Category: Russia

The UN passes a non-binding resolution that has nothing about what the opposition should do to help the situation in Syria. The resolution puts all blame on the Syrian government and does not even question the opposition in its role in causing all these issues in Syria…

The resolution went like this: The USA dictated the resolution and Saudi Arabia took the notes as a good little partner and presented what it was told to present…

Now this is non binding but from what I see in the Western press, it is a resolution and another resolution that China and Russia did not support. You know those damn communist countries called Russia and China?

So it is as basic as it gets and point blank, we have no legitimacy at all. We in the West refuse to work to have both sides work together and that is that…

It is black and white, it is as simple as it gets, it is one sided and it is morally wrong…

But it is what the USA government wants and that is that…

I hate to tell America this, but we really need to be watching over our shoulders. The saturation point of world tolerance for American bull crap is reaching the limits…

I know, I hear it everyday and I live out of the media prison that Americans are sheltered by…

I like this saying about bullies…

“Life is a fight, but not everyone’s a fighter. Otherwise, bullies would be an endangered species.” ― Andrew Vachss

America the bully is lucky so far. One day someone will give her a real black eye and everyone else will turn their back as the bully lies there whining. Bullies have no friends, just people who are scared of them. Once they are proven to be beatable, then the yellow streaks dispensary as many a bully has disappeared…

Oh! A little tidbit of information: All bullies think they are unbeatable and will proclaim that they are, but one day every bully gets that black eye, from someone half their size…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…

The “March of Millions” in Russia just lost its backbone and it all has to do with the proven fact that extremists are behind the “March of Millions…”

Western backed political parties are simply not the communist way and after it has been proven that Western money is behind all the uprising in Russia, Fair Russia and the Communist party has politely pushed aside radical groups that do not have anything good for Russia, except the demise of Russia…

The Communist want their protests to center around NATO and the World Trade Organization and other such destructive Western driven agendas…

This is a smart move by the Communists and many others, its time to concentrate on the real issues here, and let the extremists, who are hell bent on destruction as now called foreign agents be increasingly isolated and demoralized. People want an evolving, improved and strong Russia. The Communists are laying out their plans and that is exactly what is needed, they may need to evolve themselves into something more favorable to gain chances with the electorate in Russia. However, that is a sincere journey that they have to take on their own, if they want to represent a genuine alternative to what is in power now. Their other alternative is to be used by the destructive forces and then be thrown away as they get used as useful fools. But they seem (hopefully) way to smart to let that happen…

I have been waiting for this too happen, as I remember stating that we seem to be having conflicting forces trying to coincide together at these rallies. The rallies always were mismanaged and unorganized. You had two distinct feelings going on at the rallies and never a unified feeling…

Now you understand why, but you may not like the fact that the Communist saw the writing on the wall…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…

Coffee and peace…

After 4 days in Ukraine and putting up with a hotel that is borderline okay! I have settled into a beautiful one room flat, at almost half the cost. For less money I get hot water, WiFi, air-conditioning and peace and quiet…

I am near the river for nice strolls in the evening and early morning. The area is very familiar to me and so it is home away from home…

The photo is the balcony that I sat this morning and drank coffee. I thought the plants were a great touch and it made me worry about my plants that I have at home. I just love plants and to me they make a place so much better…

So today I am going to write several chapters each to my books, as the conditions are very correct for me to expand my talents and let my imagination go wild. While writing is easy (Though not always grammar accurate in my case!). Writing is based upon mood, if I am a bad mood the Windows to Russia is written easily and if I am in a good mood, then other things are written easily. I say only write what you are in the mood for…

So today I am in a good/bad mood… 🙂

I found out that my Sweety in Moscow is feeling a little under the weather and that upsets me because I am not there to help. It makes it rough when you have to leave and be separated for no reasons, except government issues. Sveta and I think that we have finally worked out, or at least working on worked out, about finalizing my Temporary Residency Permit. Then that will lead to the Permanent Residency Permit. All in good time…

I guess I will end with interesting thinking’s…

My thoughts while sipping that cup of delicious coffee this morning were about how everyone loves to try to explain how they do not like you with labels…

