Russia SITREP June 25, 2017

by Scott Humor

I find an argument that Putin rules America to be ridiculous. If it were true, the U.S. would have paid most of it sovereign debt while employing millions, and building high speed railroads, best rocket engines, mega bridges and churches; medical care and education would become free, mothers would be getting “maternal capital” to buy homes, and agents of foreign interests with corrupt government officials would be dispatched to courts.

Our president leads by personal example.

On June 22nd, while laying wreath to the Unknown Soldier Tomb, he declined an umbrella despite of pouring rain.

June 22nd is an anniversary of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War with fascist Europe. This day we remember out fathers and grandfathers that fought and won this war.

June 24, 1945 in Moscow, took place a parade to commemorate the victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany

June 24, 1945 in #Moscow, took place a parade to commemorate the victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany pic.twitter.com/mporTjI2vU — ГК РФ 🇷🇺 в Женеве (@RusConsulGen) June 24, 2017

Speaking of allies… Erdogan is our guy, as I wrote many times before. He is intelligent and good looking, so I recommend you to start liking him, if you haven’t done so already.

Turkey buys coal from Donetsk and Lugansk republics. According to invoices made public by an online publication Economicheskaya Pravda, Donbass coal export to Turkey is being conducted by Sergey Kurchenko’s companies Petroleum Capital, registered in Russia, and Emet Trading LP, registered in California and in the UK.

Since the Rada deputies, Semenchenko and Parasyuk, initiated a blockade of Donbass, and Kiev started buying coal from the U.S. and Saturn, guys from Donetsk and Lugansk were looking for buyers that would stand up to the EU and U.S. sanctions. They started shipping coal to Turkey in April, and this month they have been transporting via Rostov two 20,000 ton bulk carriers per week.

Also, those who are not familiar with a colorful character dubbed Parasyuk, I refer to my book, with an entire section dedicated to him.

On June 23rd, Putin gave a start to Turkish Stream pipeline segments jointing, and said that he will supervise the construction personally.

Jun 23, 2017

Russian President Vladimir Putin said “If our partners want it to happen” the Turkish Stream natural gas pipeline would be “ready to supply South and South East Europe through Turkish territory”, while speaking over the phone line with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on board the Pioneering Spirit pipelaying ship in the Black Sea near Anapa, Friday.

SOT, Vladimir Putin, Russian President (Russian): “I am here to launch a deep-water phase of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline.”

SOT, Vladimir Putin, Russian President (Russian): “We still need to agree on some things, such as pipeline entry point, passage of the pipeline through Turkish territory, issues related to environmental safety but if we continue to move forward at the same pace, we will realise all our plans.”

SOT, Vladimir Putin, Russian President (Russian): “If our partners want it to happen, we will be ready to supply gas to South and South East Europe through the Turkish territory.”



SOT, Vladimir Putin, Russian President (Russian): “I want to thank you for issuing a power generation license for the Russian company which will allow selling electricity until 2066.”

SOT, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish President (Turkish): “Energy projects, especially gas projects, being realised between our countries for almost 30 years are a very important and reliable part of energy security in our country.”

SOT, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish President (Turkish): “We expect such large projects as the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant and Turkish Stream to be fully completed and thanks to these projects our relations will be further strengthened.”

Gazprom has resumed offshore construction of Turkish Stream pipeline in May

Russia’s Gazprom began construction of the offshore section of the Turkish Stream natural gas pipeline on Sunday, off the coast of Krasnodarskiy Krai.

The length of the entire offshore section is over 900 kilometers (559 miles). An Audacia multi-purpose pipe-laying vessel, owned by Allseas, is carrying out the initial construction works, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller announced on Sunday. The twin-legged pipeline is designed to supply gas to Turkey and Europe separately.

The opening of Turkish Stream is planned for year-end 2019, according to Miller.

While looking for logic behind current events like senseless terror attacks that are being forgotten the following day and contradicting statements being made by politicians, and some members of military and Intelligence communities, we have to take into consideration one peculiarity of the deep state’s operations. They plan years and decades in advance. Their plans are simple and formulaic, and they allocate funds to their contractors in advance. After payments are received, contractors go ahead with their work according to their tender specifications even if a situation changes dramatically. It doesn’t matter what needs to be done. Anything from developing media talking points for “synergy between promoting active participation in work and in society and social, health and long-term care strategies” for the EU parliament, to the U.S. government tenders to build NATO bases in Crimea, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia

Below is a link to an analysis of some statements made by the U.S. media about the war in Syria. This is how they announce their plans, even so we know that it’s all bark and no bite, now.

