Dutch murder trial over MH 17 flight is almost over.
The prosecutors have sought life sentences for three Russians Oleg Pulatov, Sergey Dubinsky and Igor Girkin and a Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko on trial for intentionally shooting down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014, killing 298 people.
An international team of investigators concluded that the Buk launcher used to shoot down the aircraft belonged to Russia's 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade.
In recordings played to the court, men identified by the prosecution as the suspects could be heard discussing moving "our Buk" to a field from where flight MH17 was attacked.
Sure enough, Moscow denies its involvement, but perhaps times will change and Russia will find enough decency to at least apologize.
You cannot beat legal procedures with emotions.
The prosecutors have sought life sentences for three Russians Oleg Pulatov, Sergey Dubinsky and Igor Girkin and a Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko on trial for intentionally shooting down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014, killing 298 people.
An international team of investigators concluded that the Buk launcher used to shoot down the aircraft belonged to Russia's 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade.
In recordings played to the court, men identified by the prosecution as the suspects could be heard discussing moving "our Buk" to a field from where flight MH17 was attacked.
Sure enough, Moscow denies its involvement, but perhaps times will change and Russia will find enough decency to at least apologize.
You cannot beat legal procedures with emotions.
Putin hasn’t said anything meaningful during his annual news conference. We assume that the majority of Russians are just tired of the President saying the same things year after year.
The man is obsessed with Ukraine which he thinks is an artificial country created by Lenin. This is a basic nationalist view on Ukraine in Russia.
None of these people think that Russia is an “artificial country” created by Golden Horde, though.
Other than that, Putin passionately demanded NATO guarantees which he won’t get. Answering the question about tortures in Russian prisons, Putin, as usual, first of all referred to the US, saying that it’s not solely a Russian problem.
Thank God, no country dominates the thinking of American presidents the way America dominates the thinking of Putin.
The man is obsessed with Ukraine which he thinks is an artificial country created by Lenin. This is a basic nationalist view on Ukraine in Russia.
None of these people think that Russia is an “artificial country” created by Golden Horde, though.
Other than that, Putin passionately demanded NATO guarantees which he won’t get. Answering the question about tortures in Russian prisons, Putin, as usual, first of all referred to the US, saying that it’s not solely a Russian problem.
Thank God, no country dominates the thinking of American presidents the way America dominates the thinking of Putin.
Washington contradicted Putin’s words about negotiations about security guarantees, saying that no place or time had been set for talks. Biden is ready to begin discussions in January, though.
It is clear that Putin won’t get the guarantees on Ukraine that he seeks. Moscow has a weaker hand, Washington has all the time and leverage. So, what will happen next?
Only one thing is 100% sure – Kremlin will have to make a decision soon. It’s too costly to keep an army outside of its garrisons for ever at the readiness this high.
Sam Charap from the RAND thinks that Russia’s non-starter proposals are just buying time for military action.
We assume that Putin will implement half measures. We don’t even think that Kremlin has a clear long-term plan of actions.
Russia’s actions are almost always very limited, very calculated and coordinated with the West.
It is clear that Putin won’t get the guarantees on Ukraine that he seeks. Moscow has a weaker hand, Washington has all the time and leverage. So, what will happen next?
Only one thing is 100% sure – Kremlin will have to make a decision soon. It’s too costly to keep an army outside of its garrisons for ever at the readiness this high.
Sam Charap from the RAND thinks that Russia’s non-starter proposals are just buying time for military action.
We assume that Putin will implement half measures. We don’t even think that Kremlin has a clear long-term plan of actions.
Russia’s actions are almost always very limited, very calculated and coordinated with the West.
Military conflict or tensions in the Pacific are really inevitable.
This region is crucial for the American sea communications and is heavily prioritized in Washington over Europe, Middle East and Russia. So, the more Russia bends towards China, the heavier will be the pressure on it.
Kremlin needs to understand that it isn't capable of being a fully sovereign global actor anymore. Not because of the US, but more because of China.
