(off-guardian) – PBS’s Frontline series offers what it calls the “inside story of how Vladimir Putin came to see the United States as an enemy — and why he decided to target an American election.” We are publishing it here because it has to be seen to be believed.

The sinister music and Burnsian black and white photography, the gravel-voiced narrator, all trying to give gravitas to a script that is so divorced from any kind of maturity, sanity or veridical reality it will make you dizzy.

In its quick overview of Putin’s rise to power no mention is made of the collapse of infrastructure, the soaring crime rates and the suffering of working people made destitute by Yeltsin’s “democratisation” of the economy. And no mention is made of how “anti-democratic” Putin reversed this seemingly irreversible decline. No effort is made to define what is meant by “democracy” at all. Nothing that sophisticated is even attempted. Yeltsin, the hood and destroyer, is described as “pro-democracy” because he favoured the US and its economic piracy. Putin is “anti-democratic”, because he didn’t. It’s that unsophisticated. And that absurd.

Tune in and see all the usual suspects from John Brennan to Masha Gessen tell unvarnished, awkward and easily disprovable lies with studied earnest. Marvel at the hubris and naivety required to make a two-hour documentary based on a collection of premises that can be disproved with a couple of Googlings. The most remarkable thing about this – and so much recent western propaganda – is how clumsy and foolish it is.

This is what passes for high class journalism now in the fluoridated, fantasy-bewildered collective psyche of the Exceptional Nation.

Watch it and laugh until you cry.

Part two is here.

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(The Moscow Times) – Plyos is one of Russia’s most charming towns, perfect for a weekend getaway. Courtesy of Plyos Villa

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Frank Zappa was a legendary individual both for his prolific musical career and for his incisive intellectual comments on social and political matters.

In 1985, he famously testified before a US Senate committee where he defended the rights of musicians from censorship.

By the late 1980s and into the early 1990s, Zappa became interested in helping American companies start doing business with the Soviet Union.

He made several trips to Moscow at that time and had a very open mind about the huge potential of doing trade and commerce with the USSR.

In this interview from 1989, Zappa talks about the virtues and setbacks of western companies trying to do business with the Soviet Union, including tackling the issue of a Rouble which until the final days of the USSR could not be legally exchanged for another currency.

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Now this is really interesting.

Russia has quite a history of conflict with Islam, having fought many wars against the Turks, the Persians, and vanquishing several Muslim khanates in the middle ages (Crimea, Kazan, Astrakhan).

Now the war on Daesh/ISIS has brought Russia to the forefront of Middle East politics. Muslim nations like Syria, Egypt and even Saudi Arabia are intensifying links with Moscow. And of course, Russia remains a close partner of Iran.

One Muslim leader believes an alliance between Muslims and Orthodox Christian Russia was predicted in Islam’s holy book, The Quran.

While the nominally “Christian” West has embraced and even codified moral depravity, Islam and Orthodoxy are unanimous in rejecting these liberal innovations.

Whether you believe in the Quran or not…it is a thought-provoking suggestion, that East may soon unite against West. Watch below:

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(Sputnik) – The famous Russian writer Mikhail Sholokhov described the picturesque Don River and the lives of the Cossacks inhabiting the river-valley in his internationally-acclaimed book “And Quiet Flows the Don,” for which he received the 1965 Nobel prize in Literature.

This place is of great historical significance due to the nearby Kulikovo field. The Battle of Kulikovo became the turning point in Russia’s war against Mongol domination over the country, which led to Muscovite independence and the formation of the modern Russian state.

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(RT) – Everyone is fascinated by watching another plane in full flight from a window seat, and it looks like the Russian president is no exception.

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The first question of the annual presser came from foreign media.

ABC News asks about the US probe into alleged collusion between Donald Trump’s campaign and Russia:

ABC: “How would you explain the number of contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia… and how would you asses the Trump presidency?”

Putin: “It’s up to the American people to assess Trump, not me. But look at the markets, they are up, indicating investors trust him. We also respect the US opposition. I don’t know if Trump still has the same desire to cooperate closely with us, but I hope we can work closely on a range of issues.”

On the issue of alleged collusion with the Trump campaign:

Putin: “That’s been invented by those aiming to de-legitimize Trump. These people don’t understand they are undermining their own country, they aren’t showing respect for Americans that voted for Trump.

