comrade mirhond---as someone who has openly admitted you work in Moscow ---you have no biase..? if you are not biased then I have a Crimean Casino to sell you on a great beach front property.
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comrade mirhond--you yourself did a great job at dehumanizing the mercenaries when you yourself called them "zealous Christians with burial rituals" that evidently meant looting the bodies for cash, credit cars, jewelry, smart phones and cosmetics. I cannot believe you defended them---must have been partying to much the night before right comrade?
you still have not told us where those 36 bodies the Cossacks tossed onto the back of a truck went---you claimed did you not they were going to Donetsk ---they never seemed to make it there comrade.
but again it is the same Cossacks who got badly beaten by the Ukrainian National Guard a few days ago---well so much for the great myths around their fighting abilities right comrade?
they once boasted just how great they were as fighters and how they were going to defeat the junta and fascists was it not that was in a YouTube video---may how times flies comrade.
hey by the way have not seen the Cossack leader who had the big red beard---maybe you can check with the FSB there in Moscow to see if he is still alive?
comrade mirhond---since you use RIA---thought you might like to see an article from RIA that indicates that the S300s that the Russian military sold to Syria due to the sanctions will be destroyed by the Russian military ---guess Syria will get it's money back right mirhond?
comrade I thought the sanctions were not working and a farce as you all call them in Moscow---but really destroying S300s because of the sanctions.....strange is it not comrade---either the sanctions are working or not working--it is kind of like being pregnant either one is or is not right comrade?
http://en.ria.ru/russia/20140811/191...Export-to.html
Maybe we can get comrade mirhond's take on this Interfax report.
It is interesting while Putin wants to stop western food products getting to Russian consumers because "he is protecting local farmers" that never can or do produce much of what is banned.
Banana's and oranges if they do not appear into the stores will shock the Russian consumers because during the entire Soviet days banana's and oranges really rarely ever was seen in Soviet state owned food stores (the Cmmunist elite got first purchase rights though)---if so usually for Christmas and they were moldy, and had brown spots as the best often went to the GDR has they paid the Cubans a great amount of western currency for the shipments which the Soviet Union did not have enough of.
15:35 U.S. banana supplier Chiquita Brands says not threatened by Russian sanctions
wow --nice to see that Putin understands the power of what the images of no banana's and oranges in the stores carries within the Russian population.
by the way comrade non Russian expert---Putin as a KGB officer in Dresden GDR did get his banana's and oranges when Christmas came around in the GDR as the KGB had their own stores plus Putin was able to purchase things in the KaDaWe here in Berlin with western currency.
ask him--- he might just confirm it for you---
comrade mirhond---man you almost fooled us again from Moscow--with your comment on there is no problem with food supplies.
care to make a comment on this photo taken in a Metro store with empty food racks.
come on comrade you have got to get better with your responses.
https://twitter.com/hashtag/sanctions?src=hash
by the way we are still awaiting you photos from Moscow stores showing great amounts of food products.
Looks like there is a backdoor on the Russian food ban that will allow those banned foods to enter Russia---as always Russia has a backdoor.
On top of Belarus wanting to make a killing in trading with banned food items---just what did Russia assume the EEC would get them---allegiance from the members?
One has to wonder what the markup value of the banned items will be?
Kazakhstan, a member of a Russian-led Customs Union that also includes Belarus, currently has no plans to back Russia's retaliatory embargo on food imports from Western countries that have sanctioned it over its actions in Ukraine, a senior Kazakh official said.
Kazakhstan's abstention would allow banned goods to be reimported to Russia through the Central Asian country — de facto voiding the embargo — and calls into question a trade union portrayed by the Kremlin as a potential rival for the European Union.
"No talks on the matter are ongoing," the Inform.kz news site quoted Deputy Agriculture Minister Gulmira Isayeva as saying on Friday.
Neither Russia's Agriculture Ministry nor its Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Inspection Service, which polices food imports, requested their Kazakh colleagues to back Russia's food sanctions, she added.
