Saturday 27 June 2015

Trouble in Russia's 'Near-Abroad'

Maidan in Armenia. Is Armenia next to go up in flames?

See the detailed coverage below in Ukraine SITREP June 24, 2015 by Scott

Scandal in Kyrgyzstan After Protest Organizer Seen With US Diplomat
A media scandal has broken out in the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan following the posting of a YouTube video showing a protest organizer meeting with the American ambassador.


Sputnik News,
25 June, 2015


On Wednesday, a few dozen people organized by civil society and rights groups gathered in front of the presidential building in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek, protesting a government initiative to hold a referendum which would make changes to the country's constitution. Protesters attached portraits of government officials with their faces crossed out to the presidential building's gates, and carried banners saying "Do Not Sell the Country!" and "Do Not Rape the Constitution."

Еще раз! В Бишкеке прошел НЕМНОГОЧИСЛЕННЫЙ митинг против поправок в Конституцию. Приняли участите около 50 чел. pic.twitter.com/NAln2Q6uf9

Ivan Info (@monitor4press) 24 июня 2015

"Again!" A small rally in Bishkek against amendments to the Constitution. Attended by about 50 people."

The constitutional changes proposed in the referendum, which set to take place this fall, include a series of initiatives amending the composition of the Constitutional Chamber, the structure of the Supreme Court, and measures aimed at strengthening party control over parliamentary deputies. If it goes through, it would be the ninth time Kyrgyzstan's constitution has been amended since the country's independence in 1992. The current constitution, adopted in 2010, was approved by the Council of Europe's Venice Commission, and prohibits further amendments until 2020.

But the scandal, which broke out on Wednesday evening, was over an anonymous YouTube video which showed protest organizer Nurbek Toktakunov, leader of local NGO 'Precedent', meeting with US Charge d'Affaires Richard Miles shortly after the protest


In the description accompanying the video, which shows Toktakunov at the protest, and then arriving at his office, after which white SUVs with US diplomatic plates arrive at his office, the author asked:

"What was the reason behind the American ambassador's meeting with an ordinary NGO organizer? Perhaps Toktakunov was accounting for his work before the Americans –for organizing the protest rally?"

Gaining wide attention in local media, the scandal forced Toktakunov to attempt to explain the meeting with Miles, who has been described as a 'genius of color revolutions'. The civil society organizer told Kyrgyz news agency 24.kg that "the meeting had been planned for a long time. The original meeting was scheduled for June 18, but I was busy and forgot, so they [the US Embassy] carried it forward to the 24th. It had no relation to yesterday's events."



Toktakunov's explanation has not calmed the Kyrgyz media's fears. Since Miles' appointment as Charge d'Affaires in February, local media have repeatedly recalled that the veteran diplomat had previously worked in countries which underwent color revolutions, including Serbia and Georgia.

Having experienced a color revolution in 2005, the country's journalists' worries were heightened in April, when it was revealed that the US had sent a mysterious Ukrainian-owned plane with over 150 tons of 'diplomatic mail' from the UAE to its embassy in Bishkek. Media have not ruled out that the 'diplomatic cargo' could be used for planning another color revolution in the country.


ISIS creates province in Russia's south


The Islamic State is expanding. ISIS terrorists have announced the creation of a "province" in the North Caucasus after terrorists of "Caucasus Emirate" organization swore to fight for ISIS namely in Dagestan, Chechnya, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia.




Armenia police regroup as Yerevan ‘electric protests’ charge up


Protests against increased electricity rates (RIA Novosti / Hrant Khachatryan)

RT,
26 November, 2014

Extra police units have been brought into central Yerevan to stave off growing crowds in the Armenian capital. The week-long mass protest, which organizers claim to be apolitical, is directed against the government’s move to increase electricity prices.

Up to 20,000 people were singing, dancing and waving Armenian tricolors just hundreds of yards from the presidential palace on Friday night, but tension at the daily demonstrations, which have been going on for more than a week, have been growing.
Throughout the day police have been protecting government buildings and stopping splinter groups from marching to other parts of the city, forcing demonstrators into a single large gathering. On Friday evening several hundred more riot police were deployed to the area amid reports of protesters’ attempts to block nearby streets.

