Russians Sees Better Times Ahead

Arab News/AFP: Russia sees light at the end of tunnel

MOSCOW: It's been a torrid time of late for the Russian economy as the fallout from Ukraine and tumbling oil prices have plunged the country into financial crisis.
But an unexpected recent rebound by the ruble has partially reversed months of pain for the nosediving national currency and fired hope among harried officials in Moscow that there might be a light at the end of the tunnel.

Few analysts were betting on a bounce after the ruble lost over 40 percent of its value in 2014 and carried on the slump into this year.

WNU Editor: For the short term ..... I am not one of those who sees better times in Russia. There are a number of problems, and sanctions are not helping. But for the long term .... definitely .... I am optimistic on Russia's future because of its enormous resource base and the fact that it's younger generation .... Russia's future ..... have a far stronger desire to be a part of the West than my generation or Putin's.

Hmmm ... this is interesting .... 10 Charts That Explain Russia (Forbes)

More News On Russia

Now might be the time to buy Russia. Yes, really. -- CNN
Russian Bonds Drop With Oil as Company Tax Payments Boost Ruble -- Bloomberg
Russia's rich forego some luxuries but still back Putin -- Reuters
Russia Borderline Desperate For Chinese Money -- Forbes
Cabbage in Russia Costs 66% More Than Three Months Ago -- Moscow Times
Nemtsov colleagues try to continue investigation – but face wall of silence -- The Guardian
Boris Nemtsov murder: Authorities identify 'mastermind' behind killing -- IBTimes
The mysterious Moscow 'hit list' shadowing Russian politics -- Mashable
Why the Jihadi Threat to Russia Is Getting Worse -- Bloomberg
Russian Officials Cite 'IS Threat' As Justification For Heightened Security -- Radio Free Europe
Russia Joins China's Asian Infrastructure Bank, But Doubts Its Power Against IMF -- Kenneth Rapoza, Forbes
Russia continues Asian pivot -- UPI
US sanctions against Russia: A tale of two cities -- Dominic Basulto, RBTH
Expats in Russia: No longer a boom - but not all doom and gloom -- Bryan MacDonald, special to RBTH
Is Russia back in the game? -- CNBC
An Interview with Anna Nemtsova About Being a Russian Journalist -- Global Voices
Most Russians see their country as great power – poll -- RT
Will Russia Ever Have Free Elections? -- Fyodor Krasheninnikov, Moscow Times

Why Is Russia Building Bomb Shelters Throughout The Country?

Zero Hedge: Why Is Russia Building Massive Underground Bomb Shelters?

Did you know that the Russians have a massive underground complex in the Ural mountains that has been estimated to be approximately 400 square miles in size? In other words, it is roughly as big as the area inside the Washington D.C. beltway. Back in the 1990s, the Clinton administration was deeply concerned about the construction of this enormous complex deep inside Yamantau mountain, but they could never seem to get any straight answers from the Russians. The command center for this complex is rumored to be 3,000 feet directly straight down from the summit of this giant rock quartz mountain. And of course U.S. military officials will admit that there are dozens of other similar sites throughout Russia, although most of them are thought to be quite a bit smaller. But that is not all that the Russians have been up to.

WNU Editor: Regular readers of this blog know that I have a condo in Moscow .... and yes .... there is a massive bomb shelter in the basement that is stocked for an emergency.

Poll: Russians See Russia As A Great Power

RT: Most Russians see their country as great power – poll

Sixty-eight percent of Russian citizens believe their motherland is a great power that plays a significant role in international politics, according to the latest opinion poll.

The research, conducted by the independent Levada Center, showed that this is the record historical high. The figure is the same as in November 2014. In 1999 the situation was almost the reverse – the share of Russians who saw their country as a great world power was 31 percent, versus 65 percent who said it was not.

Levada Center specialist Karina Pipiya said in comments with Izvestia daily that the share of Russians who were proud for their country remained at a record high despite many negative factors, such as the complicated economic situation, including inflation and other negative consequences for ordinary people.

WNU Editor: I am actually surprised by the 68% figure .... I expected the number to be higher. What's my take .... the cynic in me says that being a great power is actually not a great thing for the simple reason being that you then become more preoccupied with solving the world's problems rather than solving your own.

