Cup of Chicory and the Typhoon Sub…

Silhouette of soviet Typhoon class ballistic m...
Typhoon...

My thinking’s this morning were centered around the decommissioning of the Soviet Typhoon Submarines. I had all but forgotten about these beasts of a submarine. They are like a city under water, complete with the niceties of life. Lets see what Wikipedia says about the Typhoon…

The Project 941 or Akula, Russian “Акула” (“Shark”) class submarine (NATO reporting name: Typhoon) is a type of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine deployed by the Soviet Navy in the 1980s. With a submerged displacement of 48,000 tons, the Typhoons are the largest class of submarine ever built, large enough to accommodate decent living facilities for the crew when submerged for months on end. The source of the NATO reporting name remains unclear, although it is often claimed to be related to the use of the word “Typhoon” (“Тайфун”) by Leonid Brezhnev in a 1974 speech while describing a new type of nuclear ballistic missile submarine. Soviet doctrine for these vessels was to have them launch SLBMs while submerged under the arctic ice, avoiding the traversal of the GIUK gap to remain safe from the enemy attack submarines and anti-submarine forces. Technically Typhoons were also able to successfully deploy their long-range nuclear missiles while moored at their docks.

So as I was sipping that wonderful cup of chicory. I decided to do some research on this submarine. I have to say it is one big sub. The name that the Russians call it seems better; Shark class submarine. I would say Great White Shark if I named it…

After asking Yandex the Russian search engine about the submarine. I realized that the START III treaty makes this submarine unusable according to the treaty’s wording. Then I realized that Russia is having to make a big ado about this, so that the West will feel so much better about life, knowing that the old Soviet Death Sub is gone…

Myself, I don’t think that these submarines are going anywhere. With the exception of the three of them that are mothballed already. I think that they will tuck away three of these submarines nice n quiet and keep them for a rainy day. This is what the USA would and does do with many old forms of nuclear weapons and delivery vessels…

I also saw an article that was sneaked into the news. It said: A high-ranking source in the Russian Defense Ministry has denied rumors of a planned scrapping of Typhoon class strategic submarines in the near future. Several media sources reported recently that the Russian military had decided to scrap the world’s largest nuclear-powered subs by 2014. “The Defense Ministry has not made such a decision. The submarines remain in service with the Navy,” the official told RIA Novosti on Thursday.

I noticed that the MSN press did not take that news story and run with it. They really like the fact that the biggest and baddest submarine on earth is being decommissioned and that is that…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia!

Related articles

Travel Agency Freaked and Our Turkey Plans…

After a few days of wondering what is up! We discovered that the original travel agency that we booked through, freaked out over the fact that an American was traveling by them. They decided that maybe I was not able to do such a thing! Like travel to Turkey by Russia… 🙂

After they wasted several days and tried to get confirmation that someone of greater power would okay, that this lowly American is able to travel from Moscow to Turkey and no one would die from the transaction, it was too late and the hotel that we were going to was booked full until the end of the month of October… 🙁

I feel sorry for Russians and any people in general that are not able to think out of the box. In Russia this is an all too often occurrence because Sveta and I do things different. I am much different than most Americans in Russia. I cross Russian borders by car (Oh heavens!), I drive a Volga (Heaven forbid, why?) and now I am trying to go to Turkey! (Is that legal? :)) But Sveta and I being who we are. Had plan B all ready in action. Because in Russia you must have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, Plan D and a Plan to alter all those plans. Plan B worked…

We have another place that is Britain shy and Russian and German abused. It is called Happy Dreams Beach Hotel. Well we are very happy with the second choice and as I write this we have our money back from the first travel agency and all paper work and tickets for the second (Plan B) vacation package. We literally got the last room for this whole month…

But back to the Freaking out Russians. It is interesting while I travel Russia. I many times am the first American that people have seen in lots of the areas that we travel through. Moscow may have its fair share of Americans and British people but when you are pulled over 1000km from Moscow by the cops. They most likely have never seen an American driving a car and especially a Volga of all cars, to be driving. I can tell the cops that have never seen an American drivers license. They pass it around as a new toy. Then sometimes they ask for my passport. They never are looking for trouble, they just want to see an American passport way out in the boonies of Russia…

So Sveta and I have a new destination. We now have found a much better tour agency called Natalies Tours. They have been wonderful to work with and had no problems with this American. If you read the link to them, you will find that they are one of the best in Russia and guess what they have sent Americans to Turkey… 🙂

We leave the same day and that is still this Sunday on the 2nd of October. Misha Sveta’s son is watching Boza at our place and we have Sveta’s mother as back up in case Misha gets in a bind. ..

