Sunday 27 October 2013
Russia's Sukhoi to create new 20-ton attack drone by 2018
A new attack drone will be created by Sukhoi by 2018. The drone is currently under development. The new attack drone will weigh at least 20 tons. According to experts, Russia has the potential of creating the most advanced UAVs, but there are some problems.
The UAV being developed by Sukhoi will be based on technical solutions of fifth-generation fighter T -50. Work in this area is conducted by several firms. For example, "Sokol" experts plan to complete the creation of the UAV whose weight does not exceed five tons by 2015-2016.
"Transas" company has been working on a one-ton drone since 2011. The developers are hurried by the Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Experts believe that Russia is not lagging behind in this area. "From the point of view of theory, engineering and design ideas, we are not in the last place in the world," the vice -president of the Russian Academy of Geopolitical Issues Vladimir Anokhin told Pravda.ru.
According to him, "the Israelis who former Minister of Defense Anatoly Serdyukov would like to purchase drones from, use metal in their UAVs. "Our scientists were the first, in fact, the only ones to create a UAV made from composite materials, which will enable them to not only be lighter and more durable, but also unreachable for the air defense radars," he said.
"We have wonderful teams that have spent decades working on this," said Vladimir Anokhin. "But we do not have enough hands. We do not have the industrial base, we do not have skilled workers who could produce a massive amount of those drones that we need so much now."
"Indeed, due to a number of reasons, the development of unmanned aerial vehicles in Russia has been somewhat neglected. Currently, the Ministry of Defense of Russia is working to remedy this situation by initiating and funding a program to create a range of UAVs of different types and class," Denis Fedutinov, a Russian expert in the field of unmanned systems, told Pravda.Ru.
According to him, in the absence of official comments from both the developers and the military, the characteristics of the currently developed devices can be discussed only tentatively.
"The niche of MALE-class UAVs is currently occupied by the projects implemented by "Transas" and "Sokol." This means that we are obviously talking about a larger UAV, that is likely comparable in terms of weight and size with the parameters of the projects of Boeing (Phantom Ray) and Northrop Grumman (X-47B)," said the expert.
"In addition, we know that the prototype of an attack drone "Scat" shown by "MiG" a few years ago at one of MAKS airshows had a declared take-off weight of 10 tons. I think "Sukhoi" company that, compared to "MIG," so to speak, performed in a heavier weight category, will offer a heavy drone with a possible take-off weight of about 20 tons," said Denis Fedutinov.
Responding to a question about the purpose of such drones, he said that a parallel with the aforementioned U.S. attack drone programs created for pinpoint strikes on various stationary and moving targets both on land and at sea during periods when the opponent has a working air defense system was possible.
According to Vladimir Anokhin, "this is an opportunity to expand the capabilities of the Air Force and aviation as a whole."
"Drones can be sent to combat zones, to explore and carry out regular observations, without risking human lives. This is the next step in the development of aviation that has future," concluded the expert.
Situation with orphans in Russia improves dramatically
Commissioner for Children's Rights under the Russian President, Pavel Astakhov, gave an interview to Pravda.Ru, in which he talked about changes in the field of adoptions in Russia during the recent years.
According to Astakhov, one should not associate changes in this area exclusively with the law of Dima Yakovlev that was passed less than a year ago. The activities to improve the lives of orphaned children had been conducted before.
"During this time, 3.5 years, while I'm in the office, we have checked almost all regions in terms of their readiness to protect children, to give them all that is necessary under the law. It goes about, for example, the efforts not to send a child to an orphanage, but help a family recover, if something happened in that family. As a last resort, if parents have committed a crime against their child, we should give the child an opportunity to live in a new foster home," Astakhov said.
"Five years ago, we did not have people lining up to adopt orphans. In the beginning of this year, we have nearly 20,000 people lining for foster children," the official continued. Prior to the Dima Yakovlev law, there was a system created to train foster parents; schools of foster families were founded in Russian regions, Mr. Astakhov added.
Pavel Astakhov said a few words about foreign adoption. "As for the ban on American adoptions, when I faced corruption, lack of transparency and the egregious cases of violence, when American parents would evade responsibility, I started talking about it back in April 2010, when Artyom Savelyev returned, or Justin Henson, as he was called in America. He returned to Russia from America alone, with a one-way ticket, because one could simply dump a Russian child, as we had neither guarantees, nor agreements with America. And then in April of 2010, I said that it was necessary to prohibit the adoption of Russian children by U.S. foster parents, until law and order was established there. In general, it was not right to give away our children, we've never had that before," Astakhov said.
First Deputy Chairwoman of the State Duma Committee on Family, Women and Children, Olga Batalina, explained to Pravda.Ru why orphanages were closing in Russia and what should be done to push more families towards the decision to adopt orphaned children.
"Orphanages have been closing in most regions during the recent years, and this is natural dynamics. The number of children living in children's homes, has been declining steadily - and that's good," Batalina told Pravda.Ru.
According to the official, 95 percent of all children left without care, found in the first half of 2013, were either returned to their biological parents, or accommodated in other families.
"Of course, one can not be satisfied with these figures, because the federal data bank still has 110,000 children who live in various institutions," Batalina said.
According to her, the legal framework in the area of adoptions has changed significantly over the last year and continues to improve. It is not the question of further changes in legislation in the interests of orphans that is vitally important, but the control over the measures that have been taken in the regions of Russia.
NATO attacking Russia is just a fantasy
talked about the issues of reforming the Russian army and the current state of the armed forces with the chief scientist of the Institute of World Economy and International Relations, retired Major General Vladimir Dvorkin.
On the military reform and the problems of the armed forces:
"The military reform is multi-step. When Anatoly Serdyukov received carte blanche from the President of Russia, he was given a task to bring the armed forces of the Russian Federation in shape and structure that exists in the advanced countries like the United States and the UK.
Generally, the task was justified. Many independent experts wrote and argued that the reform of the armed forces was necessary.
But this reform was carried out with improper methods, without any justification. We all know how it ended.
And then, when the new Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was appointed, Putin said that there should be no fluctuations, and fine-tuned work should be conducted.
But expert analysis showed that it could not be done without a radical change of the structure implemented by Serdyukov. Shoigu, in fact, began a partial return to the former structure and abandoned the reforms introduced by Serdyukov.
A three-tier management structure of the Army was created, and divisions were transformed into brigades. The 201st Division in Tajikistan was the only one that was left, as well as another one in the Far East. But it turned out that the staffing of the brigades and their ability to conduct combat operations did not meet the real challenges and threats. It was necessary to partially go back to the divisional structure.
Instead of six districts under the former minister four districts were created and combined with operational and strategic commands.
In fact, this is pure profanation. The function of operational and strategic command combined in one district, the same people are in command; this is not a sustainable structure. The operational and strategic command must engage in planning and preparation of operations and be removed from the administrative function. This is perhaps one of the drawbacks of this military reform.
Thank God there have not been any changes in the nuclear forces.
What has been done to the military institutes, colleges, was also a complete failure. First of all, it was a failure because of the loss of professional staff. The entire military education and science were reduced to ten research centers, everything was combined. Military specialists are not easy to train, this requires highly qualified teachers.
Gradual degradation of the military education system was apparent before Serdyukov, but under Serdyukov this disappearance of staff and researchers essentially led to largely irreparable loss. It will take an extremely long time to restore everything.
Monetary funding has increased. This is easy to achieve - when there is money, increase the funding. The number of military exercises has increase. It's all good, but it is also a question of funding.
The military-industrial complex also has plenty of concerns. The main statement from all chief designers who have not yet become effective managers is: "There is money but no workers." This is very significant and will take time to fix."
On the possibility of an armed conflict with NATO:
"It's all fantasy. Russia has a powerful nuclear deterrent. NATO will never attack nuclear Russia, and Russia will never launch any military action against NATO. Therefore, conflict scenarios are made up and alarmist. I think it's wrong to consider them, it is not the right time."
On the state of the Russian Army:
The Army exists, it is capable of local, limited combat actions. Although, of course, not with the efficiency that could be achieved with the right reforms. There are many technological problems. But you cannot say that we are crushed.
Everything must be considered in the context of the real political situation. We must learn to conduct combat operations in limited conflicts. We must learn to effectively carry out peacekeeping operations, if necessary. These are the reasons for the work that is to some extent is conducted now.
Ukraine's Jailed Tymoshenko Offered Ticket Abroad But No Pardon
KIEV, Ukraine -- Jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko would have to return to Ukraine to complete her prison sentence after receiving any medical treatment abroad, according to the text of a draft law made public on Friday.
Parliament is scheduled to debate the draft next week in a new twist in the case of Tymoshenko, whose imprisonment is threatening the signing of a landmark agreement between Ukraine and the European Union next month.
Tymoshenko was jailed for seven years in 2011 for abuse of office after a trial which Western governments say was politically motivated and smacked of 'selective justice'.
European envoys, shuttling between Brussels and Kiev, have asked President Viktor Yanukovich to grant a pardon to his arch-rival to allow her to travel as a free person to Germany to be treated for spinal problems.
This formula, if accepted, is widely seen as sufficient to ensure that the EU would sign the deal on association and free trade at a summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on November 28.
For ex-Soviet Ukraine, it would mark a historic shift towards the West and away from Russia.
Yanukovich, in a surprise move, said on Thursday he was ready to sign a law to allow her to go abroad for treatment, if a draft was adopted by parliament.
But he did not mention granting her a pardon.
In comments carried on his website, he said: "Naturally, if parliament adopts this law, I will sign it."
"TREATMENT IS NOT A PARDON"
Tymoshenko, 52, says her trial was a personal vendetta by Yanukovich.
She has said she is ready to go to Berlin for treatment, but her family says she wants to benefit from a pardon, as requested by the EU envoys, to be able subsequently to return to political life.
A text of the draft to go before parliament next week said it would be up to a Ukrainian court to decide whether Tymoshenko was ill enough to qualify for treatment abroad, and the court would also define the length of time allotted for treatment.
"On the expiry of the term, defined by the court for treatment abroad, the convicted person would return to Ukraine to continue serving the punishment," it said.
Parliament speaker Volodymyr Rybak said the proposed draft would be discussed next week in a full session of the assembly.
"This law must be such that convicted people do not avoid punishment because treatment is not a pardon," he said, according to the parliament's website.
A first reaction from the Tymoshenko camp suggested the new development might not be acceptable to her.
Her lawyer, Serhiy Vlasenko, said the draft law ran counter to the EU's criteria for democratic progress, which the bloc has said it wants Ukraine to meet for the Vilnius summit.
"The criteria require an end to selective justice, not a suspended sentence," Vlasenko said.
Pro-Yanukovich deputies dominate in parliament and the draft law seemed likely to get strong support from them, though the political opposition sees no need for such a law.
