Windows to Russia

This is a good video and these guys have their work cut out for them. It seems to me that a better surviving remains could be found (?) but I guess you make do with what you have and in this case they are going to have to make a lot of parts by hand.

I found one thing interesting, they said that they could have gotten it to start if they wanted too…

The Klim Voroshilov!

Windows to Russia!

February 25, 2010,
Gorki, Moscow Region (recorded on February 18, 2010)

Interview to the French Magazine Paris Match

OLIVIER ROYANT: Mr. President, thank you very much for receiving us today at your residence. In a few days you will celebrate the second anniversary of your election to the post of the President, and you will actually be in Paris. This year is the year of Russia in France, and it is a very important moment.

Could you give any symbolic examples of cooperation between our countries, and what do you expect from your visit to France?

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: It is a pleasure to see you today, especially on the eve of my visit to France, a major visit, and to discuss Russian-French relations. Indeed, the relations between our countries have been developing for many centuries. There have been many historical events when ways of Russia and France crossed. The history of our states have witnessed both bright moments and sometimes problems, which also brought us together, but in the end the scope of cooperation has been tremendous. A classic example is the life of Queen Anna, daughter of Yaroslav the Wise, who got married to HenryI, king of France. However, it was long ago, though this fact is quite remarkable.

To my mind, France played a much more prominent role with regard to Russia in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It seems to me now that there was no other language in our country’s history that enjoyed such great popularity, almost on a par with Russian, the official language. Neither German nor English, although popular during certain historical periods, has played a role similar to that played by French, say, in the late eighteenth– early nineteenth centuries, when almost all educated people in Russia spoke French just as good as they spoke Russian. This, of course, was the result of a general interest shown by Russia’s elite of the time in the French culture, philosophy and the finest works of French art. However, this interest has not diminished anyway, so these centuries were by no means lost. As far as the twentieth century is concerned, our cooperation and relationships have become even closer at that time. This process started during World WarI, followed by the Russian revolution, which triggered the first wave of mass emigration to France, mostly to Paris; in fact, millions of people fled to France. Many of them led a rather difficult life, sometimes even tragic, but their decision to settle in France was no coincidence. They probably believed that in France they would feel themselves closer to home than in any other place; we can see mental similarities behind this. Then, we were allies during World WarII. After that, decades of rather fruitful relationship followed, even during the Soviet Union era. For example, we maintained very good high-level relations during that period, and the attitude towards General Charles de Gaulle, which was very respectful at that time, remains the same nowadays.

To my mind, the new Russia enjoys a very good partnership, a strategic partnership with France. We are no longer divided by ideological differences. This does not mean we have no disputes at all, but we actually maintain very good and positive relationships with the French administration, including my personal contacts with President Sarkozy. When we reach an agreement, President Sarkozy always keeps his promises, which is something every politician should be able to do.

OLIVIER ROYANT: During your visit do you plan to negotiate the purchase of a Mistral-class warship?

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: You know, Russia has always been a major producer of military equipment, and we still are one of the largest suppliers of military equipment from Kalashnikovs to, say, S300, an antimissile defence system. But there are areas where we can learn and see what other countries are making. By the way, this would be useful for our defence industry as well, because it needs to maintain its competitive edge anyway. We therefore have interest in buying advanced models, including warships.

OLIVIER ROYANT: Do you have any personal recollections about your visits to France?

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: Of course, I do! And they are very vivid, indeed! I think it was in 1991, and it was my first visit to France. Though it was originally a visit to discuss cooperation between St Petersburg and Paris businessmen, it was also a chance to see Paris. I’ve heard a lot about Paris, read a few interesting books, including by French authors who described the morals and beauties of Paris. Yet, reality was beyond my expectations, because when I first came to Paris, I understood that this city is absolutely unique, considering that I had been living all my life in St Petersburg, then Leningrad, which is also a beautiful and quite European city. But the special atmosphere of Paris, a walk along the Champs-Йlysйes, eating in small restaurants, all this just a week before Christmas, with all that illumination and the Eiffel Tower, – I was very impressed. I remember returning home so excited I just couldn’t stop talking about my impressions of Paris. In other words, in reality it was, indeed, far more impressive than any pictures.

