inflation at the end of the year is 44%,” Gontareva told reporters.
Ukraine is counting on receiving $8.87 billion in financial aid in 2016, according to material disseminated during a press conference by the head of the Ukrainian National Bank.
The Roshen Confectionary Corporation is the biggest candy manufacturer in Ukraine, with a total annual production volume of about 450,000 tons.
© SPUTNIK/ MAKSIM BLINOV
While Ukraine’s Economy Crashes, It’s Sweet Business for Poroshenko
According to the material, Kiev is expecting to receive $4.58 billion from the International Monetary Fund, $1.55 billion from the European Union, $1 billion from the United States, $210 million from the World Bank, and another $1.53 billion from various other financial sources.
Read more: http://sputniknews.com/business/20151229/1032441284/ukraine-inflation.html#ixzz3vtryusu4
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KIEV (Sputnik) — Ukraine’s national oil and gas company Naftogaz said Thursday it had suggested to hold talks with Russian energy giant Gazprom on Kiev’s new rules for establishing gas transit tariffs.
“Naftogaz, as a responsible partner, suggested to Gazprom to hold talks on this matter,” the company said in a statement.
A picture shows a compressor station of Ukraine’s Naftogaz national oil and gas company near the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on August 5, 2014.
© AFP 2015/ SERGEY BOBOK
Russian Gas Price to Ukraine in 1016 May Be Set at $230
In September, Russia, Ukraine and the European Commission initiated a winter package deal for supplies during the peak consumption period between October 1, 2015 and March 31, 2016, ensuring the delivery of 2 billion cubic meters of gas to Ukraine’s underground storage facilities at discounted prices.
Read more: http://sputniknews.com/business/20151231/1032540590/naftogaz-gazprom-talks.html#ixzz3vtlUOJuI
Ukr is still hoping for prices less than 200 for 1000 cm
Putin signed withdrawing of free trade zone(excluding gas)but even though Ukr says ith has now a trade embargo with rus it will drop this of Rus relaxes its recent decision-blackmail of sorts-but then got quite concerned and upset about transit of its own exports through to other Caucasiancountries-
well, your gonna have to find another route , maybe through corrupt Saakashvilli Odessa through to Georgia
KIEV (Sputnik) – Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Tuesday signed a law that allows the country’s Cabinet of Ministers to introduce economic sanctions against Russia in response to Moscow’s decision on the free trade zone agreement and a food embargo.
“Today [Wednesday], the Cabinet of Ministers will pass two decrees in regard to counteractions against the illegal activities by the Russian Federation. The first decree is a ban on the import of goods from Russia into Ukraine’s customs territory. The second decree is the placement of import tariffs on Russian goods,” Yatsenyuk said during a ministry meeting.
Read more: http://sputniknews.com/politics/20151230/1032501352/ukraine-russia-sanctions-countersanctions.html#ixzz3vtmxWBKl
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.Sevastopol has its electricity rationed due to more power cuts from ukraine
SIMFEROPOL (Crimea) (Sputnik) — Authorities in Sevastopol in Russia’s Crimea have decided to limit the use of electricity following an interruption of supplies from Ukraine, the Sevastopol government said Wednesday.
“Ukraine cut electricity supplies via the Kakhovka-Titan power line at 10:00 pm Moscow time [19:00 GMT] on December 30. We will switch to the three-over-three hour power usage schedule. City lighting will be powered down,” the government said in a statement.
The Kiev authorities have not yet commented on the incident.
Read more: http://sputniknews.com/russia/20151230/1032521228/sevastopol-power-cut.html#ixzz3vtpevDzz
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Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk, in his annual year-end press conference proclaimed the national goal of Ukraine to be “restoration of territorial integrity of the country,” which, according to him, means return of Donbass and Crimea under the control of Kiev.
“The national aim is the restoration of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Ukrainian state. This means the return of Donetsk, Lugansk and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea under the full control of the Ukrainian authorities,” he said.
How he is going to establish control over the territory of Russia and the People’s Republic of Donbass, Yatsenyuk did not elaborate.
