Heheh, excellent -- this will bring Russian borders right to Poland, take the Belarus-Poland border dispute firmly in hand.

Let NATO stick that in their pipe and smoke it.

Another master-stroke by Pooty-poot. I like his style.
Too bad Chavez isn't as bright. Maybe he should take some lessons.

Y'know, I was thinking that if Russia really goes for the North Pole in a big way, then we should make plans (and alliances) for going towards the South Pole, as we have a pretty clear view of it from across the Indian Ocean. Maybe we could tie up with Argentina for joint exploitation of Antarctica, since they have good proximity. In exchange, we can give them BrahMos to sink the next Sheffields, when they decide to take the Malvinas back. Brits won't fight as hard the next time anyway, since they're going ever more Lefty.

Why does India need to export grains from russia when we are exporting to Porkis? Didn't russia cancel rice imports from India? Why do we need wheat from russia when american or australian wheat is available in plenty?

Kasparov Whines About Abandoned Presidential Bid

Haha, Kasparov laments that he had to abandon his presidential bid because he couldn't rent a hall for a political convention. What a wimp, what a quitter. Aww, poor Atlanticists -- another shining hope bites the dust. I think they would have been better off selecting someone with more stamina than some chess enthusiast. Real life games are a little more complicated than chess. I guess that's why real CEOs and politicians don't come up via the chess career path.

The grain price was jumping due to rize of consumption. In Russia they think about to close the export of food totally due to high prices inside the country. THe India and some Russian allies/neibours will be an exeption.

British Prime Minister Joins Council Fray


The conflict over the closure of British Council branches in the Russian regions heated up yesterday when Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called the closing of British Council branches “completely unacceptableâ€

Russian Democracy Still in Progress Under Putin

I liked that article. After all, some ardent western defenders of Pak stick up for the dictatorship by claiming that Pak cannot seriously democratize unless the Kashmir dispute is first solved. So in other words, they're putting the onus on India over whether Pak has democracy or not. So if Pak is undemocratic, then the blame can somehow be laid at our doorstep. What garbage.

But then similarly, I would argue that the extent to which Russia can become a full-blown democracy could depend on the disposition of Europe, which has ample historical precedent of intervening inside Russian politics.

Sanjay,

The author is right about one fundamental thing.

Ordinary Russians did not reject the USSR, Brezhnev, Gorbachev, etc because they wanted democracy.

They rejected the system because communism not only failed in its promise to make ordinary Russians better off than Western capitalists, it showed no sign of catching up any time soon - in fact it put more effort in to hiding the gap than closing it. Every Soviet attempt to restrict citiens access to the outside world was resented because of what it denied Russians both in opportunities and information.

In post-oil boom Russia people in the cities at least are excited at the idea that the 'quality of life' gap with the West is closing. Travel, access to foreign media, etc is important to them because they want to be plugged in and know how they are doing.

So long as Russians can increasingly access and can afford consumer goods, good housing, and lifestyle elements like pop culture and foreign travel they will be thrilled.

That's the 'Russian Dream', which every Russian leader from Khrushchev on promised, failed to deliver, and covered up and with Gorbachev and Yeltsin failing on an even bigger scale.

If Putin's government is unable to continue delivering the Russian Dream, and *particularly* if the Russian public feels he is covering up failure to deliver like past leaders they will revert to their usual survival strategy - fatalistic endurance laced with hope.

On the other hand people like Putin who were already a super-privileged elite within the USSR initially welcomed change because they saw how broken the system was even pre-Gorbachev.

The colossal failures in agriculture, industrial uncompetitiveness, entrenched bureaucratic corruption and factionalism, etc weighed on the mind of anyone committed to the country.

While high oil prices have allowed Russians to take advantage of the post-communist freedom to consume, and repaired some of the Yeltsin-era damage to the state (particularly social services delivery) Putin and the other public-minded ex-nomenklatura continue to struggle to meaningfully reform the Russian state which continues to suffer from most of the Soviet-era diseases.

They just dont know how to do it - and neither do many of Putin's critics in the West. The best they can do is make sure that energy revenues keep the Russian public happy with the 'Russian Dream', maintain internal political stability, and hope that institutional and political culture will improve. That is where in part the small gestures to the letter (if not the spirit) of the Russian constitution on term limits comes in.

One thing in their favour is that Russian citizens on the whole outside the madness of the South Caucasus arent anywhere as angry and restless as Chinese citizens. They arent being worked as hard, and their farms and homes arent being grabbed from under their noses.

Russia started supply nuclear fuel in Iran (officially, russian) ; http://top.rbc.ru/society/17/12/2007/130115.shtml

Russian Spies Pervade Business Community

Hehe, this sounds kinda cool, like the plot of your average videogame. Corporations with commando teams. Gives new meaning to phrases like "in the red", "corporate raider", or "poison pill defense".

But it also seems like a more biologically sound structure. Hey, inside your body or inside your cells, there are places which are just bodies of fluid, whose with processes occurring in a manner analogous to the fluid dynamics of the free market economy. But there are also parts of your body and your cells which are tough walls, whose toughness or rigidity is analogous to that of the organs of a police state.

