Russia warns US against deploying Aegis ships in northern seas

February 14, 2012 (Interfax)

The Russian Chief of Staff, General Nikolai Makarov, today warned the US against stationing Aegis-equipped ships in the Black and northern seas. Gen. Makarov pointed out that deployment of Aegis combat system’s elements in these seas “posed a threat” to Russia and forced Moscow to take retaliatory steps to eliminate it. He also stressed that these would be measures of last resort since they required “additional expenses.” A US Navy cruiser armed with Aegis has recently been spotted in the Black Sea. Washington has also been calling on Norway to equip their warships with Aegis. “Luckily, Norway has taken a posed stance,” he added. Russia and US-led NATO will further look into the issue of the EU missile shield at the upcoming Chicago summit this May. At the meeting, the US is to focus on the results of the first stage of the EU missile shield deployment.

On the photo you ca see USS Lake Champlain, a Ticonderoga-class Aegis guided missile cruiser, launched in 1987. This version is equipped with the Mark 41 VLS system, whereas earlier versions were equipped with the Mark-26 twin-arm missile launcher system

Rogozin wants Russian army to be armed to the teeth

February 9, 2012 (Interfax-Ukraine)

Novosibirsk - The Russian Armed Forces should be supplied with the necessary amount of weaponry and military hardware to guarantee national security, including strategic security, Vice Premier Dmitry Rogozin believes. "We need to develop a compact, mighty, fearsome army armed to the teeth and strategic forces that will be a guarantee of our security," he said at a Wednesday meeting with the heads of defense industry plants in Novosibirsk. He also spoke of the need to establish a single system of enterprises working for air and space defense.

"Russia has several corporations working in the sphere of air and space defense. They cannot be knitted into a single concern. But an integral system must be made. An integrator should be developed for air and space defense," he said.

"We are interested in combining the defense industry, research and customer," Rogozin concluded.

Ukraine's Army Wants You ... For a Holiday

(ABC News) Ukraine’s cash-strapped military has been looking long and hard for fresh sources of revenue — and hit upon a whole new brand of tourism. In what it says is a first in the former Soviet Union, Ukraine’s armed forces are throwing open 11 military training grounds and three air bases, inviting fee-paying tourists, and offering them the chance to play soldiers. From AK-47 assault rifles to T-72 tanks and Mig-29 fighter jets, Ukraine is offering anyone with money to burn the opportunity to fire, drive and fly the same military equipment that during the Cold War was on hair-trigger alert for a NATO attack.
“Today’s tourists are hard to surprise with anything, so we decided to offer something really spicy — military tourism,” said Hryhory Zhorov, the head of the Alaris travel agency which, with arms exporter Ukrspetsexport and the Defense Ministry, is organizing the project.
He said they hoped to accommodate 1,000 well-heeled travelers every month. Flanked by senior generals, Zhorov showed reporters around one of the bases, Desna, 40 miles northeast of the capital, Kiev. The generals spared no effort, as well as cartridges and artillery rounds, to impress an army of invited reporters in order to promote the sprawling base, covering an area of 810 square miles. Armored vehicles roared through picturesque pine groves, which echoed to a thunder of small arms fire.
One young woman journalist stunned officers by driving a modern T-80 tank after only brief instructions. “It was great! I had never driven even a car, but today I drove a tank!” she said, emerging from the turret of the 1,200-horsepower monster. But the freebie was soon over, and future excursions to Ukrainian military sites will cost each traveler a tidy sum.
Alaris’ Web site (www.alaris.com.ua) says a one hour flight as a co-pilot in the supersonic fighter Mig-29 will cost $8,500, while one of the same duration in the Su-27 ground attack jet will be $9,600. Surface weapons are also expensive. It costs $400 to drive 4 miles in a T-72 battle tank, or $250 to test drive the BMP-2 armored personnel carrier. A shot from a sniper rifle will cost “just” $20, while a round for a Soviet-made RPG-7 hand-held grenade discharger is a more expensive thrill at $50 per shot.
http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/story?id=118719&page=1

Tymoshenko's husband seeking political asylum in Czech Republic

06 January 2012 (Radio of Ukraine) Yulia Tymoshenko's husband Oleksandr was forced to leave Ukraine and request the Government of the Czech Republic for political asylum due to the intense pressure on the opposition leader through her family. This was disclosed by the "Liberty" radio. According to the newspaper, a relevant request was filed by Oleksandr Tymoshenko as early as the last days of 2011. The newspaper also notes that Minister of Interior of Czech Republic Jan Kubitse on January 4 discussed the matter with Czech Republic Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg.

What Ukrainians associate New Year with?

KYIV, December 31, 2011 (UKRINFORM). A third of Ukrainians associate New Year with the smell of a Christmas tree and tangerines at home, according to a survey conducted by Research & Branding Group from December 4 to December 14 to study the attitude of Ukrainians to Christmas and New Year holidays. Another 36% of respondents associated New Year with a favorite holiday since childhood. One in four Ukrainians associate this holiday with a decorated Christmas tree. Some 26% of Ukrainians associate New Year with a good festive mood, and another 2% of those surveyed - with New Year's feast.

Sweden is getting closer to Ukraine.

Within the frame of EUROPE IS OUR HOME project the Santa Lucia holiday has been selebrated for the first time in Poltava on December 13th. In Poltava there is only private school where pupils study history and culture of Sweden. Not long ago they initiated Swedish language course for pupils. Mostly they have taken part in the celebration that taken place in Poltava Art Gallery. Wearing a white gown with a red sash and a crown of candles on her head, Santa Lucia walked at the head of a procession of girls, each holding a candle. Some of those who participated the holiday have been to Sweden recently. They prepared an exhibition of photos taken in Sweden to bring this still mysterious and little-known country closer to Ukrainians.

Seven Wonders of Ukraine

December 2, 2011 (UNIAN) Seven Wonders of Ukraine contest announces results of online voting Mykola Tomenko, chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine: Castles, Fortresses, Palaces contest, has announced the results of an online voting for the final determination of winners of the competition. The TOP10 included
1. Akkerman Fortress (Bilhorod-Dnistrovsk) in Odesa region,
2. Vorontsov Palace in the Crimea,
3. Kamianets-Podilsky Fortress in Khmelnitsky region,
4. Upper Castle in Lutsk, Volyn region,
5. Metropolitan Palace in Chernivtsi,
6. Kachanivka Palace in Chernihiv region,
7. Khotyn Fortress in Chernivtsi region.

Tomenko said that after the awarding ceremony a brochure will be published "Seven Wonders of Ukraine: Ukraine - a Country of Miracles," to be available in several languages. Next year, organizers of the event as part of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine contest plan to determine the TOP 10 parks in the country.