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lørdag 30. august 2014

EU varsler «svært sterke» sanksjoner mot Russland


BRUSSEL/OSLO (Aftenposten): Samtidig som det dukker opp stadig flere tegn på russiske krigshandlinger i Ukraina, forbereder EU nye sanksjoner mot Russland.
- Vi er klare til å komme med svært sterke og klare tiltak, men døra holdes åpen for en politisk løsning. Det gir ingen mening med noen ny kald krig, sa EU-kommisjonens president Jose Manuel Barroso på en felles pressekonferanse med Ukrainas president Petro Porosjenko i Brussel lørdag, ifølge NTB.
EU har allerede innført en rekke sanksjoner mot Russland. Siste runde var vidtfavnende og rammet blant annet russisk oljeindustri.
Russland svarte på sanksjonene med egne sanksjoner og forbød import av en rekke europeiske produkter.
Vestlige ledere har de siste dagene anklaget Russland for å trappe opp krigen i Ukraina. De mener Russland hjelper opprørerne med både militært utstyr og russiske soldater.
Nå varsler EU altså at opptrappingen vil bli straffet med en ny runde sanksjoner.

- Russland i krig med Europa

Dalia Grybauskaite
FOTO: NTB Scanpix
Litauens president Dalia Grybauskaite brukte sterke ord da hun ankom EU-toppmøtet lørdag ettermiddag.- Russland er i krig med Ukraina. Det betyr at Russland er i en krigstilstand med et land som ønsker å bli nært integrert med EU. Russland er i praksis i en krigstilstand med Europa, sa  hun.
Grybauskaite har også tidligere gått hardt ut mot Russland og advart mot hva som kunne skje etter at landet annekterte Krim.
Hun tok til orde for «handling» fra vestens side. Grybauskaite mener Ukraina må få militær hjelp til å forsvare folk og territorium.
- For i dag kjemper Ukraina krig på vegne av hele Europa, sa den litauiske presidenten.
Hun vil ha tøffere sanksjoner mot Russland, blant annet mot våpenhandel.

Vil trolig ramme finanssektoren

EU-møtet var i utgangspunktet planlagt for å peke ut ny president for EUs råd og en ny utenriksminister for unionen. Det er imidlertid ventet at krigen i Ukraina og eventuelle sanksjoner mot Russland også vil bli tema.
EU-toppene kommer trolig til å be EU-kommisjonene utrede og forberede nye sanksjoner mot Russland. De vil altså true Russland med nye sanksjoner, men neppe vedta eller iverksette dem nå.
Dersom de blir enige om sanksjoner, kan de komme til å ramme den russiske finanssektoren i enda større grad enn i dag. I tillegg kan embargoen på våpenhandel komme til å bli utvidet til å hjelpe tidligere inngåtte avtaler mellom Russland og EU-land.
Det er imidlertid liten tvil om at slike sanksjoner også vil ramme mange EU-land hardt.
Se video om Putin:

- Småby ødelagt

NATO, EU og USA mener Russland har rykket inn i Ukraina med tunge styrker de siste dagene.
Torsdag publiserte NATO satellittbilder som de sier viser russiske militærkjøretøy i Ukraina.
Lørdag sa talsmann for det ukrainske forsvaret, Andrij Lusenko, at russiske stridsvogner har ødelagt så å si alle husene i småbyen Novosvitlivka under krigshandlingene.
Påstanden er så langt ikke blitt bekreftet.
Fredag opplyste FN at nærmere 2600 mennesker har mistet livet i den blodige konflikten. Det er ikke klart hvor mange av dem som er sivile.
Det er imidlertid ingen tvil om at sivile liv har gått tapt. Ukrainske styrker har blant annet skutt med tunge våpen inn i byene Donetsk og Luhansk, der opprørerne har sine hovedseter.
Den ukrainske hæren har beleiret de to byene de siste ukene. Men med den nye utviklingen på slagmarken er det nå et spørsmål om den ukrainske hæren vil måtte gi slipp på beleiringen.

torsdag 28. august 2014

Russia 'Invading' Ukraine - Human Rights Adviser to Putin

A member of President Vladimir Putin's advisory council on human rights, Ella Polyakova, said on Thursday she believed Russia was carrying out an invasion of Ukraine.

Censor.NET reports about it, citing Reuters.