On contacts between Russian diplomats and Americans:

Putin: “It is standard practice for diplomats to talk – what’s so strange about this? Why do you have this ‘Russia spy hysteria?'”

Watch here LIVE:

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(RT) –  In fact, behind the Kremlin’s decision-making is a set of consistently expressed beliefs.

On the United States

“The USA is a great power. Probably the only superpower in existence today. We accept that and we are ready to work together with them. 

What we don’t need is for them to get involved in our affairs, tell us how to live our lives, and prevent Europe from building a relationship with us.”

St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, June 2016

On allegations of Russia’s foreign meddling

“There is constant US propaganda, and direct funding of US NGOs… Is that not interference, which continues year in, year out? Take a globe, spin it, and randomly put your finger on any spot – I can guarantee that there are American interests and meddling there.

What do the Americans want? For everyone to just bow their heads in deference? We have our own opinion and we express it openly. It is not some form of undercover sabotage.”

Direct Line with Vladimir Putin, June 2017

On Europe

“Does it benefit European states to simply service Washington’s foreign and even domestic policy aims? I am not sure. Is this the purpose of serious politics, and is this the role countries take on if they desire to call themselves great powers?”

Russia Calling! Investment Forum, October 2016

On Catalonia’s independence crisis

“At one time, the EU welcomed the collapse of a whole range of states in Europe, not bothering to hide their glee. Why did they need to so thoughtlessly – for the sake of short-term interests and to please ‘Big Brother’ in Washington – unconditionally support the secession of Kosovo, provoking similar processes on the continent and beyond?”

Valdai Discussion Club, October 2017

On NATO

“There is no more Soviet Union, no Eastern Bloc. In my view, NATO needs an external enemy to justify its existence, so there is a constant search for one, and provocations to create adversaries where there are none.

…Today it is an instrument of American foreign policy. There are no partners in it, only vassals.”

Oliver Stone interview, June 2017

On the Middle East

“There has been an attempt to reformat the region, to impose an outside model on it, either through regime change, or outright use of force. Instead of fighting extremism, instead of imitating such a fight, some of our peers want chaos to become a permanent state of affairs.”

Valdai Discussion Club, October 2017

On North Korea

“Of course we condemn North Korea’s nuclear tests and comply with all UN Security Council resolutions without exception.

But to solve this problem you must use dialog, not by trying to corner North Korea with military threats, and not resort to name-calling and public exchanges of insults. Whether you like the regime in Pyongyang or hate it, you have to recognize that DPRK is a sovereign state.”

Valdai Discussion Club, October 2017

On the toppling of Viktor Yanukovich in Ukraine

“What happened in Kiev is an armed and unconstitutional seizure of power – a coup. No one is arguing with that.

The question is – why did it need to be done like that? Viktor Yanukovich had already given up his power, and had no chance of re-election. Why plunge the country into chaos? As a demonstration of power? This was a stupid decision and had the reverse effect. I believe it was these actions that destabilized the situation in the east of the country.”

Media briefing in Novo Ogarevo, March 2014

On the government in Kiev

“The interests of the Russian and the Ukrainian peoples are the same. What isn’t the same is the aims of the Ukrainian government and elites.

…They have only one good left to export for international consumption – Russophobia. And the politics of division between the two countries. Some in the West believe that these two states should never be allies, and so Ukraine has been successful exporting that idea.”

Hamburg G20 Summit, June 2017

On Russia’s political system

“Monarchy was a legacy passed down from the Empire to Soviet times, even though the plaque on the building changed. Only at the beginning of the 1990s, events came to pass which laid the foundation for a new stage of Russian development.

Certainly, you cannot imagine that we can instantaneously get the same government model, the same structures, as in the United States, in Germany, in France. Society, just as every living organism, has to develop stage-by-stage, organically. That’s the normal development process.”

Oliver Stone interview, June 2017

On Russia’s role in the world

“Russia is a country with a thousand-year history and has almost always enjoyed the privilege of a sovereign foreign policy.

We are not going to betray this tradition today. At the same time, we are well aware of how the world has changed and we have a realistic understanding of our own opportunities and potential. We would like to interact with responsible and independent partners with whom we could work together in constructing a fair and democratic world order that would ensure security and prosperity not only for a select few, but for all.”

Munich speech, February 2007

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President Putin has just conducted another marathon end-of-year Q and A sessions with Russian and international journalists. Putin covered a wide variety of issues on both foreign and domestic policy matters.

