Showing posts with label President Vladimir Putin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label President Vladimir Putin. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
Panorthodox Synod : PUTIN HAS TRIED AND FAILED TO MANIPULATE UKRAINE'S ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS by Dr.Cyril Hovorun
Panorthodox Synod : PUTIN HAS TRIED AND FAILED TO MANIPULATE UKRAINE'S...: Telegraph His goal was to alienate religious members of Ukrainian society from Zelensky’s government, which tr...
Friday, September 9, 2022
Thursday, June 30, 2022
Monday, February 7, 2022
Friday, January 14, 2022
Panorthodox Synod : METROPOLITAN EPIFANIY: ROC PATRIARCH ACTS LIKE PUT...
Panorthodox Synod : METROPOLITAN EPIFANIY: ROC PATRIARCH ACTS LIKE PUT...: Фото: Митрополит Епіфаній Patriarch Kirill of Moscow is similar to Russian President Vladimir Putin, because the ROC has...
Friday, December 3, 2021
Saturday, February 23, 2019
Former NATO Chief Warns Belarus About Putin
A former NATO Secretary General and Prime Minister of Denmark, Anders Fogh Rasmussen,gave a warning to Belarus in an interview he gave to Ukrainian website Liga.net:
The key risk is the repetition of the Ukrainian scenario that includes war and annexation in Belarus.I would advise Belarus to introduce reforms leading to democracy and freedom.
We remember that statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin; he said that Belarus should become part of 'the great Russian power,'as well as the Crimean Peninsula.And I would like Belarus to get more assistance from the West; but we need to see Belarus switch to freedom and democracy.
Yes, he (Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko) does not want to do that; but he also does not want to live under Putin's pressure.He needs to choose between reforming and the Russians' tightening grip.*
As an example of this pressure,Mr.Lukashenko considered a response to NATO deploying intermediate range missiles in Europe in reaction to Russia's violation of the INF Treaty:
Because, together with Russia, we will have to think of reciprocal measures.It would be unavoidable if this happened.It would be even worse if,God forbid, missiles were deployed in Ukraine.*
Mr.Rasmussen was NATO Secretary General from 2009-14.
The key risk is the repetition of the Ukrainian scenario that includes war and annexation in Belarus.I would advise Belarus to introduce reforms leading to democracy and freedom.
We remember that statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin; he said that Belarus should become part of 'the great Russian power,'as well as the Crimean Peninsula.And I would like Belarus to get more assistance from the West; but we need to see Belarus switch to freedom and democracy.
Yes, he (Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko) does not want to do that; but he also does not want to live under Putin's pressure.He needs to choose between reforming and the Russians' tightening grip.*
As an example of this pressure,Mr.Lukashenko considered a response to NATO deploying intermediate range missiles in Europe in reaction to Russia's violation of the INF Treaty:
Because, together with Russia, we will have to think of reciprocal measures.It would be unavoidable if this happened.It would be even worse if,God forbid, missiles were deployed in Ukraine.*
Mr.Rasmussen was NATO Secretary General from 2009-14.
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Eastern Europe Update:Ecumenical Patriarch Addresses Synaxis;Exarchs Appointed
On Monday,3 September 2018,speaking before the Synaxis of the Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Throne at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Istanbul,Turkey,His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew elucidated the position of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the issue of autocephaly (independence) for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.Here are some excerpts:
In times of greater or lesser historical challenge,our Patriarchate-faithful to its vocation and ministry-neither says nor does anything unrelated to the incarnate Word.Its mission is not comprised of imposing some new ecclesiological principles but preserving truths of faith,precious traditions and inspired patristic teachings established many centuries ago.*
As the First Throne of Orthodoxy,the Ecumenical Patriarchate exercises a prophetic ministry,extending the mystery of the Catholic Church in Christ Jesus throughout the world in each era.*
The Ecumenical Patriarchate bears the responsibility of settling matters in ecclesiastical and canonical order because it alone has the canonical privilege as well as the prayer and blessing of the Church and the Ecumenical Councils to carry out this supreme and exceptional duty as a nurturing Mother and birth-giver of Churches.If the Ecumenical Patriarchate denies its responsibility and removes itself from the Inter-Orthodox scene,then the Local Churches will proceed "as sheep without a shepherd" (Matt.9.36),expending their energy in ecclesiastical initiatives that conflate the humility of faith and the arrogance of power.*
In the matter of Ukraine,the Ecumenical Patriarchate has appointed two exarchs,or legates,announcing on 7 September 2018 that:
Within the framework of the preparations for the granting of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine,the Ecumenical Patriarchate has appointed as its exarchs in Kiev His Excellency Archbishop Daniel of Pamphlion from the United States,and His Grace Bishop Ilarion of Edmonton from Canada,both of whom are serving the Ukrainian Orthodox faithful in their respective countries under the Ecumenical Patriarchate.*
Both exarchs were born in Ukraine.