Protesters have slung accusations of corruption at their own government but say they are not looking to overthrow their leadership. One prominent banner at the demonstration read “This is Baghramian [the name of the street where protesters have gathered] not Maidan” – the name of the square where Ukrainian protests eventually toppled Viktor Yanukovich 18 months ago.


People in Yerevan protest steep electricity price increases. (RIA Novosti/PAN Photo/Hrant Khachatryan)


Meanwhile the Armenian president, according to his press service, noted on Friday that there were no “anti-Russian sentiments” at the protest, and that the activists themselves “prove the absurdity of these assumptions.” He acknowledged the earnest discontent of the people, but insisted the hikes were inevitable due to high inflation and rising generation costs.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamian promised relief for 105,000 of the poorest families in the country of 3 million people, but said the government had no plans to reverse the increases, which come into force on August 1.

Alongside the freezing of electricity tariffs, protesters are demanding that the use of force by police officers earlier this week be investigated. However, the demonstrators rejected two offers of direct meetings with president Serzh Sargsyan, saying they do not want a compromise solution.


Ukraine SITREP June 24, 2015 by Scott



New trends emerging these past seven days . Where is Russia’s national reserve funds, gold reserves, and Hermitage collections? (I will post more on this tomorrow.) Is China joining sanctions against Russia? Russia’s elite circles its wagons around the President. The Russia’s military take political charge. The pro-Western liberal fraction in the government runs the banks. Will RCB be sidelined before doing more damage? The capital flow out of Russia has significantly decreased. Maidan in Armenia? Watch for people in red t-shirts with loudspeakers. People in red on Kiev Maidan, Moscow Bolotnaya square, and Erevan, Armenia. Russia is building new ultra-modern port to bypass the Baltic countries oil and gas terminals. The NATO occupation of Ukraine grows with Canada’s troops.

Do you ever store your files using cloud computing? Now, it’s becoming a subject of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations that bans Russia.

Obama’s Transatlantic Free Trade Area (TAFTA) will de-industrialize Germany and France.

In order to start de-industrialization of Germany and France, the US has to completely cut off the gas and oil supply from Russia. That’s why for the US is not enough to control the governments of the transmitting countries. The US has already controls them. Now, the US wants to take custody ever the Gasprom European assets. That’s why they orchestrated the extra-judicial decision on the frivolous Yukos case.
De-Industrialization of Germany will start in due course and it will be as ferocious as anything the US and the EU are doing to Russia now.
Our concern here is for the well being of Russia.

The Russia’s defense industry remains “the driving force for the development of innovations, including dual-purpose and civilian ones in such branches of the economy as energy, engineering, communications, microelectronics and some other.” Putin’s speech at ceremony opening ARMY-2015International Military-Technical Forum

As for the lost of the European integrationYevgeny Satanovsky expressed the prevailing Russian sentiment:

Thanks to the European consensus our own kind of decision making emerged in this country, under which the ruling elite have rallied quite firmly around the President. No matter if it is good or bad. But if for the sake of our values we will have to sacrifice you with your European values, it will become your problem,” – 
Satanovsky responded to the representative of the European Union.”

We are still watching as the politicians from Donetsk and Lugansk try to consolidate Ukraine under their authority.

NATO is moving its armies to the Russian front. The West expects that as a result of this war on Russia, Putin’s government will be toppled over by the pro-Western liberal elite. They will break the country apart into multiple small fiefdoms, with Baltic countries, Ukraine, Georgia, Turkey and Poland demanding parts of Russia’s territories, with the issuing wars all over the country, and with NATO coming in and “restoring the order” which will result in the complete extermination of the Russian people.

But history is about power, and the West is using its power to press Russia hard. But obviously, nothing is more dangerous than wounding a bear. Killing him is better, but killing Russia has not proved easy.”Viewing Russia From the Inside by George Friedman, Stratfor Global Intelligence

This “Kill Russia” scenario has become unlikely since this past Friday July 19, 2015 General Shoigu openly declared Russia’s military as a political and economic power player. The Russia’s military won’t sit on their hands, like they have done through the 90s and 2000s. Today Russia’s military is the biggest investor in Russia’s scientific research, space and communication, industries, agriculture, and higher education. Russia’s military is also the biggest employer in Russia. With 850,000 men and women on active duty and 2 million reservist, with many millions of people in public and private companies and universities working to fulfill military tenders and selling to the military everything from bread and butter, construction material, road maintenance, satellites, to research in science, politics, and medicine. The military of Russia has just casually announced that it is firmly taking a place on Russia’s political stage. [Source] [Source] [Source]
Russia’s military has always been the healthiest part of Russian society. Even in the darkest times of Stalinism Russia’s military officers subscribed to the idea that they served the country and not the government. They stood aside in the 90s. They had never expressed their opinions on the liberal economic reforms and privatization.

During the Washington-backed liberal tyranny of the 90s, Russia’s military officers corpus had become an object of political and economic attacks, and a vicious PR campaign, indented to humiliate, belittle, and vilify. Those attacks, fully consistent with the US government’s interests, pushed Russia’s military officers, retired and on active duty, to consolidate and to create a network of nonprofit patriotic organizations, secret and public.

To see how well these societies are organized and how they function, just look at what has been achieved during this NATO Ukrainian war. Considering that Russia’s government wanted to do nothing or very little, most of what we witness today has been done by volunteers. [Source]

The plundering of the army by the former defense minister, Anatoly Serdyukov, Medvedev’s appointee, put the military on the verge of a revolt. [Source]
The morale of Russia’s military officers corpus has always been based in their core belief that they are on a quest to protect Russia, regardless of who is ruling the country. They like to say that “governments come and go, but Russia remains.” At this point of history, they decided that to serve the country better they have to start participating in its political and economical decision making.

Some people say that the military should not be involved in political processes, some say the direct opposite. We will order a study on the phenomenon of color revolutions and the military’s role in their prevention,” Shoigu told the participants of the Army-2015 political forum Friday.

We have no right to allow the repetitions of the collapses of 1991 and 1993,” he said. “How to do it is another story, but it is clear that we must deal with the situation. We must understand how to prevent this and how to teach the younger generation so that it supported the calm and gradual development of our country.”

This is a truly pivotal moment in Russia’s development. It has direct historical ties to the traditional role the military played in the governance, politics, and culture, of the Russian Empire.

2. ADM Averts DQ With Waiver After $54M FCPA Fine. A curious case of the Western “justice.[Source]

Law360, New York (June 4, 2015, 4:45 PM ET) — The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission granted Archer Daniels Midland Co. a waiver Wednesday from a regulatory disqualification the agricultural giant faced over a $54 million settlement it entered in 2013 to end a U.S. probe of bribes that subsidiaries paid to Ukrainian and other officials.


The order from the commission allows ADM to hold onto its status as a well-known seasoned issuer, enabling it to continue to offer and sell securities under an automatic shelf registration statement. The multinational would have otherwise lost this privilege over the guilty plea one of its subsidiaries entered in December 2013 as part of the joint settlement with the SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice, because entry of such judgments automatically strips companies of their WKSI status for three years.

Such a determination would be a significant detriment to ADM and its stockholders because it would substantially increase the time, labor, and money that ADM would need to spend to gain access to the United States capital markets,” an attorney for ADM wrote in a letter requesting the relief.

Regulatory waivers have been deeply controversial at the SEC, as the commission’s two Democratic members have slammed what they view as a rubber-stamp process that has spared recidivist financial institutions from some of the consequences of their alleged, and at points acknowledged, wrongdoing.

The exact breakdown of the vote on the ADM request could not be determined immediately, although Commissioner Kara Stein, a frequent critic of waivers, voted against it. The time between when the company submitted its request, May 1, and when relief was granted, June 3, also indicates the board likely engaged in some debate over the merits of the claim.

Based on the facts and representations in the company’s May 1, 2015 request, and assuming [ADM subsidiary Alfred C. Toepfer International Ukraine Ltd.] complies with the terms of the plea agreement, the commission has determined that the company has made a showing of good cause that the company will not be considered an ineligible issuer by reason of the entry of the plea agreement,” the order states.

ADM’s request letter to the SEC sought to satisfy agency requirements laid out in staff guidance issued in April 2014, when the company answered questions about who was responsible for the misconduct, how long it lasted and what remedial steps the company has since taken.

According to its letter, the guilty plea by Toepfer Ukraine “exclusively concerns” a handful of now-former employees of the company and a German affiliate who, between 2002 and 2008, made “improper payments” to intermediaries in a bid to secure value-added tax refunds owed to Toepfer Ukraine. The payments did not relate to ADM’s own regulatory disclosures, nor were there any allegations of fraud in conjunction with the scheme, the letter said.

ADM further stated the misconduct was hidden from the company itself at the time. The company has since strengthened its global anti-corruption compliance controls as part of its remedial efforts, it said.


“We do not believe this misconduct under the [Foreign Corrupt Practices Act] of subsidiaries constitutes the type of ongoing risk to the reliability of disclosures made by ADM under the Securities Act that would warrant denial of this request,” the company said.


ADM said it has used its automatic shelf privileges extensively, having issued $4.45 billion in debt securities and $1.75 billion in equity offerings since September 2006. It also has used its WKSI status to register $1.15 billion in convertible debt securities for resale.


“In light of the foregoing, we believe that disqualification of ADM as an ineligible issuer is not necessary under the circumstances — either in the public interest or for the protection of investors — and that ADM has shown good cause for the requested relief to be granted,” the letter said.


ADM was represented by W. Morgan Burns of Faegre Baker Daniels.


The case is Securities and Exchange Commission v. Archer Daniels Midland Co., case number 2:13-cv-02279, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois.


3. Deployment of Canadian training troops to Ukraine delayed – mission still has to be worked out[Source]

Canadian soldiers will also hit the ground just as the Harper government prepares to do electoral battle on the campaign trail at home in advance of the Oct. 19 vote.


The plan to send 200 troops for nearly two years to help strengthen the Ukrainian Army was announced with much political fanfare in mid-April, yet specifics on how the two-year mission will unfold have yet to be worked out.

4. 1991 – In 5 years, we shall be living as they do in France.

2004 – In 10 years, we shall be living as they do in Poland.
2015 – in 20 years, 
we shall be living as we did under Yankovich

5. Ukrainian president Poroshenko rules out federalization [Source]
Donetsk Donbass Novorossia

1. Donetsk Republic will conduct planned evacuation of civilians from the area under Kiev’s militants fire [Source]

2. Valentina Lisitsa (Drone Journalism #12) Донецк – Валентина Лисица – Беспилотник Грэма (#4)Valentina Lisitsa gives concert to people of Donetsk 
At the evening June 22, the world-renowned American pianist of Ukrainian birth and upbringing, Valentina Lisitsa, performed an outdoor concert at Lenin Komsomol Park in the city of Donetsk. The concert was dedicated to the 74th anniversary of the start of the Great Patriotic War.


Lisitsa and the Academic Symphony Orchestra performed Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No. 7. Donetsk is the home city of iconic Russian composer Sergei Prokoviev.


3. Roman Khramenkov is appointed as Acting mayor of Gorlovka

24th of June, 2015. Donetsk People’s Republic, Novorossiya.


Former mayor of Yenakiyevo Roman Khramenkov was appointed Acting mayor of Gorlovka, the head of the DPR Alexander Zakharchenko told journalists yesterday.

I want to introduce you to a man who was the mayor of Yenakiyevo. From now on, he’ll head Gorlovka. We’re transferring him from one city to another. He earned our trust by his work in Yenakiyevo, where he established policies, so, he’d understand how to work here. I’d ask you to welcome and support him,” – Zakharchenko said.

During the fighting in the Debaltsevo cauldron in February, as mayor in Yenakiyevo, Khramenkov gained notice for his competence in evacuating villages ravaged in the battle. Immediately after the DPR forces liberated Debaltsevo, Khramenkov took on the task of planning repairs in Uglegorsk and built the first new roads under DPR auspices.

At this stage, we’ll work together with you, and thanks to your support, we’ll restore the good name of Gorlovka, to rebuild its civil society,” – Khramenkov told Zakharchenko.

Roman Khramenkov was born in 1978, having lived in Yenakiyevo since 1998. He completed higher education in medicine and administration (National Academy for Public Administration under the President of Ukraine), and he’s taken some legal studies.

4. Ukrainian forces have violated the ceasefire regime 10 times over the last 24 hours 

24th of June, 2015. Donetsk People’s Republic, Novorossiya.


Ukrainian forces have violated the ceasefire regime 10 times over the last 24 hours, the DPR Defense Ministry told the Donetsk News Agency.

In the course of the past 24 hours, we have recorded 10 instances of shelling on the part of the Ukrainian forces. They fired 54 mortars of 82-mm and 120-mm caliber on the DPR territory. Besides, the enemy used grenade launchers and small arms. Ukrainian army shelled Donetsk (Petrovskiy district, Donetsk airport), Logvinovo, Spartak, Naberezhnoye. The information on the civilian and military casualties is being specified,” – the DPR Defense Ministry said.

6. Russia to send 31st humanitarian aid convoy to Donbas [Source]
Russia

1. Sergey Glasiyev: Russia’s central bank continues attacks on economy [Source]

2. I have a great idea for Russia’s next sanction against the West.

A state law that “vodka” is the national product brand name with Russia as protected designation. It should be only allowed to use for the products made on the territory of Russia.


The precedent with the French cognac is here: “It is clear … that the registration of a mark containing a geographical indication, or the generic term corresponding to that indication and its translation, with respect to spirit drinks which do not meet the specifications [for the name falls under the EU laws on protected 

designations] and that the competent national authorities must … refuse or invalidate the registration of such a mark,” the court said.


3. The Council of the EU has renewed its economic sanctions against Russia for 6 months, following COREPER’s agreement to do so last week . The source document

COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2015/971 of 22 June 2015 amending Decision 2014/512/CFSPconcerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2015.157.01.0050.01.ENG

4. Ron Paul Warns Seizure Of Russian Assets Will Hasten Dollar Demise [Source]

After 70-plus years of a depreciating dollar the rest of the world is rebelling against this massive transfer of wealth.


According to the following reader’s comment there is a precedent when the same court’s decision not being enforced. This is something for Russia’s legal team to use.


Readers comment: Paveway IV – “Why is nobody seizing Israeli assets in France or Belgium to satisfy a Swiss ruling for the $1.2 billion in compensation they owe Iran for stealing the Eilat-Ashkelon pipeline from them?

Same international court in Switzerland. Same monetary judgment. Israel has refused to pay back a dime. France and Belgium both have plenty of Israeli assets they can seize.


Do international court settlements only count if the U.S. doesn’t like the country? Hell, you know that if the judgment was against Iran we would already be Tomahawking their ass for ‘payment’.


Why is Israel more important to the U.S. than Russia? What dual-citizen Israeli-firster traitor in congress decided THAT on behalf of the entire United States?”


With sanctions against Russia the US started de-industrialization of Germany and France

Russland-Krise kostet Europa bis zu 100 Milliarden Euro

Wladimir Putin hat stets gewarnt, dass die Sanktionen gegen Russland Europa selbst schaden. Die EU bestreitet das. Ökonomen haben jetzt errechnet, wie teuer die Krise wird – vor allem für Deutschland.