Kyle and Sveta
Windows to Russia!

Related articles

Interesting Tidbits Happening in Russia (September 30th, 2011)

Now while we have a news blog that garners around 100 posts a day and that really should be enough for everyone to keep up on what is happening with Russia. I like to list once in awhile what is happening around Russia in the Windows to Russia website…

Lets see what Russia is doing:

  • A portrait of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was sold at a Moscow auction house for EUR200,000. The picture of the Russian prime minister by Georgian-born American artist David Datuna was bought by an anonymous Russian businessman during the Art-Moscow International Exhibition, which took place from the 21st to the 25th of September…
  • Russia has rejected the third, tamed down, resolution on Syria that was submitted by the European countries. The Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said during the UN-held consultations that he was “; disappointed”; with the latest draft provisions, which, he said, fail to take account of Russia’s proposals…
  • According to the Russian Government’s press service, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has signed an order to raise public sector workers wages by 6.5% as of October 1st. Civil servants wages have again started to grow as of this year following a long break caused by the world financial crisis…
  • The Proton-M Russian launch vehicle has put the Mexican QuetzSat-1 satellite into designated orbit, with the satellite handed over under the contractor’s authority. This came in a statement for the Interfax news agency by an official of the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Centre in Moscow…
  • Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has given an interview to the heads of three federal TV channels: “Channel 1,” “Russia 1” and “NTV”. The recording was made on Thursday evening at the Presidential residence. The interview lasting 25 minutes will be aired today at 8:30pm simultaneously on the three channels…
  • Russia is tightening monitoring of imports of U.S. meat after reported cases of contamination of ground beef with E. coli at “Tyson Fresh Meats Inc.” in Kansas. The latter plant has already withdrawn 60 tons of meat…
  • Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday he decided not to run for a second term because Prime Minister Vladimir Putin had a greater political authority and higher ratings…
  • The Palestinians are likely to receive observer status at the UN rather than full membership, Russia’s UN envoy Vitaly Churkin said…
  • Cameras aimed at catching overzealous drivers are to start operating in Moscow on October 1. Anyone caught speeding will be sent a photo and fine by mail. The cameras will also be used to record other offenses, such as driving in the bus lane. Fines for traffic violations will be as high as 5,000 rubles. The majority of cameras are located near bus lanes and on the Third Ring Road, on which speeding is commonplace…
  • President Dmitry Medvedev is going to change radically the government make-up, if he takes up the post of prime minister. “The government should be renewed. This is why, if the Russian people trust the United Russia Party with the formation of the government, i.e. if they vote for United Russia, if they vote for our presidential candidate, if the new government is to be created and I am assigned the job, it will be an entirely new government, a government made up of new people,” the President said in an interview with the 1st, Rossia and NTV TV Channels, due to be broadcast at 20.30 on Friday. “I think this is extremely important,” he added…
  • The Russian navy is getting rid of its most powerful submarines, the Typhoon class. Designed to carry big nuclear warheads, the Typhoon-class submarines are the largest in the world. Their immense size, though, was the main reason why the country decided to decommission the underwater veterans. The vessels did not live up to the new START treaty, which was signed by the Russia and the US in the spring of 2010. The long-awaited treaty considerably limited the strategic arsenals of each country to 1,550 nuclear warheads…

Okay that is enough of that for today. Russia is never dull and I could print forever what she is up to, but that is what Russian News From Russia is for… 🙂

Windows to Russia!

Related articles

Gold Backed Loans in Russia…

Did you see this? Most likely not! The MSN definitely wants this kept on a low profile. Russia does not care if it is low profile or not but those out of Russia should care. The loan is not very likely to see widespread use at first, but it is looking like the Russians are contemplating long term and that gold is a part of their thinking’s…

MOSCOW, Aug 26 (Reuters Africa) – Russia’s central bank will offer gold-backed loans for up to 90 days at an interest rate of 7 percent, it said in a statement on Friday, expanding its lending facilities for dealing with any future liquidity crunch in the banking system.

The gold-backed lending was approved by the board of directors at a meeting on Friday. The rate on the facility is in line with the central bank’s Lombard rate on borrowing secured against high-quality bonds.

“This measure fits the central bank’s policy of developing refinancing instruments within the banking system. The facility will be unlikely in strong demand, only at times of liquidity crunches,” said Maxim Oreshkin, chief economist at Credit Agricole in Moscow.

Levels of rouble liquidity remain at comfortable levels for now, with the overnight interbank rate having hovered within 3-4 percent range since early 2010 compared to more than 10 percent seen during the crisis of 2008-2009.

Alexander Morozov, chief economist at HSBC in Moscow, said the new instrument will likely only be used by up to 1 percent of the whole refinancing market in Russia.

