Absolutely amazing stuff. Russian President Medvedev has just make an extremely defensive declaration about Russia’s decision not to veto the UNSC resolution on Libya. Here it is in Russian (sorry for those who do not speak the language – its the only version I have found so far): As soon as I get a transcript or a subtitled version I will post it here. My own personal feeling that the
Ever since Russia’s mind-boggling abstention at the UNSC on a resolution which effectively allows for a US/NATO war on Libya I have been trying to make sense of what the hell had happened. First, I was so mad at Russia that I did not bother looking a little deeper into possible Russian motives. Then, when Russia joined China and the Arab League in criticizing the resolution they had just authorized,
(many thanks to C for keeping an eye on this fascinating development!) RIA-Novosti reports: In a rare faceoff with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, President Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday he stood by Moscow’s decision not to veto the UN Security Council resolution on Libya. “Russia did not exercise [the veto power] for one reason: I do not consider this resolution to be wrong. Moreover, I believe that this resolution
RIA Novosti reports: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Monday likened the UN Security Council resolution on Libya to a Medieval crusade call. Russia abstained from a UN Security Council resolution adopted on Thursday imposing a no-fly zone over Libya and measures to protect civilians from leader Muammar Gaddafi’s forces. “The Security Council resolution is deficient and flawed; it allows everything and is reminiscent of a medieval call for a
Russian Prime Minister Putin has just declared on the NTV television news channel that “according to the preliminary results of the investigation the terrorist act is not linked to the Chechen Republic” (Нынешний террористический акт не имеет отношения, по предварительным данным следствия, к Чеченской республике). According to Russian sources, the terrorist was, quote, “of a Mediterranean type which would include Arabs”, unquote. More details soon, hopefully.
The latest sentence given to Khorokovsky has been the pretext for yet another immense outpouring of Western hypocrisy. Just to quote a recent BBC article: US state department spokesman Mark Toner said Washington was concerned by the apparent “abusive use of the legal system for improper ends, particularly now that Khodorkovsky and [former business partner Platon] Lebedev have been sentenced to the maximum penalty”. Later an unnamed senior US administration
By F. William Engdahl for the Real News Network The dramatic confrontation between the politically powerful Mayor of Moscow, Yury Luzhkov and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is far more than a Russian corruption scandal. It is the latest move in a global chess game of power between the faction increasingly lined up behind former President Vladimir Putin and current president Medvedev. At stake is whether Russia becomes an integrated part
The following text is a transcript of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s speech at the opening ceremony of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Good afternoon, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank the forum’s organisers for this opportunity to share my thoughts on global economic developments and to share our plans and proposals. The world is now facing the first truly global economic crisis, which is
(a big thank you! to Slava for finding this here) CNN interview part 1: CNN interview part 2: CNN interview part 3: ARD interview part 1: ARD interview part 2: ARD interview part 3: UPDATE: I just found this info on the Internet: “Free press” at work in Germany: Only 9 minutes of the 1 hour interview with Putin were broadcasted by German state TV ARD. Also on thier website
(thanks to AA who located this!) (CNN) — CNN’s Matthew Chance interviewed Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Thursday. Matthew Chance: Many people around the world, even though you’re not the president of Russia anymore, see you as the main decision maker in this country. Wasn’t you that ordered Russian forces into Georgia and you who should take responsibility for the consequences? Vladimir Putin: Of course, that’s not the case.
Интервью Председателя Правительства Российской Федерации В.В.Путина американской телекомпании “Си-Эн-Эн” Сочи, 28 августа 2008 г. М.ЧАНС: (как переведено) Спасибо, господин Путин, за то, что согласились дать это интервью. Многие люди в мире считают Вас – хотя Вы уже сейчас не являетесь Президентом, Вы являетесь Премьер-министром – главным руководителем в этой стране и считают, что именно Вы отдали приказ о вводе российских войск в Грузию. Действительно ли это так? В.В.ПУТИН: Это, конечно,
Kate Connolly for the Guardian The former US national security adviser, Zbigniew Brzezinski, has called on the world community to isolate Russia in protest over its campaign in the Caucasus, likening its tactics to those of “Hitler or Stalin”. Brzezinski, who was the national security adviser under President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981, and is now an occasional adviser to the Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, said the Russian
“Of course, Saddam Hussein ought to have been hanged for destroying several Shiite villages, and the incumbent Georgian leaders who razed ten Ossetian villages at once, who ran elderly people and children with tanks, who burned civilian alive in their sheds — these leaders must be taken under protection.” Vladimir Putin, source: AP
BUCHAREST, April 4 (RIA Novosti) – Any further expansion by NATO toward Russia’s borders will be interpreted as a direct threat to the country’s security, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday. “The appearance on our borders of a powerful military bloc… will be considered by Russia as a direct threat to our country’s security,” Putin told a news conference after meeting with leaders of the 26-nation alliance on the
(thanks to Mizgin for this submission) Speech at Expanded Meeting of the State Council on Russia’s Development Strategy through to 2020February 8, 2008The Kremlin, Moscow PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN: Citizens of Russia, Colleagues, As I come to the end of this second term in office as President of the Russian Federation I think that I should speak about what has been accomplished over these last years and set out our long-term
Following Putin’s investiture as Russia’s next President after Boris Eltsin Russia underwent a dramatic transformation proving wrong those who had assumed that since Putin ‘had been picked by Eltsin’ the country would continue on its previous course. It is now obvious that the drunken Eltsin had not ‘picked’ anyone, but that powerful forces had imposed Putin as the successor to Elstin who was forced to announce his resignation on live
“A sovereign Iran is in the interest of Russia. At the same time, a powerful Russia is in the interest of Iran” Islamic Revolution Leader Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei welcomed the Russian President’s declaration of Moscow resolve for expanding the bilateral relations with Tehran to unlimited levels adding that the expansion would prove beneficial to both nations. Ayatollah Khamenei told the visiting Vladimir Putin Tuesday night that the two nations
by Stuart Williams Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday warned against military action on Iran and backed its right to nuclear energy, during the first visit to the country by a Kremlin chief since World War II. Putin, attending a summit meeting of Caspian Sea states, arrived in the Iranian capital amid heavy security and secrecy over his travel plans after reports that a squad of suicide bombers planned to
Pravda reports that Russia, Iran and other countries of the Caspian Sea region warned foreign countries on Tuesday against using their territories for launching military action. However, the Caspian states failed to come to an agreement regarding the division of the sea’s enormous energy resources. The declaration at the end of the summit of leaders from the five nations bordering the inland sea, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian
