Recently, the beaches in Turkey appeared a patch of mucus (sea snot), which is increasingly spreading over the water. The widespread mucus layer on the Turkish coast causes serious damage to the country’s marine life and fishermen. (Source: Reuters) Sea snot is a green mud that is formed naturally when algae are over-nutriented due to hot weather and polluted water environment. The phenomenon was first detected in Turkey in 2007 and then in the Aegean Sea near Greece. The latest outbreak in the Sea of ​​Marmara near Istanbul is believed to be the largest in history. (Source: Reuters) Experts believe that the large amount of mucus that has appeared recently is due to a combination of environmental pollution and global warming, which accelerates the growth of algae that cause the slime. Meanwhile, President Erdogan said that the problem of untreated sewage being discharged directly into the sea was the cause of this outbreak of marine mucus. (Source: Reuters) When algae grow out of control in the spring, as we’ve seen this year, they block sunlight and cause declines, says biology professor at Istanbul University Muharrem Balci. oxygen for fish and marine life. (Source: Reuters) This mucous membrane covers the sea surface like a canvas. After a while, they sink, covering the seabed ecosystem and harming many species of creatures. When this process is over, they will appear to smell like a spoiled egg. This phenomenon can cause poisoning to sea clams and creatures such as crabs. (Source: Reuters) Professor Bayram Ozturk of the Turkish Marine Research Agency said that due to the overgrowth of the mucus layer, several species are endangered, including oysters, mussels and starfish. “This is a real disaster,” he said. (Source: Reuters) According to environmental engineer Cevahir Efe Akcelik, mucus could cover the sea during the summer if authorities do not take urgent measures. Studies show that mucus stays not only on the surface but also at depths between 25-30 meters. (Source: Reuters) Divers report that large numbers of fish and other species in the affected area are being wiped out by suffocation. This phenomenon has a significant impact on the lives of fishermen. Boats passing through the Sea of ​​Marmara had to navigate through the gray mud, while some fishermen were unable to fish because the mud clogs their engines and nets. (Source: Reuters) Mehmet Soyolcu (43 years old), a fourth generation fisherman in the Sea of ​​Marmara, said that in the past, it took two hours to pull a fishing net at sea, but now it takes ten hours, not counting the cost of fuel. materials and other operating costs. Every day, the operating costs are getting higher and higher, and the fish are less and less. (Source: Reuters) Some fishermen will raise prices to cover their losses, but that won’t help either because people fear the seawater might contaminate the fish in Marmara. At the fish market, more and more customers avoid buying fish and seafood since information about the mucus layer appeared. This makes the fishermen lose income from fishing, life becomes more difficult. (Source: Reuters) Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city with about 16 million inhabitants, and five other provinces, factories and industrial centers border the sea. As a result, this outbreak has had a severe impact on the ecosystem and fisheries in the region. (Source: Reuters) The Sea of ​​Marmara is a sea that stretches 281 km from the Northeast to the Southwest and is 80 km wide at its widest. This sea is connected to the Black Sea through the Bosphorus, also known as the Istanbul Strait in the Northeast. President Erdogan fears the problem will be very serious if the mucus spreads to the Black Sea. (Source: Reuters) The Turkish government has deployed a team of experts to examine the source of pollution in the sea. Workers are now trying to use nets to remove mucus, but their efforts have so far been largely ineffective. (Source: Reuters) Not only around the Sea of ​​Marmara, but the adjacent Black Sea and Aegean Sea regions were also affected by this mucus outbreak. (according to Reuters)

