The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

[TomServo]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

"Russian enclave..." is that supposed to be a bad thing? I mean, it's probably the country's safest option right now.

Authors highly value the role and merits of Mr. Ahmadoglu in information war against Armenia.

Authors with last names ending in "oglu" maybe.

Information war?

[Armenian]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

"Russian enclave..." is that supposed to be a bad thing? I mean, it's probably the country's safest option right now.

Let's put aside the "Oglu" characters. In the minds of many Armenians, being a "Russian enclave" is a bad thing. You see, for simple minds, having foreign bases in Armenia 'implies' a lack of independence. Because the tiny, landlocked, impoverished, powerless, fledgling nation is expected to fend off its numerous enemies all on its own. For some, even the name "Russia" conjures up bad images of gulags, Siberia, purges, drunkenness, backwardness, etc... So, not only are the irrational Russophobes in our society stupid, they, in their stupidity, are also attempting to undermine Armenia's national security. For the Russophobes, Armenia is expected to totally distance itself from Russia and Iran and believe in some vague American promises. What these Russophobes fail to take into account is the simple fact that essentially all of Europe, not to mention the entire Persian Gulf region and the Pacific Ocean has become an enclave of the American Empire. What's more, they don't realize that the Armenian Republic does 'not' serve the geopolitical/economic interests of Washington DC in the way Turkey and Azerbaijan does. What's more, they don't realize that Armenia today only serves the longterm geopolitical interests of Moscow and, to a lesser extent, Tehran. What's more, they don't realize that if Armenia (Russia's last stronghold in the southern Caucasus) even attempts to move away from Russia, Moscow can potentially devastate Armenia. Anyway, what seems obvious to you may prove to be incomprehensible, or even absurd, to most others. If you don't believe me, go around and ask Amerika-hais the question about Armenia hosting Russian bases and hold on for some really-really stupid responses. The sad reality is, there is a real lack of objectivity, reason and understanding of history and politics amongst the masses.

[Armenian]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

Navy Intercepts Russian Bombers

Russian bomber buzzes U.S. aircraft carrier (CNN video): http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/02/11...ml#cnnSTCVideo

U.S. fighter planes intercepted two Russian bombers, including one that buzzed an American aircraft carrier in the western Pacific during the weekend, The Associated Press has learned. A U.S. military official says that one Russian Tupolev 95 flew directly over the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz twice, at a low altitude of about 2,000 feet, while another bomber circled about 58 miles out. The official was speaking on condition of anonymity because the reports on the flights were classified as secret.

The Saturday incident, which never escalated beyond the flyover, comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and Russia over U.S. plans for a missile defense system based in Poland and the Czech Republic. In Moscow, the RIA Novosti news agency reported Tuesday that the head of the Russian Air Force information service, Alexander Drobyshevsky, said the Russian bombers "were carrying out their assigned flights" and in strict compliance with the international airspace rules. "We are surprised by the noise that has been raised (over the flights)," he was quoted as saying. Such Russian encounters with U.S. ships were common during the Cold War, but have been rare since then. Russia revived the Soviet-era practice of long-range patrols by strategic bombers over the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans last August. The bombers were among four Russian Tupolev 95s launched from Ukrainka in the middle of the night, including one that Japanese officials say violated their country's airspace over an uninhabited island south of Tokyo.

U.S. officials tracked and monitored the bombers as two flew south along the Japanese coast, and two others flew farther east, coming closer to the Nimitz and the guided missile cruiser USS Princeton. As the bombers got about 500 miles out from the U.S. ships, four F/A-18 fighters were launched from the Nimitz, the official said. The fighters intercepted the Russian bombers about 50 miles south of the Nimitz. At least two U.S. F/A-18 Hornets trailed the bomber as it came in low over the Nimitz twice, while one or two of the other U.S. fighters followed the second bomber as it circled. The official said there were no verbal communications between the U.S. and the Russians, and the Pentagon has not heard of any protests being filed by the United States. Historically, diplomatic protests were not filed in such incidents because they were so common during the Cold War era. This is the first time Russian Tupolevs have flown over or interacted with a U.S. carrier since 2004.