Here are the key points to takeaway.

1. Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU)

President Putin was asked several questions about the speed and efficacy of EAEU integration. Putin responded positively saying that all member states including Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and Belarus, have been working closely to modernise both physical and digital infrastructure across member states. This includes the ability to receive and track items via digital customs forms as well as joint investment projects.

Putin noted that the aggregate growth rate of the EAEU is even higher than that of the Russian Federation in isolation, which is proof positive of the fact that cooperation is mutual beneficial, while based on a model that does not threaten the sovereignty of any member state (a charge commonly levelled against the European Union).

He also responded positively to a question from a Kazakh journalist about using news media to help inform the public about the progress of the EAEU, before mentioning that far from being a reaction to EU sanctions, the EAEU was the brainchild of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev–one which predates the post-2014 sanctions from the west.

With Iran set to join the EAEU in 2018, President Putin’s positive response signifies Russia’s general optimism about the future of its role as a Eurasian leader.

http://theduran.com/breaking-iran-join-eurasian-economic-union-diplomatic-sources/

2. North Korea 

President Putin stated that Russia does not accept the nuclear status of North Korea, but that one must work with a realistic attitude to de-escalate tensions in the region.

Putin also roundly condemned US provocations, questioning why this could be reasonably expected to improve the situation.

He once again referenced his analogy to Iraq and Libya, saying that when Pyongyang saw how the US destroyed two countries without the means to protect themselves, North Korea took the logical step to implement measures to do so. Putin further reminded journalists that the situation was exacerbated by the unwillingness of the US to engage in constructive talks in the past with Pyongyang which could have produced a lasting treaty for peace and de-escalation.

Putin then said that Rex Tillerson’s recent statements, indicating that Washington may be willing to discuss the matter directly with Pyongyang was a positive development, even though Washington seemed to negate Tillerson’s statement within 24 hours of him making it.

3. Syria 

Putin stated that he “had to” go to Syria in order to make his announcement regarding a partial troop withdrawal. He stated that most of the terrorist groups in Syria have been defeated and security issues involving his trip were coordinated with Russian troops in Syria in a highly professional manner.

Putin however stated that further work must still be done to destroy that which remains of the terrorist threat in Syria. He said that increasing the welfare of people is crucial to prevent terrorist in the future. Turning to the peace process, the Russian President stated,

In Syria, all the parties involved should resist the temptation to take advantage of short-term political goals.

We see that terrorists are escaping Syria to Iraq and the US doesn’t hit them because they may want to use them later against (Syrian President Bashar) al-Assad… That’s very dangerous”.

Putin further stated that while working with international partners, including the Syrian government as well as Turkey and Jordan, it is important to help actual Syrian refugees return to their homes in a post-conflict environment. He further stated that children of Russian citizens brought to Iraq and Syria by terrorists, should be re-integrated into the social life of various republics and regions of the Russian Federation.

4. Ukraine/Donbass conflict 

Putin lamented the unwillingness of the Kiev regime to implement the protocols of the MINSK II accords. He further lamented that even when the Rada (parliament) in Kiev approved a special status for Donbass in-line with MINSK II, Kiev’s forces continue to act aggressively.

He then stated that because of this, it is important that the militias of Donbass are able to defend themselves. Putin also said that he remains confident that even without Russian assistance, they will be able to do so and that it was necessary for the people of Donbass to remain armed so as to avoid a “massacre” at the hands of Kiev’s troops, ultra-nationalist (neo-Nazi) volunteers and pro-Kiev mercenaries.

Turning to the power struggle in Kiev between regime leader Petro Poroshenko and former Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili, he called the former Georgian leader who is wanted as a criminal in his home country “pathetic”. He asked rhetorically why people from Ukraine aren’t able to produce a prospective new leader themselves?

He then talked of the united history of the Slavic people and how the medieval Rus formed their first state in Kiev. He mentioned that central regions of what is now Ukraine rejoined the Russian Empire in 1654 and that after wars with Ottoman Turkey, other areas (Novorossiya and Crimea) became incorporated into Russia. These areas along with parts of former Polish governed regions in the west were added to Soviet Ukraine in 1945. Putin then remarked that the 1954 transfer of Soviet Crimea to Soviet Ukraine was in fact illegal according to the Soviet laws of the era.