At present, Kazakhstan only imposes food embargoes against countries affected by animal diseases that pose danger for the the nation's population or livestock, she said.
Last week, Moscow blacklisted food imports including dairy, meat, fruit and vegetables from the U.S., the European Union, Norway, Canada and Australia, all of which have imposed sanctions on Russia over its alleged support of the pro-Russian insurgency in eastern Ukraine. The ban has affected some $10 billion worth of food exports from the EU alone.
Russia has no customs border with Kazakhstan or Belarus, both of which are in a position to reimport banned goods to Russia in circumvention of the ban.
After years of lobbying by Moscow, the leaders of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan agreed in May to create a Eurasian Economic Union from 2015 that Russia hopes can become a counterweight to the EU. But Russia's snap food embargo was not reported to have been coordinated with either Minsk or Astana.
According to the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the embargo on Thursday — the day of its announcement — with his Belarussian and Kazakh counterparts.
But the meeting produced no visible result.
Belarus said earlier that it was ready to replace certain EU imports to Russia, especially meat and dairy. But certain embargoed food products, such as shellfish, are not produced by Russia's landlocked Customs Union partners.
Russia's food ban was mostly to punish the weaker smaller economies of eastern europe. It will do little to the US or the UK but that's not what it was about. It was about punishing Estonia, Poland, and make some like Finland more spooked.
Finland's support is weak, they're wary of the whole conflict and hurting their economy even a few lil nudges could get them squarely against any further riling of one of their largest borders and largest trade partners.
Even though there will be some work arounds it still womps the small economies of Estonia on the short term. This is big stuff to them.
There are alternatives with countries that don't really care about the sanctions, Brazil for instance, but it will take a long time before they can switch those food supplies. Russian news has of course said it would take small amount of time but anyone who knows about trade knows that's folly.
So on the short term it punishes the smallest economies in eastern europe who are the most stalwart supporters of Ukraine and harms Putin's cronies the least. Long term? The rising food prices will take even more out of the common russian's pockets for basic staples further damaging the economy. Short term gamble, long term snafu in my opinion.
No, it will not, because the amount of basic staples which fall into sanctions scope on the shelves of the retail shops is close to zero.
Your post doesn't belong to this thead, anyway.
source: Pew Research Center. Despite Concerns about Governance, Ukrainians Want to Remain One CountryQuote:
Among Ukrainians, 77% say Ukraine should remain united, compared with 14% who think regions should be permitted to secede if they so desire. In Ukraine’s west, which includes the central region around Kyiv (Kiev), as well as portions of the country that border Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, more than nine-in-ten (93%) think their nation should remain unified. A smaller majority (70%) in the country’s east – which includes areas along the Black Sea and the border with Russia – also prefer unity. Only in the breakaway territory of Crimea do more than half (54%) voice support for the right to secede.
http://www.pewglobal.org/2014/05/08/...n-one-country/
Why not? Non military problems with Russian and Ukraine? Sounds like a place for it to me.
And that's incorrect on your statement it affects chicken which is considered a basic staple. All fishing products from shrimp, tuna, crab, and lobster. Tuna at least is pretty common on shelves in supermarkets. It affects fruits such as apples from Poland. It affects vegetables which are once again big imports from eastern europe.
I suppose you think the russian side of the embargo only includes fine cheeses from France? Well that would be incorrect. But I'd like to hear you define why basic things like fruits and veggies are not considered staples? Grains? Fish? Chicken? Beef?
wow comrade mirhond--you seem to think you can direct what people say or not say---typical for the old communist party types of the past and the "New Russia".
he is correct it was largely targeted against the smaller former Soviet satellite countries who went on their own into both NATO and the EU.
get real comrade and not try to change the narrative.
by the way---again thanks for confirming you are in Russia and by the way those empty good shelves that you said does not exist---noticed you did not respond when photos from a Metro were posted comrade.