EU MISSION
The two EU envoys, Irish politician Pat Cox and former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski, will discuss the new proposal with both sides when they visit Kiev next week.
"Cox and Kwasniewski will resume their efforts to resolve the Tymoshenko case.
They will be in Kiev on Monday and Tuesday for further talks," a European Parliament official dealing with the affair said in Brussels.
Tymoshenko has been receiving treatment for her back problems from German doctors under prison guard in a hospital in the northern city of Kharkiv.
Up to now, her family and supporters have been talking in terms of her going to Berlin's Charite clinic for treatment.
She said on October 4 that, while she was ready to go to Germany for the sake of Ukraine, she would not seek political asylum there and would continue to fight "dictatorship" in her country.
Rasmussen: No NATO Membership For Ukraine, Georgia
BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Ukraine and Georgia will not join NATO next year, the trans-Atlantic alliance's top official said Tuesday.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Ukraine decided to end its long-standing bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization while Georgia remained interested but would not become a member in 2014, Russia's RIA Novosti news service reported.
Both countries will still have partnership action plans with the alliance and will still work together, Rasmussen said before a two-day NATO defense ministers' meeting began in Brussels.
Ukraine and Georgia, lobbying to become NATO members for years, both enjoy full support for their bids from the United States, but alliance members rejected a proposal to offer them membership in 2008, RIA Novosti said.
Russia has opposed eastward expansion by NATO, particularly when it involves former Soviet Union republics.
Rasmussen also said the alliance does not plan to create any new formal coalitions with the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a loose Eurasian military alliance based in Russia.
Officials said NATO-Russia cooperation, improving capabilities and progress in Afghanistan were the top agenda items when the alliance's defense ministers meet Tuesday and Wednesday.
The ministers also will discuss defending against cyberattacks, NATO's Ballistic Missile Defense system and review NATO reforms, NATO said on its website.
Ministers also will consider the next step in the alliance's Connected Forces Initiative, focusing on NATO's training, education and exercises program after the coalition force's mission in Afghanistan ends in 2014.
A NATO-Russia Council is planned for Wednesday, officials said.
Among other things, NATO ministers and Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu will discuss international security issues, including Syria.
Ukraine Is Full Of Eastern Surprises
KIEV, Ukraine -- “Dmitri, is that an abaya?” Wandering through the courtyard of Kiev’s Pechersk Lavra, a huge monastery containing caves, catacombs and saint’s relics, I notice several women wearing headscarves or full-length black abayas. Dmitri, my local guide, has no idea what an abaya is, but explains that some of the women adopt customs from old Slavic mythology or the Eastern Orthodox church practices.
Moments like this continue to greet me over a long weekend in Ukraine.
It’s a culture full of unexpected curiosities, and my predisposition that the infrastructure would be a sea of grey leftovers from the partial Soviet-era destruction is overwhelmingly proved wrong by the variety of historical and regenerated architecture, each with a unique, century-specific story.
Exploring Ukraine feels like walking through the chapters of a history book.
My taxi ride from Kiev’s newest airport, Zhulyany International Airport, is the only car journey that’s necessary over my two days in the city.
Armed with a map, I head straight out on foot from the Radisson Blu, from Dh700 ($191) per night, including Wi-Fi, in Kiev’s Podil area, a bustling district of trade and commerce that’s manageable on foot and within walking distance of some of Ukraine’s most impressive architectural structures.
Within five minutes of Podil’s centre, I reach the foot of St Andrew’s (Andriyivskyy) Descent.
A cobbled incline filled with cafes, restaurants and people selling souvenirs and vintage relics from the most tumultuous eras of Ukraine’s history, from the Second World War to the old Russian empire.
I stumble across a few post-war, 1948 Olympic-edition, vintage Leica cameras with prices starting in the US$300 (Dh1,102) range, but don’t stick around long enough to be able to prove whether they’re authentic.
The peak upon which St Andrew’s Church rests provides a panoramic view of Kiev’s hill-and-valley terrain, and unlike other buildings that I had walked past so far, St Andrew’s presents an image of grandeur and wealth, exaggerated by the structure’s Taj Mahal-esque love story origin.
Built by the same individual behind Russia’s renowned Winter Palace, the spires of St Andrew’s glimmer in majestic aqua and gold.
It’s easy for frequent city explorers to get “templed or churched-out” when trying to squeeze in visits to as many landmarks as possible within a few days.
An afternoon walk around Kiev, however, doesn’t get dull.
Its complex history of periods of prosperity, war and Soviet rule has resulted in a richly diverse architectural landscape.
My untrained eye immediately picks up on the combination of colourful, Vienna-style buildings, theatrical Baroque style and Stalin-era, grey, functional towers.
The diversity never gets tiresome.
If anything, it makes me more curious about Ukraine’s complicated history.
Aside from religious landmarks, there’s also the impressively grand National Opera House and the Golden Gate, which defined Kiev’s city limits in 1307, but has since been restored.
I don’t manage to catch a ride on the cable car that connects the upper and lower part of Kiev, but a local recommends a journey on the funicular that connects the lower city from Podil to the upper city in Mykhailivska Ploscha, Dh0.30 ($0.08) per person.
Kiev has had years of constant upheaval from wars since the Mongol invasion in1240 but, despite the 1930s Soviet regime destroying many structures, Ukraine’s attitude illustrates a resilience, and the city is clearly proud of demonstrating how it’s fought back.
When Dmitri asks me to hazard a guess at the age of an ancient-looking building, I estimate at least 500 years.
It was actually constructed in 2003 using the original plans from the 10th century to bring back some of the old and magnificent Kiev.
This is one of many examples of how Kiev has attempted to regenerate without forgetting its roots.
The most impressive structure in Kiev is St Sophia Cathedral, taking more than 10 years to build by Old Russian and Byzantine art masters.
Partially destructed during the Soviet rule, the regenerated section has been built around the remains without tainting the original Baroque architecture, including 13 gleaming golden domes, which would make even the least enthused tourist stop and stare.
A few hundred steps up the flight of stairs of St Sophia’s bell tower next door is worth the burning thighs for the bird’s-eye view over St Sophia’s domes and across the green hill areas of Kiev that cocoon the lower part of the city.
Countries in Eastern Europe occasionally have the reputation of having an unfriendly or cold culture.
In Ukraine’s case, this generalisation is a rather unfair one.
While there are no smiles for the sake of smiling, all the locals I meet and speak to are very warm individuals.
The local cuisine is equally warm and inviting.
Tsarske Selo $10 [Dh37] to $15 [Dh55] per person) is a good place for a long lunch between sightseeing, serving local cuisine of borscht (vegetable soup), varenyky (dumplings) and the addictive pyrizhky potato pancakes served with sour cream.
On every menu I come across in Ukraine, chicken Kiev was a staple option, but I learn from a local that its origins likely lie in Russia or France.
English is not widely-spoken in Ukraine.
Booking in a local guide for a walking tour for your first day is a good idea for an orientation of the city and an introduction to key local words to help navigate around the street signs and food menus.
Moving between Kiev’s districts can be done via the city’s extensive metro system.
From the impressively grand designs of the metro, you’d never guess the city has had such a disrupted past.
I tested it from the deepest metro station in the world, 105.5 meters (346 feet), at Arsenalna back to my hotel in Podil.
A large part of the city’s three-million-strong population must be in the metro, or at least that’s what the rush and chaos feel like.
I recommend being quick and nimble on the system: while the trains arrive every few minutes, blink and you might miss the train doors open and close.
After two days exploring the best of Kiev but barely touching the surface, I take a one-hour flight to Odessa, the country’s southern city resting on the north-west tip of the Black Sea’s coastline.
Constructed by a Dutchman, invaded by the Ottoman and Russian empires and a place of ex-Turkish settlement, the clash of culture and architecture is wonderfully haphazard but manages to remain distinctly Ukrainian.
Odessa has a strikingly different culture, feel and climate from Kiev, leaning more towards Mediterranean than Eastern European. Ukrainians visit Odessa as a holiday destination because, as a local explains: “It feels like a different country”.
While Kiev’s pace is steady but sure, the energy from walking around Odessa is frantic.
A younger city than Kiev, Odessa’s streets are based on a grid system, the overwhelming majority of which have free public Wi-Fi, so navigation on foot is the simplest and best way to explore the city.
Within a 25-minute walk of each other are the Opera House (tickets for shows start at $15 [Dh55]), the Potemkin Steps descending into the Black Sea port, the City Garden, cafes and the trinket shopper’s and art gallery-phile’s ideal haven, Primorsky Boulevard.
Similar to Kiev, the architecture spans many centuries. Odessa however, has more pastel-coloured, Venetian-style architecture, contributing to its seaside holiday atmosphere.
The culture strikes me as more laid-back and even the local fashion is more diverse.
Aside from the port area, the rest of Odessa’s coast is beach, accessible all year round but probably most enjoyable between May and September.
Unlike its neighbouring cities, English is more widely spoken in Odessa, which makes navigating through a food menu much easier, but chips away at the fun element of surprise when the dishes arrive at the table.
My most memorable meal in Ukraine is a 10-minute drive outside the Odessa city centre.
A mid-20th-century, Soviet cottage-and-garden restaurant, Dacha serves a full variety of local cuisine, locally grown vegetables, condiments and take-home preserves; the relaxing garden venue, with 1950s-style decor, makes diners feel compelled to take time over a meal, rather than rush through.
The Odessa Museum of Arts contains a huge collection of Russian and Ukrainian arts from the 19th and 20th centuries, contained in a palace presented to the city by an art-loving patron.
Aside from the two floors of art above ground, there are two floors of softly illuminated underground grottos below the palace that can only be accessed with a guide.
Following the short spiral footpath into the palace’s underground, the guide explains how the grottos, which stay a constant temperature all year round, were frequented for secret meetings, fateful passions and winter parties.
Central Odessa has a full range of hotels, hostels and bed-and-breakfasts.
During the summer months, I recommended booking into a coastal hotel.
For autumn and winter, any hotel within the pedestrian-friendly centre of Odessa is within a 15-minute walk of the city’s most impressive landmarks.
Perhaps learning about Stalin’s regime at school had left me with assumption that Ukraine would be a place still trying to shake off the grey cloud that war and invasion had left.
The country has instead used the unstable years to it’s advantage by constantly regenerating to illustrate the colourful variety of Ukraine’s roots combining Cossack, Slavic, Russian, Polish, Turkish and Mongol influences.
Five days is enough time to enjoy the best of Ukraine’s landmarks, leaving me with an appetite to learn more about its history and explore more of Eastern Europe, and the knowledge that a Mediterranean-style beach holiday is only five hours away from Dubai.
Ukraine Boxer Vitali Klitschko To Seek Presidency
KIEV, Ukraine -- Ukrainian WBC heavyweight boxing champion, Vitali Klitschko, has confirmed he will run in the country's 2015 presidential election.
