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The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

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

    Originally posted by skhara View Post
    Predictably, they are acting silly. This cocky attitude of theirs is for domestic consuption. Individuals who have an understanding of military armaments know that most of the military hardware exhibited today in Moscow - the fighter aircrafts, nuclear ICBMs, anti-aircraft missiles, multiple launch and self propelled artillery, main battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles - were top quality modern armaments, not Soviet era equipment. As a matter of fact, many of the weapons systems available within Russia today are better than their counterparts' in the West. The Russian armed forces still have a long way to go before they can match their western counterparts in efficiency and organization, however, this was a 'very' impressive show of force. Juxtapose this picture to Moscow's aggressive diplomacy around the world and the unabated flow of oil/gas money that keeps pouring into the Russian Federation... Trust me, military planners in the pentagon, as well as the civilian administrators in the State Department, are 'shitting' their pants.

    It's no longer a secret that Russophobia is beginning to reappear in the West. However, listening to their - all is well - rhetoric, you would never know it:

    Experts say Red Square parade masks weakened Russia military



    For the first time in post-Soviet Russia, tanks and nuclear missile launchers are to rumble across Red Square on Friday, in a seemingly fearsome parade of military might. The message to the world, two days after Dmitry Medvedev succeeds Vladimir Putin as president, should be clear: Russia is again a major military power. "This isn't saber-rattling," Putin insisted Monday. "We are not threatening anyone." And indeed, for all the investment in the military — an eightfold increase to an annual $40 billion during Putin's eight years in office — experts say it still has a long way to go to restore its Soviet-era might. "Our armed forces are merely a bad copy of the Soviet army," said retired Gen. Vladimir Dvorkin, a former arms control expert with the Russian Defense Ministry. The annual Victory Day parade that marks Nazi Germany's defeat may look impressive, but some Russian commentators think much of the military spending has been squandered through corruption, cronyism and mismanagement.

    Although in better shape than in the years immediately after the Soviet Union dissolved, the military remains an example of Russia's inability to use its eight-year oil bonanza to overhaul decrepit infrastructure and institutions. The Soviet Union was bankrupted two decades ago by centralized planning and state dominance of the economy. After the sale of public assets in the 1990s, the state under Putin has expanded its role, and plans to create huge new government-owned military and technological conglomerates. But the army, the pension system, public health, secondary education and the road system have all eroded on Putin's watch, former government ministers Boris Nemtsov and Vladimir Milov wrote in a recent report, "Putin: The Bottom Line." The main cause, they charge, is "Russia's dive into an unprecedented mire of corruption" that flows throughout the government. INDEM, a Moscow-based research foundation, has reported that the volume of corrupt business conducted in Russia rose from $36 billion in 2001 to around $319 billion in 2005, its latest published data. The military budget accounts for around 4.6 percent of gross domestic product, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, roughly on a par with China and the U.S. But the generals don't let cash reach the grass roots where it's most needed, says security analyst Andrei Soldatov, and this "is leaving Russia's rapid-reaction armed forces in particularly bad shape."

    The military's problems may be one reason why Medvedev repeatedly sounds the alarm about corruption, calling it "the gravest disease which has struck our society." Putin's Kremlin has poured $150 billion into its armed services, yet those services remain saddled with old weaponry and facilities. As part of an effort to reclaim Russia's previous status as a great military power, Putin has resumed long-range bomber patrols, boasted of developing a new strategic missile and threatened to deploy missiles closer to the heart of Europe. But only a handful of new combat jets and several dozen tanks have been added in recent years. Soviet submarines still frequently need repair and rarely leave their bases. A new nuclear sub, the Yury Dolgoruky, cannot be deployed because the Bulava ballistic missile it was supposed to carry has failed tests. When the vessel eventually sails, it will likely only make training cruises, according to a report by the Federation of American Scientists.

    [...]

