A New Book Written by Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin is directed to Young People

God, Man, Church by Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin (1968- )

Moscow, 10 July 2008 (Interfax):

A new book written by Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, the zamglavy (assistant head) of the MP Department of External Church Relations, God, Man, Church, was released today to the public. “This book is an accessible catechism for young people that presents the basic teachings of the Orthodox Church about God, Man, the Atonement, the Final Judgement, and also how a person can approach life in the church in faith”, Fr Vsevolod told our Interfax-Religion correspondent on Thursday. The book was written by Fr Vsevolod at the beginning of the 1990s, and the initial print run shall be of 5,000 copies.

“Any reader, regardless of their background, social status, or religious views shall find something interesting and thought-provoking to them”, said the publishing house, Bely Gorod (White City). The book is part of a series called Planeta Lyudei (People of the Planet). All of the titles in the series are by contemporary authors, both clergy and laymen.

The book is divided into three parts, the first of which, Otkrovenie Bozhie (The Revelation of God), is a brief description of biblical history. The second part, Telo Khristovo (The Body of Christ), touches upon deep questions in the Church. In the third, Tserkov i Mir (The Church and the World), Fr Vsevolod examines the interrelation of the Orthodox Church with secular society and with other Christian confessions and religions. “The book is written in a positive tone and it uses simple and intelligible language so that it would appeal to the widest possible circle of readers”, a spokesman of the publisher noted.

Interfax-Religion

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=25414 (in Russian)

Editor’s Note:

Don’t hold your breath waiting for SVS to translate such a meaningful book. They have their hands full with the latest release by Honeycutt or Greene… that was catty (but, true!). Hey, Jordanville, this one’s for you! Truly, it is what we NEED… something written by a non-scholar with no pretensions. Fr Vsevolod is one of the mightiest “men of valour” in the Church today and it is refreshing to see a book by him hit the stalls. Batiushka Andrew… this sounds like a spot-on read, doesn’t it? 

Viktor Yanukovich Promises to Look after the Interests of Canonical Orthodoxy in the Ukraine

Viktor Yanukovich (1950- ), leader of the Party of Regions in the Ukraine, head of the patriotic opposition to the present Orange American-puppet government

Kiev, 10 July 2008 (Interfax):

Viktor Yanukovich, the leader of the Ukrainian Party of Regions, spoke out in defence of canonical Orthodoxy. “Much has been accomplished, but, more needs to be done. However, our first priority must be the defence of canonical Orthodoxy”, Mr Yanukovich told journalists on Thursday during a visit to the Holy Assumption-Ss Nicholas and Basil Monastery in Donetsk oblast, the location of the grave of Schema-Archimandrite Zosima, his late starets (“elder”, “spiritual advisor”). Mr Yanukovich noted that the teaching of Fr Zosima, his late elder, was exactly the same [concerning the defence of the canonical church], Ukrainian journalists reported. “Fr Zosima was my spiritual father; I am nothing but his spiritual shadow. We are connected by the Lord God. I began my spiritual life here, building together with him. He gave me the drive necessary to move forward. I came here today, yet another time, to tell him that I am carrying out his will and that I shall continue to carry it out”, Mr Yanukovich emphasised.  

Interfax-Religion

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=25417 (in Russian)

10 July 2008. Out and About…

Harvard to return Russian church bells

Cathedral at the Daniilovsky Monastery, the headquarters of the Patriarchate of Moscow and all Russia

Russian and American officials will meet at Harvard University headquarters later in the day to sign an agreement on the return of a set of historical bells from Daniilovsky Monastery in Moscow, replacing them with exact copies that were recently cast in Russia. During the 1930s, 18 bells from the Daniilovsky Monastery were sold to Harvard Professor Thomas Wittemoor and businessman Charles Crain. The original bells will arrive in Moscow on 12 September, the birthday of the monastery’s founder, Grand Prince St Daniil of Moscow. 

8 July 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29370&cid=48&p=08.07.2008 (in English)

Train tickets from Riga and Tallinn to Moscow sold out

Train tickets to Moscow are unavailable for weeks to come in Latvia and Estonia. They are all sold-out because President Medvedev signed an executive order that gives the Russian residents of those Baltic republics  (who are denied citizenship and basic human rights by the Baltic neo-Nazi régimes: editor’s note) the right to visa-free travel to Russia. The presidential order became effective on the 17 June. Trains from Riga and Tallinn to Moscow have since been overcrowded. People are coming to see their relatives and friends.

8 July 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29418&cid=48&p=08.07.2008 (in English)

Editor’s Note:

Spare a thought and prayer for the Russian population of Latvia and Estonia, who are our Orthodox co-religionists. They are deprived of citizenship and basic rights by governments that glorify the Nazis of World War II. Reflect on the fact that such monsters are supported in Washington. Shame on all of us for not standing up for these poor people. May God keep them and bless them.

Condoleezza Rice encounters protests in Prague

Czech anti-radar poster. The US is pushing ahead despite massive protests by the Czech people. “Democracy at work!”