Many labels I know about, but most labels that are used in my presence, make me do research just to discover what the people are using these labels fore and why they are using them…

I am called and have been called over the last few months:

Anti-Semitic, Fourth Column, Nazi, Ashkenazi, Anti-Gay,fundamentalist, delusional, Semitic, a perfectionist, idealist, realist, extremist, terrorist, Catholic, Jew, Muslim, pessimist, pacifist, narcissistic, optimist, racist, liberal, homophobic, jerk, stupid, pro-life, pro-choice, two-bit punk, and loud-mouth, anti-American, anti-world, anti-Russian and even called stubborn, controlling, uncooperative, nosey, sarcastic and last but not least of this group, I have been called polite, helpful, patient, trustworthy and loyal…

I have been called a lot more but I think you get the drift. I step on toes and people like to label to make themselves feel better and then many times I help and am labeled as such…

Simple examples: I am trustworthy because people from America many times have relied upon me to deal with tons of money for transactions for them. Many times I get nothing in return except a thank you. I am hated because I will tell you what I think and if I think that you are stupid, then I will tell you, sometimes over your head, but I will tell you…

If I think you are a troll and a government responser idiot, then I will treat you as such and remove your ability to communicate. For I do not have time to communicate with people that have a lack of understanding of the world, as it crumbles into the dust from whence it came from…

But I have come to a destinate conclusion! I am well rounded and able to provoke a wide spectrum of emotions from people. For they either love me or hate me and either way, I have succeeded and gotten you to communicate within yourself and caused a specialized reaction, that should at least give you a inkling of who you are…

Have a nice day!

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…

Photo above is the sight that you see on a Russian train. The train is nothing but feet and more feet! This last train trip was very quiet and nice. While it was a little too hot for my taste, the train riders where a wonderful group of people and everyone was literally smoke free and no beer or vodka. It was plain good. I just had to take the picture of the feet… 🙂

The picture above is another trait of Ukraine and Russia that I love. You can buy beef, pork or Chicken almost anywhere. This stand was amongst a group of tents near the Metro station where I go to the Russian consulate at. You do not have any choice but to walk through the tents, because they are right on the sidewalk and blocking the way. They are strategically placed as to make you walk in a weave back and forth to get to any of the stores along the way. Or in my case to the consulate…

What a wonderful world this is and I always remember back to the old days in America, when my Grandma and I would walk downtown Kansas City and I would eat home made Tamales wrapped in the corn husk and she would buy 10 pounds of ground beef, that was ground in front of us on the street corner. They use to let me turn the crank handle on the grinder…

My how times have changed from my past…

The photo above is a pet peeve of mine! Nothing irritates me more than some idiot disturbing my walk with a horn honk for me to get out of the way as I walk down the sidewalk. No not the street, but the sidewalk…

One thing about Ukraine that is worse than Russia, is the idiots that drive on the sidewalk and Russians are just plain stupid when it comes to sidewalk driving. I never thought anyone could surpass Russian sidewalk driving, but Ukraine takes the cake…

This guy in the car on the picture was trying to bypass the stop light and he drove as you see through the market that we were all walking through to get somewhere. As you can see in the picture that it is right at the Metro station (Big green M!) and he was honking all the way…

Ukraine people are so use to it that they do not react at all. They just walk around the sidewalk racers and hardly even glance at them. I still have too much American blood in me and I get perturbed at them… 🙂

That is it for today and the sun is hidden behind clouds today and I hope it stays that way. Much cooler and I will try to get some writing on my book done while I am here. I move to a flat tomorrow! It has climate control and WiFi, so I will be “In Like Flint…”

Have a good day…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…

I have talked about the expanding differences between Russia and America. While at one time years ago, America and Russia where much more closely aligned in thoughts and thinking’s…

So this morning over a cup of coffee, I have been doing some thinking’s of my own…

Like I have said in the past. Russia is progressively trying to make things better and still keep freedoms and liberties unaffected…

Keep your shoes on at the airport, carry that bottle of water aboard that jet, respect people as humans and importance and now a new one on the list! Allow people to own handguns in Russia…

