Year: 2008

Valery Gergiev

Hello,

Updated:
Thursday night we got a treat on TV in Russia:

London Symphony Orchestra conductor performs in war-torn Tskhinvali

The principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra and artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre, Valery Gergiev, will lead a concert in Tskhinvali on Thursday. The performance will be staged next to the destroyed parliament building in the bombed-out capital of South Ossetia.

Gergiev is of Ossetian origin but was born in Moscow. He grew up in North Ossetia and studied in St Petersburg.

“I’ve got a lot of friends and relatives living in South Ossetia. Although I haven’t lost my loved ones, my friends lost five relatives,” Gergiev said.

He believes that Russia did everything possible to save Ossetians from complete extermination.

According to the Mariinsky Theatre, the concert will feature Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s fifth and sixth symphonies and Dmitry Shostakovich’s famous “invasion” theme from his sixth symphony. (Link)

Part 1

Part 2

The principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra and artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre, Valery Gergiev, has led a concert in Tskhinvali. The performance was staged next to the destroyed parliament building in the bombed-out capital of South Ossetia.

This is the whole concert and it is very, very, very good!

Kyle & Svet

comment always welcome.

RBC, 22.08.2008, Novoogaryovo 15:50:03.Real disposable incomes of Russians are expected to rise 2-2.5 times by 2020, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said during a meeting on Russia’s long-term development. He pointed out that the respective goal was defined in the project of Russia’s strategies of social and economic development until 2020.

RBC, 22.08.2008, Moscow 15:40:45.Severstal is looking to acquire US coal mining company PBS Coals Corporation, the Russian steel maker said in a press release today. Severstal intends to offer $7.99 per each PBS Coals share, and the value of the deal has been estimated at $1.3bn. The US company will reportedly be bought through the purchase of Penfold Capital Acquisition Corporation, now merging with PBS Coals. The deal, which has yet to be approved by the regulating authorities, will be paid for in cash. If the deal fails, PBS Coals will, in certain circumstances, have to pay a penalty fee of $40.1m to Severstal. Both PBS Coals and Penfold Capital Acquisition have agreed to strike the deal, which is to be completed in mid-October.

RBC, 22.08.2008, Moscow 14:59:28.Russia’s armed forces will react accordingly in the event of possible terrorist attacks on the country’s Black Sea Fleet, deputy chief of the Russian military’s General Staff Anatoly Nogovitsyn told a press conference in Moscow today. He noted that all related matters, including the possibility of such attacks, were stipulated by the existing Russian-Ukrainian treaties. The recent announcements regarding attacks being prepared are aimed at undermining relations between Russia and Ukraine, which is quite regretful, Nogovitsyn stressed.

RBC, 22.08.2008, Moscow 14:40:12.Russian troops are being withdrawn from the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone on schedule, Anatoly Nogovitsyn, deputy head of the Russian armed forces General Staff, told a press conference today. Russia does not intend to revise this schedule, the official stressed. He added that air forces were being relocated and troops were moving back to Russia. For instance, 25 strike fighters and 3 fighter planes have already returned to their permanent base, Nogovitsyn said.

RBC, 22.08.2008, Moscow 13:59:06.Investors are expecting a further rise on the Russian stock market, experts told RBC TV today. While Russian stocks opened higher today thanks to an increase in oil prices, trading activity slowed considerably half an hour into the session. Analysts point out that Russian shares are likely to remain highly volatile. Given that oil prices may correct downwards, this could affect the Russian market, experts fear. The RTS index is projected to ease gradually to 1,700 points, or even to the 1,680 mark, by the end of the day, analysts note.

RBC, 22.08.2008, Moscow 13:48:58.The situation in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone is ‘far from normal’, deputy chief of the Russian armed forces General Staff Anatoly Nogovitsyn told a press conference today. He pointed out that the situation in both the Georgian-Ossetian and Georgian-Abkhaz conflict zones could not be characterized as stable. Nogovitsyn also noted that Georgia’s armed forces were massing in the central part of Georgia, restoring their military efficiency and prepared for further actions. In particular, they conducted reconnaissance, as well as prepared military actions in the Georgia-Ossetian conflict zone.

