Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Friday 2 June. [Ukrainian sources]

FRIDAY

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NEWS:
Chechen Accused Of Plotting To Kill Putin Survives Shooting In Kyiv. US sent to the borders of Russia's nuclear bombers.   In the State Duma threatened to use nuclear weapons in the Donbas, a condition called. In the United States predicted a loss of Russian positions in the region, these reasons. Congressmen demand-law deprive Trump access to classified information.  Putin is playing Europe: journalist pointed to the danger of a new aggravation of the Donbas. Putin is ready to sacrifice power for the sake of economy.

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The head of Russia is not ready to give up authoritarian methods

Russia is mired in the worst recession in two decades. However, President Vladimir Putin could still win praise from investors when asked former finance minister Alexei Kudrin again make economic program for 2018-2024 years. This writes Bloomberg , adding that it was at this time, apparently, will another Putin presidency.

Kudrin, who is credited with economic success in the early 2000s, already on Tuesday, before the economic forum in St. Petersburg, presented his plan. There are many old recipes from economists who, in his opinion, should revive economic growth. In particular, the Kremlin Kudrin proposes to reduce dependence on oil, invest in education, infrastructure upgrade, restore good relations with the West for access to technology and to stimulate trade.

"But despite the fact that politka aimed at solving these problems and gave positive results earlier Kudrin acknowledges that the chances that Putin agrees to fulfill its package of action is very small. The reason is that such actions will destroy "kremletsentrystsku" model, built by Putin at a time when a barrel of oil cost twice as much than now. This system plays into the hands of people who are closest to power. Thus, there was a group of people who postriyno enrich and create obstacles to change, "- referred to in the article.

The publication writes that in Moscow a new term - "lost decade." Kudrin calls since the last 10 years when economic growth in Russia does not exceed 1% per year, although at the beginning of Putin, it was 7%.

"Russia catastrophically losing time. Unfortunately, the government only gradually beginning to understand that structural changes are needed "- said Kudrin.

glavcom.ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українському

A Chechen man whom Russian authorities accuse of plotting to kill President Vladimir Putin was shot and wounded in Kyiv in what Ukrainian police say was an assassination attempt.

The Ukrainian Interior Ministry said Adam Osmayev was shot late on June 1 by a man who had introduced himself a day earlier as a French journalist and asked for an interview.

When Osmayev and his wife, Amina Okuyeva, were in a car with the man, he pulled out a pistol and shot Osmayev twice, the ministry said.

Okuyeva then shot the assailant with her own gun, it said. Both men were hospitalized in serious condition.

Osmayev, a native of Russia's Chechnya region who was educated in Britain, was arrested in Ukraine in February 2012 and charged with illegal explosives possession, damaging private property, and forgery. At the request the Russian authorities, he was later charged with plotting to kill Putin..........

rferl.or

US Congressmen from the Democratic Party to withdraw the request to Jared Kushner, adviser and son of US President Donald Trump, access to classified information.

Appeal demanding posted Congressman Jerold Nadler on its website.

According to him, the claim put forward in connection with "Jared Kushner numerous contacts with Russian agents and concealing this Administration."

"Kouchner access to classified information must be immediately abolished. If the Administration (Trump) thinks that is above the law, then it is wrong. We need to get to the essence of Russian interference in our elections (president), and that senior officials of the White House conceal information about previous contacts with Russian agents - or any other foreign agents "- said Rep.

The corresponding request signed 52 congressmen.

Recall, 26 May it became known that the FBI checks in-law of US President Donald Trump Jared Kushner in the investigation of ties Presidential Administration of Russia.

Reported that Kouchner at least once in December 2016 met with the Russian ambassador to the US Sergei Kislyak, as well as Russian banker Sergei Horkovym.

The White House refused to comment on information about Trump-law.

hromadske.ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українському

The Russian military is considering using nuclear weapons in the event of NATO troops in the Crimea or Donbass.

This was stated by deputy of the State Duma Vyacheslav Nikonov, reports the publication of " Gordon ".