The conclusion that Putin drew was that while most Russians and Ukrainians see themselves as part of a wider fraternal nation, the future is up to people in Ukraine, in respect of how they would like to govern themselves. If they choose to remain totally separate from Russia, this is their choice and they will have to work to improve their conditions themselves if this is the final decision of Ukrainians.

5. Relations with China/One Belt–One Road 

President Putin stated that he welcomes the decisions taken by the ruling Communist Party of China in terms in further modernisation programmes and an increased emphasis on respectful cooperation with international partners via the One Belt–One Road initiative.

He further stated that Chinese model is similar in many ways to that which Russia is currently building internally and among Russia’s international partners.

Putin praised the fast growth of the Chinese economy and credited them to good decisions made by President Xi Jinping and his predecessors. He called China a “strategic partner of Russia” and said that Russia and China have $63 billion in trade turnover. Putin expressed his optimism that this figure is likely to increase in the very near future.

Putin stated that the EAEU and One Belt–One Road are compatible and that Russia seeks to participate in broader cooperation in Asia and that progress has been made in this area all the time.

He further stated,

“China is part of some major projects in the Arctic, we’ve just launched the first stage of the Yamal liquefied natural gas project – China is a major investor.

…We have another great project on high-speed transit, we support high-speed transit from China to Europe via Russia.”

Finally, Putin stated that irrespective of the restults of next year’s Presidential election in Russia,

“I have full confidence that cooperation with China is beyond any political agenda – we’ll remain strategic partners for a long period of time”.

6. 2018 Russian Presidential elections 

Vladimir Putin confirmed for the first time that he plans to run in the 2018 Russian Presidential elections (scheduled for March) as an independent candidate. He stated that he looks forward to engaging in dialogue with many political parties in the hopes of winning their endorsement.

Later he was asked a question directly by Ksenia Sobchak, a Presidential hopeful in the 2018 elections, but not a candidate who is widely regarded as serious. The main challengers to President Putin’s incumbency will be Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPSU) leader Gennady Zyuganov and Liberal Democratic Party of Russian (LDPR) founder and leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky.

However, because Sobchak has attained her fame through being a so-called ‘socialite’, much attention has been on her.

President Putin however took her to task, saying,

“I said the opposition needs positive proposals – what are you offering?

…The people you mentioned (including Aleksey Navalny) are the Russian versions of Mikhail Saakashvili… Do you want Russia moving from one Maidan-style situation to another?

…Most Russians don’t want that”.

7. US withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty

President Putin remarked on the unfortunate results of the US unilaterally withdrawing from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) but said that Russia remains committed to the principles of the treaty in line with Russia’s commitment to international protocols.

He stated that when the US puts missiles close to Russia’s borders, particularly on Russia’s European borderlands, Russia will respond by taking appropriate measures in respect of defensive military mechanisms within Russia’s borders.

8. Russiagate/Donald Trump

US based ABC news asked President Putin about the ongoing ‘Russiagate’ scandal with Donald Trump, which in reality ought to be called Israelgate due to the fact that Israeli’s Prime Minister colluded directly with Trump transition team officials, in order to try and influence the foreign policy of other nations and the UN itself. While President Putin stayed clear of this issue, he said the following:

“It’s up to the American people to assess Trump, not me. But look at the markets, they are up, indicating investors trust him. We also respect the US opposition. I don’t know if Trump still has the same desire to cooperate closely with us, but I hope we can work closely on a range of issues.”

Turning to so-called Trump collusion with Russia, Putin said,

“That’s been invented by those aiming to de-legitimize Trump. These people don’t understand they are undermining their own country, they aren’t showing respect for Americans that voted for Trump”.

Finally, turning to contacts between Russian diplomats and Americans, the Russian President stated,

“It is standard practice for diplomats to talk – what’s so strange about this? Why do you have this ‘Russia spy hysteria?”

Vladimir Putin: Russiagate “invented by those aiming to de-legitimize Trump”

9. 2018 World Cup 

Putin stated that Russia has a long history of successful experiences in hosting international sporting events. He further stated that all major public infrastructure projects related to the World Cup, including the 12 World Cup stadiums in 11 Russian cities are on schedule, except for one stadium that has a 2 month delay.

Nevertheless, Putin stated that everything will be accomplished on time.

Vladimir Putin then stated that the funding for World Cup facilities is half drawn from public funds and the other half from private investors.

