(Photo: Duy Trinh/VNA) Every warm summer, the Russian capital Moscow is adorned with a variety of flowers such as apple blossoms, pear blossoms, tulips, bell flowers, and blooming yellow dandelions. However, there is a special flower that always blooms at the end of May, which coincides with the semester exam season for students student and bring to the capital the Russian capital is siren flower (Vietnamese call lilac). In the Aleksandrov garden located close to Red Square, Lomonosov University (MGU) or on the streets of Moscow, it is easy to see siren bushes blooming brilliantly with an extremely seductive fragrance. With a variety of colors (purple, pink, white, blue-white, etc.), lilac has become an indispensable part of Moscow people’s life. beams siren flower This brilliant display creates a lot of inspiration for flower lovers, photographers, painters, or ordinary people who want to save their photos in the colorful siren space. Siren in Moscow is also associated with his life Leonid Kolesnikov (1893-1968), who devoted 50 years of his life to breeding and popularizing this flower in Russia. Mr. Kolesnikov has bred more than 300 varieties of siren of various colors that are being grown throughout Russia, many of which have been grown in the gardens of Buckingham Palace in London, the Royal Botanic Gardens of England, famous gardens of the United States , the garden of the Kremlin, the Moscow Botanical Garden… Lilac “Moscow Beauty” was bred by Mr. Kolesnikov. (Photo: Duy Trinh/VNA) In 1952, Mr. Kolesnikov won the Stalin Prize for his siren flowers. In 1973, the International Lilac Association honored and presented Mr. Kolesnikov with the prestigious “Golden Lilac Branch” award for his merits in selecting and breeding this flower. The most popular siren variety in the world is the pinkish-white “Moscow Beauty” breed, bred by Kolesnikov in 1947. In 1954, on the initiative of Kolesnikov, a siren nursery was established on Shchelkovskoe Avenue which later became the Lilac Garden in 1975 with an area of ​​7 hectares. The Lilac Garden in Moscow is located on Shchelkovskoe Avenue. (Photo: Duy Trinh/VNA) The road right next to the Garden is planted with many sirens and was named Sirenevy Bulvar in 1960. The Lilac Garden in Moscow is growing and storing about 60 varieties of sirenes bred by Mr. Kolesnikov, many rare trees aged 50, 60 years old. . Here you can see a variety of siren varieties such as the siren named after his wife – Olimpiada Kolesnikova light purple; like the siren named after the brave female guerrillas of the Soviet Union during the Great Patriotic War, Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya or the siren “Remembrance of Kolesnikov” is white, like the siren “Red Moscow”, like the siren “Sky of Moscow,” or like siren “Moscow University”… Because of the “internationalization” of this flower, May 18 every year has been chosen by the International Lilac Association as the International Day of Flowers. Lilac ./.

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.

According to Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, anyone over the age of 18 who receives the first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine between June 14 and July 11 will automatically be drawn into a lucky draw for a car. According to Sobyanin, five cars worth one million rubles ($13,900) each will be given away weekly. The move comes in an effort to speed up the slow pace of vaccination in this city as the number of new infections in Russia continues to increase. “This is only a temporary solution. To avoid difficult blockade measures and ensure improvement of the situation, we need to speed up the vaccination,” – Mayor Sobyanin shared. A medical professional holds a vial of the Russian-made Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine on January 18. Photo: REUTERS The Russian capital recorded 7,704 new infections on June 13, the most in a single day since December 24, 2020. Russian authorities also reported 14,723 cases nationwide, the largest single-day total since February 13. Earlier in the day, Mayor Sobyanin informed the city’s residents to take a break from work next week to help limit the spread of the disease and to enjoy a productive “long holiday”. Mr. Sobyanin once publicly lamented the small number of people choosing to vaccinate. After the call for people to get vaccinated to receive free cars, the mayor of Moscow did not disclose specific figures on the number of people who came for the injection. On May 21, Mayor Sobyanin announced that about 1.3 million of the more than 12 million people in the capital had received one dose, Reuters news. Russia was the first country in the world to approve a COVID-19 vaccine for domestic use, before the start of large-scale trials.

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).

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova. Photo: TASS In this regard, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova expressed: “If I understand their message correctly, does that mean that NATO has in fact expressed a desire to be friends? “It’s time for them to decide: either they stop coming up with spy stories, which they use as an excuse to impose sanctions, or it’s no surprise that they find themselves on the list. Russia’s list of unfriendly countries,” Zakharova said. Reportedly, in May, Russia announced that Moscow had officially considered the United States and the Czech Republic as “unfriendly” countries. With this decision, the US diplomatic missions in Russia will no longer be able to hire local staff, while the Czech missions can only hire up to 19 people. Earlier, on April 23, Russian President Putin also signed a decree on measures to deal with the “unfriendly actions” of some countries, in the context of increasing tensions between Russia and Western countries. . In an interview with Sputnik news agency, Russian Deputy Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that the Russian government never included any country on the unfriendly list arbitrarily, but on the basis of careful analysis of all side. However, Mr. Ryabkov said, Moscow is open to the possibility of reviewing this list. Also according to Russian Deputy Minister Sergey Ryabkov, especially for the US, in order to be removed from the list of unfriendly countries, Washington must immediately stop its hostile policy towards Russia and not interfere in Moscow’s internal affairs.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Moscow is pursuing normalization of relations with Washington and called on the US to also take responsibility in these efforts. (Source: Press TV) In the context that the summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden will take place in a week in Geneva, Switzerland, Deputy Minister Ryabkov said: “This is really an important event in the world. international agenda. We hope this event will answer many questions.” The Russian diplomat said that he did not know after this contact whether a sustainable trend towards solving problems and normalizing relations could be guaranteed, but Russia would pursue this. . This is the crux of all the tasks Russia is trying to solve today, Ryabkov said, calling on the Biden administration to be “as responsible and capable as Moscow” to achieve it. this. The Russian Deputy Minister said that at the current stage of development of international relations, time passes faster than what the two countries have done, referring to the Treaty on the Reduction of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START). The Russian diplomat said that, despite just renewing the Treaty, “the US midterm elections are approaching and the countdown to the 5-year extension of New START is happening very quickly”, so need not waste time and focus on achieving a certain new modern paradigm of arms control. “We need not only to find a solution to the question of whether there is an opportunity to de-escalate tensions, but also to the problem of a new ‘security equation’ in relations between the two countries. Russia is also ready for this.” (according to TASS)

JBS USA, the US arm of the world’s largest meat supplier JBS, was targeted in a cyber attack last weekend. Photo: AP “Discussed about the cyberattack on JBS meat processing group took place yesterday through the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Russian Embassy in Washington. As far as we know, the US authorities are also involved directly with the Russian government on this issue,” Deputy Minister Ryabkov said. The White House announced on June 1 that the United States was in contact with Russian officials, because the ransomware attack “potentially stemmed from a criminal organization based in Russia”. In a statement on May 31, JBS USA said it detected an organized cyberattack that affected several servers that support the corporation’s information technology systems at its North American facilities. and Australia. The headquarters of meat processing group JBS in Brazil has shut down the systems affected in the attack and notified the authorities. The company also convened a team of its own and third-party information technology experts to coordinate handling the case. JBS Group said it will take a long time to resolve this issue, and as a result some transactions with customers and suppliers may be disrupted. Meanwhile, JBS facilities in Australia were also affected following the attack, forcing about 10,000 workers to take unpaid leave. Australian Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said authorities were aware of the incident. The White House said on Monday that JBS had notified the US government that it was a ransomware attack by a criminal organization possibly based in Russia. JBS is the world’s largest meat processing company, with operations scattered in many countries such as the US, Australia, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and the UK. Previously, in early May, Colonial Pipeline – the largest oil pipeline operator in the US was also attacked by ransomware and forced to close some systems. Colonial Pipeline has publicly confirmed paying a ransom of up to $ 4.4 million to be able to restore the computer network. Meanwhile, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) identified DarkSide as the hacker group behind the attack.