In Prague, Geenpeace activists met US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice with posters saying “Don’t make us a target”. She arrived in the Czech Republic to sign a treaty covering the deployment of an American radar station, which is part of a US missile defence system. The opponents of the US plans have already collected more than 100,000 signatures under a petition with a demand to hold a nation-wide referendum on this issue. 70 percent of Czechs are strongly opposed to the deployment of an American radar station in their country. As Boris Kagarlitsky, the director of the Russian Institute of Globalisation Problems, said in an interview for Voice of Russia, “Washington’s plans for the placement of the elements of a missile defence system in Europe may initiate a new arms race. In an attempt to split the European community, the USA is performing a global play for its own interests”, he emphasised. 

Czech protestor at anti-radar rally. Is George Bush going to export “democracy” to the Czechs in the same way he did in Iraq?

Czech antiwar activists plan to go ahead with their series of protests against the deployment of a US radar base in the Czech Republic. Protests will continue so the voters’ voice could reach the ears of Czech MPs who will be required to ratify the treaty, says Jan Tamas, the leader of the “No to Military Bases” civic association. Mr Tamas said that 3,000 protesters took part in a mass demonstration in central Prague on Tuesday night. 

8/9 July 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29423&cid=48&p=08.07.2008 (in English)

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29431&cid=48&p=09.07.2008 (in English)

Russia is creating the conditions for turning the rouble into a reserve currency

Reverse of the 500 rouble note (21.40 USD. 13.54 euros. 10.82 UK pounds). The image is of the Orthodox monastery on Solovki in the White Sea in the Far North.

Russia is creating the conditions for turning the rouble into a reserve currency. The Central Bank said that rouble’s exchange rate against the currencies of the countries that are Russia’s leading trade partners grew by 3 percent in the first six months of 2008, and it rose against the dollar by almost 9 percent. In the opinion of Aleksandr Yakovlev, an expert in economics, “the main reason is that Russia’s economic situation has significantly improved, and, therefore, trust in the rouble revived amongst Russians and foreigners. Many foreign investors have quite strong rouble assets”. Speaking at the recent G8 summit on Hokkaido, President Dmitri Medvedev suggested turning the rouble into a reserve currency.

10 July 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29528&cid=46&p=10.07.2008 (in English)

Russia doubts the neutrality of the International Tribunal for former Yugoslavia

ICTY building in The Hague. This kangaroo court must be dissolved per the Russian demand. It acquits Albanians and Bosnians, and convicts Serbs. It is racism run amuck.

Russia doubts the neutrality of the International Tribunal for former Yugoslavia and thinks that it is time to dissolve it. According to Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko, the Tribunal’s recent acquittal of the Bosnian war criminal Naser Oric, charged with complicity in the killings of about 3,000 Serb civilians in Srebrenitca in 1992-95, raised eyebrows in Moscow. Mr Oric was sentenced to two years in prison two years ago but, was acquitted after his lawyers had appealed against the ruling. The verdict, Mr Nesterenko said, serves yet another proof that the Tribunal is biased against some of the accused and lenient towards others.

10 July 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29505&cid=48&p=10.07.2008 (in English)

Ukraine is bracing up for mass protests against NATO

NATO: NO! These people deserve your support. Remember them. Doesn’t the bravery of the old fellow just move you to tears?

Ukraine is bracing up for mass protests against NATO timed for the Ukrainian-NATO exercises off the Ukrainian coast in the second half of the month. According to the leader of the United Homeland Public Movement, Valery Kaurov, an anti-NATO self-defence headquarters has been formed to organise tent camps all along the coastal zone. The exercises provide for seaborne assault and will involve 15 warships and about 1,000 servicemen.

10 July 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29508&cid=48&p=10.07.2008 (in English)

Russia tops European auto market

Russia now ranks first in Europe in the volume of its national car market, which means that it has outstripped Germany in this index, the international audit company Price Waterhouse Coopers said in London on Wednesday. All accounts are made on the basis of figures covering the first 6 months of this year. Experts are of the opinion that Russia’s European leadership is the result of its continued economic boom, which has been visible for 8 years now. 

10 July 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29488&cid=46&p=10.07.2008 (in English)

Russia’s gold and hard currency reserves across the globe have gone up by six billion dollars

Russia’s gold and hard currency reserves across the globe have gone up by six billion dollars (140.161 billion roubles. 3.797 billion euros. 3.033 billion UK pounds) in a week to hit a record 574.3 billion dollars (13.415 trillion roubles. 363.589 billion euros. 290.251 billion UK pounds). According to the Central Bank, reserves have increased 20 percent since early this year. Russia now has the world’s third largest holding of gold and foreign currency reserves after China and Japan.

10 July 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29510&cid=46&p=10.07.2008 (in English)

Voice of Russia World Service

High-energy experiments into secrets of matter may start in autumn

Proton collisions at the world’s most powerful particle accelerator that some theorists say could create matter-consuming black holes should not be expected until the autumn, a Russian physicist said Tuesday. “We are not planning to begin proton collisions this summer”, said Mikhail Kirsanov, a senior researcher at the Russian Institute for Nuclear Research, which is part of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) project to investigate high energy particles and the beginning of the universe. Some media sources have reported that the LHC may start “smashing atoms” as early as this week, and previous reports speculated that such collisions could create a black hole that would consume the Earth. “We still have to cool down the accelerator and conduct some test-runs of proton beams around the accelerator ring”, Academician Kirsanov said. “No one can predict a certain date [for the start of the collisions].