All Fingers Are Pointing At The Chechen Government In Ordering The Murder Of Russian Politician Boris Nemtsov

President Putin meets with Chechnya's leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, at the Kremlin, December 4, 2014. REUTERS/Alexei Druzhinin/RIA

Georgy Bovt, Moscow Times: Rumors Swirl in Moscow, But Kremlin Is Silent

More than two weeks have passed since the murder of Boris Nemtsov, and investigators have already managed to report the initial results of their work. They have arrested five people: 28-year-old Zaur Dadayev, the former deputy commander of the Chechen Interior Ministry's Sever battalion that serves as Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov's "personal guard," 32-year-old truck driver Shagid Gubashev, 33-year-old private security guard Anzor Gubashev, 35-year-old Tamerlan Eskerkhanov and 45-year-old Khamzad Bakhayev.

One more suspect blew himself up with a grenade during his arrest in Grozny. The man who allegedly shot Nemtsov, Zaur Dadayev, supposedly confessed to the crime. However, human rights activists who visited Dadayev in detention reported that he retracted his confession, that he had been tortured into confessing and that he had only confessed because he was afraid his captors would kill him otherwise.

WNU Editor: When details on the murder of Boris Nemtsov became public .... I pointed out how troubling the Chechen connection was .... and that all fingers pointed to the Chechen leadership. But absent any proof  my speculation was just that .... speculation. But more details are now coming out .... and more to the point .... troubling indications that Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov may have had a hand in it. Even the European press is starting to notice .... Putin just made a huge decision that may explain his strange disappearance (Brian Whitmore, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) .... and one has to wonder where all of this may be heading.

Five Arraigned In The Murder Of Russian Politician Boris Nemtsov. Specualtion Rises On The Involvement Of The Chechen Government

Daily Mail: Shackled and dragged into court, the five suspects who Putin's security services say killed Boris Nemtsov in the Kremlin's shadow

* Investigative Committee applied to court for formal arrest of five suspects accused of Nemtsov's murder
* Appearances come a week after 55-year-old was shot four times in the back while walking near the Kremlin
* Suspect Zaur Dadayev has now admitted involvement in the crime, according to Russian news authorities
* He was arrested in Ingushetia and is thought to have served for ten years in the 'Sever' battalion in Chechnya
* All of the men were escorted into court from a bus with hands bound and masked guards either side
* Other suspects have been named as Anzor Gubashev, Shagid Gubashev and Tamerlan Eskerkhanov

Five suspects including a policeman who served in Chechnya have appeared in court over the assassination of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov.

Their appearances come a week after the 55-year-old was shot four times in the back while walking along a bridge in full view of the Kremlin with his model girlfriend Anna Duritskaya, 23.

One of the suspects - Zaur Dadayev - allegedly made a statement confirming his guilt, Judge Nataliya Mushnikova said. She did not specify his alleged actions.

All of the men were escorted from a bus to Basmanny district court, in Moscow, with their hands bound in front of them and masked men standing either side.

WNU Editor: One of the suspects killed himself before being arrested .... Nemstov murder suspect blows himself up as more arrests made (The Telegraph). The Chechen link is disturbing .... Chechnya link in arrests over Boris Nemtsov murder (AP) .... and everyone is now wondering if Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov was/is involved. Considering the fact that some of the men who have been arrested have served in the Chechen security forces .... and there was zero motive for them to kill Boris Nemtsov .... you have to wonder who ordered this hit. My gut is telling me that the person who killed himself before being arrested was the one who actually organized the assassination .... but the person who told him to conduct this murder ....  that is the million dollar question. For what it is worth .... my instincts are telling me that Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov is involved. Ramzan Kadyrov is also a close Putin ally .... and if he was involved in this killing .... I will predict that he will never see the inside of a courtroom.

Sighhh .... there is a lot more to this killing than what they are telling us.

On a personal note .... the most disturbing conversation that I have ever had with anyone in my life was with a Chechen in Moscow 20 years ago (and I have met a lot of unique people in my life). I am not going to go into the details .... but let us just say that life is very cheap to some of them .... and based on that experience, it will not surprise me if these Chechens are responsible for the Boris Nemtsov assassination.

More News On Five Arraigned In The Murder Of Russian Politician Boris Nemtsov

5 Nemtsov killing suspects arraigned; 1 said to admit guilt -- AP
Two suspects held over murder of Kremlin critic Nemtsov -- Reuters
Man held for killing Nemtsov admits involvement: judge -- Reuters
Judge: Suspect in Russian assassination confessed -- USA Today
Boris Nemtsov: two charged over killing of Russian opposition politician -- The Guardian
Zaur Dadayev pleaded guilty of involvement in murder of Nemtsov — court -- ITAR-TASS
Nemtsov killing: Russia court charges two men with murder -- BBC
Russia Formally Charges Two Suspects in Nemtsov Killing -- WSJ
Moscow Court Charges Two Suspects in Nemtsov Investigation -- Bloomberg
All Five Suspects in Murder of Politician Nemtsov Arrested in Moscow -- Sputnik
5 suspects arrested over Nemtsov murder, 1 'confessed' - court -- RT
Suspect Pleads Guilty to Taking Part in Russian Politician Nemtsov's Murder -- Sputnik

Update: Chechen leader acknowledges knowing some of the men who have been arrested for the murder of Boris Nemtsov .... Kadyrov: Nemtsov suspect a 'deep believer' angered by Charlie Hebdo (The Telegraph).