At this time, lilac shows its most beautiful beauty, blooming on many roads and parks in Moscow, Russia. In particular, the lilac garden near the Izmailovo Souvenir Market attracts a large number of people to visit and relax. Located between Sirenev Avenue and Shchelkovskoye Street, the Lilac garden is considered the most complete convergence of lilac varieties from all gardens and parks in Moscow, Russia. The garden was established in 1954 on the basis of a nursery, on the initiative of the famous breeder Leonid Kolesnikov. During his life, Mr. Leonid Kolesnikov bred about 300 varieties of Lilac, of which about 50 varieties survive to this day. The lilac varieties selected by Mr. Leonid Kolesnikov are internationally registered, including “Galina Ulanova” grown in the park of Buckingham Palace in London (UK) and many others in famous gardens. In the world. Originally, 32 varieties of lilac were planted in the Lilac garden in Moscow, now they are 60 to 70 years old. The popular varieties today are called “Moscow Beauty” – buds that bloom into white flowers, “Aleksey Maresyev” – named after a heroic Soviet pilot (formerly), whose petals twist in wing-like directions. airplane fan. In addition, to the garden, you can admire other famous lilac varieties of Mr. Leonid Kolesnikov, with impressive names such as “Moscow Morning”, “Moscow Flame”, “India”, “India”. Galina Ulanova”… In 1975, Lilac Park was formed. In what is said to be the “most fragrant park” in the capital, the fountain plays music and the lighting system shines from the ground onto the trees to help residents and tourists even visit the garden in the evening to feel the beauty. infatuation of fragrant flowers. The park astounds visitors with countless lilac bushes blooming purple, pink, white… There are not many restaurants and cafes around, so the garden becomes cozy, quiet and peaceful. People come to rest, watch the flowers relax and enjoy the passionate scent.

In the current payroll of the Russian Aerospace Forces, there are more than 2000 jet aircraft of all types. However, this force only uses two-engine fighters, does not own any single-engine fighters. One of the main reasons is that most of the fighters in the current Russian Aerospace Forces, most of which are fighters developed from the previous Su-27 series, use two jet engine. However, part of the reason why Russia did not use single-engine fighters in service, came from the lack of it in the final stage when the Soviet Union was about to disintegrate. Specifically with the MiG-29 fighter. This type of fighter, when developed, was aimed at a single-engine fighter design, to compete with the US-made F-16 fighter. However, this design encountered a very difficult obstacle, that is, the Soviet Union at that time did not have a jet engine strong and light enough to be applied to the design of the MiG-29 at that time. . Designer Mikoyan then had to revise the drawings of the MiG-29, forcing it to use two jet engines instead of one as originally envisioned. Basically, at the last stage when the Soviet Union was about to disintegrate, it was very difficult to spend money on research and manufacturing of new generation jet engines. The fighter designers were then forced to use all that was available to them, and the idea of ​​a single-engined Moscow fighter jet ended since. However, it can still be considered that twin-engine fighters have more advantages than single-engine fighters. The US itself at the present time has also stopped producing single-engine fighter aircraft, the F-16 version, although very popular, has only received further upgrades so far, the new production line has been closed. Doors from 2017 to 2019 are allowed to reopen, but only for export. Compared with single-engine fighters, dual-engine combat is considered to be more stable in operation. In the event of one engine failure, at least one remaining engine is enough to bring the plane to a safe landing. Two engines, which means that the aircraft will have two independent power supplies to power the computer system, and also the hydraulic systems on the plane. With single-engine fighters, once the engine stops working, the aircraft will immediately fall into a state of loss of control. Especially with today’s modern aircraft, which use fly-by-wire electronic steering, as soon as the engine is turned off, the computer will also turn off and the steering system will be useless immediately. The American F-16 fighter itself also uses special fuel, along with an electrical energy storage system, allowing the aircraft to operate for an additional 10 minutes after the engine is turned off. At the end of 10 minutes, the energy reserves will run out and the aircraft will also be uncontrollable. In the opposite direction, a single-engine fighter has the advantage of being more compact, lighter, and more fuel-efficient when compared to a twin-engine fighter with the same output thrust. Even the US F-16 fighters, capable of carrying weapons up to 7.7 tons, are only 300 kg inferior to the Russian twin-engine Su-30 aircraft. In the future, Russia is looking to replace its MiG-29 fighters with a single-engine fighter. However, up to now, the design of the new Russian single-engine fighter is likely still on paper. The first thing Moscow needed was a jet engine powerful enough to carry the fighter. Image source: Pinterest. Russia’s MiG-29 fighter is still considered the most “light” fighter that Moscow owns. Source: Mikoyan.

Japanese Garden on the grounds of the Main Botanical Garden (Russian Academy of Sciences) The Japanese Garden within the Main Botanical Garden (Russian Academy of Sciences) is one of the hottest destinations in Moscow, Russia during the early May holiday. Hundreds of people in Moscow lined up to buy tickets to the Japanese Garden to admire the cherry blossoms in full bloom in the mild sunny weather. Everyone wants to see and take pictures with the symbolic flower of the land of the rising sun. Admission to the garden for adults is about 90 thousand VND, halved for students. Children under seven years old are free to enter. The Japanese Garden is usually open to visitors from the end of April (when the cherry blossoms bloom) until the end of October. Many people can’t wait for their turn to buy tickets, choosing to watch cherry blossoms from the iron fence. For them, this does not cause discomfort. The Japanese Garden, built between 1983 and 1987, is located on the east side of the Main Botanical Garden campus (Russian Academy of Sciences). Dozens of cherry trees were shipped here from the island of Hokkaido. In addition, in the garden there are also many other representatives of the Japanese flora. During a visit to Russia in 2013, then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe planted the 51st cherry tree in the Japanese Garden. Seedlings are grown from the seeds of the tree first planted here by Mr. Shinzo Abe’s father, former Japanese Foreign Minister Shintaro Abe, in 1986. In its more than thirty years of existence, the Japanese Garden has become one of the distinctive centers of oriental culture. It organizes many different exhibitions, classes on calligraphy, painting, tea ceremony culture… Every year, the Japanese Garden welcomes tens of thousands of visitors. In Moscow, there are many spots to watch the cherry blossoms bloom, but the Japanese Garden attracts a large number of Russians to visit, because it is an old site and has beautiful scenery. Cherries bloom only in Moscow for about two weeks. It is this that creates excitement and crowding at the entrance to Japanese gardens.

The Botanical Garden of MGU is an ideal space to relax, enjoy flowers, and learn about a variety of plants from all over the world. (Photo: QUE ANH) The Botanical Garden of Moscow State University (MGU) is a familiar and hard-to-miss address of Moscow residents as well as tourists from all over the world. Recognized by the state as a cultural and historical monument of Russia since May 1973, this unique garden appeared more than three centuries ago. In 1706, by decree of the Russian Tsar Peter the Great, the botanical garden “Aptekarsky Ogorod” was first planted, as a medicinal garden, where there were many species of highly medicinal plants to make many medicines. From 1805 up to now, the garden has been given to MGU to manage, is a place to conduct research and experiment with many varieties of plants, medicinal plants and thousands of flowers from all over the planet. The botanical garden covers an area of ​​about 40 hectares, divided into two parts. A small part from the past is located right on Peace Boulevard, becoming a sightseeing and relaxing place that is loved by the people of the capital and tourists. With about 5,000 species of flowers and diverse plants from all over the planet, the garden is divided into separate areas with different soil and climate conditions, such as tropical, subtropical, garden plants, rock gardens… The botanical garden is also a place frequented by many doctors, surgeons, medical students, biologists… for the purpose of research, care and protection of plants against pests and diseases. MGU Botanical Garden is also a place to protect genetic resources, breed rare plant species, with at least ten laboratories, to study the animal and plant world on earth. The plants, trees and flowers here bloom in four seasons thanks to the care, thanks to the scientific activities of the staff including professors, doctors, scientific researchers… The Botanical Garden of Moscow State University regularly organizes many activities for nature lovers. The annual Spring Flower Festival is one of the most anticipated events every year in May. It can be said that there is no other place in Russia, except the Botanical Garden, where one can simultaneously enjoy thousands of flowers in bloom, from cherry blossoms, magnolias, peonies, lilacs. incense, almonds, cherries, pears, apple blossoms, daffodils, and hundreds of thousands of species of tulips… Even rare orchids in Vietnam have also shown off their fragrance in the MGU Botanical Garden at the festival. “Tropical winter” was held here in early 2017.