In that incident, a Russian Tupolev flew over the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk in the Sea of Japan on Jan. 29, 2004. Since then, however, relations between the U.S. and Russia have deteriorated to their worst point since the Cold War, largely due to the United States' plans to put a radar system in the Czech Republic and 10 missile defense interceptors in Poland. The U.S. has defended the plan as necessary to protect its European allies from possible attacks by Iran. But the Kremlin has condemned the proposal, saying it would threaten Russia's security. "We are being forced to take retaliatory steps," said Russian President Vladimir Putin, who also warned that a new arms race is under way. Japan, meanwhile, filed a formal protest with the Russian Embassy in Tokyo after Saturday's incident, saying that one of the Russian bombers crossed into Japanese airspace for three minutes. Russia has denied there was an intrusion.

Source: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i...3JSLAD8UOM8TG0

Russia surprised by U.S. reaction to bomber flights

Russia expressed surprise on Tuesday that the United States had scrambled fighter jets at the weekend to intercept strategic Russian bombers, one of which flew over a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Pacific. Four U.S. F/A-18 fighters were launched after Russian Tu-95 Bear bombers flying south of Japan were detected turning towards the Nimitz aircraft carrier and its escort, a U.S. defense official said. One of the Russian bombers flew over the deck of the Nimitz, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. The U.S. fighters escorted the Russian bombers out of the area. "It is standard operating procedure for U.S. planes to escort aircraft flying in the vicinity of U.S. Navy ships," the U.S. defense official said. The Russian Air Force said the February 9 mission by four Tu-95s was part of long-distance patrols of the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans and the Black Sea begun in August last year. It said all flights were made over neutral waters, did not breach international borders and all concerned parties were notified in advance. "We are surprised by all the clamor this raised," RIA news agency quoted Russian Air Force spokesman Alexander Drobyshevsky as saying. A Russian bomber last flew over a U.S. aircraft carrier in July 2004, when a Bear flew over the USS Kitty Hawk in the Sea of Japan, the official said. Russian bombers have ramped up their flights near U.S. territory and U.S. naval assets over the past year, demonstrating their long-range strike capability. In August, Russian bombers were tracked flying a course toward Guam, a U.S. territory in the Pacific. Russian officials say they will revive some of the military power and reach lost following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/world...17508020080212

[Armenian]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

U.S. military assessing if Russia in Cold War pose

Washington is trying to gauge whether Russia's recent bomber mission near a U.S. aircraft carrier indicated Moscow's return to a Cold War "mind-set" and is considering how the Pentagon should respond, a senior U.S. military officer said on Tuesday. But other senior U.S. defense and Navy officials stressed they did not see Russia's weekend bomber flights south of Japan as provocative. Four U.S. fighter jets were scrambled on February 9 to escort Russian bombers that approached the USS Nimitz south of Japan. One Russian bomber flew over the deck of the aircraft carrier, escorted by a U.S. fighter jet.

Adm. Gary Roughead, U.S. chief of naval operations, downplayed the incident and said it reflected Russia's emerging naval power. "I think what we are seeing is a Russian military or Russian navy that is emerging and, in the case of the navy, desiring to emerge as a global navy," Roughead told reporters at the Pentagon. "I do not consider it to be provocative," he said of the bomber mission. But on Capitol Hill, another top U.S. military officer -- Marine Corps Gen. James Cartwright -- said the Pentagon was trying to assess the implications of Russia's actions. "Now, what we're concerned about is what are the indications of this return to a Cold War mind-set, what are the implications of that activity and how do we best address that," said Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The incident happened in neutral international airspace, Cartwright said. "We're just trying to go back and look at what message was intended by this overflight," he told a Senate panel. U.S.-Russian relations have become testy, with Washington concerned that Russian democracy is being eroded and Moscow complaining of U.S. interference. A dispute over U.S. plans to place missile defense assets in former Soviet-allied territory has also raised tensions. Russian officials have said they will revive some of the military power and reach that was allowed to collapse with the Soviet Union. "Russian long-range aviation has started to ramp up the number of sorties and the routes that they fly similar to the activity that they did during the Cold War," Cartwright told the committee.