The price of land in the village is likely to reach 7 million rubles ($95,200) by the end of 2021 due to high demand when foreign tourism is limited. According to real estate data agency CIAN, the price of houses in the village is currently between 40 million and 900 million rubles (from about $544,400 to $12.2 million). Demand to buy houses mainly comes from successful businessmen in big cities. Prices here are above the income of an ordinary Russian. Guests gather at a cafe in the village of Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. Photo: Reuters. At the same time, rents have also increased as many people want to temporarily move away from the city to Krasnaya Polyana to work remotely. The local airport is about 40 minutes by car from the village and there is a hiking trail directly from the village. “I love climbing mountains and relaxing at night spots in the village,” said Kirill Ryzhonkov, a data analyst from Moscow. Krasnaya Polyana is a scenic village located in the mountains near the Black Sea. The village is surrounded by mountains, has good quality tap water, fresh air – these are hard to find in Moscow at this time, according to Reuters . The village has about 5,000 inhabitants, similar to many other places in Russia. The difference is that there are many good services with cafes, restaurants, pubs with fast Wifi speed. Some of the restaurants here were built before the Covid-19 epidemic to serve skiers at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Services decided to stay open all year round because residents no longer worried about guests. Guests from Moscow will bring Covid-19. A public workspace mainly serving IT workers and start-ups opened in October 2020. This office owner wishes to turn Krasnaya Polyana into Russia’s Silicon Valley in the future despite the obstacles of the epidemic. “People saw the potential of Krasnaya Polyana: in the same time zone as Moscow, only 2 hours away from Moscow, skiing in winter and sea in summer, as well as the infrastructure for the Olympics before.” Ilya Kreimer, manager of this office said.

As a result, the village becomes a golden place for city dwellers looking to find a peaceful and comfortable “shelter” to rest or work remotely. The demand to buy houses here from people from other regions has pushed housing prices in Krasnaya Polyana to double. Krasnaya Polyana village is located in the mountains near the Black Sea. (Photo: Reuters) The price of land in Russia is calculated in units of sotki – 100m2. Nikolai Rogachev, a shop owner in Krasnaya Polyana, said the price of a sotki of land here has increased from $27,200 to $68,000 during the pandemic. According to him, land prices will continue to increase sharply and may reach 95,200 USD/sotki by the end of 2021, especially when domestic tourism demand increases sharply because people are restricted from leaving the country. According to data from real estate company CIAN, homes in the village range in price from $544,000 to more than $12 million. The demand to buy is mainly from wealthy businessmen in big cities, because the price of houses in Krasnaya Polyana exceeds the financial ability of ordinary Russians. Rents have also increased as many see Krasnaya Polyana as an escape from the city. It has up to 20 cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars, and high-speed internet. The village is only a 40-minute drive from the airport and the traffic is very open, convenient for short stays. “ People have noticed the advantages of the village: It is in the same time zone as Moscow, only 2 hours by flight from the capital, has a ski area in the winter, has a beach in the summer, and good infrastructure “, said Ilya Kreimer, an investor in the village of Krasnaya Polyana. Taking advantage of the potentials gained during the COVID-19 pandemic, Krasnaya Polyana is expected to become Russia’s new “Silicon valley” (high-tech commercial district).

According to CNN, Moscow said it had ended “rapid inspections” of troops in the east and west of the country. Illustration. Source: CNN The process of rallying Russian troops along the border in recent weeks has created tensions in eastern Ukraine. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the country’s army has completed drills near Ukraine and will return to its permanent base before May 1. “I am confident that the exercise objectives are completed. The military has demonstrated its ability to provide a reliable defense force to the country,” Shoigu said at a meeting in Crimea. Shoigu’s announcement came weeks after Moscow initiated the largest military surge near Ukraine’s border since 2014. The European Union estimates that more than 100,000 troops have gathered near the border and in Crimea. However, the announcement does not specify how many troops will remain in the area after Moscow intends to withdraw before May 1. US Department of Defense spokesman Ned Price confirmed that the US would continue to closely monitor the situation along with Ukrainian officials and other allies. “What we are looking for now is action on the Russian side,” said Ned Price. “We have made clear our commitment to the Russian government, reaffirming efforts to curb the escalation and immediately cease all provocations around Ukraine, including military mobilization. Crimea and the Ukrainian border as well as its intention to block ships in the Black Sea, “Pricwe said at a press conference. Russian state news agency TASS said that some weapons from the 41st Army, including tanks and heavy artillery, will be left in preparation for the Russian-Belarus strategic military exercise Zapad 2021 taking place in May. Nine years now. The move is believed to have caused Russia to increase fire tensions on the Ukrainian border more than before. It is too early to reduce escalation Conflict Intelligence (CIT) says it is too early to assess the de-escalation process in this area. “Russian forces staying in the Ukraien border are still in danger of deploying east of Ukraine, while a large-scale invasion of the government-controlled territory will inevitably still have to mobilize more forces to the border. “Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT) said on Twitter. On April 20, the Russian Defense Ministry said more than 20 ships took part in the exercise in the Black Sea – bordering both countries. “A ship unit comprising the Admiral Makarov and Admiral Essen frigates; the small missile ships Grayvoron and Vyshny Volochek with the missile ships; the small anti-submarine and large amphibious ships conducted the exercises. repulsion of the enemy’s aerial attack vehicles. Russian Defense Minister Shoigu said the Russian military was ready to react quickly to any “adverse” developments amid NATO’s ongoing Defender Europe military exercises. NATO’s Defender Europe 2021 exercise is an annual multinational exercise led by the US military to prepare for readiness and interoperability between the United States and the military of NATO partners. The exercise was canceled last year due to the complicated developments of the epidemic. “Each year in Europe, the alliance organizes more than 40 major combat drills with a focus on dealing with Russian challenges. In the spring of this year, NATO’s joint armed forces began the exercises. The biggest ambitious match in 30 years “, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said. The NATO alliance expressed deep concern about Russia’s military deployment near Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg last week described the move as part of a provocation from Russia. “Allies fully support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We urge Russia to immediately de-escalate, stop provocative actions and respect international commitments,” said Shoigu. to speak. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier this week invited President Vladimir Putin to a meeting in Donbass, urging his Russian counterpart to restore a ceasefire in the eastern region that put “millions of lives” at stake. “President Putin said he is ready to discuss bilateral relations with President Zelensky in the Russian capital,” TASS reported. Ukraine is calling for increased international support in a state of tension with Moscow while calling on the West to introduce new sanctions to prevent the Kremlin from deploying more military forces.