LHC is a particle accelerator that will collide opposing beams of protons together to explore the validity and limitations of the highly successful current theoretical picture for particle physics.”The 5.8 billion dollar (135.489 billion roubles. 3.672 billion euros. 2.931 billion UK pounds) international project at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, known by its French initials CERN, involves more than 2,000 physicists from hundreds of universities and laboratories in 34 countries. The accelerator complex, 27 kilometres (@17 miles) in circumference, sits in a subterranean tunnel 100 metres (328 feet) below the Franco-Swiss border, near Geneva, Switzerland. Once it is up to speed, it is hoped the collider will produce the so-called Higgs boson, the observation of which could confirm the predictions and missing links” in the Standard Model of physics and could explain how other elementary particles acquire properties such as mass.

Some theorists and members of the general public have long voiced fears that microscopic black holes may appear as a result of the experiment and capture the surrounding matter, ultimately leading to the destruction of the entire planet. However, scientists have consistently dismissed these allegations as “ridiculous”, even if a microscopic black hole did form, they say, it would only last for a fraction of a second. “Obviously, the world will not end when the LHC switches on”, Lyn Evans, the head of the project at CERN, said last month.

8 July 2008

http://en.rian.ru/science/20080708/113519417.html (in English)

Russia celebrates Day of Family, Love, and Fidelity

More than 20 oblasts from Moscow to Vladivostok celebrated on Tuesday the Day of Family, Love, and Fidelity, the deputy chief of the holiday’s organisation committee said. The holiday “is not intended to replace Valentine’s Day, it is about reviving traditions”, Tatiana Shumova said. The committee set up to organise the celebrations, led by Russia’s first lady, Svetlana Medvedeva, has chosen chamomile as the event’s emblem, widely used in Russia to tell fortunes.

The holiday is marked on the day of Ss Pyotr and Fevronia, the Orthodox patron saints of marriage and family life. A 16th-century tale recounts how Prince Pyotr, who ruled the Russian city of Murom in the 13th century, had his leprosy cured by Fevronia, a young peasant woman. The prince at first broke his promise to marry her, but, in the end they got married. Pyotr and Fevronia are said to have died in the same hour on 8 July 1228. As Pyotr was a monk, they were buried separately, but, their bodies were later found in the same grave. They were canonised by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1547.

Murom, a historic city some 300 kilometres (185 miles) east of Moscow, will be the centre of the festivities. The city has a long history of celebrating the saints’ day, including by the traditional exchange of “fevronki”, a local version of Valentine’s Day heart-shaped cards. The city government of Murom will unveil a statue of Ss Pyotr and Fevronia in front of the city’s registry office. As part of its celebrations, in Moscow, the programme includes the opening of a bench designed for two, whose sloping seat draws quarrelling couples into an embrace, and a bench of love, giving bronze wings and halos to the couple sitting on it.

8 July 2008

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080708/113505515.html (in English)

Russian arms exports to pass 6 billion dollars in 2008

Russia’s arms exports are expected to exceed 6 billion dollars (140.161 billion roubles. 3.797 billion euros. 3.033 billion UK pounds) this year, the chief executive of the state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport said Wednesday. In an interview with the newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta (The Russian Newspaper), Anatoly Isaikin said Russia’s arms exports grew from less than 3 billion dollars (70.08 billion roubles. 1.898 billion euros. 1.516 billion UK pounds) in 2000 to 6.1 billion dollars (142.497 billion roubles. 3.861 billion euros. 3.084 billion UK pounds) in 2007. “In 2008, I believe that we will exceed last year’s level”, he said. Rosoboronexport puts the total global arms market at about 50 billion dollars (1.168 trillion roubles. 31.655 billion euros. 25.27 billion UK pounds) a year.

The Russian arms exporter has around 20 billion dollars (467.202 billion roubles. 12.662 billion euros. 10.108 billion UK pounds) worth of contracts, which will ensure the operation of defence-industry enterprises for the next five to seven years. Mr Isaikin said Russia is encountering fierce competition in the international arms market. Russia exports weapons to about 80 countries. Among key buyers of Russian-made weaponry are China, India, Algeria, Venezuela, Iran, Malaysia, and Serbia. The most popular types of weaponry bought from Russia are Sukhoi and MiG fighters, helicopters, battle tanks, armoured personnel carriers, and infantry fighting vehicles. Russia also maintains traditionally strong positions in sales of small arms and anti-tank and air-defence missile systems. The United States has repeatedly called on Russia to stop arms deliveries to countries whose political regimes Washington disapproves of, including Iran and Syria.

9 July 2008

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080709/113595454.html (in English)

RIA-Novosti

10 July 2008. A Day at the Races…

Russian sail training ship Pallada sailing for Shanghai

Sail training ship Pallada (built 1989)

The Russian sail training ship Pallada, which has been sailing around the globe since November 2007, left Singapore for Shanghai on Sunday. During a 3-day port-visit, the crew members went sightseeing. The Pallada began its journey in Vladivostok to mark the 190^th anniversary of the circumnavigation of Faddei Bellinghausen and Mikhail Lazarev and to mark the 50^th anniversary of Russian research work in the Antarctic. The length of the planned route is 33,000 sea miles. The ship is due to visit 22 countries on its voyage.