At that time I had just started my legal career and worked in the city administration, and I was very impressed by the atmosphere in which business issues were discussed. I liked it because we could discuss things not just in the dull office, but also in restaurants over lunch or dinner, or during walks. Somehow I enjoyed this easy way of discussing business issues.

OLIVIER ROYANT: The point is that now we are gradually recovering from the crisis. So, it is interesting to hear your comments on what lessons could be learned from this crisis? You know that Asia is already on its way towards the recovery from the crisis while Russia has been largely dependent on exports of hydrocarbons. Now how do China, India and Brazil recover from the crisis? And how in this context can you describe the situation in Russia?

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: The lessons to be learned are clear. First, the crisis highlighted our weaknesses: our economy’s dependence on raw materials. But we had been able to understand that ourselves. Yet, the fast and deep recession was quite unpleasant.

And second, of course, is that it is impossible to overcome such global crisis on one’s own. It is impossible to imagine a situation when there is paradise in France and everything is bad in China, because these are global actors, who influence each other. It is very important that we finally learn to speak the same language in the most direct sense of this word– the language of the economy. We discussed these issues many times in the G8 and in the G20. For instance, I personally discussed these issues with the French President. We should create a new financial architecture for all. In our case, everything is clear: we should modernize our economy, we should achieve growth based on other sources, not just raw materials, we should develop high technologies, we should, essentially, create a new segment in our national economy. This is the goal, I personally work on that, and I have established a special presidential commission, and this is our strategy for the nearest future. Of course, the ‘hydrocarbon’ economic growth fuelled by oil and gas sales will continue for some time, but it should not be our universal way of development. We must have other sectors in our economy, powerful and comparable in size.

OLIVIER ROYANT: You belong to the generation of the statesmen who speak in a straightforward manner, like Nicolas Sarkozy. You seriously criticized the situation in Russia, you spoke of the flaws, corruption and other things. But it is important what do you think about it now, are you disappointed by the slow progress?

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: Of course, I am disappointed, like many of our citizens, by the fact that we are not developing as fast as we would have liked, and that the problems we are all so tired of do not disappear as quickly as we would have hoped. The living standards are not improving as fast as we want them to, and corruption remains one of our most serious concerns and most vulnerable spots. I am not quite satisfied with the investment climate in our country either, and with the way technological changes are taking place in the economy.

What needs to be done? We need to work. We need to work every day, to give clear, strict instructions, to shake up officials, to meet with businessmen, to talk to our partners and learn from their good practices. By the way, that is why Ilike the initiative to establish the so-called “Partnership for Modernization” of Russia that was put forward during the last EU summit.

OLIVIER ROYANT: Russia’s new military doctrine says that NATO is perhaps a threat even greater than the proliferation of nuclear weapons, terrorism, etc. Do you think that we are sliding back to the Cold Warera?

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: No, I don’t think so. It is not about NATO, and our military doctrine does not treat NATO as the main military threat. It is about the never-ending enlargement of NATO through absorbing the countries that used to be part of the Soviet Union or happen to be our closest neighbours. It definitely creates certain problems, because NATO, whatever one may say, is a military alliance.

Everything is quite clear here. We have our own defence strategy and we have Armed Forces tailored to fit a certain configuration. But if a military alliance, which is, by the way, our partner in general, keeps on moving even closer to our borders, if missile defence or something else is being reconfigured, it is a good enough reason for us to be concerned. I think this is an absolutely open and correct position. Itdoes not mean that we are sliding back to the Cold War, but we must take this into consideration.

Also, I would like to say that major European actors, the Eurogrands, so to say, France in particular, have taken a well-balanced position on this issue, and we have always been grateful to France for such a balanced position with regard to NATO enlargement.

But we are also facing challenges that we should meet together with NATO– the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, terrorism and drug trafficking.

OLIVIER ROYANT: When President Obama speaks about a nuclear-free world, is this your goal too?

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: I applaud him. Most important is that other countries, including France, agree with President Obama and me as well.

OLIVIER ROYANT: Twenty years passed since the fall of the Berlin Wall. How do you perceive the Soviet times, because for the West these were mostly “dark” years, but as far as Russians are concerned, it often looks like they feel nostalgia for those times, nostalgia for a more secure life, for a different life.