The Russian Air Force said the mission by four Tu-95 bombers was part of long-distance patrols in the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans and the Black Sea that began last August. A Russian news agency quoted Air Force spokesman Alexander Drobyshevsky expressing surprise at "all the clamor this raised." The last time a Russian bomber flew over a U.S. aircraft carrier was in July 2004, and Russian bombers have increased their flights near U.S. territory to demonstrate their long-range strike capability. Sen. Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat who raised the issue during the Senate hearing, said the Russian maneuver "sounds pretty provocative to me." Nelson said the Senate Armed Services Committee, of which he is a member, would look into the incident as well.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNe...38070820080212

[Armenian]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

Russia threatens nuclear attack on Ukraine

Russia has threatened to target the Ukraine with nuclear warheads if the former Soviet republic joins Nato and accepts the deployment of United States anti-missile defences on its territory. President Vladimir Putin of Russia warned Ukraine’s leader Viktor Yushchenko of "retaliatory actions" should his country join the Western alliance during a joint press conference in Moscow. "It’s frightening not just to talk about this, but even to think about, that in response to such deployment, the possibility of such deployments - and one can’t theoretically exclude these deployments - that Russia will have to point its warheads at Ukrainian territory," he said. The Russian and Ukrainian leaders had just held emergency talks in the Kremlin to avert a energy supply crisis over Kiev gas bill - a similar dispute two years ago led to power cuts across Europe.

Mr Yushchenko responded to the Russian pressure by insisting on Ukraine’s right to decide its own foreign policy while stressing that his country’s constitution would not allow US military bases on its territory. "You understand well that everything that Ukraine does in this direction is not in any way directed at any third country, including Russia," he replied. "We follow the principle that any nation has the right to define its own security. Our constitution does not allow deployment by a third country or bloc on Ukrainian territory." Mr Putin has condemned Washington’s plans to include Poland and the Czech Republic in a missile defence shield as a "new phase in the arms race". Russia fears the shield will threaten its national security and tip strategic military balance in Europe. "The goal [of the missile shield] is to neutralise our nuclear capabilities," said Mr Putin. "This would prompt Russia to take retaliatory action." Moscow has already declared that Russia will pull out of the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE), which came into force in 1992 and restricts the deployment of troops and tanks near sensitive European frontiers.

Last week, John Chipman, the head of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, warned that the "next target of Moscow’s assertive revisionism "could be the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty of 1987. Both would be moves that would allow Russia to build a new generation of medium-range nuclear missiles capable of striking Western Europe. As relations between Russia and many of its near neighbours deteriorate, Ukraine has submitted a formal membership request to Nato, to be considered a summit of alliance leaders in the Romanian capital of Bucharest this April. Mr Putin has accepted an invitation to attend the meeting and Russia’s parliament last month voted to stop using Soviet-built military radars in Ukraine because of Kiev’s Nato ambitions. The prospect of Nato membership is also deeply controversial in the Ukraine, where opinion polls show that over half of the country opposes it.

Russia has revived the long-range air patrols that were once a standard feature of the Cold War and US defence officials confirmed that a pair of Russian TU-95 Bear bombers overflew a US aircraft carrier in the western Pacific at an altitude of 2,000 feet (660 meters) over the weekend. Four F-18 fighters jets intercepted the Russian bombers on Saturday morning, but not before they had overflown the USS Nimitz. It was the second time since July 2004 that a Russian Bear bomber has overflown a US aircraft carrier. It was not immediately known whether the United States issued any protests with the Russians.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...wrussia112.xml

[Armenian]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

A Closer Look at Russia's Strategic Bomber Force

TU-160 BlackJack Strategic bomber

In the beginning of the 70-th years in reply to the American program of creation supersonic strategic bomber A-1A in USSR was conducted competition of the projects multimode strategic bomber with a wing of changed geometry. In 1980 the first copy new bomber, received a title Tu-160 was constructed. In 1981 Tu-160 for the first time was lifted in an air. In 1986 at the Kazan airfactory the assembly serial Tu-160 began. In 1987 the first serial machine has arrived in AF. According to the initial plans, it was supposed to manufacture a series from 100 Tu-160, however now on financial reasons the order have reduced up to 40 machines. Tu-160 - largest from all before created as in USSR, and abroad bombers. The plane is executed under the integrated scheme with smooth interface of a wing and fuselage. The wing of changed geometry ensures flight on various structures, saving high performances both on supersonic, and on a subsonic velocity. Bomber has all-moving vertical and horizontal installations, that in a combination to integrated arrangement and low disposition of crew considerably reduces EPR. A feature of a construction of a glider is the titanum