6 July 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29301&cid=52&p=06.07.2008 (in English)

Andrei Arshavin to stay with Zenit

Andrei Arshavin (1981- ), star Russian football forward, hero of the Euro 2008 championships

Andrei Arshavin, one of Russia’s best football forwards, will most likely stay with FC Zenit of St Petersburg. According to club’s press service, FC Zenit and the Spanish FC Barcelona failed to reach agreement on Arshavin’s trade cost. Barcelona was prepared to pay 15 million euros (552.855 million roubles. 23.674 million USD. 11.97 million UK pounds) but, according to experts, the player actual cost was at least 25 million euros (921.45 million roubles. 39.457 million USD. 19.949 million UK pounds). Meanwhile other clubs have failed to come up with proposals for Arshavin’s trade. 

8 July 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29368&cid=52&p=08.07.2008 (in English)

100 Formula-1 cars to show off around Kremlin

The Moscow City racing event of the Formula-1 Grand Prix series is scheduled for next Sunday. One hundred Formula-1 vehicles are expected to loop the Moscow Kremlin. They will have to cover a distance of 4.7 kilometres (3 miles), and their speed will be limited to an allowed maximum. Master classes will be held and the drivers will be invited to communicate with their fans. The event next Sunday is the third showcase Formula-1 race to be held in Moscow. 

8 July 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29419&cid=52&p=08.07.2008 (in English) 

Russian teen gets swimming gold

Danila Isotov, Russian youth-class swimmer

Russian youth simmer Danila Isotov was first in the freestyle 400 metres at the youth world swimming championship in Monterrey in Mexico. He clocked 3 minutes 51.81 seconds. Danila also won a silver at Monterrey, for his role in the four-by-one-hundred-metres crawl relay race. Some 600 swimmers from 66 countries took part. The age brackets are 14 to 17. The championship is the second of its kind on the swimming circuit. The first one was two years ago in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. 

9 July 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29478&cid=52&p=09.07.2008 (in English)

Tatiana Mineyeva and Elmira Alembekova won gold and silver in the World Junior Championship

Tatiana Mineyeva and Elmira Alembekova of Russia won gold and silver in a 10-kilometre (6.3 mile) race-walk event in the World Junior Championship in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Mineyeva set a record, 43 minutes 24.72 seconds. The third to cross the finish line was Li Yanfei from China.

10 July 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29511&cid=52&p=10.07.2008 (in English)

Voice of Russia World Service

St Petersburg governor announces 2020 Olympics bid

St Petersburg is to make a bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, the governor of Russia’s second-largest city announced on Monday. “We will bid for the right [to host the Games]. This will boost the development of the city”, Valentina Matviyenko said in an interview with Ekho Moskvy radio. She added that she had already discussed the issue with Leonid Tyagachyov, the president of the Russian Olympic Committee. She also said that it would be necessary to ascertain if there was support from the Russian president and government for the bid. Governor Matviyenko earlier told RIA-Novosti that Russia’s northern capital had every chance of being awarded the Olympics, “if not in 2020, then certainly by the time of the next [2024] Games”.

Ms Matviyenko first spoke of the possibility of a bid by St Petersburg for the 2020 Olympics after the Russian resort city of Sochi was chosen last year to host the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. St Petersburg earlier bid for the 2004 Summer Olympics, but, was not selected as one of the five candidate cities. The Games were subsequently held in Athens, Greece. The Summer Olympics were last held in Russia in 1980 in Moscow, but, the event was marred by a US-led boycott involving more than 60 countries.

7 July 2008

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080707/113434059.html (in English)

Arshavin philosophical as FC Barcelona move falls through

Andrei Arshavin (1981- ), star forward of FC Zenit St Petersburg

One of the stars of Euro 2008, Russian forward Andrei Arshavin, spoke of his disappointment after his club turned down an offer for him from Spanish giant FC Barcelona. FC Zenit St Petersburg rejected a 15 million euro (552.855 million roubles. 23.674 million USD. 11.97 million UK pounds) bid for Arshavin on Monday, stating on their website that the offer was “too low”.

“Of course, I’m aware of what has happened”, Arshavin told the Russian newspaper Sport-Express. “But, hey, no is no. I fully understand the position of Zenit. The sum offered was, I suppose, really too low. It means my dream will remain a dream. Or, come true at another time”. Arshavin has spoken more than once of his love for the Spanish side, and has supported them since childhood. “I want to leave Zenit”, he went on. “As for offers from Chelsea and Arsenal, I’m not in a position to divulge that information right now”.

The architect of Russia’s victories over Sweden and Holland at Euro 2008, Arshavin was philosophical about the role his performances at the tournament played. “I desired to play in a stronger championship. It’s worked out strange, though. My good performances at Euro 2008 meant that my price has gone up,” he said.

Arshavin scored two goals in three games at Euro 2008, and was named in UEFA’s symbolic squad for the tournament along with fellow Russians Roman Pavlyuchenko, Yuri Zhirkov, and Konstantin Zyrianov. However, one of the factors behind Barcelona’s reluctance to up their bid for the 27-year-old Arshavin is believed to have been his ineffectiveness against Spanish La Liga defenders as Russia went down 3-0 to Spain in the Euro 2008 semi-finals. Arshavin missed Zenit’s 5-1 victory over Tom Tomsk on Sunday, with the side’s Dutch manger, Dick Advocaat, saying that he would not play for the team until the situation was “cleared up”.