Analysis:The Ecumenical Patriarchate indeed exercised the functions mentioned above in the twentieth century in Eastern Europe by,for example,granting a Tomos of autocephaly to both the Orthodox Church of Poland and the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.Now it serves a new century at a time of war in Eastern Europe instigated by the Putin regime in Russia,with the same leading ministry,in all its holiness and sincerity,as the Great Church of Christ in Constantinople that it has always been,bravely asserting the religious freedom of a Ukraine so long repressed by its mighty and sinister neighbour to the East.
In times of greater or lesser historical challenge,our Patriarchate-faithful to its vocation and ministry-neither says nor does anything unrelated to the incarnate Word.Its mission is not comprised of imposing some new ecclesiological principles but preserving truths of faith,precious traditions and inspired patristic teachings established many centuries ago.*
As the First Throne of Orthodoxy,the Ecumenical Patriarchate exercises a prophetic ministry,extending the mystery of the Catholic Church in Christ Jesus throughout the world in each era.*
The Ecumenical Patriarchate bears the responsibility of settling matters in ecclesiastical and canonical order because it alone has the canonical privilege as well as the prayer and blessing of the Church and the Ecumenical Councils to carry out this supreme and exceptional duty as a nurturing Mother and birth-giver of Churches.If the Ecumenical Patriarchate denies its responsibility and removes itself from the Inter-Orthodox scene,then the Local Churches will proceed "as sheep without a shepherd" (Matt.9.36),expending their energy in ecclesiastical initiatives that conflate the humility of faith and the arrogance of power.*
In the matter of Ukraine,the Ecumenical Patriarchate has appointed two exarchs,or legates,announcing on 7 September 2018 that:
Within the framework of the preparations for the granting of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine,the Ecumenical Patriarchate has appointed as its exarchs in Kiev His Excellency Archbishop Daniel of Pamphlion from the United States,and His Grace Bishop Ilarion of Edmonton from Canada,both of whom are serving the Ukrainian Orthodox faithful in their respective countries under the Ecumenical Patriarchate.*
Both exarchs were born in Ukraine.
Analysis:The Ecumenical Patriarchate indeed exercised the functions mentioned above in the twentieth century in Eastern Europe by,for example,granting a Tomos of autocephaly to both the Orthodox Church of Poland and the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.Now it serves a new century at a time of war in Eastern Europe instigated by the Putin regime in Russia,with the same leading ministry,in all its holiness and sincerity,as the Great Church of Christ in Constantinople that it has always been,bravely asserting the religious freedom of a Ukraine so long repressed by its mighty and sinister neighbour to the East.
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Former SecDef Gates:Putin,Russia and NATO
Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee this morning,holding forth with some well-informed views on Russian President Vladimir Putin and his policies,as well as NATO's response to them.Dr.Gates served as Secretary of Defense from 2006-11 under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.Before that,he was a US Air Force officer and then served as Director of Central Intelligence under President George H.W. Bush from 1991-3,among other positions.He is currently Chancellor of the College of William & Mary.*
I had a number of opportunities to interact with Mr.Putin when I was in office,Dr.Gates said.We have similar backgrounds.I told him that while he was a lieutenant colonel in the KGB,I was Deputy Director of the CIA.What he has been most affected by was the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire.Ukraine has been part of that for a very long time.He is all about lost power,lost glory,lost empire.He aspires to:
1.Restore Russia to great power status,so that nothing may be done without Russia's involvement and approval;
2.To create a buffer of friendly or at least frozen states on the borders of Russia,such as Eastern Ukraine.