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: Strictly speaking, nostalgia generally means being homesick. And, speaking about my personal emotions, I was born in the Soviet Union – that was how our state was called at that time. But here we should learn to separate the emotional and the rational sides. I was born and grew up in the Soviet Union and received my education at that time. But the society we had back then, its ideology and principles are absolutely alien to me. And that is why emotionally many memories of those times are dear and pleasant to me, but if we consider the social foundations of that period, let alone the economy, Iwould not like to return to that past at all, even for a moment.

OLIVIER ROYANT: How would you describe your relations with Vladimir Putin, because once Mr Putin said that you are “people of the same blood”, and what future do you see for yourself in connection with the 2012 presidential elections?

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: Regarding the blood type, I think Mr Putin was right: we do have the same blood type in the medical sense of the word, as we found out recently. (L a u g h t e r)

As regards the political future, no one can really tell. But, naturally, we are responsible people, and we will no doubt discuss with him the political future of our country and our place in it. In any case, so far we have an effectively functioning alliance that is, in my opinion, good for our country.

In general, it is very good when President and Prime Minister have good relations. It is worse when these relations are different. Don’t you think so?

OLIVIER ROYANT: I’m almost through with my questions, just a couple more, if you don’t mind. Everybody think that Russia can be the key to solving the Iranian nuclear problem. How do you feel about this situation? Are you concerned? Do you believe that there can be a way out of this situation?

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: I think that Iran’s own responsible behaviour is the key to solving this problem. We believe that Iran should adapt its nuclear programs to meet the requirements of international organizations such as IAEA; on the other hand, we want it to conduct its nuclear activities in a manner that is transparent in terms of control.

As yet, unfortunately, there are a lot of problems here. Therefore, we continue our consultations with key parties to the negotiations and we are ready to contribute to this process together, with France as well.

OLIVIER ROYANT: But still, how do you feel about it? Are you concerned or …?

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: Of course, I’m concerned. Everybody is concerned about it now. I have spoken to many leaders from the Middle East and European countries, and all of them express their concern. And the Russian Federation is no exception. Iran is geographically close to us. It’s our neighbour.

If something very serious happens, it will lead to a humanitarian disaster, let alone other problems for the entire region.

OLIVIER ROYANT: Your interests include rock music and photography. Your wife is well known for her interest in fashion and involvement in the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church. What is the Medvedev “philosophy”?

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: All of what you have mentioned.

But sometimes I do feel like catching a break, doing something different. So I have several things that I find interesting, at least for the time being, and they do include both music and photography. I like music and listen to it quite a lot in my free time. And like any other normal person, I do read books. Sometimes, Iwatch movies, including, by the way, French ones. I like French cinematography, because it is much closer to ours. I have nothing against Hollywood – Hollywood is good, too. Yet French cinematography is something much closer to our Russian perception, to our highly sensitive Russian soul.

By the way, I admire how French cinema has been developing. I think it is the experience that Russian cinema should definitely build on. It’s a pity I cannot enjoy French movies in French. I have always regretted learning English instead of French or German, and I will tell you why. When I was in the legal profession I had to read a lot of books and legislations of France and Germany, which are much closer to ours, especially the civil law, than the English law. Similarly, the Code Napoleon is also obviously best read in the original.

OLIVIER ROYANT: And now two years after taking office, do you feel like a happy man?

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: Not two years, actually. It will be two years since my election during my visit to Paris, but I took office in early May.

You know, I believe that everyone should be happy to serve their country, the country that they love, and to try to do good too, especially at such a high level. From this point of view I am definitely happy. Lack of time, however, is the other side of the story. But what can I do about it.

OLIVIER ROYANT: Do you feel disappointed by the image of Russia that is sometimes created in some European and other countries when they start talking, for example, about the Caucasus and human rights issues? Would you like to improve the situation?

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: Well, to tell the truth, sometimes it makes me feel really bad, but I understand one thing. On the one hand, it could be possible to highlight different things but, on the other hand, these problems persist and the fact that our foreign friends are writing about them is yet another reason for us to set about addressing these issues.

OLIVIER ROYANT: Do you think that the G20 leaders are at their best, that they are keeping up with the modern times?

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: I would hate to hurt the feelings of the leaders who gather around this table because I am one of them.