This region is crucial for the American sea communications and is heavily prioritized in Washington over Europe, Middle East and Russia. So, the more Russia bends towards China, the heavier will be the pressure on it.
Kremlin needs to understand that it isn't capable of being a fully sovereign global actor anymore. Not because of the US, but more because of China.
Prominent Russian nationalist Yegor Prosvirnin has been found dead in the center of Moscow. He allegedly fell out of window being naked. Another strange death.
Russia's Supreme Court ordered today the closure of the country’s oldest human rights watchdog, Memorial International.
It’s no secret that Kremlin grew angry with Memorial not for “foreign funding”, but for gathering information on millions of people killed by the state under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.
Prosecutor told in the court today that Memorial has been creating a false image of USSR as a terrorist state, and other nonsense like that.
So, Memorial’s “crime” was telling people about repressions. Mark our words, soon condemning repressions will be officially criminalized in this country.
Russia cannot get over Stalin’s repressions, unconditionally consider them a crime and human life a value without any “ifs” and “buts”. This is actually tragic for Russian future.
There has never been any place for human rights in Russian history. Only “state interests” matter the way Kremlin billionaires and corrupted siloviks understand them.
It’s no secret that Kremlin grew angry with Memorial not for “foreign funding”, but for gathering information on millions of people killed by the state under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.
Prosecutor told in the court today that Memorial has been creating a false image of USSR as a terrorist state, and other nonsense like that.
So, Memorial’s “crime” was telling people about repressions. Mark our words, soon condemning repressions will be officially criminalized in this country.
Russia cannot get over Stalin’s repressions, unconditionally consider them a crime and human life a value without any “ifs” and “buts”. This is actually tragic for Russian future.
There has never been any place for human rights in Russian history. Only “state interests” matter the way Kremlin billionaires and corrupted siloviks understand them.
Brain-dead Head of Russia’s Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin claimed yesterday that the West is destabilizing Russia through movies and video games.
According to Bastrykin, it is a part of Western “hybrid war” against mighty Russia.
It’s actually scary to think that people like Bastrykin have total power to destroy thousands of human lives. All it takes is one document, one order, even one word.
These corrupted oldmen are freezing the country, killing the future of several generations of Russians. The witch hunt is on.
According to Bastrykin, it is a part of Western “hybrid war” against mighty Russia.
It’s actually scary to think that people like Bastrykin have total power to destroy thousands of human lives. All it takes is one document, one order, even one word.
These corrupted oldmen are freezing the country, killing the future of several generations of Russians. The witch hunt is on.
State-owned Russian Railways want 6.5 trillion of roubles from the National Welfare Fund for maintaining railroads in the country till 2030.
This is more than absurd, but the very fact that Russian Railways finds it appropriate to make such proposals speaks for itself.
State corporations in Russia are just used to spending money without any control or decency.
This is more than absurd, but the very fact that Russian Railways finds it appropriate to make such proposals speaks for itself.
State corporations in Russia are just used to spending money without any control or decency.
Happy New Year! S Novym godom!
We started our channel in 2021 and are enjoying working with Russian telegram so far. We believe that a constant dialogue is necessary to overcome differences or at least to understand each others’ logic.
So, we want to thank all our Russian “colleagues” for sharing their views and making our knowledge on the situation in Russia more profound. In the new year we want to list some of our favorite channels.
Неудаща - we read it every day and highly recommend it. Just a great Tatar channel.
Новый Век - a pure telegram-major. Often disagree with them, as well as they do with us. Always appreciate the dialogue.
Аргументы и FUCK - the name says it all.
Русский ноу нейм - sometimes it’s too Russian for us and we do not understand some texts, but keep on going, man. Great job.
Ебулдинский спец - should’ve had more subscribers.
Проект Кино - truly original content.
Кремлевский безбашенник - an aggregator with original texts.
Скурлатов live - this channel makes sense.
Redacted P6 - a major.