Russian Intelligence Service: 2 Suspects Detained In The Murder Case Of Russian Politician Boris Nemtsov

CNN: Russian authorities arrest 2 in killing of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov

(CNN)Russian authorities arrested two men Saturday in the killing of a leading opposition figure, Russian state media reported.

Boris Nemtsov, one of President Vladimir Putin's most outspoken critics, was shot in the back on a Moscow bridge as he walked with his girlfriend near the Kremlin in late February.

Surveillance video showed someone darting from the sidewalk and into a nearby car right after Nemtsov

More News On Reports That 2 Suspects Have Been Detained In The Murder Of Politician Boris Nemtsov

Two suspects held over murder of Kremlin critic Nemtsov -- Reuters
2 Nemtsov suspects detained in Russia, prompting skepticism -- AP
Nemtsov murder: Two held over killing of opposition politician -- BBC
2 Suspects Are Detained in Killing of Kremlin Critic -- NYT
Head of FSB: two persons suspected of murdering Boris Nemtsov are detained -- ITAR-TASS
2 suspects in Nemtsov murder detained - FSB chief -- RT
Two Suspects Arrested in Nemtsov's Murder Investigation -- Sputnik
Russia arrests two over murder of Putin opponent gunned down outside the Kremlin -- Daily Mail
Russia arrests two suspects in Nemtsov murder inquiry -- Euronews
Two Detained in Nemtsov Murder Probe -- VOA
Russia detains two suspects in Nemtsov murder case -- Al Jazeera
Russia's Most Notorious Hitman Claims Nemtsov's Killers Were Amateurs -- Sputnik

Russian Politician Boris Nemtsov Was Killed In A High-Security Area

ABC News: Boris Nemtsov Shot in Russia: 18 Cameras, But None Captured Mysterious Killing of Putin Critic

The shooting death of Boris Nemtsov happened in what might be one of the most watched location in all of Russia. It was brazen --literally a stone's throw from the famous Kremlin wall.

ABC News counted at least 18 security cameras in the immediate vicinity of the site where, according to Russia's Investigative Committee, Nemtsov was shot multiple times in the back and killed late Friday night. They are in plain sight. There may be many more we can't see.

WNU Editor: ABC News' Hamish MacDonald tours the location where the Russian opposition leader was gunned down .... and it is quite revealing.

Update: This is a sobering analysis of the killing .... Russian Security Expert: Time, Place Of Nemtsov's Killing Had 'Symbolic Significance' (Valentin Baryshnikov, Radio Free Europe)

Investigation Into The Murder Of Russian Putin Critic And Politician Nemtsov -- News Roundup March 2, 2015

Daily Mail: Model girlfriend of murdered Russian opposition leader under armed guard begs to 'go home to my Mama' in Ukraine amid fears she is being 'set up' by Putin

* Anna Duritskaya, 23, says she does not know who killed Boris Nemtsov
* Mr Nemtsov's girlfriend spoke out for first time since witnessing killing
* Model, 23, said she wanted to 'go back to my Mama' in Kiev, Ukraine
* The Ukrainian also revealed that she has been barred from leaving Russia
* Her mother earlier said she feared she was being 'set up' over the murder
* Mr Nemtsov was with Ukrainian Miss Duritskaya when he was killed
* Fears Putin is trying to link Mr Nemtsov's death to the conflict in Ukraine
* Thousands took to the streets of Moscow in an anti-Kremlin rally yesterday

WNU Editor: No one saw anything. No one has been arrested. And it appears that there are no leads on why he was killed .... except that he had a lot of enemies. This investigation is not looking promising.