Yes the big issue right now is handgun ownership in Russia…

While you in America are staring down the wrong end of the gun barrel and looking at a vastly increasing militarized police force in most towns and big cities. Russia is down sizing the police force, removing Road Cop stations, training police to be more friendly and working on gun ownership issues in the State Duma…

I find it interesting that in America, they are going to force women to feed their babies, how New York says they should feed them, what size soft drink you can have, do you get salt or not on your food, armored tanks for even the small town USA and to top it all off, the drones have started to fly and unless you express about it now, drones will be the future of Americans, just like it is in Iraq, Afghanistan and many other places. This is just a sampling of what is happening in America…

Now while Russia has a bunch of stupid things that they try to express on people! You will find that Russians are much more inclined to break the rules and laws. In fact to a Russian a law is to be broken or what fun is life… 🙂

I have gathered that information and have implemented it into my own self now and have now realized that the thought processes of a Russian is pretty accurate and respectable…

Everyday now I see a widening rift between the new America and the new Russia. Russia is really becoming the old America and America is becoming the old Russia. That should bother Americans and it should make Russians happy…

One last thought!

I can say with honesty that I will never pay another bribe in Russia. The system has changed that much and it has changed for the better. Nothing I do anymore requires a bribe and I sure would not offer a bribe. Oh yes, Russians still believe in giving gifts of candy to people to help promote a expedient delivery of a working process, but that is like giving an apple to the teacher to make the day better…

I also can say that my latest escapade with dealing with an American entity fell to bribery to accomplish what I needed to get done. That is all I will say, as it was a high official and I still need to get things done for now in America. But those days are ending and I will be very glad, because I despise a two faced entity and America is as two faced as it comes…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…

I am sipping a cup of coffee and looking out the window 19 stories high in the sky. I am in a hotel called Tурист. Or basically Tourist is how it is pronounced. The breakfast program is a wonderful buffet and the place is okay! I have yet to have hot water and they say that due to Kiev being so hot, that they do not feel that it is necessary to heat the water. So sorry “Charlie…”

I have found traveling the CIS countries that little things like having hot water does not matter most of the time. I have water and that is good enough. Yes really that is good enough and quit complaining…

I am looking for a room to rent due to the fact that I will be in Kiev until the 13th of August, 2012! I am looking for a place with WiFi and hot water! Did I just complain again?

I am putting together an article and it will be what I went through to get a visa. Things have changed and yet still things have not changed. That is Russia for you and looks like it will be Russia for you, for ever…

The article will be only about an American getting a visa in Kiev, Ukraine for the Russian Federation. It seems that every consulate does different things and that is that. Did I say, “That is Russia for you?”

So that article is coming in the next few days…

Well gee whiz, I seem to have gotten off track and so now lets get to the title. English in Ukraine…

Traveling the metro in Kiev is now an English world delight! All the signage (Repeat all the Signage!) in the metro has English included now. Then the trains all tell you in English that the door is closing and what side the doors will open at the station. I felt like I had entered a different city. Why even the McDonald’s had a sign that said, “Need English help? Just ask?”

So I tried them out! I said “English!” They immediately pulled out a English menu and a young lady came running and pronounced that she spoke English and would take my order. As I was ordering, she was beaming from ear to ear and you could tell that she was queen of the moment. But when I answered, “Spasiba Net” (Means Thank you No!) to her question about sauce for french fries. She frowned at me and I then quickly said, “Sorry, no thank you!” Then she smiled again and I stuck to English, as to not degrade her job status… 🙂

I have been back twice and she came running the second time, when she saw me! Now that is service and I find the McDonald’s in Ukraine to be a very professional group of businesses…

McDonald’s also own McFoxy Chicken and you will find the same quality there also. In fact you will find McFoxy is cheaper. Today I had a wonderful meal. I had a salad, drink, french fries and a sandwich, all for 35 grivna. That is about 4 dollars or so! It was definitely a full meal deal and very good to boot…

So since I am here stuck in Kiev again, just like I was a year ago at this time. I will try to find something fun to do…

Oh I read an article that America and Russia now have signed all kinds of new visa agreements and “what knots!” Now I know that this all means that visa stuff is really going to get messed up and I feel sorry for the consulate here in Kiev. They have had so many changes already and I know that now there is many more…

