“Brest Fortress” The movie about the Siege…


Sveta and I watched a very good movie last night. It is a Russian made movie and not your glamorous Hollywood extravaganza. But it was an extremely well made, thought provoking, soul stirring, true story…

Yes – it like all major movies, has some discrepancies, but does that really matter. It will bring a tear in your eye no matter how tough you think you are…

Link to main web-page…

What is the movie about? Try the Wikipedia article; The defense of Brest Fortress took place 22–30 June 1941. It was one of the first battles of Operation Barbarossa. The Brest Fortress, defended by the Red Army against the Wehrmacht, held out longer than expected, and became a symbol of Soviet resistance during the Great Patriotic War, along with Moscow, Leningrad and Stalingrad that spelled the beginning of the end of the Nazi war machine. In 1965 the fortress received the title of Hero Fortress for the 1941 defense.  [pullquote]Read More Wikipedia Article[/pullquote]

The movie was very tastefully done and really tried to show the horrors of war but not leave you in a graphic shy mood after the film is over. But beware there are moments that will make you shudder…[pullquote]Brest Fortress held off 20,000 German Soldiers  with 3,500 Soviet Soldiers[/pullquote]

I am sure that they will have it with English subtitles before long and I suggest that everyone watch it. Even if it never had English subtitles you could watch this movie and never realize that it was in Russian. It is that emotionally charged throughout the whole film. If nothing else just watch the film for the wonderful acting that was presented in  the movie…

I will tell you that one of the main characters is a small boy. This boy had a guardian angel that had to work overtime during this siege as you will see…

The Brest Fortress held off 20,000 German Soldiers  with 3,500 Soviet Soldiers plus their families for much longer than the Germans expected. The Germans initially planned on a 12 hour operation that turned into a siege…

Windows to Russia!

Putin Gets A Bulgarian Karakachan puppy after sealing a gas deal…


A fluffy puppy was added to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s menagerie after talks with Bulgarian Premier Boyko Borisov on Saturday in Sofia.

Borisov gave Russia’s “man of action” a Bulgarian Karakachan puppy after sealing a gas deal. Putin accepted the new family member, hugging it close to his chest and kissing it on its forehead.

That dog is going to be huge…

Windows to Russia!

The Confirmation of Colonel Shcherbakov’s Spy Controversy…


I asked a question the other day in an article:
Was There a Turncoat in the Russian Spy Scandal…

I was not sure if the article that I based my article on was true or not. I felt it was true and the grapevine was confirming it.  It looks like it was true…

President Dmitry Medvedev told Russia’s once mighty spy agency on Friday to put its house in order after a senior spymaster betrayed a network of agents to the United States.

The Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) is grappling with the network’s betrayal by the head of Moscow’s deep cover spying operations in the United States, one of Russia’s most serious intelligence failures since the end of the Cold War.

“There should be an internal investigation and lessons should be drawn,” Medvedev told reporters at a briefing after the Group of 20 summit in Seoul.

Asked about a report in the newspaper Kommersant which broke the story, Medvedev said: “For me the Kommersant publication is not news, I knew about it on the day it happened.”

I understand that also this has caused some changes to be underway and that it is known that a lot of other information was gotten out of Russia by Colonel Shcherbakov…

Looks like the Colonel bought him and family protection in America with files of information he took with him. Colonel Shcherbakov was a trusted high ranking senior Russian official and thus one with great access to highly sensitive information, such as the identities and operations of operatives in the United States…

I would not want to be Colonel Shcherbakov or his family…

Windows to Russia!

Down Then Back Up – Windows to Russia – Down Then Back Up…


Sorry if you are having technical difficulties. For the last few days Windows to Russia has been experiencing a huge load increase due to several articles going crazy. We have one article that is on no less than 12 forums and other sites. This has caused a big server issue for us. The server load has jumped and it seems that we have reached the limit of our cheap but great hosting service…

Normal load is around 100,000 hits and 500 to 700 megs of bandwidth a day. But we have reached, (so far) yesterday a record 1,834,000 hits and 5 Gigabytes of bandwidth (in one day). I am sure that Russia Today is happy with the incredible number of downloads of their video.  This has been building for a week and we will see today if the weekend will take the edge off of it…