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“Russian Spring” in Crimea on certain criteria starting to show signs of “Russian autumn.” There were tensions between the head of the Crimea Sergey Aksenov and some unnamed federal officials. His position on the overall situation on the ground has designated another person to advance in Sevastopol “Russian Spring” – the chairman of the Legislative Assembly of this city Alexey Chaly. He decided to resign.
The reason, he said that a half years in the city did nothing for its development. Alexey Chaly sees no further opportunity to perform their duties because they do not want to be “the wedding general” – a formal figure, which is not able to provide the residents of what was once promised. Chaly proposed member of the party “United Russia” – the governor of Sevastopol Sergey Menyailo analyze the situation and draw the appropriate conclusions. Alexey Chaly himself, in his words, is not going to participate in parliamentary elections in 2016, “because he was not interested in the position of federal policy.”
http://www.anna-news.info/node/50360
google translate
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happy New Year everyone
and
remember Poland and ukr say Nordstream 2 reduces choice of market for gas supply/
ukr announces increase from 2.7 to 5 dollars transit fees of Rus gas, Gazprom will not bid to construct pipeline= Eu , Germany , your problem now…………………….
MOSCOW, December 31. /TASS/. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has instructed the authorities of Crimea and Sevastopol to hold an opinion poll among the population before signing a contract for electricity supplies to the peninsula with Ukraine, Russia’s Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters on Thursday. “The president has ordered to turn urgently to one of the leading professional agencies to hold an opinion poll among the population of the Crimea and Sevastopol on the following
More:
http://tass.ru/en/economy/848089
SIMFEROPOL, December 31. /TASS/. Head of Crimea Sergey Aksyonov has called the termination of power supplies from Ukraine to the peninsula on the night to December 31 a “terrorist act”. READ ALSO Electricity supply from Ukraine to Crimea stopped because of tower collapse — supplier “Today a terrorist act has been committed, one of the supports has been undermined or tumbled down. The media already reported that Energy Minister Novak said that Ukraine wants to bring into the contract a clause stating that Crimea is the Ukrainian territory. My stance is clear. They can get out of here with such suggestions. I consider it unacceptable to be on the hook of blackmailers and terrorists who lie to people saying that Crimea will return to Ukraine. This will never happen. We want to intimidate us, to force them to love them. They won’t get it,”- Aksenov told reporters.
More:
http://tass.ru/en/politics/848103
wondr what happened to Crimea suing ukr for recent breach of contract?
KIEV, December 31. /TASS/. Ukraine has established a special commission that will probe into the causes of a recent emergency at the Kakhovka-Titan power transmission line that supplies electricity to Crimea, the press service of the Kherson regional state administration of Ukraine reported on Thursday.
More:
http://tass.ru/en/politics/848073
don’t waste your time,just Ukr saying happy new year to Crimea…………………….
KIEV, December 31. /TASS/. Roadblocks barring passage from Ukraine to the Republic of Crimea are being removed after a decision by Kiev authorities to restrict commodities bound for the newly independent territory, a Ukrainian activist announced on Thursday. Observers remain stationed at the entry point to the Black Sea peninsula but are not impending through traffic, organizer Lenur Islyamov announced on Thursday. “We are removing all the roadblocks – six of them, two on each road,” he told the 112 Ukraine TV channel. “Observers remain, but are not stopping anyone. “The government has eventually agreed with our demand for a commodity blockade and the decision it made, although half-hearted and vague, is by and large what we would like to see,” he added, explaining the roadblocks’ lifting. Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk announced at a December 16 Cabinet session a government decision which “prohibited all supplies from Crimea to Ukraine and vice versa, except for citizens’ personal belongings, socially important goods and humanitarian aid”.
More:
http://tass.ru/en/world/848067
UNITED NATIONS, December 31. /TASS/. The UN Secretariat confirmed on Wednesday it has received a letter from deputy speaker of the Crimean parliament Remzi Ilyasov voicing concerns about the peninsula’s blockade. An associate spokesperson for the UN secretary general, Vannina Maestracci, declined to comment on the possible further steps of the organization in this regard. In the letter handed over to the UN Secretariat on Tuesday, Ilyasov, who heads the interregional public movement “Crimea”, asked the UN chief to pay attention to the blockade of the Crimean Peninsula by radical groups that has lasted for over two months. He also called for an independent international investigation into the blowing up of power transmission line pylons.