    Source: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i...stnuQD90FJ9R80
    Մեր ժողովուրդն արանց հայրենասիրութեան այն է, ինչ որ մի մարմին' առանց հոգու:

    Նժդեհ


    Please visit me at my Heralding the Rise of Russia blog: http://theriseofrussia.blogspot.com/

    Comment


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

      Report: Russian air force chief accuses NATO fighters of breaking safety rules over neutral waters



      Russia's air force chief on Saturday accused NATO fighters escorting Russian bombers on patrol flights over neutral waters of violating safety rules. Air Force chief Col.-Gen. Alexander Zelin said NATO aircraft were approaching Russian bombers too closely and too often, creating risky situations. "They approach our strategic bombers at unacceptable distances and at unacceptable intervals, conduct various maneuvers around them and violate flight safety rules in every way," Zelin was quoted by the Interfax news agency as telling reporters Saturday. No one answered the phone at the Air Force's press service Saturday. An increasingly assertive Moscow is seeking to showcase its military might and clout in the international arena. During Friday's Victory Day parade, Russia displayed tanks and missile launchers on Red Square for the first time since the Soviet era, evoking the Cold War. Russia's military spending has increased eightfold to an annual $40 billion during the past eight years, thanks to the nation's oil bonanza. Analysts, however, say the armed forces still suffer from the problems that have dented its capability and prestige since the Soviet collapse. Zelin complained that NATO F-15, F-16 and F-22 fighter jets regularly "attack" Russian bombers over the Arctic Ocean. "It is not a misuse of the word 'attack' because our partners are training for combat actions, reaching the point of an attack," Zelin was quoted as saying. "I must confess that this is quite unpleasant and even dangerous. Naturally, we rehearse our counteractions." There was no immediate comment from NATO. Russia itself has been the subject of similar disputes. In February, Russian bombers flew over a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Pacific, prompting the U.S. to scramble fighters to escort the Russian aircraft. In September last year, Russian jets were accused of violating Finnish airspace. Russia said the jets were flying over neutral territory.

      Source: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/...TO-Bombers.php
      Մեր ժողովուրդն արանց հայրենասիրութեան այն է, ինչ որ մի մարմին' առանց հոգու:

      Նժդեհ


      Please visit me at my Heralding the Rise of Russia blog: http://theriseofrussia.blogspot.com/

      Comment


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

        Originally posted by Armenian
        Victory Day Military Parade on Red Square
        Happy Victory Day!
        Great pictures, by the way, Armenian.... Thank you.



        Victory Day – Russia’s most important holiday



        MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator Maxim Krans) – One Russian poet succinctly called Victory Day a holiday with tears. This is very true; in Russia May 9 is the day of triumph and gratitude to those who won the worst war...



        Russia awards British WW2 veterans



        May 10, 2008

        British veteran members of the Arctic convoys which delivered vital supplies to the northern ports of the Soviet Union during the World War Two, met with their Russian counterparts in London to celebrate Victory Day and receive honours from the Russian state.
        British veterans were awarded Russian Arctic Medals honouring their deeds and commemorating the Britain-Russia alliance in 1941-1945.

        The ceremony took place on HMS Belfast, London’s Floating Naval Museum, which is a living memory from those cold Arctic days.
        Back in 1942 it was the largest and possibly the most powerful cruiser in the Royal Navy, responsible for providing heavy close-range cover for the Arctic convoy.
        In total 78 of them made their perilous way to and from North Russia carrying four million tonnes of supplies - food, tanks and aircraft to be used by Soviet allies in the fight against Nazis on the Eastern Front.

        Video - http://russiatoday.ru/features/news/24552/video





        HMS Belfast, London’s Floating Naval Museum

        Comment


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

          I am a bit shocked and confused by this move against Iran from Putin... How can it be justified??? How is it (ie. imposing new sanctions against Iran) favourable for Russia???

          Russia joins new UN sanctions against Iran

          MOSCOW, May 8 (RIA Novosti) - One of Vladimir Putin's last actions as head of state was to sign a decree implementing a UN Security Council resolution imposing new sanctions against Iran.

          The decree was signed by Putin on May 5, two days before he stepped down as president, and its text was posted on the Kremlin website on Thursday.

          On March 3, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1803, imposing a third round of sanctions against Iran over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment.

          Under the new sanctions, the accounts of certain Iranian companies and banks will be frozen, and goods leaving and entering the Islamic Republic will be subjected to inspections. In addition, travel bans have been imposed on five Iranian officials involved in nuclear projects. The resolution also bans the sale of 'dual-use' items that could be utilized by Iran for military purposes.

          Iran has 90 days to comply with the new resolution.

          The diplomatic standoff between Iran and the West, which at times has threatened to take on a military nature, began almost six years ago over suspicions that Tehran was secretly developing atomic weapons.