We do not blame the hosting service because we are the one’s getting what we pay for. So Sveta and I have to keep an eye out on the situation and if Windows to Russia continues to stay at this unbelievable level of activity, we are going to have to invest in a upgraded level of hosting…

Moscow Building 5000 Bomb Shelters by 2012…
Russia: Volga Automobile, Part 1 History!
Russia Developing A Russian National Operating System (RNOS)…

The three (3) links above are the main issue and we have to say that we like problems like this. 🙂  These three links have gone viral and are dragging the others with them now. So exponentially the site is growing…

We know some of you have had problems (e-mails) and we want to address that situation. The site has had at least a dozen (12) downtime’s that lasted for 3 to 5 minutes! This is not good and we suspect that all will be normal after the peak load eases…

Hundreds of people have been with us from the beginning and have seen Windows to Russia go through many growing pains. Please just be patient and realize that we will get this settled like all the other pains…

Thanks a Whole Bunch!

From: Kyle and Sveta

Windows to Russia!

I Like Tanks…


I like tanks! I like little tanks! I like big tanks! I like old tanks! I like new tanks! I like tanks…

How about some Russian WWII tanks?

I like them too…

Windows to Russia!

Related articles

Russian News on 11/12/2010…


Russian journalist out of coma after beating

MOSCOW, Nov. 12 (Reuters) – The wife of a Russian journalist who was savagely beaten by unidentified attackers said on Friday he had regained consciousness after lying in a medically-induced coma for almost a week.

Russian ambassador: Russian language will speed up modernization

Russian Ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Zurabov on Nov. 12 said opening a conference in Kyiv that the use of the Russian language is key factor for technological development of former Soviet states .

Lukashenko says he is not a dictator

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has dismissed accusations that Belarus is a dictatorship and said that delivering on his political promises was the secret to the success of his policy.

Russia hopes for arms treaty approval this year

SEOUL, Nov 12 (Reuters) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that Moscow hoped U.S. political infighting would not sink the New START treaty and called for ratification of the nuclear arms limitation pact this year.

November 12 in Moscow hits temperature records

November 12, 2010 in Moscow was the hottest day in 130 years of weather observation, the city’s meteorologists report. Today’s temperature is plus 9.1C degrees. The previous record registered in 2008 was 8.9C.

Weakening currencies paves path to protectionism – Russian Finance Minister

Russia's Finance Minister Aleksey Kudrin says Russia is almost immune from other countries’ financial policies, and as a result, has more flexibility at global summits.

Lessons to be learned from spy betrayal – Medvedev

A newspaper report detailing alleged treachery in the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service that blew the cover of Russian agents in the US was “no news” for Dmitry Medvedev.

Father of Russian radio astronomy dies at 103

Naum Kaidanovsky, the man who built the world’s largest standalone radio telescope, has died at the age of 103 in St. Petersburg.

Russian child ombudsman does not rule out possible U.S. adoption freeze

Russian Children’s Ombudsman Pavel Astakhov may push for a freeze on adoptions of Russian children by U.S. citizens if Russia and the United States fail to seal an adoption agreement by early 2011.
Windows to Russia!

Protect All The People Russia: Not Just a Chosen Few…


A proposal was put forward by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev following a serious attack on Oleg Kashin, who is a journalist for the Kommersant daily, on Saturday. The proposal was that journalists in Russia be given the same status for protection that is available to politicians or police…

As I heard from the grapevine all over the area that type of consideration for journalists was not a very good way to look at the situation. I had several articles about this, that journalists are not any more special than anyone else…

So a survey has been done: The majority of Russians (73 percent) oppose proposed amendments to the Russian law granting just journalists special protection, according to a poll conducted by the Superjob.ru recruitment portal. About a quarter of Russians (27 percent) supported Medvedev’s initiative, but the rest said that doctors, teachers, servicemen, children and pensioners also deserve better protection from potential attackers.

“First we need to comply with the existing laws, then journalists will feel much safer,” said Alexander Arkhangelsky, a TV journalist and writer who opposes the amendments.