And having some of that toughness present isn't such a bad thing, when you consider some of Russia's neighbors and their history of meddling inside Russia.

So maybe the Russians are increasingly onto an idea for an optimal combination that will allow them to survive while also enjoying quality of life. I don't think that's a terribly irrational goal.

Exactly! The problem of Russia (BTW India too) for the West isnt 'communism' or 'dictatorship' or KGB. The problem is Russia is out of the 'golden billion' or Big Triad (US, EU, Japan) according to Samir Amin terminology. The 'democratization' doesnt solve problem since Russia becomes more powerfull and compets the Triad.

Japan's corner of the Big Triad is breaking down. These days they are barely able to avoid recession, and their political system is breaking down, as the voters revolt. In my opinion, it will be harder and harder for LDP to regain power with each passing day. Politics will shift increasingly to the Left and towards an ever more inward-looking welfare state, as aging Japanese babyboomers clamour for their needs to be addressed.

China will take over the Japanese corner, and meanwhile the EU will have to cede more power eastwards to Moscow, so that the Golden Triad becomes a Golden Quadrilateral.

TIME Names Putin 'Man of the Year'


Alright, 'Person of the Year', if you want to get pc about it.

Seems to me the EU relation with Russia gotta worse. New agreemant didnt sign due to Polish meat and EnergyChart disputes. EU go eastwards. I expect the political strugle continuing on Ukrainian territory. The stake - 30 mln Russians living in Ukraine.

I think that Ukraine would have to be split, if the tensions intensify. East Ukraine would align with Russia, while West Ukraine would align with NATO.
The differences may be too great to reconcile.

Meanwhile, we can see tensions growing within EU over differences in policy towards Russia. Poland is too small to exert the power/influence it wants, and is getting into tussles with Germany which is much larger. These differences are being papered over, but the situation cannot last. If Poland uses its "veto"/delaying power on legislation important to Germany, then you will see the harmony break down.

Britain keeps its currency independent, and France is aggressively making its own independent side-deals to protect its own interests, even if it goes against rest of EU.

Dropping value of the US Dollar is going to continue to place more and more pressure on EU. Ultimately it's Germany which is bearing this burden, and I don't think that this can last, either.

Germans may ultimately feel squeezed like Versailles after WW1, and then lash back against other Europeans. It's just a matter of enough pressure building up. When Germany revolts, that's when you would see EU really breaking down.

All these contradictions remember me USSR and Yugoslavian republics problems. 'History teaches nothing" - good say.

Some Chechenya-related pictures:

Now officially!
General Makarov: Totaly new tank will enter service at 2009.
http://www.rambler.ru/news/events/army/11877363.html

Whats the tonnage? specs?

'History repeats itself - the first time as tragedy, and then again as farce'

Perhaps you may remember better than I who said that.

Anyway, there are plenty of differences this time around, to prevent the same repetition. This time UK is not boosted on steroids by colonial possessions such as India, etc, to tilt the European balance of power in its favour, like the previous time.

Not only has the sun set on the British Empire, but now the British homeland may be at risk of falling apart. Nationalists like the Tories seem permanently out of power, and with the vote-bank appeasing Labour in charge, we can see the rise of regional parochialist parties like SNP, etc. It will be interesting to see if the Scotts mount a serious referendum challenge in the near future, as there may be no one able to oppose them. After all, if the warm embrace of EU family is available to everyone, then why would Scotts necessarily be afraid of departing from the UK's fold?

The answer is that they wouldn't. They're richer than the rest of Britain, and full of their own local talent. The only thing keeping them within UK is inertia and/or nostalgia. They can easily do better, particularly as the increasingly tax-hungry British Welfare State begins to lean on its richer provinces more.

Awesome channel for updates on Russian stuff on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=RussiaToday

by virtue of geographical proximity and aberdeen being the logistical base,
would a republic of Scotland inherit the north sea oil fields ?

and I believe some major naval bases like orkney islands the legendary Scapa Flow is also off scotland.

sure would cut UK down to size and the sooner it happens the better!

I am always a supporter of carrot haired people everywhere starting
with archie andrews.

my vision 2030
- republic of scotland allied to its ancient scandinavian links - denmark,
norway, iceland and sweden...viking roots + wessex
- Emirate of Birmingham controls north UK under Caliph Hassan, formerly
of rawalpindi madrassa
- London remains center of rump-UK + Wales, a najor trade and financial
center.
- independent Sharia enclaves in this rump-UK allied to the Emirate
- Irish make peace with each other and NI joins up main Ireland
- Royal privy purse cancelled and The Family downsized to pakroach
infested housing estates

50t. 152 mm MG. Accessoried 12.7mm with increased armory-storage. 30 mm coaxial. new turbo-diesel engine . new chassis (isnt clear whether 6 or 7 wheels).

Interesting: the British intelligence organized political murders in Russia. The confession of a british historian. url

Thanks. So is this the T-95 eagle?

No, T-80M2 "Black Eagle' - is completely different project even of a different design house.