Green space on Nezhinskaya street in Moscow. Photo: stroi.mos.ru On average, each Moscow resident enjoys 20 square meters of green space, a rate many times higher than in Tokyo, London or Beijing. This comes from two factors: Moscow was originally built among the forests in Russia, followed by the process of creating landscapes and greening the environment in this city since the 18th century. Hill Fort and Boulevard Arc Borovitsky Hill, where the Kremlin is located, is named after the word “bor”, which means “forest” in Russian. In fact, this place was once an oak forest in the 11th century and is now the focus of central streets in Moscow. Another example is St. John’s Church, also once built on a site that was once a typical Russian elm forest and is now Novaya Square, not far from the Kremlin. Moscow historian Pyotr Sytin believes that the church was named after the old forest that guarded the eastern edge of the Kremlin fortress until the 15th century. These places used to be forests with common trees being spruce and pine. The townspeople then cut down the trees for construction purposes. Moscow at that time was in the period of expansion and the forest in the suburbs was cleared to build new housing. But it is these “suburbs” so close to the Kremlin that are now the heart of the city. Until the 17th century, places like Trubnaya Square were still largely covered with forests. In the early 19th century, many trees could still be seen growing close to the wall around the Kremlin. Catherine the Great, the queen who wanted to renovate the old capital, ordered the construction of the “Arch of Boulevard”. These boulevards were built on the basis of the “White City” (Belyi Gorod) which was the third defensive belt around Moscow built with stone walls and fortifications. Russian journalist Vladimir Odoevsky wrote in the 19th century that Moscow is surrounded by boulevards and it is not only the decoration of the city, but also has important meaning. Looking at this green belt, the people of Moscow can proudly say that in summer or winter, healthy people, sick people, adults, children – all can walk around the city, go for a walk. among the trees without fear of being hit by a carriage. After the fire of 1812, another green belt was erected in Moscow, known as the “Sadovoye”, a wide street surrounding the fast-growing downtown, with many flower gardens in the districts. home. The process of “greening” since the beginning of the 20th century The process of strong urbanization starting from the October revolution (1917) has caused the flow of people to flock to Moscow more and more. The ancient city was forced to adjust to the transformation of the industrial state. In the 1930s, the government removed the “Royal Court”. Trees in many squares and streets were cut down, and there were even plans to destroy the “Bundle Boulevard”. Gorky Park in Moscow in 1979. Photo: TASS Thankfully, this idea was shelved. In 1947, leader Stalin personally supervised the reconstruction and greening of the city center. The work was carried out quickly. Trees were planted around Dzerzhinsky Square (now Lubyanka Square), Okhotny Ryad Station, Sverdlov Square (now Teatralnaya Square) and Bolotnaya Square. The “greening” was also carried out on a large area from Manezhnaya square to Belorussky metro station. These are the first steps to help green the central area of ​​​​Moscow. In 1951, the Moscow government selected 272 greening projects in the capital. By 1961, afforestation workers had planted more than 500,000 trees and shrubs in the city, with a variety of trees such as small-leaved linden, green-leaved spruce, pine, barberry shrub, rose… This period saw the birth of a series of the largest public parks in Moscow, from Gorky Park, to Sokolniki Park, Izmailovsky Park, Losiny Ostrov National Park – the largest urban park in Europe. with an area of ​​over 300 square kilometers. Currently, green space in Moscow is strictly controlled. Since 2013, the city government has launched an initiative to plant one million trees, focusing on creating a garden landscape in the backyards of buildings. The felling of trees in Moscow is strictly regulated. If because of construction work, contractors and investors can still cut down trees, but must ensure the principle that cutting down an old tree must plant two new trees.

Sitting in a living room decorated with purple flower pots, Georgian Manana Natchkebia, 59, recalls her 30-year anniversary of low-cost Aeroflot flights. When she was 20 years old, Manana Natchkebi was a worker in a factory in Tbilisi, capital of Georgia. Her salary ranges from 300-400 rubble / month and she does not have to pay rent due to her living in the dormitory of the factory. On holidays, many people travel, Manana has another hobby, which is to fly to the Russian capital Moscow to shop. She loves buying French perfumes and fashion clothes. At that time, imports were not much in Georgia, so women like fashion like Manana often flew to the Soviet Union to satisfy their shopping needs. Fortunately, the airfare between Tbilisi and Moscow is quite cheap, only 37 rubles / way, an affordable price and not much higher than the train price. Facing the exit of the old Tbilisi airport, a mural paying homage to visitors was sculpted from the Soviet era. Photo: lemonde.fr In today’s Georgia, the former Soviet generation is now in its 50s but still remember the low-cost Aeroflot flights 30 years ago. “That day, we really liked Moscow. We often come here for a few days to visit the capital, watch movies, listen to good music to go to Mausoleum of Lenin because we are all Communist Party members. Once, we flew from Tbilisi to Moscow and vice versa within 24 hours to attend a party, watch a concert or get a haircut… ”, Manana recalls. According to the memory of former pilot Kakha Chachava, 60, during the 1970s and 1980s, many Georgians took an Aeroflot flight to Moscow for 37 rubles. “There are at least 10 flights a day between Tbilisi and Moscow, and that number goes up to 14 in the summer,” Kakha recalls. Not only Georgians but many people in the former Soviet republics are fond of Aeroflot flights of 37 rubbles. The Soviet Union invented cheap flights, symbols of modern capitalism, long before easyJet or Ryanair appeared. There are many things in common between Aeroflot flights and those on today’s low-cost airlines: Fewer business class seats, basic amenities, no side meals, and staff not always comfortable. . American historian Steven Harris, who is about to release a book about Aeroflot, observed: “Strangely, since the 1990s, Aeroflot has pioneered the provision of cheap flights. Service is reduced to a minimum so that people can buy the lowest fares “. In the Soviet Union, the number of non-commuter passengers increased significantly, from 8 million (out of 203 million in total) in 1958 to over 100 million (out of 257 million in total). 1976. The development of air traffic goes hand in hand with the development of tourism. Erik Scott, Professor of History of Soviet Studies at the University of Kansas (USA) explains: “In the post-Stalin era, the Soviet government gave people many opportunities to travel and a quality of life. better. Flights allow more people to travel ”. In 1990, Aeroflot entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest airline, with a network of more than 1 million kilometers of domestic routes connecting 3,600 towns and cities. Convenient air traffic also promotes trade and cultural exchange. Director Lana Gogoberidze, 92, who has worked with famous Russian film director and screenwriter Andrei Tarkovsky regularly flies to Moscow. “At that time, I had to go to Moscow to attend presentations or support the crew in front of the censorship committee,” said Lana. In addition, she also took advantage of meeting friends and enjoying the cultural life in Moscow. But it all ended in 1991, the time that marked the disintegration of the Soviet Union. Flight 37 rubble is suspended after restructuring Aeroflot. Since then, the Tbilisi-Moscow route has also reflected tensions between Russia and Georgia amid the separatist conflict of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In June 2019, Moscow banned all direct flights to Georgia after a violent anti-Russian demonstration in Tbilisi. This is the most serious crisis since the 2008 war. Today, Georgian youth love to travel in Berlin (Germany), Prague (Czech) Amsterdam (Netherlands), Barcelona (Spain) or Paris (France) on flights of low-cost airlines like Wizz. Air of Hungary, Pegasus Airlines of Turkey. But for Georgian elders who adore the Soviet Union, they still remember the phrase “37 rubble”, about Aeroflot’s low-cost flights. “It is a nostalgia for our youth,” Mrs. Manana Natchkebia emphasized.

