Ukraine News in brief. Friday 26 January. [Ukrainian sources]

FRIDAY HEADLINES:
Poroshenko: Ukraine to gain EU membership prospect in 2021.  US Army Gen. Hodges says Russia to try to locate Javelins provided to Ukraine.  Russian mercenary Ageev captured in Donbas gets 10-year sentence. State Audit Service chief charged with profiteering released on personal recognizance.  Ukraine has a brilliant dialogue with Trump: numerous discussions have taken place, we have received weapons.  My message to Russia: "Give peace to Ukraine!".  "Nord Stream 2" is a purely political project. There is no economic necessity, no sense to build it.  We managed to stop blitzkrieg from the return of the Russian Federation to the PACE.  Expecting some results from a meeting between Volcker and Surkov is unlikely to be worth it. This is a "clock alignment".  "Ask me a question in Ukrainian, and I'll answer you," a Russian journalist in Davos gave vyshyvanka and tried to provoke Poroshenko.  Russia is studying Britain's critical infrastructure and may hit the power supply system.  Polish parliament criminalizes 'Bandera ideology'. Even the supporters of Putin are afraid to speak to the occupied Crimea, the American correspondent Kim.  The most developed robot in the world "froze" after the question of corruption in Ukraine at the forum in Davos.

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President Petro Poroshenko is convinced that Ukraine will gain a prospect of membership in the EU in 2021.

He said delivering speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Censor.NET reports citing 112 Ukraine TV channel.

"I am absolutely convinced that everything will be fine after the wave of Eurosceptic populism. The only thing that will change in 2021 is that Ukraine will gain EU membership prospect with the support of Poland and Lithuania," Poroshenko said.

The president also stressed the need for unity among the European Union’s nations and other democratic countries. "The basis for our unity is our values, not the money," he said.

"I am absolutely convinced that we will win the war of propaganda, win the information campaign, become victorious in the hybrid war, because the truth is on our side," Poroshenko said.

As reported, Ukraine signed the Association Agreement with the EU in 2014 following the Revolution of Dignity. In 2014-2017, the agreement was ratified by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the European Parliament, and the parliaments of all the EU countries.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Former Commander of U.S. Army Europe Lieutenant General Ben Hodges believes Russia will make every effort to locate the sites where Ukraine stores U.S.-supplied Javelin anti-tank missile systems.

The retired U.S. military said at the meeting of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission) Jan. 24, Censor.NET reports citing UNIAN.

“I don’t know how they [Ukrainians] are going to use them but I am very confident that the Russians will be looking for where those things are because that is a very capable system that can change how people think about things… They will always know that this capability is out there and I think that causes the Russians, the separatists that they rethink what they might try [to do],” Hodges said, responding to a question of a VOA reporter. The fact that Ukraine now has Javelins in its arsenal might prevent Russia from making “small land grabs” and “moving the line” at certain favorable periods.

As reported, the U.S. administration announced its decision to allow selling lethal weapons to Ukraine. U.S. officials also reported that Ukraine had received Javelin ATGMs. “We’re not talking about thousands of these things [Javelins], obviously, but the Javelin is the best anti-tank weapon system that an individual soldier can carry… The key will be how Ukrainians choose to employ it. And so whenever we provide a weapon system to another country there is a package that goes with it… there’s a training aspect to it, it does not have magical powers but it is very good,” Hodges stressed.

Hodges also said that the U.S. move to arm Ukraine did not spark harsh reactions in Europe and Russia, of which observers and former U.S. administration had been wary. “I was actually a little surprised. I haven’t seen as much of a reaction from the Russians or Europeans to that decision, which tells me that Ambassador Volker did a great job of laying the groundwork and making sure that this decision did not break the unity of the Alliance,” he said.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The court in the government-controlled part of the Luhansk region passed a guilty verdict against Russian serviceman Viktor Ageev sentencing him to 10 years in prison.

Ageev’s lawyer Viktor Chevhuz wrote on social media, Censor.NET reports.