You know, I can say just one thing, which is quite simple and everybody is talking about it. Twenty years ago it was impossible to imagine that the leaders of the United States, France, the Soviet Union, China and some other nations would sit down at the same table to discuss global economy.

Yet, this is what we have today, and we are making decisions. These decisions are not ideal, perhaps, but nonetheless, they are decisions, not just declarations. Therefore, I think that on the whole we can find a common language, although some issues could be resolved more promptly. And we still have many things to do. That’s why we plan to meet twice this year.

I found this to be extremely interesting:

MOSCOW, February 25 (Itar-Tass) — About 45,000 people may be amnestied on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the chairman of the State Duma Committee for Civil, Criminal, Arbitration and Procedural Legislation, Pavel Krasheninnikov, who also co-chairs the Association of Russian Lawyers, said at a meeting of the association’s presidium on Thursday.

“We propose to announce amnesty on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, but the number of amnestied convicts (subject to the amnesty) should not be very wide,” he said. Alongside, Krasheninnikov believes that war veterans, elderly people and disabled people, as well as people, who did not commit grave crimes, should be subject to amnesty.

“According to the preliminary estimates, we believe that the amnesty may embrace 300,000 citizens, about 45,000 people will be released from penitentiaries,” he said.

I went Hummm…

Windows to Russia!

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia will not support “crippling” sanctions against Iran, including any that may be slapped on the Islamic Republic’s banking or energy sectors, a senior Russian diplomat said Wednesday. (Link)

Russia nor China will support crippling sanctions and the reason is that America is using these sanctions to cripple and hurt the people in Iran. America hopes to have a continuation of the uprisings that America is fueling in Iran.

As Russia says:

“We are not got going to work on sanctions or measures which could lead to the political or economic or financial isolation of this country,” Oleg Rozhkov, deputy director of the security affairs and disarmament department at Russia’s Foreign Ministry, told reporters.

“What relation to non-proliferation is there in forbidding banking activities with Iran? This is a financial blockade. And oil and gas. These sanctions are aimed only at paralyzing the country and paralyzing the regime.”

Russia is correct and sanctions are not the answer if the people in the country suffer. This is not and should never be a personal issue and it looks more and more everyday that America has a personal vindication to settle with Iran…

Windows to Russia!

Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has dropped her legal challenge against her rival’s victory in Ukraine’s presidential election.

Mrs Tymoshenko said the court was not interested in giving her justice in her case against winner Viktor Yanukovych.

The Kiev court had suspended the result when Mrs Tymosheko appealed on Tuesday, claiming the poll was rigged.

International monitors deemed the vote free and fair, and Mr Yanukovych is due to be inaugurated on 25 February.

Ukrainian Central Electoral Commission’s declaration on Sunday that Mr Yanukovych had won the vote by a margin of 3.48%.

Mrs Tymoshenko complained that the court proceedings were biased against her.

“Given that the court is refusing to establish the truth in essence, I withdrew my lawsuit at today’s morning sitting of the Supreme Administrative Court and asked the court to stop this show, which bears no resemblance to justice,” she said.

I know Russia is happy about this and I am glad that Yulia is going away but I still have reservations about Viktor Yanukovych… (Lessor of two evils?)

May Ukraine start healing from this point on…

Windows to Russia!

I have waited for this to be announced!

If you are like me and like Big Military Toys then this video is for you. My past draws my interest to weapons such as this form and style because I go back into the Lance Missile era! I trained on that weapon! I remember how excited the Military was that the Lance was picked to be able to utilize the neutron bomb. That was an interesting and unforgettable era of my life…

So the missile mounted on a truck has always been a favorite of mine, in fact I got to experience Germany because of the Lance Missile!

The Russian S-400 Anti Aircraft Missile is a defensive missile instead of an offensive missile like the Lance. The S-400 is more closely related to America’s Patriot in job category and usage. I would give the edge to the improved S-400 over the Patriot as the Patriot has been allowed to stagnate in development…

The Russian S-300 is the version that Iran should receive from Russia. Israel and America would have a bad time in bombing Iran’s nuclear sites if the S-300 was protecting Iran.

Watch the video. I liked it…

Windows to Russia!

The last few days I have been watching how they are cleaning the streets in our complex! I have watched all winter but they have changed their tactics now…

Now they are chopping the ice and hauling it off one wheelbarrow at a time.