The days are gone when it was so simple, easy and fast to get a visa! I remember the old days and I could get here on a Monday and leave the same day with a visa in hand. One day service has become weeks and who knows what it will become when all the new rules are implemented? I wish they would just get rid of the damn visa, but I know for a fact that America is against visa free. Russia does not care about visa free with America and that is what Russia really wants. I guess America is afraid everyone will leave and not come back. I know I would… 🙂

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…

Russia is splashing the news with how grain price is going to go, sky high and that we do not have enough! The drought is taking its toll and and and and and and…

As last time, Sveta and I have just traveled hundreds and hundreds of kilometers through Russia and found fields of grain as far as you can see. In fact the fields of grain are 10 times as plentiful as when I first started to travel Russia. In fact I have watched over the years, as Russia has re-plowed and reclaimed farm land that was left isolated after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In fact Sveta will tell you that I was amazed at how much grain there is and we even have pictures that show fields of sunflowers and they were on the small plantings this years, due to the excessive wheat fields planted. In fact I was amazed at all the brand new irrigation equipment that is in all the fields! This is all new farm equipment since I have been traveling Russia…

The grain silos are plum full and new silos are everywhere just to hold all the grain…

So as in the past I always wonder what and why governments lie like they do? Is it a lie or protectionism?

I guess since America is having a grain and corn issue this year due to drought, Russia must join the bandwagon…

Russia only has one good wheat harvest a year and this is Winter wheat 90% of the time. That crop has and is being brought in as we watched them doing it in the fields, with all those new John Deere’s I have been talking about…

As per Russian weather, Winter wheat fields will be prepped and reseeded according to the standard here and we will see another crop harvested next year. Once a year is about the best that you can do here with luck, as Summer is already ending and Fall is coming, blink a couple of times and snow will be falling again…

What with, up until recently Russia was bragging about 85 mn tonnes of grain this year and now a complete reversal of information has made itself available at the top of the list. It looks to me that Russia is trying to cover up a bumper crop this year and make some money out of it later in the year or early next year. Then I wondered that maybe they are smart and stashing the grain for Russians and upcoming issues that are positively in and on the horizon…

I think I would place my bets on Russia and her games right now, as per the real issue of corn and wheat – dead on arrival in America…

That is Russia…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…

PS: You should have seen the corn fields this year in Russia! I have never seen corn yet and this trip Sveta and I saw huge fields of corn and they were 7 feet tall at least! Huge ears of corn on the stalks. So corn can be grown in Russia and grown successfully! Sveta said, “Most likely just for animal feed!”

There is two parts to this world! One part is Western Empire driven and the other part is the rest of the world. The Western Empire is actually the smallest part of this wonderful world. I mean in a physical not financial sense…

Leaving the Western Empire Borders is the worst thing that happens to you as you expand your horizons. Crossing that Western border is sometimes akin to hell and unless you just appreciate the fact that you will be treated like a serf, then endure it once and don’t go back…

Once you cross a border like Turkey’s, Georgia’s, Russia’s and many many others! You will wonder to yourself, Why does the West treat their people so undignified? You will find that most of the world greets you with open arms and is very happy to have you grace their doorsteps, as you spend your money… 🙂

Something that you will find interesting as you travel the world! That the world is a pretty modern place and unless you just want to go to the Safari in Africa and live like the natives, you will find that cable TV is everywhere and your smartphone (Well a non US smartphone!) will work all over the world and sim cards are cheap for the country that you have entered. I got three junk cellphones from America that just ain’t worth crap in the rest of the world and the rest of the world is a whole lot bigger than America is…

Example of cellphone issue: I go to Ukraine and I travel there all the time. Sometimes I travel to Ukraine 8 times a year! I have a phone that I use just for Ukraine. It is a basic cellphone and I have a Ukraine sim card that I use in Ukraine. I can buy refill minutes in Ukraine on any corner in a city and originally, the phone, sim and 60 initial minutes cost me less than $20 American dollars. It is that simple to get a cell phone in another country. I take my Android Smartphone and use it for its GPS capacities and such…

I have found it cheaper to use a cell phone and sim bought in the country you visit, then to try to use your sim from home. Roaming is a killer and I have never not found a plan for a local sim, that does not allow you to call home cheap…

But that is a small issue in life and I just expounded on it because so many people worry about cell phones, before they worry about how they are going to be molested at an airport leaving America. It is when they are being molested, that they wonder what the hell it is all about and when you cross a border like Russia’s. You will really wonder why America is treating you the way they do…

I have people who try to insult me with statements like, “You don’t like the way America is leave and don’t come back!”