Other areas covered:

–There are no plans to increase taxation.

This issue will be considered again at the end of 2018

–Russia will not ban abortions 

On this issue Putin stated,

“…in most modern countries today, it is up to the woman to make this decision.

If there was a total ban, we’d eventually have a criminal trade in this – women would go abroad, there would be illegal abortions… it does immense damage to women’s health, so we have to be careful….We are willing to support pregnant women, of course”.

–Afghanistan

Russia is willing to cooperate with international partners, including the US over security concerns in Afghanistan.

–Nuclear war 

President Putin said that he felt the US decision to drop nuclear weapons on Japan in 1945 was something he disagrees with.

–Iraqi Kurds 

Putin stated that Russia has good relations with Iraq and also good relations with Iraq’s Kurdish Autonomous Region. He said that he expects Kurdish leaders to respect the decisions of the Iraqi government and that he does not foresee anything drastic happening from this point forward.

Now sit down (comfrotably) and watch 3 hours and 42 minutes of Vladimir Putin taking questions from Russian and international journalists

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(Pravda.ru) – The Russian army will be able to solve combat tasks with the help of kamikaze robots in the near future. As it comes from the name of the machine, the robots will be used to act as potential suicide bombers on a battlefield.

A video from a range ground shows two full-tracked unmanned military machines shooting targets from CORD machine guns, and an automatic grenade launcher. The footage also shows the machines accompanying the infantry and armoured vehicles.

The kamikaze robot known as “Nerekhta” can move at a speed of 30 kilometres per hour for a distance of up to 40 kilometres. The machine is compact in size and highly maneuverable. The machine travels with minimal noise and can detect an enemy from a distance of three kilometres. The machine has already been dubbed as a “universal soldier.”

The post Russia’s military is building kamikaze robots (VIDEO) appeared first on RussiaFeed.

The crash reportedly killed 5 people and injured 15, according to emergency services.

Details about the crash are still emerging, but authorities have ruled out terrorism.

Авария возле метро Славянский бульвар
Автобус въехал в подземный переход.
Есть пострадавшие. pic.twitter.com/M27sKF9fCZ

— Ирина Курочкина (@irakurochkinaa) December 25, 2017

Moscow mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, has expressed condolences to the relatives of people that have been killed in the crash and stated that authorities are providing necessary urgent assistance to those injured.

Внезапно на Славянском бульваре. Автобус не влез в подземный переход. Информации о пострадавших нет pic.twitter.com/DV2veaem2P

— Саша Усольцев (@usolt) December 25, 2017

Three medical services’ helicopters are being used to treat the injured.

На западе Москвы автобус протаранил группу людей, есть погибшие https://t.co/c2qHL840fn pic.twitter.com/DXM3fzgDOX

— Ruposters (@Ruposters) December 25, 2017

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(RT) – A UFO in the form of a ball of light slowly traversed the night sky over the western Russian city of Lipetsk before exploding in mid-air. The mystery object’s flight was caught on camera by a number of eyewitnesses.

Some opined that the mystery light ball was actually a ballistic missile launch or a stage that had separated from a space rocket.

Others argued it was an emission coming from a nearby steelmaking plant. “Take a deep breath,” another user wrote.

This is not the first time a UFO has flown over Lipetsk, local media report. Back in August, residents spotted “a whole bunch of UFOs,” according to MetroNews website.

The story comes days after a series of UFO-related news items emerged in international media. In mid-December, the Washington Post reported that Commander David Fravor, who was a Navy pilot for 18 years, saw a mysterious flying object while on a routine training mission off the Pacific coast between San Diego and Ensenada, Mexico, in November 2004.

The pilot said he was ordered by command to do some “real-world tasking” against the object which was roughly the same size as Fravor’s plane but had no wings and looked like a Tic-Tac mint.

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The Russiagate saga has produced one of its most cathartic moments in the form of a devastating television interview of Guardian reporter and zealous Russiagate true believer Luke Harding by the relentlessly polite and soft spoken but openly skeptical Real News host and presenter Aaron Maté.

The purpose of the interview was to discuss Luke Harding’s latest book on Russiagate, which goes by the portentous title Collusion: Secret Meetings, Dirty Money, and How Russia Helped Donald Trump Win.  

As might be expected of such a book – and of such an author – it treats the allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians as proved.  During the interview Aaron Maté sought to explore the extent to which this is actually so, and repeatedly asks whether the “evidence” Luke Harding produces in his book really does show that the allegations of collusion have been “proved”.