"Luhansk region-based Novoaidar district court sentenced Russian national Viktor Ageyev to 10 years in prison today. The trial and legal debate in the criminal case of the Russian national were completed yesterday. The prosecutor considers the so-called self-proclaimed "Luhansk People’s Republic" a terrorist organization the ranks of which Ageev joined under the contract. Ageev was also charged with illegal possession and carrying of firearms and ammunition. The prosecutor requested to sentence him to 12-year imprisonment with confiscation of property for multiple offenses," the lawyer said.

The defense sees the penalty as disproportional and intends to appeal against it.

As reported, Russian scout Ageev, born in 1995, was captured by fighters of the Ukrainian Army in a skirmish between the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade and a scout group of the 4th mechanized brigade of the 2nd army corps of the so-called "Luhansk People's Republic" at Zholobok, the Luhansk region, on June 24.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Solomianskyi district court of Kyiv released Lidia Havrylova, chief of the State Audit Service recently indicted on charges of illicit enrichment, on personal recognizance until March 25.

As reported by Censor.NET citing Ukrinform, the decision was made by Judge Oleksandr Bobrovnyk.

"The court decided to partially grant the detectives’ motion. Havrylova will be released on personal recognizance until March 25," the judge announced.

The court also ordered Havrylova to hand over all the passports, cooperate with the investigators, and avoid contacts with witnesses in the case.

It is noteworthy that the prosecutors requested to place Havrylova into pre-trial detention with the right to post 1 million hryvnia (about $34,600) in bail.

On Jan. 23, Havrylova was indicted on charges of illicit enrichment and entering false information on the income-tax return.

"The investigators found that in 2015-2017, the official acquired assets through means which legitimacy has not been proven and which value significantly exceeded her legal income. We are talking about the Kyiv-based real estate assets (an apartment, two parking lots), an SUV (produced in 2016), expensive furniture, domestic appliances, ingot gold, $112,800 and 8,500 euros in cash that were found and seized by the detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) after they searched the official’s apartment," the NABU said.

The NABU detectives are also convinced that the official has knowingly entered false information into her annual e-declaration of income (more than 2.86 million hryvnia in 2015 and over 4.67 million hryvnia in 2016).

An expensive SUV and two parking lots owned by Havrylova’s ex-husband were also missing in her tax return. The mentioned property should have been declared under the law on the prevention of corruption since their family relationship has not actually been terminated despite the actual divorce.

Commenting on illegal enrichment charges filed against her, Havrylova said: "Every Ukrainian owns ingot gold."

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko is optimistic about relations with Washington, declaring substantial support from the United States for the presidency of Donald Trump.

Reported Tsenzor.NET with reference to Interfax-Ukraine.

"Ukraine has a brilliant dialogue with Mr Trump, I have had two full meetings, numerous discussions have taken place, we have received weapons, have received extremely strong support from the US Congress, moreover, from both parties, and we can remain optimistic," the head of state said, speaking at the panel discussion of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Friday.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

President of Poland Andrzej Dudd in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, addressed Russia with the message "to leave Ukraine alone."
This is reported by Tsensor.NET with reference to 112 Ukraine.

When asked about the president's message to Russia for 2018, Andrzej Duda answered: "Give peace to Ukraine!"

"Yesterday, during our working lunch, I said that we need to keep the door open in the EU for the new countries, and we need to stick to the open door policy, which is very important for the future of the EU, especially during the Bretxette, it's one thing." Another thing is Russia. we need to try to keep the balance because it is our neighbor. We need to try to establish a dialogue at a low level, but we need to demand respect for international law and also respect not only in Europe, the whole world. We have very bad examples in the last 10 years Georgia, Ukraine", - noted Dud.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is a political rather than an economic project.

According to Cenzor.NET, referring to Gordon, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė said this during a discussion at the Davos World Economic Forum, which was broadcast on the forum's website.

"We see this as a purely political project, there is no economic necessity and no sense to build it, which will make Europe again completely dependent on Russian supplies, there is nothing wrong with Russian gas, and we also buy as much as we need if the price is competitive. is that if you become completely dependent, it turns into an instrument of influence,"- she said.

Grybauskaitė added that energy "has always been used as a tool of pressure, as an instrument of influence."