"On NATO expansion near our borders. I've heard from our military, and I think they are right: if US forces, NATO forces have appeared or will appear in the Crimea or Ukraine in the east, Russia in the early stages of the conflict will be defenseless without nuclear weapons "- said Nikonov.

According to Vyacheslav Nikonov, Russian troops were discussing Moscow's willingness to use nuclear weapons in talks with NATO leaders.

As reported by "Apostrophe" earlier in Russia said that President Vladimir Putin is unlikely to exacerbate prepared a new Cold War with the West.

apostrophe.ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українському

Russian Federation in the foreseeable future will lose its influence in the Eurasian continent and the former Soviet Union.

This is stated in the report of American private intelligence and analysis company Stratfor, which is available to "apostrophe".

One of the main reasons for reducing the impact of Rossi in comparison with other countries will reduce the population, which, according to UN projections, by 2050 will be reduced by almost 10% - to 129 million.

It is expected that the US population will increase by more than 20%. As soon as the total population of Russia will be reduced, ethnic Slavic population will be much smaller proportion of the population that will create even more difficulties for its cultural and political identity.

According to Stratfor, although Russia prystosuэtsya some cultural, social and technological change, demographic shifts and language will work against Moscow no matter what policy it will conduct.

"Thus, the growth of the population of post-Soviet Eurasia Russia's position as the dominant state in the region is likely to be subjected to an increasing threat", - the report says.

In addition, according to analysts, the challenges facing Moscow at home and abroad, are increasingly feeling its ability to project influence in the former Soviet countries and to maintain order and stability within its borders.

Details of changes in the post, see the article "Ukraine Russia loses two unexpected reasons - a private US intelligence" , published at "Apostrophe".

apostrophe.ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українському

USA moved to the UK strategic bombers B-54N, able to carry warheads with nuclear warheads.

This was reported by United States European Command.

Today warplanes are based on the British Ferford. In Europe, B-54n will participate in the exercise Arstic Challenge and Saber Strike 2017 and BALTOPS, which should take place in the northern part of the continent. It is expected that within the tasks B-54N will fly over the Baltic and Norway.

Western media claim that Europe vыdpravleno at least three military planes, but the Pentagon did not disclose the exact number of bombers.

Earlier it was reported that the US may in the exercise in the Baltic region to place missile Patriot .

apostrophe.ua, Original in Ukrainian / на українському

The defeat of the pro-Russian politicians in elections in several European countries could provoke Russia into aggressive actions in Donbas.

This was in an interview with Delfi .lt told Ukrainian journalists Aider Muzhdabayev.

The journalist noted that Russia currently has become very "toxic for the country's reputation" as many politicians in the West are trying to distance themselves from the pro-Russian position.

This situation, according Muzhdabayeva may provoke a new aggravation of the military situation in the Donbass.

"It is much more likely that Russia desperately let us make mistakes of that playing France and Germany. I have suggested that it would lead to an aggravation of the situation with Ukraine and diversions in Ukraine", - said Muzhdabayev.

As reported by "Apostrophe" before the NSDC Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov joked about taking Moscow.

apostrophe.ua, Original in Ukrainian / на українському

The US government is considering options for US participation in negotiations on the settlement of the military conflict in Donbas.

It is reported " Ukrinform " referring to US Ambassador Marie Jovanovich Ukraine.

"We are reviewing our policy with regard to Ukraine and, I think, moving forward in a positive direction. Obviously, the situation in the east is a very important part of this and we will fully support Ukraine", - said Jovanovic to a question about possible US participation in talks "Norman Quartet".

The ambassador noted that the study of the various options of participation in the talks involved US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

apostrophe.ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українському

Russian President Vladimir Putin again accused Ukraine of the situation in the Donbass, adding that Russia can not unilaterally carry Minsk II.

He said this during a speech at an economic forum in St. Petersburg on June 2.

"We constantly hear: That if Russia will fulfill the Minsk agreement, everything will be fine. Russia can not fulfill Minsk agreements unilaterally. We are ready to contribute to this, but we can not do what must Kiev authorities to do" - said Putin. He accused Poroshenko in joining the blockade that prevents "engage in economic rehabilitation of the unrecognized republics."