Russland-Krise kostet Europa bis zu 100 Milliarden Euro


Wladimir Putin hat stets gewarnt, dass die Sanktionen gegen Russland Europa selbst schaden. Die EU bestreitet das. Ökonomen haben jetzt errechnet, wie teuer die Krise wird – vor allem für Deutschland.


The economic crisis in Russia has far worse consequences for the countries of the European Union (EU) and Switzerland, as previously expected. According to a calculation by the Austrian Institute for economic research (Wifo), are in Europe far more than two million jobs and around 100 billion euros in value in danger.

The scientists in their study, the exclusively for the Alliance of leading European Newspapers (LENA) have created a “Worst-Case” scenario. “The Exportausfälle, we are in the autumn of last year, at worst, had adopted, have become a reality,” says Oliver Fritz, one of three authors of the study. Played sanctions against Russia and the Russian response, a crucial role. “Changed the situation does not, in principle, is expected to be our particularly pessimistic scenario occur.”

Washington’s gambit in the Spratly’s is an attempt to reverse the tide, derail China’s current trajectory and insert the US as the regional kingpin who writes the rules and picks the winners. As Sec-Def Carter said in an earlier speech at the McCain Institute in Arizona, “There are already more than 525 million middle class consumers in Asia, and there will be 3.2 billion in the region by 2030.” US corporations want the lion’s-share of those customers so they can peddle their widgets, goose their stock prices and pump up their quarterly profits. Carter’s job is to help them achieve that objective.”

As author Bart Gruzalski notes in his excellent article at Counterpunch, “China and Russia are creating alternatives that threaten the dollar’s status as the sole dominant international currency. By instituting trade alternatives to the dollar, they challenge the value of the dollar and so threaten the US economy.” (“An Economic Reason for the US vs. China Conflict”, Bart Gruzalski, CounterPunch)

The US attacked Russia in December 2013;

The US attacked China in June 2015;


The US will attack Germany after Germany signs TAFTA agreement in about December 2016.


Obama’s Transatlantic Free Trade Area (TAFTA) will de-industrialize Germany and France

In order to start de-industrialization of Germany and France, the US has to completely cut off the gas and oil supply from Russia. That’s why for the US is not enough to control the governments of the transmitting countries. The US has already controls them. Now, the US wants to take custody ever the Gasprom European assets. That’s why they orchestrated the extra-judicial decision on the frivolous Yukos case.


De-Industrialization of Germany will start in due course and it will be as ferocious as anything the US and the Eu are doing to Russia now.


Our concern here is for the well being of Russia.

What if Russia catapults the de-industrialization of Germany and France today, not weighting for TAFTA being sign. Russia can do this by simply turning off gas and demanding the immediate removal and the war crime process over Kiev Junta.

Hegemon’s attacks around Russia

2. Maidan in Armenia. Is Armenia next to go up in flames?

On Twitter, Ukraine Reporter ‏@StateOfUkraine • Anti-govt protest in #Yerevan #Armenia is following the Maidan pattern: govt crackdown on protestors have now fueled an even larger protest.

Olga Klymenko ‏@OlgaK2013 #Nuland’s Lavash:) #ElectricYerevan #ElectricArmenia #Armenia


Rose_Anna ‏@avaruza • Mar 23 U.S. expert: #Washington sent #Nuland to #Armenia to organize coup there – Հորիզոն շաբաթաթերթ – 
Horizon Weekly
PanARMENIAN.Net – While Washington works assiduously to undermine the Minsk agreement that German chancellor Merkel and French president Hollande achieved in order to halt the military conflict in Ukraine, Washington has sent Victoria Nuland to Armenia to organize a “color revolution” or coup there, has sent Richard Miles as ambassador to Kyrgyzstan to do the same there, and has sent Pamela Spratlen as ambassador to Uzbekistan to purchase that government’s allegiance away from Russia. The result would be to break up the Collective Security Treaty Organization and present Russia and China with destabilization where they can least afford it, Paul Craig Roberts says in a piece titled “Russia Under Attack” published on his website.”