A recent headline in The Atlantic (6/9/17) earnestly pondered if the US was “Getting Sucked Into More War in Syria.” “Even as Washington potentially stumbles into war…” was how the article’s discussion began.

That’s why we hear these announcements, and know that they are just talking to each other over our heads according to their plans, blind to the fact that conditions have been absolutely, dramatically and permanently changed.

That’s why we witness now so many loose ends and random blocks of some grandiose wargaming all over the place. That’s why we watch the Gulf states rushing to give their ultimatum to Qatar and hitting an invisible cast-iron wall. The wall just came up. It wasn’t there a year ago, and it couldn’t be there when they planned to attack and loot Qatar. The deep state needs to devour a nation every year to keep going.

Baaz discovered an interview of the former Ambassador Robert Ford. It’s fun to watch how he tries to push square pegs of neo-liberal propaganda through round holes of geo-political reality that are not even there anymore, because someone very intelligently had removed them.

Sharmine Narwani

Interview with former US Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford by the Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq al-Awsat on June 20.

Ford: Kurds will pay the price for trusting the Americans…

Let us start with an essential point: your visit to Hama in June 2011. Why did you go? And do you think this was a wise decision?

“A. The two questions are legit. Why did I go? The answer is easy. We obtained information indicating that Hama was besieged and that the army is besieging the city. We were worried about violence during the protests on the following day. I went there on Thursday to be a witness to any potential violence and to know who started it because the main question in Washington will be: Who started the violence? Was it the protestors or the government…? Also my visit included a message to the Syrian government indicating that we’re taking this matter seriously and you should not be dispatching the army to the city…

“Q. Was that a wise decision?

“A. There are two aspects: one positive and one negative aspect. My visit showed the Syrians that we’re interested in Human Rights issues. I still meet Syrian people now who tell me: Thank you for visiting Hama… But there are also two negative points concerning my visit: First, the Syrian government used the visit to support its propaganda on the Syrian revolution being an external conspiracy. Second, one student of mine at Yale is writing a thesis about this: my visit and other actions in Syria in 2011 encouraged the growth of the protest movement. However, the Americans were not willing to dispatch the army to help the Syrians. This means that we gave the Syrians a fake hope.

“…Q. After six years, did you expect that Al-Assad will still be in power despite all that happened in the country?

“A. In late 2013, I thought the attrition war will be harsh on the regime and that they will be negotiating a deal. Some will ask for a pardon and leave to Algeria or Russia or Cuba. [I thought] that a coalition cabinet will be formed…and because the Syrian army will be weak, the regime will accept to save itself in return of giving up on the Al-Assad and Makhlouf families.

“Q. Did you really think that the regime will be negotiating its end?

“A. Yes. This is the biggest political mistake that I made. I did not expect Iran and Hezbollah to send thousands of fighters. I did not expect Hezbollah to sacrifice its reputation in the Arab world for Al-Assad…

“Q. Why has Washington failed to modify the state of stagnation?

“A. Al-Assad won. He’s a victor or so he thinks. Maybe in ten years, he will take the whole country. The regime won’t be held accountable for the chemical weapons, the killings, the torture, the explosive barrels, the refugees and the displaced people. No accountability. Al-Assad might be visiting Paris or London, but no one will visit Damascus to take the regime’s officials to be tried in The Hague. No one. The regime might require some time to restore Deraa. Sooner or later, it will go to Idleb. The Russians will help. It [the regime] will go to Qamishli and strike a deal with Iran and Turkey to destroy the Kurds.

“Q. What about the Americans? Will they not protect the Kurds?

“A. Do you think the Americans will be fighting in Qamishli?

“Q. The Americans are supporting the Kurds to liberate Raqqa from ISIL

“A. Did you hear an American official say, or read an American statement indicating: we will defend West Kurdistan after ISIL’s defeat?

“Q. No. What does that mean?

“A. Is this a coincidence? They will not defend the Kurds against the Al-Assad forces.

“Q. So they’re using the Kurds only to free Raqqa from ISIL?

“A. Yes. For this reason, I believe that what we’re doing with the Kurds is not only political stupidity but also something immoral. The Americans used the Kurds for long years during the Saddam Hussein rule… The Syrian Kurds are making the biggest mistake by trusting the Americans…

“Q. What is Trump’s ultimate goal?