Red represents passion, strength, energy, luck, however, unfortunately, red is rarely used in interior design. Using red requires sophistication and dexterity, not the whole house, but just clicking on a few details. The house of a woman in Moscow, Russia chooses the red accent on the luxurious sofa. Strong red in the backrest then dotted in the upholstery. . Mixing red in harmony with white and light gray gives the impression that the owner is vibrant, feminine but equally delicate. Beneath the flat-screen television, red continues to appear in marble, replacing the TV shelves. In particular, a part of the stone shelf is transformed into a tree planting place – a very interesting and worthwhile way to learn. Contrary to the contemporary-breathed interiors, the classic gilded section displays the artwork by Italian artist Slasky, who bridged the tradition of modernity. The luxurious red bar table is really the highlight. The wardrobe is designed with a special material that looks like a work of art. Because the house is quite prominent, the owner chooses simple, monochrome details for the bedroom. The details of the light drop are slender and graceful. Luxurious, cozy and elegant bedroom. Toilet space gives a modern feel./.

The video shows Russia withdrawing its troops from Crimea. Video: Russian Ministry of Defense The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the same day video footage of tanks, armored artillery and soldiers boarding the landing craft on the Crimean coast one after another. This is also where Russia has just completed the exercise with the participation of 60 warships, more than 10,000 soldiers, about 200 aircraft and 1,200 ground vehicles. The withdrawal was carried out by Russia after Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu asserted that “the army has proven its ability to ensure the country’s defense”. “I decided to complete inspection activities in the Western and Southern Military Region bordering Ukraine,” Shoigu said on April 22. Russian battleships boarded the amphibious ships to return to their permanent base. Photo: ITN According to Mr. Shoigu, the withdrawal will be completed by May 1. However, Russia still retains the weapons here for the exercises at the end of the year. The aforementioned weapons have been increased by Russia to Crimea and the region near the Russian border since late March, amid Moscow fears that the Ukrainian army has launched a bloody large-scale war against pro-Russian separatists in the East. Ukraine. NATO and Ukraine expressed concern over Russia’s military action and repeatedly urged Moscow to withdraw. Some Western sources even expressed skepticism that Russia had actually withdrawn.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Accordingly, the Kremlin on April 23 said that Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the application of measures to influence the bad actions of foreign countries. The statement from the Kremlin stated: “Mr. Vladimir Putin signed the decree on the application of response measures to foreign acts of bad will”. Specifically, Russia will limit the number of employees that can be recruited at diplomatic missions of countries that act inadvertent to Russia, the number of which exceeds the Russian government determined will be suspended . For this decree, diplomatic missions, consulates and offices of foreign government organizations acting unfriendly to Russia, Russian citizens or legal entities, will be faced with restricts, or even outright ban on, the use of Russian citizens. The Russian government is expected to identify a list of unfavorable foreign states and then adopt the countermeasures set up under the decree. Reportedly, the move above comes in the context of Russia and Western countries recently repeatedly expelled diplomats in the mutual diplomatic retaliation measures.

Former Czech President Vaclav Klaus. Photo: TASS “We are punishing one of the great powers in the world … I see this as proof that our country does not have a proper foreign policy,” former Czech President Vaclav Klaus on April 23 told Blesk newspaper. is based in Prague, mentioning Czech-Russian diplomatic tensions, TASS reported. Mr. Vaclav Klaus also said that the fact that Czech diplomats tried to blame Russian intelligence for the Vrbetice explosion in 2014 and used it as an excuse to expel Russian diplomats, is an act of trying to score points with The United States and the NATO military in the hope of receiving support. According to Mr. Klaus, the Czechs were hasty in this case. He argued that Prague “should have waited for true and serious evidence” before making any conclusions regarding the Vrbetice explosion. “It was a mistake to issue an ultimatum to Russia before having the facts,” Klaus warned. The former Czech president also revealed that he had discussions with his successor, current Czech President Milos Zeman, about tensions with Russia and the explosion seven years ago in Vrbetice. Russia-Czech relations became strained after Prague last week expelled 18 Russian diplomats accused of being officers of intelligence services. Prague also questioned Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency was involved in the ammunition explosion in Vrbetice in October 2014 that caused two deaths. Russia denied all related allegations and asked 20 staff of the Czech Embassy in Moscow to leave Russian territory in response. Moscow’s strong retaliation surprised Czechs. On April 22, the Czech Republic again expelled 63 more Russian diplomats and staff, followed by corresponding action from Russia.

Three Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, have expelled a total of four Russian diplomats to show solidarity with the Czech Republic (Czech) in diplomatic retaliation for alleged Russian secret involvement. ammunition warehouse explosions in Czech, news agency AFP said. On April 17, the Czech Republic accused the Russian Secret Service of being behind a fatal explosion at an arsenal in eastern Czechs in 2014 and thus expelled 18 Russian diplomats. This decision led to a series of “reciprocal” responses between Prague and Moscow. The Czech Republic has called on allies in the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Bloc (NATO) to unite and support the decision of the Prague government. On April 23, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis announced his decision to expel two staff of the Russian Embassy in Vilnius for “behavior inconsistent with diplomatic status” and ordered them to leave Lithuania within seven days. Russian Embassy in Riga (Latvia). Photo: TASS The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry stressed that “this decision shows our solidarity (ie the Vilnius government) with our ally after an unprecedented and dangerous incident in the Czech Republic”. Lithuania also offered to support the Czech Embassy in Moscow in carrying out its functions after Czech diplomats were expelled by Russia. The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that by May 31st, the Russian Embassy in Prague and the Czech Embassy in Moscow will only maintain 7 diplomatic staff, 25 technical and administrative staff, as well as right to hire up to 19 employees who are nationals of the host country. Thus, the number of Czech diplomats in Moscow must be reduced by 16, while the number of Russian diplomats in Prague is only one-sixth of the current number. On the same day 23-4, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics announced the expulsion of a staff member of the Russian Embassy in Riga. The Latvian Foreign Ministry explained that this was a move to show “solidarity with the Czech”, based on “information provided by Latvian authorities” and was made after consulting with allies. EU and NATO. And the Estonian Foreign Ministry announced the expulsion of a Russian diplomat who the Tallinn government said was behaving inconsistent with diplomatic principles. Estonia emphasized that it was “an expression of solidarity with the Czechs” and criticized the actions of the Russian secret service as the Czech accused it of being “unacceptable”. In response to the decision of the Latvian Foreign Ministry, the Russian Embassy in Riga said that this “unfriendly action” would “have the most negative impact on the development of Russian-Latvian relations”. The Russian diplomatic delegation also announced that Moscow would soon take measures to respond, according to the news agency TASS . The Russian embassy in Tallinn was also dissatisfied by Estonia’s decision, saying that the decision to expel Russian diplomats could undermine efforts to improve Russia-Estonian relations. The Russian diplomatic delegation to Lithuania does not appear to have commented on the decision of the Vilnius government yet. Before the three Baltic countries, Slovakia expelled three members of the Russian Embassy in Bratislava to show solidarity with its neighbor Czech.