I think that he will be very opportunistic in pressing these objectives,but he is not a madman;and if he meets some difficulties and resistance along the way,he will pull back.In Syria,he wants to keep the Russian naval base at Tartus and the Russian military presence there.He isn't set on keeping President Bashar al-Assad in office;he would be willing to replace him with someone acceptable to Russia at the appropriate time.If he also has the opportunity to poke the United States in the eye,he will not miss that opportunity.
He has a lot more forces on the Ukrainian border than we or NATO have or can put on the opposite side.His limit is in the Middle East,where he is farther away and has a long supply line.We should decide what we want to do in Syria and just tell the Russians this is what we want to do and stay out of the way,such as our establishing a safe haven in Northern Syria.I think he knows exactly what he's doing and,at least in the short or medium term,he's been successful at it.*
Every decade has a variety of challenges.I think it's fair to say we have not had so many challenges in as many parts of the world as we do today.*
I agree with the NATO steps that have been taken to increase the US presence in Europe.The idea of prepositioning equipment sets has a lot of merit.I think I would work very closely with our NATO partners on considering the wisdom of having permanent US troops in Poland or the Baltics.There's always a risk of taking it a step too far.Enhancing the air patrolling and responding to Russian violations,regular NATO exercises-Putin has provoked all of this.He has created enough alarm that our Allies want to participate in these forward operations in Europe with us.I remember a time when they wanted nothing to do with it.Putin has a lot more forces in Europe than NATO,with a lot shorter supply line.*
Russia has been interested in getting out of the Intermediate Nuclear Forces treaty for several years.Even in my time,the Russian Defence Minister approached me saying we are the only two countries who can't deploy INFs.It would not surprise me in the least if they went ahead with it,Dr.Gates told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday morning.
I had a number of opportunities to interact with Mr.Putin when I was in office,Dr.Gates said.We have similar backgrounds.I told him that while he was a lieutenant colonel in the KGB,I was Deputy Director of the CIA.What he has been most affected by was the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire.Ukraine has been part of that for a very long time.He is all about lost power,lost glory,lost empire.He aspires to:
1.Restore Russia to great power status,so that nothing may be done without Russia's involvement and approval;
2.To create a buffer of friendly or at least frozen states on the borders of Russia,such as Eastern Ukraine.
I think that he will be very opportunistic in pressing these objectives,but he is not a madman;and if he meets some difficulties and resistance along the way,he will pull back.In Syria,he wants to keep the Russian naval base at Tartus and the Russian military presence there.He isn't set on keeping President Bashar al-Assad in office;he would be willing to replace him with someone acceptable to Russia at the appropriate time.If he also has the opportunity to poke the United States in the eye,he will not miss that opportunity.
He has a lot more forces on the Ukrainian border than we or NATO have or can put on the opposite side.His limit is in the Middle East,where he is farther away and has a long supply line.We should decide what we want to do in Syria and just tell the Russians this is what we want to do and stay out of the way,such as our establishing a safe haven in Northern Syria.I think he knows exactly what he's doing and,at least in the short or medium term,he's been successful at it.*
Every decade has a variety of challenges.I think it's fair to say we have not had so many challenges in as many parts of the world as we do today.*
I agree with the NATO steps that have been taken to increase the US presence in Europe.The idea of prepositioning equipment sets has a lot of merit.I think I would work very closely with our NATO partners on considering the wisdom of having permanent US troops in Poland or the Baltics.There's always a risk of taking it a step too far.Enhancing the air patrolling and responding to Russian violations,regular NATO exercises-Putin has provoked all of this.He has created enough alarm that our Allies want to participate in these forward operations in Europe with us.I remember a time when they wanted nothing to do with it.Putin has a lot more forces in Europe than NATO,with a lot shorter supply line.*
Russia has been interested in getting out of the Intermediate Nuclear Forces treaty for several years.Even in my time,the Russian Defence Minister approached me saying we are the only two countries who can't deploy INFs.It would not surprise me in the least if they went ahead with it,Dr.Gates told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday morning.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Ukraine and the West:Decision and Danger
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced that there will be more planes in the air;more ships in the water;and more readiness on the land in response to Russia's recent moves in the Ukrainian crisis.Just how dangerous is the current situation in Eastern Europe?I think it's pretty explosive,said General Richard Myers,US Air Force retired,former Chairman of the Joint Cheifs of Staff.Russia is doing several things that are dangerous:1.The overflight of the destroyer USS Donald Cook in the Black Sea by a Russian fighter aircraft;2.Massing so many troops on the border with Ukraiine;3.Taking over at least 10 towns in Eastern Ukraine.World War I started as an incident that got out of hand.This is very dangerous stuff that Russia is playing with.