Read also: Ukraine Asking EU a Large-Scale Military Aid

"When masses of people, under commanders' orders, on tanks, APCs and with the use of heavy weapons, (are) on the territory of another country, cross the border, I consider this an invasion," Polyakova told Reuters. 
 Source: http://en.censor.net.ua/n300038 

onsdag 27. august 2014

Alle nyhetene fra Ukraina

http://en.censor.net.ua/theme/366/Russian+Agression+Against+Ukraine

Life in the DPR: In Donetsk Terrorists Tied Ukrainian Patriot to a Pole and Kick Her. PHOTOS

In Donetsk, terrorists tied an unidentified Ukrainian patriot to a pole and humiliate her.

Censor.NET reports, citing The NewYork Times.


терроризм днр патритот

Watch also: Russia Evacuates Injured Militants to its Hospitals. VIDEO

"A passer-by at a checkpoint taunted a woman suspected of aiding the Ukrainian military. The prisoner had to hold a sign saying: "She kills our children. An agent of the punishers," The New York Times commentary says.


терроризм днр патритот

Source: http://en.censor.net.ua/p299650 Source: http://en.censor.net.ua/p299650

Stanislau Shushkevich: Russia thinks empire is impossible without Ukraine

 
Stanislau Shushkevich: Russia thinks empire is impossible without UkraineToday's meeting in Minsk will not stop the war.
Stanislau Shushkevich, the first head of independent Belarus, said it in an interview with Radio Racyja.
– What I think is that the Kremlin will not stop military action, because it has no other ways. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko won't agree on other conditions. If Europe finds a principled (and influential) position, we have a hope for solving the conflict. Putin now enjoys the support of the Russians who want to live better. The Russian authorities cannot give it, which is natural, but a victory can mobilise them. I'd like to be mistaken, but I don't expect any positive results from the Minsk summit.
– Why are ordinary Russians (and many Belarusians who listen to the Moscow propaganda) being so bloodthirsty towards the people of Ukraine?
– The question is difficult. It's obvious that media are able to brainwash almost everybody. What is the point of the Russian propaganda? They say Russian-speaking people had problems in Ukraine and Ukrainian nationalism is everywhere. I'd like to say that Ukrainian patriots, who glorified certain acts by Bandera, made mistakes, too. Bandera was a patriot, but let's be honest, he made huge efforts to win and he had blood on his hands that could have been avoided. It was easy to propaganda to use it and make people want to save the Russians. Ukrainian patriots have courage, but they lack wisdom. Maybe Poroshenko will remedy it.
– What is your forecast about the situation in Ukraine?
– I'd like to repeat that if the Kremlin stops doing what it began to do, it will lose its influence both inside the country and in the world. I'm afraid that the war will go on. Russia apparently thinks the empire is impossible without Ukraine.
Photo: bymedia.net

Militants and Russians launch attack on southern Donetsk region

Militants and Russians launch attack on southern Donetsk regionSeparatists began an attack after the talks in Minsk had ended.
A column of up to 100 military vehicles is moving from Starobesheve to Telmanove in the south of the Donetsk region, the press service of the anti-terrorist operation writes on Facebook.
Telmanove is only 60 kilometres from Mariupol, the town which Russian paratroopers tried to reach yesterday.
“We have information about the movement of a column of up to 100 military vehicles (tanks, APCs, Grad rocket launchers, IFVs) on the road from Starobesheve to Telmanove in the direction to Telmanove. The vehicles have a white circle or a triangle as identification marks,” the press centre says.
According to it, a command centre of the battalion task group of the Russian Armed Forces was set up near Pobeda.
“Five APCs and one KamAZ truck carrying personnel entered the town of Amvrosiivka. We have information that a column of 6 Grad multiple rocket launchers, 8 tented KamAZ trucks, 2 Ural trucks carrying personnel moves in the direction of Dmytrivka from Russia through Dibrovka,” the press centre says.

Kilde:  http://charter97.org/en/news/2014/8/27/112885/


 Photo: uapress.info

søndag 24. august 2014

Neofashister tvang fanger til å paradere i Donetsk

<p>PARADE: Væpnede prorussiske separatister tvang søndag mellom 40 og 50 ukrainske krigsfanger til å paradere foran en folkemengde i Donetsk. Mengden ropte «fascister» til fangene og kastet søppel og flasker på dem.</p>Prorussiske opprørere tvang søndag en rekke ukrainske fanger til å paradere for en spottende folkemengde i Donetsk, på den ukrainske uavhengighetsdagen.