The laws in Russia need to be enforced and modified for all people not just a specific group. That is a trait in Russia that I see as a detriment. The Russian government looks just at a specific issue then tries to solve that issue and ignores everything else. Example is the Blue lights for Rich people and politicians…

I really feel that elevating the status of a journalist will put a bigger target on their heads and create even more unsafe conditions for them. By changing the laws to help protect everyone from a system that really does not provide proper protection for all the people, will help protect journalists also…

Windows to Russia!

Was There a Turncoat in the Russian Spy Scandal…


The man believed responsible for exposing a Russian spy ring in the US has been named by Kommersant as Colonel Shcherbakov….

Original Russian article…

Wanna talk about the webs we weave…

The ID of the traitor has not been made public officially by the Kremlin. But, Kommersant expresses that the turncoat is Colonel Shcherbakov, former supervisor of all Russian spies in the United States…

The first flag that popped up and was ignored or covered up was that according to the Kommersant newspaper, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service failed to notice that the Shcherbakov daughter had moved to the US…

Another flag that was ignored was that Shcherbakov had also turned down a good promotion a year before this happened. It seems before taking the promotion, he would have had to pass a polygraph test, which suggests that things were not kosher by that point already…

Another flag that was ignored by everyone was the unexpected departure to the USA of Shcherbakov’s son! Who was in Russia’s anti-drug enforcement agency. He left shortly just before the Russian agents were arrested…

Then Shcherbakov himself went missing three days before Dmitry Medvedev visited the USA. We all know the story from that point and how America waited until after Medvedev left to spring the news. Kommersant is saying that the USA was put in a pickle because of the defection at that particular moment. That they (USA) really were not totally aware of said spies until  Shcherbakov ratted them out…

“We know who he is and where he is. He betrayed for money after they hooked him over something. Be sure, a mercader [Ramon Mercader, the man who murdered exiled Bolshevik Lev Trotsky and was later awarded the USSR’s highest order for it] has been sent for him,” Kommersant cites a high ranking official as saying…

So now we have to make sense of all this and whether you believe it or not is fine. But it really does make a lot of sense to me and when you think about how the spies were treated when they got back home to Russia. They were treated like heroes…

Maybe they really were not so dumb after all! If there had not been a turncoat would those spies still be there in America?

Shcherbakov and family in the old time tradition of the spy vs spy world, seems to be in a real life quandary. Can the USA protect him from a Mercader…

Related articles
  • Russian Double Agent Helped Expose Spy Ring (abcnews.go.com)
  • Newspaper claims to expose Russia-US spy scandal “traitor” (rt.com)
  • Paper names Russia ‘double agent’ (bbc.co.uk)
  • Russia hunts agent who betrayed U.S. cell (msnbc.msn.com)
  • Kremlin ‘ordered Chapman grass hit’ (guardian.co.uk)

The Changes To Moscow Congestion and Traffic…


The new Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin has disclosed the cities anti-congestion strategy, aimed at resolving the ever-worsening traffic issue in the Russian capital. Boy, this is going to be interesting…

­1. Traffic control:

­First and foremost, the strategy includes establishing an intelligent transport control center based on the GLONASS navigation system. The center will regulate the traffic flow, monitor the roads and offer a range of information and navigation services.

The existing system of road signs and traffic lights will be updated and modernized. All the main roads in the capital are to be equipped with cutting edge alert systems.

­2. Road construction and reconstruction:

The strategy includes massive reconstruction of the main transport arteries connecting Moscow with other cities, namely the Minsk highway, Volokolamsk highway, Shchelkovo highway, Yaroslavl highway, Leningrad highway and Entuziastov highway.

It is also planned to extend the Moscow Ring Road and to fully rebuild the Small Ring Road in the Moscow Region.

The authorities will also close illegal parking lots, takeoffs and junctions, hampering the traffic passing though the main highways.

3. More one-way lanes in the center:

The traffic system in the center of Moscow will be fully restructured, with more reverse and one-way lanes.

A range of Moscow roads will be turned into toll ones, the money being used for further modernization of the transport system.

­4. Better city planning:

All construction projects in the capital will have to be approved by the Transportation Department. Building of new housing areas and supermarkets without preliminary calculations on the traffic system will be forbidden.

No more markets, warehouses or trade centers will be allowed near the main highways in Moscow and the Moscow region. All the illegal buildings will be demolished.