8 July 2008

http://en.rian.ru/sports/20080708/113488269.html (in English)

Russian punches and thinks way to chess boxing world title

Having enjoyed recent success in soccer, basketball, and ice hockey, Russia is now also able to boast a world champion in the little-known sport of chess boxing. Russia’s Nikolai Sazhin, a 19-year-old student from the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, defeated light heavyweight defending champion Frank Stoldt, a 37-year-old policeman from Germany, during a bout in Berlin at the weekend to lift the world chess boxing title.

A typical chess boxing match consists of 11 alternating rounds of four-minutes of “blitz chess” followed by two-minutes of boxing. Opponents have a one-minute break between the rounds to take off or put on their boxing gloves. A chess-boxer can earn victory by checkmate, a knockout, points, or, if their opponent runs out of his 12 minutes of allocated chess time.

Sazhin lifted the title after getting Stoldt in checkmate in the fifth round. The event of chess boxing originated several years ago in Germany and the first world championship was held in 2003 in Amsterdam. The World Chess Boxing Organisation’s slogan is “Fighting is done in the ring and wars are waged on the board”.

8 July 2008

http://en.rian.ru/sports/20080708/113519578.html (in English)

FC Zenit loses seven-goal thriller, reject bid for Arshavin

FC Zenit St Petersburg, 2008 UEFA Cup champions

FC Zenit St Petersburg lost 4-3 at home on Wednesday evening to Spartak Nalchik, with Euro 2008 star Andrei Arshavin’s agent later announcing that the UEFA Cup holders had rejected a 37.5 million dollar (875.392 million roubles. 23.741 million euros. 18.956 million UK pounds) bid for their playmaker. Having earlier turned down a 15 million euro bid (552.855 million roubles. 23.674 million USD. 11.97 million UK pounds) from FC Barcelona for the 27-year-old Arshavin, there was speculation that either Arsenal, or more likely, Chelsea, would win the race to sign the diminutive striker. However, Dennis Lakhter announced on Thursday morning that Zenit would not let the player go for less than 24 million pounds (1.108 billion roubles. 47.478 million dollars. 30.068 million euros), and that they had refused to sell him to an unnamed English side.

The evening before news of the latest developments in the Arshavin transfer saga broke, FC Zenit took on Spartak Nalchik at home in a match they needed to win to climb up the domestic league table. Arshavin had been left out of the Zenit line up for Sunday’s 5-1 victory over Siberian side Tom Tomsk. The team’s Dutch manager, Dick Advocaat, said he would not play the forward until his future had been “cleared up”. However, Arshavin later asked to be allowed to return to the team, and he was named in the starting line-up for the fixture.

Wednesday’s game began with an exchange of “well-taken” own goals, with the Georgian defender Aleksandr Amisulashvili hammering a cross into his own net and then Zenit’s Aleksandr Anyukov spectacularly heading past Vyacheslav Malafeev. Spartak nudged in front again in the 20th minute when a dreadful mix-up in the UEFA Cup holder’s defence allowed Rustem Kalimullin in to make it 2-1. Another Russian star at Euro 2008, Konstantin Zyrianov, levelled the score just before half-time, finishing off a neat combination. Zenit’s Turkish striker Fatih Tekke, playing in place of the injured Pavel Pogrebnyak, broke through the southern Russian side’s defence to give his team a 3-2 lead in the 50th minute, and the near-capacity crowd could have been forgiven for thinking that marked the end of Nalchik’s resistance. However, two headed goals from free-kicks exposed Zenit’s defence frailties in first the 58th and then the 68th minute, Amisulashvili making up for his own goal by putting one in the right end to seal victory for Spartak Nalchik, lifting them to 5th place in the league.

The Russian football authorities postponed many of Zenit’s games in the run up to the UEFA Cup final in May, and the 2007 league champions are now languishing in 13th place, 10 points behind league leaders Rubin, albeit with 4 games in hand. “We played well, despite the defeat”, said Arshavin after the match. “Both sides demonstrated attacking, open football”. Accusations of corruption are never far away in Russian football, however, and a journalist suggested to Zenit midfielder Zyrianov after the game that his side had simply repaid their “debt” to Nalchik for last season, referring to allegations that many teams in Russia “swap” victories to ensure titles or league survival. “What debt?” answered Zyrianov, going on to say that the team had had “a serious discussion” in the dressing room after the final whistle.

10 July 2008

http://en.rian.ru/sports/20080710/113692972.html (in English)

RIA-Novosti

President Medvedev was “An Absolute Success” at Hokkaido Summit

President Dmitri Medvedev (1965- )

Konstantin Kosachyov, chairman of the international affairs committee in the RF Gosduma, said, “President Medvedev’s performance at the Hokkaido summit of the world’s leading industrial nations was an absolute success. Let me point out, for objectivity’s sake, that differing points of view were voiced in Japan, and, come to think of it, a few countries of the West. Some media outlets said President Medvedev was a complete failure. What they said to prove their point of view sounded ridiculous, far from serious, and hardly professional. They accused Medvedev of failing to keep the United States of America from deploying elements of anti-missile defence in Europe, move a step closer to the settlement of the dispute over control of the Northern Kurile Islands, and improve relations with London. You will, of course, agree that one has to be a complete ignoramus in politics or an outspoken enemy of Russia to speak that way about someone’s performance at a G-8 summit. Are G-8 summits called to discuss that sort of things? 