Opened in the early 20th century, this is a famous dining destination for culinary devotees. This store is also the place where many tourists choose to buy traditional Russian souvenirs. The store was forced to close after more than 100 years in business due to a drop in visitors from the Covid-19 epidemic. This shop also attracts many visitors by its baroque architecture and luxurious interior. Muscovite Yelena Bakhtina shared with Reuters While shopping at Yeliseyevsky: “It is a symbol of the city. I have come here just to admire the beauty of the store.” Located on Tverskaya street through the center of Russian capital, the store used to have a steady flow of customers. However, the pandemic has caused a serious decline in visitors. Alexander Kanshin, an official from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told local television about the reasons why the store’s shutdowns include legal issues and the changing consumer behavior of the people. The city government said the owner of the facility would be obliged to preserve the interior of Yeliseyevsky as an architectural work.

To show solidarity with neighboring Czech Republic (Czech), Slovakia expelled three Russian diplomats, the news agency. TASS reporting. Citing sources from Slovak media on April 22, TASS said Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger had notified Slovakia of the deportation order and asked three Russian diplomats to leave Slovakia “in the next seven days”. Slovakia’s decision came after neighboring Czech country called on European allies to support Prague’s stance in expelling 18 Russian diplomats for accusing Moscow of being involved in a number of ammunition explosions. in the Czech Republic in 2014. Russian Embassy in Bratislava (Slovakia). Photo: AFP Slovakia is an ally in the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Bloc (NATO). The Czech Republic and Slovakia had a period of forming a unified state, known as Czechoslovakia, before a peaceful split in 1993. Prime Minister Heger explained that Slovakia’s decision to target diplomatic missions “did not respect the” principles of international law “, and stressed that the Bratislava government” desperately needed to do everything possible. to ensure security and for diplomatic missions working in Slovakia to comply with the laws (of Slovakia) and international agreements “. Accordingly, the decision to expel Russian diplomats was made by Slovakia “based on information from intelligence agencies (of Slovakia) who cooperated closely with the partner’s intelligence agencies. “and” based on the situation in the geopolitical space and current events in the Czech Republic – a country where Slovakia shows its solidarity and support “. Slovakia Jaroslav Nad noted that Bratislava’s decision was not a “cliché act” but was based on the fact that the activities of three Russian diplomats “went beyond established rules. in the international environment “. Responding to reporters’ questions about Slovakia’s move, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow was “deeply disappointed by Bratislava’s unfriendly actions”. Ms. Zakharova accused Slovakia of “showing false solidarity” with an act Moscow called a “fabrication incident” presented by Prague. Russia has repeatedly denied its involvement in military incidents in the Czech Republic and has taken diplomatic retaliation measures. The representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry also said that Moscow will soon take measures to retaliate against the deportation order of Bratislava.

Czech Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhanek announced that Russia would not be allowed to have more diplomats in Prague than the number of Czech diplomats currently available at their embassy in Moscow. Except for the number of diplomats allowed to be maintained, all remaining staff at the Russian embassy in Prague had to leave by the end of May. Notice comes after Russia expulsion 20 Czech diplomats on April 18 in retaliation for the Czech government’s expulsion of 18 Russian diplomats, identified as spies by Russian intelligence services. Russian Embassy in Prague. Photo: PM. The Czech government objected to what it called Russia’s “inappropriate response”, saying that Russia crippled the Czech Embassy in Moscow. Foreign Minister Kulhanek warned that if Russia does not regulate the expulsion of Czech diplomats at the last minute, he will cut the staffing of the Russian Embassy in Prague to be equal to their remaining staff at the embassy. Checks in Moscow. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the ministry had summoned the Czech ambassador on April 22. “It is unacceptable to speak to Russia,” said Ms. Zakharova.

Mr. Zelensky (left) and Mr. Putin Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky was welcome in Moscow “at any time” but stressed that he should discuss the conflict in eastern Ukraine directly with the separatists. “If we are talking about bilateral relations, by all means, we are ready to welcome the President of Ukraine at any time convenient for him,” the Russian leader said during a meeting with the Belarusian leader. Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow, according to Tass . Putin’s invitation to Zelensky came in response to this week’s request by the President of Ukraine to meet the two leaders in eastern Ukraine, where the fighting intensified between the Kyiv army and the faction. Pro-Moscow separatism has raised concerns about an all-out war. Ukraine, the European Union and the US have recently set off alarm bells about Russian troops gathering troops on the borders of the former Soviet Union country. Moscow said the military was conducting drills in response to NATO exercises and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Thursday ordered the army to return to its permanent base by May 1. “If President Zelensky wants to begin to heal relations, we certainly welcome,” Putin told reporters as he began talks with President Lukashenko. But the Russian leader said that if Mr. Zelensky hoped to solve the problems stemming from the fighting in eastern Ukraine, he should first meet with the leaders of the separatist zones in Donetsk and Lugansk. “And it was only then that these matters were discussed with representatives of third countries, in this case Russia,” Putin said. Kiev has been fighting the separatists in areas east of Donetsk and Lugansk since 2014. The conflict has claimed the lives of more than 13,000 people, and has seen about 30 Ukrainian soldiers perished since the beginning of 2021, compared with the number 50 of the whole 2020. Sponsorship news

1. Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, Poland This 187 meter high building (including the 270 meter spike roof) was built in the center of the Polish capital Warsaw as a “gift from the people of the Soviet Union”. Participated in the construction of the Palace of Culture and Science with more than 3,000 workers from 1952 to 1955. Initially, architect Lev Rudnev (who previously designed the main building of Moscow State University) planned to build the building. a more modest house, only 120 meters high. However, the Soviet leadership finally decided to build the massive building. At that time, the construction process was regularly reported in the press. Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, Poland. Photo: Nagy Gyula / FORTEPAN (CC BY-SA 3.0); Pannini (CC0 1.0). Today, inside this 42-story building, there is an observation area, exhibition galleries, office spaces, 4 theaters, 4 museums, Polish Academy of Sciences, movie theaters and even a swimming pool. Currently, this is still the tallest building in Poland. 2. International Hotel in Prague, Czech Republic Today, this 16-story building cannot be called a skyscraper, but in the mid-1950s it stood out in ancient Prague with its low-rise buildings. However, it is still one of the largest buildings in the capital of the Czech Republic. Inside the building was supposed to be serviced apartments, as well as government buildings, but later it was decided to build hotels. The interiors of the hall are decorated with mosaic paintings of Czech folk art and the Prague landscape. International Hotel in Prague, Czech Republic. Photo: Simon Legner (CC BY-SA 4.0). Up to now, the building still preserves a civil defense shelter that can accommodate 600 people. Currently, this basement is converted to a storage room for building staff. 3. Free press supply in Bucharest, Romania Inside this building built in the 1950s, there was the “Skynteya” Newsroom – the official mouthpiece of the Communist Party of Romania. From 1960 to 1990, on the square in front of the building there was a monument to Lenin. Before 2007, it was the tallest building in Romania – 92 meters excluding the 12-meter high antenna. The building is even pictured on Romania’s largest denomination bill of 100 Leu. Free press supply in Bucharest, Romania. Photo: Legion Media 4. The Latvian Academy of Sciences building in Riga The building for scientists was designed by Latvian architects in the style of Moscow buildings. This place is now home to the headquarters of the research institutes of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, the research centers of Latvian language and culture, and at an altitude of 65 meters is the observation area. 1960s and present-day buildings. Photo: Naum Granovsky / TASS; Sjaak Kempe (CC BY 2.0) The interior of the building underwent changes in 1991. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, people removed all the “ideological” reliefs of Lenin and Stalin, and on the sharp roof removed the star shape. . 5. The Largo Complex in Sophia, Bulgaria Three “Stalin-style” buildings in the center of the Bulgarian capital Sophia were built in the mid-1950s for the public administration. The center court is the seat of the Communist Party of Bulgaria (today the venue for the meetings of the Bulgarian Parliament). In the next building is the Council of Ministers and Department of General Department, the other is the Presidential Palace, the Ministry of Education and the “Balkany” hotel. The Largo Complex in Sophia, Bulgaria. Photo: Legion Media In 2000, the Lenin monument was replaced with the statue of “Saint Sophia”, and the star on the sharp roof was replaced by the Romanian flag. 6. Buildings in Kharkov, Ukraine An apartment building in the center of the city of Kharkov in Ukraine is a true beauty spot. After World War II, the central Kharkov area suffered heavy losses. In the 1950s, on the site of war-torn houses, this building was built for turbine factory workers. Interestingly, one side of the gable was completely different from the rest of the building. Specifically, the building was built in the 1960s under the first Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party Nikita Khrushchev, who opposed cumbersome architectural styles. Buildings in Kharkov, Ukraine. Documentary photos; Vladimir Korsunsky (CC BY 3.0). 7. Exhibition Center Shanghai, China In 1955, in Shanghai, inaugurated the Soviet-China Friendship House. This building was built by Soviet experts, and the decoration was by Chinese architects. Exhibition Center Shanghai, China. Photo: Fayhoo (CC BY-SA 3.0). On the surface, this building is quite similar to the main exhibition hall of the USSR’s National Economic Achievements Exhibition. The author of the project is architect Viktor Andreev, who also designed the Moscow Pavilion. Currently this building is used to organize trade shows.