          Tehran has always maintained that it needs nuclear technology for electricity generation only. Two previous rounds of UN sanctions were imposed on Tehran in December 2006 and March 2007.

          Iran denounced the current and previous resolutions as a violation of international law. It also stated that it would not comply with the new resolution.

          Tehran also refused to continue talks with the Iran-Six, a group of international mediators comprising the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany, and said it would negotiate only with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
          Last edited by Lucin; 05-10-2008, 10:32 AM.

          Comment


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

            Victory Day Military Parade on Red Square




            Military parade on Red Square - full version!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0VU3KXJaRU

            Thousands of Russians have turned out for the highlight of the Victory Day celebrations – the annual military parade through Moscow’s Red Square. It’s 63 years since the end of World War II, known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War. In line with tradition, the military parade began when the clock on the Spassky Tower at the Kremlin struck 10 a.m. A command was given to carry out the State Flag of the Russian Federation and the Banner of Victory. The Standard Bearers Group is made up of the best servicemen from the Guards of Honour Battalion of the 154th Commandant's Regiment. First, was the State Flag of the Russian Federation. Next came the Banner of Victory. The Russian Defence Minister - Anatoly Serdyukov, who came out on his limousine from the Gate of the Spassky Tower took the salute at the Victory Parade. The commander of troops of the Moscow Military District - General of the Army Vladimir Bakin - was commanding the Parade.


            Defence Minister Anatoly and General of the Army Vladmir Bakin made their inspection tour before the troops began marching across Red Square. After inspecting the troops, Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov reported to President Dmitry Medvedev - the Supreme Commander in Chief of the Russian Armed Forces. President Medvedev responded. Then the commander of the Parade - General of the Army Vladimir Bakin - gave the order to begin the parade and the linesmen took up their positions on the perimeter of Red Square. Following the limousine of General of the Army Vladimir Bakin, according to tradition, the drummers of the Suvorov Military Music School marched briskly along the cobblestones of Red Square. The youngest drummer was 14-years-old.

            Military parade: step-by-step

            The first armoured vehicle to enter Red Square is ‘Tigr’ – it’s a light armoured vehicle that can carry up to 9 people and is bullet and bomb proof. It’s meant for special operations and is ideal for cross-country work. The Taman division enters the square on armoured personnel carrier BTR 80. It’s followed by the BMP-3 infantry support vehicle that has 3 crew and can carry up to 7 more troopers, and it has unprecedented fire power in its class. The airborne division 106 brings forward the BMD 4 armoured personnel carrier of the fourth generation. After them, self-propelled artillery systems ‘Sprut 137’ roll into Red Square – they are a significant part of a landing force used for fire support of troops. Next comes the main battle tanks, T-90, armed with the newest equipment capable of destroying targets, both on land and in air. The artillery is often called ‘the God of War’.


            The Simferopol regiment of Taman division presents MSTA-S artillery systems used to destroy objects in the 25 km range. Artillery complex ‘Tunguska’ and ‘Tor’ armoured vehicles follow. Next in the parade is ‘Buk’ self-propelled anti-aircraft complex. It switches from travel to battle mode in less than 5 minutes and can be recharged in less than 20 seconds. The only long-range multiple launch rocket system in the world known as ‘Smerch’ enters Red Square. It is capable of high-precision targeting as far as 90 km away. The anti-aircraft rocket system C-300 ‘Favorit’ is considered the best in the world – it can follow 100 targets and hit up to 12 spots simultaneously.


            The tactical missile complex ‘Iskander-M’ rolls on to the cubes of Red Square. Its missiles use the ‘stealth’ technology and are virtually invisible to any foe and its capable of destroying targets 280 km away with a minor deviation not exceeding 2 metres. One unique piece of equipment follows the other – ‘Topol’, the missile complex known across the world, is also taking part in the parade. It’s classified SS-25 ‘Sickle’ by NATO and is capable of destroying any existing anti-missile system. Its range is an unimaginable 10 thousand km! The air show is traditionally opened by the famous Russian MI-8 helicopters. They are followed by AN-124 ‘Ruslan’ – the largest cargo plane in the world. It’s escorted by two SU-27 fighter jets. The supersonic strategic bomber TU-160 is seen in the sky above the heart of Moscow – it’s the biggest supersonic jet in the history of aviation that can carry up to 40 tonnes of arms, including several types of controlled missiles, bombs and even nuclear-charged warheads.