Последний Инсайдер - sometimes there is some great stuff here.
We will actually be thankful for advising us some more good insightful (especially regional) channels. Happy New Year!
We started our channel in 2021 and are enjoying working with Russian telegram so far. We believe that a constant dialogue is necessary to overcome differences or at least to understand each others’ logic.
So, we want to thank all our Russian “colleagues” for sharing their views and making our knowledge on the situation in Russia more profound. In the new year we want to list some of our favorite channels.
Неудаща - we read it every day and highly recommend it. Just a great Tatar channel.
Новый Век - a pure telegram-major. Often disagree with them, as well as they do with us. Always appreciate the dialogue.
Аргументы и FUCK - the name says it all.
Русский ноу нейм - sometimes it’s too Russian for us and we do not understand some texts, but keep on going, man. Great job.
Ебулдинский спец - should’ve had more subscribers.
Проект Кино - truly original content.
Кремлевский безбашенник - an aggregator with original texts.
Скурлатов live - this channel makes sense.
Redacted P6 - a major.
Последний Инсайдер - sometimes there is some great stuff here.
We will actually be thankful for advising us some more good insightful (especially regional) channels. Happy New Year!
As we have earlier said, Vladislav Klyushin is the biggest prize the US intelligence managed to get lately. At the same time, it is another huge failure of Russian secret services.
Klyushin will become one of the most valuable sources on Russian state controlled criminal hacking activities. After his detention in Switzerland Kremlin did everything to return him to Moscow, but failed miserably.
Security measures taken by the Swiss while Klyusin was there indicate that they feared Klyushin as a valuable source of information could be assassinated.
U.S. and British intelligence tried twice to recruit Klyushin. U.S. intelligence attempted to engage him in summer 2019 in the south of France and British intelligence approached him in March 2020 in Edinburgh.
Klyushin is facing now at least 20 years in prison, so he would have to cooperate and provide the US with detailed information on Russian cybersecurity activites. He is on the hook.
When state security services turn into business corporations, like it is in Russia, failures like that could happen.
Klyushin will become one of the most valuable sources on Russian state controlled criminal hacking activities. After his detention in Switzerland Kremlin did everything to return him to Moscow, but failed miserably.
Security measures taken by the Swiss while Klyusin was there indicate that they feared Klyushin as a valuable source of information could be assassinated.
U.S. and British intelligence tried twice to recruit Klyushin. U.S. intelligence attempted to engage him in summer 2019 in the south of France and British intelligence approached him in March 2020 in Edinburgh.
Klyushin is facing now at least 20 years in prison, so he would have to cooperate and provide the US with detailed information on Russian cybersecurity activites. He is on the hook.
When state security services turn into business corporations, like it is in Russia, failures like that could happen.
Kazakhstan is much like Russia: feudal state with natural resources, corrupted “national leader”, billionaires, inequality and poverty.
The time has come, and this state is falling apart, as well as the whole post-Soviet regional security structure. This is a very bad signal for Russia for many reasons, so they should be really concerned.
What’s even worse, Kremlin won’t understand what’s going on and why. The mental collapse is complete.
The only thing Putin would possibly do is take more repressive steps against Russians who are really tired of Putin’s corrupted clan even more than Kazakhs are tired of Nazarbayev.
The time has come, and this state is falling apart, as well as the whole post-Soviet regional security structure. This is a very bad signal for Russia for many reasons, so they should be really concerned.
What’s even worse, Kremlin won’t understand what’s going on and why. The mental collapse is complete.
The only thing Putin would possibly do is take more repressive steps against Russians who are really tired of Putin’s corrupted clan even more than Kazakhs are tired of Nazarbayev.
One obvious political implication of Kazakh protests is that now Putin won't leave until he is alive. He didn't want to anyway, but now it's a matter of personal security.
Russia is intervening in Kazakhstan at the request of Kazakh president Tokayev. Russia-led “peacekeepers” are being dispatched in the country, as Astana is conducting an “antiterrorist operation” against its own protesting citizens.
