U.S. Sanctions - Russia Strikes Back

俄或停止向美国供应火箭发动机 以回应美制裁

Headline: Russia probably stops supplying the U.S.
with missile engines as an answer to U.S. sanctions.

据俄新社5月13日报道，俄罗斯副总理罗戈津13日表示，俄罗斯或暂停向美国供应RD-180和K-33火箭发动机，以回应美国的制裁。

According to a Russian news agency report on May 13, Russia's deputy prime minister Rogozin made clear the same day that Russia suspends further supply of RD-180 and K-33 missile engines to the U.S. as an answer to U.S. sanctions.

[Source: XinHua Network 新华网, quoted by 中国甘肃网 on May 14, 2014]


The RD-180 (РД-180, Ракетный Двигатель-180, Rocket Engine-180) is a Russian-designed-and-built rocket engine. It features a dual-combustion chamber, dual-nozzle design and is fueled by a kerosene/liquid oxygene mixture. Currently RD-180 engines are used for the first-stage of the U.S. Atlas V launch vehicle and which is expended at each launch. Therefore, a steady supply of RD-180 engines is needed.

Doubts about the reliability of the supply chain for the RD-180 arose following the Ukraine crisis in March 2014. For over 13 years since the engine was first used in the Lockheed Martin Atlas III launch vehicle in 2000, there was never any serious jeopardy to the engine supply, despite an uneven record of U.S.-Russian relations since the Cold War.

Deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin now said "Russia will ban the United States from using Russian-made rocket engines for military launches" thus targeting the frequent military payloads of the ULA Atlas V launch vehicle which powers its first stage with two RD-180 engines.

Originally intended was a co-production of the RD-180 engine by Pratt&Whitney, however up to now all engines have been produced in Russia.




test-firing of an RD-180 engine

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Rogozin, one of the senior Russian officials sanctioned by the European Union and United States after Moscow moved to annex Crimea, was turned away when his plane tried to fly to Moscow from Moldova's breakaway Transdniestria region.

According to his tweets in English, Rogozin, who oversees Russia's powerful arms industry, was also blocked by Ukrainian interceptor jets as he tried to fly home from the Russian-speaking region of Moldova bordering Ukraine.

"Upon US request, Romania has closed its airspace for my plane," he tweeted. "Ukraine doesn't allow me to pass through again. Next time I'll fly on board TU-160." The supersonic Soviet-era TU-160 is Russia's largest strategic bomber.

On Saturday the Romanian foreign ministry asked Moscow to clarify whether Rogozin's comments represented "the Russian Federation's official position towards Romania as an EU and Nato member".

[Source: The Guardian, British daily on May 10, 2014]




罗戈津：若摩尔达维亚与欧盟建立联系国关系 俄与其关系或改变

Rogozin: If Moldavia and the EU establish relations of national significance, the relationship between Russia and them will probably change.

[Source: Voice of Russia (Chinese) 俄罗斯之声 on May 12, 2014]

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The Art of War

孙子曰：兵者，国之大事，死生之地，存亡之道，不可不察的。

Sunzi said:
War is a question of vital importance to the state, a matter of life and death, the road to survival or ruin. Hence, it is a subject which calls for careful study.

Results of Eastern Ukraine Referendum

Final Results of the Referendum in Favor of an Independent Development: - Donezk Region: 89.07% voted "yes" [74.87% participation in the vote] - Lugansk Region: 96.2% voted "yes" [75% participation in the vote]

"Do you support the act of independence for the People's Republic of Donezk?"

Following the referendum, officials of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic have not ruled out that in case the situation in the region deteriorates, they may have to request peacekeeping forces to be deployed.

“We will try to cope with it on our own; we don’t want this confrontation to increase, especially on our territory,” Denis Pushilin, co-chairman of the Donetsk People’s Republic, said. "If the situation deteriorates, we reserve the right to ask for a peacekeeping contingent,” he added.

