Day: October 26, 2009

The Arctic Sea is Still Afloat! (Update Oct. 26th, 2009)

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Post date October 26, 2009

As you know I have been following this story on the Arctic Sea for quite some time now. This poor ship has been through the ringer so to speak and there still is a captain and three crew members who are still on board, along with Russian investigators.

The Russian-crewed and Maltese-flagged cargo ship at the center of a mysterious hijacking case is currently being towed towards Malta and may be handed over on Tuesday, the ship’s Finnish owner said.

“The Arctic Sea might be there as soon as tomorrow, in the afternoon,” said Viktor Matveyev, director of Solchart, which holds 100% in the Maltese firm that owns the vessel.

Matveyev earlier said he would travel to Malta to discuss details of the vessel’s handover.

Matveyev said Malta’s maritime officials intended to examine the ship before deciding whether to allow it to enter the port of Valletta or not.

It has not sunk yet and just might be let into the Maltese port… (Remember I said might, because it has not happened yet!)

Windows to Russia!
comments always welcome.

Link to Arctic Sea Articles by Windows to Russia!

Windows to Russia: Svets – Russian Video Blog!

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Post date October 26, 2009

I am very proud of Svet. She has worked very hard on a blog named Russian Videos from Russia! This blog has now finally come into its own and has been recognized by Google as a major video source for Russian videos. It has reached the top of the list when it comes to the term Russian Video. (http://www.google.com/#q=Russian+Video&hl=en&sa=G&newwindow=1&fp=1&cad=b) Everything above her blog is either paid links or YouTube related links.

Svet has almost posted one video a day for a long time now. She has 500 videos and it looks like she loves the blog so much that we are going to see a lot more. Svet also has a weekend movie most every weekend that is usually an old soviet movie and is full length. These weekend movies take Svet a long time to do because many times she has to download, convert format and process her own movies.

Last full length movie that she posted was “Queen of the Gypsies“, a made in 1975, by Moldavian film director Emil Loteanu and in 1976 “Queen of the Gypsies” won the Golden Seashell at San Sebastián International Film Festival. I found the movie really wonderful and was entertainment that we all need to stop and watch. The actors made a believer out of the audience and will make a believer out of you that the life of a Gypsy is carefree and interesting…

I stay out of the blogs workings unless I have to help her and she has gotten to where she needs very little help anymore. So I am very very proud of my Sweetie… 🙂

Windows to Russia!
comments always welcome.

Get a Russian Visa From Ukraine! (Part 1)

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Post date October 26, 2009

Hey everyone!

Svet and I had the most pleasant visa trip ever. It went like clock work and there were no bad surprises.

First of all – lets remember that I had a passport stolen last time and this trip finally cleared up all the loose ends from that trip. I now have a brand new passport from America and got back and forth across the borders with minimal hassle. (Due to having to show a total of three USA passports at one time to explain why this stamp was here and not there…)

The train trip to Kiev was really nice and peaceful. Left at 7pm Thursday night and got to Kiev at 7am Friday morning. Svet and I stopped at the McDonald’s near the Russian Consulate and had a good breakfast. When the Consulate opened we got right in and proceeded with business. This is where the good surprises happened!

I have been coming to this consulate for umpteen visas. I am always there by 9am and done by 10am with paperwork. The visas always take one or two days to process and $400 dollars.

Then surprise number one happened – When we presented our paperwork the lady that we always give the paperwork to said that will be $250 dollars. (Huh – I thought: What did she say?) I looked at Svet and we both kept our mouths shut. 🙂

Then surprise number two happened – The lady said you can pick the visa up between 11am and 12 noon! (Huh – I thought: What did she say? [As I looked at the clock and realized that was only an hour away] I looked at Svet and we both kept our mouths shut. 🙂

Svet and I walked to the cashier station and were told the very same instructions again. ($250 dollars and in one hour we can get the visa!) (Cooooool!)

To make a long story short – Svet and I waited around and at 11am we had my passport and visa in it to Russia. We just got to Ukraine and we were done with business!

So being good little travelers like Svet and I are we decided to do some sight seeing after checking into the hotel. That is where part two of this story begins tomorrow….

Windows to Russia!
comments always welcome.

Windows to Russia – Articles on Visas:

http://www.google.com/visa This is a Google Link to all our articles on visa there are some 50 articles…

And on and on…

Radio Liberty/Free Europe: Broadcasting – Abkhazia and South Ossetia!

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Post date October 26, 2009

Georgia is hot, bothered and steamy over a new radio broadcast that will start November 2nd, 2009! Georgia is threatening everything from destruction of the radio station to blocking the signal with devices to scramble the signal. I have watched this broadcast being developed for a few weeks now and I was not sure that it would be carried through with. And as we can see, it is going to happen…

I am using Georgia Times article because it is the most congenial of the Georgian sources that I have found. The rest from Georgia are a little rough and threatening.

On November 2nd Radio Liberty/Free Europe starts broadcasting the Echo of Caucasus program in Russian language orientated for listeners in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, on waves 9525 and 9780 – the Kavkazskiy Uzel.

The daily 1-hour program is planned to be prepared in Prague by Russian and Georgian editorial offices, the editor will be Andrey Babitskiy.

“There’s a deficiency of information in the entire territory of the post-Soviet space, and in this region it’s felt especially acute”, Babitskiy said and mentioned that people in South Ossetia and Abkhazia have to suffice with Russian sources.

He promised that the radio Liberty would present the view from both Moscow and the West, and at the cross of the lines the talk will get both depth and sharpness.

Tbilisi assessed this step as “informational recognition” of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Previously Sergey Shamba, the Foreign Minister of Abkhazia, said the republic would approve the work of the radio station only in case the programs would have nothing to do with Georgia.

At the same time, the Georgian republic Department for Governmental Information is strongly against and promised to take drastic measures, up to suppression of the signal.

So once again we have an interesting issue that is developing in the Caucasus. One more slap in Sassy’s face and one more reason for the Georgian people to send him back to America…

Windows to Russia!
comments always welcome.