Russian president also expressed surprise at Moscow demands Minsk to carry out the transaction.

apostrophe.ua, Original in Ukrainian / на українському

Hackers involved in hacking correspondence Эmmanuэlya macron French President during the election campaign, may be associated with the Federal Security Service of Russia.

This is stated in the investigation of Russian journalist The Insider.

The article reported that George P. Rosca, whose name was found in the metadata broken letters, attended a conference on information technology PAVT 2014, which introduced himself as an employee for "Eureka." However, "Evrytsi" officially announced that Rosca is not their employee and never was.

The journalists managed to get the list of participants. From the document revealed that in 2016 Rosca took part in the event as a specialist military unit №26165 (85 main center GRU special service, specializing in cryptography). At a conference in 2017 he registered at the conference as "a fellow at the Center for Strategic Research."

Sources told the publication that "Eureka" is preparing for future hackers of special services. Thus, it is assumed that it can be "factory" training hackers Defense Ministry.

apostrophe.ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українському  

Analysts from the U.S. private intelligence company Stratfor have analyzed the situation after the breakup of the Soviet Union and given forecasts of further relations between Russia, which poses itself as the successor of the USSR, and its neighbors, including Ukraine.

"The collapse of the Soviet Union a quarter century ago marked not only the end of an era but also the dawn of a new one. In its wake, the Russian Federation emerged, along with 14 newly independent countries spanning the Eurasian landmass. Former Soviet republics from Eastern Europe to the Caucasus to Central Asia suddenly gained the ability, at least in theory, to pursue their own domestic and foreign policies independent of Russia. And though it had lost its empire, Russia, too, had an opportunity to chart a new course in its economic, social and political development," Stratfor said in its assessment material titled "In Eurasia, a New Generation Challenges Russia's Dominance," published on May 31.

"Despite the nominal switch from communism and a command economy to democracy and capitalism, most former Soviet states, with the exception of the Baltic countries, retained centralized systems of government and adopted only a quasi-capitalist model. The Russian language, meanwhile, maintained its status as a lingua franca throughout Eurasia. Furthermore, Moscow salvaged its ties with countries in the region once it recovered from the chaos of the early post-Soviet period of the 1990s. Russia uses an array of tactics, including military deployments and political manipulation, to project power in the former Soviet Union to this day," it said.

Nevertheless, the remnants of the Soviet era are starting to fade as more and more people are born into a post-Soviet world. The median age today in Russia is just under 40 years old — similar to that in Ukraine and Belarus — meaning the average citizen in these countries spent less than half his or her life under Soviet rule. Only about half the population in Central Asia, where the median age is under 30, experienced Soviet life at all. And in just two decades' time, most people across Eurasia will have no direct experience or memory of the Soviet Union. The change in demographics promises to transform the former Soviet states politically, economically and culturally — and to challenge Russia's influence in these countries.

"Already, the generational shift is having an effect on Eurasia. Use of the Russian language, for example, is decreasing throughout the region. Many former Soviet states have de-emphasized the language, which was taught across the Soviet Union for the duration of its existence. Today, Russian is no longer required for students at most schools in Eurasia. Instruction is given in the countries' national languages instead. Students, moreover, often study other foreign languages such as French, German, English and Chinese in lieu of Russian. The use of Russian as a primary language is also on the decline in much of the former Soviet Union. Just under one-quarter of the population in Ukraine primarily used Russian in 2016, according to the Euromonitor group, which uses U.N. and national data sets, compared with 33.9 percent in 1994," it said. As part of this trend, some countries in Central Asia and the Caucasus have moved to phase out the Cyrillic script as well in favor of a Latin alphabet. Turkmenistan undertook the transition shortly after it gained independence; Uzbekistan introduced a similar measure, albeit less successfully, in the early 1990s, and the country currently uses both writing systems. Now Kazakhstan is joining these countries to embark on its own alphabet shift. Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev published an article in April proclaiming that all books and official records in the country would be printed in Latin script by 2025. Nazarbayev's administration has been considering the move since the early 1990s, but now that Russian is on the decline in his country, and Kazakh is on the rise, the transition is all but inevitable. And over time, the linguistic changes in Russia's periphery will weaken its cultural influence there. Political Changes..........................