again we are awaiting the photos that you said you would send comrade---but wait comrade non Russian expert---you did state here in SWJ you would send us photos of those full of food shelves did you not?
well maybe you will not because you cannot because they are as empty as they were under the Soviets--come on comrade at least get your information correction when you play the info war here right comrade.
let's see 1.4B in damages to the US farm exports that total 144.6B per year---wow it really hurt the US did it not but wait it was not suppose to hurt the common Russian---was that not what Putin personally stated comrade mirhond?
but I guess with the new Russian diet of bread, vodka and potatoes one could in fact argue as you do--- the food ban will not hurt the common Russian--wow an altered state of reality these days out of Moscow do you not think or maybe just a new Russian diet fad.
but wait Putin did something the Europeans should be grateful for---he lowered the average European cost of living for food to levels not seen since 2000--all that food stopped by Moscow will come back into the European economy as lower prices---man Putin is smart right comrade---potatoes, bread and vodka for Russians ---lower food costs for Europeans---man what a plan comrade mirhond --Putin should get the top global economic prize of the year for that plan.
comrade mirhind---reference the food ban by Putin--think bananas think oranges and you will understand the food ban.
do you really think Putin does not want to stop eating both of them---besides it was the great staple products of the Soviet Union right comrade---that is until Cuba could not ship them as they went to the GDR.
impressed comrade by the Russian ponzi game of food bans
It's also a backdoor for the people who are supposedly being sanctioned... they don't care if they sell direct to Russia or via Belarus or Kazakhstan, as long as they sell. The consumer of course will pay more.
If shelves are showing up empty already that would be remarkably fast... has panic buying been a factor?
Dayuhan--food is disappearing for a number of reasons.
1. canned goods are being pulled back for illegal under the table sales which was the common business practice in Soviet days
2. there has been hording going on--especially of perishable items
3. Belarus has stopped in fact truck shipments at the Russian border of the banned items---then detoured them to Bealrus companies who then purchase them at a fraction of truck value as the shipping company needs some cash flow---then they will go back over the Belarus border as balk market
A bulk of all Russian goods that have been banned arrived via truck shipments---they will be hit as well and it effect mainly Russian tucking as the eastern Europeans would delivery mainly into Belarus and from there Russia firms would pick up the products as Russia left the TIR truck program which allowed foreign truckers a clear delivery run into Russia "claiming" TIR was taking to much money from them ---they really just wanted to control the massive extortion/bribery going on with Russian Customs and Border Security which Putin again promised would be controlled.
Belarus is coming out of this smelling like a rose.
so comrade mirhond---based on your own cut and paste comment we are assuming you now support the Ukrainians and are 300% against Putin and his mercenary army---right comrade--you do realize that your comment kind of kills the Putin idea of "New Russia"?.
Quote:guess those 54% in the Crimea did not get the word as I thought the numbers voting for annexation into Russia were far higher----what happen---seems many woke up to the "Russian reality".Quote:
Among Ukrainians, 77% say Ukraine should remain united, compared with 14% who think regions should be permitted to secede if they so desire. In Ukraine’s west, which includes the central region around Kyiv (Kiev), as well as portions of the country that border Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, more than nine-in-ten (93%) think their nation should remain unified. A smaller majority (70%) in the country’s east – which includes areas along the Black Sea and the border with Russia – also prefer unity. Only in the breakaway territory of Crimea do more than half (54%) voice support for the right to secede.
then again maybe buyers remorse --which is it comrade Russian reality or buyers remorse?
The development of the supposedly Russian "humanitarian aid convoy" should be used as a case study in how Russia/Putin thinks and acts.
Driving this is the constant drumbeat coming out of the separatists "about the impending doom of a civilian humanitarian disaster" as the encirclement has gotten tighter by Ukrainian troops.
Appears Russia is trying to pull the Georgian/Moldavian "peacekeeping" end run to get Russian troops into the Ukraine.