Pushilin has also said that within hours the Donetsk People’s Republic may decide if it is going to stay with Ukraine or not. The republic has also decided not to take part in Ukraine’s presidential elections on May 25, according to media reports.

Moscow says it's not in a rush to respond to the Donetsk People's Republic’s plea of accession.

[Source: Russian state TV (RT) on their website on May 12, 2014]

All data quoted from the Russian source RT are consistent with those from other foreign media and from previous evaluations.

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克里米亚美女检察官被列入欧盟制裁名单

The public prosecutor of Crimea, a beautiful woman, has been added to a name list of those to be sanctioned by the European Alliance.

[Source: CaiJing Wang 财经网, a Chinese news center for finance and economics on May 13, 2014]

Maybe Natalya doesn't need expensive cosmetics from Western Europe .....

Eastern Ukraine - Hours Before the Referendum

Latest News on May 11/12, 2014: First voters in the Donezk region. بدء الاستفتاء على الانفصال بشرقي أوكرانيا The Referendum for a Separation of Eastern Ukraine has Begun. بدأ الانفصاليون الموالون لروسيا صباح اليوم الأحد التصويت في إقليم دونباس الذي يشمل مقاطعتي دونيتسك ولوغانسك شرقي أوكرانيا باستفتاء للانفصال عن أوكرانيا، فيما أعلنت واشنطن رفضها لنتائج التصويت، وهددت برفقة حلفائها بتوسيع دائرة العقوبات على روسيا في حال استمرت خطوات إقرار انفصال مناطق شرقي أوكرانيا.ـ On Sunday morning, pro-Russian separatists have begun a vote in the Donbass region and which is comprising [...] Donezk and Lugansk in Eastern Ukraine in a referendum on the separation from Ukraine. Washington meanwhile announced its rejection of the voting results and threatened, [in correspondence with] its allies, to extend the scope of sanctions against Russia in case further steps would be taken [towards a declaration that should establish] the separation of eastern regions from Ukraine. [Source: Al Jazeera الجزيرة on May 11, 2014] .............................. 乌克兰 “地区公投” 难解乱局 Ukraine - "Regional Referendum" - Difficult to Find Disorder In the Donezk and Lugansk area 7,3 million voters were to cast their ballots within eight hours. According to latest information from the election committee and that reached People's Daily on May 11, about 70% of entitled voters in Donezk and 80% in Lugansk participated in the referendum. After the counting of votes, first results will be published on May 12. [Source: People's Network / People's Daily 人民网—人民日报 on May 12, 2014] .............................. "Do you support the act of independence for the People's Republic of Donezk?" Los Angeles Times Expecting Huge Support of Referendum However for Different Reasons Some residents of [Mariúpol in Donezk region] voted for independence Sunday in expectation of soon having their region annexed by Russia. Others cast "yes" votes as what they considered a first step toward demanding more regional autonomy while remaining part of Ukraine. Still others, frustrated by rising prices and a withered national currency, voted in favor of the vaguely worded referendum out of conviction that they can depend on neither Kiev nor Moscow to resolve their political and security problems. Only those supportive — or at least tolerant — of the interim national leadership in Kiev opposed the referendum, and rather than vote "no," many simply stayed away from the polls. Selected opinion from among "yes" voters: "We want to decide our own affairs. We don't want America or Europe coming here, and I don't think we can count on Russia's help." [Source: Los Angeles Times on May 11, 2014]

UPDATE added below on "Germany's Role as a Peacemaker"

Only hours before pro-Russian insurgents will start their referendum for independence from Ukraine, Russia celebrates its victory over Nazi Germany in Moscow and Crimea with its president Putin appearing in both places. As to the referendum he publicly suggested its postponement, thus leaving it to the pro-Russian forces in Slavyansk and Donezk to establish a separate state without giving any evidence that Moscow might be involved in the local uprise.