De mellom 40 og 50 tilfangetatte ukrainske regjeringssoldatene ble tvunget til å marsjere på Lenin-plassen sentralt i Donetsk, mens folkemengden kom med tilrop og kastet søppel og tomflasker på dem. De gikk med bøyd hode og hendene bundet på ryggen, og ble etter oppvisningen ført vekk til ukjent sted i to busser.
Samtidig sto Ukrainas president Petro Porosjenko i spissen for en stor markering av dagen i landets hovedstad Kiev. Ukrainas uavhengighetsdag markerer løsrivelsen fra Sovjetunionen i 1991.

Gult og blått

Porosjenko fordømte det han kalte Russlands aggresjon, og det ble holdt en militærparade. Soldater og stridsvogner krysset Uavhengighetsplassen i Kiev, og flere tusen mennesker var samlet.
Mange i folkemengden var kledd i de nasjonale fargene gult og blått, og sang nasjonalsangen mens det ukrainske flagget ble heist.
Markeringen har som mål å styrke moralen i den krigsherjede nasjonen, der regjeringsstyrkene kjemper mot prorussiske opprørere i den østlige delen av landet.

– Nedverdigende

I Donetsk var framvisningen av krigsfangene fra den ukrainske hæren tydeligvis lagt opp for å ligne Stalins framvisning av tusenvis av tyske krigsfanger i Moskva i 1944. Folkemengden ropte «fascister» til bakbundede gruppen fanger. Ifølge BBC ble gatene feid etter fangene, på samme måte som de ble etter Stalins parade i 1944.
Nestleder Rachel Denber i Human Rights Watch uttalte på Twitter at oppvisningen utgjør «ydmykende og nedverdigende behandling» og derfor er et brudd på Genèvekonvensjonen.
NATO uttalte fredag at russiske spesialsoldater og artillerienheter hadde krysset grensen til nabolandet og opererer inne i Ukraina. Fredag passerte også en russisk kolonne med flere hundre lastebiler inn på ukrainsk territorium uten godkjennelse fra myndighetene i Kiev.
Russland benekter militær innblanding og hevder de over 200 lastebilene bare var lastet med nødhjelp.

Ruster opp

– Det er åpenbart at en konstant, militær trussel vil henge over Ukraina i den overskuelige framtid. Vi må ikke bare lære oss å leve med dette, men også alltid være forberedt på å forsvare vår uavhengighet, sa Porosjenko i sin tale. Han henviste til Russland, og føyde til at det foregår et forsøk på å krenke grensene til en suveren stat i sentrum av Europa.
– Det er som om verden har gått tilbake til 1930-tallet, like før andre verdenskrig, sa han.
Porosjenko lovte at et beløp tilsvarende 18 milliarder kroner skal brukes på å ruste opp hæren.
Opprustningen skal skje i perioden 2015-2017. Presidenten kaller dette «bare den spede begynnelsen» i gjenoppbyggingen av det ukrainske militæret. Pengene vil bli brukt til å kjøpe krigsfly, krigsskip og helikoptre, ifølge presidenten.

Kamper

Samtidig som paradene i Kiev pågikk, fortsatte de voldsomme sammenstøtene øst i landet. Et sykehus i opprørsbastionen Donetsk ble truffet av bombekastergranater, men ingen skal ha blitt såret, ifølge helsepersonell ved sykehuset.
Kraftige eksplosjoner kunne høres i området rundt klokken 5.30 norsk tid søndag. Senere på ettermiddagen kom meldinger om at en kirke skal ha blitt truffet øst i landet, og AFP får opplyst at fem mennesker ble drept.
Mer enn 2.200 mennesker har mistet livet siden april i konflikten mellom regjeringen og prorussiske opprørere. Det ukrainske sikkerhetsrådet sa søndag at totalt 722 regjeringssoldater er blitt drept i kampene mot opprørerne.


Kilde: http://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/ukraina/opproerere-tvang-fanger-til-aa-paradere-i-donetsk/a/23280662/

lørdag 23. august 2014

Nato: Russiske styrker er nå inne i Ukraina

**Full alarm i FN, USA og Nato
**Sikkerhetsrådet møttes fredag

<p>HUMAN HJELP?: En russisk lastebil-kolonne med antatt humanitær hjelp kjører her mot den ukrainskde grensen nær Donetsk.</p><p><br/></p> 
 
HUMAN HJELP?: En russisk lastebil-kolonne med antatt humanitær hjelp kjører her mot den ukrainskde grensen nær Donetsk.

Foto: Alexander Demianchuk, Reuters
 
Nato melder nå at russiske styrker er inne i Ukraina. USA og FN går til kraftig angrep på at Russland har sendt en stor lastebilkonvoie inn i Ukraina. Det skal være 18.000 russiske soldater utplassert ved grensen.