More:
http://tass.ru/en/world/848031
MOSCOW, December 29. /TASS/. Ankara’s continuing support for the extremist organizations of Crimean Tatars in Ukraine is clear evidence its anti-Russian policies remain unchanged, which may be fraught with the risk Moscow may take a still harder line in relations with Turkey, polled experts have told TASS.
More:
http://tass.ru/en/opinions/847704
MOSCOW, December 29. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday signed amendments to the federal constitutional law on making the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol part of the Russian Federation, which extend to 2016 the special procedure to set draft budgets in new Russian constituent members. The document has been posted on the official website of legal information. READ ALSO Crimean government undergoes personnel reshuffle Only 10% of Crimeans are discontent with situation after reunificationwith Russia — poll Moscow warns of stricter control over use of budgetary funds in Crimea Kremlin warns against playing up current problems between federal and Crimean authorities “The federal constitutional law extends the validity of peculiarities of setting draft budgets of the Republic of Crimea, the budget of the federal city of Sevastopol and local budgets, set for 2015 by the government of the Russian Federation, as well as implementation of the mentioned budgets and formation of the budgetary reporting for 2016,” say accompanying documents to the law
More:
http://tass.ru/en/politics/847694
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keOyNqDGQ8Q
video discussion-what did you dream of in ukraine for 2016
in russian
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even more
The Moscow branch of the International Red Cross has submitted to the International Criminal court for crimes against humanity committed by officials of Ukraine on the territory of Donbas.
Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague has decided to first study the events that occurred in Ukraine after the February 20, 2014. This was reported by Deputy Foreign Minister DNI Olga Parfinenko during a roundtable on the topic “Ukrainian Nazi Crimes”, held in Donetsk.
Parfinenko said: “The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court sent a reply that the application is accepted for consideration. Under the Rome Statute, the prosecutor of the court after the preliminary examination decides to initiate an investigation. He also addresses issues of facts under investigation were eligible under the jurisdiction of the court, the admissibility of the case and respecting the interests of justice in the investigation of crimes.
Taking into account the legal implications, as well as the interconnected nature of the events in Ukraine after the February 20, 2014, the prosecutor decided to extend the timeframe preliminary examination of crimes allegedly took place in Ukraine after the specified date. This is a very important step which, I hope, made the beginning of the tribunal of war criminals who committed crimes in the territory of Ukraine, the territory of Donbass “.
http://www.anna-news.info/node/50390
Eeeeeekkk!!! A Ukie in the SAA…
Oh wait, its a good one…
https://twitter.com/Liveuamap/status/682495218424352769
Which would make him a Russian mercenary.. Instead of an Ukie mercenary.. Even though there are many operating advanced Russian military gear with the SAA… But being new year they need something to complain about… Anyone who fights for their rights is a Russian.. Hey now that is a good thing..
Amazing in 25 years Russia means Freedom…
Auslander, thanks for this great article. Every day I learn more from people like you.
Ukraine is not dead at all. Past year it is proven how strong the nationalist feeling may be. Saker said many times that Ukrainw will collapse. But that didnt happen. Most of the Ukrainians still hate Russia and are ready to accept any worsening of their living conditions.
Maybe it is dead for Russians. Whether it is dead for Ukrainians is another matter. And maybe those in Moscow who put business and money above all other things will come around to realizing the importance of proper ideological work and propaganda. Notice that the ideological activists in the rebel republics have died or largely retired. All we are left with is people like Starikov, who is at least trying, but that is kind of a non-alcoholic beer that is unlikely to go far in terms of Ukrainian thinking. Mozgovoi was much more what Russia needed, and now he and others like him are gone. And many feel that it wasn’t Kiev who got rid of the good leaders for the rebel republics.