Looks like a way of gathering some extra gold out of the populace. Interesting, I know that I am behind the times on this but like I said it has been very low profile. Just like the fact that Russia has been buying gold like there is no tomorrow. Oh yes and so has China for that fact…

Windows to Russia!

Related articles
  • Russia’s gold/forex reserves go up to exceed $524 bln in Jan-Jun – bank. (news.windowstorussia.com)
  • Driving in Moscow… (moscow.windowstorussia.com)
  • The Underline of Russia is Pointing at Increase in Food Production… (windowstorussia.com)

The First Impression Of Moscow!

Hello,

Today while I was drinking my cup of chicory, I was thinking about the first time I saw Moscow around 5 years ago…

I had flown in with my Sweety (Svet) from America. The trip was long and I had gotten very sick! I tried my best and acted like life was great. I remember seeing Moscow from the Jet. I remember going through the passport check area. I remember no one cared if I had luggage or not. No one cared what I had to declare. I had five large bags (What was left of my American life!) and a pet carrier with a little dog. I remember being overwhelmed with wannabe taxi drivers. I remember that the airport was huge. I remember a McDonald’s on the main byway. I remember the most of all, The high-rise buildings that Moscow calls flats. I will never forget the high-rise after high-rise. I looked and looked for single family dwellings. None! I really remember not much else…

I was sick for two weeks, I could not get out of bed hardly. My sweety made me chicken noodle soup and nursed me back to health. I am not sure what illness I came down with, but I do remember my Sweety called a doctor. This doctor came to the flat! In America that would never happen! The Doctor gave me pills and in a few days I felt better…

So my coming to Russia, Moscow was not perfect. But what I do remember is that my Sweet (Svet) took care of me, and no one has taken care of me for a long time. A very long time!

Thank You (Sweety Pie)

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia!

Related articles

How Dare Russia Question and Comment About the Western Intentions…

Several Western nations at the UN (Particularly US, France and Britain) rejected what they called a Russian attempt to equalize government attacks on civilians with violent acts fomented by the opposition, while at the same time Russia speaks belittling of what it calls a stealth attempt by the West to bring about regime change in other countries…

It seems that the West does not like Russia’s draft of the resolution that Russia presented in counter balance to the resolution that the West is favoring…

I have to contemplate that the saying, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me!” Has some real meaning for Russians with the way the West does political business…

Lets hope that Medvedev has really lost his starry eyes over the West, because he was definitely blinded for a awhile by the twinkles…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia!

Related articles

Todays Tidbit of Russian Information… (9-28-2011)

Working under the Putin-Medvedev tandem, many representatives of Putin’s government did not regard the president as their boss, which was evident from Kudrin’s statement, experts said.

“There are quite a few people in the government who consider themselves as no less important than Medvedev,” New Economic School Assistant Principal Konstantin Sonin said. But other ministers will not oppose Medvedev without being instructed to do so, Vinogradov conjectured.

Source: Analytical department of RIA RosBusinessConsulting

How true this information is and is what can happen when you have two equal in theory bosses…

But as they said, No one will oppose Medvedev now! It is just a little time and Medvedev is gone from President. Then we shall see what happens at that point…

RBC is a great news source by the way: http://www.rbcnews.com/ goes to the English version and they have a pretty good translation department that does a good job. Give them a try…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia!

Related articles

Sometimes in Russia: I Wonder Why Some do Drugs?

Boza and I took a good walk today. It is dreary and rainy. But that just makes us all the more interested because less people are out. Boza and I like walking when the world is hiding…

So Boza and I took a good walk in a park near our home. We like to walk on the sidewalks that are not well trodden and in effect we find things that most people just over look. Well today what Boza and I found upset us a little bit… (Well Boza did not get too upset!)

So sometimes it saddens me when I find something like this picture:

You can imagine my American thoughts here from Russia and looking at a bottle of Miller Genuine Draft Beer with made in USA on it and a needle laying next to it, from doing drugs…

I then looked up and saw this next picture below. You see we were at a playground and even though it was rainy type weather and very cold. This grandma was playing with her grandchild. I sighed as I took a picture of them and thought about the scum that sat here last night and drank American beer and used drugs through a needle…

It is an all too common happening in Russia. I fact lets be real! It is a all too common happening in the whole world and it does bother me…

Such a contrast of playground users. A druggy drunk at night and grandma/child at day…

Everyday a wonderful Asian woman cleans the playground. She will sweep up a wheel barrel of trash everyday. From the night time escapades of the drinking crowd she will gather up sometimes close to a hundred glass bottles of beer and vodka. This is every night that they party hearty and she tries to get it all, but as you can see she missed this spot. This spot is back in the bushes out of line of sight. Boza and I travel to all corners…

Well that is enough for today and I will think of better things than druggies using a child’s beautiful playground to destroy their bodies and minds…

Grandma and grand-kid were discussing life and they both ended up building a sand castle in that sandbox. It looks like the wet sand was just perfect to build with… 🙂

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia!