Headlines from Russia on May 9, 2014

Праздничные салюты в честь Дня Победы прошли в Москве и Севастополе
Holiday salutes honouring the Day of Victory have passed in Moscow and Sevastopol. [Anniversary of Russia's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II]

Украинские силовики устроили стрельбу в центре Мариуполя
Ukrainian [mercenaries] have arranged a shooting in the center of Mariúpol.

Медицинскому самолёту отказано в посадке в Мариуполе для эвакуации тяжелораненого видеожурналиста RT
[On the difficulty] to evacuate a critically wounded videojournalist, working for RT, out of Mariúpol. [Medical aid personnell is not allowed to land in Mariúpol.]

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Local videos related to the situation in Eastern Ukraine. Please note that situations shown here cannot always be verified by independent sources:

May 09:
Video from Slaviansk showing tanks captured by a pro-Russian militia. Militiamen are surrounded by local people chanting "Slava Donbass", thus showing their support of the separation movement:



Mai 06:
"Обстановка в окрестностях Славянска" - "Conditions in the vicinity of Slavyansk." A Russian language video showing the proceedings at a Ukrainian checkpoint out of Slavyansk.



Mai 03:
South-East Ukraine: "Crisis Diary (Unique Documentary Shot by Ordinary People)" - Published by Russia's state TV (RT)



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Germany as a Peacemaker ?



Germany's Peacemaker "Count Baltar":
And sure he is an honourable man .....



"The Black Channel": Even Pinochet was a Nice Guy
Schröder and Putin - A Painful Reality

A "strategic partner" the Kremlin should be - such was the idea of the Social Democratic Party. Some kind of self-deception. Gerhard Schröder's chumminess with Vladimir Putin leads his "comrades" to painfully face the failure of their policy towards Russia. [Der Spiegel, German magazine, online edition from April 29, 2014 => original text]

Ukraine - Increasing Chaos

News UPDATE for May 5: - Heavy fighting reported from Slovyansk, Ukraine Slovyansk woman killed by sniper-fire on her balcony. - NATO’s record 6,000-strong drills: 'Spring Storm' kicks off in Estonia “This year's Spring Storm brings together a record number of allied troops – infantry from the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, soldiers from Latvia, soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team of the US army, as well as soldiers from Lithuania,” the Estonian Defense Ministry said in a statement. Britain, France, and the US have been deploying troops to the Baltic region since April 29, a week ahead of the drills in Estonia. A day earlier, around 150 personnel of the US airborne division arrived in a military transport aircraft to Amari airbase. Upon completion of the maneuvers, the US Marines will remain in Estonia at least until the end of 2014. In addition, Poland has sent three of its Sukhoi Su-22 attack aircraft and a division of missile defense system unit SA-8, which will be tasked with protecting an air base near Tallinn and the surrounding airspace. Amid rising tensions in Ukraine, the UK and France deployed eight fighter jets to Lithuania and Poland to strengthen NATO air defense over the Baltic regions. On May 2, a group of NATO ships arrived in the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda to “ensure regional security.” Russia considers the increase of NATO forces so close to its border a provocation, and believes it is counter-productive in the struggle to de-escalate tensions in Ukraine. [Source: Russia's state TV (RT) on May 5, 2014]

Armed Confrontations in Eastern Ukraine
as reported by Russia's RT-TV on May 3:


Lavrov pide a OSCE y EEUU influir
en Kiev para que cese uso de fuerza.

Lavrov demanding, both, OSCE and U.S.A. to use
their influence on Kiev for an ending of the violence.

Heavy fighting has been reported from the center of Mariúpol seaport. Concentration of Ukrainian troops and clashes with pro-Russian militias are taking place in Kramatorsk, Konstantínovka and the Donetsk region. Local militias in Kramatorsk reported six dead and five wounded activists while Konstantínovka experienced an increase of Ukrainian troops and armoured vehicles.




Subtitle: "Ukrainian army offensive leaves 6 dead and several wounded."

