“Still looking for Iraqi WMDs?” and other memorable quotes from Vitaly Churkin
From RusVesna.su
Februar 21, 2017
On many occasions over the decade that he served as Russia’s ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin has countered attacks by Western diplomats with a pointed turn of phrase. RT looks at six such moments from Churkin’s distinguished career.

The US envoy to the UN, Zalmay Khalilzad, received this response from Churkin on August 29, 2008, after he condemned Russia’s “invasion” of Georgia. \
The five-day conflict started when US-backed Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili launched an attack on Russian peacekeepers in the breakaway region on South Ossetia. Russian forces responded by dismantling Georgia’s NATO-trained military, retreating from the country, and recognizing Ossetia’s independence.

This was Churkin’s reply to UK envoy Matthew Rycroft on February 3, 2017, after Rycroft called Russia’s position on Ukraine an “inversion of reality” and seconded new US Ambassador Nikki Haley’s demand for Russia to “return Crimea” to Ukraine.
“The people of Crimea quite clearly expressed their will in a referendum,” Churkin told Haley, pointing out that the US Constitution begins with the phrase, “We, the people.”

Churkin had this tongue-in-cheek retort for then US ambassador Samantha Power, after she spoke of meeting with the members of “Pussy Riot” on February 6, 2014. The self-described punk-rock activists gained notoriety in Russia and fame in the West after three of their members were arrested for a “performance” at Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral in 2012.

That is how Churkin commented on Power’s emotional speech about the humanitarian situation in Aleppo, where the US-backed rebels were losing a battle to the Russian-backed Syrian Army, on December 13, 2016.
“Please, remember which country you represent. Please, remember the track record of your country,” Churkin told her.