The interview lasts for 25 minutes but deserves to be watched in full.

The most thorough account of it has been provided by the formidable independent blogger Caitlin Johnstone

The term Gish gallop, named after a Young Earth creationist who was notoriously fond of employing it, refers to a fallacious debate tactic in which a bunch of individually weak arguments are strung together in rapid-fire succession in order to create the illusion of a solid argument and overwhelm the opposition’s ability to refute them all in the time allotted. Throughout the discussion the Gish gallop appeared to be the only tool that Luke Harding brought to the table, firing out a deluge of feeble and unsubstantiated arguments only to be stopped over and over again by Maté who kept pointing out when Harding was making a false or fallacious claim……

That’s really all Harding brought to the debate. A bunch of individually weak arguments, the fact that he speaks Russian and has lived in Moscow, and the occasional straw man where he tries to imply that Maté is claiming that Vladimir Putin is an innocent girl scout. Meanwhile Maté just kept patiently dragging the debate back on track over and over again in the most polite obliteration of a man that I have ever witnessed.

The entire interview followed this basic script. Harding makes an unfounded claim, Maté holds him to the fact that it’s unfounded, Harding sputters a bit and tries to zoom things out and point to a bigger-picture analysis of broader trends to distract from the fact that he’d just made an individual claim that was baseless, then winds up implying that Maté is only skeptical of the claims because he hasn’t lived in Russia as Harding has.

Other persons who have spoken highly of Aaron Maté’s conduct of the interview and about the light it shines on the flimsy quality of the Russiagate collusion allegations are Glenn Greenwald

This interview by @aaronjmate of @lukeharding1968 is fantastic – exactly how an interview should be conducted of someone claiming to have found evidence of Trump/Russia collusion. Very worth taking 25 minutes to watch, and just decide for yourself https://t.co/dqEnBt6lQO'?#pop1

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) December 24, 2017

and Danielle Ryan

Imagine publishing a book called COLLUSION in the middle of an ongoing investigation which has itself yet to produce solid evidence of collusion – and then to go around acting like you've got the inside scoop on the story of the century? Harding is duping his readers, big time.

— Danielle Ryan (@DanielleRyanJ) December 26, 2017

Here is the entire interview by Aaron Maté of Luke Harding as shown on YouTube

Whilst I have little to add to what others have said about this interview, I will make a few brief observations of my own

(1) One of Luke Harding’s tactics throughout the interview was to try to draw attention away from the actual evidence of collusion – of which as Aaron Maté repeatedly pointed out to him there is actually none – to the supposed criminality of Vladimir Putin’s regime and to its supposed typical modus operandi.

Here Luke Harding repeatedly cited his own experiences in Russia and the things he says Vladimir Putin’s liberal political opponents and Russian human rights activists have told him about Putin’s regime.

This is to elevate innuendo about character to the level of evidence of a specific wrongdoing.

The flaws inherent in this approach ought to be obvious, but Luke Harding seems oblivious to them even though Aaron Maté repeatedly pointed them out to him.

(2) Luke Harding professed to be mystified why Donald Trump chose Paul Manafort to head his campaign shortly after Manafort ended his dealings with former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.

Manafort is however a well known Republican political operative and a seasoned campaign professional.  Here is how Wikipedia describes him

In 1976, Manafort was the delegate-hunt coordinator for eight states for the President Ford Committee; the overall Ford delegate operation was run by James A. Baker III.^[27] Between 1978 and 1980, Manafort was the southern coordinator for Ronald Reagan’s presidential campaign, and the deputy political director at the Republican National Committee. After Reagan’s election in November 1980, he was appointed Associate Director of the Presidential Personnel Office at the White House. In 1981 he was nominated to the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.^[19]

Manafort was an adviser to the presidential campaigns of George H. W. Bush in 1988^[28] and Bob Dole in 1996.^[29]

Given this record Manafort was an obvious person for Trump to choose to run his campaign.

I would add that to those of us who followed Ukrainian politics before the start of the 2013 Maidan protests the fact that Yanukovych had turned to a US election agent like Paul Manafort to help him become President of Ukraine was a clear sign that Yanukovych was tilting away from Russia and towards the West.