beam representing total kesson with points of a turn of consoles of a wing. To a beam which is taking place through all plane, fasten ana main force elements of a glider. Bomber “hose - cone” is equipped by a system of refuelling in an air of a type. The receiving bar(boom) fueltank receiver in a non-working position is cleaned(removed) in a nose of a fuselage before a cabin of the pilots. The crew Tu-160 places in two two-place cabins equipped with the seats K-36DM. The power plant consists of 4-th DTRDF of a construction of Kuznetsov OKB, placed in two gonolas under fixed parts of a wing and have adjustable air intakes with a vertical wedge. Into structure BREO enter the complex including an astronavigational system, inertial navigational system, PrNK, radar, intended for detection of the ground and marine targets at a long distance, optical-electronic bomber sight, active and passive inproved systems REF is shock - navigational. In a tail cone the containers with IR by traps and dipole reflectors are placed. In an extreme back part of a fuselage is located thermal locator, discovering coming nearer with an aft hemisphere missiles and planes of the enemy.

The total number of digital processors which are being available onboard a plane, exceeds 100. The job of the navigation officer is completed by 8 digital COMPUTERS. The crew cabins are equipped with electromechanical indicators and indicators on ELT. Each from the pilots has on one information indicator on ELT. The job of the navigation officer is equipped with several indicators on ELT both with round, and with rectangular screens. The plane is equipped with an analog electroremote control system. For the first time in a jet airstructure for management of the serial heavy machine the handle of interceptor type, instead of steering wheel is applied. For improving conditions of a habitability for want of intercontinental flights bomber is equipped with a sleeping place, toilet, by elctronic cabinet for warming up of food. Structurally Tu-160 is close American strategic bomber A-1, but in difference from him(it) all combat load bears on the internal suspension, that considerably reduces EPR of a plane. The plane is equipped with threebased chassis with twin bottles on sprockets. Main racks threebase, forward rack monoaxial. Tu-160 can be used not only as usual bomber, but also as a peculiar first stage for a conclusion in space satellites. In this case under a fuselage the special winged rocket “Burlak” is suspended. This combination allows to start to polar orbits of height 500-700 kms the companions by a mass of 300-500 kgs with the minimum costs. Heavy multimode, multiple objective strategic bomber Tu-160 on a unanimous evaluation of the experts is by the most high-power strategic aviation complex in the world.

Source: http://warfare.ru/?catid=257&linkid=1620

Tu-22M BACKFIRE (TUPOLEV)

The BACKFIRE is a long-range aircraft capable of performing nuclear strike, conventional attack, antiship, and reconnaissance missions. Its low-level penetration features make it a much more survivable system than its predecessors. Carrying either bombs or AS-4/KITCHEN air-to-surface missiles, it is a versatile strike aircraft, believed to be intended for theater attack in Europe and Asia but also potentially capable of intercontinental missions against the United States. The BACKFIRE can be equipped with probes to permit inflight refueling, which would further increase its range and flexibility. After designing the TU-22, the Tupolev design bureau started working on a new bomber that was based on the TU-22. Initially Tupolev considered modifying the TU-22 by changing the angle of the swept wings and equipping it with more powerful engines. However after developing the design "106" and various analysis, the design did not meet the flight characteristic requirements. Tupolev also developed the design "125". The aircraft was supposed have two VK-6 engines, a range of 4500-4800 km and an operating speed of up to 2500 km/h. The design provided for the use of titanium alloys and advanced electronic systems.

In 1962, the "125" design was examined by the Government but rejected, as the T-4 aircraft designed by KB Sukhoi was accepted. As an alternative to the T-4 aircraft, KB Tupolev developed the "145" airplane which was a modification of the TU-22. This airplane represented a multi-mode supersonic bomber which was capable of flying at subsonic speed at small altitudes and at supersonic speed to overcome air defenses. The range at subsonic speed was supposed to be 6000-7000 km. The wings are swept-back and had a variable geometry to meet the speed and range requirements. The aircraft should carry Kh-22 air-to-surface missiles which had already been deployed on other aircraft. After activities on the T-4 bombers were halted, KB Tupolev was officially charged with building the "145" aircraft in 1967. The new bomber was intended to have a maximum speed of 2300 km/h and a range of 7000 km without refueling. It received the designation TU-22M.

The Tu-22M designation was used by the Soviets during SALT-2 arms control negotiations, creating the impression that the Backfire-A aircraft was a modification of the Tu-22 Blinder. This designation was adopted by the US State and Defense Departments, although some contended that the designation was deliberately deceptive, and intended to hide the performace of the Backfire. Other sources suggest the "deception" was internal, because this made it easier to get budgets approved. According to some sources, the Backfire-B/C production variants were believed to be designated Tu-26 by Russia, although this is disputed by many sources. At Tupolev the aircraft was designated the AM.