If shots are fired and people are killed,this could escalate.I'm sure there are lots of options being presented to President Obama,such as providing weapons to Ukraine or providing weapons to them along with US advisors.They'll go thorugh them in the Situation Room.I don't think there are good military options.As for Russia attacking a NATO country,you would think not and you would hope not,but I don't know.*
Major General Mark Kimmitt,US Army retired,who was Assistant Secretary of State for Politico-Military Affairs under President George W. Bush,said Russia's moves are part of the great chess game.You can almost hear the echoes of Czechoslovakia 75 years ago.
These are Russian provocateurs in Eastern Ukraine.The term "Ukraine" means "border."President Putin wants to restore that buffer zone with NATO.There's no reason that a reasonable deployment of US and European troops in Ukraine woudn't stop Putin with a show of strength,General Kimmitt believes.*
Overnight Wednesday,Ukrainian soldiers reportedly fired shots in the air when armed pro-Russian forces attempted to storm a military base in Eastern Ukraine.
Update:During this incident,three Russian militants were reportedly killed and 19 wounded.
If shots are fired and people are killed,this could escalate.I'm sure there are lots of options being presented to President Obama,such as providing weapons to Ukraine or providing weapons to them along with US advisors.They'll go thorugh them in the Situation Room.I don't think there are good military options.As for Russia attacking a NATO country,you would think not and you would hope not,but I don't know.*
Major General Mark Kimmitt,US Army retired,who was Assistant Secretary of State for Politico-Military Affairs under President George W. Bush,said Russia's moves are part of the great chess game.You can almost hear the echoes of Czechoslovakia 75 years ago.
These are Russian provocateurs in Eastern Ukraine.The term "Ukraine" means "border."President Putin wants to restore that buffer zone with NATO.There's no reason that a reasonable deployment of US and European troops in Ukraine woudn't stop Putin with a show of strength,General Kimmitt believes.*
Overnight Wednesday,Ukrainian soldiers reportedly fired shots in the air when armed pro-Russian forces attempted to storm a military base in Eastern Ukraine.
Update:During this incident,three Russian militants were reportedly killed and 19 wounded.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Ukraine:Crisis and Context
President Vladimir Putin put Russian troops on high alert to stage war games in the Western Military District,near Ukraine,on Wednesday at 1400 hours,Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said.Russia was also taking measures to guarantee the safety of facilities,infrastructure and arsenals of its Black Sea Fleet in Crimea,where Russia leases a naval base from Ukraine.
Ethnic Russians staged a protest in Crimea,saying Crimea was Russian and calling for independence from Ukraine.Most of the Crimean penninsula's population is ethnic Russian.Eastern Ukraine is also heavily ethnic Russian and looks to Moscow for support,while Western Ukraine is the center of Ukrainian nationalism and leans to Western Europe and the United States.*
In the Ukrainian capital Kiev,the Western protest movement's Euromaidan Council appointed several interim officials.Former economy minister Arseny Yatseniuk was named interim prime minister;career diplomat Andriy Deschytsya,foreign minister;and former economic minister and deputy central bank head Oleksandr Shlapak,finance minister.
The new ministers must engage in talks with the IMF to secure the country's finances,as Russia will probably cancel its 15 billion dollar support package extended to Moscow ally Victor Yanukovych,now believed to be in hiding in Crimea-perhaps in the Russian naval base.The EU and US have also expressed a willingness to financially aid the fledgling government in Kiev.*
The Russian military alert announced Wednesday raised a red flag in Western circles in light of Putin's actions of 2008,when he invaded the Republic of Georgia to defend ethnic Russians in two breakaway regions there,and recognised their independence after a brief war.Any Russian invasion of Ukraine would be a grave mistake,US Secretary of State John Kerry warned on Wednesday.