RBC, 22.08.2008, Moscow 12:55:06.A Russian convoy of trucks loaded with humanitarian aid for South Ossetians is to set out from Vladikavkaz, the capital city of the Russian region of North Ossetia, for Tskhinvali today, said Sergei Shatirov, First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council’s industrial policy committee and a member of the coordination council for humanitarian aid set up by the Russian parliament’s upper house. He noted that articles of prime necessity, as well as refrigerators, furniture, and power generators, would be delivered to Tskhinvali. This is everything South Ossetians need the most at the moment, Shatirov stated. Russia plans to send a total of 260 tonnes of humanitarian aid collected by the Federation Council along with the country’s constituent entities, according to Shatirov.

RBC, 22.08.2008, Moscow 09:45:04.Russia’s cooperation with NATO is a complex issue, and until the government makes a decision on its future, military cooperation with the alliance has been temporarily frozen, the Mayak radio station reported Russian envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin as saying. Rogozin pointed out that Russia’s Defense Ministry had sent a formal notice to NATO that Moscow was halting military cooperation. The alliance has already confirmed its receipt.

Hello,

Today while drinking my morning cup of coffee, I came across interesting articles from all over the world. Articles from Western press, that act in horror that Russia is not going to pull out of South Ossetia! The Western world has ignored Abkhazia and the fact that Russia will not be pulling out of Abkhazia either.

I have said all along that Medvedev is pissed off about this situation down in Georgia. You must understand the reality, that South Ossetia & Abkhazia are no longer part of Georgia in Russians minds. In fact Russian State Duma MPs and Federation Council members have made it clear that they are ready to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

As I live amongst the Russians, I have come to conclude that there are several areas that are still considered Russian! The Caucus Region, The Crimea and The Black Sea are just a few. When you talk about areas like these, many Russians just automatically consider them Russian.

I also this morning read about the waffling of Ukraine’s tough stance against Russia’s Black Fleet! One minute Ukraine is threatening to blocking the port, the next minute they say welcome back please remember to leave by 2017!

Talk about Medvedev, He is telling NATO farewell, goodbye and so long. He says Russia has no use for a Cold War relic like NATO! America stuttered and stammered on that news, while Europe most likely said: See we told you so!

The same goes true for the G8, World Trade Organization and any other USA backed organizations. The USA has effectively steered Russia into Iran, China and the Eastern worlds arms. The chance that the Western world had to influence Russia is gone.

One last statement about the death counts: Due to the heat and decomposing bodies, masses of humans in those unidentified hillocks. Only in some cases have they been able to determine who is buried there. (The death is not counted unless the Western world does an autopsy.) If you ever have been near dead humans by the dozens or hundreds (like I have), you would understand why you have to bury them and bury them quick. I have chosen not to print pictures of the dead, just caskets. We have seen hundreds on the news and that is enough for Svet & I!

Posted by Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…

1. Russia has rejected a new draft United Nations resolution on South Ossetia at an emergency session held in New York. Moscow says the text doesn’t entirely reflect the six principles of settling the conflict, drawn up by the presidents of Russia and France last week. A vote on the issue is likely to provoke a veto from Russia.

2. Russia has submitted a new draft resolution on Georgia to the UN Security Council in New York. The country’s representative to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, says it’s based on the six principles worked out by the Presidents of Russia and France last week. Russia rejected an earlier draft resolution submitted by France.

3. Russia’s ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin has dismissed media reports that the Georgian city of Gori is “in ruins.” He called the allegations a “disinformation campaign” and pointed to the fact that Russian peacekeepers have in fact performed a humanitarian mission there.