Many of the development steps in manufacturing the AM were unique in their time. Special attention was given to the construction of the variable sweep wing - the basis of the whole project. The mid-mounted wings are variable, swept-back, and tapered with curved tips and a wide wing root. Two turbofan engines are mounted in the body, with large rectangular air intakes and dual exhausts. The fuselage is long and slender with a solid, pointed nose and stepped xxxxpit. The body is rectangular from the air intakes to the exhausts. The tail fin is swept-back and tapered with a square tip. The flats are mid-mounted on the body, swept-back, and tapered with blunt tips. The wing consists of a center section and two outer panels that have five fixed positions with respect to the leading edge sweep. The two-spar centre section has a rear web and bearing skin panel. The outer wings are secured to the centre section with the aid of hinged joints. The high-lift devices include three-section slats and double-slotted flaps on the outer wings (extension angle: 23~ for takeoff and 40~ for landing) and a tilting flap on the centre section.

Source: http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/bomber/tu-22m.htm

Tu-95 BEAR (TUPOLEV)

The Tu-95 BEAR was perhaps the most successful bomber produced by the Soviet aviation, enjoying long service in a variety of roles and configurations. It was the only bomber deployed by any country to use turbo-prop engines, which provided extraordinarily long endurance at speeds only slightly less than comparable turbojet-powered heavy bombers. Development of the TU-95 intercontinental bomber began in the early 1950s after series production of the medium-range TU-4 started.. Initially, several designs were considered, including a modification of the TU-4 and production of a new aircraft with piston engines. Prototypes of these aircraft were developed and tested from 1949 through 1951, it was concluded that bombers with piston engines could not provide adequate performance for the intercontinental attack mission. In March 1951 development of the T-4 intercontinental jet bomber began. However, KB Tupolev did not support the development of a bomber with turbojet engines, believing that the proposed AM-3 jet engines would not provide for the required range of more than 10,000 km. As an alternative, KB Tupolev proposed an aircraft with four turbo-prop engines that would provide a range of more than 13,000 km and speeds of more than 800 km/h at altitudes of 10,000 meters. The aircraft-design was designated as "95".

The design of the wings drew heavily on the experience gathered by Tupolev and the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TSAGI) during the development of the swept wing TU-16. The wings of the "95" were swept back at an angle of 35 degrees, allowing the placement of a large bomb bay behind of the torsion box of the wings' central unit at the aircraft's center of gravity. The Bear's wings are mid-mounted, swept-back, and tapered with blunt tips. Its engines consist of four turboprops with contrarotating propellers located on the wings. The engine nacelles extend well beyond the wings’ leading edges. The fuselage of the Bear is tube-shaped with a rounded nose that tapers to the rear. It also has a stepped xxxxpit and a tail gun compartment. The tail of the aircraft is a fin that is swept-back and tapered with a square tip.

The greatest difficulties during the development were the engines. After studies on different engine combinations and versions, the final design of the aircraft incorporated four turbo-prop engines with a thrust of about 10,000-shp. In the late 1940s, the most powerful turbo-prop engine available was the BK-2 prototype which had significantly less thrust (4800-shp). In the early 1950s OKB-276 N.A. Kuznetsov developed the TV-2 engine and the TV-2F booster engine with a thrust of 6,250-shp. while work on the TV-12 engine with sufficient thrust for the "95" aircraft continued. After consideration of Tupolev's proposals, on 11 July 1951 the government officially approved the development of the "95" aircraft: Two versions were built, one with eight TV-2F engines coupled through the reduction gearbox in four pusher-tractor tandem pairs, and a second version with four TV-12 engines. N.I. Bazenkov became the chief designer of all subsequent TU-95 versions. When he died in 1975, N.V. Kursanov took over as chief designer, and from the end of the 1980s, D.A. Antonov became head of the program.

[...]