VG følger

New York Times skriver at Russland har forflyttet artillerienheter bemannet med russiske soldater inn på ukrainsk territorium de siste dagene, og artilleriet brukes mot ukrainske styrker.
Avisen siterer NATO-talskvinnen Oana Lungescu:
Siden midten av august har NATO fått flere rapporter om at russiske styrker er direkte involvert i kamphandlinger i Øst-Ukraina, «inkludert russiske fallskjermsoldater, luftforsvarsstyrker og spesialstyrker», sier hun.
– Russisk artilleristøtte, både over grensen og fra ukrainsk territorium, tas i bruk mot ukrainske styrker, sier hun i følge avisen som NTB refererer.
  CNN siterer en kilde i det amerikanske forsvarsdepartementet: Opp mot 18.000 russiske soldater er kampklare og utplassert ved grensebyer på grensen til Ukraina.
Og i kveld melder New York Times at NATO bekrefter at russiske styrker har skutt på ukrainsk jord.

Krisemøte i FN

FNs sikkerhetsråd kalte fredag kveld inn til krisemøte. Etter møtet oppfordret generalsekretær Ban Ki-Moon begge parter til å samarbeide for at den humanitære hjelpen skal nå fram.
- Til tross for den humanitære situasjonen kan en ensidig handling potensielt forverre en allerede farlig situasjon øst i Ukraina, uttalte generalsekretæren gjennom sin talsperson etter møtet.
Det er stor nervøsitet over russernes store aktivitet. USA gikk i kveld ut og krevde at Russland øyeblikkelig trekker ut en stor lastebilkolonne som fredag kjørte inn i Ukraina uten godkjennelse.
Ifølge Ap skal det ha vært 130 lastebiler.
– Russland må fjerne sine kjøretøy og sitt personale fra ukrainsk territorium øyeblikkelig. Skjer ikke det står Russland overfor ytterligere kostnader og isolasjon, sier Pentagon-talsmann John Kirby.
Russland på sin side sier kolonnen bare inneholder nødhjelp, uten at de gikk inn på kritikken om at de gikk inn i et naboland uten godkjennelse.

– Alarmerende

NATOs avtroppende generalsekretær Anders Fogh Rasmussen var også ute og fastslo at man er vitne til «en alarmerende oppbygging av russiske bakke- og luftstyrker nær grensen ved Ukraina».
Ifølge NTB sa han at stridsvogner, pansrede personellkjøretøy og artilleri er blitt fraktet inn i Øst-Ukraina. Fogh Rasmussen stiller spørsmål ved hvorvidt den virkelige hensikten med kolonnen er å gi hjelp til sivile eller om det er å forsyne separatister med våpen.
I en telefonsamtale med Tysklands statsminister Angela Merkel beskyldte Russlands president Vladimir Putin myndighetene i Kiev for å ha trukket ut tiden, og sa at kolonnen hadde blitt kjørt over grensen fordi «videre forsinkelser hadde vært uakseptable».
Ukrainas statsminister Arseniy Yatsenyuk sier at lastebilene ikke var kommet for å levere bistand, men at de ble brukt for å lage en provokasjon.

Kilde:  http://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/russland/nato-russiske-styrker-er-naa-inne-i-ukraina/a/23279969/

 

onsdag 20. august 2014

Belarusians issue fridge magnets in Solidarity with Ukraine

The magnets with Pahonia and Trident Coats of Arms are being distributed over the Internet.
The information comes from a civic activist Andrej Kim on his Facebook account.
“We have blown up the internet. Within half an hour we got over 150 retweets. Facebook lags behind so far. Let us put en effort! – he writes. – The price is 45 thousand Belarusian roubles (4.5 dollars, 50 hryvnias). Half of the profit will go to support Ukraine”.
KKilde:
 http://charter97.org/en/news/2014/8/20/111883/
 

Ukrainian flag raised over famous skyscraper in Moscow

A Ukrainian flag was hoisted over one of the tallest buildings in Moscow. The star on the roof was painted yellow and blue.
The incident took place on the roof of the famous Kotelnicheskaya Embankment building in Moscow, information agencies reports.
“A Ukrainian flag was raised there. Witnesses reported about it to the police. The police and rescuers are working on the scene. No one is allowed to enter the building,” media report.

The building, which is 176 metres tall, has the elite status and security guards. It is almost impossible the reach the roof without climbing skills and special equipment.