He made his announcement in response to a bill passed in parliament that bars candidates who have lived outside Ukraine during the past 10 years.
The pro-Western Udar party MP has permanent resident status in Germany.
"Everything that has taken place in parliament today... does not intimidate me and will not stop me," he said.
"To head off these various schemes and attempts at getting even with me as a possible candidate, I want to declare this: I will run for president."
Mr Klitschko is the first declared contender against the incumbent, Viktor Yanukovych.
He has actively campaigned against what he calls the president's "authoritarian policies".
The bill adopted on Wednesday amended Ukraine's current tax code.
It now states that if a Ukrainian national holds permanent resident status in another country they cannot be considered a resident of Ukraine.
Previously, they only had to live in Ukraine for at least 180 days a year.
According to the constitution, a presidential candidate must have been resident in Ukraine for 10 years prior to polling day.
Mr Klitschko said the amendment clearly had a "political context", something denied by a member of Mr Yanukovych's Party of Regions.
'European standards'
The 42-year-old boxer heads the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reforms (Udar), whose acronym means "Punch".
It came third in last year's parliamentary elections.
"My main goal is for Ukraine to be a European, modern country with European standards of life," Mr Klitschko told the BBC in August.
"I will decide with people who have the same vision, the same dream, to go into politics and from the inside to change the situation."
He has spoken out against corruption in the country and the jailing of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko for abuse of office - a charge that her supporters claim was politically motivated.
"We can't be a democratic country with political prisoners," he said.
Mr Klitschko is also pushing to strengthen Ukraine's links with the EU.
"We see our future in the European family. We are European with our mentality, with our history," he said.
US Ambassador: Association With The EU Will Stimulate Ukraine's Economy
KIEV, Ukraine -- The U.S. supports Ukraine's European aspirations and expects that the Association Agreement (AA) and establishment of the free trade area with the EU will provide a significant impetus to the development of Ukraine's economy and will attract investments.
This statement was released by the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt, as reported by Unian.
According to Ambassador Pyatt, Ukrainian entrepreneurs will receive an advantage on the European market throughout the transition period of implementation of EU regulations, which may last from three to 10 years.
The U.S. official also noted that Ukraine may experience the growth of investments coming from abroad, provided it is financially attractive.
The fact that association with the EU will benefit Ukraine's economy has been also stressed by the Lithuanian Ambassador to the U.S., Zygimantas Pavilionis.
He believes that Ukraine may increase its GDP manyfold after signing the AA.
Ambassador Pavilionis cited Poland's example, when the country increased its GDP six times between 1995 and 2004 after the signing of the AA, similar to the one which Ukraine is expected to sign.
He reiterated that after Ukraine signed the AA, it would get access to the 500 million market.
In addition, since both the U.S. and the EU are negotiating the possibility of establishing free trade area, Ukraine has great potential to dip into the 800 million market.
"This will be the largest liberal market in the world," stated the Lithuanian official.
He also noted that Poland at the time didn't have such a deep and comprehensive free trade area with the EU that Ukraine is going to get.
Notably, on October 9, 2013, when attending a discussion titled Diplomatic Dialogue: Ukraine's Quest for European Integration & Lithuania's Chairmanship of the EU, organized by Harriman Institute in New York City, Ambassador Pavilionis spoke about the European road of Lithuania, advantages of EU membership and the priorities of Lithuanian EU Presidency.
He stressed that Lithuania firmly supported the signing of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU and saw Ukraine's future in the European Union.
Reportedly, the signing of the AA is scheduled for November 28-29 at the Eastern Partnership summit, which is to take place in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Ukraine and Turkey - Coup in the Making?
LONDON, England -- Though Norway in June overtook Russia in total exports of natural gas to Europe, the balance of Russian gas to Europe comes through Ukraine, which itself is dependent upon Russia for 60% of its current gas consumption.
While Ukraine controls the transit of 90% of its gas to Europe, Russia is consistently trying to use its gas exports to Ukraine to gain greater control of the Ukraine transit system, which itself deems a strategic asset.
The struggle for control of export to Europe and Ukraine’s own struggle to increase domestic production and move closer to Europe, with an European Association Agreement set to be signed in November this year, has put extreme stress not only on the energy independence of Ukraine but of Europe as a whole.
From an energy geostrategic standpoint, Europe needs Ukraine to move closer to Europe, “but for all its planning, Europe also knows retribution, in the shape of an energy squeeze, is likely from Russia.
Moscow, which has a long-standing disagreement with Ukraine over gas, has said it will raise Ukraine’s gas prices and officials do not rule out it doing the same for the EU, which gets nearly 40% of its gas from Russia.
“The EU should not look at Ukraine as a business opportunity alone, particularly in light of currently lagging gas demand, but should examine the long-term future of European energy security and the key role Ukraine will continue to play in it. Partnership with the EU is not a silver bullet for the troubled Ukrainian energy sector, but it is certain to reduce the volatility of future pricing disputes and is perhaps the only solution that does not leave Ukraine’s fate entirely in Russian hands,” according to an article by Richard B Andres and Michael Kofman.
Ukraine has also done much in the past 18 months to increase its energy independence.
Recent shale tenders with Shell and Chevron and with Exxon for the development of the Ukrainian Black Sea have the potential to greatly reduce the dependence Ukraine has on Russian exports and potentially for Europe as well.
While the full picture of unconventional gas is expected to be assessed in the coming years, the key to success, as is the case of Ukraine, is infrastructure.
If the future of shale gas exploration is to be bright, a new infrastructure will have to be built to link the sources of unconventional gas with the grid to allow for the commercialization of the gas.
To ensure that the Energy Community brings results, once operationalized the shale gas opportunity should be extended to the Eastern Neighborhood.
It would allow the Eastern Neighborhood, in particular Ukraine, to create stronger bonds between the EU and the region and, as a result, galvanize stronger energy interdependence between the EU and Russia by stabilizing Ukraine’s internal energy supply, according to a policy paper from the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation (BST).
Coup in the Making?
In the past five years, there has been significant growth in Europe’s LNG [ Liquefied Natural Gas] import capacity; however, high LNG prices driven by Japanese demand, and the higher oil-linked price that LNG receives in Asia has diverted much of this supply from the European market.
An agreement between Ukraine and Turkey for the transit of LNG through the Bosporus, as the gateway to the Black Sea, would be a major coup for European energy security.
It would put downward pressure on current LNG prices due to the high demand and premium paid in Asia and would eventually provide Europe with cheap shale gas through a viable alternative marketplace.
It’s an idea developed by Robert Bensh , energy advisor to Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Yuriy Boyko, managing director of Pelicourt Limited and senior advisor for Cub Energy Inc., which operates in both Ukraine and Turkey.
The potential for LNG exports to Europe without a deal between Turkey and Ukraine for liquefied natural gas (LNG) through the Bosporus will fall flat, and Russia will continue to provide at least 30% of Europe’s natural gas through 2023.
“The European Union can and should play a more active role in shaping the Black Sea security environment. As a full regional player, it should promote cooperation on an equal footing, and refrain from acting as a sponsor as it does, for instance, in the Mediterranean. As a privileged partner of all countries of the region, the EU should use its bilateral relations with each of them, including Russia and Turkey, to contribute towards the emergence of a cooperative security environment in the Black Sea region,” according to a European Parliament briefing .
A CRS Report for US Congress agrees, stating:
Development of more liquefied natural gas (LNG) transport and reception facilities from distant suppliers, such as Nigeria, into Europe could be another course of action.
Coupled with the development of new oil and gas pipelines could be an offer from NATO (and/or EU) members to provide security for energy infrastructure in periods of unrest or conflict in supplier and transit countries.
For both Ukraine and Turkey, such a deal would also be a political and economic coup of vast proportions, Bensh says.
For Ukraine, LNG is the key to energy independence.
For Turkey, LNG is the key to becoming one of the most important energy hubs between the Middle East and Europe.
In combination with the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP), which will bring Azerbaijani gas from Shah Deniz through Turkey on to European markets, controlling the LNG segment through the Black Sea would give Turkey broader leverage than any other player in Europe.
For both Ukraine and Turkey, it would mean greater access to the economic benefits of the European Union, control over Europe’s LNG market and a level of political leverage over the continent that would render both world-class strategic players.
The benefits to Ukraine and Turkey are significant:
Benefits to Ukraine
Independence from Russia Greater access to the European Union, with Kiev able to be assertive on the terms.
Political leverage in Washington, which is keen to see a Turkey-Ukraine LNG deal put through, especially one focused in part on Qatari gas as opposed to Iranian gas.
Control of the European market for LNG Economic prosperity by giving an edge to heavy gas-reliant industries.
Strategic positioning and leverage that goes beyond Europe and into the Middle East/Gulf and especially between competitors Qatar and Iran.
Benefits for Turkey
Control of the European LNG market Rise as an energy hub between the Middle East and Europe, not just an energy transit country.
Political leverage over Europe and access to the EU on Ankara’s terms.
Political leverage with Washington Strategic positioning as an energy hub that renders Turkey the decision-maker from Europe to the Middle East/Gulf.
Diversification of supplies, with less reliance on Russian and Iranian deliveries, including from emerging African powerhouses such as Angola and Ghana.
Timing is important, and the window of opportunity should be taken advantage of before new pipelines come online and while two of the world’s biggest gas players—Qatar and Iran—are in a desperate race to grab the European market.
If an LNG agreement is solidified within this timeframe, it will dictate rather than serve as an afterthought to Europe’s gas future.
In this respect, Ukraine and Turkey together already have a certain amount of leverage at the negotiating table, particularly with respect to Qatari supplies, which are very eager to get to the wider European market.
Timing is critical as Iran, suffering under economic sanctions that has caused widespread unemployment and a recession (the under 35 age group is thought to have unemployment of over 40%; a sobering thought in a period of Arab Springs) is attempting to have access to markets from which it currently is cut off from; and there is no better indication of this than the British government’s current reconsideration of the embargo on BP’s joint venture with the Iranian National Gas Company in the Rhum field.
One additional factor in the conflict in Syria was, Qatari-versus-Iranian plans to run a pipeline through the country to Turkey, eyeing the European market.
In terms of critical timing, Ukraine and Turkey would be better positioned strategically were they to strike an LNG deal before the beginning of Phase Two production at Azerbaijan’s Shah Deniz field, and before TANAP begins operations.
The price of LNG is more volatile due to the Asian market, and it would be more beneficial for LNG to secure this market, while natural gas futures for Shah Deniz supplies, which have already been contracted out for 25 years to nine European companies.
Another Black Sea LNG project—the Azerbaijan-Georgia-Romania Interconnector (AGRI) project—is also being delayed due to the perception that European demand is not ready for this project.
This is a false perception that is driven by the Asian-driven LNG price spikes and the diversion of cargoes away from the European market.
AGRI at present is languishing as it waits for the market to develop.