As for me, I never doubted that President Medvedev would do well in Japan. His impressive record of involvement in domestic and international policy-making dates back to the Putin period, and as soon as he entered the Kremlin, about two months ago, he started demonstrating excellent command of the whole gamut of this country’s problems. Since then, he held a number of big media conferences, and he never beat about the bush answering the journalists’ questions. 

The Hokkaido summit proved he looked good on the silver screen, had a good sense of humour, and knew how to control his emotions. It did more than that. It made it clear that the new leader of Russia was perfectly prepared to play a role in the settlement of the most pressing global problems. The Hokkaido forum yielded thirty agreements, and, it is, in great measure, due to Russia that it owes that impressive result. The leaders of the world’s most developed nations upheld President Medvedev’s calls for the convocation of a grain summit and follow-up conferences of their ministers of agriculture, and, in the same context, hailed his pledge to boost food production and food exports. 

The Russian decision to host an international conference on the Middle East was also appreciated. All participants in the Hokkaido forum liked what Dmitri Medvedev said about expanded cooperation in civilian nuclear production. And, Medvedev said before leaving Hokkaido that Russia meant to remain a reliable seller of sources of energy and hold a high profile in the settlement of the climate change problem. The Hokkaido meeting between Dmitri Medvedev and the leaders of Brazil, India, and China shed even more light on the growing role of Russia in efforts to settle global problems. Tell me, please, did any other national leader manage to score more impressive results at Hokkaido?” 

10 July 2008

Viktor Yenikeyev

Voice of Russia World Service

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29513&cid=56&p=10.07.2008 (in English)

Government Policy Emboldens Russians to Look to the Future with Cautious Optimism

Many knowledgeable analysts believe that the economic policy of the Russian government gives cause for Russians to look to the future with cautious optimism. Transiting from one economic system to another, the country is in the midst of frenzied activity and the economic policy is being modernised and taking place in a different social milieu. Current developments in the nation are dictating the need for urgent reforms.

In the last decade, the Russian economy has developed intensively, increasing in quantity, but, not changing qualitatively. High oil prices have led to rapid development of natural resource exploitation. The transition to an innovative model requires a modern system of management, meaning an upgrading of state policy, since the traditional mode of operation can no longer solve today’s tasks. This issue has been repeatedly spoken about at the highest levels.

Russia is on the threshold of large-scale changes and many Russians are trying to understand what lies in store for them tomorrow, and sociologists focus attention on this in their studies. Aleksei Levinson said, “In people’s consciousness, today’s situation is characterised by different tendencies, amongst which is an inertia generated by the residue of the feeling of well-being and self-consolation that was widespread in the second half, if not all, of the time of Mr Putin’s administration The assumption of power by a new head of state has not brought about significant change in the tendency, but, there are signs of movement in the opposite direction. This is a result of high inflation and prices”. 

Russians believe that this is not the time to expect serious complications and most of them are rather cautions in their evaluations. Answering the question as to whether the government of Vladimir Putin can alter the Russian economic model without triggering social upheaval, Russians say that such is likely. We could label such a social opinion “cautious optimism”. The cautiousness can be explained by the many of tasks facing the cabinet and President Medvedev, who is taking the first tentative steps on the road to realising his ambitious programme. Russians expect Mr Putin to back Mr Medvedev in his onerous undertakings. Mr Putin’s support should be effective instrument in the new power structure taking shape. The transfer of power from one president to another was quite painless, as was planned. Consequently, there are reasons to believe that other plans will equally see realisation. 

10 July 2008

Voice of Russia World Service

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29524&cid=57&p=10.07.2008 (in English)

Holy Synod of the Romanian Patriarchate Condemns Metropolitan who took Uniate Communion, No Decision as to Punishment

Patriarch Daniel Ciobotea of Bucharest and all Romania (1951- )

Bucharest, 10 July 2008 (Interfax):

The Holy Synod of the Romanian Patriarchate did not carry out any punishment against Metropolitan Nicolae of the Banat, who received Holy Communion at a Uniate liturgy, or Bishop Sophrony, who blessed water together with a Uniate “bishop”. “The Holy Synod condemns the behaviour of both of these hierarchs, for this has caused much disquiet in the church. After taking this decision, the Holy Synod took under consideration their sincere regret and repentance, and accepted this as the first sign of their amendment”, said a communiqué of the press service of the Patriarchate of Romania published on its official website, Interfax-Religion reported.

The Holy Synod reiterated the inadmissibility of “receiving Holy Communion in the church of another Christian confession” for all hierarchs, priests, deacons, monks, and laity of the Patriarchate of Romania, just as it is inadmissible for any Orthodox cleric “to perform any sacrament in union with the clergy of any other confession. Those who refuse to obey this decision shall be excommunicated from the Orthodox Church, and they shall be subject to the canonical punishments that correspond to the position that they occupy in the Church”, the declaration of the Holy Synod noted. The text of the document clearly states that clergymen are to be deposed for such actions and laymen are to be barred from the Holy Eucharist.