Related articles

Hmmm! Things Have Changed Since Tandem Switch Proposition…

With that wonderful cup of chicory this morning I had a thinking’s… 🙂

Russia has become much more aggressive. Or at least Lavrov has

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared that the time has come to abolish the no-fly zone over Libya. ­“We think that additional steps, including the cancellation of the no-fly zone, should be taken,” Lavrov stated during a speech to the 66th General Assembly of the United Nations in New York. The UN Security Council, he added, should play the leading role in the post-conflict peaceful settlement.

or

Russia cannot support the project on Syria being pushed through by the West, Foreign Minister Lavrov stated in New York ahead of his address to the UN General Assembly. Sergey Lavrov said he believed that placing sanctions on Syria are “not a very reliable strategy”. “We ask what the next strategy is, how have you calculated your next steps? The answer we get is that we haven’t thought about it yet, but President Assad needs to go, we need to drive him into a corner with sanctions – he should go first, and then we’ll see,” Lavrov said in an interview with “Russia 24” channel. “It’s a very simple but – I believe – not very reliable strategy, if it can be called a strategy at all,” he concluded.

Now I could put a dozen things in this spot (such as missile defense) and it would all make good reading but, it is all the same tone. So why post it?

Lavrov as you should know, is just repeating what his superiors say. Medvedev and Putin are those superiors. I have noticed that ever since the announcement of Medvedev support for Putin as next President. Russia has growled like a bear and China has been right there with Russia. The BRICS have bounded together (against the wishes of the West) and The East / West division gets cracked a little farther apart…

So play it down all you want and listen to your mass controlled media all you want. But…

I do not like what I am seeing with this East/West split along the moralistic lines. That is what it is and it really is a moral split about what is right and wrong. Then it spills over into money, war, humanitarian and many other things…

I never thought in my life time that I would see myself looking at the East as a morally better world, but those rose colored glasses fell off we I came to Russia and I never bought another pair… 🙂

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia!

PS: By the way the bottom line of what is being said over Syria is: No one can trust the West to do what is correct in the Syria situation and not play games. We have Libya as a very recent ongoing example of what the West will do…

Related articles

Dniester Region, Transnistria, Pridnestrovie!




I wanted to show a little area or country they call it. The Transnistria country. The title of the article gives all the names it goes by.

It seems that Moldova and this area of Moldova. (The Dniester Region) is a sore spot in that part of the world. We were traveling Moldova and stumbled upon this little gem by accident! As we got close to the Dniester Region we came upon some Russian troops. They did not stop us nor even look at us. We said Wow!! That was neat. There was tanks and lots of big guns, guarding the bridge we crossed. We crossed with no incident. Then several km later we came to a boarder crossing! We were not near the Moldavian boarder? Then we were asked for passports and lots of other information. Had to pay for me the American, a visa fee??? My Wife was free because she was Russian. Then we finally, after about an hour was allowed to cross into Pridnestrovie!!!

The country side was beautiful! But not anything different from Moldova. The trip was uneventful until we got to the first boarder patrol going into Ukraine. Then after about two hours we were told we could not cross at this point. Something about local people only. We then drove 50 km to another checkpoint. That took us around two to three hours to cross. That is where we found out that Moldova has nothing to do with this boarder crossing. So we left Moldova by going through Pridnestrovie, and we have no idea about having our passport stamped by Moldova. Pridnestrovie did not stamp our passports that we left???? So Moldova probably will never let us back into their country again. I really liked Moldova, So I hope that they will let me come back?

I have put two links to sites about Transnistria.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transnistria

They are good sites to do a little reading on. Also if you plan on traveling that area of the world, just remember about the little country that wants to be a real country. They are working hard at it. But that is another story for another day!!

Kyle

Picture 1-Holy water at a rest stop
Picture 2- Snow, snow,snow
Picture 3- More snow, this was after a 25 degree Celsius day before!
Picture 4- Fabulous monastery.
Picture 5- The roads we traveled, well paved 🙂
Picture 6- Farm land and grazing land.
Picture 7- Typical Village in The Dniester Region.
Picture 8- Super Byway, Heavy traffic 🙂
Picture 9- These religious areas were all over the country side, We saw hundreds??

Windows to Russia!