After the fire disaster in Odessa on May 2 and which had been allegedly caused by right-wing extremists, a death toll of 40 was counted. 30 casualties are directly related to the fire. Local authorities ordered a three days period of mourning.




Subtitle: "Politicians are using the tragedy for their electoral campaign."

[Source: Russian state TV (RT), Spanish program, late night news on May 3,2014]

Gerhard Schröder - Happy Birthday Graf Baltar

I almost forgot to remind the 70th birthday of "my favorite dislike" among Germany's politicians: Ex-Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (* 7.4.1944 - ?). When he left the political stage, he had replaced the traditional system of social support for the unemployed by another system that was described as "poverty by law" by one of his more prominent critics and which did not help much to restore decently paid jobs, but, on the contrary, "froze" much individual activity and creativity on the side of the unemployed. For that, he was much applauded by a certain kind of German employers and by Germany's foreign competitors on the global market.

However, it was not that kind of social-democratic policy he was expected to practice when being elected by his followers, even though some kind of social reform seemed to be necessary. No wonder that more and more voices from among the ordinary people could be heard calling him a "liar". This was enhanced by a default of additional measures to be taken in order to stabilize the economy.

I remember the advertisement of some economic circle showing him on a photo while smoking a big cigar. The photo's subtitle read: "Nothing but smoke rises from the chancellor". In the original text, they were using the German expression of "blauer Dunst" instead of "smoke" which is a synonym for "nothing worth to spend a dime for".




"Count Baltar" receives congratulations from the "Imperious Leader"
(as perceived from Battlestar Galactica)

What makes the ex-chancellor even more questionable is his personal friendship with Russia's president Putin which seems to be even deeper rooted than his relations to old "comrades" within his own political party.

Furthermore, he and his young wife decided to adopt two Russian children and live temporarily in Russia where Schröder became the director of a company subordinate to Putin's state-run enterprise GAZPROM. Some years later, Schröder was caught again in public spotlight when his oil and gas company was mentioned in the frame of huge environmental damages it should have caused in Northern Siberia. However, this is a remote area where nobody is too seriously looking. Therefore, the incident fell into oblivion.

As to his friendship with Vladimir Putin, an ex-KGB agent and liaison officer to the East-German state security (Stasi), I still have my second thoughts. For the time Putin was performing in East Berlin, there are hints that he sometimes appeared in the Western part of the city. Being known for his unusual ability to recruit East German citizens for the KGB, he might have made contacts in Westberlin as well.

Let me just mention a strange encounter I had in the old diplomatic quarters of the town that could have fit some of those Hollywood productions at the time. In a small street where some foreign consulates from neutral states were located and where there was usually no traffic at all, I noticed a car, registered in Westberlin, and which passed that street more than once. When it passed for the second or third time, some diplomatic car with an East Berlin registration number appeared and both cars stopped in the middle of the street. Some papers were handed over from the German to the diplomatic driver, and for a moment I could look at the "diplomat". He was a young man with thin blond hair and with a round head, very much looking like many Russians. However, I would not dare to draw any conclusions on his identity. Only to mention that this meeting had been observed by somebody else: A young lady was waiting at a temporary bus-stop. When I passed by, she grinned and greeted me, probably holding me for some colleague from another company. I should have added, there was no bus running at all in that street. The temporary bus-stop had appeared some days before and disappeared again some days later.

That private story only to lead back to ex-chancellor Schröder who once received president Putin in the same town, however long after the German reunification. At the time of Putin's official visit, I asked myself who would show the sights to whom. I am still convinced that Schröder, who originally came from Hannover, did not know much about Berlin, while Putin might have been the right candidate to show the chancellor his own capital.




GAZPROM Schröder on a visit to Iran's former president Ahmadi Nejad
after being utterly prepared with latest German intelligence on Iran and
to which he was entitled as a former chancellor of the Federal Republic.