Source: http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/bomber/tu-95.htm

Russian bombers on exercise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxky4ku__K0

Russian Bear is back: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiX26...eature=related

Russian Film on Tu-95MS Bomber: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO2tAeIcXlE

Tu-160 "Blackjack": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVqilOx6lNQ

TU - 160 Белый лебедь (бомбардировщик Ту-160) Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4pOC...eature=related

TU - 160 Белый лебедь (бомбардировщик Ту-160) Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KNR3...eature=related

TU - 160 Белый лебедь (бомбардировщик Ту-160) Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSA-l...eature=related

TU-22 Backfire vs Aircraft Carrier (clip from the movie The Sum of All Fears): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhj8ITvp-pw

[Armenian]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

Presidents Resolve Ukraine Gas Dispute

Deal reached in Ukraine gas row (Russia Today Video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXB988OWMfs

The presidents of Russia and Ukraine averted a threatened cutoff of natural gas supplies to Ukraine on Tuesday, at the same time that Russia’s president said his country might aim nuclear missiles at Ukraine if it followed through on its intention to join NATO. “It’s horrible to say and even horrible to think,” President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said about the prospect of possibly aiming missiles at Ukraine.

Mr. Putin made the remarks in response to a question at a Kremlin news conference. After speaking for a time about Ukraine’s long cultural ties to Russia, he said that NATO might deploy antimissile systems in Ukraine, and that Russia would have to respond. “Russia could target its missile systems at Ukraine,” he said. “Imagine that for a second.” Ukraine’s president, Viktor A. Yushchenko, who was sitting beside Mr. Putin at the news conference, responded, saying that Ukraine had the right to choose its own alliances and that his country’s Constitution prohibited foreign military bases on its territory. Mr. Putin and Mr. Yushchenko called the news conference to announce that they had resolved a dispute just minutes before the deadline for a threatened midwinter shutoff of a quarter of Ukraine’s heating fuel.

Last Thursday, Gazprom, the world’s largest natural gas producer and a monopoly half-owned by the Russian government, demanded a settlement for what it said was $1.5 billion in debt and threatened to halt 25 percent of Ukraine’s natural gas supply at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. The two leaders announced the deal a few minutes before 6 p.m. The disagreement had worried European governments because 80 percent of Gazprom’s supplies to Western Europe cross Ukrainian territory, snaking through a network of old Soviet-designed pipelines from gas wells in the Arctic to homes and factories in the West. Mr. Yushchenko said Ukraine would start repaying the Gazprom debt on Thursday. Two years ago, Gazprom halted shipments of natural gas to Ukraine in the middle of winter in another dispute. That was a year after the so-called Orange Revolution installed Mr. Yushchenko’s pro-Western government in Kiev, leading critics to call the shutoff politically motivated, which Gazprom denied.

The latest dispute, too, follows a change in government in Kiev. Yulia V. Tymoshenko, a leader of the Orange Revolution, resumed her duties as prime minister after elections last fall. Ms. Tymoshenko has said Ukraine should revise what it charges Gazprom to ship gas across its territory. Gazprom’s threat to cut off the gas came 22 days after Ukraine’s pro-Western leaders formally applied to be put on a path to NATO membership. The letter, signed by the president, the prime minister and the speaker of Parliament, asked Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer of NATO to review Ukraine’s status in time for an alliance summit meeting in April in Romania. In perhaps a favorable sign for Ukraine’s request, President Bush will attend the meeting and is to visit Ukraine afterward, Bloomberg News reported.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/13/wo...13ukraine.html

[Armenian]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

Moscow police bust alleged racist gang

Moscow police bust alleged racist gang (Russia Today Video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNXIkGV4TrI

Two teenagers, detained in Moscow, are accused of taking part in more than 30 racist murders. Police say the pair were part of a skinhead gang that picked their victims based on ethnic background. "They kept in touch via mobile phones and the Internet. Then they'd get together for what they called 'actions'. Their attacks were always sudden and had one purpose only - to kill," Aleksandr Klimov, Special Crime Investigator, said. The story began to unfold when two Moscow students, Artur Ryno and Pavel Skachevsky, were arrested last April on suspicion of killing an Armenian businessman. Ryno has since confessed to 37 racially motivated crimes. Last month, four more youngsters suspected to be a part of the gang were detained. A total of nine alleged gang members are now charged with murder or attempted murder. Investigators say the group's rule was: no women, no children - they only attacked men. Something they called cleaning up the city. Studies by SOVA Research Centre show last year 69 people were killed in race hate attacks across Russia. Since the beginning of this year, the number is 14.