Kilde: http://charter97.org/en/news/2014/8/20/111876/

fredag 15. august 2014

UK Summons Russian Ambassador Due to Incursion into Ukraine

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond is "very alarmed" at reports Russian military vehicles have crossed into Ukraine - and warned there could be "very serious consequences".

The vehicles, including armored personnel carriers, crossed the border near the town of Donetsk on Thursday night, Censor.NET reports citing BBC and SkyNews.
Russia's ambassador to the UK has been called to the Foreign Office (FCO) amid reports of a military incursion into Ukraine by Russian forces.
Russian ambassador Alexander Yakovenko has been asked to "clarify" the reports, the FCO said. Mr Hammond, who has summoned the Russian ambassador to clarify the situation, said they should withdraw immediately.
The fact of the crossing was confirmed by NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who said it was a "clear demonstration of continued Russian involvement in the destabilization of eastern Ukraine". 
 Source: http://en.censor.net.ua/n298219 

Jury Khashchavatski: One should not participate in silly show of 2015


Jury Khashchavatski: One should not participate in silly show of 2015It is the time of Kalinouskis and Kasciushkas in Belarus today.
The other day the famous Belarusian film director Jury Khashchavatski brought his documentary “Common president” to Warsaw. Back in 1997 he warned the world of the danger of Lukashenka’s dictatorship, but few listened to the warnings.
Today the world is harvesting the fruit of its short-sighted policy, Jury Khashchavatski says in an interview to the charter97.org web-site’s chief editor Natalia Radzina.
- Mr. Khashchavatski, last time we met was 3.5 years ago on the day I was released from prison…
- You have remained just as beautiful. I have grown older. But you all do well. I admire you.
- I very well remember our latest meeting, you very much supported me then. What do you recollect from those dreadful times, when so many people ended up in jail after the presidential elections?
- Between us, I still feel shame, because due to my health (I am asthmatic, I suffocate when it is freezing) I could not go to the Square manifestation. My friends got jailed. I felt so ashamed I was not with them!
I came to you and Dzima Bandarenka as soon as you got released also because when my legs got broken in 1997, who came and supported me morally and physically? Exactly you! So why talk about this… We must always be together: fight, get kicked, go to jail, get released and get victorious.
- You were attacked, beaten and got your legs broken in 1997 right after the release of the “Common president” film. The other day you showed this documentary in Warsaw in the framework of the events on the occasion of the International day of solidarity with Belarus. Did you think then that in 17 year Lukashenka would still be in power?
- No, by no means. I was a bad prophet in this sense. I would always say: “He will last half a year, he will last a year…”. I would always go wide of the mark. I did not take into consideration, how strongly the dictator was supported by Russia, despite Putin hating him and he hates Putin.
I did not understand it then, which I regret, because I got many misled by speaking it would all end soon. No, this has not ended, this keeps going and it will continue for some time.
- Until when?
- Two things are needed. Belarusians must awake, their own feel of dignity must get awaken in them. This is very important. And Putin’s regime must run out of money. Judging by the whole world’s unification against Russia, we must not wait too long…
As to Belarusians: many, who live close to Poland and Lithuania and go there often, see that prices are 2-3 times lower there, they understand a lot, but they won’t come out to protest! This is a phenomenon.
- The fear of repressions that people have should also be considered. There are 7 times as much policemen in Belarus than it was in the USSR. But Let us come back to the Square manifestation. In 2006 you made a film with the same name. The film’s characters say that coming out to protest was a turning point and the main event in their lives.
- Yes, this was the main event in their lives, because they did what they had to do. Many of them spent jail time, many got expelled or fired. You were jailed in 2010. I think that today you, and Dzima Bandarenka, and Andrei Sannikov, and Ira Khalip are happy for one simple reason – you did what you had to do. You have nothing to reprimand yourself of. This is the thing. And the people, who went out to the Square to protest in 2006 and 2010 also did well, they can also be proud of themselves.
It is very important not to miss such a moment, rise above yourself and your fears. It is clear that it is bad in prison, uncomfortable, but it is necessary to disregard this.
- Is there any alternative to a Square protest in terms of brining changes to Belarus?
- No. Except, may be, for one – the death of the main character. He has grabbed onto power like a bug and will not give it up. Viktor Shenderovich wrote the following about dictators like this: “Putin cannot get his hands of the sinecure, off the steering wheel, because as soon as he does people will come to take his fingerprints”. It is the same here. Too many crimes have been committed, too many people killed.
Apart from that, let us speak honestly: in terms of economy Belarus has already been given up to Russia. Long and tedious work is required in order to try to win back the real sovereignty. It is the most terrible thing that Lukashenka did to our country in 20 year. On paper the sovereignty exists, but in reality it does not.
- Several years ago you filmed a prophetic documentary “Lobotomy” about the Russia-Georgia war. You spoke of how Russia population gets brainwashed by propaganda. It seemed an overstatement then, but today it is a real problem.
- I would enjoy telling you that I am such a smart person and could foresee everything in advance. It is not like that. Documentaries are an amazing thing. They built themselves, they speak for themselves. It was a revelation for me too.
I may be mistaken in documentaries, but I never lie. It was the truth that told us what would be. Documentary filmmaking is an incredibly interesting thing.
Already back in 2009 I knew absolutely for sure that Russia will attack Crimea. In many interviews I then said it in regards to the Mistrals, I made warnings: expect them to appear in Crimea. This followed from the logic of my documentary, the truth that it laid upon. Only those can understand me, who made documentaries…
- How did Putin manage to lobotomy the whole country in such a short term, to deprive such a tremendous number of people of the ability to think?
- It is terrible! When Zianon Pazniak used to say that Belarus is a modeling facility, a testing ground for Russia, I used to laugh, I would think he was crazy. But Zianon turned out to have been right.
I remember 1997. I show the documentary, explain that Lukashenka is a dictator, that you would cry because of him, and they tell me: “Why do you worry so much? There is a great democratic Russia nearby! Everything will be well with you! Your local dictator will have no choice. Look how it is great in Russia already: there are oligarchs there already! Berezovskiy, Gusinskiy…” And where this Berezovskiy is now?
I would then respond that it was very dangerous to count on that. It is obvious that Belarus is small and Russia is big. But any virus is small and a body is big. A virus can kill this body. It was obvious that Russia would take our path, and it did. If you look how it did it, what measures were taken, you will notice that this is an absolutely complete repetition of Lukashenka’s steps.
Had Europe acted tough on Lukashenka back then, boycotted him, halted all the trade relations – he would not have make it! He would have got destroyed by Russians themselves!
So one should not now say that we, the opposition, are weak. For all these years we have been fighting the Russian money, which is huge. All our oppositionists struggle to find some mere dozen thousand dollars for campaign materials and stuff like that, but they face Russian billions. This is the most terrible thing.
I am curious, for example, whether the former head of the OSCE observation mission Hans-Georg Wieck understands that there is blood of Belarusian oppositionists on his hands too among others? In 1999 he assured Belarusians that a round table should be arranged with the authorities.
Does the Euronews TV channel realize the whole responsibility for what is taking place in Ukraine? I read the blogs of Russian paratroopers, young men, who go to fight in Ukraine on the side of the separatists. One of the main arguments is the events in Odessa.
I intentionally recorded the Euronews piece about the events in Odessa. This is fascinating. There is the start of the events. There is the final part. But the main part – as there was an attack on the Euromaidan, as they started to shoot, when there was the first victim among those, who simply walked down the street with Ukrainian flags – is missing. (By the way, a day before the tragedy the Anti-maidan walked around with flags and no one touched them!). They did not tell about this, the did not look deep into the situation, they intentionally mixed the facts… How many liters of blood does the Euronews have on it?
So one must understand that no one is perfect, and neither is Europe.
- I know that you have an idea to make a film titled “The seduction of Europe”. What could this documentary be about?
- About how pro-Russian lobbyists, Russian ways of doing business by the means of bribery and embezzlement is making its way to settle in Europe. In Belarus we would get indignant about the corruption schemes involving solvents and thinners, we would accuse (rightly accuse) the Belarusian authorities of that, but no one even once asked the question: who was their partner in the West? Who received it all? It would not have been possible without Europeans.
It is clear that Russia was involved in the scheme. But today we know that due to the sanctions the transit Belarus becomes the main field for dirty games. And Europe may turn its blind eye to this for the sake of money paid to bureaucrats.
I would very much like to make such a film, but, considering the harshness of the topic, it must be based upon legally perfect facts. For that I need enormous legal resources, private detective agencies. This is very expensive, I am not going to find that kind of money. Although, I should make it.