            It’s escorted by MiG-31 long-range interceptors. Next in the sky are the re-fueler plane IL-78 and TU-95MS strategic bomber followed by MiG-29. SU-34 and SU-24, the production of world-famous Sukhoi, appear next. SU-34 is the newest generation of fighter jets that will eventually substitute the older SU-24 model. They have a practically unlimited flying range – of course, when refueled in flight. Three supersonic long-range bombers with variable wing geometry TU-22M3 enter the airspace above Red Square. They are followed by four SU-25 attack planes flying in battle formation. And the grand finale – a breathtaking air show by aerobatic teams ‘Russian Knights’ and ‘Strizhi’ (‘Swifts’) on SU-27 and MiG-29 planes. By tradition the Victory Parade finished with the composite military orchestra unfolding and marching down Red Square.

            Source: http://www.russiatoday.ru/news/news/24528

            Medvedev: Russian Military Gaining in Strength, Power



            Russian President Presides Over First Public Ceremony in Red Square


            The bristling Red Square parade, once a Soviet standard, enjoyed a revival Friday as phalanxes of hardware, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, rumbled noisily over paving stones to deliver a loud message: The bear is back. Moscow hasn't seen a show like this since 1990 when the Soviets last commemorated the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. Within a year the Soviet Union was no more. In the mid-1990s, Russians began to celebrate victory in World War II with a parade on May 9. But the festivities were stripped of displays of weaponry until this year, the 63rd anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany. Eight thousand goose-stepping troops, glamorous in their newly-designed uniforms, as well as tanks, armored vehicles and missiles crossed the square Friday. Overhead, strategic bombers and fighter planes roared across the sky. President Dmitry Medvedev, presiding over his first public ceremony, said Russia's military is "gaining in strength and power like all of Russia."


            And drawing a ploy from the playbook of his predecessor Vladimir Putin, who stood beside him, Medvedev appeared to criticize the United States without actually naming the country. "We must not allow contempt for the norms of international law," he said, warning against "intentions to intrude in the affairs of other states and especially redraw borders." Russia, most recently, has criticized Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia, which the United States supported. "The history of world wars warns us that armed conflicts do not erupt on their own," said Medvedev. "They are fueled by those whose irresponsible ambitions overpower the interests of countries and whole continents, the interests of millions of people." At last year's parade, Putin appeared to compare the United States with Nazi Germany. The Kremlin later denied that was his intention.


            Putin and Medvedev watched the parade from a reviewing stand -- unlike Soviet leaders who used to stand on top of the mausoleum containing the mummified body of Vladimir Lenin, the first Soviet leader. "This isn't saber rattling," said Putin, speaking earlier this week about the parade. "We're not threatening anyone and we don't plan to do so. We're not imposing anything on anyone. We have enough of everything. This is a demonstration of our growing potential in the area of defense." Around 70 percent of Russians support the return of military hardware to Red Square, according to opinion polls here. "The parade demonstrates that should anything happen we will be able to beat any enemy," said Elena Volkova, an 86-year-old retired school teacher who celebrated Victory Day in a Moscow park. "Our military is respected again. And the West envies Russia and the Russian people because Putin was able to restore the country after such a deep collapse in the 1990s."


            Under Putin, defense spending has increased eight-fold to $40 billion annually. Russia has resumed long-range bomber patrols, which have buzzed U.S. ships in the Pacific and forced NATO jets to scramble around Western Europe. And it has threatened to target missiles at Ukraine, Poland and the Czech Republic in response to the expansion of NATO and U.S. plans to station a missile defense system in Central Europe. "Russia want to create an impression of might, the revival of might, and the return of the Soviet-style parade is part of that," said Alexander Khramchihin of the Institute for Political and Military Analysis in Moscow. Putin also restored the music from the Soviet anthem. But for all the martial tub-thumping, the Russian military cannot be compared to its Soviet predecessor. The military is accused of huge waste and corruption that has prevented it from a large-scale modernization. And the army is regarded as such a bastion of brutality and hazing that most young Russian men try to avoid conscription.