Russian nuclear submarine and President Putin – illustration.

Russia has every legitimate right to build military might in its northern territories, where thawing ice has opened up new shipping opportunities.

But, this also does not make other nations with access to the Arctic very nervous, especially when there Moscow will place its most terrible weapons.

This is the opinion of Mr. Jorgen Ullerup, a columnist editor of the Jyllands-Posten newspaper in Denmark.

The Danish press expressed particular concern about the arrival of the Poseidon nuclear torpedo at the Russian Armed Forces, which is capable of causing massive radioactive tsunamis and flooding major cities. , crowded coastal areas.

Poseidon nuclear torpedo.

If the weapon is activated, after the impact of the weapon on any “doomsday”, to the coastal settlements in the area, it will be inhabited for decades.

Author Jorgen Ullerup has closely followed information about this weapon known as the “sharp sword” of Russia over the past few years, and it reminds him of the Cold War era.

At that time, the great powers, the Soviet Union and the United States, were competing in an arms race. Today this happens again, with only the Soviet Union – now the Russian Federation, and a third country, China, joined these two adversaries.

Another feature of the modern Cold War, according to Ullerup, is the “hypersonic revolution”, which is the emergence of hypersonic weapons among superpowers, making enemy missile defenses. useless.

According to former US Navy Secretary Thomas Modley, when he told reporters on CNN that hypersonic missiles will soon change military strategy in the same way that nuclear weapons did in the last century.

Russian President Putin and US President Biden. Photo: BBC

“When I spoke to President Putin, I expressed confidence that direct and personal communication between the two of us is essential to a more effective relationship. He agrees on that point.” – he said.

He added: “So I proposed that we meet face to face this summer in Europe for a summit to address a wide range of issues that both our countries are facing. face.”

According to him, “our teams are discussing this possibility right now.”

“And if that summit takes place and I believe it will happen, the US and Russia can launch a dialogue of strategic stability to pursue cooperation in arms control,” Biden stressed. and security ”.

“We can tackle important global challenges that require Russia and the US to work together, including curbing nuclear threats from Iran and North Korea, ending the global pandemic. and deal with the existing climate change crisis “- declared by US President.

In the same speech, Mr. Biden said he warned Russian President Vladimir Putin of the sanctions in a phone call he called a “straightforward, respectful conversation” on April 13.

“I have made it clear to President Putin that we can take more action, but I choose not to. I chose to respond accordingly. The US does not want to start a cycle of escalation and conflict with Russia. We want a stable, predictable relationship, ”Mr. Biden said at the White House on April 15.

The sanctions “send a signal that the United States will impose measures strategically and have an economic impact on Russia if it continues or escalates destabilizing international actions,” the White House said. know in a statement. “Our goal is not to escalate, to impose sanctions on what we feel is an unacceptable action by the Russian government,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said. before the press on April 15.

The White House said on April 15 that recent sanctions actions were also prompted by Moscow “targeting dissidents or journalists” and undermining “security in countries and regions.” important to US national security ”, referring to the recent Russian alleged poisoning of opposition leader Alexey Navalny and military consolidation along the Ukrainian border.

Mr. Biden has strained his relationship with Putin personally by agreeing with the view that Putin is a “killer”. The US President did not apologize and also refused to hold talks with the Russian President when Putin proposed a dialogue.

For a while, Mr. Biden continued to send signals that the US would punish Russia for its interference in the US’s internal affairs, including cyber attacks and election interference. At the same time, the US leader suggests direct dialogue with the Russian President.

For the past two days, Mr. Biden has repeatedly heated up American media about what he sees as a measure of pressure on Moscow, forcing it to pay the price for what it has done with America, while leaving the door open. the door to directly negotiate with Mr. Putin.

Analysts said that Mr. Biden’s actions in imposing new sanctions against the possibility of a live conference with Putin, will give Mr. Biden’s negotiating advantage.

Expert Lev Sokolschik, scientist of the Center for Integrated Research on European and International Affairs at Russia’s HSE State Research University, said that the US is continuing its policy of restraining Russia on all fronts. Important aspects include economic, military, political and using pressure in areas of interest to win the US over Russia.

The US has followed the roadmap: Announcing the summit proposal, negotiating and then imposing sanctions on dialogue with Russia with its strengths, the Russian expert said.

However, given the ever-confrontational nature of the Russia-US relationship, the actions of the US would immediately receive a response from Russia. The Russian side is also considering a number of retaliation sanctions and could be announced in the near future.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan previously called the sanctions “adequate measures to protect US interests from harmful Russian actions including cyber intrusion and election interference”.

The recently announced measures include sanctions on six Russian companies that support domestic cyber operations, along with sanctions on 32 individuals and organizations allegedly trying. to interfere in last year’s presidential election.

The White House said 10 Russian diplomats were deported, including representatives of Russian intelligence agencies.

“What is currently being considered – possibly sanctions – will not help the meeting,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

The head of the White House said in a phone call earlier this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin he made a clear stance that the US and Russia may have “gone further,” emphasizing that Washington “did not want to arrest. the beginning of a cycle of escalation and conflict “with Moscow.

Mr. Biden asserted that after direct communication between him and Putin, the US and Russia could establish “a more effective relationship” and the Kremlin boss “agreed” with this view.

According to Biden, his proposal to hold a summit with his Russian counterpart this summer in Europe will be an opportunity to launch a stable strategic dialogue.

Putin has yet to react to the White House boss’s invitation, but Biden said his cabinet is discussing the possibility now.

Before that, despite President Biden proposing a bilateral meeting with his Russian counterpart, on April 15, the US still announced economic sanctions against Russia and expelled 10 foreign diplomats. This was in response to actions that Washington alleged was “interference” by the Kremlin in US elections and large-scale cyber attacks.

In addition, the US Treasury Department also announced sanctions against 8 individuals and entities involved in Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

For its part, the Kremlin vowed to respond adequately to any new illegal US sanctions against Russia and noted that any new sanctions would reduce the chances of a meeting. two sides summit.