On March 18 the Secretary General of NATO denounced the peace settlement between Russia and Georgia that ended Georgia’s military assault on South Ossetia. The NATO Secretary General said that NATO rejects the settlement because it “hampers ongoing efforts by the international community to strengthen security and stability in the region.” Look closely at this statement. It defines the “international community” as Washington’s NATO puppet states, and it defines strengthening security and stability as removing buffers between Russia and Georgia so that Washington can position military bases in Georgia directly on Russia’s border, Roberts says.”

stephan herzog ‏ Feb 18 Next #Maidan #Coup #Armenia? #Nuland met Feb18 w/ representative of 3 Armenia #NGO closed meet:

Nuland reminds Armenia of humanity in February 2015 and chided Armenia for their inhumanity towards Azerbaijani captives.Azerbaijan’s media also claim that Armenian government loses last chance 

Radio Free Armenia claims that clashes expected of around 40 000 ppl. follow LIVE:

Called #Armenia about the situation in the republic. Answer: ‘Armen, dear, two days working, no sleep.'”Армен Гаспарян‏@A_Gasparyan Связался с Арменией по ситуации в республике. Ответ: “Армен Сумбатович, дорогой, два дня не спим, работаем :))”

Армен Гаспарян‏@A_Gasparyan Authorities there (in Armenia) is just like here (in Russia) They won’t let the Ukraine variant to take place.

власть там – копия нашей. Никакого украинского варианта не будет
People in red hoodies or t-shirts are specially trained protect organizers. They are present on every anti-government meeting in Ukraine, in Russia, in Armenia. Here some videos and images to prove it.

Люди в красных куртках командуют штурмовиками “Правого сектора”Technology of “orange revolution” and Maidan in Erevan, Armenia
Notice people in red t-shirts in the crowd.

Maidan in Erevan organizers blame Russia, Putin and his “friends,” for the increase in utility prices. However, it was the Armenian government that sold the country’s biggest power generating station the Vorotan Cascade to the US private equity firm.

Armenia to Sell Largest Power Generating Facility

June 12, 2013 YEREVAN (RFE/RL)—A U.S. energy company announced on Wednesday that it is close to buying three big hydroelectric stations generating a considerable part of Armenia’s electricity.


The funds will be sourced from outside of Armenia using a combination of ContourGlobal’s own resources and those of prestigious international financial institutions,” it said in a statement. They include the 
U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and the International Finance Corporation, a World Bank Group division, according to the statement.

ARF Western US Central Committee Chair Comments of Armenia Developments

GLENDALE—The dramatic movement against the raising of electricity rates in Armenia that is engulfing the streets of Yerevan during the past 48 hours has had its reverberations in the Diaspora, especially within the Greater Los Angeles Armenian community.


USAID banned in Russia, but allowed in Armenia watches Armenian energy development

Sale of Vorotan Cascade hydro power plants’ property may drive electricity prices up [Source]

Vazgen Safaryan, chairman of the Union of Domestic Commodity Producers, thinks the sale of the property of the Vorotan Cascade Hydro Power Plants may drive electricity prices up. “
I am opposed to any sale – it will be the government’s property, since it is a system generating the cheapest electric power in Armenia,” he said at a news conference on Wednesday…

Ukraine Maidan activists in Erevan

Ukrainian Maidan activist from Odessa Alena Balaba (the one that burnt St George ribbons in the Eternal Flame of the WWII memorial) writes from Yerevan, Armenia.


She claims she and other representatives of “democratic” Ukraine are participating in the anti-governments riots in the capital of Armenia.


Anyone still doubting that the protests in post-Soviet Republics do not only have much in common, but are organized, supported and sponsored by the same forces?


3. Lithuania faces a financial and ecological disaster by chocking on expensive Norwegian gas. 

Lithuania lose one’s attraction Norwegian gas


State company Klaipėdos nafta, the operator of the LNG terminal, addressed to the Norwegian company Statoil asking for reducing the amount of purchased gas after realized that the demand is dramatically reduced, complained CEO Mantas Bartushka.