A Short History of Socialism (German Version) Lenin, Stalin, Honegger, Putin and his social-democratic friend Schröder are travelling together on a Russian train. Suddenly, the train stops as there are no trails ahead any longer. They have been stolen. Now, the following happens: - Lenin orders to take the trails from behind and add them in front, such that the journey might continue. - Stalin orders to shoot the engineer. - Honegger retires to his compartment, draws the curtains in front of the window and declares: "We are travelling at full speed." - Putin promotes Schröder as a director of the line. - Schröder, finally, starts his program "Rent an Unemployed for 1 € an Hour" and orders the long-term unemployed from Germany to Siberia for railway reconstruction work. Short remark for my visitors from abroad: Honegger was the guy who lead the rotten German Democratic Republic (GDR) into its total decay in 1989.

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Dead Man Walking !
Visitors to "blueprint news": Reminding the 3rd anniversary of
Bin Laden being killed by U.S. special forces on May 2, 2011

U.S.-Russian Confrontation over Ukraine

The complete article published by Russia's State TV (RT) on their website: Enemies Not Partners

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Ukraine - Russian Military Moving

Latest Development on April 29, 00:30 CET According to Western media and RIA Novosti in Moscow, Russia has ended its demonstration of power at the border to Ukraine. All Russian units should have retreated to their home positions. Russia's defence minister Sergej Schoigu allegedly told his U.S. counterpart Chuck Hagel in a telephone call that Russian manoeuvres are not longer needed as Ukraine's government has officially declared to refrain from using military power against unarmed civilians in Eastern Ukraine. [Source: Spiegel Online, Germany, midnight update April 29, 2014]

乌克兰：俄军已开进到乌边防兵目视距离内

Ukraine: Russian troops have already begun to advance
within visual distance of Ukrainian border guards.

人民网4月27日讯 综合外电报道，乌克兰总理亚采纽克26日说，乌克兰与俄罗斯边境地区紧张局势升级。俄罗斯军队已向前开进到乌克兰边防兵的目视距离内。俄罗斯军队目前的演习地点距离边界仅一公里，俄罗斯可随时发动入侵。

Message from People's Network on April 27, summing-up of foreign news: Ukraine's prime minister Yatsenyuk said on April 26: The tense situation in the border region between Ukraine and Russia is escalating. Russian troops have already begun to advance within visual distance of Ukrainian border guards. The actual manoeuvre area of Russian troops being only one kilometer away from the border, Russia could start an invasion at any time.

乌克兰临时政府外交部新闻发言人佩列贝诺斯示，俄罗斯军队在两国边界地区的军演活动在持续，部队调动频繁。他说，由几百辆军车、装甲车、“冰雹”火箭炮系统、还有坦克组成的两只车队星期四从俄罗斯南部的顿河河畔罗斯托夫市开往与乌克兰顿涅茨克州相接壤的边境地区。与此同时，俄罗斯还关闭了一个边境通关口禁止乌克兰居民入境。

The provisional spokesman for the Ukrainian ministry of foreign affairs [.....] notified that military exercise activity of Russian troops in the border region between both countries is continuing with frequent troop movements. ..... He mentioned some hundred military vehicles, armoured cars, "Hailstone" rocket launching systems, and two tank units that had arrived at the border on Thursday. .....

乌克兰媒体报道，在某些地区，乌克兰边防兵不用望远镜就能看到附近的俄军部队。乌克兰边防部队已进入高度戒备状态。在社交网络上也出现了多个俄罗斯装甲车和炮兵车队向边界开进的视频录像。（老任）

Ukrainian media reported from some regions that Ukrainian border guards don't need telescopes to observe Russian troops in the neighbourhood and are already on the highest level of alert.
On social networks, as well, videos emerged showing Russia's armoured cars and artillery troops moving to the frontier.

[Source: SOUHU 搜狐, quoting People's Network, Beijing, on April 27, 2014]

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"The Devil Within"



Visitor to "blueprint news" coming from Togo's capital Lomé.