This is an opportunity for a Ukraine-Turkey LNG agreement.
The first to develop will control the market.
The AGRI project is hoping to transport natural gas from the Caspian region (primarily Turkmenistan) to Europe designed as a part of the Southern Corridor and as the shortest direct route for Caspian gas to European markets.
If realized, AGRI would transport Azerbaijani LNG from Georgia, across the Black Sea, to an LNG terminal planned for construction on the Romanian Black Sea coast, then piped through to Hungary through the interconnector with Romania and then further into Europe.
Azerbaijan, Romania and Georgia signed the Memorandum of Understanding for this project in April 2010, but not much has happened since then.
The project requires the construction not only of a regasification terminal in Romania, but also a liquefaction plant in Georgia.
Competition for this strategic positioning will come from the development of Mediterranean LNG projects, which could also be a game-changer for Europe.
Potential projects here (Cyprus and Israel, first and foremost) remain uncertain, but if realized they would offer gas to high-demand Southeastern European markets with attractive pricing.
In the absence of an LNG agreement between Ukraine and Turkey, Cyprus and Israel have the potential to capture the European market from the Mediterranean side.
Timing is critical and the advantage will go to the players who recognize the opportunity to fill the long-term LNG supply gap that has been created by the diversion of cargo to Asia.
Ukraine, has the potential to fill this gap and control the market.
LNG’S Role in European Energy Security
The European Market for LNG at a Glance:
Relative to 2011, LNG deliveries to the EU fell 31% in 2012, with imports from Qatar down 35%, Nigeria 31% and Algeria 18%, while imports to Asia have grown by up to 70%.
So far for 2013, LNG deliveries are in line with this downward trend.
For the first quarter of 2013, gas flowing out of LNG terminals into pipelines (LNG send-out to grids) in the UK, Netherlands and Belgium was down by 60% over the same period in 2012, and down 40% in France and 30% in Spain, Italy and Portugal.
The average price of spot pipeline gas in Europe is around $10 per MMBtu, while the average spot LNG price is $11.40/MMBtu (there is a wide range of LNG pricing across Europe).
In Japan, LNG prices are about 40% higher (as of Q1 2013) than spot prices in the UK, for example.
LNG in Europe, Present and Future
At the close of 2012, LNG accounted for 19% of Europe’s gas supply, while 81% was natural gas transported via pipeline.
The Fukushima disaster in Japan forced European countries to reconsider their nuclear policies, and this has forced a stronger focus on coal, natural gas and LNG.
Before Fukushima, LNG was favored over natural gas because supplies were greater at that time and prices were cheaper than piped-in gas.
As a result of the Fukushima disaster and Japan’s resultant eschewing of nuclear power reliance, is a run on LNG by Japan and other Asian nations who are willing to pay higher prices.
This has driven LNG prices up and diverted supplies to the Asian market.
In addition, it has caused fewer LNG development projects to be pursued in Europe.
This translates into future gas shortages when LNG supplies can no longer meet growing Asian demand and when there is a lack of long-term LNG commitment in Europe.
This is the critical window of opportunity in the market for Ukraine and Turkey.
There is a certain counter-intuitive momentum to be grasped here.
Because Asia signs on to long-term LNG agreements with high, oil-linked prices, there are predictions that Europe will find itself with extremely restricted access to LNG in the near- to medium-term future, with a recovery in demand and a growing reluctance to rely on dirty coal for power generation.
This past decade has seen global LNG supplies double and regasification and shipping capacity triple.
The exception is Europe, where Ukraine and Turkey are singularly positioned to take advantage of this LNG gap before demand picks up and the opportunity for strategic positioning is weakened.
The LNG market is set to expand globally over the next decade, and demand for LNG in Europe is most likely set to rise even without affecting natural gas supplies.
Thus, TANAP and a Ukrainian-Turkish LNG agreement would work in tandem, not in competition, to control an even greater market share.
If Russia ends up building natural gas storage facilities in Turkey—an idea for which Gazprom expressed interest earlier this year—Turkey will lose its chance for maximum political leverage.
This past winter, Gazprom redirected natural gas from its storage facilities in Europe after a spike in demand in Turkey.
This prompted a Russian justification for potentially building storage facilities in Turkey ostensibly to come to the rescue when supplies are insufficient.
In theory, though, this would represent an increased Russian energy footprint in Turkey that would negatively impact Turkey’s energy hub ambitions and would only help to solidify its dependence on Russian supplies, which amount to about 58% of Turkey’s total supplies.
An LNG deal with Ukraine would give Turkey greater access to additional alternative supplies, and this, combined with an anticipated increase in Azerbaijani supplies from Shah Deniz will allow Turkey to become a true, diversified energy hub.
Qatar is heavily courting both Ukraine and Turkey for LNG through the Bosporus.
From Qatar’s perspective, if Qatari LNG is allowed to pass through the Turkish-controlled Bosporus, this will deal a heavy blow to Iran.
As such, Qatar recognizes Turkey’s role here as a key geopolitical power broker on the energy scene.
Along this same line of thought, Qatar’s perception is that Russia is not capable at this time of preventing a Turkey-Ukraine energy deal focused on Qatari gas.
For Turkey, though, such a deal would allow it to further diversify its supplies, reducing reliance on both Russian and Iran—the latter which has been unreliable in terms of supplies over recent years.
Such a deal also further underlines the extent of political leverage Ukraine and Turkey would enjoy well beyond Europe, and into the Middle East.
Geopolitically, if Ukraine and Turkey were to bring Qatari gas through the Bosporus and on to European markets, this would help balance the power of a Russian-Iranian axis.
It would reshape geopolitical dynamics, with Turkey the driving force through its strategic position as a Middle East-Europe energy hub.
Turkish and Ukrainian interest can either merge, or diverge to be counter-productive both to their gas supply needs and to European energy security.
The perceptions of competition between Ukraine and Turkey are there, however, it is only through the combined, complementary force of the two that we will see a new energy powerhouse emerge.
LNG is the future, and globally we are looking at a major upswing in demand, including for Europe in the medium-to-long term.
As becomes clearer every year, pipeline gas delivery is hindered severely by economics and geopolitics.
It limits room for consumer maneuvering, especially for those who are reliant on few, or single, sources.
LNG can avoid much of these same hurdles, despite the investment cost associated with LNG facilities.
There is a great deal of market flexibility to be found in LNG due to the absence of piping contracts.
LNG will become the key fuel of the future, and the forces that grasp the Black Sea market for LNG first will be among the most influential players on the global energy market.
There is also the Black Sea marine industry to consider here, and the future is likely to see this converted to LNG—with new and converted transport vehicles and vessels running on LNG.
Putin Says His Final 'No' To Ukraine
MOSCOW, Russia -- Ukraine will not be able to join the Customs Union (CU) after signing the agreement on associated membership in the EU, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a press conference, following the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Minsk.
"No, impossible," Putin said when asked about such a possibility for Ukraine.
At the same time, Russia is not going to interfere in the process of Ukraine's European integration, the Russian president said, adding that Moscow was "neither for, nor against it."
"This is not our business at all. This is a sovereign right of the Ukrainian administration in the face of the president, the parliament and the government," he said.
According to Putin, the impossibility of Ukraine's accession to the CU lies in the creation of a free trade area between Kiev and the EU.
From about 10,000 import customs tariffs, Ukraine would have to reset 7,000 as soon as the agreement comes into force, which is to happen in February next year, Putin said.
In another three years, he added, the openness of the market will be on the level of 85.5 percent, and 98.5 percent - a few years later.
"This openness of the market is very dangerous for us and is not acceptable at this stage of our economic development," said Putin.
Russia, in the long term, aims to create common Eurasian economic space from Lisbon to Vladivostok, but it must be all coordinated and conducted gradually, he added.
To crown it all, another obstacle for Ukraine to become a simultaneous member of the Customs Union is the fact that Ukraine will have to follow technical regulations of the European Union.
As a result, almost all goods produced in Ukraine, will be subject to EU rules.
According to experts, this will require an investment of about 100 billion euros ($138 billion).
Kiev does not have such sources, Putin said.
In his view, it could oust Ukrainian goods to other markets, primarily to the CU market, which would require measures to protect it.
There will be no ban on the importation of goods, but these products will no longer enjoy preferential treatment under a free trade zone.
Putin also said that the goods will be regarded as "made in Ukraine" even when they are produced from the parts made in the EU.
"It's called a screwdriver, screwdriver assembly. We do not want to have screwdriver assembly on our territory on a massive scale," Putin said.
"We do not want a gift in the form of a screwdriver from the back porch," he stressed.
The president believes that such a state of affairs may complicate cooperation between Russia and Ukraine in the field of aviation, aerospace, shipbuilding and mechanical engineering.
Kiev also agreed to fully open and liberalize the market of agricultural goods for the EU, Putin said.
Russia can not "take it all personally and have it all transferred to the Russian territory," the president said.
Earlier, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev also stated that Ukraine would not be able to "sit between two chairs" - to sign the agreement on associated membership with the EU and join the Customs Union.
The prospects for the European integration of Ukraine have repeatedly become a reason to exchange threatening statements from the authorities of the two countries.
Two weeks ago, for example, Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said that in the next few years, Kiev may completely refuse from gas imports from Russia.
In response, Russian presidential adviser Sergei Glazyev did not exclude the introduction of visa regime with Ukraine in connection with the "integration process."
This week, it was said that convicted former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko may save Putin from "geopolitical defeat."
Her case may impede the European integration of Ukraine.
In the EU, they believe that Kiev has not reached necessary progress in the quest to meet the criteria for the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU.
The main complaint from the EU is the refusal from Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to pardon Tymoshenko.
Meanwhile, members of the Customs Union speculate which countries may join the association of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.
According to Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, the organization may have another member - Turkey.
According to the Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the Customs Union, in addition to Turkey, is of interest to Armenia, India, and even Syria.
Nazarbayev, speaking about the interest of Turkey in the organization, said:
"They say that Syria wants to join the Customs Union. Turkey is a big country, we have a common border with the country. This would brush criticism aside, because no matter where you go in the West, they ask questions of whether we are rebuilding the Soviet Union or creating something for Russia? Maybe Turkey's move to join the CU would put and end to these questions," the Kazakh president said.
"Another major economy, India, shows the same interest," Putin noted in his turn.
Russian EU Lobby Irked By Ukraine Re-Buying Its Gas For Less Money
BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Attempts by Ukraine to shed its dependence on Russian energy by organising reverse gas flows from EU countries have been met with strong reactions from the pro-Russia lobby in the EU.
Although officially the EU Institutions have once again opened an anti-trust probe against Gazprom, the initiatives by Ukraine to put in place reverse gas flows, the re-buying of Russian gas sold to other countries, may lead to another gas scandal with Russia on the eve of the new heating season.