Yes, the Malaysian Boeing, this tragedy cleared the heads of many. But I am afraid that this is not for long.
- Ukraine’s new authorities suggested Belarus as a negotiation ground for talks with Russia, although today it is a ground for the deployment of Russian troops and military equipment.
- They repeat Saakashvili’s mistake. He also tried to balance between values and economic benefits. But if you have come to power by declaring moral and ethical values, you must not betray those. Why do I love the founding fathers of the USA? They managed to organize the state in sucha way that even after hundreds of years the USA does not step away from the principles of freedom and democracy. This is what Saakashvili could not understand and so far cannot Poroshenko.
Russia does its trade via Belarus by paying an interest to Lukashenka. Now grey schemes will flourish. The dictator will be able to make a fortune on contraband. It will be god knows what here. This is very sad, because Belarus deserves better.
Of course, we are all mortal, and so are these authorities. They will pass, but what will be left after them? This is the question.
- You have a touching film “In the search of Yiddish” telling the story of Belarusian Jews, made together with Aliaksandr Haradnitski. How would you asses Israel today’s policy toward Belarus?
- As to the “In the search of Yiddish” documentary: Belarus has a lot to learn from Israel. For example, how the language was revived. Belarusians must too revive the language so everyone started speaking it.
As to Israel: after the words that there are political prisoners in Belarus, but only criminals, I have got very disappointed of the Israel’s ambassador to Belarus. I am an old Odessa hooligan, and if I get near to Iosif Shagal, I may not restrain myself…
I think that this is a scoundrel, who has nothing to do with the great state of Israel and by some mistake ended up as an ambassador to Belarus. He should be deprived of the name, spat in the face and kicked out of the country.
- The day before I asked you about the atmosphere in Minsk and you answered that there were too many low-educated delinquents. Is this the outcome of Lukashenka and Russian propaganda?
- This is a disaster. 20 year ago I started making the “Common president” film. Now the children, who were born then, are 20 years old. What did these authorities want of them, what did they teach them? The Youth Union, the scale of values, on which the greatest one is Lukashenka with his bald spot and illiteracy…
I am not saying that they managed to fool everyone. There is a large number of highly intellectual well-educated young people, but the delinquents command the parade, who wander around the city after a hockey or football game and scream “Hooray!”, pull this red-green rag behind them, the name of which is “sunset over a swamp”, and know no history of the country they live in.
They were born and brought up by this regime, and we will have to take a long time to bring these people to senses by explaining what is what.
- In one way or another you too, part in all the presidential elections in Belarus: you worked for the teams of Domash and Hancharyk in 2001, in 2006 you supported Milinkievich, in 2010 – Andrei Sannikov. What, in your view, should be the strategy of the opposition in the 2015 elections?
- I am absolutely sure that in the 2015 elections everything will be falsified and counted the way they need it.
Apart from this, in the 2010 elections Andrei Sannikov won. At least, this politician was making it into the second round, and had there been a second round – he would definitely have won. Another presidential candidate Mikalaj Statkievich is still in prison. That is why it does not seem fair the public and to myself to participate in these elections.
They must be boycotted, boycotted by everyone in a peaceful way – not to go vote and that is it. I think there will be no Square protest after these elections, because the Ukrainian events have strongly scared the people. But there is no other way to achieve the truth.
That is why one must spit on these authorities and take no part in the silly show.
- What should we expect after 2015?
- The collapse of the Putin regime, followed by the collapse of the Lukashenka regime. Practice has shown that it all depends on the situation in Russia. Even if by god’s will Lukashenka passes away and gets off the helm, another one will emerge in a moment. Very serious changes are needed.
But one should not get sad. Look how Europe lives. Everything is well there, only a bit boring. There is nothing to fight. So they fight the global warming and other stuff… With something that has been made up, because all the problems have been solved.
We, on the other hand, are having exciting times! You may become a fighter, may become a person, get a name in the history. You can do a lot today. The times when there were Kalinouski, and Kasciushka before that – this is the kind of times we are having now! May be, guy, you will do something that books will later be written about. You may become unforgettable people. One should not hide, one should fight and win!
- Meet to at the Belarusian Maidan?
- Meet you in the Belarusian Square in a free Belarus. I hope to live to that moment and see it all. I hope, we will live long and happily in our own country and will have everything we need.