She added that now Europe, which created the Energy Union and diversified the sources of gas supplies, "again falls on the same path of dependence."

Nord Stream 2, headed by former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, involves the construction of two gas pipelines with a total capacity of 55 billion m³ of gas a year from Russia to Germany along the Baltic Sea. The current Nord Stream gas pipeline consists of two twenty threads of length 1224 km with a throughput capacity of 27.5 bcm each, Gazprom began supplying this pipeline in 2012.

In December 2015, the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, said that the project for the second stage of the North Stream pipeline is not in line with the EU energy rules (the Third Energy Package) and undermines Ukraine's role as a gas transit.

In March 2016, eight EU countries (Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Estonia and Lithuania) signed an appeal to the European Commission to protest the gas pipeline project. At the same time, its construction is supported by Germany, France, Austria and the Netherlands, writes the "German Wave".

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said on June 25, 2017 that the North Stream 2 is a very serious threat to Ukraine. He noted that the goal of the Russian project is to save Ukraine $ 2 billion that it receives for gas transit.

European Commissioner Jean-Claude Juncker said in October that there was no unanimous agreement on talks with Russia on the North Stream-2 in the EU.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The Ukrainian side was able to hinder the implementation of the initiative to return the Russian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
This was stated on his Facebook page by PACE Vice President, Head of the Ukrainian delegation, People's Deputy ( Voluntary Armed Forces ) Vladimir Ariev, reports Tsensor.NET.

"The PACE has supported the important amendments of the Ukrainian delegation to the resolution" Development of the monitoring procedure. "In addition to the next reminder of the aggression in the Donbas and the annexation of the Crimea, the Assembly once again demanded that the Russian Federation comply with the PACE resolutions on these issues in the context of the efforts of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe and other supporters of the return of the Russian Federation without this may be an important signal for those who want to sell the principles for restoring Russian financing," he said.

"As a whole, the winter part of the session is over. I thank almost the entire Ukrainian delegation, the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the Council of Europe and the BP secretariat who worked with us in Strasbourg for a cohesive and effective work. Thanks to the World Congress of Ukrainians and, personally, to Mr. Eugene Czolia for holding a joint round table. concerning the war on the Donbass, which managed to organize despite the resistance of certain CE officials and even the refusal to make the event in the usual list of side-events, but eventually everything was done as it should. We managed to stop blitzkrieg from returning the Russian Federation and so on. There are many important talks that add optimism to the future. Our struggle for truth, the rule of law and human rights continues. "The PACE-2018 session is just ahead," he summed up.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

In the Kremlin, they are urged not to wait for the results of a meeting between the assistant to the president of the Russian Federation Vladislav Surkov and his American visitor, Kurt Volker, this is only a "clock alignment" on working issues.
As informs  Tsensor.NET with reference to Interfax-Ukraine , the press secretary of the head of the Russian state Dmytro Peskov said.

"Expecting some results from this meeting is unlikely to be, it is hardly possible, and it is not likely, for sure. This is a" clock alignment, "a working process," he told reporters, answering a question about what the Kremlin is waiting for this event.

As expected, the meeting between V. Surkov and K. Volcker will take place in Dubai on Friday.

D.Peskov said during the answer to the question about the agenda of the upcoming meeting: "You know that the agenda is quite free. This is" clockwork ", an exchange of views on current issues regarding the situation in the south-east of Ukraine."

ua.censor.net.ua    In Ukrainian/український

A Russian journalist, accredited at the Economic Forum in Davos, tried to provoke President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

According to Tsensor.NET with reference to the TSN, dressed in embroidery, a Russian propagandist asked Poroshenko in Russian, why Ukraine "adopted a law on the war", referring to the reintegration of the Donbas.

Poroshenko advised her to "remove the embroidery". And he added that he would answer the question if it would sound in Ukrainian. The Russian journalist stated that Poroshenko "understands Russian language perfectly."

"I understand both English and the other, but I answer the question in Ukrainian," the President of Ukraine answered.



ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Russia is studying the critical infrastructure of Britain and its connection to the energy supply system.