Investigation Into The Murder Of Russian Putin Critic And Politician Nemtsov -- News Roundup March 2, 2015

Putin critic Nemtsov's date says she did not see his killer -- AP
Nemtsov's shaken girlfriend says she didn't see killer -- Reuters
Girlfriend of murdered Putin critic breaks silence -- FOX News
Key Witness Says She Didn’t See Nemtsov’s Killer -- WSJ
Model Dating Boris Nemtsov: Girlfriend Describes What She Saw When Putin Critic Was Gunned Down -- ABC News
Ukrainian Woman With Nemtsov on Fateful Night Is Kept Under Armed Guard -- Moscow Times
Boris Nemtsov murder: Girlfriend still held by police -- BBC
Boris Nemtsov’s Ukrainian Girlfriend Still Being Held by Moscow Police -- Newsweek
Eyewitness of Nemtsov's Murder Failed to Get Good Look at Killer, His Car -- Sputnik
Witness of Russian politician's murder not allowed to leave Moscow for safety concerns -- ITAR-TASS
Some of the CCTV Cameras at Nemtsov Murder Site Were Shut Off – Media -- Sputnik
Officials Deny Cameras Were Off During Nemtsov's Murder -- Sputnik
Lavrov Critisizes 'Provocative' Attempts to Politicize Nemtsov's Murder -- Sputnik
Putin critic Boris Nemtsov killed: Mother of witness speaks out -- CNN

The Investigation Into The Murder Of Russian Putin Critic And Politician Nemtsov -- News Roundup March 1, 2015

Daily Mail: The final moments of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov caught on CCTV: Footage 'shows killer on foot jumping into a car after carrying out hit'

* Boris Nemtsov was gunned down on Great Moskvoretsky Bridge on Friday
* CCTV footage of moment the 55-year-old was shot four times has emerged
* It purports to show gunman making escape in organised getaway car
* Russian media reports the killer had been waiting for Nemtsov on foot
* Vladimir Putin said his murder had 'all the makings of a contract hit'
* The Russian President denied having any involvement in the shooting
* Critics claim Nemtsov was shot after publicly condemning the leader
* Ukrainian President fingered the Kremlin as the culprits of his death

WNU Editor: What we know so far is the following .... Mr Nemtsov had had been out for dinner with his Ukranian model girlfriend Anna Duritskaya in the GUM Department store (Bosco Restaurant .... which by the way is a fantastic restaurant) across from Red Square. They were walking home when he was shot in front of her on Friday night ... apparently the gunman was waiting for him at the bridge, and after shooting him made his escape in an organized getaway car. The getaway car has been found, but the police are providing no additional information. The focus is now on his girlfriend .... Does this young model hold the key to the killers at the Kremlin? Ukrainian was with Russian opposition leader when he was gunned down in 'politically-motivated murder' (Daily Mail) .... but aside from her family and friends who are talking about her .... no other information has been released. He also apparently did have an interesting love life .... Slain Russian’s Complicated Romantic Life May Be Key to the Case (Observer).

My worry is that because Russia does not have a good history when it comes to solving crimes like this .... this crime will also not be solved. If that becomes the case .... it is going to taint the entire Russian political system for years .... and it will undermine and/or put into doubt Russian President Putin's authority and credibility.

The Investigation Into The Murder Of Russian Putin Critic And Politician Nemtsov -- News Roundup March 1, 2015

Boris Nemtsov killed in Moscow LIVE UPDATES -- RT
Witness Describes Killer of Russian Politician Boris Nemtsov -- Sputnik
Death threats and a late night dinner before Russia's Nemtsov was shot dead -- Reuters
Russia Probes Motives in Killing of Putin Critic Boris Nemtsov -- WSJ
Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov shot dead in Moscow -- ITAR-TASS
CCTV footage shows moment that Russian opposition leader was gunned down -- The Telegraph
Boris Nemtsov’s Murder Caught on CCTV Camera (VIDEO) -- Sputnik
Opposition leader Nemtsov’s murder caught on CCTV camera (VIDEO) -- RT
Nemtsov murder caught on tape? Video may offer clues -- FOX News
About $50,000 Reward Offered for Information on Nemtsov's Murder -- Sputnik
Boris Nemtsov murder: Kremlin accused of whitewash over probe into leading opposition figure's killing -- The Telegraph
After Boris Nemtsov’s Assassination, ‘There Are No Longer Any Limits’ -- Julia Ioffe, NYT
Who was Boris Nemtsov and why was he murdered? -- Lisa Suhay, CSM
Moscow Offers No Answers, But Plenty Of Theories, On Nemtsov's Death -- Radio Free Europe
Why was Boris Nemtsov murdered? The competing theories -- The Telegraph
Lessons from the death of Russia’s Boris Nemtsov, a Putin foe -- John Lloyd, Reuters
Boris Nemtsov: Opposition figure who took on Vladimir Putin -- CNN
Who was outspoken Putin critic Boris Nemtsov? -- USA Today
The Assassination of Boris Nemtsov: More a Shock Than a Surprise -- Matt Schiavenza, The Atlantic
Nemtsov murder: Russian society polarised as theories abound -- Artyom Liss, BBC

Speculation Abounds In Russia On Who Murdered Putin Critic Nemtsov

People come to lay flowers at the site where Boris Nemtsov was killed. (Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters)

Washington Post: Russian opposition leaders see Kremlin links to Nemtsov slaying

MOSCOW — Russian opposition leaders on Saturday accused the Kremlin of being behind the death of a towering figure of post-Soviet politics, Boris Nemtsov, as they struggled to come to grips with the highest-profile assassination of President Vladimir Putin’s 15 years in power.