            A Pentagon spokesman earlier this week derisively dismissed the display of military power. "If they wish to take out their old equipment and take it for a spin and check it out, they're more than welcome to do so," said Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon press secretary. But many Russians, nostalgic for lost greatness and proud of Putin's efforts to restore it, dismiss such remarks as nothing more than foreign resentment. A major energy exporter, Russia is flush with revenues from oil and gas sales, and the government has pledged to continue increasing spending on defense. "The U.S. doesn't like it that Russia has become more powerful," said Zoya Khmyryova, 59, who was celebrating Victory Day on Friday. "The parade shows the might of our country."

            Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...=moreheadlines
            Մեր ժողովուրդն արանց հայրենասիրութեան այն է, ինչ որ մի մարմին' առանց հոգու:

            Նժդեհ


            Please visit me at my Heralding the Rise of Russia blog: http://theriseofrussia.blogspot.com/

            Comment


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

              Originally posted by Lucin View Post
              I am a bit shocked and confused by this move against Iran from Putin...
              Indirectly helping Iran buy time.

              These "UN sanctions against Iran" are as good as a roll of toilet paper. Iran has energy if the West btches it shifts towards the East. Once Iran becomes nuclear the btching will stop. It is all about buying time.
              Last edited by Azad; 05-10-2008, 10:41 AM.

              Comment


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

                As Gazprom Goes, So Goes Russia



                ON a frigid evening in February, the hottest place to be here was the Kremlin Palace theater. The draw inside the towering hall wasn’t Tina Turner or Deep Purple — rock icons well past their prime — but Gazprom, Russia’s most powerful corporate leviathan, which was celebrating its 15th anniversary. Gazprom certainly had reason to party: its chairman, Dmitri A. Medvedev, was riding high on the Russian campaign trail as the hand-picked successor of President Vladimir V. Putin. Although Gazprom forked over a handsome sum to book Ms. Turner and Deep Purple, Mr. Medvedev’s favorite band, the opportunity for the company, the world’s biggest producer of natural gas, to have its own man installed as Russia’s next leader was priceless.

                “The gig at the Kremlin was fun, but it wasn’t wild,” Ian Gillan, Deep Purple’s frontman, wrote in an article for The Times of London after the show. “The young guys and more junior staff were all up on their feet, although they were looking nervously over at their bosses to see whether they could loosen their ties. It was as if they were asking, ‘How much fun are we allowed to have?’ ” Mr. Medvedev was sworn in as president on Wednesday, after winning the election in early March, and his ascent confirms that in today’s Russia, the line separating big business and the state is becoming so fine that it’s almost nonexistent. Gazprom and the government have long had a close relationship, but the revolving door between them is spinning especially fast this year: Mr. Medvedev, 42, replaces Mr. Putin as president; Mr. Putin becomes prime minister, replacing Viktor A. Zubkov; and Mr. Zubkov is expected to take Mr. Medvedev’s place as Gazprom’s chairman at a general shareholders meeting in June.


                Mr. Medvedev and Mr. Putin “are as close to a dream team as Gazprom could ever hope for,” said Jonathan P. Stern, a British energy analyst and author of “The Future of Russian Gas and Gazprom.” It’s hard to overemphasize Gazprom’s role in the Russian economy. It’s a sprawling company that raked in $91 billion last year; it employs 432,000 people, pays taxes equal to 20 percent of the Russian budget and has subsidiaries in industries as disparate as farming and aviation. The company is a major supplier of natural gas to Europe, and it is becoming an important source of gas to fast-growing Asian markets like China and South Korea. In 2005, at the urging of the Kremlin, it bought Russia’s fifth-largest oil company from the tycoon Roman A. Abramovich. If crude oil and natural gas are considered together, Gazprom’s combined daily production of energy is greater than that of Saudi Arabia. With energy prices continuing to hit record highs, Gazprom is more influential than ever, both at home and abroad. Gazprom says that before 2014 it will surpass Exxon Mobil as the world’s largest publicly traded company — a goal that Mr. Medvedev himself endorsed before he became president.

                When Mr. Putin was still president, he used Gazprom’s wealth and economic might to fight political enemies inside Russia, to reassert influence over former Soviet republics, to gain leverage over Western European countries by increasing their dependence on Russian gas, and to wrest Russian energy assets back from foreign companies. Now that Russia is seeking to reclaim the geopolitical clout it had in Soviet days, it is wielding its vast energy resources, rather than missiles, to reassert itself. More often than not, its most potent artillery is Gazprom itself. In a news conference last year, Mr. Putin denied that Russia uses its economic might to achieve foreign policy goals. But others disagree. “Energy should not be used for a policy tool, but it is,” said Vladimir Milov, president of the Institute of Energy Policy, an independent research organization in Moscow, and a former deputy minister of energy. Gazprom, he said, has at times been a “tool of punishment for neighboring countries.”