British defense minister Gavin Williamson said that Russia could strike British infrastructure and energy supply system, which could lead to "thousands and thousands of" victims, Telegraph writes . Cetnozor reports. NET with reference to 112 Ukraine.

In an interview with the publication, Williamson noted that Russia is studying the critical infrastructure of Britain and its connection to the energy supply system. According to him, Moscow plans to carry out actions that "any other country would consider unacceptable."

UK Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson warned of Russia's plans for the destruction of British infrastructure, which could lead to thousands of casualties, he said in an interview with Daily Telegraph, Ukrinform writes.

"The task of damage to the British economy, damaging the country's infrastructure will cause thousands and thousands of deaths, and in fact is an element of creating total chaos inside the country," the head of the British Foreign Ministry said.

According to Williamson, Russia has been monitoring the UK's energy supply system for a long time, blocking which may cause total chaos in the country, causing thousands of casualties.

The head of the Ministry of Defense said that Britain had four underwater channels for supplying electricity from the continent and four more for the transportation of gas to the country.

Russia, according to the minister, is studying these types of ties and will be ready to take measures that "any other nation would recognize as absolutely unacceptable."

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Polish lawmakers upheld the bill introducing a possibility of launching criminal probes against supporters of 'Bandera ideology.'

As reported by Censor.NET citing UNIAN, the Polish Sejm on Friday adopted the bill submitted by the Kukiz'15 party setting a ban on promoting the so-called "Bandera ideology", with its historic roots stemming from Ukraine.

"The Sejm has just voted for the law submitted by the Kukiz'15 party, which prohibits the propaganda of Banderism in Poland! We were waiting from July 6, 2016! Finally!" Radio Poland quoted leader of the party Pawel Kukiz as saying on social media.

The bill was backed by 279 Polish deputies. In total, 414 MPs out of 450 voted in the parliamentary hall. Only five deputies voted against the new legislation, another 130 parliamentarians abstained, and 45 MPs did not vote. The bill defines "the crimes of Ukrainian nationalists and Ukrainian units who collaborated with the III Reich", introducing a possibility of launching criminal probes against deniers of such crimes.

"We do not want this in Poland; we want the ideologies, in which the Institute of National Memory has been engaged in the fields of education, prevention and prosecution, like Nazi, Hitler's, and Communism, also include this ideology of the Ukrainian nationalists and Ukrainian units who collaborated with the III German Reich," said Tomasz Rzymkowski, MP from the Kukiz'15 party.

en.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Residents of the occupied Crimea complain that there is no work, prices have doubled, and even bribes have doubled.

Correspondent of the National Public Radio of the United States (NPR), Lucian Kim, who visited the annexed Crimea, said that the biggest surprise for him was that "the record is afraid to speak" even supporters of the president of neighboring Russia Vladimir Putin. It is reported by Tsensor.NET with reference to Crimea. Realia.

"The main complaint I have heard from practically all those who spoke to me is that there is no work, prices doubled because of the interrupted land connection with Ukraine. One driver even told me that the bribes had doubled," the publication quoted. correspondent.

Failure to fulfill Putin's promises of economic improvement in Crimea is disappointing with the population, says Lucian Kim.

"I was surprised by a young man in Simferopol, who said that he had voted in a" referendum ", which was not recognized by any other country, but he voted in the" referendum "for joining Russia. Now he is very dissatisfied and wants to leave. like the lack of political will, lack of economic opportunities, "said an American correspondent.

Personality of Putin, in the opinion of the correspondent, is an important factor for the inhabitants of the peninsula.

"People criticize the level of corruption, lack of work, but at the same time they say they are ready to vote for Putin in the elections because, as they say," they have again united the Crimea with Russia, fulfilling a historic mission, "says Lucian Kim.

According to him, the neighboring Russia is trying to make the process of returning the Crimea to Ukraine impossible.

"In Crimea, military forces are developing vigorously, and Russia is also rushing to complete the construction of a bridge that will unite the Crimea with Russia, and they hope that it will solve certain logistical problems, will allow prices to be lowered," Kim added.

ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

"Brain" is the most advanced work of Sofia, who, along with politicians and economists, participated in the World Economic Forum in Davos, failed to address the issue of corruption in Ukraine.





"In the most developed work in the world of Mrs. Sofia after the question: what to do with corruption (in Ukraine) - the script and the Rectos processor broke down," - wrote Shkrum and added that this could be confirmed by her colleague Oleksiy Mushko, who "had the pleasure of being present at this discussions at the Ukrainian House in Davos".




The robot has 62 mechanisms responsible for facial expressions and neck movements. In Sofia's eyes, there are cameras that allow you to identify your face and set up a visual contact.



 ua.censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The US Treasury Department has expanded the list of sanctions against Russia due to aggression in Ukraine.

The new list is published on the official website of the American department on January 26.

The updated list contains 21 surnames of Russian citizens and Ukrainian citizens who are active participants in illegal organizations "LNR" and "DNR", as well as the names of 9 companies.

The sanctions were imposed against Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation Andriy Cherezov and the Director of the Department of Operational Control and Management of Electricity Yevhen Hrabchak. Among the companies that came under the sanctions are subsidiaries Surgutneftegaz, Power Machines and Technopromeksport. Sanctions against 12 Russian companies are also specified.

LIST in English: Click here! apostrophe.ua

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said that already known dates when the US will supply defense weapons to Ukraine, but they will not be publicly disclosed to the public.

He said this on Friday, January 26, at a briefing on the results of a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, according to Ukrainska Pravda.

"I thanked the lord the secretary of state for the call, when Ukraine's defense weapons were confirmed. We are already seeing new opportunities for cooperation in the defense field today and agreed today on certain stages of this cooperation," Poroshenko said.

According to him, after the militants in the Donbas learned about Ukraine's new weapons, they are much more cautious to the front line.

"I know all the dates (regarding the timing of the supply of weapons from the United States - ed.), Nobody hides from us. As you understand, as it is a weapon, defense cooperation, I am not what I do not want, but definitely not interested in disclosing it. these ideas", - summed up Poroshenko.

As reported by the "Apostrophe", formerly the Special Representative of the US State Department, Kurt Volker, said that the United States supplies arms to Ukraine is rather small compared with the number of tanks that the Russian Federation has placed in the Donbas.

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Among the companies included in the new United States sanction list , in particular, CJSC Vneshtorgservis, as well as OOO Technopromexport (the structure of Rosteha) and Power Machines.

The last two appeared in the supply of Siemens turbines to the annexed Crimea.

On July 5, 2017, Reuters reported that Russia sent gas turbines to the Crimea of ​​the German concern Siemens to Crimea , despite the EU sanctions. Concern Siemens denied supplying turbines to the Crimea.

Later, the CEO of the Russian partner Siemens was dismissed. The Russian company acknowledged the supply of modernized Siemens turbines to Crimea.

Subsequently, new sanctions against Russia were approved by the EU through Siemens turbines. It was also reported that Russia threatened Siemens with sanctions due to EU restrictions.

On September 24, Siemens announced changes in the work with Russian customers after the delivery of turbines to Crimea.

In November, the Ministry of Energy of Russia stated that Siemens continues to take part in contests for the supply of equipment.

And on December 19, 2017 Siemens signed an agreement with Russia on the supply of gas turbines.

hromadske.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Vneshtorgservice and its leader Volodymyr Pashkov, a former vice governor of the Irkutsk region in the Russian Federation, entered the new United States sanctions list against Russia.

This company is registered in South Ossetia, previously Kommersant reported . After the so-called "nationalization" of enterprises in the territory of self-proclaimed republics, "Vneshtorgservis" transferred to the management of factories, mines and other enterprises in this territory.

In addition, on February 25, 2017, the SBU issued a statement in which the Pashkov Foundation was accused of using it to fill the budget of the self-proclaimed "LNR".

South Ossetia is the only country that recognized the self-titled "DPR" and "LNR". In turn, Russia is among the few countries that have recognized South Ossetia as an independent country.

Thus, through the companies registered in South Ossetia, the trade of the Russian Federation with self-proclaimed republics is legalized.

hromadske.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is also known for his habit of wearing colored socks , has not changed the tradition and during a visit to the World forum in Davos.

Photo of the Canadian Premier in funny socks published on Facebook.

During a speech at the forum on Trudeau were wearing socks with yellow ducks.




"The main thing is that the yellow-blue !!! FROM UKRAINE _ZARAKH !!!)", "Poor Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudo on the shape in Davos! Even the money for normal socks is not enough", - the network users are joking.

Even the money for normal socks is not enough

Recall that during his official visit to Ukraine, the Canadian PM was in dark colored socks with a white abstraction.

At the Economic Forum in New York, Trudeau appeared in socks depicting the Chubbaky Hero "Star Wars".

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

Recently, in the United States, there has been a change in the more rigid policy towards Russia, which was not the case before.

About this in his column for "Apostrophe" writes Russian political scientist Lilia Shevtsova.

According to a political scientist, Russia is no more a serious factor a new list of sanctions against the elites , and a radical change in the Russian course in US foreign policy.

"The paradox is that these shifts occur during the time of Trump's presidency, which is the most pro-Russian president in American history, but it is precisely with him that the United States is turning tough restraint of Russia, with the inclusion of measures to undermine the Russian political regime, which has not yet dared to no American administration", - notes Shevtsova.

apostrophe.ua    In Ukrainian/український

Already very soon the United States will present the so-called Kremlin report. By January 29, the US Department of the Treasury has to prepare a list of high-ranking Russian officials and businessmen close to Vladimir Putin, against whom further personal sanctions may be imposed. This Washington step, like some others before, marks a new policy of hard pressure on the Kremlin, which will have consequences not only for Russia but also for the whole of the West. This is written in his column for "Apostrophe" by Russian political scientist Lilia Shevtsova.

Official Moscow has been in a state of nervous expectation for several months. This very fact only underscores the ironic nature of the situation: the Russian establishment, which asserts itself (and the world around it) that it is a guarantor of statehood and a representative of the country that "has risen from the knees," awaits with alarm, when Washington will publish its list of Russians from " black label", that is, a list of non-profit-making representatives of the Russian elite who earned their wealth due to proximity to President Putin. Such is the price of Russian statehood, whose guarantors were humiliatingly dependent on another state.

Meanwhile, the American "list", which should excite the Russian elite, - is by no means the main event that can affect the Russian political landscape. Much more serious is the range of strategic decisions of the US establishment over the past six months, which indicate radical changes in American foreign policy and, above all, in its Russian course. The paradox is that these shifts occur during the term of Trump's presidency, which is the most pro-Russian president in American history. But it is for him that the United States is turning tough restraint of Russia, including measures to undermine the Russian political regime, which no American administration dared yet.

Here is a list of steps that underlie Russia's new containment policy. In August 2017, the US Congress endorses the law "On Resistance to American Opponents with Sanctions" (CAATSA), which equates Russia with states that, in the sense of American legislators, are global "rogue", and which limits Trump's ability to influence policy mitigation Moscow In January 2018, Washington endorses a new National Defense Strategy, which, according to US Secretary of Defense General James Mattheys, means denying America its traditional priority - the fight against terrorism and, as a matter of priority, counteracting Russia's and China's challenges. In January 2018, the Democratic Party published its report "Putin's Asymmetric Attack on Democracy in Russia and Europe: Implications for US National Security," which should become a party orientation towards Russia and not give the Republicans a chance to mitigate the Russian course. These documents mean one thing: the consolidation of the ruling elite of America on the basis of strengthening Russia's policy. It is unlikely that the successor Trump will be able to exit the current course and decide on a new reboot relative to Moscow.



The formation of a new American deterrence doctrine facilitates the reproduction of "sectoral sanctions" against Russia, which are aimed at solving the three-fold problem: limiting Russia's ability to refinance its public debt; prohibition on import of advanced technologies for military-industrial complex in Russia; Prohibition of import of equipment for the oil and gas industry. Moreover, the American strategy includes the possibility of "secondary sanctions that affect those individuals and companies that risk cooperation with Russian authorized persons or partisan subjects." America creates an extremely unfavorable field for Russia to develop its economy and to meet the interests of the ruling class personally. integrated into Western society.