Nemtsov was gunned down late Friday, steps from the Kremlin and underneath the swirling domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral — the heart of power in Russia and one of the most secure areas in the nation. The slaying of one of Putin’s most biting critics swept a wave of fresh vulnerability over those in the opposition, and some expressed new fears for their lives.

WNU Editor: This is the number one news story in Russia today .... and trust me on this one .... people are going to talk about it for a long time .... more so if the perpetrators of this crime are not caught.

WNU Editor: Here are some good pictures and videos of the Nemtsov murder scene .... Boris Nemtsov’s murder resembles past Russian contract hits (Quartz).

Boris Nemtsov, Prominant Putin Critic, Assassinated Near The Kremlin

BBC: Russia opposition politician Boris Nemtsov shot dead

A leading Russian opposition politician, former Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov, has been shot dead in Moscow, Russian officials say.

An unidentified attacker in a car shot Mr Nemtsov four times in the back as he crossed a bridge in view of the Kremlin, police say.

He died hours after appealing for support for a march on Sunday in Moscow against the war in Ukraine.

WNU Editor: Many in the Western press are calling him the Russian opposition leader .... this is incorrect .... Gennady Zyuganov head of the Communist Party came in second in the last Presidential election , and he is regarded by many to be the "unofficial" leader of the opposition. But it is true that Boris Nemtsov was a prominent and vocal Putin critic, and while he may not have held an elected position for years, his supporters and the attention that the Russian media gave him over the years did succeed in putting him in the spotlight. As to who killed him .... I do not know. It was my cousin in Moscow who called to tell me that he was assassinated .... and when I heard the news I said to myself that the authorities who are going to investigate his murder are going to find that they have a long list of possible suspects. Over the years he made a lot of people angry ... especially his exposes on corruption .... but who knows .... it could have been a personal matter that got him killed. I will admit that later I started to speculate that maybe a pro-Russian separatist wanted to silence him because of his opposition to Russia' participation in the Ukraine war, and then a part of me was wondering if this was maybe a false-flag operation instituted by the someone in Kiev who wanted to embarrass Putin and to put the blame on the separatists. Each and everyone of these "theories" have their supporters and critics .... and I am sure that this debate is going to go on for the next weeks. As to the theory that Putin or someone in his inner circle ordered the hit .... I really doubt that. You would only create a martyr, and on top of that Boris Nemtsov was in no position to be a threat to Putin .... he was a minor politician who suffered numerous electoral defeats since the 1990s. But it is also true that Boris Nemtsov did expose some of the corruption that has flourished under Putin .... and because of that he may have made some enemies who got their revenge today.

But there is one thing about this case that is bothering me .... Boris Nemtsov was murdered within sight of St. Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin .... this is within the security perimeter of the Kremlin. Security within Moscow is incredibly intense .... but more so within sight of the Kremlin.You just do not kill somebody and be able to drive away .... but on the possibility that this is exactly what happened .... this is then a huge security failure .... or something very deliberate.

On a personal note .... Boris Nemtsov was murdered at 11:30 PM walking with a female friend (Ukrainian model Anna Duritskaya, 23) crossing the Bolshoy Moskvoretsky bridge ... I have done that same walk many times in the past ... and yes ... with a female friend. Across the bridge there are a number of late night cafes and bars .... I can easily see them walking over there to end the night.