Access complete text of the editorial:  unian.info/politics In English

The European Union is likely to prolong the EU's investment ban in Russia-occupied Crimea for another year, according to RFE/RL correspondent in Brussels Rikard Jozwiak.

"Eu ambassadors are likely to next week prolong the EU's investment ban in Crimea for 1 more year," Jozwiak wrote on Twitter on June 2, 2017.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the United States on Thursday imposed new sanctions against Russia. Nine companies and government institutions, including two Russian firms, and three people were blacklisted by the U.S. for the support of North Korea's weapons programs. According to U.S.-based CNBC, the measures announced by the U.S. Treasury on Thursday sanctioned Ardis-Bearings Llc, which it said is based in Moscow, and its director, Igor Aleksandrovich Michurin, for acting as a supplier to a North Korean trading company involved in the country's missile and weapons of mass destruction programs. Another Russian firm, Independent Petroleum Company, and a subsidiary were blacklisted for signing a contract to provide oil to North Korea and shipping over $1 million worth of petroleum products to North Korea, Treasury said.

The head of Independent Petroleum, Eduard Khudainatov, was chief executive of Russia's largest oil producer Rosneft from 2010 to 2012 before Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed his close aide, Igor Sechin, to replace him. Khudainatov then became a Rosneft vice president and subsequently left Rosneft and took over the much smaller IPC, which produces about 40,000 barrels of oil per day, compared with more than four million barrels a day at Rosneft. IPC was set up in December 2012, according to filings................

Access complete text of the editorial:  unian.info/politics In English

In Germany, the "Rock am Ring" rock festival to be suspended because of a bomb threat.

This is stated on the Facebook page of the festival.

"Due to the threat of terrorism, the police advised us to interrupt the festival We ask all visitors to the festival and quietly move in the direction of yields and camping without panic.", - said in a statement.

"We hope that the festival will continue tomorrow Thank you for your cooperation.", - added the organizers.

The police said there was no evidence that would help to eliminate the terrorist threat.

At the festival came about 90 thousand. Man.

Rock festival "Rock am Ring" is held annually in the German town of Nürburg.





obozrevatel.com , Original in Russian / На русском

Russia loses Ukraine due to two reasons - reducing the significance of the Russian language and the threat of unrest in Russia.

This is the conclusion in a private US Stratfor analytical intelligence company, reports Inforesist.

"Two important and unexpected, at first glance, the reasons for which the Russian loses, among other neighbors, Ukraine - reducing the value of the Russian language and a serious threat to the protests in Russia", - said in a private intelligence report.

It is reported that the average age in Russia today is a little less than 40 years - as well as in Ukraine and Belarus, which means that the average citizen of these countries spent less than half of his life under the Soviet regime.

Only about half of the population of Central Asia, where the average age is less than 30 years, generally known the Soviet life. In just two decades, the majority of people in Eurasia would have no direct experience or memory of the Soviet Union. Changing demographics bode political, economic and cultural transformation of former Soviet states that defies influence of Russia in these countries.

"Generational change is already having an impact on Eurasia, for example, the use of the Russian language is reduced throughout the region Today, Russian is no longer needed students in most schools of the former republics of the USSR Instead, classes are taught in the national language of the country...", - the report says.

Also, it turned out that Russia is not immune to massive riots.

"Economic downturns and corruption scandals that rocked the country in recent years, becoming less and less acceptable to the Russians, especially young people. In response, people have organized major demonstrations in Russian cities in Russia in April. The protests were notable, both in the number of cities in which they were and a large number of young people who took part in them, "- noted in intelligence.

The US noted that as the population of post-Soviet Eurasia, Russia's position as the dominant power in the region will come under increasing threat.

obozrevatel.com , Original in Ukrainian / на українському

Ninety-year-old Volha Barouskaya is the last known living witness to one of the atrocities of the Stalin era. As a girl, she stumbled on a mass killing of prisoners in the Kurapaty woods near Minsk, the site of thousands of executions by the Soviet secret police.



rferl.org