Thanks to the efforts of Ukraine's leadership, talks on gas supply diversification have been followed by practical steps.
On the basis of an agreement with the German company RWE on the reverse supply of gas, Ukraine has for the first time proved in practice that it can not only export gas but also import it from Europe if necessary.
In November last year, Ukraine began importing gas from Germany through the territory of Poland in line with arrangements with RWE.
Germany benefits from lower gas prices than other European countries.
Since April this year, Ukraine has also started to get natural gas from Hungary.
In addition, negotiations about the possibility of supplying natural gas to the Ukrainian gas transmission system are taking place with gas transport operators in Slovakia and Romania.
This spring Ukraine launched tests for gas supplies from Slovakia.
However, it is impossible to on to go about permanent deliveries.
Gazprom hinders this and refuses to export gas to RWE through the territory of Slovakia.
Gazprom has got financial leverage on Slovakia.
The Russian gas monopoly reserves and pays for about 90% of transit capacities of the Slovak gas transport system.
The Slovak operator Eustream is happy with this so far, and doesn't intend to revise its transit contract with Gazprom yet.
Especially as Gazprom even suggested granting a gas price discount.
Russia considers that Ukraine physically has no opportunity to get reverse gas supply from Europe.
According to the Gazprom head Alexey Miller, Ukraine actually doesn't import gas, but uses transit Russian gas for its virtual reverse.
According to Russia, this is the violation of the existing contracts.
And as for now, Ukraine is shrinking its consumption of Russian gas.
In 2011 Ukraine bought about 40 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas.
In 2012 this figure was cut to 33 bcm.
The forecast of the government for the current year is 27 bcm.
In the meantime, due to the debts of Naftogaz, Ukraine is getting into greater energy dependence from Russia.
At the end of September, the parliament of Ukraine approved guarantees for Gazprombank's credit to Naftogaz for the sum of €365,4 million ($505 million).
Concurrently, in October President of Russia Vladimir Putin declared that the loan amounting to €549 million ($758 million) was granted to Ukraine.
Amid Ukraine's declarations about the reduction of Russian gas purchases up to the volume of 27.3 bcm this year, Gazprom's concessions in the question of expansion of gas pumping once again testify to the absence of desire to reconsider the provisions of the contract signed in 2009.
In mid-October this year Gazprom representatives reported that the chairman of the board of the company, Alexey Miller, met with the prime minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, in Bratislava.
During the meeting the special attention was paid to the supply of Russian gas to Slovakian consumers and its transit to third countries.
Russian media did not fail to point out that the negotiations took place against the background of attempts by Ukraine to use Brussels pressure to persuade Slovakia in the strategic and financial benefit from the reverse flow of Russian gas to Ukraine.
However Slovakia, in the light of the last year's arrangements with Russia about the discount for gas and payment for the transit lost earlier due to the Nord Stream launch, opposes this scheme.
This year, Ukraine has sharply reduced purchases of the Russian gas.
The main reason lies in the high price of Russian gas and in Russia's reluctance to compromise on the revision of its pricing formula.
Attempts by Ukraine to escape Russian dependence by organising reverse supply from EU countries has predictably been encountered by the activation of the pro-Russian lobby in the EU.
Gazprom has declared that the reverse pumping of gas from the EU is illegal and urges Kiev officials to adhere to the provisions of their contract on gas supply.
The government of Ukraine is trying to diversify gas supplies, the high prices for the Russian gas being the best motivation.
Reverse gas flows from EU countries present a chance to save money and redistribute it for social needs.
Today EU countries and their companies play a part in the tension over the high price of Russian gas in Ukraine.
And it’s not about the forthcoming Eastern partnership summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.
The Russian gas monopoly on the EU market has been stirring irritation in EU countries for a long time.
EU countries realised too late what was behind Gazprom's "kindness", as the company gives discounts for its own gas with one hand, and with the other it systematically carries out the policy of buying up gas transport capacities in these European countries.
Nowadays, the gas reverse from the EU is a real alternative to Russian gas, although over the next three to five years Ukraine will be able to receive a considerable increase of internal gas production as a result of developing shale and deep water shale gas.
The government of Ukraine has already signed all the necessary agreements with the companies Shell, Chevron and ExxonMobil.
The European Commission does not see any contradiction in the re-export of Russian gas to Ukraine with regard to EU legislation.
Besides, less Russian gas in the European market influences directly and favourably the spot gas prices, to the advantage of the European consumer.
And on the eve of the heating season, this advantage is at least as relevant as the probability of aggravating Russia-Ukraine relations.
Tuesday 15 October 2013
Culture In Ukraine: Signs Of A Hipster Rebellion
KIEV, Ukraine -- When it comes to culture venues, Ukraine is garish. With a business climate that leaves little room for bohemians to open a café or theatre on a shoestring, neon signs and plasma screens dominate.
Even the hippest places can seem like ersatz takes on Western European "alternative" style.
The best mainstream gallery, the Pinchuk Art Centre, is as famous for its flashy toilets as for its exhibitions.
But there are signs of an aesthetic rebellion.
"Rozy / Donbass", a song from the Dakh Daughters, went viral on YouTube over the summer, and has apparently been embraced as an anthem of a young and emerging counter-culture.
The song mixes lines from Shakespeare with a Ukrainian folk tune, while "Donbass" is chanted repeatedly, almost menacingly, throughout.
Donbass is the Russian-speaking region where Ukraine's president, Viktor Yanukovych, hails from.
Under his clannish rule, Donbass natives now lead most of Ukraine’s key institutions.
They are also renowned for their flamboyance.
Ukraine's intrepid hipsters already boast an annual arts festival.
In a spirit of ramshackle chaos, Gogol’fest held its sixth edition last month at Vydubychi, a disused industrial complex in the south of Kiev.
The Russian-Ukrainian writer Nikolai Gogol is merely a namesake for an event that draws a broad sweep across the avant-garde, from street art to chamber music.
The festival temporarily converted the industrial hangars into music halls, theatres and a cinema, and the shows were packed.
Attendees were young and enthusiastic.
Many of the highlights, such as performances by the Dakh Daughters, were offshoots from the Dakh theatre and contemporary arts centre, whose director, Vladislav Troitsky, organises the festival.
One particularly popular concert featured Karbido, a Polish jazz-rock band, alongside Dakhabrakha, an “ethno-chaos” band, which has earned some notoriety for making Ukrainian folk music sound cool (the band is now on tour in North America).
"This is not supposed to be a political event, yet in the end it is political," says Mr Troitsky.
He claims that politicians from both the government and opposition parties have approached him with offers to help organise future editions.
"They have realised there is a force here," he adds, though he is quick to assert that there are no plans to compromise the festival's independence.
The cultural institutes of a half dozen member states of the European Union sent participants from their countries to both perform and collaborate in the festival.
Pierre Roti, a French street artist who spent two weeks painting a huge mural on the side of Vidubychi's main building, was enchanted.
He saw Gogol’fest as the shop-front "of a whole new creative generation here," he said.
It is certainly the face of a very different Ukraine.
World Cup Qualifiers: Ukraine’s Win Keeps Dream Alive And Puts Poland Out Of The Picture
kraine kept up the pressure on England at the top of Group H but also ensured Roy Hodgson’s side will face an eliminated team on Tuesday when they beat Poland 1-0 in Kiev last night.
The Ukrainians looked nervous in the first half with the visitors missing two good chances but settled when Andrei Yarmolenko gave them the lead in the 64th minute.
The Dynamo Kiev striker was picked out in the penalty area by Yevhen Konoplyanka before curling the ball into the top corner of the net.
However, Ukraine rode their luck 10 minutes from the end when Robert Lewandowski, who had a shot cleared off the line earlier, headed over from close range.
Mesut Özil got on the scoresheet as Germany confirmed their place in Brazil next year with a 3-0 victory over managerless Republic of Ireland in Cologne.
The Arsenal midfielder struck two minutes into stoppage time at the Rhein Energie Stadium after Sami Khedira and André Schürrle had scored either side of the break to finally kill off caretaker manager Noel King’s stubborn and much-changed Irish side, who hit the bar through Ciaran Clark at 1-0.
Özil’s late contribution was harsh on Republic goalkeeper David Forde, who had to pull off a string of fine saves, the best of them from Schürrle and Thomas Müller.
Wales looked to have earned some breathing space for under-pressure manager Chris Coleman as they moved off the bottom of Group A with a 1-0 victory over Macedonia in Cardiff.
The Welsh, missing 11 players from Coleman’s initial squad selection, ground out a first win in five games thanks to Simon Church’s close-range finish in the 67th minute, before the otherwise excellent Aaron Ramsey failed to convert a penalty.
Goran Pandev and Nikolce Noveski spurned two excellent chances for the visitors, but they could not find an equaliser and deny Craig Bellamy victory in his final home game in a red shirt.
Belgium reached their first World Cup finals since 2002 after on-loan Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku scored two superb individual first-half goals to earn a 2-1 victory in Croatia.
Lukaku, who was replacing Aston Villa’s injured Christian Benteke, struck in the 15th and 38th minutes in Zagreb.
For the first Steven Defour fed the striker and he raced clear of centre backs Vedran Corluka and Dejan Lovren before rounding keeper Stipe Pletikosa.
The second was even better, having chipped the ball over Lovren inside his own half, Lukaku galloped past midfielder Mateo Kovacic, rounded the advancing Pletikosa and walked the ball into an empty net.
Switzerland also booked their place in Brazil with a 2-0 win in Albania, Granit Xhaka and Michael Lang getting the goals for Ottmar Hitzfeld’s side.
Bosnia are on the brink of their first World Cup finals, Manchester City’s Edin Dzeko scoring twice in a 4-1 home victory over Liechtenstein that means a win in Lithuania on Tuesday will secure qualification.
Robin van Persie became the Netherlands’ all-time top scorer when the Manchester United striker got a hat-trick in the 8-1 thrashing of Hungary in Amsterdam.
Van Persie now has 41 international goals, one more than Patrick Kluivert.
Nicklas Bendtner struck twice for Denmark but his goals were not enough to beat already-qualified Italy, who snatched a point from a 2-2 draw with Alberto Aquilani’s injury-time equaliser.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s late winner secured a play-off place for Sweden as they beat Austria 2-1 in Stockholm, while Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema finally ended his long scoring drought for France in their 6-0 friendly win over Australia.
Don’t Forget China In The EU-Russia-Ukraine Triangle
KIEV, Ukraine -- The current international situation allows Ukraine to build a new format of cooperation with three key global political, financial and economic centers – the European Union, the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, and China.
The United States, as a matter of fact, are the part of the western space and provide new opportunities for Ukraine through the Association Agreement with the EU.
The signing of the Association Agreement with the EU (AA) supplies Ukraine with the whole cascade of opportunities which are extremely important for the creation of the competitive state in the present world political and economic environment.