4. Russia’s ambassador to the UN says a French resolution aimed at ending the crisis in the Caucasus does not entirely reflect the six principles agreed by all parties. Vitaly Churkin made his comments after the UN Security Council held emergency consultations on the situation in South Ossetia.

5. The total number of casualties of the Georgian – South Ossetian conflict has been revealed. According to local authorities the conflict has claimed the lives of 1492 Ossetians.

6. The Abkhazian Parliament has approved an official appeal to Russia to recognize its independence.

7. Medvedev has high approval (76%) of how he handled the Georgian Issues. (I can attest to that personally!)

8. Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko cut short her vacation in Sardinia yesterday to return to Kiev, at the demand of President Viktor Yushchenko. The latest hot scandal in their relations concerns relations with Russia. Using growing public concern in Ukraine about a Russian invasion, Yushchenko is trying to assume the role of guarantor of national security, accusing Tymoshenko, who did not support Georgia, of conspiracy with Moscow.

9. U.S. agreements on deploying elements of its missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic provoke an arms race and do not provide for European security, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

10. An officer of Russia’s army, Mikhail Khachidze, was detained in the Stavropol region on suspected spying for Georgia, Interfax reported with reference to a spokesman of the PR Center of Russia’s FSB. A criminal case was opened under Clause 275 (High Treason).

Russia seems to have had an interesting day, from United Nation issues to a Spy….

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Tskhinvali restoration:

Russia’s Emergencies Ministry in a TV news statement says it needs the help of local people to rebuild South Ossetia’s devastated infrastructure. Progress is being made and restoration work is in full swing, with the water supply to the capital Tskhinvali having been almost been fully restored. Another key task is to repair broken windows before cold weather sets in.

The authorities have pledged to restore schools before September 1 and hospitals are also at the top of the reconstruction list.

Many foreign journalists have received accreditation to work in the region and are being given guided tours by local officials to show them the scale of the damage and devastation.

Russian combat engineers are still involved in mine-clearing operations in South Ossetia and they’re still finding unexploded mines and artillery shells across the region.

Russia is to spend $US 60 million by the end of the year on the reconstruction of South Ossetia’s infrastructure.

The Chechen Republic has also joined the humanitarian aid program for the region. It is providing food and construction materials. (Link)

Kyle & Svet

Georgian war leaves 1492 Ossetians dead:

The total number of casualties of the Georgian – South Ossetian conflict has been revealed. According to local authorities the conflict has claimed the lives of 1492 Ossetians. This is the verified known deaths.

According to Anatoly Nogovitsyn of the Russian Defence Ministry, who was speaking at a news conference on Wednesday television: 64 Russian soldiers were killed in action and 323 were wounded, more than 5,000 people from South Ossetia are still in refugee camps in the south of Russia.

Approximately 30,000 people fled from Georgia’s offensive on August 8. According to officials, some 15,000 of them have returned over the last week to start rebuilding their country.

Kyle & Svet

Hello,

I just had a good laugh…..

The 26 NATO nations agreed to tough language towards Russia due to Moscow’s failure to withdraw its troops from Georgia, a French diplomat said.

I know that I would be scared!

What does tough language mean and does it involve name calling?

Also why would America back: Mikheil Saakashvili who feels severe stress and cannot control himself, This is what the Serbsky Institute of Social and Forensic Psychiatry concluded based on a few incidents broadcast by TV, Interfax reported. Watch the interesting video of Saakashvili who does not realize he is on camera for an interview with BBC! (only 17 seconds, but you will laugh) 🙂

Chewing over his next move….

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

RBC, 19.08.2008, Moscow 14:55:28.Speaker of the Federation Council Sergei Mironov does not believe in Russia’s isolation, due to the conflict in South Ossetia. The official made this statement today, commenting on the US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice’s appeal to the NATO Council to isolate Russia. The council will hold a meeting in Brussels today. Mironov pointed out that Russia was located on two continents, had energy resources, and had a serious influence in the global arena. He believes that Saakashvili has brought shame to the European Union by making a speech against the EU flag.