This is just after ONE year of being : “independent” from the Russia’s gas.
Remeber?


Statoil to Supply Gas to Lithuania in Five-Year Deal

Deal in 2015 Could End Lithuania Being Wholly Dependent on Russian Gas
4. “Russia, unfortunately, still exists.” Debate on the topic Serbia and neutrality,” which was several days ago held in Belgrade
representatives of the centre for euro-atlantic studies in Belgrade, Jelena Milic, who is hostile (with obvious hatred) noted that “Russia, unfortunately, still exists.”
Jelena Milic: Russia stifled european integration in Ukraine and the Balkans


4. As I predicted a week ago, the number of lawsuits filed in Europe and the US against Russia are growing.

b. Ex Yukos shareholders initiated new lawsuit against Russia’s taxpayers, this time in London[Source]

Just a reminder that the bankruptcy of Yukos was initiated by the foreign banks, not the Russia’s government. Russia’s government paid to the foreign bank $500 million to settle the company’s debt.


c. June 22, 2015 – WTO Appoints Panelists To Weigh EU-Russia Import Dispute [Source]

Russia has become a member of WTO with the lobbying of 
Arkady Dvorkovich
New York (June 22, 2015, 2:08 PM ET) — The World Trade Organization on Friday composed a three-member dispute settlement panel that will adjudicate the European Union’s case against Russian tariffs that have allegedly hampered more than $670 million worth of paper, refrigerator and palm oil exports from the 28-nation bloc.


d. June 19, 2015 – WTO Dispute Roundup: EU Stalls Gas, Poultry Disputes
At Friday’s monthly DSB session in Geneva, the EU spurned Russia’s first attempt to form a dispute settlement panel that would weigh the legality of rules governing the transmission, distribution, supply and storage of natural gas.
e. A Look At The New Export Control Rules For Cloud Computing 

New York (June 18, 2015, 5:31 PM ET) — On June 3, 2015, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security and the U.S. Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls published proposed rules revising key definitions in the Export Administration Regulations and International Traffic in Arms Regulations to harmonize the two export control regimes.


Export of Encrypted Data

The main substantive aspect of the proposed rules is to decontrol the transfer and storage of technology and software encrypted according to certain requirements. This change reflects recent developments in the way data is shared and stored (e.g., cloud computing) and responds to suggestions that industry has made for years. It is the first recognition by BIS and the DDTC that properly encrypted information does not pose a national security risk because it cannot be accessed. In particular, the rules would state that the terms export, reexport, release, retransfer and transfer would exclude sending, taking or storing technology/technical data or software that are:


(1) unclassified;
(2) secured using end-to-end encryption;
(3) secured using cryptographic modules compliant with FIPS 140-2, supplemented by software implementation, key management and other procedures and controls in accordance with NIST publications and guidance. Note that BIS would also allow “similarly effective cryptographic means,” while the DDTC would strictly require FIPS 140-2-compliant cryptography; and
(4) not be stored in a country subject to a U.S. arms embargo (i.e., EAR Country Group D:5 or ITAR Section 126.1) or Russia.

Cloud service providers may also have to refine their offerings to ensure that data is not decrypted at any time (even if only momentarily) and that no servers are located in restricted countries.


5. Germany’s von der Leyen urges more ‘steadfastness’ towards Greece and Russia [Source]

The same classy lady with a missing tooth – Germany’s military minister von der Leyen calls for the German revanchism aftermath of the WWII in her interview to the tabloid 
Bilt. On June 22 – the anniversary of the day fascist Germany attack on the Soviet Union in 1941.

Германия заговорила о России тоном реванша за проигранную войну [Source]

Carter Praises Germany’s Security Role, NATO Unity. WASHINGTON, June 23, 2015 – Defense Secretary Ash Carter discussed what he called the bright future of U.S.-German partnership and the importance of NATO unity to the European security environment during remarks at the Allianz Forum in Berlin yesterday.

Last, But Not Least…Keep on holding on…

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