Ukraine won't be able to receive a similar impulse to development independently.
Ukraine's joining of the market of 500 million consumers, and additional opportunities of access to financial resources and modern technologies will give the country every chance for successful modernization in the 21st century.
First of all, the AA will make available new trade opportunities.
The EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Štefan Füle predicts an increase of around 6% of the annual GDP of Ukraine after the AA signing.
Thus, Ukrainian producers will be granted transitional provisions, which will give the Ukrainian economy time (up to 15 years in different spheres) to adapt to the EU standards.
After the start of over 90% of provisions of the Free Trade Area (FTA) between Ukraine and the EU (which is a part of the AA), many Ukrainian exporters will receive new prospects, instead of declining competitiveness because of the narrowing of access to the Russian market.
For example, according to the representative of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine Elena Melnyk, the liberalization in the trade sphere will cover 97% of tariff lines.
And the remaining 3% which have to do with the sphere of agricultural goods will be offered duty-free import of certain volumes of goods.
On the whole, according to general calculations of both parties, as a result of the FTA start between Ukraine and the EU, Ukrainian exporters will save up to €487 million ($657 million) annually, and European - up to €391 million ($527 million).
The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine notes that the FTA with the EU provides cancellation of import duties for the most part of goods, 82,6% - Ukraine, 91,8% - the European Union.
And when it comes to the most sensitive groups of Ukrainian goods (about 15%) the EU establishes access to its markets within duty-free tariff quotas.
According to the government of Ukraine, the agricultural sector will get advantages in the form of reduction of import duties by €330 million ($445 million) for agricultural products and €53 million ($72 million) for the processed agricultural products.
Transition to new standards will stimulate opening up of manufacturings, introduction of new technologies and attraction of investments.
Despite Ukraine's successful advance on the way to European integration, Russia continues its fight for Kiev trying to attract it to its projects – the Customs Union (CU) and the Common Economic Space (CES) with plans of creation of the Eurasian Economic Community by the end of 2015.
Supporters of Ukraine's integration with the Russian Federation (the Communist Party of Ukraine among political organizations) claim that in case of entering the CU and CES, Kyiv will receive 6-10 benefit from a positive effect to the tune of $6 to $10 billion (€4.4 to €7.4).
Their arguments include opportunities of growth of Ukrainian export to the Russian Federation by $5 to $9 billion (€3.7 to €6.6), the cancellation of export duties on hydrocarbons within the CES (which can bring up to $3 billion, or €.2 billion), the full loading of the Ukrainian gas transmission system, the cancellation of protective and technical barriers in trade with the CU countries.
However, the majority of these arguments appear unconvincing taking into account Russia's relations with Belarus which is a part of all Russian integration associations.
Thus, Minsk regularly faces "trade wars" on the side of Moscow; energy resources (first of all, oil and gas) were removed from the framework of the Customs Union by the Russian Federation; and Moscow continues to rigidly use protectionist measures against the Belarusian export, trying to seize control over the most attractive Belarusian assets via the mechanism of privatization.
The similar algorithm has been already applied, and will be used further on in relation to Ukraine no matter which choice of the integration way will be made by Kiev (in 2013 the goods turnover with the Russian Federation has already fallen by 25% amounting to $19 billion, or €14 billion).
Even in case Ukraine switches the vector of integration from West to East, Russia won't cease applying economic pressure, until it receives complete control over Ukrainian assets.
In the context of Ukraine’s options, Beijing can be the ideal supplemental partner for Kiev.
With the signing of the AA between Ukraine and the EU, China will get new opportunities for development of the all-European market through the organization of joint ventures on the Ukrainian territory.
According to recent information from the Ministry of Revenue and Duties of Ukraine, Ukraine-China economic relations are on the rise.
In particular, the share of export-import transactions with China makes up about 8% from the total amount of goods turnout of Ukraine and is on constant increase.
Over the first eight months of 2013 the goods turnover between Ukraine and China has made up $7,3 billion (€5.4) which is 16,6% more by $1 billion than the similar period of 2012.
Foreign trade between Ukraine and China grows at the expense of increase of both import (by 9,2%) and export (by 46,6%).
Besides, recently Chinese state corporation "Xinjiang Production and Construction" has leased nearly 3 million hectares of land for food cultivation for 49 years.
Thus, China starts playing a balance role for the relations with the EU and Russia in Ukraine's foreign economic activities, and allows diversifying the Ukrainian presence at the international markets.
Profound development of relations with the EU, preservation of close cooperation with Russia and the CU countries, and also dynamic growth of trade and economic relations with China can become a new success formula for Ukraine in the XXI century.
Germany’s Gamble With Ukraine
BERLIN, Germany -- Rarely has Germany put so much pressure on one of the EU’s Eastern neighbors as it is now exerting on Ukraine.
The outcome of that pressure will have big consequences for the EU’s—and Russia’s—policy toward Ukraine.
For months, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has made it clear that Berlin will veto a new association agreement between the EU and Ukraine if the latter’s president, Viktor Yanukovich, does not make concessions over the imprisoned opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko.
In 2011, Tymoshenko, a former prime minister, was given a seven-year prison sentence for her alleged abuse of power and involvement in a murky energy deal with Russia.
While she is certainly a controversial political figure with some darker spots in her past, that trial was clearly unfair.
Since then, the German Chancellery, Foreign Ministry, and even the president have intervened on behalf of Tymoshenko, who is now ill and hospitalized.
They insist that Ukraine’s future with the EU depends on Kiev respecting the rule of law and meeting European judicial standards.
In other words: how it deals with the Tymoshenko case.
EU officials have called for her to be pardoned.
Yanukovich, however, does not seem inclined to bend.
He insists that Tymoshenko, the leader of Ukraine’s Orange Revolution of 2004, was convicted at a fair trial, and that as president he cannot interfere in judicial affairs.
The result is that the EU’s strategic policy toward Ukraine has become hostage to this test of wills between Berlin and Kiev.
Ukraine’s political and economic direction now hangs in the balance just weeks before the EU’s Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius.
At that meeting in November, the EU is offering the six Eastern Partnership countries—Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine—an opportunity to forge closer ties with Brussels.
In order to give Kiev a face-saving option, Guido Westerwelle, Germany’s outgoing foreign minister, last week offered Tymoshenko medical treatment in Germany.
Tymoshenko has always refused to leave Ukraine.
But earlier this month, she told Aleksander Kwaśniewski, a former president of Poland, and Pat Cox, a former president of the European Parliament, that she was now prepared to go abroad for treatment, and without a political pardon.
That did not mean that she was emigrating, Tymoshenko told Cox and KwaÅ›niewski, who head the European Parliament’s monitoring mission to Ukraine.
Indeed, this controversial, feisty politician is expected to bide her time until 2015 and then try to run for the presidency.
Yanukovich, who regards Tymoshenko as one of his main political enemies and challengers, has yet to reply to Westerwelle’s offer of medical treatment.
It is hard to know how Yanukovich will get himself out of this corner.
“If Tymoshenko is released, he will acquiesce to considerable pressure from the West,” argues a new report by the Center for Eastern Studies in Warsaw.
“If he does not sign the Association Agreement, it will weaken his position towards Russia.”
Yet even if he does allow Tymoshenko to travel to Germany, there is no guarantee that Ukraine will actually pass and implement the legislation set out in the association agreement.
Å tefan Füle, the EU’s enlargement commissioner, said last week in Kiev that Ukraine still had to show concrete progress in reforming its electoral law and judiciary, including the state prosecutor’s office.
This uncertainty over Ukraine’s commitment to reform is exactly what some senior German policymakers fear.
“We have seen how often Yanukovich has reneged on his promises while always trying to play Russia and the EU off against each other,” said one senior German diplomat.
But what happens if Kiev does meet the EU’s conditions for signing the accord without releasing Tymoshenko?
How would Merkel respond then?
Can the German Chancellery really afford to separate Tymoshenko from the rest of the EU reform package that each Eastern Partnership country must implement in order to obtain closer economic, trade, and political ties with Europe?
In fact, if Merkel overplays her hand, it is Russia that will be the winner.
Russian President Vladimir Putin loathes the idea of Ukraine moving closer to the EU.
And he loathes the idea of Merkel taking such a special interest in Ukraine.
Russia is doing everything in its power to intimidate the EU’s Eastern neighborhood countries into not signing any accord with Brussels.
In the run-up to the Vilnius summit, Moscow has been threatening the countries with trade embargoes and cuts in energy supplies.
The longer the Tymoshenko controversy drags on and keeps the EU association agreement from being signed, the better for Putin.
And for him, the fact that the affair has divided Ukraine’s political elites must be the icing on the cake.
Submarines to be replaced with underwater tanks?
The prospects of a new submarine fleet, whose creation is clearly and distinctly described in the state armaments program and financially backed only up to 2020, are clear. But what will happen next? The situation with fifth-generation submarines also seems to be clear. However, according to the Russian Navy leadership, sixth-generation submarines may not appear. They will be replaced with unified multi-purpose submarine platforms.
Today the basis of naval strategic nuclear forces of Russia is formed by nuclear submarines of third-generation Project 667 BDRM "Delfin" and 667 BDR "Kalmar" (under NATO classification Delta-IV and Delta-III). All six "Delfin" units are deployed in the Northern Fleet, and all four "Kalmar" units - in the Pacific Fleet.
The vessels, of course, are not new, and all built under the Soviet Union, but they still have operational margins. All "Delfin" units and some "Kalmar" units are regularly upgraded and repaired, and their life span can then be extended by at least another 10 years. The Soviet Union school of naval construction was recognized at the time as the best in the world.
Of the 24 submarines of the fourth generation that, according to the Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, will join the battle fleet before 2020, eight are of Strategic Project 955 ("Borei," three units), and the upgraded 955A ("Borei -A," five units). In addition, the Navy will receive eight multi-purpose submarines of project 885 " Yasen." The head boat of project "Severodvinsk" will be deployed in 2013, and the first production one "Kazan" - in 2015.
Eight more boats that will join the fleet by 2020 will be diesel ones. These will be submarines of well-established projects 677 "Lada" and 636 "Varshavyanka."
The continuation of the construction of submarines of Project 636 of third-generation (Advanced Project 877 "Paltus"), according to the information available, is due to the problems identified during the testing of a head boat "Saint- Petersburg."
Despite the fact that this boat was adopted in the so-called pilot operation fleet, its tests are still ongoing. Soon, as early as this year, "St. Petersburg" will set off to deep-water tests in the Northern Fleet.
Other boats of this project, "Kronstadt" and "Sevastopol" whose construction was frozen until this year, will still be completed. "Sevastopol" will be completed with the so-called anaerobic air-independent propulsion system, that is, it will not have the usual diesel engines. This is expected to happen in 2016. The funds have already been allocated, and now it is up to the shipbuilders.