RBC, 19.08.2008, Moscow 14:35:10.The Russian stock market is likely to continue declining, analysts told RBC TV today. A military conflict in Georgia is not longer the key factor that influences that market, and therefore, market participants have turned their attention to the global oil price and current trends on foreign stock exchanges, experts say. Analysts note that it is hard to predict when the downward trend on the oil market will change.

RBC, 19.08.2008, Moscow 13:15:51.Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has intelligence that Georgian special services are preparing terrorist attacks on Russian territory, FSB chief and head of the national anti-terrorism committee Alexander Bortnikov told a committee meeting in Moscow today. He stressed that he had given instructions to take measures as appropriate to ensure anti-terrorism security of national government bodies, as well as transportation, industrial, energy, and life support facilities, and populated areas, the Mayak radio station reported. The FSB chief stressed that such measures had to be taken primarily in the Southern Federal District.

RBC, 19.08.2008, Baku 12:48:06.Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has denied information on the introduction of restrictions for the passage of foreigners through Azeri-Russian border. The border between Azerbaijan and Russia is operating as usual, and there are no restrictions, Spokesman for the republic’s Foreign Ministry Khazar Ibragim was reported as saying by Trend news agency. However, the ministry did not specify if any restrictions had been introduced during the military conflict in South Ossetia.

RBC, 19.08.2008, Moscow 12:19:55.Syria’s President Bashar al-Asad is expected to pay a working visit to Russia on August 20-21, 2008 at the invitation of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, the press office of the Russian leader reported today.

RBC, 19.08.2008, Tbilisi 11:50:20.Georgian authorities have announced that the first exchange of prisoners of war has taken place in Igoeti, Georgia. According to the country’s Interior Ministry, Russia’s corresponding ministry has handed over 15 prisoners of war to Georgia, while the latter handed over five people, including two pilots of Russian planes that were shot down by Georgians.

RBC, 18.08.2008, Moscow 18:47:13.The Russian Foreign Ministry continues to receive numerous appeals from Russian citizens to the International Criminal Court Prosecutor calling to bring action against the Georgian leadership for committing international crimes on South Ossetian territory. As reported by the ministry’s information and press department, these appeals are directed by the agency to the International Criminal Court for consideration.

RBC, 18.08.2008, Moscow 17:54:10.The refugees that have returned to Tskhinvali are asking be sent back to North Ossetia, the Russian Armed Forces’ Deputy Chief of General Staff Anatoly Nogovitsyn has announced. He said that, having returned to the South Ossetian capital, the people see that there are no schools, no food, and there are problems with humanitarian aid deliveries.

Hello,

NATO seems to want to stir up the Russian Bear some more. Could that be because NATO is strictly a USA mouth piece?

Washington called an emergency meeting of the 26 NATO foreign ministers to review ties with Moscow and discuss help to Georgia. U.S. envoy to NATO Kurt Volker told Reuters on Saturday no specific response had yet been decided, but regular meetings of foreign and defense ministers, and of NATO ambassadors with their Russian counterpart would be part of the review. The results of the meeting Saturday seemed pretty inconclusive and may point to a rift between Old NATO & New NATO!

Russia (Medvedev) made a response: “If anyone thinks they can get away with killing our citizens and officers, we will not allow this,” Dmitry Medvedev said. “Anyone who tries to do something of the kind will receive a powerful response, and Russia has the capabilities for this – economic, political and military.”

“The act of aggression on the part of Georgia’s authorities is unprecedented, it goes beyond understanding, when a country whose army has been equipped by another country uses its armed forces against civilians, against peacekeepers,” the Russian president said.

“We have always been a peace-loving nation. The Russian, Soviet state has never started a war. But even the most peace-loving state should have an effective army,” Medvedev said.

Now: Everyone needs to stop hitting the Bear with sticks! The Russian Bear has woke up, would it not be better if we let her mellow out, instead of smacking her with threats?

Kyle & Svet