Specifically, speaking before the meeting of the Defense Sub-Committee of the European Parliament in Brussels – Belgium, Andrii Taran noted that he could not rule out the possibility that Russian forces in Crimea could “take provocative actions. military promotion “in 2021.

Earlier, Mr Taran said “Russian provocations” could exacerbate conflicts in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine bordering Russia. Taran revealed that Russia concentrates 110,000 troops on the Ukrainian border.

Ukrainian tanks during an exercise near Crimea. Photo: Reuters

According to Reuters, any decision by Russia to move nuclear weapons to Crimea will be a bad development in East-West tensions. That gesture would increase tensions for a newly renewed arms control treaty between the US and Russia.

Concerning developments, in a statement from the Ukrainian army, the Ukrainian armed forces have been rehearsing to increase their ability to respond to a tank and infantry attack near the Crimea border on April 14. The drills come the day after US President Joe Biden phoned Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss Russia’s military build-up near eastern Ukraine and in Crimea.

On the Russian side, on April 14, the Russian navy began exercises in the Black Sea with exercises to fire targets on the ground and in the air. This exercise is to test combat readiness, readiness to react to threats from NATO. As planned, the rehearsal would end after 2 weeks.

Specifically, over the past several months, representatives of the US administration led by President Joe Biden have repeatedly threatened Russia that it will pay a “very high price” for the situation in the Donbass.

Moscow responded to Washington on warning of ‘it will cost money for the Donbass’. Illustrative image / Reporter

Before the above developments, Moscow gave an official response. Specifically, according to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, Washington’s aforementioned statements are unacceptable. Russia will continue to defend the self-proclaimed republics of the Donbass, as well as the interests of its Russian-speaking residents, and threats from the other hemisphere of the planet will only convince Moscow of the correctness of the planet. my movement.

“They talked about a high price, but they never specified. What they have done so far, first we have done enough research, second we have adapted to this” …

Ryabkov noted with regret that the current Ukrainian authorities and their Western patrons have concluded that the field situation is not helping to become more positive.

In addition, Deputy Minister Ryabkov mentioned the fact that the military alliance of NATO, the United States and a number of other countries are deliberately promoting Kiev to confront the Russian Federation, assisting Ukraine in increasing military pressure. declaration in the East.

In related developments, the NATO Air Force has deployed more fighter jets to countries close to Ukraine as a readiness move for the worst case scenario.

Defense Minister of Ukraine Andrii Taran. Source: Anadolu

Speaking to the defense subcommittee of the European Parliament in Brussels, Minister Taran warned that Moscow could attack Ukraine to secure water supplies for the annexed Crimean peninsula.

Besides, Mr. Tahan said, does not rule out the possibility that Russian forces in Crimea could “carry out major military provocations” in 2021, but he did not provide immediate evidence for this hypothesis.

Regarding developments, on the same day, the SBU national security agency of Ukraine announced that it was conducting a large-scale “anti-terror” exercise in the Kherson region near Crimea. SBU’s announcement said units of the Ukrainian armed forces together with police and border guards participated in the exercise.

The announcement emphasized: “The key strategic targets of key infrastructure in the Kherson region are being tightly controlled … These are seaport areas, power supply facilities, airports, demand and gas production plants “.

Earlier, the Ukrainian military posted a video, on a rock music scene, showing the country’s tanks deployed in formation with soldiers loaded and fired for artillery during a pushback drill. the attack of tanks and infantry infiltrated the defensive area near the Crimea border.

The drill comes a day after US President Joe Biden telephoned Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss Russian troop reinforcement in Crimea and near eastern Ukraine, among other US concerns.

Earlier, President Putin’s foreign policy advisor, Yuri Ushakov, invited US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan to discuss this issue.

Mr. Ushakov stressed to Ambassador Sullivan that Moscow will react seriously if the US takes “unfriendly actions” such as imposing sanctions.

President Joe Biden has proposed holding a summit with Putin

On April 13, US President Joe Biden held a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, underlining Washington’s commitment to Ukraine’s territorial integrity and expressing concerns about the concentration of the military. of Russia near the Ukraine border. Mr. Joe Biden also proposed a summit between the two leaders in a third country.

In March, Joe Biden still warned Moscow to pay the price for meddling in the US presidential election, but so far, no sanctions have been announced.

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.

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On April 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden held a telegram to discuss the tensions in Ukraine, security issues and the importance of nuclear arms control. . The White House has also proposed holding a formal meeting “in a third country”.

In a statement on April 13, US officials confirmed that the two leaders of Russia and the US had talked about “a series of regional and international issues”.

Presidents Biden and Putin telephoned, but Russia-US relations are still difficult to escape tension. (Photo: RT)

Specifically, President Biden has “voiced concerns about unusual Russian military maneuvers” on the Crimean peninsula and along the Ukrainian border. Mr. Biden called on Moscow to take action “to cool down”.

The exchange between the Russian-US President comes at a time when the danger of conflict between the Ukrainian army and Moscow-backed militants inside the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine shows signs of pushing up into a total war. The move to mobilize large numbers of troops and weapons by the Kiev government has led Russia to also strengthen its military presence along the Ukrainian border.

Some Western countries accuse Moscow of planning to invade Ukraine, but Russian officials have repeatedly denied.

In a move intended to show support for Ukraine, Washington dispatched two warships to the Black Sea.

For its part, the Kremlin says the situation in Donbass is “extremely horrible”, and Russian diplomats have previously expressed concerns with their American counterparts.

But US State Department spokesman Ned Price said that Washington was worried about receiving “credible reports” about the movement of Russian troops near the border between Russia and Ukraine and called for “Russia. restraint to avoid escalating stress ”.

Over the past few months, the US-Russia relationship has deteriorated. Moscow even summoned the Russian ambassador to the country to conduct urgent discussions about the future of relations with Washington.

Specifically, the Russian ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, returned home after in an interview President Biden called Putin a “murderer”. Mr. Biden’s comments have met with strong criticism from many Russian officials.

For his part, Putin used a maxim to disprove Mr. Biden’s claim. According to Mr. Putin, Mr. Biden is “breaking our belly to the stomach”.

“I remember that when we were kids, we played together on the field and used to say ‘belly-up’. It is not a joke or a kid’s sentence, this one has a profound psychological meaning. We always see our own qualities in others and think they really are like us, “Putin said.

According to Putin, the US is “determined” to build relations with Russia, but “only on matters that are beneficial to the US”.

Concluding a phone call between the two presidents on April 13, the US said that Biden’s goal was to build a “predictable and stable relationship with Russia in line with American interests”. In addition, the US also proposed to hold a summit in the next few months, to create an opportunity for the two leaders to “discuss the issues that Russia and the US are facing together”.

In a statement at the end of April 13, the Kremlin said President Biden “expressed a desire to normalize bilateral relations” and sought a consensus on arms control operations, chapter nuclear process, situation in Afghanistan and global climate change problem.

In the past, Russian President Putin met with Biden’s predecessor, former President Donald Trump, in Helsinki in 2018.

For now, Moscow is still skeptical of the White House wanting to hold a constructive dialogue.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, “No one allows the US to talk to Russia in a strong position.” Instead, the two countries should treat each other fairly, Mr. Peskov said.

80,000 Russian soldiers in border areas

Ukrainian President Iuliia Mendel’s spokesman on April 12 said Russia sent more than 40,000 troops to Ukraine’s eastern border and another 40,000 to Crimea – which was declared Russian since 2014. “Van Our presidential room has asked to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin. We have not received an answer and hope that this is not a refusal to talk, “Ms. Iuliia Mendel told Interfax and added that the request for negotiations was sent on March 26, after when four Ukrainian soldiers were killed by bombardment in the East.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited troops in the eastern Donbass region on April 9, amid escalating tensions.