What will happen to the Russian submarine fleet, say, 30-40 years from now? Pravda.ru asked high-ranking military navy and shipbuilders of the two leading Russian shipyards for commentary. The military provided equally cautious answer: let's at least do what we have planned for 2020, and then we'll see.
Heads of shipyards are tactful people and also did not go into details. They advised to focus on the statement of the current Russian Navy Commander Admiral Viktor Chirkov who was appointed only last year.
The Admiral provided some details to specialized journals read only by narrow specialists. During the period between 2021 and 2030 the planned replacement of strategic nuclear submarines that have served their time will continue. That is, the above-mentioned "Delfin" and "Kalmar" units of Soviet construction will be replaced by fourth generation ones "Borei," "Ashes," "Lada," and so on.
"At the same time the work on the creation of long-term naval strategic missile systems and submarines of the fifth generation should be commenced. Serial construction of these submarines will unfold after 2030," the shipbuilding journal quoted Chirkov.
We can already draw a conclusion about the basic requirements for the construction of vessels of fifth generation. They will include increased stealth and travel speed at maximum quietness; improved communication and control; robotic equipment that prevents direct confrontation with enemy ships, as well as increased depth of diving.
But the Admiral hinted that the term "sixth-generation submarines" may not emerge. Some specialized shipbuilding journals quoted Admiral Chirkov as follows: "For the stage encompassing the period from 2031 to 2050, serial construction of submarine combat units on the basis of standardized underwater platforms is planned."
What does the term "uniform" mean? According to naval experts, these will be multi-purpose combat modular mobile platforms. A multi-purpose boat will transform into a strategic one and vice versa. This will only require placing an appropriate module on the underwater platform - a missile complex or other weapons with appropriate characteristics. That is, it is sufficient to have a reliable "running part" that can receive certain weapons when needed.
The new land combat weapons complex "Terminator" that the Russian Army does not have yet is already being installed onto different tested tank platforms. According to military experts, Russia may deploy it when it is tested on a unified heavy tracked platform with "Armata" cipher.
It appears that in 30-40 years or so, when the life span of the submarines now under construction is over, we will have some "underwater tanks. As funny as it may sound, it seems to be the most logical way of development of the submarine fleet in the distant future.
Has Moscow lost its patience?
State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin does not rule out that MPs will decide to conduct parliamentary investigation of the most recent unrest in the West of Moscow. The heads of the Interior Ministry and the Federal Migration Service are to visit the lower house of the Russian Parliament on October 22 to discuss the events that took place in the Russian capital.
Meanwhile, as many as 1,200 people were detained on Monday during a police raid in the West of Moscow. All the detainees were taken to police stations, to investigate their involvement in crimes. At the vegetable warehouse, the police found a suspicious vehicle with money and weapons. Inside, there were several million rubles, three traumatic pistols, two knives and a baseball bat.
After the events in Biryulyovo, the administration of the Moscow police was reshuffled. The head of Central Directorate of Internal Affairs in Moscow, Anatoly Yakunin, appointed new heads in several administrative districts of Moscow.
TV presenter Maxim Shevchenko told Pravda.Ru:
"I think that people do not understand the meaning of the expression "crime has no nationality." The media propagandize that there are some exclusive crimes committed by some poor nations or peoples.
"Let's imagine logically. There's a man standing near an apartment building, he has a knife in his pocket. Then there's a young guy walking by, a handsome, an intelligent-looking guy, he is walking with his girlfriend. That man by the building says harsh words to the guy, and the latter comes into conflict with him and gets stabbed in the stomach or the heart.
"This is a thug by behavior. By all indications, this man is a thug. Only thugs act like this. Uzbek, Kyrgyz or Tajik guys do not act like that. A thug is a universal demeanor. This is obviously a criminal type of a person, and we generalize this criminal type for all migrants - all of them are to blame for this crime.
"Therefore, I believe that the offender belongs to some people, that the offender has a name, but crime does not have nationality. There are no crimes with purely ethnic overtones. Every thug has a knife and many of them hang around the streets every evening, picking at other guys' girls. For a thug, life sucks, if he's not high, of course."
"How do you assess the actions of the Moscow Police? And what do you think about the opinion expressed, by the head of the Moscow Helsinki Group, Lyudmila Alexeeva, who said that on Bolotnaya Square on 6 May 2012, the police acted quickly, but now they came later than was required?"
"The police simply saved those young guys who participated in the pogrom, from more serious crimes. And they saved Moscow from more serious events that could follow. In general, I was surprised to see how coordinated and professional the actions of the Moscow police were. On Bolotnaya Square, the rally had been announced in advance, and the police knew that there would be a large meeting there. For that event, the riot police had been prepared in advance, but no one had been warned when the pogrom in Biryulyovo took place. No one knew it would happen.
I saw the police assessing the situation and cutting off the crowd, there were no beatings, all went well. It took the police about an hour to find those screaming "Kill the blacks!" and "Russia for Russians!" As soon as those people were found, the special operation took place.
The fact that the there are no victims in the crowd, who were seriously injured, shows that the police showed self-sacrifice and humanism. The police were actually trying to protect themselves, rather than attack.
"I'm sure, though, that there will be many criminal cases filed in connection with events in Biryulyovo, because there are many instigators there. Obviously, these instigators have been arrested or will be arrested."
"What, in your opinion, should be done so that the celebration of Eid al-Adha festival goes quiet?"
"From what I know, this year for Eid al-Adha festivities, the Spiritual Board of Muslims and the city authorities have arranged everything well. There were special enclosures provided where they will perform animal sacrifices. These places are near the mosque in Moscow or the Moscow region. The fact that there will be many people in mosques - well, it is the right of citizens to come on a special day to a mosque, to visit their traditional places for religious prayer.
In the end, no one is surprised when there is a crowd of 50,000 people going to a football match. But a football match is a once a week, and Eid al-Adha is once a year.
I think it should be a reasonable approach to prepare the population of Moscow for this holiday as a holiday of their fellow citizens, their neighbors, not a holiday of their enemies.
Will Russia ever have its own aircraft carrier?
It seems that water and air are incompatible as natural element. However, there is such a thing as naval aviation. Judging by modernization plans, Russian naval aviation will see great changes in the future.
After years of debate about whether Russia needs a fleet of vessels with aircraft on decks or surface ships and submarines would be enough, Russian admirals have chosen a sort of "American" model of the fleet: naval groups with an aircraft carrier in the center.
Here is a bit of history. In general, naval aviation per se in Russia has nearly 100 years of experience. On 30 November 1916, the Chief of Naval General Staff, Admiral A.I. Rusin approved "Regulations on the division of naval aviation."
During the Great Patriotic War, for example, naval aviation proved to be most effective of all naval forces. Combat aviation destroyed 407 enemy ships, which accounted for 66 percent of enemy losses. Almost all of their victories took place in 1944 -1945.
Yet, the first Soviet bombing of Berlin in 1941, was carried out by the crews of the 1st mine and torpedo regiment of the Baltic Fleet Air Force.
Today, naval aviation is a branch of the Navy of Russia. Before 2011, the branch consisted of missile-carrying, ground attack, fighter, anti-submarine, search and rescue, transport and special aviation. It is divided into naval aviation and land-based aircraft.
After 2011, naval aviation was divided into coastal, deck-based, strategic and tactical. From the point of view of the management of military units, this division of naval aviation is quite logical.
Back to aircraft carriers. Here is an opinion from naval expert, historian and publicist, first-rank captain, Sergei Aprelev:
"Whether Russia is going to have its own aircraft carriers or not depends on the nation's Maritine Doctrine. Does it involve the solution of problems in the ocean or is it limited to covering up the coastal zone? According to the latest edition of the doctrine, the presence of Russia in the ocean is not going to be canceled, and we intend to position ourselves as a great sea power. This is what we should proceed from.
"By the way, the notion of a single aircraft carrier is absurd - any expert will tell you that! One single aircraft carrier is only needed to create a prestigious image - that's all.
"Speaking of sea power, the meaning of it starts from a group based on an aircraft carrier that would be capable of solving not only the tasks of demonstration, but also operational and strategic tasks. This stipulates a completely different procedure of budgetary expenditures: coastal infrastructure, logistics, carrier-based aircraft, pilot training system for deck-based aircraft, extensive monitoring and targeting systems, including satellite monitoring.
"Finally, aircraft carriers themselves should have reliable power-generating units that would enable such vessels to address all its tasks. Most likely, the creation of the fleet of aircraft carriers will, perhaps, be just as expensive as the creation of a virtually new nuclear submarine of the fourth generation, which is now underway.
"It is clear for me that the prospective construction of aircraft carriers has been related to the distant future - it is not fully included in the state program of armaments, which will last before 2020. This is too costly a case. The state budget will not be able to cope with several areas of fleet modernization...
"A year ago, I remember, the Command of the Navy sent the draft of Russia's first nuclear aircraft carrier with estimated displacement of 60,000 tons to further development. The project was developed jointly by the Krylov Shipbuilding Research Institute and Nevsky Design Bureau. The project was based mainly on the technology of the 1980s.
"The offered the Russian Navy, in fact, the old Soviet aircraft carrier, Ulyanovsk, which was never built due to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Yes, at the end of the 1980s, it would have been a modern aircraft carrier, an adequate response to U.S. aircraft carriers, such as Nimitz. But by 2020, the U.S. will already have state-of-the-art floating airfields of Gerald Ford series that are almost twice the size of the ship proposed by the above-mentioned designers. So there is a lot of work to be done."
Russia does not have key technologies to produce a full-fledged aircraft carrier. There is no, for example, full-fledged airplane catapult. The only current heavy aircraft carrying cruiser, Admiral Kuznetsov, which became part of the Northern Fleet in January 1991, is equipped with a take-off ramp, rather than a catapult.
In general, a full-fledged domestic aircraft carrier is basically a matter of distant future. But once they have decided to build them, adequate measures should be taken already now.
The state program of armaments before 2020 does no contain anything about the construction of new aircraft carriers. In the long term, it was decided that Russia would have two carrier battle groups - in the Pacific and Northern fleets.
It was also decided that new aircraft carriers will be nuclear-powered vessels, although their number has not been specified. To crown it all, it was determined that the construction of the new Russian aircraft carrier will be conducted at two different shipyards in a modular fashion.
In was previously reported in specialized shipbuilding press that the Russian Navy was completing specifications for a new aircraft carrier. It initial appearance will be determined as early as in 2015, and the final draft of the ship should be ready by 2018.
The first ship of the real aircraft carrier class was expected to be lowered on the water for finishing works in 2024. By this time, the navy has to complete the formation of escort groups for each aircraft carrier. The group will consist of missile cruisers, destroyers, submarines, frigates, corvettes, landing ships and support vessels including icebreakers for the Arctic zone - about 10-15 ships in each group.