But this is not all. Neutralizes not only the Russian elite. Nevertheless, the Western structures and groups involved in servicing the Russian ruling class, which receives rents in Russia and exports it to the West, must also be nervous. Now they will have to lose not only their reputation, but also their income for servicing Russian kleptocracy. Moreover, there is a threat to the whole system of servicing corrupt officials from other authoritarian states. How will the former German Chancellor [Gerhard] Schroeder, former British Prime Minister [Tony] Blair, who cut coupons, while working on Gazprom, Rosneft, and the Nazarbayev regime, feel like it?

So the Americans suddenly woke up and started a campaign that could have seismic consequences - and not only for Russia, but also for the whole of the West, whose highly influential circles are gaining support for authoritarian kleptocracies.

Well, what about the "American report"? Will its creators achieve a split inside the Russian ruling class and distancing the elite from Putin? Skeptics will say: what naivety! And really: are the oligarchs Usmanov or Abramovich, and even more so Putin's friends - Timchenko, Rothenbergi or Kovalchuk - suddenly betray the president and raise the rebellion? Or just distance themselves from him and stop showing signs of respect? Of course not! First, because their assets are in Russia. Secondly, they are completely dependent on the commitment of the Kremlin and at any moment can be in the role of new ходорковских. Thirdly, let's not forget about the genetic cowardice of the Russian elite, which never allowed itself to even take hold in the presence of the autocrat. So weaken, and even more so, to overthrow the regime in today, the "list" of non-profit, of course,

But with consistent pressure and elimination of money laundering channels, the more so if Europe decides to join the policy of hard pressing (while still hard to believe), the Russian ruling class will increasingly feel its vulnerability. It will come to realize that Putin is not a guarantor of their well-being and security. And why then keep loyalty to him? It is unlikely that in this case we can expect the courage of the Russian oligarch, who will suddenly come forward and say everything that he thinks! But if the country begins to cry and raise a wave of public discontent with the demands of change, then you can say with certainty: the Russian elite will emerge from the barn and join the choir of dissatisfied.


According to the consistent pressure from the West, the Russian ruling class will realize that Putin is not a guarantor of his welfare and security, according to a political scientist.

Even if the current purpose of the American Congress can not be achieved, Washington's decisions undermine not only the conditions for Russian modernization (modernization in Russia has always been carried out with the help of Western resources), but also a model of the survival of the elite at the expense of parasitic in Western society.

Let's see if Moscow will respond to the "American report": swallowed or will try to nabble Americans? Most likely, the Kremlin will answer, but so that America will not even annoy even more, and so as not to give the Russian audience an idea that it is about protecting the "trillion" stolen from Russia.

So let's see what will become for the Russian elite publishing a list of non-hitters. But one thing is clear: the "longer hell" of the Russian elite, which managed to become a part of Western society, but continues to derive its own country, does not seem to be guaranteed.

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український

The fighters who are fighting against the forces of the ATO in the Donbas are in an unstable position due to the probability of the return of the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.

This was stated in a comment to the "Apostrophe" by experts.

"The logic of the militants is clear: they are now in an extremely unstable position, they have already realized that Russia is not going to back them, and there are prospects for the reintegration of the Donbas, and accordingly, the militants do not understand what will happen to them in this situation," ex- Deputy Commander of the Armed Forces General Staff, Lieutenant-General Igor Romanenko.

He noted that Ukraine continues to build its military potential and pointed to the unchanging US position on the Donbas. In such circumstances, militants do not have good prospects.

The editor-in-chief of the Internet Resource "Information Resistance", military columnist Yuriy Karin also follows a similar point of view. He points to the complete dependence of militants from Russia.

"And without the Russian troops, Ukrainian traitors who were part of the occupation forces, by themselves, are zero without a sticks. They are not warlike, they are not capable of carrying out combat operations by units, they will be closed by the trade union, and it is unlikely that they will be taken by the occupiers to Russia"- says Karin.

apostrophe.ua  In Ukrainian/український