ISS Orbit Adjusted
Russian specialists in the Space Mission Control Centre near Moscow successfully adjusted the orbit of the International Space Station with the help of the European cargo spacecraft Jules Verne. The new orbit is optimal for the station’s rendezvous with Russian Progress ATVs and manned Soyuz vehicles.
24 July 2008
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=30068&cid=87&p=24.07.2008 (in English)
Scientists to view solar eclipse in the Altai
Scientists from Russia, France, Britain, Angola, Georgia, and Iran have arrived in the Altai region in southern Siberia to observe a solar eclipse due to occur on 1 August. The moon’s shadow will eclipse the solar disc at a range of 250 kilometres (155 miles) crossing the region from north to south and then going to Mongolia and China.
24 July 2008
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=30068&cid=87&p=24.07.2008 (in English)
Archaeologists to study early human settlements in the Kuriles
Ainu elders in the mid-19th century, they were the indigenous people in the Kuriles
A group of Russian, American, and Japanese archaeologists has landed on the island of Kharimkotan of the Kurile archipelago. The first people to set foot on this deserted island in years, the scientists are searching for traces of ancient settlements and will visit several more islands, which were presumably inhabited by humans in the first and second millenniums AD.
24 July 2008
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=30068&cid=87&p=24.07.2008 (in English)
Russia’s reserves abroad reached a new record high
Russia’s reserves abroad have reached a new record high of 588.3 billion dollars (13.749 trillion roubles. 374.571 billion euros. 295.15 billion UK pounds). In the past week alone they have increased by 10 billion dollars (233.72 billion roubles. 6.367 billion euros. 5.07 billion UK pounds), as the Central Bank of Russia reported. In terms of its reserves abroad Russia is on the list of world leaders.
24 July 2008
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=30076&cid=46&p=24.07.2008 (in English)
Chapel to honour war dead near Murmansk
Soviet naval infantry on the Rybachi Peninsula
An Orthodox chapel has been built on Rybachi Peninsula in Murmansk oblast. This site was occupied by a military hospital during the Great Patriotic War. Fierce fighting raged on the Musta-Tunturi Ridge nearby. Every day brought numerous wounded and many killed. The Red Army soldiers were buried in common graves not far from the hospital. Several years ago, the graves were discovered and restored by members of the “Vympel” veteran group. Mikhail Shlianin is the Chairman of the organisation, an he said, “Special task force troops from the Federal Security Service have training exercises in different areas, including Rybachi. It was during one of those exercises that the remains of about 300 Soviet naval infantry soldiers were discovered. Their identities have all been established and the documents are stored in our army unit. The graves were in poor condition, so, we’ve put them in good order in memory of those fallen”.
The idea of building a chapel occurred to the special task corps and “Vympel” veterans later. The dome and log-hut were made in Murmansk and Revde in the Murmansk oblast and were delivered by helicopter and trucks. The chapel is now ready for consecration, which is scheduled for 22 July. The ceremony will be conducted by Archbishop Simon of Murmansk and Monchegorsk. Next year, “Vympel” members are planning to build another chapel right on top of the Musta-Tunturi Ridge to commemorate the Northern Fleet naval infantry who were killed while storming the Nazi fortifications.
25 July 2008
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=30105&cid=48&p=25.07.2008 (in English)
Novgorod Veliki: computer skills for the elderly
Grandparents in Novgorod Veliki are passing school exams along with their grandchildren. But, unlike the kids they are examined in basic computer skills only. More than one hundred elderly people in Novgorod Veliki expressed a desire to acquire computer-literacy. The free courses, organised by the “Maxima-Development” Education Centre as part of the social project “Kind Heart”, opened their doors in several schools in different districts. The organisers originally thought of medical, psychological, legal, and financial assistance and computer skills were offered as an extra. The reaction, however, surpassed their expectations.
Some joined out of loneliness, some, out of curiosity. Nikolai Ponomarev’s interest is of a professional nature. “The computer is a wonderful invention, I worked with smart machines all my life, and I never thought they would progress that much when I retired. Even science-fiction authors couldn’t predict that!” 79-year-old Dina Burygina developed a passion for computer design and is drawing fancy matroshka dolls in bright clothes. The employees of “Maxima-Development” are now busy devising new programmes for the elderly that would help them make virtual excursions to different landmarks.