More News On The Murder Of Boris Nemtsov

Russian opposition leader Nemtsov shot dead in Moscow -- Reuters
Boris Nemtsov, outspoken Putin critic, shot dead in Moscow -- CNN
Russian Opposition Member Boris Nemtsov Was Killed in Moscow -- Bloomberg
'Nemtsov was an outspoken critic of Russia's involvement in Ukraine' -- Deutsche Welle
Boris Nemtsov, leading Putin critic, shot and killed in Moscow -- FOX News
Murdered Putin critic Boris Nemtsov did not pose any threat: Kremlin -- IBtimes
Several Cars Checked After Drive-By Murder of Boris Nemtsov - Source -- Sputnik
Funeral March to Replace Moscow Opposition Rally After Nemtsov Murder -- Sputnik
Nemtsov was no threat to Russian govt - presidential spokesperson -- RT
Boris Nemtsov: Who was the Russian opposition leader? -- ABC News (Australia)
Profile: Boris Nemtsov -- BBC
Russia robbed of a brave, authentic and distinctive voice -- Luke Harding, The Guardian
Boris Nemtsov Exposed Putin's Corruption—And Paid With His Life -- Michael Weiss, Daily Beast

Update: This is a good summary .... Who is Mr. Nemtsov and Why He Was Killed (Sputnik).

Russia Displays Air Defense Systems In The Middle Of Moscow

People walk past a launcher truck which is used as a part of the S-400 air defence mobile missile launching systems in front of Russian Army Theatre in Moscow, December 8, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin

Russia Displays Air Defense Systems Amid Ukraine Tensions -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Russia displayed its mobile air defense missile systems in central Moscow on Monday, underlining its military might amid tensions with the West over Ukraine.

President Vladimir Putin said last week that Russia would have enough resources and resolve to protect it from what he described as enemies seeking to dismember the country.

Mounted on dark green military trucks, the S-400 'Triumph' and Pantsir-S1 surface-to-air missile systems, as well as the Kasta radar station, appeared outside the capital's huge Russian Army Theatre.

Read more ....

My Comment: I have a condo a few blocks away from Red Square .... and over the years when I stay there I have seen many military convoys, parades,  and exhibitions. But it has been a long time that I have seen something like this .... and shown in such a public matter. I guess the equivalent would be a Patriot missile system being deployed in Central Park, or one near the White House and/or Pentagon ... it is something that you do not see everyday.

Russia Just Relaxed Its Gun Laws

Some Russians Are 'Horrified' By The Lax New Gun Legislation -- Business Insider

After a change to national gun law on Tuesday, Russians can now carry certain guns in public for the purposes of "self-defense."

The new policy allows the use of weapons to "protect their lives, health and property" but not against "women, disabled persons, and minors, unless they attacked you with a group and arms," according to an analysis by Russian media site Arguments and Facts.

These weapons include "long-barreled weapons, pistols, revolvers, 'home-made tubeless firearm units' with cartridges, bullets and ammunition; gas pistols and revolvers, electric shock devices, devices equipped with tear gas, and home-made spark gaps," according to the state-owned TASS news agency.

Read more ....

My Comment: How times have changed. Growing up in the old Soviet Union having a firearm was limited to government/military/law enforcement .... hunting rifles were permitted but it was limited. Today .... you can have an arsenal in your home (and many do) .... and no one will be bothered. As to what is the public opinion on the street in Russia .... many support this change. As to what is my take .... my last gun was a Browning 20 Gauge .... but I have lost the thrill of shooting a long time ago. Today .... I prefer to be on the golf course attacking a little white ball with a club.

The Mysterious Death Of Russian Actor And Dissident Alexei Devotchenko

Actor and opposition activist Alexei Devotchenko has been found dead at his apartment. Wikicommons

Outspoken Actor Alexei Devotchenko Found Dead in Moscow -- Moscow Times

Acclaimed theater actor and opposition activist Alexei Devotchenko has been found dead in a pool of blood at his apartment in northeastern Moscow, news reports said.

Devotchenko, 49, was discovered with slashes on his body, unnamed polices sources were cited as saying by the LifeNews website, which has strong links to the Russian security services.

An early report by the TASS news agency quoted a law enforcement source as saying the death appeared to be violent, though the Investigative Committee later denied this in comments to Interfax.

Devotchenko, who also suffered a head injury before his death, had been drinking heavily and could have had a heart attack, a police source told Interfax.

Read more ....

My Comment: This is a personal note .... I have met and talked with Alexei Devotchenko on a few occasions in the past. I have disagreed with some of his point of views, but I did support his cause to limit the rise of sky-scrappers in Saint Petersburg. My family in Russia is heavily involved in development and construction, and we are also major property owners in Saint Petersburg, Moscow, and in the outlining regions of these two cities. He approached me through a friend to get my support to convince my cousins to not develop office high rises .... and yes .... he was successful in convincing us to put a moratorium for a few years. Besides .... we all knew that if the developments around us did proceed (which they have), it would only enhance the value of our own properties. I have also seen him performed on stage .... his death is a loss .... and for Russians who enjoyed his performances, he will be missed.

