The Ukraine interferes with delivery of Russian natural gas to Europe

Natural gas pipeline in the Carpathians

The Ukrainian government said it is diverting part of the normal delivery of Russian natural gas to Europe. The daily flow across its territory is to be cut from 385 million cubic metres to 325 million cubic metres. Gazprom said it owes no transit debts to the Ukraine, despite that country’s obstruction of payment documents, and expects immediate talks over the transit issue. The Ukrainian move comes one day after Gazprom responded to mounting Ukrainian payment arrears by reducing the daily export of its natural gas to Ukraine by 50 percent.

5 March 2008

Voice of Russia World Service

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=23812&cid=46&p=05.03.2008

Editor’s note:

This is sheer stupidity. The Ukraine owes a large debt to Russia, and Russia owes it nothing. Therefore, the Ukrainians are going to steal natural gas paid for by others… a great way to win friends and influence people. The sooner Russia puts paid to this renegade successor state, the better.

BMD

South Ossetia joins Abkhazia in asking for formal recognition of its independence

The breakaway Georgian territory of South Ossetia joined Abkhazia in formally asking the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and the European Union to recognise its independence, after 15 years of de facto separation from Georgia. South Ossetia and Abkhazia believe their entitlement to sovereignty is much more obvious than that of Kosovo.

5 March 2008

Voice of Russia World Service

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=23820&cid=45&p=05.03.2008

Editor’s note:

Foreign Minister Lavrov warned of a “parade of sovereignties to follow in the footsteps of Kosovo”. He was right. Bush and Rice do not care for the consequences of their actions. May God preserve us.

BMD

Metropolitan Laurus thinks that those who predicted a mass departure from the ROCOR after the Act of Canonical Communion were in error

Metropolitan Laurus Škurla of New York and Eastern America, the First Hierarch of the ROCOR, thinks that those who predicted a mass departure from the ROCOR after its reconciliation with the Moscow Patriarchate were in error. “There were some who actually joined dissident groups and went into schism, but, they were few”, according to an interview the metropolitan gave to the newspaper Pravoslavnaya Moskva (Orthodox Moscow) as posted on the official website of the Moscow Patriarchate. According to Vladyki Laurus, “most of the faithful of the ROCOR received the news calmly, and many reacted with enthusiasm after the act of canonical communion was signed”. The subsequent course of events “gives me no occasion for anxiety”. “Our accord is sealed in the spirit of love and peace, we have the same independence as before, and no one has taken any of our property. Our people see the good fruits of our coming together, and this is the most important result of our unity for them”, Metropolitan Laurus emphasised.

5 March 2008

Interfax-Religion

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=23211

A monument to Hans Christian Andersen to be erected in Moscow

A Portrait of Hans Christian Andersen (Constantin Hansen, 1836)

A monument to the famous Danish fairytale author Hans Christian Andersen will be erected in Moscow during City Day, celebrated in early September. The bronze sculpture shall depict Andersen at a table with a pen in his hand in the company of his fairytale characters. It shall be placed on an artificial hill surrounded by trees and small ponds.

4 March 2008

Editor’s note:

I was reminded of Fr Peter Olsen (not Olson, Olsson, or Olsonn, by Gar!), rector of St Basil parish, when I posted this. Na mnogaya lyeta, Batiushka Peter!

Voice of Russia World Service

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=23768&cid=48&p=04.03.2008