All the while still heavily shelling the Ukraine from positions inside Russia and verified rolling of more heavy equipment/weapons and irregular fighters into the Ukraine.
"Humanitarian aid developments"
1. Russia tried to get a UNSC vote on "humanitarian aid" and failed
2. there was in fact an armed aid convoy---actually more armed than aid stopped by the West just short 200meters from the border
3. then Russia stated via their FM that yes they got the message about not entering using an "armed aid convoy as an invasion "cover" and that under international law the Ukraine must alone approve the aid
4. last night in Russian TV the Russian FM stated there had been a general plan worked with the ICRC, the US and EU for an aid convoy and that all aspects had been consented to by all players including approval by the Ukrainian President
5. then this morning Russia announces the aid convoy of 250 trucks is off and running towards the Ukraine from Moscow
6. then the ICRC stated publicly they had not approved anything as that they still had not seen the convoy details that Russia "promised" to provide so from them there is no aid plan
7. then the West indicates that they were to be part of the aid convoy as well as the Ukrainians and that they as well had heard nothing from the Russians
8. then the Ukrainians stated that the convoy was not what was discussed between Putin and the Ukrainian President
9. then the Ukrainian government announces they will stop the convoy on the border as it is not what was agreed with between the West, the Ukraine. the ICRC and talks with Putin---notice "Putin"---especially since RIA/Interfax both stated yesterday Putin was the main person handling this aid convoy approval
10. originally announced where to be 250 trucks now the count is at 280
11. AND all the time the ICRC based in the Donetsk and Kiev have been stating it is not as bad as Putin/Russia is making it out to be and there is more than enough aid available inside the Ukraine and they are simply waiting for the fighting to die down before making their own aid runs
So AP---
1. a PR propaganda stunt?
2. a provocation if the convoy is stopped thus allowing Russian troops to force the aid convoy into the Ukraine under the guise of "helping divert a ethnic Russian civilian disaster"
3. the aid convoy unbeknown to the West will be "accompanied" by Russian troops to keep it from being "attacked by the Right Sector or junta troops"---let's see two drivers per truck and armed equals 560 GRU/Spetznaz troops on the ground inside Donetsk--during the Cold War all Sovtrans trucks driving in the West were manned by GRU/KGB/Spetznaz personnel so driving long haulers is nothing new to them--so the 560 amount to a heavy Russian BN or two light BNs of special operations types---take your pick
So one of the above AP and or actually all three? And that represents what an honest above board clear thinking rational Russian government? And you really want to negotiate?
MOSCOW, August 12 (RIA Novosti) - The arrival of a Russian humanitarian convoy at the Ukrainian border is expected on Wednesday, August 13, a source told RIA Novosti on Tuesday.
The convoy of 280 trucks to southeastern Ukraine is said to be more than 3 kilometers (2 miles) long, carrying about 2,000 tons of humanitarian supplies, the source said. The aid includes 62 tons of baby food, 54 tons of medication, 12,000 sleeping bags among other things.
Earlier on, Russia addressed the humanitarian organizations in the United Nations (UN), the Organizations for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Council of Europe and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) about sending a humanitarian mission to Ukraine.
Russia had suggested deploying an international humanitarian mission with Russian humanitarian aid under the auspices of the ICRC in Ukraine’s eastern regions. The ICRC showed support for Russia’s proposal.
The Russian Foreign Ministry repeatedly stressed the necessity of urgent measures to prevent a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and urged its Western partners to support the humanitarian mission.
Notice the Ukrainians mistrust the truck drivers as much as I do ---both of us based on past experiences.
KIEV — Ukraine said on Tuesday that it would not allow any Russian aid into the country if it was accompanied by the Russian military or members of Russia's emergencies ministry.
Referring to a big Russian convoy which Moscow dispatched on Tuesday with aid to Ukraine, presidential aide Valery Chaly said: "This cargo will be reloaded onto other transport vehicles (at the border) by the Red Cross."
