|
Post by DavidH on Mar 9, 2017 15:39:30 GMT
|
|
|
Post by DavidH on Mar 9, 2017 15:42:09 GMT
|
|
|
Post by DavidH on Mar 9, 2017 17:57:17 GMT
Pro-Russia MPs push for poll to keep Nato out of MontenegroPro-Russian politicians in Montenegro accused of attempting a failed, Kremlin-backed coup to stop the country joining Nato are planning an unauthorised referendum to rally public hostility to the alliance. “We will organise a popular, consultative referendum that will show most people oppose Nato,” Mr Knezevic said at his party offices, adorned with Orthodox icons and oil paintings of Marshal Georgy Zhukov, Josef Stalin’s military chief. Mr Mandic separately confirmed his support for an unofficial poll on Nato membership if the government refused a formal referendum on joining the security alliance. www.ft.com/content/300e6f60-03ec-11e7-aa5b-6bb07f5c8e12
|
|
|
Post by DavidH on Mar 9, 2017 21:16:20 GMT
Macedonian breakdown gets Europe’s attentionWestern politicians are rushing to Skopje, Russia is issuing warnings and Serbian newspapers proclaim that war is coming. To preserve ethnic peace, governments consist of the winning Macedonian party and an Albanian one. Elections last December gave the incumbent Macedonian party, the nationalist VMRO, a slight edge. But after talks with the VMRO failed, the leading Albanian party, headed by Ali Ahmeti, opted for the Social Democrats. On March 1st Macedonia’s president refused to ask the Social Democrats to form a government, saying Albanian demands would “destroy” the country. The Social Democrats called it a “coup”. Every weekday since, thousands of Macedonians have demonstrated in support of the president. VMRO has staunchly supported joining NATO, but in this crisis it is backed by Russia. Continues- www.economist.com/news/europe/21718549-tensions-countrys-albanian-politicians-could-deteriorate-conflict-macedonian?fsrc=scn/tw_ec/a_macedonian_breakdown_gets_europe_s_attention
|
|
|
Post by DavidH on Mar 9, 2017 22:19:19 GMT
Georgia Offers NATO to Build a Black Sea Base at PotiGeorgian military expert Irakli Aladashvili told Russian newspaper Kommersant that this wouldn't be a NATO base per se, but "a land forces base capable of 'covering' the eastern part of the Black Sea. 'Russian armed forces occupied Poti in August 2008, recognizing the strategic significance of this coastal port," he said. That base, he added, would be equipped with "artillery and rockets capable of controlling a significant part of the eastern Black Sea," which sounds a bit like the anti-access/area denial strategy Russia is using around the Black Sea. Ukraine is already getting substantial military aid from the United States to help rebuild its navy, and training from other NATO members including Britain, France, and Italy. www.eurasianet.org/node/82736
|
|
|
Post by DavidH on Mar 9, 2017 22:24:02 GMT
Ryskeldi Satke @ryskeldisatke 9h Belarus president fires back at Russian PM Medvedev's "spit in the face" over gas price. Lukashenko is threatening with retaliatory action.
|
|
|
Post by DavidH on Mar 10, 2017 11:40:32 GMT
|
|
|
Post by DavidH on Mar 10, 2017 11:44:29 GMT
|
|
|
Post by DavidH on Mar 10, 2017 11:49:15 GMT
|
|
|
Post by DavidH on Mar 10, 2017 14:31:26 GMT
Russia's Only Aircraft Carrier Will Soon Be Out of Action for 3 Years Russia will start modernizing its sole aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov before July. The ageing warship will undergo a massive refit that will modernize her problematic and unreliable propulsion system along with other upgrades. During the modernization process, the ship will have four of its eight boilers replaced while the remaining four will be repaired. The ageing Soviet-era vessel has been plagued with reliability issues. The rest of the carrier’s systems will also be modernized. "The ship will be equipped with modern systems of electronic warfare, communication, intelligence, navigation and combat control,” the source told TASS.” Aside from this, new control systems for safe carrier-based aircraft landing will be installed. The composite air wing personnel will remain unchanged.” nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/russias-only-aircraft-carrier-will-soon-be-out-action-3-19678
|
|
|
Post by DavidH on Mar 10, 2017 15:59:14 GMT
In Maladzechna, Belarus, protest against economic policy of government. via @alexkokcharov
|
|
|
Post by DavidH on Mar 10, 2017 16:57:58 GMT
Election in occupied Donbas no longer on Minsk agenda – Ukraine`s negotiatorExpert of the political subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group on the settlement of the Donbas crisis Olga Aivazovska claims that the issue of holding local elections in Russia-occupied Donbas is no longer on the agenda of Minsk peace talks due to the efforts of the Ukrainian side, according to a Ukrainian television channel. The Ukrainian side insists that the local election in Donbas could be held only after the withdrawal of Russian troops from the east of Ukraine. uaposition.com/latest-news/election-occupied-donbas-no-longer-minsk-agenda-ukraines-negotiator/
|
|
|
Post by DavidH on Mar 10, 2017 17:06:52 GMT
Chemical disaster fear in Eastern Ukraine prompts UN expert to raise alarmA United Nations human rights expert is warning against the threat of catastrophic chemical disaster due to the armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine. “Large chemical and industrial facilities are in areas where fighting is ongoing”, said Baskut Tuncak, the Special Rapporteur on human rights and hazardous substances and wastes. “Battles are now being fought in cities, close to industrial centres, with factories increasingly becoming at risk of being hit: the consequences for anyone living close-by would be severe”. On 24 February, shelling hit a building which stored over 7,000 kg of chlorine gas. While no storage container was damaged, the rupture of just one 900 kg container would kill anyone within 200-meters and result in severe health consequences for those within 2.4 km, according to experts. In case of extensive damage, people living within 7.4 km downwind of the facility would need to be moved away within 24 hours. www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=21344&LangID=E#sthash.7Sy88UaJ.dpuf
|
|
|
Post by DavidH on Mar 10, 2017 17:41:05 GMT
Ukraine: ICRC president alarmed at deteriorating conditions for civilians on the front lineThe president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Peter Maurer, has concluded a five-day visit to Ukraine. With hundreds of thousands of people living in towns and villages close to the front line, he expressed alarm about their living conditions. "Hundreds of thousands of people are living under the perpetual threat of shelling, shooting, and landmines. Their access to basics like food, water and electrical power has been dramatically curtailed," said Mr Maurer. He reiterated the ICRC's call for a series of "safety zones" to be established to better protect critical water, gas and electricity installations on the front line. reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/ukraine-icrc-president-alarmed-deteriorating-conditions-civilians-front-line?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=shared&utm_source=twitter.com
|
|
|
Post by DavidH on Mar 10, 2017 20:00:43 GMT
3rd part Maidan killings reconstruction footage compilation releasedBetween 16:51 and 17:00, one of the cameramen is filming in the assembly hall of the headquarters of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine, where the burnt body of Volodymyr Topiy had already lay for 1.5 days by that time. Viewer discretion is highly advised. Throughout a one-hour period (from 11:24 to 12:18) some eight or nine ambulances drove to the National Bank of Ukraine head office. However, the law enforcers blocked their further passage to the wounded. Riot police positioned themselves at a barricade made of concrete blocks. Any medical assistance was blocked at the time for the badly wounded protesters, like Oleksandr Khrapachenko, who was just 250 meters away from paramedics. It is noted that deliberately hindering the provision of emergency medical care, which led to death, is equivalent to murder. www.unian.info/kiev/1817691-3rd-part-of-feb-20-2014-maidan-killings-reconstruction-footage-compilation-released.html
|
|