Source: http://www.russiatoday.ru/news/news/20824

[Armenian]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

Ter-Petrosian Silent On Surprise Moscow Trip

Former President Levon Ter-Petrosian and his entourage on Tuesday declined to divulge any details of his surprise Monday visit to Moscow during which he reportedly met Russian President Vladimir Putin’s likely successor. The one-day trip came just over one week before Armenia’s presidential election, raising questions about the Kremlin’s continued support for the current authorities in Yerevan. The Russian newspaper “Argumenty i Fakty” reported that Ter-Petrosian had a brief conversation with Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s first deputy prime ministry widely expected to succeed Putin in an election scheduled for next month. The paper said Ter-Petrosian “explained his position on key issues” during these and other “political consultations” in the Russian capital. It quoted a Ter-Petrosian spokesman in Moscow, Smbat Karakhanian, as saying that the Armenian presidential candidate’s talks were “very productive and important.” No further details were reported. Contacted by RFE/RL, an aide to Medvedev, Vladimir Andrianov, refused to refute or confirm the “Argumenty i Fakty” report. Ter-Petrosian aides in Yerevan also declined a comment. RFE/RL learned that while in Moscow Ter-Petrosian was interviewed by Russian state television. A prominent Russian TV commentator who spoke to the ex-president could not say when the interview will be aired. Both outgoing President Robert Kocharian and Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian have strengthened Armenia’s ties with Russia and enjoyed Moscow’s backing throughout their decade-long rule. As recently as last week, Russian Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov paid a high-profile visit to Yerevan which was widely construed as an expression of Russian support for Sarkisian’s presidential bid. Still, Zubkov stopped short of publicly urging Armenians to vote for Sarkisian. “The authorities are alarmed by street protests staged by the [Armenian] opposition every day,” the Russian daily “Moskovsky Komsomolets” quoted an unnamed Armenian government official as saying during Zubkov’s trip. “They are attended by more and more people. The visit by your prime minister will demonstrate to the electorate on whose side Russia is.”

Source: http://www.armenialiberty.org/armeni...758A606E32.ASP

[Illuminator]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations




PUTIN’S RUSSIA PUNISHES JOOS FOR MOCKING CHRIST!

By Brother Nathanael Kapner - Copyright © 2008

All Articles May Be Reproduced Only With Authorship of Br Nathanael Kapner
& Link To Real xxx News

A MOSCOW TRIAL WAS HELD AGAINST two Russian J-ews, Yuri Samodurov and Anna Mikhalchuk. Both were found guilty of “insulting the religion of Russia.”

Samodurov, Manager of the Sakharov Art Center in Moscow, and Mikhalchuk, the artist of the Center’s exibition, “Beware Religion,” attempted to defend the exhibit’s depiction of Jesus Christ promoting Coca Cola and an Orthodox Christian priest presented in a ridiculing manner.

Orthodox Christian zealots protested the Christ-mocking exhibit and justifiably defaced the mocking depictions of Jesus Christ and the Orthodox priest. Samodurov and Mikhalchuk called the police and charged the zealots with “vandalism.”

But it all turned against these vile J-ewish mockers of Jesus Christ. For the Moscow Court found them *guilty* of “insulting the faith of Russia.” They were both then fined $3,500 each. The judge told the profaners that they were fortunate not to have been given a two year sentence as well.

See: “The Sakharov Center Trial” Here

And: “Russian Artists On Trial” Here


VLADIMIR PUTIN WAS RECENTLY ASKED to comment Here on a chapel being built in the Moscow City Court and the Office Of The Prosecutor General. Putin replied in a clever manner, “Of course we have separation of State and Church in Russia. But in the people’s soul they’re together.”

In August of 2007, a group of Russian J-ewish scientists Here and Here (Scroll Down To 2nd Article) protested to Russian President Vladimir Putin that the “Foundations of Orthodox Christian Culture” should not be taught in Russia’s public schools.

Vladimir Putin responded to the scientists shortly afterwards in a public address in the Kremlin to Russian Orthodox priests Here saying, “Orthodoxy has always had a special role in shaping our statehood, our culture, our morals.”

Bravo to Vladimir Putin! Russian Public schools indeed continue to offer Orthodox Christian classes Here to the youth which include “church chores” in the curriculum. And when the J-ewish scientists confronted Putin on the Christian classes he would not give an inch!

But what do we have in America? Videos promoting homosexuality and lesbianism to public school children! And a President lighting Hanukah Menorahs! Never will you ever see Vladimir Putin even near a Hanukah Menorah!

http://www.realxxxnews.com/?p=143