As for the Ukraine collapsing, well, how often have modern countries collapsed in the modern world? Can you think of an example? So would it happen if the West is backing it? Maybe a scam bankruptcy/collapse will occur to take over all the decent assets in the country, but that is not really a collapse as much as it is a takeover. So us cynics would say that the Ukraine isn’t really dead, it has just had a hostile takeover, though with good brainwashing so many now support it.
Like Collateral Damage, easy words for you to write since you have nothing vested.
@Marko on December 31, 2015 · at 3:03 pm UTC
“Ukrainians still hate Russia and are ready to accept any worsening of their living conditions.”
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Then it looks like you are very proud of it that Ukraine is going to be looted till last hryvna and all of the historical possessions by the US oligarch looters.
It is very interesting to read why are you hate Russians so much even they never looted your country.
If you love your country, you don’t need to be nationalist. It is plenty enough if you will make your country safe for everyone and respect the law and opinion of the all nation not just to force on everyone opinion of the small group who is full of fear and hatred.
Only weak people can hate and they are freaking out from everything what is NOT done after their direction.
Change your mind and you will be free for ever, don’t wear your backpack of hatred all the time, it is very heavy load to wear on your heart.
Love and respect is much lighter and reward is amazing.
Love to you and Happy New year with lots of blessings to come to you this year.
Dear Auslander
I counted, you used only once the word “west” and 13 times NATO.
Thanks for it.
I hope, one day will arrive when we will calll spade the spade. it means we will not use any more word “west”.
NATO is the source of all ill.
NATO regimes are war mongers and they are all alike.
There is no difference between them.
Now, imagine Norway is a member of NATO and she gives the Nobel Prize for peace.
Norway will give the prize to those who promote NATO interests.
People who sit on the NATO board sit in Nobel Prize committee.
There is no west.
The termin west is just a mask for the Natoists to cover their crimes and to make them to look stronger, smarter and bigger.
The questions is how long will usa/nato/eu beat the death horse into the shape of their liking
Did those lunatics in Washington really believe that Russia would tolerate Nato taking over their Bases in Crimea?if so they are much more deranged than I thought.
Yeah, but they can dream, can’t they? PNAC is their dream. Alligators have very peaceful dreams in comparison.
It was a win for the Hegemon either way. If they succeeded in taking over and kicking out the Russian Black Sea fleet then they diminished Russia’s power and strategic balance by denying ice free access to the Mediterranean and allowing NATO encroachment ever closer to Russia.
They would of course flip that by saying Russia was encroaching on NATO and the dumb masses would moronically repeat that talking point.
If Russia ‘invaded’ and ‘annexed’ Crimean Ukraine then the ‘exceptional’ USA could act outraged and impose sanctions to equally weaken Russia and which along with the USA designed flooding of the oil markets by vassal ally Saudi would finish it off economically. I personally think this was always the plan, particularly as it also split the EU from Russia economically, but they were likely surprised by the speed of the Russian response in Crimea.
This second scenario in turn would precipitate regime change and the neutering of Russia as a superpower. A US appointment of a ‘Yeltsin’ vodka vassal, lubricated by Nuland, Pyatt et al, would cement the break-up, foment civil breakdown perhaps with ISIL et al infiltration and allow the Neocons to move on -once Syria fell without Russian support- to Iran and all that lovely oil to prop the $US up.
Then the final move on to China according to Manifest Destiny etc.
If it all failed and went nuclear -no problem. Neocons are always pleased to do all they can to precipitate Armageddon so that they may make their rightful ascent to sit at God’s right hand. So they think.
Yes, the Neocons are barking mad; they are not particularly intelligent but they do have diabolical cunning.
thank you auslander for your yet again brilliant piece of writing & anecdotes of your own personal experience of the russian federation during these very interesting times & thanks also to most of the commenters for further insights,
we sit on the edge of our seats down here in oz but do have experience of living in russia in once again interesting times, attempted coups etc, the resilience, originality & strength of the russian people leave a lifetime of admiration for their ability to live through & more than survive the worst of times,
thank you once again,
jg
Good work