The normal method is to use huge homemade stick brooms –>

Then just sweep the snow up in piles and haul it off in a wheelbarrow… (When the snow is to deep to sweep – we don’t remove it!)

When we lived in Moscow, City there was a combination snowplow and workers like this, cleaning the streets. Here where we live now (Moscow Region), I have not seen a snowplow but I have seen a couple of road-graders…

It is interesting to watch them because when it starts snowing again they disappear. No more chopping ice for the day. It started to snow a few minutes ago and they scurried as fast as they can… 🙂

Now you know a little more about Russia!

Windows to Russia!

PS: Tidbit of information – It was -15 degrees Celsius when I took these pictures!

Looks like the NATO visit and hoopla last week did not make much of an impression with Russia:

NATO doesn’t recognize agreement on deployment of Russian military bases in Abkhazia, said Carmen Romero, NATO representative.

NATO calls on Russia to withdraw its armed forces at the positions they used to stay in up to August 7th 2008, and let foreign monitors in the territory of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Romero highlighted the Alliance believes these two regions the inalienable parts of Georgia, and NATO position in regard to the territorial integrity of the country remains the same.

Previously Georgia Times reported that Presidents of Russia and Abkhazia, Dmitry Medvedev and Sergey Bagapsh, yesterday signed 10 agreements in various spheres.

Today their discussion will be continued. One of the signed documents implied deployment of a Russian military base in Black Sea coast for 49 years. The Foreign Ministry of Georgia has already expressed its protest and accused Moscow of attempt to increase its presence in occupied territories.

Fat chance of Russia heeding what NATO wants her to do. I have heard in the grapevine that Russia did not take to heart what NATO said in the meeting when Albright came last week and it really looks like that is true.

“Remember Russia has a different plan for European security and that is a major threat to NATO. As Medvedev has said, NATO is not Russia’s friend and is a threat to Russian security.”

Medvedev means it…

Windows to Russia!

You have to laugh at a group of political individuals that “want something so bad” that they will include the very one’s who they are thumbing their nose at! The Nabucco Pipeline:

Intended to ease Europe’s dependence on Russian gas, the US and EU-backed project has been stymied over finances and the need to find reliable suppliers. In January of 2010, Washington suggested that Russia could have a role in Nabucco.

It seems the pipeline that was to show Russia who is boss, but has to have Russian gas guarantees to even be a viable option. This is an issue well known in Russia, but the fact is that the rest of the world is now starting to see that by super sanctions on Iran and looming threat of war in Iran, that they can not begin to get enough gas to make the pipeline viable unless Russia helps out. The fact is even if Iran was a stable issue that Russia would still have to help out, to make the pipeline viable. Yes I know that there are several sources available but those sources are not reliable either. They also can not fill the pipeline and for this pipeline to work it has to have suppliers!

So have I missed something?

Does it make sense to build a pipeline to thumb your nose at Russia. Then you have to say, “Hey, Russia can you help fill and supply gas to the pipeline, so that we can still thumb our noses at you?”

Now of course Russia has the South Stream Pipeline and it looks like the last hurdle has almost been overcome and Russia does not need anyone to help fill that pipeline…

Seems that in this financial collapse of the Western world that building a pipeline at multiples of billions of dollars needs to be reconsidered. Let Russia do what Russia does best and develop her energy sector. I can tell you right now, that once Ukraine and Belarus are out of the picture, transit issues are gone…

But there are some in Europe and America that want the Nabucco Pipeline built even if they can not fill it with gas. I have heard said, that they will worry about that part later. They wish to thumb their noses at Russia at all costs…

Windows to Russia!

A good reader gave me a link on Facebook to this video about: Moscow metro, new stations Myakinino, Volokolamskaya, Mitino at opening day. Московское метро, станции Мякинино, Волоколамская, Митино в день открытия!

Svet and I have not been to these stations yet and looks like we need to go. This video shows a good look at Russian people checking out the new stations…

If you are curious about what Russians look like this will give you lots to look at.

Yes – they look, act and walk – just like you! 🙂

You can tell it was made around the beginning of the year because of the New Year Trees that you will see. (No they are not Christmas Trees they are New Year Trees!)

Enjoy the video…

Windows to Russia!