25 July 2008
Lyubov Olar
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=30102&cid=48&p=25.07.2008 (in English)
Russia helds remembrance ceremonies for actor, poet and singer Vladimir Vysotsky
Vladimir Vysotsky (1938-80), famous Russian bard singer of the 60s and 70s
Russia is holding remembrance ceremonies today for the actor, poet, and singer songwriter Vladimir Vysotsky, whose death at the age of 42 some 28 years ago threw masses across the country into mourning. Although banned from the official stage in Soviet days, Vysotsky became a national icon, with the records of his songs in a husky voice bordering on a scream playing in every household. His songs are equally moving and loved to this day. Many cities across Russia are holding remembrance events and the city of Volgograd is hosting an International Festival of Singer Songwriters named after Vysotsky.
25 July 2008
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=30130&cid=48&p=25.07.2008 (in English)
Estonian veterans of the Nazi SS held reunion
Nazi memorial unveiled in Lihua in 2004. An international outcry forced its removal after 9 days. 100,000 Estonians willingly served the Nazis during World War II. This is a blot on Estonia that cannot be effaced.
Estonian veterans of the Nazi SS are holding a reunion Saturday to mark 64 years since first engaging the Soviet Red Army on 29 July 1944. Russian politicians urge the European Union to investigate the jamboree as a gross violation of decisions of the post-war tribunal in Nürnberg. The tribunal classified the SS as a criminal organisation.
25 July 2008
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=30141&cid=48&p=25.07.2008 (in English)
Editor’s Note:
Reflect on the fact that the Estonian government pays pensions to these monsters for their Nazi service. Ponder further on the fact that Bush and Rice support such an enormity. It is an insult to the American war dead of the Second World War. For shame!
Crimean capital bans ‘dangerous’ moves by NATO
The legislative assembly of the Crimean capital of Simferopol declared Simferopol a NATO-free zone. Crimea is a peninsula in the southern Ukraine that was part of Russia until 1954. The lawmakers have banned all potentially dangerously moves by military and other contingents of NATO in the city of Simferopol. The Sea Breeze 2008 NATO exercise is widely protested in the Crimea.
25 July 2008
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=30109&cid=45&p=25.07.2008 (in English)
Europe is tired of the Russophobia of the Latvian government
“Latvian Legion Day” on 16 March 2008, to honour the Latvian SS. It is approved by the Latvian and US governments. FOR SHAME! Over 100,000 Latvians willingly served the Nazis.
Europe is tired of the Russophobia of the Latvian government. Sergei Makarov, a member of the RF Gosduma legislation committee, said that a verdict by the European Human Rights Court that supported the appeal of Vasili Kononov, a veteran of the Second World War, was a moral victory of the Russian-speaking community over the nationalist Latvian régime. Mr Kononov was arrested by the Latvian government in 1998 on trumped-up charges of committing war crimes, that is, he led a partisan operation to eliminate several Nazi collaborators. The European Court rejected the argumentation of the Latvian side, who tried to justify the prosecution of the 85-year-old veteran by citing the Soviet occupation of Latvia.
26 July 2008
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=30150&cid=45&p=26.07.2008 (in English)
Editor’s Note:
Estonia and Latvia are two peas shucked from the same pod. The US supports both, in opposition to common decency. Is anti-Russian prejudice and hatred so important to Bush and Rice? Russia is not perfect, but, at least, we did not help the Nazis stuff the poor Jews into the ovens as many Latvians and Estonians did (as did many Galicians as well, I might add). Their blood cries for vengeance. Again, for shame!
Voice of Russia World Service
Russian polar station SP-36 to start work in September
The Russian drift-ice station North Pole-36 (SP-36) will start operating in early September, the hydrometeorology service’s Arctic and Antarctic research institute said Tuesday. “Monitoring of the ice situation for an assessment of area where the SP-36 could be located has been continuing since June. Analysis of satellite data during this period has made it possible to preliminarily define the possible location of permafrost ice masses to the north of the Wrangel Island”, press secretary Sergei Balyasnikov said.
Whilst in its current location, in the central part of the Arctic basin near the Mendeleyev underwater chain, the station will be searching for the ice masses. The last drifting station SP-35, which opened in September 2007, ended its operation in July. It covered over 2,500 kilometres (1,554 miles). The work of Russian drifting stations is aimed at conducting year-round meteorological, ice, and oceanographic observations, and monitoring of environmental conditions. Stations also research the effects of climatic change in the Central Arctic and the impact on the region’s ecosystems.
22 July 2008
http://en.rian.ru/science/20080722/114639687.html (in English)
RIA-Novosti