During the Cold War, Elmendorf air base became highly important due to its geographical position. At that time, its primary mission comprised early warning and interception in case of a possible airborne attack from Soviet territory. Nowadays, Elmendorf's main units are still providing air defense and air superiority in Alaska. However support of Pacific Air Forces during contingencies in the Pacific Command area of responsibility have become of increasing importance.

Ukraine - Detention of OSCE Members

The arrest by pro-Russian militias of a group comprising German OSCE observers has raised much turmoil in Germany. While the Merkel government is trying to use diplomatic channels in the incident, some German mass media are fostering an anti-Russian climate this time and which is far from being helpful.

However, things are more complicated as the German group was acting separately from other observers [Die Zeit / April 26] and in a region where some kind of guerilla warfare, initiated by a third party, is possibly looming. Therefore, the region is under special surveillance of the pro-Russian rebels who are claiming to act on behalf of the local population. Any foreigner showing up without special invitation should then be aware to be treated as an enemy.

Furthermore, the German representatives should have worn civil cloth when being held up by militiamen and claimed to be tourists. At least that is what pro-Russian rebels told the press. [Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung FAZ / April 25]

In the frame of the actual proceedings in Eastern Ukraine, it might be useful to deal with an evaluation of the situation made by militia leader Ponomaryov only some days ago. The same local strongman is now being accused by Western media for his intention to exchange three German officers and their interpreter, captured as 'unarmed soldiers', against political prisoners held by the authorities in Kiev.


乌民兵领袖称极右武装分子欲潜入斯拉维扬斯克

The leader of the Ukrainian People's Militia says
armed ultra-Rightists want to sneak into Slovyansk.




On April 25, ChinaNews quoted a report from Russia's news network telling what the leader of the Ukrainian People's Militia in Slovyansk, 'People's Mayor' Ponomaryov, pointed out in a program broadcast by RUSSIA 24 TV.

According to him, armed men from the ultra-Right group of the 'Right Sector' are trying to bypass a lookout post of the People's Militia and sneak into Slovyansk.

He said: "According to reliable information, there are armed men of the 'Right Sector' group, equipped with night vision devices and sniper guns, and who are staying behind [the front line] in that region which is temporarily occupied by Ukrainian troops. These men bypassed a lookout post and are trying to sneak into the town."




[Source: China News 中新网 on April 25, 2014]

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Related article from Russian state TV (RT) on their website (April 27).

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Communities in Eastern Ukraine held by pro-Russian militias.

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Putin and the Internet

普京称万维网系美中情局产物 俄要拒其网络垄断

Putin says the Internet is a Product of the CIA.
Russia needs to Resist its Network being Monopolized.




The following excerpt has been taken from a Chinese article that is quoting a foreign media report published some hours earlier. The Chinese article appeared in the early morning edition of April 25. It is dealing with a direct opinion post by Russia's president Putin to some discussion forum in Saint Petersburg. That post came after a broadcast on April 17 where Putin answered to the questions from Russian citizens and which could be directly forwarded by phone, email and SMS to their president.

据报道，普京称，万维网本来是中央情报局开发的，目前仍然受到美国的控制。普京说，为了保护自身的网上利益，俄罗斯需要抗拒他所称的美国对网络的垄断。

According to that report, Putin said the internet was originally developed by the CIA. At the moment it is still subject to U.S. control. In order to protect its own interest on the web, he said, Russia needs to resist what he called America's network monopoly.

普京指出，最近斯诺登所披露的美国对网络的监控程度显示，美国正参与在他所称的一场信息对峙之中。

Putin pointed out that America's degree of network control, as has been recently disclosed by Snowden, is showing that it is just having a hand in what he calls "some piece of information" in the confrontation.

普京的讲话再度引发人们关注万维网是否会从现在的模式分裂成不同部分的担忧。

Putin's address once again causes the people to follow the internet with interest [whether or not] joining the worries [about] the actual breaking up of standards [into] different parts.