                AT a Gazprom worksite in the Yuzhno-Russkoye field in Siberia one day last winter, it was so cold that two dozen diesel engines were left roaring day and night, lest they would freeze until spring. Every winter, some Russian roughnecks get frostbite. “Your skin just peels a little,” said Sergei G. Koshel, a drilling supervisor, dismissing the dangers. Another burly man, taking a break from the rig, pantomimed the issue more graphically, reaching up to his ear, pinching off a phantom piece and flicking it away like a cigarette butt. The Yuzhno-Russkoye field alone has proven reserves of 800 billion cubic meters of natural gas, or enough to meet the gas demand in the United States for more than a year, and it is only the first of half a dozen huge developments that are planned in the north. Over the next two years, Gazprom plans to triple its capital outlays in its core business of exploring, extracting and transporting gas — just to maintain its current production levels. Investments will rise to 969 billion rubles, or $45 billion, in 2010 from 330 billion rubles, or $14 billion, last year.

                To help finance a heady expansion into the Arctic, Gazprom is working on ways to push up natural gas prices in Russia and in the export market. Last year, it floated the idea of creating a cartel for natural gas, similar to OPEC’s oil cartel. Iran supports the idea, but Algeria, Qatar and others are uncommitted. A gas cartel would allow Russia to increase its influence in global energy markets, but at this point it’s unclear how hard it will push the concept. Gazprom’s ties to the government are already paying dividends in the domestic market. Under a policy championed by Mr. Medvedev when he served as deputy prime minister, Russian consumers are going to have to pay starkly higher prices for natural gas. Prices are set to rise about 25 percent a year, starting this year, with the goal of reaching parity with world energy prices by 2011. Policies like this mean that average Russians won’t continue enjoying their traditional access to cheap energy, and they offer a stark example of the government’s willingness to give Gazprom a leg up — regardless of the social fallout. Just as Gazprom’s riches make it a proxy for Russia’s newfound power and prestige around the world, the company also epitomizes the risks of state capitalism: waste and inefficiency.

                [...]

                Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/11/bu...html?ref=world
                Մեր ժողովուրդն արանց հայրենասիրութեան այն է, ինչ որ մի մարմին' առանց հոգու:

                Նժդեհ


                Please visit me at my Heralding the Rise of Russia blog: http://theriseofrussia.blogspot.com/

                Comment


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

                  Originally posted by Lucin View Post
                  I am a bit shocked and confused by this move against Iran from Putin... How can it be justified??? How is it (ie. imposing new sanctions against Iran) favourable for Russia???
                  Moscow has at times supported sanctions against Iran and other times they have voted against them. At times, Moscow has used harsh rhetoric against Iran and other times it has more-or-less warned the West not to touch Iran. Simply put, this is a high stakes diplomatic game being played by Moscow. The same is being done by Tehran, of course. One day Tehran agrees to allow inspectors in the next day it changes it mind. Do you recall that just last week Moscow pressured Azerbaijan to allow a shipment of Russian nuclear fuel to enter Iran? Due to pressure from Washington DC, the fuel shipment in question was being held up by Baku for over a month. Moscow decided to step in and pressure Baku, upsetting the West. So, this week Moscow did something to offset what they did last week, they sided with the West. In the big picture, you judge; what was more important, some obscure sanction against Iran (that which can easily be circumvented) or a nuclear fuel shipment?

                  In my opinion, what Moscow did by supporting the sanctions was to retard the political/diplomatic momentum the US has been trying to build against Tehran. However, there is also the real possibility that there could have been some 'internal' dispute between Moscow and Tehran. As a result, Moscow might be using strong arm tactics knowing that Iran's back is up against the wall. So, don't be surprised if a month or two from now Tehran reveals that it is to purchase a large amount of Russian armaments. This is a possibility. Moscow has used strong arms tactics against official Yerevan on quite a few occasions as well. Realize that most things that go on in international politics we, the people, are not aware of. We only know what government officials release to the media and we only get to see its consequences. And, more importantly, realize that in international politics there are no friends or enemies - only interests.