The Growing Exodus Of Russian Money And Brains

Russian President Vladimir Putin walks down the stairs upon his arrival at Belbek airdrome near the Crimean port of Sevastopol, August 13, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Alexei Nikolsky/RIA Novosti/Kremlin

Putin's Ukraine Gamble Hastens Exodus Of Russian Money And Talent -- Reuters

(Reuters) - The Kremlin's worst clash with the West since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union has accelerated the outflow of two of Russia's most prized assets: money and brains.

Vladimir Putin's annexation of Crimea and support for rebels accused of shooting down a passenger plane over Ukraine then hindering the recovery of the 298 bodies have shredded Western hopes of a lasting alliance with Moscow.

Sanctioned by the United States and European Union, Putin's courtiers are under fire, Russia's $2 trillion economy is threatened with isolation and millions of Russians across the world are wondering what next.

Read more ....

My Comment: Yup .... I have seen this trend in the past two months. Putin enjoys enormous support among the Russian population .... but .... his biggest critics are those with money and/or those with the smarts who know that such a situation will harm everyone economically .... and that their future will best be served elsewhere. My prediction .... many of those who are leaving will probably end up like me .... trying to position ourselves to live in both the West and in Russia .... but primarily in the West. As to those Russians who are interested in what countries to go to .... my recommendation is Canada, Australia, and if you have the money .... Switzerland.

Top Russian Official Admits That They Are Not Worried About The $50 Billion Yukos Ruling Against Them. They Are More Worried About The 'Coming European War'

 

The Shocking Reason Putin Isn't Worried About The $50 Billion Yukos Ruling -- Zero Hedge 

Having $50 billion of assets under potential seizure is enough to make anyone whince.

However, despite a quickly worded statement on the Yukos award, Vladimir Putin seems less than anxious to find a resolution.

We think we know why... and it's very concerning...

As The FT reports confirming our earlier comments...

The award is a landmark not just for its size – 20 times the previous record for an arbitration ruling.

The tribunal also found definitively that Russia’s pursuit of Yukos and its independently-minded main shareholder, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a decade ago was politically motivated. 

Though Russia cannot appeal against the award, Moscow said it would pursue all legal avenues for trying to get it “set aside”.

Even if the ruling stands, shareholders face a tortuous battle trying to enforce it. If Moscow refuses to pay, they must pursue Russian sovereign commercial assets in the 150 countries that are party to the so-called 1958 New York Convention on enforcing arbitration awards.

Read more ....

More News On The Yukos Ruling  

Russia to appeal $50bn Yukos shareholder payout -- BBC
Hague court orders Russia to pay $50 billion in Yukos case -- Reuters
Yukos Shareholders Awarded About $50 Billion in Court Ruling -- NYT
Russia Must Compensate Yukos Shareholders, European Court Rules -- WSJ
Ex-Yukos shareholders awarded compensation -- Deutsche Welle

 My Comment: The money quote in this Financial Times report is in the last paragraph ....

.... One person close to Mr Putin said the Yukos ruling was insignificant in light of the bigger geopolitical stand-off over Ukraine. “There is a war coming in Europe,” he said. “Do you really think this matters?”

I would love to know who is the official who made that remark.

Russia: 74 million acres burned through August 2012

NASA image, acquired September 11, 2012

From NASA Earth Observatory
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=79161

The summer of 2012 has proven to be the most severe wildfire season Russia has faced in a decade. Unlike 2010, when severe fires raged in western Russia, most of the fires in 2012 have burned through taiga in remote parts of eastern and central Siberia.

On September 11, 2012, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this image of fires burning in Tomsk, a region of south central Siberia where severe wildfires have burned throughout the summer. Thick smoke billowed from numerous wildfires near the Ob River and mixed with haze and clouds that arrived from the southwest. Red outlines indicate hot spots where MODIS detected the unusually warm surface temperatures associated with fires.

More than 17,000 wildfires had burned more than 30 million hectares (74 million acres) through August 2012, according to researchers at the Sukachev Institute of Forest in the Russian Academy of Sciences. In comparison, 20 million hectares burned last year, which was roughly the average between 2000 and 2008, according to an analysis of MODIS data published in 2010.

Another way to gauge the severity of a wildfire season is to consider the smoke emissions. Fires emit a range of gases and particles into the atmosphere that can be detected by ground-based, aircraft, and satellite instruments. The two most common emissions are carbon dioxide and water vapor; however, incomplete combustion also generates carbon monoxide, an odorless and poisonous gas. In fact, fires are the source of about half of all carbon monoxide in the atmosphere.

