Windows to Russia

Tskhinvali restoration:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kyle & Svet

Georgian war leaves 1492 Ossetians dead:

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

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

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

Kyle & Svet

Hello,

I just had a good laugh…..

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

I know that I would be scared!

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

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

Chewing over his next move….

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hello,

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kyle & Svet

Hello,

Next we snapped pictures of some of the train stations in the area.

Then we came across a vendor selling dancing dolls. They made us laugh!

Then as we got ready to enter the Metro building we saw two guys and at least 4 (four) guitars!

The streets of Moscow are always busy and never a dull moment. Another reason I love Russia!

Kyle & Svet

coments always welcome.

Hello,

Today in Moscow Russia while drinking my morning cup of coffee, I was thinking about a concert that we went to a couple of weekends ago. It was during the Chinese Festival (Link)….

This is just the warm up to the real concert and we have to say it was very good. Just thought we would show you another part of Russia….

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Russia has started to withdraw troops from the conflict zone in Georgia in accordance with a French-brokered peace plan, Col-General Anatoly Nogovitsyn of the General Staff said on Monday. At 10:00 am Moscow Time.

I know, I know, I know, You all think Russia was not going to pull out!

Enough Said!

Kyle & Svet

Media outlets including CNN jumped on Georgia President Mikhail Saakashvili’s claim to have witnessed “first hand” two Russian planes bombing the city, and reported it as fact. Footage shot by RT shows a ghost town, where a statue of Stalin towers over the main square. Russia’s UN ambassador said the allegations were part of a “disinformation campaign.”

Kyle & Svet

Link to Photos of “Situation in Gori!”

Hello,

Looks like things are starting to take a turn toward the better in South Ossetia! The International organizations have finally acknowledge that something bad happened to the Ossetian people and it was not Russia’s doing.

South Ossetian people will decide their destiny – OSCE chief:
South Ossetia’s constitutional future must be decided by its people, according to the leader of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Secretary General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut made the comments following a visit to the breakaway republic in the wake of the five day conflict between Russia and Georgia.

“The destiny of South Ossetia will be decided by the South Ossetian people, taking into account history and the present realities of life,” he said. “It is also necessary to take into account close cooperation and relations with North Ossetia.” (Link)

OSCE mission gives ear to refugees in North Ossetia:
With the continuing humanitarian crisis in the region, a mission from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has visited the Alagir refugee camp in North Ossetia.

Lead by OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin, members of the mission spoke to the refugees to get an objective overview of the conflict.

Perrin praised Russia for the work done in helping the refugees.

Earlier Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called for a stronger role for the mission in the region.

He also stressed the readiness of the Russian side for close interaction. (Link)

The OSCE is the world’s largest regional security organization whose 56 participating States span the geographical area from Vancouver to Vladivostok.

Good organization!

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.