That is how Churkin reacted to a report about the situation in Aleppo by Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O’Brien, on October 27, 2016.
“Give us one fact, please, or leave this kind of storytelling for the novel you may well write later,” the Russian envoy told O’Brien.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly on May 11, 2016, Churkin called on world leaders to remember the organization’s founding principles.
“One should not seek to expand their sphere of control, as it is happening as result of the unrestrained NATO expansion. One should not strive for military dominance, the way US aims to do by creating the global missile defense system,” he added.
“Instead, we should go back to the origins of sensible political thinking, to the slogan ‘the world is undivided,’ to the understanding that the wish to ensure your own security at the expense of others only undermines security globally.”
LPR & DPR announced their conditions for political settlement in Donbass
From RusVesna.su
February 27, 2017
The Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics demand to create real system of self-governance in Donbass within the framework of the Minsk negotiation process.
This was stated today by the acting Foreign Minister of the DPR, the representative of Donetsk at the political subgroup negotiations in Minsk Natalia Nikonorova.
“One of the most important points is a coexistence with the central power (Kiev) on a contractual basis, i.e. this the authority to conclude contracts, and on this basis development in any direction: social, cultural, scientific,” she said in an interview to the Russian agency TASS.
“This is what we agreed on, having signed the Minsk Agreements. This is real self-governance, which responds the European charter of local self-governance”.
Elections in Donbass in this case are an integral part of the settlement of the conflict.
“We will choose our bodies of authority. Elections will take place according to a majority system. Any party like “Svoboda”, any “Right Sector”, Radical party can’t be on our territory.
When all of the territory of our region is covered in graves, these people will come to us to campaign? It won’t happen,” stated the representative of LPR at negotiations of the political subgroup Rodion Miroshnik.
According to him, also the work of the Ukrainian media will not be allowed in Donbass. Only the inhabitants living in the region can participate in elections, and the Central Electoral Commission of Ukraine won’t be able to control the electoral process.
“The figure of displaced persons from Donbass fluctuates from 200,000 when Ukraine speaks about pension payments, up to 2 million when Kiev speaks about elections. Sorry, but with such a manipulative system give me such a resource in 2 million, I win any elections,” noted Miroshnik.
He specifically stressed that the LPR and the DPR demand the creation of a whole list of the constraining mechanisms in the relations between Donbass and Kiev.
“This is the presence of law enforcement agencies, this is also cross-border cooperation, because we want to live quietly with ours brothers from the Russian Federation. This is a linguistic question. It is unacceptable for us to forbid the Russian language. And as well differentiation of financial flows,” listed Miroshnik.
Translated by Ollie Richardson, originally publsihed at RusVesna
Syrian children sing «May there always be sunshine» in Russian (VIDEO)
From RusVesna.su
January 27, 2017
Children at one of Aleppo schools learnt popular Russian song «May there always be sunshine» and sang it in Russian.
Children in one of Aleppo’s schools are beginning to get back to regular classes, which include an educational programme about Russia. Footage from the school shows pupils drawing the Russian and Syrian flags together as a symbol of friendship between the two countries.
Aleppo is Syria’s second largest city and the biggest industrial and economic centre — since 2012 it was partially under terrorists’ control.
In autumn 2016 SAA performed a range of operations which resulted in full liberation of Aleppo by mid-December.
http://rusvesna.su/news/1485546756
Ukrainian official tells the truth about Ukrainian nationalist battalions (VIDEO)l
From RusVesna.su
February 13, 2017
Talking to the journalist of “1+1” Ukrainian TV channel, notorious adviser to the Ministry of Internal Affairs Anton Gerashchenko spilled the beans at last, telling the truth about Ukrainian nationalist battalions.
“Look here, at this watch – Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine it says,” he boasts showing the watch on his wrist.
“Arsen Avakov gave you that?” journo asks.
“No, it was handed to me by Aleksandr Turchynov for successful establishment of punisher voluntary battalions to quell Donbass,” said Gerashchenko.
“Punisher battalions for quelling” — it’s Europe, nowadays. It’s not that we didn’t know about how it is in reality, but to hear it from the mouth of the advisor to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, all the same, won’t hurt.
Russian actor living in U.S. would rather starve than play “evil Russian separatist” in Hollywood movie on Donbass
From Ruvesna.su
February 20, 2017
Renowned Russian UFC fighter and actor Oleg Taktarov turned down a “lucrative” Hollywood offer to portray a villain massacring civilians in Ukraine, saying that he would rather “starve” for lack of work.
“Male, Russian, late 40s, Roman is the leader of a group of Russian Separatists, fighting in Ukraine with cunning and brutality. After massacring a peaceful Ukrainian village, Roman and his men go after the downed US planes and the trio of Navy officers who are trying to elude them,” Taktarov quoted the offer in his Facebook post.
He added that a single American protagonist would remain alive and defeat all the bad guys.
Oleg Taktarov declined the offer to play the role of a stereotypical Soviet-born villain despite recent difficulty obtaining well-paying work.
“Money is scarce with me like never before, but I have already said ‘No’ to this ‘lucrative offer’ from Hollywood… I’d rather starve.” T
The post has gained massive coverage on social media, with most users expressing support and respect for Oleg Taktarov. Some of the lines read “Good sport,” “I am proud to be of the same origin as you,” “Greetings from adequate Ukrainians” and the like.
In a separate comment for REN TV, Taktarov compared the offer to participation in political defamation and said four companies owned by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko were making money from the war in Donbass. He added he had changed the name of the character proposed to him for ethical reasons.
“It is obvious who profits from this conflict,” he said.
Taktarov was born in 1967 and moved to the United States in 1994 seeking Hollywood fame. To make his dream come true and earn some money, Taktarov, a Master of Sport in sambo, had to participate in different martial arts tournaments billed as “The Russian Bear.” His success in MMA tournaments helped him finally launch his Hollywood career.
In February 2015, MMA legend Jeff “The Snowman” Monson won a bout and announced his paycheck would go to children of the war-torn Donbass region. Oleg Taktarov apparently demonstrated that he valued truth and dignity more than the pursuit of money, even when it is difficult to make ends meet.
Источник: http://rusvesna.su/news/1487590064
230,000 DPR residents sign Donbass peace petition to world leaders
From RUSVESNA.SU
March 1, 2017
Almost 230,000 DPR residents have signed the petition to world leaders asking them to make Kiev stop the Donbass genocide, the Republic’s parliament press service told Donetsk News Agency on Wednesday.
“As of the evening of Feb.27, the petition to the Russian, US and German leaders was signed by 229,778 DPR residents,” the press service said.
On 31 January, DPR and LPR People’s Councils chairmen Denis Pushilin and Vladimir Degtyarenko brought forward a joint petition to Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel asking them to make Ukrainian leadership stop the Donbass genocide.
The campaign to collect signatures in support of the document began in the republic on the same day. The petition with signature lists will be handed over to OSCE special representative in the Contact Group Martin Sajdik and later on to western and Russian leaders.
Russia’s largest bank now accepting DPR/LPR citizens
From Fort Russ
8,000 NATO troops launch exercise near Russian-Norwegian border (PHOTOS, VIDEO)
Oslo dismissed the notion that the deployment goes against the old commitment, saying that American troops would be rotated rather than stationed permanently. NATO routinely applies the same reasoning to all its deployments in Eastern Europe as a way of circumventing the alliance’s agreement with Russia, which bans permanent deployments of “significant” forces near Russia.
They all lie so easily and think they are so clever, looking us straight in the eye and smiling. They misuse language and try to confuse, while assuring us of their friendship and utmost respect.
If a country or alliance is permanently present in a country, regardless of personnel changes, that country or alliance is permanently deployed there. NATO and Norway have violated their agreements with Russia.
From RT
March 6, 2017