My answer to the pathetic attempts at trying to prove a point, “I did leave and I will not come back and I have found a whole world that makes America look like a prison country for its citizens!” or at the very least, “The American government wants you so uncomfortable with the though of leaving, that you do not want to leave the country!”

Why would I go back when life is freer and cheaper to sustain in the rest of the world? Why would I desire to go back when most people in the world care much more about the moral and abstain abilities of life, than the materialism’s of life as the West is prone to?

So sorry! I have left the country and have found a world of wonderment that can only be described with your own eyes. For what you have been fed by propaganda is so far from the truth, that it is not even funny! This encompasses everything that you are being spoon fed by main stream media!

So pack your bags and step out of the border of the West! It only hurts for a second and then you can enjoy what the world is really like…

“The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart.” by Helen Keller…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…

PS: I like to joke that Americans rate success as to how many TV’s you have and one per room is a goal in life. I have learned that “no TV’s” is a very rich man indeed…

Never enough time to get everything done! That is my thinking’s this morning over a cup of coffee…

The Russian consulate in Kiev, Ukraine has changed all the rules to get a visa for Russia. I know only what the website says and you can see everything right here on my article: http://windowstorussia.com/to-enter-the-russian-federation-a-foreign-citizen-needs-a-visa.html

I will have an update when I get back or while I am in Kiev. I plan on doing a lot of work there and was told that I would be there from 7 to 20 work days before I get my visa. I will be doing an article on exactly what I went through, for getting a Russian visa is an experience every time you do it due to changes in visa rules and regulations…

I made my appointment and have gotten all my resources together and on Monday, the 30th of July – we will see what happens…

I have my train ticket (one way) and my hotel reservation (three nights) and any more than that, I can not be sure when I will be back? So I will extend my hotel or rent a room in Kiev and buy my return train ticket when I know that I will be going home again…

Now that I have it settled as to internet connections in virtually all parts of the world, I will be doing all my normal online stuff and should be able to keep up on things…

I know that as soon as I get back to Russia, I will be ready to go to the village again and Sveta and I have most of October and maybe some of September before planned for vacation time. At least three weeks in Tunisia is on the chalk board as I write this and a trip North is definable in my plans of to do things…

But one thing at a time and right now going through the motions and getting a multi-entry year long visa to Russia is the important thing…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…

This information only pertains to going to Ukraine and getting a visa, it also only pertains to the consulate in Kiev.

Citizens of countries who have bilateral or multilateral visa agreements with the Russian Federation may be exempted from visa requirements.

Foreign nationals, residing in Ukraine permanently or having permission for continuous stay for a period more than 90 days may apply to the Consulate. Permanent or temporary Residence Permit in Ukraine, Working Permit, long-term Ukrainian visa or registration with a local Ministry of Interior may serve as such permission. Citizens of some countries are exempted from this provision in conformity with the reciprocity principle.

Effective February 1, 2012, all foreign nationals applying for a Russian visa to the Russian Consulate in Kiev (as well as other Russian Consulates in Ukraine), should complete an electronic visa application form (EVA) posted at: HTTP://EVISA.KDMID.RU

Having completed the EVA in Russian or English, it should be printed out and submitted to the Consulate on the appointment day. Application form must be signed personally by the applicant.

From February 1, 2012 the Consulate accepts visa applications by appointment only. To make an appointment an applicant may:

Impotant! Please, be informed that due to technical reasons from July, 16 till August, 12 applicants are encouraged to make appointment requests by phone from 10:00 am to 13:00 pm only. E-mail requests will not be entertained during this period! Meanwhile, ordinary requests will still be possible.