"We will not allow any escort by the emergencies ministry of Russia or by the military (onto Ukrainian territory). Everything will be under the control of the Ukrainian side," Chaly told journalists.
Formal Ukrainian response to the Russian aid offer from today:
http://en.ria.ru/world/20140812/1919...Red-Cross.html
Here is a better open source analysis about the "humanitarian aid" done by the Dutch blogger whose open source analysis of the Buk was used by US intel.
I had indicated the potential of the truck drivers being military thus an average of 600 Russian troops would in fact be entering into the Ukraine disguised as "aid " truck drivers---he had a very good photo of them in military formation so one can in fact attest to them being in the military not you average run of the mill truck driver. Seems they come from a Russian Mech Brigade---which might in fact be one of the Russian peacekeeping brigades.
This is an interesting comment on one of the photos he released:
Since by now the disguise of the 'green little men' is exposed and outdated, Putin invented something new: The khaki little men...!!!
http://ukraineatwar.blogspot.nl/
NOTE: a blogger tailing the aid convoy and tweeting is indicating that it appears that the Russian "aid convoy" is heading towards the uncontrolled border crossing points under control of the mercenaries and will attempt to cross there--if so that is a major escalation by Russia. As it flies in the face of everything Russia has been saying it was doing and will if the reporting is accurate force the west into extremely hard responses since they warned Russia to refrain from any crossing as the open source clearly depicts both military vehicles and military drivers.
This tends to confirm his open source analysis but this time from Russian soliders:
Russian soldiers cannot seem to stop blogging and posting to the Russian Facebook.
Here they are bragging about having to paint 300 Russian KAMAZ green military vehicles white in a few days.
Russian keeps changing the number of aid trucks involved---first reported was 250 then 280 and now 298 even thought the Russian soldiers stated 300 had been repainted.
http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukra...id-360288.html
Never knew that the Russian consumer was so interested in protecting themselves from potentially damaging US ice cream. Do they know something Americans do not know about Baskin Robin's ice cream?
Maybe the calories?
The Russian Duma seems to even want to top what Putin did in the first food ban.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/busine...am/504967.html
As far as Russian economy is temporary closed, I'll answer here
1. A fail to found exported chicken in Aushan or any other chain stores with reasonable prices.
2. You consider shrimp, crab, and lobster a "basic staple"? Gawd, You leave in a fairy kingdom, may be? This food is fu(king expensive, two-three time more expensive than ordinary beef, as expensive as fine veal.
3. Fruits and vegies vary greatly, from the cheapest Russian to the most expensive European, glorious Polish apples lie somewhere in the middle.
4. Fish - well, I'll miss Norwegian salmon. Beef/pork - there are some exported, two-three times more expensive than Russian.
5. Grain - Russia actually exports wheat, but imports durum wheat, but I prefer rye-bread, so I'll not suffer without macaroni and wheat-bread.
conclusion: I'll not starve because of sanctions, here is a pic of sanctioned grub I found in my fridge
http://i61.tinypic.com/5wwevm.jpg
Salmon is the only food which can't be easily replaced.
so comrade mirhond---again we have confirmation you actually are Russian and reside in Moscow and work for the FSB correct comrade?
we are still awaiting the photos you promised depicting vast amounts of food still on the shelves.
by the way hope you enjoy your white Russian friends in Belarus who will be making a killing off of re exporting to the motherland all banned food.
http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukra...od-360310.html
what a massive display of EEC unity if you ask me but you did not---seems Putin and company are having a hard time convincing Belarus to not re export---heck they even offered to take western raw materials and make new brands under their logos--so much for the unity thing.
no wonder the Ukraine did not want in the EEC.
comrade mirhond ---if that is all that is in your fridge you have got to get a better paying day job.
understand the GRU is offering high salaries, low to no risk in exotic places like the eastern Ukraine---they will even let you pick the town or city
if interested let me know and I will be sure to pass them your name for a follow up interview
understand eastern Ukraine is nice this time of the year.