­5. No trucks by day:

Cargo transport in the Russian capital will be limited to night (10 p.m. – 7 a.m.) during the week and prohibited on weekends and holidays. All the customs terminals and warehouses gathering such transport will be relocated.

­6. No trolleybuses and minibus taxis:

The city authorities plan to develop means of public transport that offer higher capacities and more comfort. It means that trolleybuses and minibus taxis may soon fade into past.

New bus stations for long-distance and international routes will be built outside Moscow.

­7. War on illegal parking:

­It is planned to set up a special parking police department that will prevent violation of traffic rules and strictly punish the offenders. The number of tow trucks will go up – they will get rid not only of small vehicles parked in the wrong places, but also of tractor trailers.

At the same time, more new toll parking lots will be built.

8. Traffic accidents:

The authorities are expected to come up with a bill on simplifying the handling of petty traffic accidents.

9. More funds:

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin promised to search for more funds: instead of 40 billion rubles, he plans to invest in the reconstruction project the entire 101 billion rubles.

Looks like fun times in the big city of Moscow Russia…

Windows to Russia!

Coffee and Russia and Parking and Police…


Cup of Coffee...

I was drinking my morning cup of coffee and doing some thinking’s…

Sveta grumbled last night about how stupid politics are. She said that she is tired of politics! I smiled and asked what is wrong? She said that soon we will definitely have to call the Militia by the name of Police…

Today, Nov 10, 2010 is the last time that Russian police, officially known as Militia, are celebrating their professional holiday – Militia Day…

So Militia is due to be renamed “Police”, and the Interior Ministry is already referring to the holiday in its own papers as the “Interior Ministry Professional Holiday”.  The Russian President has already submitted to parliament a draft law to rename Militia to Police, and the draft is expected to be approved and become law as of March 1st of next year…

I have already noticed a huge change in the Militia/Police. They have new vehicles all over Moscow. I have seen new crisp uniforms everywhere. They have been rumored to be having pay raises in the works. They also could careless to bother us and if they do, we sure are never asked about a bribe anymore. If your paperwork is in order you go about your way very quickly. The attitude is much more professional. (I did not say they are professional but much more…)

I then thought about Moscow and her parking situation. I have gotten through the local news that Moscow is going to make parking a living nightmare again. (As if it was not a living nightmare now!) Pay parking is coming back into force and fines will be imposed on illegal parking, plus towing will be common place. No parking on a sidewalk. No parking on etc etc etc etc…

I have a question for Moscow!

Where the HELL are We (and all of Moscow) gonna park then!!!!!

Because there just is not any parking. I had to laugh and then get mad. The news made it clear that when you have a flat (No not a flat tire, but an apartment), that there is by law, one parking space per flat? Huh! (The news also said crooked builders have found ways around this law and that they (government) are working on closing those said loopholes.)

Well in our new flats, we have at best one parking space per 10 flats. So I ask again…

Where the HELL are We (and all of Moscow) gonna park then!!!!!

The sidewalk is the only place to park 99% of the time…

Ok well that makes me feel better to complain about the parking situation… 🙂

Now one thing that I am glad to hear about, that is in the works. The new Mayor of Moscow has expressed the desire to clean up the Metro and public transport stops. What he means by that is to get rid of all the kiosks and people parking in the middle of the road, that clutter up and cause a disaster for traffic and people…

Metro Building...

The Metro buildings are wonderful, beautiful and elegant structures. If you look at old pictures of them, you will find that you can actually see a metro building. If you try to see them now, all you see is a bunch of trashy kiosks and cars parked almost at the metro entrance or to stop the parking problem they have the most unbelievable ugly concrete chunks to keep you from driving all over the sidewalks. At a bus stop they (kiosks) will actually take over part of the road that you drive on. Then with people triple parking  in their vehicles, traffic comes to a halt.  So I hope that they do clean up the stations and public transport areas. But part of this problem is that people have no parking and the front of a Metro or a bus stop looks like a parking facility also…

But that leads to my unanswered question and most likely it will never be answered…

Where the HELL are We (and all of Moscow) gonna park then!!!!!

I really doubt calling the Militia by the name of “Police” will  help the parking problem. But then for some reason that leads to me wonder will the Russians call their Police “pigs” like they do in America? Hummmm…

Ok, Now I feel better again… 🙂

Windows to Russia!