Along with the construction of aircraft carriers, the military will create new bases for their maintenance, as well as pilot training facilities.
Under to the state program of armaments before 2020, it is planned to conduct a large-scale modernization of Project 1143 Admiral Kuznetsov (before 2020). The not enough reliable boiler-turbine power plant will be replaced with a gas-turbine or nuclear power plant.
The aviation fleet of the modernized ship will consist of 26 new MiG -29K. Plus, the Navy has the intention to extend the resource for heavy carrier-based fighters Su-33 (20 aircraft) for at least five years, or before 2025. In addition, it goes about helicopters and the naval version of the fifth-generation fighter PAK FA T-50, which is now being developed.
In early 2012, Russia launched the modernization of ten transport and combat helicopters Ka-29 designed for deployment on Russian Mistral vessels (purchased from France). The on-board equipment and weapons systems of the helicopter will be upgraded to modern standards.
By 2014, the Navy of Russia will adopt the naval version of the Ka-62 Killer Whale chopper. They will be based on smaller ships, particularly on 20380 Project corvettes.
From 2014 to 2016, MiG Corporation is to deliver 20 single-seat MiG- 29K fighters and four double-seat MiG-29KUB to naval aviation. The aircraft will be part of a separate naval regiment of the Russian Northern Fleet and will be based on the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier.
Russia to test killer of US missile defense, RS-26, later this year
he next test launch of a recently declassified Russian intercontinental ballistic missile RS-26 will be made at the end of this year, from Kapustin Yar range ground in the Astrakhan region, Interfax reports with reference to a source in the space industry.
"This is a new missile, of which the Russian Foreign Ministry notified the Americans in accordance with adequate procedures," the source said, declining to specify the specs, which is expected to replace Topol-M mobile missile complexes.
Previously, the prototype of a new ICBM had been tested four times. The last test launch was made on June 6th, the source said. This is the only launch that was officially confirmed by the Ministry of Defense; no details about the missiles have been provided.
The first launch was carried out on September 27, 2011 from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk region and ended with a failure. The missile fell about ten kilometers far from the launch pad.
There is little information about the new missile. It was developed at the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology under the code "Rubezh" ("Frontier"). The missile is launched from a mobile launcher. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin called the missile a "killer of US missile defense."
Russian nuclear warheads produce half of USA's nuclear power
Nearly a half of nuclear power in the United States is produced by Russian nuclear warheads, Senior Deputy Secretary of State on Disarmament, Rose Gottemoeller, said Oct. 10th in her speech at the First Committee of the UN.
The fuel made from low-enriched uranium is produced by the destruction of nuclear warheads. Then, the fuel is used at nuclear power plants for the production of nuclear energy.
Rose Gottemoeller also added that over the past 15 years, nuclear fuel produced with the use of Russian nuclear warheads, has provided ten percent of all electric power produced in the United States.
The agreement from 1993 between the United States and Russia on the HEU-LEU program (highly enriched uranium - low enriched uranium) expires this year.
The delivery of the last batch of uranium from Russia is scheduled for November.
"We are looking forward to the moment when we celebrate this achievement," said Gottemoeller.
Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov had a meeting with Rose Gottemoeller on October 9th.
The officials focused on the situation in Syria, including the agreement on the international control over Syrian chemical weapons.
Ukraine may refuse from Russian natural gas
Ukraine's Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said that Kiev may replace Russian gas with alternative sources of energy in the future. The reason for refusing from the import of Russian gas is high prices, the official said.
As Azarov said in an interview with Russian journalists, due to the current level of prices, Ukraine is forced to cut its gas imports." In the future, Ukraine may refuse from buying natural gas at such prices from Russia," said the Ukrainian Prime Minister.
In 2011, the country imported about 40 billion cubic meters of gas, and then cut the volume to only 25 billion cubic meters in 2012, bigness.ru said.
The price of Russian gas for Ukraine in 2013 amounted to about $400-410 per thousand cubic meters.
Japanese fighters take off every time Russian planes fly near
Fighter aircraft of Japan's Air Self-Defense Force took off after three Russian planes appeared near the borders of the country.
Two Tu-142 aircraft and one IL -20 flew over the Sea of Japan. It was said that the russian planes did not violate Japan's airspace. Tu-142 flew from the southwest to the northeast along the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido, whereas and IL-20 - in the opposite direction.
This is not the first time when Japan shows its concern over the appearance of Russian aircraft near its borders. According to statistics from the Joint Staff, the fighters of the Air Self-Defense Forces of Japan were alerted 105 times from July to September this year because of the appearance of Russian aircraft near the territory of Japan.
Swiss business aviation operator RUAG Aviation to arrive in Nizhny Novgorod region
During the international exhibition EKSPORIAL, an agreement was reached on cooperation between the Government of the Nizhny Novgorod region and Swiss business aviation operator, RUAG Aviation.
The Swiss company will take part in the development of the regional aviation cluster.
"We discussed the possibility of the development of capacities of
RUAG Aviation at our aviation industrial park, because there is a need in the region to produce aircraft for inter-regional transportation, with the capacity of 20-40 seats," Nizhny Novgorod Governor Valery Shantsev said.
Vice-President of RUAG Aviation, Alexander von Erdmansdorf, said that the governor could see a model of Dornier 228 aircraft, which can be used for inter-regional transportation of passengers and cargo.
"We are very pleased that the delegation of the Nizhny Novgorod region, headed by the Governor, visited our factory of RUAG Aviation. I was particularly pleased to personally tell the Governor about our production, as it turned out that he knows a lot about aircraft. I hope that we will continue to work in the future," he said.
Sunday 13 October 2013
Putin Leads Assault On Ukraine Favoring EU Over Russian Ties
KIEV, Ukraine -- Russia is mounting a last-ditch offensive to torpedo Ukraine’s shift toward Europe as President Vladimir Putin seeks to salvage his dream of a common economic space in the former Soviet Union.
As Ukraine pursues an accord on European Union integration, Russia has disrupted regional trade and sent thousands of troops for war games on the doorstep of the three Baltic nations that joined the bloc in 2004.
The pact is due to be signed next month in Lithuania, alongside similar deals for Georgia and Moldova.
The agreement would be the latest step in Ukraine’s bid to break away from its former Soviet master and poses risks for both sides.
For Putin, the move threatens to wreck his dream of a continent-spanning economic bloc to rival the European Union.
Ukraine is gambling that closer European ties will outweigh the risk of retribution from Russia, which buys a quarter of its imports and supplies it with 60 percent of its gas supplies.
Without Ukraine, “it will be difficult to build Putin’s new Eurasian edifice,” Fredrik Erixon, director of the European Centre for International Political Economy in Brussels, said by e-mail.
“If Russia can only persuade other countries to join it with the power of force rather than persuasion, it will be tremendously difficult to actually achieve something.”
Signing Date
Ukraine, working to overcome a dispute over the fate of jailed ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, plans to sign an Association Agreement and free-trade accord with the EU at a Nov. 28-29 summit in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius.
The pact has been in the works since 2008 and would prevent the nation from joining Russia’s customs union, which so far includes Kazakhstan and Belarus.
Russia opposes the European push and temporarily imposed more stringent checks on its neighbor’s exports in August after banning products from chocolate producer Roshen, owned by former Ukrainian Economy Minister and EU backer Petro Poroshenko, the previous month on health grounds.
This isn’t the first conflict between the countries.
Ukraine has fallen out with Russia in the post-communist years, notably over energy supplies in disputes that have twice halted the flow of gas to European consumers during the winter heating season.
Russia, whose OAO Gazprom (GAZP) covets Ukraine’s energy pipelines, has been offering its neighbor “humiliating” terms to reconsider its gas contract, President Viktor Yanukovych said in August.
“The main problem in Ukraine’s relations with Russia has always been Russia’s use of energy to pressure Ukraine,” Yanukovych said in a Sept. 23 interview in New York.
Credit Risk
The risk of deteriorating relations with Russia was cited among the reasons for a cut in Ukraine’s debt rating by Moody’s Investors Service last month to Caa1, seven steps below investment grade.
“Restrictions could impair economic growth and foreign-exchange generation,” Moody’s said.
“Disagreements with Russia could also extend to other areas in the economic or the political sphere, with negative consequences for Ukraine.”
The cost to insure Ukrainian debt against nonpayment for five years using credit-default swaps rose 176 basis points in the past month, more than for any other country tracked by Bloomberg.
The spread, which rises along with the amount of risk perceived by investors, was 1,042 basis points yesterday, surpassed only by Argentina.
Split Country
Ukraine sells about a quarter of its exports to Russia and the same amount to the EU, according to the nation’s statistics office.
About half of Ukrainians support joining the customs union, a September study by the Eurasian Development Bank showed.
More than 90 percent of the free-trade terms of the agreement will be applied immediately after Ukraine completes all internal procedures, according to a statement from the foreign ministry of Lithuania, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency.
The accord may boost Ukraine’s gross domestic product by 6 percent and its consumer purchasing power by 11.8 percent, it said in a statement on its website today.
Even as OAO Sberbank (SBER) and VTB Group, Russia’s two biggest lenders, organized a $750 million loan to Ukraine last month, Putin warned that closer ties with the EU will have consequences.
“If we see that the signed document hurts our market, then we will have to take measures to protect our market,” the Russian leader said Oct. 8.
‘Who’ll Pay?’
Putin’s administration also raised the specter of a default as a possible result of EU integration.
Signing the accord will mean stricter customs procedures for goods crossing into Russia, which will threaten to push Ukraine to a dire outcome, according to Sergei Glazyev, Putin’s adviser for regional integration.
“Should Ukraine sign the Association Agreement, its trade balance will deteriorate,” he told a conference in the Black Sea resort of Yalta last month.
“Who’ll pay for Ukraine’s default, which will be inevitable?”
Russia also held military exercises with about 12,000 troops in the Baltic region in September as Lithuania leads the charge to bring the ex-communist nations closer to the 28-member bloc.
Moscow on Oct. 7 banned dairy imports from Lithuania, due to what it said were safety concerns, sending lower the shares of AB Rokiskio Suris and AB Pieno Zvaigzdes, the Baltic country’s two largest dairy producers.
Eurasian Goal
On the flip side, Russia is ready to cut a 30 percent customs duty on gas exports to Armenia, the Caucasus country’s government said Oct. 9.
Armenia last month scrapped plans for an EU link, opting instead to join the customs union.
Reeling in Armenia pales compared with the prospect of losing Ukraine, the second most populous country in the former Soviet Union with 45 million people and a key to Russia’s Eurasian union goal.
Putin, a former KGB officer, has called the 1991 Soviet collapse the 20th century’s greatest geopolitical catastrophe.
“We have a great inheritance from the Soviet Union -- infrastructure, industrial specialization, a common language and cultural and scientific space,” Putin said in 2011.
“It’s in our joint interests to use this resource for our development.”
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