A total of 8,000 NATO soldiers have been deployed to the Finnmark region of northern Norway, 160-300 km from the Russian border, for a series of joint military exercises.
The Joint Viking 2017 exercises, which involve British, American and Norwegian troops, kicked off Monday and are expected to last until March 15. According to the Norwegian Armed Forces website, the exercises’ primary goals are to practice crisis management and the defense of Norway.
A total of 8,000 troops are taking part, including 700 soldiers from the US Marine Corps, US Army and the British Royal Marines, which have been integrated into Norwegian units. The British and American troops took part in preparatory exercises to acclimatize them to the harsh Norwegian weather.
#MonochromeMonday: @USArmy @USMC @RoyalNavy & @NorwegianArmy conducting winter warfare training in preparation for #JointViking
#MeetYourArmy : Cpt. Thomas Huens, B Troop 1-91 CAV Cdr. Leads from the front testing the water in advance of his troopers. #JointViking
#TrainingTuesday: #StrongEurope Soldiers are in Norway conducting Winter Warfare Training in preparation for #JointViking.
For the duration of the exercise, drones have been banned from local airspace.
“The Armed Forces will have a lot of activity in the air, with fighter jets, helicopters and transport aircraft. To ensure safety in the air, we therefore introduced a drone ban,” military spokesman Ivar Moen told the Norwegian public radio station NRK.
In previous years, Joint Viking exercises have been held in Hordaland in 2013, Tromso in 2014, Finnmark in 2015 and Trøndelag in 2016. The previous exercise in Finnmark was seen as a provocation in Russia, where in response a large-scale exercise was launched in the Kola Peninsula.
This year, however, Moscow was notified of the planned maneuvers in advance, Moen told NRK.
In January, 300 US Marines from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, were deployed to Norway. Both Norway and the US denied the notion that the deployment was meant to irk Russia as part of NATO’s wider campaign to oppose what it calls “Russian aggression” in Europe, by sending additional troops and weapons closer to the Russian border.
A founding member of NATO, Norway pledged not to host foreign forces to allay Moscow’s concerns that it could serve as a platform for a surprise attack. For decades, the Scandinavian country only allowed in other allies’ troops for training purposes.
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Oslo dismissed the notion that the deployment goes against the old commitment, saying that American troops would be rotated rather than stationed permanently. NATO routinely applies the same reasoning to all its deployments in Eastern Europe as a way of circumventing the alliance’s agreement with Russia, which bans permanent deployments of “significant” forces near Russia.
https://www.rt.com/news/379641-8000-nato-exercise-russia-norway/
