Earlier on April 22, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the completion of the exercise near Ukraine and ordered the withdrawal of troops back to the base after the mass deployment of troops close to the Ukrainian border. Video: Russian troops withdraw their troops from the border with Ukraine According to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, the troops will return to the base by May 1. Mr. Shoigu said that the military must be ready to react quickly in “unfavorable” situations from large-scale drills led by the US, NATO and its allies, called Defender-Europe. It is not clear whether the order to recall troops back to the permanent base includes all the forces involved in the recent move to the Ukrainian border. In a statement made on April 23, Ukraine confirmed that the withdrawal of Russian troops from the two countries’ borders could ease tensions, but this step alone did not prevent escalation or conflict in the Donbass. Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have increased recently after Kiev accused Moscow of sending tens of thousands of troops closer to the border. Ukraine, Western nations and NATO have accused Russia of deploying “provocative” troops on Ukraine’s eastern border and in Crimea. Russia, for its part, insists its troops pose no threat and that its presence is only defensive and that its presence is only defensive. Moscow simultaneously accused the US and NATO of having “provocative activities” in the Black Sea region.

State news agency Anadolu said both deployments, scheduled for April 14 and 15, were canceled as Ankara has not been informed of any possible plans from the US side.

Last week, Turkey announced that it had been informed through diplomatic channels that two US warships “would head towards the Black Sea” and remained in the area until 4-5.

There was no confirmation from Washington of planned rollouts or cancellations.

Washington was obliged to notify Ankara at least 15 days before passing warships through the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles under the terms of the 1936 Montreux Convention.

The Strait of Bosphorus in the Black Sea – Photo: AFP

The treaty provisions allow foreign warships to stay in the Black Sea for 21 days.

US Navy ships have regularly operated in the region to support Ukraine, which has been fighting against forces in its east since the pro-Moscow leader in Kiev was overthrown in 2014.

Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimea at the same time, setting up a confrontation with the West that continues to this day.

Last week, the announcement of the US warship deployment came amid heightened tensions between Moscow and Kiev due to the reinforcement of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border.

These deployments came amid new clashes between Kiev and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

News on April 14 about the cancellation of the deployment of US warships comes a day after US President Joe Biden spoke on the phone with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

During that conversation, Biden proposed a summit with Putin in a neutral country and urged Russia to “reduce tensions,” according to the White House.

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Russia in response?

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was quoted by Russian media on April 13 as saying that Moscow was taking measures in response to a threatening military action by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), in which has combat readiness testing and training.