Yanukovych’s connections to Russia have in fact been consistently exaggerated both in the West and in Ukraine since the 2014 Maidan crisis.  Prior to the crisis Yanukovych had given no sign as Ukraine’s President that he was at all pro-Russian.

Not only was it Yanukovych’s government which negotiated the association agreement with the European Union which was at the heart of Ukraine’s crisis, but it was widely known that Yanukovych’s personal relations with Putin were extremely bad, whilst he consistently made known his strong disagreement with the gas supply contract negotiated with Russia by his erstwhile opponent Yulia Tymoshenko, which is what she was convicted and sent to prison for.

Yanukovych also consistently refused Putin’s proposals that Ukraine join the Russian led Eurasian Union, making clear that Ukraine under his leadership would seek integration with the European Union instead.

The fact that Manafort worked for Yanukovych is not evidence that Manafort had connections to Russia.  On the contrary all the evidence argues against it.

(3) To my mind the single most disturbing thing Luke Harding says in the interview is that Western governments – including it seems former US Secretary of State John Kerry – relied on Christopher Steele for information and analysis of Russian actions in Ukraine and other places.

Given that the FBI cannot verify the Trump Dossier – which even Christopher Steele now admits is only 70-90% true – that ought to be a reason for worrying about the extent of Christopher Steele’s influence on Western policy with regard to Russia, not for accepting the allegations in the Trump Dossier as true.

The post The interview that exposes Russia-hating journalist Luke Harding (VIDEO) appeared first on RussiaFeed.

Don’t believe in holiday magic?

Let us take you on an unforgettable tour of the most fascinating light designs in the world!

Do you believe in Christmas miracles now?

Happy New Year!

Video source: RBTH

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(TheRealNewsNetwork.com) – Russian politician Alexi Navalny is calling for a boycott of next year’s presidential election after being barred from running over corruption charges. We speak to Professor Stephen F. Cohen about Navalny, the Russian election, and how Russians are viewing the never-ending Russiagate controversy in the US.

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It would seem that at least one Russian presidential candidate is a bit more daring than a candidate elsewhere might be.

Or, should we replace the word ‘daring’ with ‘thoughtless’? How about just stupid?

At any rate, this video shows Candidate Ksenia Sobchak dancing, apparently drunk, in front of an Orthodox Church with two men, accompanying the video with the description, “About last night, or Pussy Riot is no longer what they used to be.”

While the dancing itself is relatively tame, the fact that these three are drunk and dancing in front of an Orthodox Church to secular music is one that will not go over well with many Russian people.

In 2012 the feminist group Pussy Riot staged a performance inside Christ the Saviour Cathedral, with lyrics to their singing that were laced with obscenities.  They were arrested, tried and convicted of hooliganism and sent to prison for two years. Considering the very conservative sentiment most Russian people feel about the Church, this is not a good comparison for Sobchak to make of herself, even though she is well-known as a liberal.

This is not the first time Sobchak has dealt with Pussy Riot. In 2013, she interviewed the band and, as liberal as Sobchak may be, she was completely unable to comprehend the band members’ own attitudes.  This interview made Buzzfeed, and is credited for showing the dazzling lack of intelligence Ksenia Sobchak really has.

Even the reputedly liberal St Petersburg crowd might have some problems with this, and in Moscow, the thought that might accurately describe her chances of becoming President of the Russian Federation would have to be, “not a snowball’s chance in Hell.”

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(RT) – In their New Year’s video, the Russian Armed Forces show off their canine colleagues, who seem to be just as happy giving a friendly lick as defending the Motherland.

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(offguardian) – Patrick Lancaster reporting from the DPR

The post Ukraine shells Donetsk Republic with 120mm artillery, violating Minsk accords (VIDEO) appeared first on RussiaFeed.

The full original English version of renowned director and documentary film maker Oliver Stone’s “Ukraine on Fire” has finally been made available.

Stone’s film explores both sides of Ukraine’s 2014 Maidan “Revolution of dignity,” and reveals some uncomfortable truths about those who supported and participated in what turned out to be essentially a violent coup d’état.

The film was originally released in 2016, but unsurprisingly, Stone came up against problems distributing the film in the US and western countries. A Russian dubbed version was available almost immediately and was aired on TV in Russia, but English speakers were left without access to the full film.

Now at last, the full exposé can be seen on YouTube. Though of course, everyone is encouraged to purchase a copy to support Mr. Stone’s important work.

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