Kilde:  http://charter97.org/en/news/2014/8/7/110210/

søndag 10. august 2014

Faen ta verden

«Tåke i kanalen, kontinentet er isolert». Denne legendariske førstesida i The Times kunne i disse dager like gjerne vært laget i Moskva.


Da ville tittelen på førstesida vært noe sånt som dette: «Alle er imot oss. Faen ta verden». For det putinske prosjektet i den stadig mer alvorlige konfrontasjonen med omverdenen er å dyrke sin egen fortreffelighet, isolere seg fra en verden som fortoner seg som fiendtlig innstilt, og satse på egne krefter. Importforbud for en rekke matvarer fra Vesten ble kunngjort på torsdag. Det er et svar på de vestlige sanksjonene som ble innført på grunn av Russlands bidrag til den ukrainske krisa. Det overraskende radikale russiske mottrekket forteller oss at verden ser omtrent sånn ut fra Vladimir Putins Moskva: «Problemer i horisonten. Vi går til krig på alle fronter».
MAN KAN LEKE med ord. Men realiteten er omtrent den at Russland igjen trekker seg inn i seg selv, og forbereder seg på en lengre periode med diplomatisk isolasjon og økonomiske vanskeligheter. Hva dette vil bety for den politiske utviklingen i landet vet vi ennå ikke. Men vi vet at en lov som i prinsippet kan kneble internett - omtrent som i Kina - nettopp er vedtatt. Vi vet at Russlands medlemskap i Verdens handelsorganisasjon nå står i fare fordi den plutselige importstansen av matvarer fra USA, EU, Canada, Australia og Norge, strider mot både ånd og bokstav i frihandelsregimet. Da Russland - delvis motstrebende - meldte seg inn i Verdens handelsorganisasjon for to år siden, var det etter at Putin lenge hadde tvilt.
OG MED ET RUSSLAND støtt ut av den økonomiske verdensordenen, hva blir det neste? Er det neste Europarådet, organisasjonen som binder Russland til det som i prinsippet er europeiske rettslige standarder? Putin har i hvert fall fått et ferskt påskudd for å ta Russland ut av Europarådet, etter at Menneskerettighetsdomstolen for ei uke siden dømte Russland til å betale 1,9 milliarder euro til aksjonærene i Yukos, etter at selskapet til Mikhail Khodorkovskij ble slaktet av Putins nærmeste menn etter fengslingen av Khodorkovskij i 2003. Alle dommene for menneskerettighetsbrudd i Tsjetsjenia er et irritasjonsmoment for Kreml. Det samme må suspenderingen av de russiske parlamentarikerne fra parlamentarikerforsamlingen i Europarådet etter annekteringen av Krim være.
DET VILLE VÆRE en stor ulykke om konsekvensene av den diplomatiske krigen mellom Russland og Vesten blir at Russland melder seg ut av folkeskikken både når det gjelder handel og rettspleie. Det ville trolig være slutten for all kritisk tenking i det offentlige rom i Russland. Det ville føre Russland rett i hendene på dem som vil ha tilbake et slags Sovjetunionen, mindre lukket og definitivt kapitalistisk, men isolasjonistisk og angstbitersk. Det har ennå ikke skjedd, men å beholde Russland innenfor rammene av handelssamarbeid og, enda viktigere, rettslige standarder og menneskerettigheter, bør være et viktig hensyn når USA og EU planlegger neste trekk for hvordan de skal stanse den russiske innblandingen i Ukraina.
MANGE MISTENKER den russiske presidenten for å ha villet ha en konfrontasjon med Vesten nettopp for å få et påskudd til å isolere landet, og kunne innføre et enda strengere og mer ensrettet system. Det er en spekulasjon, og blir delvis imøtegått av fakta, blant annet at annekteringen av Krim i mars, som var begynnelsen på dette farlige russiske eventyret i Ukraina, ser ut til å ha vært mer improvisert enn det var planlagt. Insidere i Kreml sier at beslutningene om annektering ble tatt fra dag til dag, og ikke var et resultat av en fastlagt plan.
UANSETT, TIL TROSS for høylytte klager fra flere EU-land som nå rammes av det russiske mottrekket, så vil det være vanlige russere som vil betale den høyeste prisen for konfrontasjonen mellom Russland og Vesten. Butikkhyllene i Moskva og andre russiske byer er allerede rensket for franske og italienske oster, frukt fra Spania, og andre godsaker fra europeisk landbruk. Hva hyllene skal fylles opp med er plutselig et plagsomt relevant spørsmål. I mellomtida vil prisene stige, og i verste fall vil vi få høy inflasjon, som bare kan holdes lav ved hjelp av støtte til rubelen fra det russiske oljefondet. Konfrontasjonen med Vesten gjør at Putin har en rekordoppslutning fra velgerne på 87 prosent. Men det er en oppslutning som raskt kan bli spist opp av tomme butikkhyller og av en synkende rubel.


Kilde:  http://www.dagbladet.no/2014/08/08/kultur/meninger/hovedkommentar/kommentar/russland/34692031/