More interesting: MAKS-2007 Air show, all videos here:
http://youtube.com/profile_videos?p=r&u ... aks&page=2

Sanjay, Singha

Scotland has its own education system, its own courts, its own taxation powers, regional assembly, etc.

Separation would actually reduce its degree of freedom by imposing huge additional costs.

Scotland is deeply divided between the Lowlands and the Highlands.

Scotland's population and economic centres are in the Lowlands, which were deeply economically and culturally integrated with England long before formal union in 1707. That is why Scotland was never Ireland.

Highlanders in the old days liked to fight the English even more than they liked fighting each other, and today some of them vote for the SNP, but Lowland Scots have consistantly rejected any such romanticism.

Whether it was on the battlefield or the ballot box, the Highlanders were always outnumbered 2:1 by the Lowlanders.

Incidentally, the Scottish Lowlands vote solidly for Labour because they want to preserve the welfare state. SNP is campaigning on the promise that they will preserve it in the Neo-Liberal face of 'New Labour'.

Johann, in the post-9/11 world, the "new left" -- whether the "new labour" of Blair, or the "new democrats" of Clinton -- have been forced to fight a rising tide of nationalism by relying increasingly upon welfare state politics to rally their own special interest vote banks. The Right has gone farther to the right, and the Left has gone farther to the left, in a climate of increasingly polarized debate. And due to the rise of new 3rd-party alternatives, even established Left parties are afraid of deviating from their hardline course. This alone is enough to ensure new attempts at creative profligate spending, although the subprime crisis will make the going tough. The US Republicans have done a good job in pursuing a "starve the beast" strategy, although this and the Iraq quagmire have helped to trigger a Libertarian revival that will see even Anglo-Americanism marginalized.

Meanwhile, here is more commentary on Putin and the rise of Russia:

http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/12/21/130954.php

Putin plans to buy satellite navigation system for his dog

i guess pooty-poot is just overdoing it now. the GLONASS is not functional yet, somebody tell the czar. as for the belarus thingy, well the re-union news has been doing rounds ever since the glorious socialist paradise of CCCP fell apart.

Russia is going to have 18 sats operational by the year end. What ever happened to India joining the GLONASS. Did that also fall through.

Antique Indoiranian culture in Russia according to Wiki. Andronovo culture (Sintashta-Petrovka-Arkaim): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sintashta-Petrovka

Russia will not build space shuttles - Anatoly Perminov

MOSCOW, December 28 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia will not build space shuttles, as they are costly and unreliable, head of the Russian space agency Roskosmos Anatoly Perminov said on Thursday.

“Buran will not be revived, as it is the same US shuttle, which in the United States showed it has no prospects, is costly and poorly reliable,â€

Indo-Russian trade to get Zubkov boost

NEW DELHI: Renewed efforts by India and Russia to intensify bilateral trade will get a further push when Russian Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov comes calling on New Delhi in February. The joint task force, set up recently to monitor the implementation of the programme recommended by the joint study group on enhancing bilateral trade, will be given fresh directions to carry out its operations.


Efforts are being made by the two sides not only to increase bilateral trade to $10 billion by 2010 but also pave the way for a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement (CECA). Trade between the two countries stood at an estimated $ 4 billion in 2006-07.


[u]A commerce ministry official said it was not possible to go in for a CECA at once as Russia was yet to acquire market economy status and become a WTO member. “I think a CECA between India and Russia is feasible after two years,â€

Russia, India Working Out Details of Transport Aircraft Project


Text of report in English by corporate-owned Russian military news agency Interfax-AVN website


Moscow, 27 December: Details of the Russian-Indian intergovernmental agreement on developing a multi-role transport aircraft (MTA), which was signed in November 2007, are being worked out.

"This month a group of Russian aircraft experts paid a visit to India to discuss the project with their Indian counterparts. They discussed the following two crucial issues: the establishment of a joint venture and the MTA development schedule for the next three years," Ilyushin Director-General Viktor Livanov told Interfax-AVN on Thursday [27 December].

According to him, a draft design is expected to be jointly drawn up in 2008.

"The intensity of the MTA development will depend on the deadline for the establishment of the joint venture and financial resources," Livanov said.

"In fact, the draft design may be drawn up in early 2008," Livanov said.

The MTA development costs are estimated at 600m dollars. Having to make equal financial contributions, Russia and India will have to pay 300m dollars each, Livanov said.

Originally published by Interfax-AVN military news agency website, Moscow, in English 0905 27 Dec 07.

Happy New Year to all BRters!

Happy New Year Igorr...

There is a separate thread for greetings, pls use it for greater visibility...

Moscow confident of bilateral relations with India

Jan 1,2007

Russian President Vladimir Putin says, Moscow is confident of its bilateral relations with India and will do its best in enhancing cooperation between the two nations in diverse fields in the future. In his New Year message to the President Mrs. Pratibha Patil, he said, he is sure that 2008 will contribute to the success of this policy.

In a separate Greeting message to the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh the Russian President underscored that the political and business contacts between the two countries intensified in 2007.