Ethnic Russians staged a protest in Crimea,saying Crimea was Russian and calling for independence from Ukraine.Most of the Crimean penninsula's population is ethnic Russian.Eastern Ukraine is also heavily ethnic Russian and looks to Moscow for support,while Western Ukraine is the center of Ukrainian nationalism and leans to Western Europe and the United States.*
In the Ukrainian capital Kiev,the Western protest movement's Euromaidan Council appointed several interim officials.Former economy minister Arseny Yatseniuk was named interim prime minister;career diplomat Andriy Deschytsya,foreign minister;and former economic minister and deputy central bank head Oleksandr Shlapak,finance minister.
The new ministers must engage in talks with the IMF to secure the country's finances,as Russia will probably cancel its 15 billion dollar support package extended to Moscow ally Victor Yanukovych,now believed to be in hiding in Crimea-perhaps in the Russian naval base.The EU and US have also expressed a willingness to financially aid the fledgling government in Kiev.*
The Russian military alert announced Wednesday raised a red flag in Western circles in light of Putin's actions of 2008,when he invaded the Republic of Georgia to defend ethnic Russians in two breakaway regions there,and recognised their independence after a brief war.Any Russian invasion of Ukraine would be a grave mistake,US Secretary of State John Kerry warned on Wednesday.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Sochi Winter Olympics:the Fortress Games
The most costly and threatened Olympic games in history will be underway in Sochi,Russia in five weeks' time.Russia is spending 54 billion dollars on the games and the massive security effort to protect them.
Some 50,000 troops and police are being deployed to the Games and surrounding area.Spectators will be vetted from their passport information,and surveillance will be heavy.The likelihood is that,despite their boasts,the highly skilled terrorists will not directly attack the fortress which has been created around the Sochi Games itself,which are geographically the most compact Olympic Games in history.They will strike softer outlying areas instead such as Volgograd,the transportation hub 400 miles northeast of Sochi,or other targets even farther away.
Last week,37 people were killed in Volgograd in back to back suicide bombings on a bus and a train station.If you travel to the Sochi Games,there is an extra element of risk in your life,centered around public transport.Your safety cannot be fully guaranteed.It's a very small extra risk-one that only you and your family can decide if it's worth taking.
Security will be similar to that surrounding the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in early 2002,five months after the 9-11 attacks.At that Olympics,the US Marines and Army,as well as the National Security Agency,provided mountain and airspace patrols and surveillance.It will be noticeable,and people will complain about it,said interational ice hockey federation president Rene Fasel.I'm sure Russia will do everything possible,but that means we have an unbelievable security control.We have to be strong.We decided to go to Sochi and the only answer to these bombings and terrorist incidents is to go there.
The Australian Olympic Committee is restricting its athletes' travel to flights only,according to IOC vice president and AOC head John Coates.
Some 50,000 troops and police are being deployed to the Games and surrounding area.Spectators will be vetted from their passport information,and surveillance will be heavy.The likelihood is that,despite their boasts,the highly skilled terrorists will not directly attack the fortress which has been created around the Sochi Games itself,which are geographically the most compact Olympic Games in history.They will strike softer outlying areas instead such as Volgograd,the transportation hub 400 miles northeast of Sochi,or other targets even farther away.
Last week,37 people were killed in Volgograd in back to back suicide bombings on a bus and a train station.If you travel to the Sochi Games,there is an extra element of risk in your life,centered around public transport.Your safety cannot be fully guaranteed.It's a very small extra risk-one that only you and your family can decide if it's worth taking.
Security will be similar to that surrounding the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in early 2002,five months after the 9-11 attacks.At that Olympics,the US Marines and Army,as well as the National Security Agency,provided mountain and airspace patrols and surveillance.It will be noticeable,and people will complain about it,said interational ice hockey federation president Rene Fasel.I'm sure Russia will do everything possible,but that means we have an unbelievable security control.We have to be strong.We decided to go to Sochi and the only answer to these bombings and terrorist incidents is to go there.
The Australian Olympic Committee is restricting its athletes' travel to flights only,according to IOC vice president and AOC head John Coates.
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