美国中情局前雇员、“棱镜”计划泄密者爱德华·斯诺登在2013年6月向美国《华盛顿邮报》及英国《卫报》泄露了关于美英情报机构的大规模窃听计划。

In June 2013, the former employee of America's CIA and ["whistle blower"] of the "Prism" project, Edward Snowden, leaked secrets to the U.S. [daily] "Washington Post" and the British "Guardian", secrets related to the large-scale eavesdropping project of U.S. and British intelligence organizations.

此后，斯诺登自香港乘俄航转至莫斯科谢列梅杰沃机场。在莫斯科机场滞留1个多月后，于8月从俄罗斯获得了为期一年的临时政治庇护。

After that, Snowden took a Russian ship from HongKong and passed to Moscow Sheremetyevo airport. After being detained for more than one month at Moscow airport, he was granted temporary political asylum for one year in August [2013].

[Source: China News 中新网 on April 25, 2014]

Ukraine - US and Russian Interest

News UPDATE on April 23, 2014: 北约加强东欧军事部署 五艘军舰奔赴波罗的海 NATO enhances its military deployment in Eastern Europe. Five navy ships are hurrying to the Baltic Sea. On April 22, five navy ships left the German port of Kiel heading for the Baltic Sea in order to enhance military deployment in that area and for emergency response in case of a sudden incident to happen. These five NATO ships are coming from Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium and Estonia. Four ships are minesweepers, one is a supply ship. According to Philip Breedlove, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, the NATO ships are intended to ensure maritime safety in the area. [Source: People's Network (China) 人民网 on April 23, 2014: 北约加强东欧军事部署 五艘军舰奔赴波罗的海]

徳媒：美国对俄强硬姿态使欧洲陷入困境 German media: The U.S. [way of] facing Russia's tough attitude gets Europe caught in a difficult position. Obama's [way of] meeting with the tough position of Russia's policy makes Europe suffer from severe loss. [Source: People's Network (China) 人民网 on April 23, 2014: 徳媒：美国对俄强硬姿态使欧洲陷入困境]

美国向乌克兰提供更多军援 欲与波兰深化防务合作

The U.S. provide more military aid for Ukraine and
want Poland to deepen its defence cooperation.

On April 17 and while meeting with his counterpart from Poland, U.S. defence secretary Hagel announced that President Obama had already granted "unlethal" military aid to Ukraine, comprising medicine, helmets, sleeping mats, water cleaning devices, tents and small-size generators, as well as manually operated oil pumps.

This is the second time after Russia entering Crimea in the middle of March that Ukraine receives military help from the U.S.. The first delivery at the end of March comprised food rations for military use.

Furthermore, Hagel made clear the U.S. want Poland to make changes in its defence cooperation. The targeted domains are including special forces, air force, anti-missile units, training and manoeuvre practice and are reaching up to an increased formation of joint air force units together with its allies.

From 2012 on U.S. air force had stationed F-16 war planes in Poland for joint training. At the beginning of March [2014] when the Ukrainian situation worsened, the Pentagon decided to deploy another 12 F-16 war planes and 200 troops in Poland. In that frame, Hagel mentioned as well the participation of Romania where 12 F-16 regularly bought war planes had been deployed last year.

[Source: People's Network (China) 人民网 on April 18, 2014 => 美国向乌克兰提供更多军援 欲与波兰深化防务合作]




Chuck Hagel - First prominent politician from the West to visit
China's aircraft carrier Liaoning in early April 2014.

" The Ukrainian crisis is likely to push Russia to develop a crucial relationship with China, and it’s also probable that the US will cozy up more with China to balance against Russia, both of which benefit China, Chinese expert Andrew Leung told RT. "

The above quotation has been taken from an expert interview on a further deepening of economic cooperation between Russia and China after Russia, pressured by the West, needs to find new markets for its natural energy resources and another payment system, such avoiding the U.S.$ system. => The complete interview was published by RT, Russia's state TV, on its website on April 21, 2014.