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry asked Russia to end what it called “military rhetoric and misinformation.” In mid-April, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Paris to speak with European leaders about Russia’s actions and the growing conflict in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskiyy is scheduled to meet with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan – an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Meanwhile, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he “has not seen any requests for the past few days”. Confirming that Russia’s military forces are free to move within the country as appropriate and that the movement of troops near the Ukrainian border and the exercises pose no threat, the Kremlin reiterated that Their support for the separatists is limited to political and humanitarian support.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits the army in the Donbass region east.

Last week, President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of “dangerous provocations” in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine and said Russian-Ukrainian political advisers were trying to organize a new round of talks. may take place in Normandy format – a multilateral dialogue involving French and German leaders. German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer on April 12 also urged Moscow to announce its intentions in the region, saying that if Vladimir Putin’s government “has nothing to hide it can be easily explained. the reason why the army is moving “.

And Manfred Weber, a prominent member of the European Parliament, calls Russia’s military build-up a limited test of the West, warning that if the situation continues to escalate, Moscow will face off. with new sanctions.

Close to the risk of conflict

The fighting in eastern Ukraine had calmed down since July last year but has now heated up and has seen violence erupt. The question now is whether Russia’s beginning to gather troops along the Ukrainian border is a prelude to war? In fact, last year, Moscow and Kiev agreed to better enforce a prolonged ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, namely the Donetsk and Luhansk separatist regions.

However, President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy was unable to fulfill his promise while running for office. Violence in the Donbass began to increase in early February when Ukraine dispatched new forces and weapons to the border line; at the same time announced the joint exercise plan with NATO member countries in this country’s territory.

In this regard, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Ukraine’s membership in NATO could lead to a large-scale escalation in the separatist republics of southeastern Ukraine and cause cooperation. action is irreversible for Ukraine. According to the Russian side, Ukraine’s accession to NATO is just an illusion, because one of the principles for a country to join this organization is that there is no internal conflict, otherwise, it will turn NATO into a war party. . Russia also responded by increasing its border controls with Ukraine.

Soldiers of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) during a training exercise near Donetsk city in August 2020. Photo: EPA.

“Obviously, Ukraine wants to show its toughness to Russia, wants to resolve the internal conflict by means of strength. At the same time, if Ukraine joins NATO, Ukraine can expect the support of its allies to confront Russia directly in resolving disputes, ”commented AP firm.

In addition, with the new administration of the United States, President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy began to make decisions to allow Washington to participate more directly in the deadlock in the East. However, according to NATO officials, Russia is unlikely to escalate the problem for Ukraine because they are also worried about bogged down in a costly conflict without a clear exit strategy. , especially the conflict that has the potential to disappoint Western countries. Furthermore, the element of military intervention on behalf of Donetsk and Luhansk does not have the same political appeal to the Russian public as the conflicts in Georgia and Crimea were.

On the Ukraine side, observers also said that the country did not want to engage in a protracted war with its larger neighbor. “Kiev understands that if they take any offensive action against Russia, they risk losing the existing support of the West,” the Times article stated. Also according to the Times magazine, the current Russian – Ukraine tensions are also a challenge to NATO and a test for the US President Joe Biden administration.

President Volodymyr Zelensky during his latest visit to the frontline area in eastern Ukraine. Photo: Getty

Speaking to CNN reporters during a visit to the frontline area in the East on April 12, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that “an invasion” from Russia was highly likely and that Ukraine was ready to face the challenge when it was a story related to the country’s territory.

The West has also officially voiced concerns about Russian military movement in the region bordering Ukriane. European Council spokesman Peter Stano said on April 12 that the European Union hoped there would be no escalation of tensions or conflict in eastern Ukraine, urging Russia to avoid steps that could increase tensions in the region. He also said the Ukraine issue would be on the agenda at the meeting of EU foreign ministers, scheduled to open next April 19.

For its part, Moscow insists that the movement of soldiers and weapons within Russian territory is normal, in order to ensure the security and territorial defense of Russia, not a threat to anyone. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on April 12 also reiterated the view that Russia needs to pay attention to the Russian-speaking ethnic community around the world in general and that need is increasingly urgent for communities in the two self-proclaimed donbass countries, who are also rejected by the Kiev authorities.

The war 10 sides expected: However, a large-scale clash in Eastern Ukraine is less likely, especially between Russia and Ukraine.

The Ukraine issue was a prominent factor in Mr Biden’s proposal to meet with President Putin at a phone call between the two leaders on April 13. Photo: CNN

On the Ukrainian side, the key issue lies in the that President Zelensky is losing credibility, political position. Many of the initiatives he outlined when he came to power were deadlocked. He also lost support within the ruling People’s People’s Party.

Many members of the party see, with recent steps – such as passing language laws, shuting down anti-Russian broadcasters, Mr. Zelensky is following the agenda of his predecessor Poroshenko. This means losing personal status, entering the next election with many unfavorable factors.

U.S. and Western backing is also a factor kiev must take into account. To date, the U.S. has expressed great support for Ukraine, but is in favor of claiming to be the main one. President Joe Biden pledged “backing first as one” to kiev authorities, including military aid. The White House also urged European allies, especially France and Germany, to stand side by side with Ukraine.

But the most desirable thing is that modern weapons and the prospect of NATO membership remain out of Kiev’s reach. Without both of these factors, Ukraine would not dare risk opening a war in Donbass, because it would be an act of suicide.

Ukrainian President Andriy Yermak made a blunt offer to the West, saying: “Ukraine is the anti-Russian frontline of the West. But look, where does the U.S. deploy the Patriot missile defense system? The closest point is Poland. Such systems need to appear in Ukraine”. Ukraine has so far not received missiles, modern weapons capable of repelling enemy air attacks.

Mr Zelensky in a phone call with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on April 6 again asked the military alliance to give a clear roadmap for Ukraine to join NATO. He insisted full membership would be the decisive factor in ending the war in Donbass. In response, NATO argued that Kiev must first focus on domestic reforms and develop its defense potential in a way that is in close proximity to the bloc’s standards, which in the end will be considered.

For Russia, the move to close ukraine’s borders is a way for Moscow to move its message to the West, which is not necessarily a warm-up for a new conflict with Kiev. According to Michael Kofman, Director of the Research Division on Russia at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), Russia deliberately publicly moved its troops, in order for Ukraine and the West to recognize it. Russia’s primary purpose is to pressure Kiev and some Western allies as progress on implementing the Minsk II ceasefire agreement is intended and in line with its interests.ch of Moscow.

The Ukrainian leadership is also in the ting of this evaluation trend. President Zelensky sees Russia’s actions as a test against the West. What Moscow wants is to “escalate tensions” to the threshold enough for the U.S. and NATO to step down in favor of Kiev, hesitating to recognize Ukraine as a real partner.

Military pressure is a step for Moscow to establish its influence in Ukraine as it wishes. Russia did so after noticing that hopes for current construction in Ukraine through political measures were gone, with decisions by Mr Zelensky’s administration on sanctioning elements, the anti-Russian political force, shut down Russian-language broadcast TV channels. It means that the scenario of a leader, the russian party is unlikely to be in power in Kiev in the near future – something that lies in Moscow’s long-term calculations.

President Zelensky’s administration did not want to risk escalating the war in Donbass, because the consequences were too great. Mr Putin may still decide to launch a total force offensive, which is that Ukraine is almost incapable of resisting and that it is “really scary,” as the Kiev leader himself admits. But on the public side, Mr. Zelensky is not allowed to reveal it.

As the purpose of the parties gradually reveals, statements or military moves can be just a cover, a way to create pressure and public opinion to be able to reach the negotiating table with the greatest advantage.