As was previously reported by Interfax-Religion, at the end of May, Metropolitan Nicolae of Banat took Holy Communion at a Uniate liturgy in Timosoara in the presence of the papal Apostolic Nuncio to Romania, Archbishop Francisco Xavier Lozano. Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, the head of the MP Department of External Church Relations directed a letter of protest to his counterpart in the Patriarchate of Romania, Bishop Cyprian, with the request that “he clarify what actually occurred, and verify if a hierarch of the Patriarchate of Romania truly took the sacraments from those not part of the Orthodox Church”. Vladyki Kirill also asked Bishop Cyprian to relate the views of Patriarch Daniel of Bucharest and all Romania and the Holy Synod on this matter.

Interfax-Religion

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=25403 (in Russian)

Editor’s Note:

Many converts to Orthodoxy in America, especially in America, do not understand the Orthodox position on Uniatism. The Church views Uniatism as a spiritual imposture of the worst order. We view them as Roman Catholics who use Orthodox ritual and externals to fool the Orthodox faithful into union with the Pope of Rome.

In Eastern Europe, the Unia was brutally imposed by the Poles and Hapsburgs upon their Orthodox subjects. There was much persecution of Orthodox believers, and, if you doubt me, ask the Carpatho-Russian people (in particular, ask them about the Tallerhof death camp run by the Hapsburgs). One should note that Orthodox people of this nationality call themselves Carpatho-Russians, and Uniates call themselves Rusyns. Indeed, most Carpatho-Russian people consider being called “Rusyn” insulting. Sadly, this persecution continues today, and you should keep the faithful Orthodox people of Galicia and Carpatho-Russia in your prayers, as they are under attack by fanatical Galician Uniates daily. They are heroes and deserve your support.

Schismatical “Patriarchate of Kiev” shall officially declare that Russia was never a part of Ancient Rus

Vladimir Monomakh (Natalia Kurgozova-Miroshnik). All responsible historians consider “Kievan Rus” the precursor of the modern Russian state. Do not be misled by Galician tomfoolery.

Moscow, 9 July 2008 (Interfax):

The self-proclaimed and schismatical “Patriarchate of Kiev” intends to redefine the term “Rus” as a part of the celebrations of the 900th anniversary of St Mikhail of Zlatoverkh Monastery and the 1,020th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia. “In connection with these two jubilees we are holding a Local Council where we shall correct the term ‘Rus’, for today, Moscow says that Rus refers to Russia and not the Ukraine”, according to the self-proclaimed and anathematised “Patriarch of Kiev” Philaret Denisenko. He claims that the correction shall be introduced on the basis of old chronicles, particularly those of Nestor the Chronicler. “Ancient chronicles testify to the fact that in the 9th and 10th centuries Rus included the contemporary Ukraine, a part of Byelorussia, the States, and a part of Poland. There was no such city as Moscow then, but, and today, they (Russians: Interfax) consider themselves Rus, but, this is a perversion of history”, Mr Denisenko emphasised.

Interfax-Religion

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=25389 (in Russian)

Editor’s Note:

Firstly, consider the source. Philaret Denisenko is a deposed cleric of the MP, who is also under an anathema. He was a notorious collaborator with the KGB, a simoniac, and had a common-law wife and children. Truly, a paragon of all the Orthodox virtues.

Secondly, the historical veracity of the statement is laughable and beneath contempt. After the Mongol invasions, there was a verified population shift northwards. That is to say, the ruling élite of Kiev ended in Moscow. In short, Russia is the sole heir of Rus and no amount of screaming by Galician Uniates and their “Orthodox” running-dog-lackeys such as Denisenko can change it.

This would be absurdly funny, as it is obviously something ginned up by the American Cardinal Husar in Lvov by the light of a full moon; save for the fact that such “pronouncements” may lead to the persecution, and even martyrdom, of pious Orthodox Christians in the Ukraine. It is high time that Russia ends the existence of this sickly and deluded successor state. The Ukrainian people would greet the Russian forces as liberators from the Orangie fanatics (do not forget that 45 percent of the population is Russian-speaking, 30 percent speak both languages (with Russian being preferred), and only 25 percent are pure Ukrainophones). May God send his mercy on the suffering people of the Ukraine. How much longer, dear Lord, must they suffer?  

10 July 2008. A Shot of Culture, if you please…

Karlovy Vary opens its umpteenth film festival

Aerial view of Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic. Once known as a famous spa resort in the 19^th century, it was known as Karlsbad under the Hapsburgs.

The Czech city of Karlovy Vary opened its umpteenth film festival. Film shows began, in defiance of an old tradition, earlier than the formal opening ceremony. The billboard of this year’s festival features more than 200 pictures shot in 2007 and 2008. Fourteen feature films are competing for the festival’s Crystal Globe. Russia is represented by Aleksei Uchitel’s picture The Prisoner, The Flintstone by Aleksei Mizghiryov, The Ravine by Maria Razbezhkina, and The Tulip by Sergei Dvortsevoi. Nikita Mikhalkov has put up his 12 for the festival’s non-competitive show.