1. Call (044) 286-45-04 from 10.00 am to 13.00 pm (visa officers speak English)
2. Send an e-mail to visakiev@inbox.ru (in Russian or English)
3. Visit the Consulate in person at office hours.
Full name, citizenship, contact phone number and number of applicants (for families or groups) should be specified. If you send an appointment request by e-mail a desired date of submission should be indicated.

Without an appointment, but during submission hours only, we accept:
1. Members of foreign diplomatic missions and recognized international organizations accredited in Ukraine, holders of diplomatic and official passports.
2. Foreigners who need to enter the Russian Federation for emergency treatment or in case of serious illness or death of a close relative.

WORKING HOURS
	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri
DOCUMENTS SUBMISSION	09.30 – 12.30	09.30 – 12.30		09.30 – 12.30	09.30 – 12.00
VISA COLLECTION	15.00 – 16.00	15.00 – 16.00	12.00 – 13.00	15.00 – 16.00	12.00 – 13.00
PHONE CONSULTATION	10.00 – 13.00	10.00 – 13.00	10.00 – 13.00	10.00 – 13.00	10.00 – 13.00

GENERAL INFORMATION

Required Documents:

Regardless of the category of visa foreign citizens need to submit the following documents to the Consulate (located at 8 Kutuzova street, Kiev):

• 1) Passport
• 2) The completed and printed out electronic visa application form
• 3) One photo sized 3,5 x 4,5 cm
• 4) Health Insurance
• 5) Visa fee
• 6) Visa Support Document depending on the visa category.
• 7)  Copies

Visa processing normally takes 3 business days (urgent processing) or 7 business days (normal processing). Documents submission date is excluded from this term. Term of processing in some cases may be extended up to 20 business days. Citizens of some countries (Australia, Canada, Italy, Netherlands, USA, Turkmenistan, France), staying in Ukraine temporarily (with allowed period of stay not exceeding 90 days) are subject to longer processing term. Visa processing starts only after a complete package of documents is submitted to the Consulate and a visa fee is paid.

A package of documents for visa should be submitted by the applicant in person or by his/her legal representative. A permission to submit an application by the third person (a power of attorney should be attached) may be granted when an applicant schedules an appointment. Yet if the papers are submitted by the third person, the interview of any foreign citizen may be solely appointed by the Consul.

Having submitted the papers and paid the visa fees, an applicant gets the receipt that specifies the visa issue date. The receipt must be submitted on the specified date of visa issue. When an applicant collects a visa, he/she should check that it contains correct personal data, such as: name and surname in Latin script, validity term, passport number, date of birth, sex and number of entries. If any misprints occur, the visa should be returned in due term for correction
The Consulate is not responsible for any mistakes or incorrect information that an applicant has failed to inform the Consulate upon the visa collection!

MORE INFO
The visa may be extended only during the stay of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation, ordinary for a period not exceeding 10 days due to well-founded impossibility of leaving the country. The exceptions are training, working and temporary residence visa. Consulates outside the Russian Federation are not authorized to extend visas. If visa is expiring or a foreigners need to change the purpose of stay in the Russian Federation they should re-apply to the Consulate for a new visa, presenting a new set of documents. A new visa is issued subject to cancellation of previous visa if the latter still remains valid.

If a foreign citizen who is a holder of a valid Russian visa gets a new national passport and the previous is declared void, the visa may be restored in the new passport upon a written request of an applicant. A fee will be charged for the restoration of the visa.

Regardless of number of entries and validity of visa foreign citizens are permitted to stay on the territory of the Russian Federation for no more than 90 days within each period of 180 days. This provision does not apply to holders of working and student visas.
The Consulate may refuse an applicant a visa in the cases determined by the Russian Legislation. The disclosure of the reason for refusal may be withheld.
In case of refusal visa fee is not refundable.
The documents may not be submitted or accepted by mail.
Additional visa information on visa issues is provided by phone: (044) 286-45-04 at the fixed hours or by e-mail: visakiev@inbox.ru

Prior to calling or mailing us, please read carefully the above information. Prepare your query indicating your citizenship, scheduled dates of visiting Russia and purpose of entry.

Windows to Russia…