Though ground and aircraft sensors provide the most accurate measurements of carbon monoxide for a localized area, satellites offer the best way to monitor wildfire emissions over broad regions, particularly in remote areas where there are fewer ground-based instruments. Christine Wiedinmyer, a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, has developed a model that ingests MODIS observations of fires and combines them with other information about vegetation (such as the percentage of tree cover and the type of forest) to calculate the quantity of emissions.

In September 2012, Wiedinmyer used her model to calculate Russian fire emissions for every year dating back to 2002. She found that the amount of carbon monoxide produced in 2012 was significantly more than what was produced in 2010 and the second most in a decade. Through August 31, the model showed that Russian wildfires had released an estimated 48 teragrams of carbon monoxide since the beginning of 2012. By comparison, the model estimated fires yielded just 22 teragrams of carbon monoxide in all of 2010.

Only one year—2003—had higher overall emissions. In that year, when severe fires burned in eastern Russia, wildfires produced an estimated 72 teragrams of carbon monoxide.

References
- Wiedinmyer, C. (2011). The Fire Inventory from NCAR (FINN): a High Resolution Global Model to Estimate the Emissions from Open Burning. Geoscience Model Development.
- Vivhar, A. (2010, July 13). Wildfires in Russia in 2008-2008: Estimates of Burn Areas Using Satellite MODIS MCD45. Remote Sensing Letters.
- Langmann, B. (2009, July 13). Vegetation Fire Emissions and Their Impact on Air Pollution and Climate. Atmospheric Environment.

Further Reading
- Russian Government. (2012, August 6). Dmitry Medvedev on a Working Visit to the Tomsk Region Holds a Meeting on the Situation in the Constituent Entities of the Russian Federation Suffering from Abnormally High Temperatures in 2012.Accessed September 12, 2012.
- Russian Government. (2012, August 6). Dmitry Medvedev Holds a Meeting With Tomsk Region Governor Sergei Zhvachkin. Accessed September 12, 2012.
- Ranson, J. (2012, July). Siberia 2012: A Slow and Smoky Arrival. Notes from the Field.

NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, LANCE MODIS Rapid Response Team, Goddard Space Flight Center. Caption by Adam Voiland, with information from Christine Wiedinmyer, Jon Ranson, and Vyacheslav Kharuk. Instrument: Aqua - MODIS

Fires are raging again across Russia

NASA satellite image, acquired April 24, 2012 

Back in April, thousands of hectares were burning when NASA captured above image of fires in a rural area north of Omsk, a city in south central Russia near the Kazakhstan border, according to the NASA report accompanying the image.

In May 6, 2012, the Voice of Russia reported some 11000 hectares (about 42.4 square miles) of forests in Siberia to be on fire.

Lena River, Siberia - Wikipedia

Earlier this month, eight Russian paratroopers died fighting a massive forest fire in southern Siberia, reports UPI.

Russia has now declared a state of emergency in several eastern regions, due to hundreds of wildfires, reports NASA.

Smoke from fires burning in Siberia can travel across the Pacific Ocean and into North America. A NASA analysis of satellite images shows that aerosols from fires took six days to reach America's shores. In certain cases they saw smoke that actually circles the globe, describes NASA.

These fires are causing a lot of emissions, including soot that can be deposited on the ice in the Arctic, resulting in more sunlight to be absorbed which will speed up the melt.

Furthermore, high temperatures in Siberia will warm up the water in rivers, causing warm water to flow into the Arctic, as illustrated by above Wikipedia image highlighting the Lena River and the August 3, 2010, satellite image below, showing warm river water heat up the Laptev Sea (degrees Celsius).

The image below was edited from a report by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center, describing that the globally-averaged temperature for May 2012 marked the second warmest May since record keeping began in 1880.

NOAA image, temperature anomalies for May 2012

The image below was edited from a recent NASA report describing a total of 198 fires burning across Russia. As the inset shows, the fires on the main image are part of an area where further fires are raging.

NASA satellite image, acquired June 18, 2012

Below are two maps from the NOAA Climate Prediction Center, showing temperature anomalies in Southern Russia for the week from June 10th to 16th, 2012, of over 7 degrees Celsius (12.6 degrees Fahrenheit), with temperatures in areas around the Caspian Sea reaching over 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

Perhaps even more worrying than high temperatures in Southern Russia are high temperature anomalies in Northern Siberia, some of which were in the 16-18 degrees Celsius range for the week from June 10-16th, 2012 (see NOAA image below).

Satellite image June 15, 2012 from DMI - http://ocean.dmi.dk/arctic/satellite/index.uk.php

Source: mapsofworld.com via Sam on Pinterest