4 July 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29262&cid=51&p=04.07.2008 (in English)

“The Voices of Orthodox Russia” at St Sava Cathedral in Belgrade

St Sava Cathedral in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia

The choruses of the Moscow Spiritual Academy, the Gnessin Musical College, and the International Fund of the Unity of Orthodox Peoples performed a great sell-out concert “The Voices of Orthodox Russia” at St Sava Cathedral in Belgrade, Serbia, on Saturday. The repertoire consisted of spiritual musical pieces, Russia folk songs, romance songs, and some vocal pieces by foreign classical composers. The Russian choruses arrived in Serbia at the invitation of the Serbian Culture Ministry and the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate. The musicians are also expected to perform in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

6 July 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29293&cid=51&p=06.07.2008 (in English)

Teachers and children make music on the Volga

Mari Ethnographic Museum in Kosmodemyansk, Mari El Republic, Russian Federation

The 2d inter-regional meeting of children Finno-Ugric musical groups took place in the village of Morki, the Mari El republic (Russia’s Volga region). Children and their teachers arrived there from the Komi republic, from Bashkortostan, Tatarstan, Nizhniy Novgorod, and many other places. They all received a cordial welcome there.

Anna Morozova, the director of the children folklore ensemble of the Komi republic, said, “We are from the Sysetsky region of the Komi republic. It is the very south of the region. Children aged 6 to 16 find it very exciting to be members of the ensemble. As a professional, I am looking forward to see that our children respect and know the traditions of the Mari people. Here, all people, young and old, can speak their native language. In our republic, we, unfortunately, are forgetting our traditions. Children should see and understand how important it is to preserve traditions and pass them on to future generations”. 

As they are taught to love nature and history, to be open-hearted and hard-working, children will certainly be able to preserve traditions and culture of the Finno-Ugric peoples. 

7 July 2008

Natalia Abrosimova 

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29308&cid=51&p=07.07.2008 (in English)

History buffs reconstruct sailing ships in North Russia

A youth maritime festival called “People of the Wind” was held in Petrozavodsk. Several boats built according to traditional methods were built by international youth teams since the international youth project to revive wooden ship-building was launched in Karelia three years ago. Svetlana Nachinova is the head of the youth department at Petrozavodsk City Hall. “The idea of such a festival was born three years ago, when young people put together small boats. About two hundred young shipbuilders from Karelia and other Russian regions, including Murmansk, Archangel, Yaroslavl, Kaliningrad, and Vologda, participated in the event and they lived in tents”. Part of the varied programme was a parade of vessels, team competitions, boat expeditions to one of the islands of Lake Onega, and ship model contests. The Youth Maritime Festival drew to a close with a gala ball at Petrozavodsk City Hall.

7 July 2008

Viktor Kramskikh 

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29312&cid=51&p=07.07.2008 (in English)

Film director Ryazanov wins Golden Pegasus award

Eldar Ryazanov (1927- ), honoured Russian film director

The prominent Russian film director Eldar Ryazanov received the prestigious international Golden Pegasus award for life-time achievement as a film-director. The awards ceremony took place at the Gabriele D’Annunzio theatre in the Italian city of Pescara on the Adriatic Sea coast, where the 35th Flaiano film festival drew to a close on Sunday. Andersen. Life without Love, one of Ryazanov’s latest films, was screened in the framework of the festival programme. 

7 July 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29323&cid=51&p=07.07.2008 (in English)

St Petersburg wants to host Eurovision 2009 Music Competition

The St Petersburg government officially applied to play the host to the Eurovision 2009 music competition. This came in a statement by City Governor Valentina Matviyenko. According to Ms Matviyenko, the competition will give a powerful boost to the city. She says the application is already under consideration and that thus far St Petersburg certainly looks better than its competitors. 

8 July 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29384&cid=87&p=08.07.2008 (in English)

5^th Sayany Ring world ethnic music festival held

I Remember (Albina Tsybikova, 1990). Ms Tsybikova [1951-98] was an Honoured Artist of Russia and Honoured Artist of Buryatia

The fifth Sayany Ring festival of world ethnic music got under way in the picturesque village of Shushenskoye, in the south of Krasnoyarsk oblast. It’s the first time in the festival’s history that several foreign music groups, specifically from Australia, Germany, China, and Poland, are going to take part. In all, the Sayany Ring-2008 festival is due to bring together some 100 folk-song and dance groups boasting outstanding singers and musicians. 

9 July 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29446&cid=87&p=09.07.2008 (in English)

UNESCO adds new sites to its World Heritage List

The Historic Centre of St Petersburg, UNESCO World Heritage Site 540

This year, UNESCO’s World Heritage List incorporated 27 fresh cultural monuments. UNESCO’s special committee in charge of selecting monuments worthy to be called the patrimony of the entire world, made public its decision during a meeting in Québec City, Canada. Now, UNESCO’s list of cultural heritage sites comprises 878 monuments in 145 countries. 

9 July 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29446&cid=87&p=09.07.2008 (in English)

Baby mammoth Lyuba will be a hero of a science film

The 37,000-year-old baby mammoth discovered on the Yamal Peninsula in Western Siberia will become a hero of a fiction film. In April and May, a French group of film producers worked in the site where the mammoth was discovered. The site will be studied by an international group of experts headed by Russian scientist Pavel Kosintsev from the Ural Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology in August. Currently Lyuba the baby mammoth is in St Petersburg. The discovery still has many secrets. The scientists have attempted to understand how an animal that died 37,000 years ago was been. The mammoth’s trunk, eyes, and body-hair are well-preserved. The baby mammoth is estimated to have been about a year-old when it died. Its size is 90 cm (35 inches) by 130 cm (51 inches). 

9 July 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29475&cid=51&p=09.07.2008 (in English)

Voice of Russia World Service