A related "independent" comment on this website is reading as follows:
" The bottom line is that the hilarious irony of the situation is that in all its efforts to stop or slow down the formation of another Eastern Bloc, the west has set the stage for something even bigger: the creation of a pan-Eurasian economic union (and potentially, military alliance via expansion of the CSTO).
Eurasia is rising, and in time, the west will realize that it is too late to stop it. "

CSTO is the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the most prominent members of which are China and Russia. In 2013, CSTO already reached an agreement in the Syrian crisis and which was opposing the official NATO position: Russia – China and CSTO draw Red Line about NATO Despotism.




Russia's Putin and China's Xi JinPing on a CSTO meeting in Sochi, February 2014.

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One of today's visitors to "blueprint news" and who came from Odessa, Ukraine.

Ukraine - A Shaky Agreement

News Summary from April 17, 2014:

In Geneva, joint efforts of the foreign ministers from Russia, the United States, the European Union and Ukraine could bring about an agreement to mitigate the Ukrainian crisis. That agreement is including the following points, summed up by a Spanish language broadcast from Russia's state television RT:




- The disarming of illegal groups.

- The clearing of streets and places.

- An amnesty for protesters who did not commit serious crimes.

- The beginning of a dialogue where different regions participate.

- The realization of a constitutional reform.

According to Al-Jazeera, OSCE monitors should be sent to supervise the agreement.

However, there is some scepticism on the U.S. side when it comes to Russia's duty to translate the agreement into full action as U.S. President Obama made clear the same day.

Furthermore, latest news from Eastern Ukraine are showing rather increasing chaos than any smoothing of differences between the acting parties:




People's militias in Slaviansk are in control of the [local] Television tower.




Soldiers are changing sides after receiving orders to fight against the people.




"Yevgeni", a soldier of the Ukrainian army, is being quoted as follows: "I wonder why the
government in Kiev has sent us here. We spent three days in a tank, and now, we don't
know what we are exactly to do."




Confrontations in Mariúpol are leaving at least two persons dead and 16 wounded.




Ukraine forbids Russians who are between 16 and 60 years old to enter the country.




A witness says: In Donezk the [decision] to forbid Russian [citizens] to enter [the country] is being [widely] rejected.




Russia's president Putin in a live show on state TV, answering directly to the questions of Russian citizens. On the above photo he is just listening to the question of U.S. whistle blower Edward Snowden. Snowden wants to know if Russia is tapping telephone calls on a large scale like his own country does. Putin denies while referring to their common experience in the intelligence of their countries.




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Ukraine - News Update

News from the Spanish service of RT-TV
(Russia Today) on April 17, 00:30 GMT:

La OTAN incrementa su presencia militar en el Mar Báltico y Mediterráneo en el marco de unas medidas ante la crisis ucraniana.

NATO increases its military presence in the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean in the frame of measures taken in the Ukrainian crisis.

Un manifestante murió y 12 resultan heridos al enfrentarse con soldados en una base militar ukraniana en Mariúpol, según los medios locales.

A demonstrator died and 12 were injured in a confrontation with soldiers in a Ukrainian military base in Mariúpol, according to local media.

Tropas ucranianas abren fuego contra los autodefensas en la ciudad de Kramatorsk y hieren a tres personas, según el portavoz de la milicia popular.

Ukrainian troops open fire against self-defence forces in the town of Kramatorsk and wounded three persons, according to the spokesman of the people's militia.




RT evening news for April 15 already informed about Ukrainian armoured vehicles being held up in Eastern Ukraine by local people. Hours later on April 16, both, Russian RT and the U.S. broadcaster CNN reported about Ukrainian tanks showing their change of sides by flying the Russian flag.

On April 15, the first victims in a Ukranian military crackdown on Russian separatists were counted when Ukrainian troops took over a local airfield from Russian rebels.