The Russian Defense Minister stated clearly, NATO is planning to deploy 40,000 troops and 15,000 weapons and military equipment near the Russian border, including the strategic air force. Mr. Shoigu further announced that the US is moving part of its North American garrison to Europe, which is mainly concentrated in the area near the Black Sea and Baltic Sea.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu

Shoigu, the TASS news agency, accused the US of increasing forces in Poland and the Baltic countries, and increasing the frequency of air and sea reconnaissance activities. He asserted that on European territory, NATO annually conducts about 40 large-scale combat training operations against Russia. This spring, NATO launched its largest-scale military exercise in the past 30 years, titled Defender Europe 2021 (Defender Europe 2021).

Mr. Shoigu stressed that Russia is taking measures to respond to NATO’s threatening military activities. The combined Russian large-scale airborne and joint military exercises have demonstrated the ability to be ready to fight to protect the country’s security.

Also on April 13, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged Russia to withdraw troops that the alliance thinks Moscow is deploying on a large scale on the border with Ukraine. Speaking at a press conference to Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Mr. Stoltenberg said: “In recent weeks Russia has dispatched thousands of troops ready to operate in Ukraine’s border areas. This is the largest troop surge since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 … Russia must end this military build-up in and around Ukraine, immediately stop provocations and go downstairs. “.

US troops in NATO are deployed to Poland

A day earlier, Mr. Stoltenberg had a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss “Russia’s move to strengthen the army near the Ukrainian border”. According to a statement by the US State Department, Secretary of State Blinken and Secretary General Stoltenberg discussed an urgent request for Russia to stop its military build-up along the border areas of Ukraine and the Crimean peninsula.

President Vladimir Putin has also voiced denunciation of NATO conducting exercises on the Russian border and America’s intention to expand its influence over former Soviet members. In April, up to 5 out of 10 NATO exercises will be held in member states in the East.

NATO says it’s good …

According to Ukraine, Russia has deployed 46 tactical battalions – about 105,000 troops – along the border with Ukraine and in Crimea, and is provided with 19,000 tons of fuel and 355 tons of ammunition. Kiev urges allies not to repeat the 2014 “mistake” with events in Crimea and Donbass.

During a press conference with US and Western officials in Brussels, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said: “Strategically, Russia must understand that Ukraine belongs to the world of democracies, to the Western world, and the West will not let Russia disrupt Ukraine’s democracy and sovereignty.

Ukrainian soldiers

Western analysts say that both Russia and Ukraine may be “trying” the new US President Joe Biden to see how far he is willing to go to protect Washington’s allies and confront Russia. There are also comments that Russia wants to send a message to Ukraine after Kive imposed sanctions on congressman and businessman Viktor Medvedchuk, and banned three TV channels related to Mr. Medvedchuk.

Up to this point, the West still believes that a full-blown Russian strike or a NATO-backed attack against the separatists will not happen at this time. “NATO members will not send any forces to Ukraine,” said expert Bruno Lete, a senior researcher at the German Marshall Fund – a US research agency. the term is in political messaging, military advice and technical assistance. “

Many analysts believe that NATO allies would not be willing to engage their forces in a conflict against Moscow because of the Ukraine issue, but they could strengthen other forms of assistance. On April 14, German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said: “My impression is that the Russian side is trying to do whatever it takes to provoke a response … With Ukraine, we will not be caught up in the process. play this “.

From Crimea to Syria and most recently Nagorny-Karabakh, Russia has demonstrated its determination and unpredictable combat capabilities.

Most observers believe that the current situation will not necessarily lead to an immediate attack, but Russia’s intentions are still unclear, according to politico.eu. very worrying. The West believes that Russian President Putin wants to remain unpredictable, so there is little risk of a completely unexpected war, but there is always a risk of miscalculation or overreaction.

On the Russian side, some analysts in this country said that the outbreak was “a direct result of the internal political situation in Ukraine”. The Russian Expert newspaper assessed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took drastic measures such as fighting the opposition media allegedly pro-Russia, punishing billionaire Medvedchuk who allegedly has close ties to the Kremlin, or ban Russian language in schools aimed at regaining its image in the country.

Meanwhile, the World Socialist Web Site contains information proving that Ukraine, the US and the West are acting “aggressive, provocative” against Russia. Accordingly, Kiev in early March adopted a strategy to “withdraw the Crimean peninsula”. On March 25, President Zelensky also adopted a new military strategy emphasizing the urgency of mobilizing the entire population in a war against Russia in Ukraine. This strategy recognizes that Ukraine can only win with NATO support and no less than 19 mentions of its intention to join the military alliance.