                  Originally posted by Azad View Post
                  Indirectly helping Iran buy time.
                  I agree with you Azad, good perception.
                  Մեր ժողովուրդն արանց հայրենասիրութեան այն է, ինչ որ մի մարմին' առանց հոգու:

                  Նժդեհ


                  Please visit me at my Heralding the Rise of Russia blog: http://theriseofrussia.blogspot.com/

                  Comment


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

                    Armenian, thank you VERY MUCH for this thread. Thank you for the info.

                    Comment


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

                      Russia Sends Aid Planes To Myanmar Cyclone Victims

                      Russia is doing the right thing, let's hope that other countries will follow.....

                      May 9, 2008

                      VIDEO - http://russiatoday.ru/news/news/24543/video



                      The death toll is likely to rise further as rescuers reach remote settlements, while the nationwide number of displaced people could reach millions.



                      A Russian Il-76 airplane from the emergencies ministry's fleet left with humanitarian supplies for Myanmar from an airfield outside Moscow.
                      A ministry spokesperson said, "The plane took off from the Zhukovski airfield near Moscow at 16:40 Moscow time (12:40 GMT). It has a humanitarian cargo on board to assist cyclone-hit Myanmar", RIA Novosti reported.
                      The humanitarian aid is scheduled to be delivered to Myanmar's largest city of Yangon. A second plane loaded with aid is scheduled to depart from Russia on Sunday, May 11.
                      Both planes will deliver a total of 60 metric tons of humanitarian supplies, including tents, blankets, generators, medical supplies, including disinfectants, bandages and food.





                      Russia's plane with humanitarian aid lands in Myanmar
                      10/ 05/ 2008




                      MOSCOW, May 10 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian Il-76 airplane from the Emergencies Ministry's fleet delivered Saturday humanitarian aid to Myanmar, a spokesperson for the ministry said.
                      "The plane with humanitarian cargo landed in the capital of Myanmar, Yangon, at 5:30 a.m. Moscow time [1:30 GMT]," the spokesperson said.

                      Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar last Saturday, devastating large parts of the country. Health official fear that the death toll is likely to rise to at least 100,000 people as rescue workers struggle to reach remote settlements, while the nationwide number of displaced people could reach millions.
                      The second plane with humanitarian aid to Myanmar is scheduled to depart from Russia on Sunday, May 11.

                      Both planes are set to deliver a total of 60 metric tons of humanitarian supplies, including tents, blankets, generators, medical supplies, including disinfectants and bandages, and food.
                      A state of emergency has been introduced in the five worst-hit areas - the Irrawaddy delta, the cities of Yangon and Pegu, and the states of Karen and Mon. Most of the deaths came in the low-lying Irrawaddy delta region.

                      A Russian Il-76 airplane from the Emergencies Ministry's fleet delivered Saturday humanitarian aid to Myanmar, a spokesperson for the ministry said.



                      Russia's 2nd plane to deliver humanitarian aid to Myanmar May 12
                      11/ 05/ 2008

                      MOSCOW, May 11 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's second plane from the Emergencies Ministry's fleet is expected to deliver humanitarian aid to cyclone-hit Myanmar on Monday, Russia's embassy in the southeast Asian country said on Sunday.
                      Myanmar is attempting to recover from Cyclone Nargis that, according to official data, has left over 20,000 people dead and dozens of thousands homeless.
                      Russia's first plane with humanitarian aid landed in the capital of Myanmar, Yangon, early on Saturday.

                      READ MORE - RIA Novosti - Russia - Russia's 2nd plane to deliver humanitarian aid to Myanmar May 12




                      May 6, 2008
                      13:00

                      Vladimir Putin sent his condolences to the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar Than Shwe concerning the tragic consequences of the cyclone.

                      The message reads, in particular:

                      “It was with deep sorrow that I learned of the cyclone that hit the southern parts of your country, resulting in the loss of many lives and causing considerable material damage.
                      On behalf of all Russians I would like to express my sincere condolences to the relatives and friends of the victims. I would also ask you to convey my words of support and wishes for a fast recovery to the victims.
                      Russia is ready to provide Myanmar with any assistance it requires in minimizing the consequences of this disaster.”



                      Source - http://www.kremlin.ru/eng/text/news/...5/164949.shtml

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