“A. He wants to reduce the Iranian authority. That’s what I heard from one of Trump’s advisors a few weeks back. But he doesn’t know that the game is over. They are very late. Obama did not leave the Trump Administration with many choices to realize its objectives.”

Israel keeps heating up its own borders by bombing Syrian troops deep inside Syrian territory

Israel attacked SAA deep inside Syrian territory, claims self defense

The al-Qaeda fire-request-by-mortar scheme in Syria run by Israel

Israel has openly been aiding Al Qaeda in Syria; A man was arrested for taking photo showings IDF & AQ on the Golan border

What secret? #Israel has openly been aiding Al Qaeda in #Syria;

A man was arrested for taking photo showings #IDF & AQ on the Golan border pic.twitter.com/PJru0cvDbU — H e b a (@HKX07) June 18, 2017

Syria: Israel coordinated attack with Islamist militants, giving air support to Nusra assault on Quneitra https://t.co/noklCfRpr2 — Haaretz.com (@haaretzcom) June 24, 2017

The #IDF continues to strike targets in the #GolanHeights after an enemy artillery barrage spilled into the region. pic.twitter.com/aLF9bcDMta — The Intel Crab (@IntelCrab) June 24, 2017

How we win

On June 21st, Rosoboronexport representative Sergei Kornev and an unnamed female security service employee were attacked in Paris . Kornev and his bodyguard arrived to France for the 52nd International Paris Air Show in Le Bourget. Two robbers broke the glass of the Russian delegation car stopped at traffic light and, threatening with physical violence, stole money and valuables. Kornev and his coworker chased the robbers driving behind them all over Paris, until they end up in a suburb of Paris of Saint-Denis. Per witness accounts, the robbers called the Police to get protection from two enraged Russians, who, surrounded by fifty locals, forced them to return the stolen items. Some of them complained to the Police about being injured.

The following day the French press came out with the headlines like “Two Russian chased fifty robbers all over Paris” and “Courage: Russian and his bodyguard fought against 50 attackers”.

It seems only a year ago 300 Russian football fans fought against mob of 1200 servicemen of the British Army in Marseille, France.

Valeurs

Le Point

At this year Air Show Russia was represented by 34 companies, but because of hostile attitude of the French regime, they couldn’t bring any life-size products like in the past few years.

According to Jane’s Defence Weekly

The Russian Helicopters holding company, a subsidiary of the Rostec state corporation, is planning to extend its order backlog to 500 helicopters by the end of 2017, company director-general Andrey Boginsky told Jane’s at the 52nd Paris Air Show in Le Bourget.

“In 2015-16, a range of customers, primarily foreign ones, had a wait-and-see attitude towards co-operation with Russia due to the geopolitical situation. However, they see that the Russian Helicopters holding fulfills its contract obligations fully and does not have financial problems, as well as boosting its efforts in this area. India, China, Egypt, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Brazil, Argentina, Niger, Burkina Faso, and other countries are among these partners.

Featured image new Ka-226T helicopter

The end of school year is marked by the annual Scarlet Sails festival in St. Petersburg

Scarlet Sails (tradition)

The Scarlet Sails (Russian: Алые паруса) is a celebration in St. Petersburg, Russia, the most massive and famous public event during the White Nights Festival. The tradition is highly popular for its spectacular fireworks, numerous music concerts, and a massive water show. The Scarlet Sails show celebrating the end of the 2007 school year was attended by more than one million people. In 2010, public attendance grew to 3 million, and entertainers were such stars as the Cirque du Soleil, Mariinsky Ballet and Antonio Banderas, among others.

This tradition began after the end of World War II, when several Leningrad schools united to celebrate the end of the school year in connection with the symbolism of the popular 1922 children’s book Scarlet Sails by Alexander Grin. During the first celebration, a boat with scarlet sails sailed along the English Embankment and the Admiralty Embankment towards the Winter Palace. Although it was designed to update the rusty revolutionary propaganda, the “Scarlet Sails” tradition eventually evolved into a massive demonstration of freedom from “schools and rules” and has become the most popular public event annually celebrating the end of school year.

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Scott Humor

Director of Research and Development

author of The enemy of the State

Follow me on twitter

In case you have forgotten what happened in Ukraine, this book should refresh your memory with the incredibly precise and humorous chronicles: ANTHOLOGY OF RUSSIAN HUMOR: FROM MAIDAN TO TRUMP