There is no doubt that a lot of Kazakhs will see Russian troops in the country as some kind of occupiers, even if they go back soon.
On the other hand, Russian policies in the former USSR have been such a constant failure, that Kremlin usually finds itself in a lose-lose situations. Kazakhstan is just another example.
The dispatch of troops won’t solve this problem.
Tokayev is basically using Russia to get rid of Nazarbayev’s clan and replace it with his own. The Kazakh “transfer” is over, as well as Russian which never had a chance to start.
There is no doubt that a lot of Kazakhs will see Russian troops in the country as some kind of occupiers, even if they go back soon.
On the other hand, Russian policies in the former USSR have been such a constant failure, that Kremlin usually finds itself in a lose-lose situations. Kazakhstan is just another example.
The dispatch of troops won’t solve this problem.
Tokayev is basically using Russia to get rid of Nazarbayev’s clan and replace it with his own. The Kazakh “transfer” is over, as well as Russian which never had a chance to start.
Head of Kazakh diaspora in Russia Polat Dzhamalov told today Russian media that the dispatch of Russian military units in Kazakhstan is an occupation.
This is a normal opinion shared by a vast majority of Kazakh people: the ongoing protests are an internal conflict. This whole thing could turn into a long-term loss for Russia and especially for Russians in Kazakhstan.
Even Kazakhs who do not support the violent protest are even less enthusiastic about Russian troops in the country.
This is a normal opinion shared by a vast majority of Kazakh people: the ongoing protests are an internal conflict. This whole thing could turn into a long-term loss for Russia and especially for Russians in Kazakhstan.
Even Kazakhs who do not support the violent protest are even less enthusiastic about Russian troops in the country.
Governments of Egypt, Algeria and Indonesia rejected the potential acquisition of Russian modern Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets.
Three large orders for Su-35 fighters are lost at once due to the failure to replace scanned array radar and avionics, which were previously imported from a number of European countries and Israel.
Russia isn’t capable of producing Su-35 in export configuration without Western technologies, the access to which is now limited.
They say that sanctions don’t work.
Three large orders for Su-35 fighters are lost at once due to the failure to replace scanned array radar and avionics, which were previously imported from a number of European countries and Israel.
Russia isn’t capable of producing Su-35 in export configuration without Western technologies, the access to which is now limited.
They say that sanctions don’t work.
Russian telegram is discussing whether the unrest in Kazakhstan has been a surprise for Kremlin. Many hesitate – how is it possible to misread the turn of events in one of Russia’s closest neighbors.
We think that Russian telegram often underestimates the level of incompetence of Russian state security agencies. They are effective against Russians, but not that much on foreign turf.
They had no clue. Perhaps, Putin found out that Kazakhstan is burning while watching TV in his bunker.
This is a system of incompetence and corruption, with inevitable regular failures.
The next one is coming in South Ossetia. Many are sure that its current president is pro-Russian and effective.
People in Tbilisi think otherwise and have some strong arguments. Will be hilarious when Moscow protects this pro-Georgian criminal which will surely make Ossetians "love" Moscow more.
We think that Russian telegram often underestimates the level of incompetence of Russian state security agencies. They are effective against Russians, but not that much on foreign turf.
They had no clue. Perhaps, Putin found out that Kazakhstan is burning while watching TV in his bunker.
This is a system of incompetence and corruption, with inevitable regular failures.
The next one is coming in South Ossetia. Many are sure that its current president is pro-Russian and effective.
People in Tbilisi think otherwise and have some strong arguments. Will be hilarious when Moscow protects this pro-Georgian criminal which will surely make Ossetians "love" Moscow more.
US-Russia seven hours of talks predictably ended with no result. According to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, Russia needs “waterproof, legally binding guarantees” Ukraine and Georgia will never join NATO.
US will never give such guarantees. By the way, it never actually did, contrary to Putin’s popular conspiracy.
Georgia actually doesn’t matter much to Washington. The problem with Russia’s “demands” is that they are unacceptable and won’t be accepted for several reasons.
Russia wants political talks on the highest level, but it has fallen out of top division of the world politics. American comments after the latest negotiations are more or less technical, not political.
Washington is ready for any turn of events, so Putin’s fears do not bother US much.
US will never give such guarantees. By the way, it never actually did, contrary to Putin’s popular conspiracy.
Georgia actually doesn’t matter much to Washington. The problem with Russia’s “demands” is that they are unacceptable and won’t be accepted for several reasons.
Russia wants political talks on the highest level, but it has fallen out of top division of the world politics. American comments after the latest negotiations are more or less technical, not political.
Washington is ready for any turn of events, so Putin’s fears do not bother US much.
Vladimir Putin called for pensions to be indexed in 2022 over the inflation rate. According to the President, the inflation rate is 8.4%, so pension payments should be indexed 8.6%, or 0.2% over the official inflation.
First of all, the real inflation in Russia has hit double digits.
Second, let’s see what this 0.2% of Putin actually mean. The average monthly pension in Russia is a little bit more than $200, or 16296 roubles.
After the indexation it will reach 17967 roubles, which is about $20 more than in 2021.
Putin’s 0.2% make about 33 roubles a month, which is less than 50 cents. Russia is truly a great country and a proud empire.
First of all, the real inflation in Russia has hit double digits.
Second, let’s see what this 0.2% of Putin actually mean. The average monthly pension in Russia is a little bit more than $200, or 16296 roubles.
After the indexation it will reach 17967 roubles, which is about $20 more than in 2021.
Putin’s 0.2% make about 33 roubles a month, which is less than 50 cents. Russia is truly a great country and a proud empire.
Senate Democrats will unveil today a new package of sanctions to punish personally Vladimir Putin in case he chooses to invade Eastern Ukraine.
The information has been leaked by Washington Post a day after US-Russia talks about “American security guarantees” to Kremlin. They are clearly mocking Putin.
According to WP, the new bill would impose sweeping sanctions on top Russian military and government officials, including Putin and other leaders, as well as key banking institutions.
Oldman is fighting his own war at the expense of Russian future. Nobody is scared of him, and it looks like Washington has no respect left either.
The information has been leaked by Washington Post a day after US-Russia talks about “American security guarantees” to Kremlin. They are clearly mocking Putin.
According to WP, the new bill would impose sweeping sanctions on top Russian military and government officials, including Putin and other leaders, as well as key banking institutions.
Oldman is fighting his own war at the expense of Russian future. Nobody is scared of him, and it looks like Washington has no respect left either.
The U.S. Senate will vote tomorrow on a bill sponsored by Senator Ted Cruz to slap sanctions on the operators of the Nord Stream 2 natural-gas pipeline in Europe.
Senate Democrats unveiled yesterday a rival legislation to impose personal sanctions on Putin if Moscow "escalates hostile action in or against Ukraine."
The bill came right after some funny aggressive Russian comments after talks about NATO security guarantees.
Biden doesn’t want to impose sanctions on the pipeline in order not to alienate Germany. Cruz, a Senator from Texas, is lobbying the bill to ensure the interests of American LNG-companies.
Personally, we do not support Cruz’s legislation, but let’s see what happens.Basically it’s an internal American problem, but the stakes are relatively high for Moscow.
Senate Democrats unveiled yesterday a rival legislation to impose personal sanctions on Putin if Moscow "escalates hostile action in or against Ukraine."
The bill came right after some funny aggressive Russian comments after talks about NATO security guarantees.
Biden doesn’t want to impose sanctions on the pipeline in order not to alienate Germany. Cruz, a Senator from Texas, is lobbying the bill to ensure the interests of American LNG-companies.
Personally, we do not support Cruz’s legislation, but let’s see what happens.Basically it’s an internal American problem, but the stakes are relatively high for Moscow.