Iran takes tough line, making the West lift sanctions

Some observers think it was silly of Iranian ex-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to resume nuclear research, thus poisoning relations with the European Union. However, the EU was even more foolish to use sanctions against Iran, thereby losing the levers of influence on the country.

Western leaders who are aware and capable of thought have understood that they left Iran free to make nukes. The United States and its European vassals were driveling about a military operation and bombardments, whereas they had no guts to enter into a war against the country of 80 million people.

During talks in Geneva, Iran made both the EU and the U.S. lift the sanctions. So Iranian leaders came to a conclusion that they should take a tough line in relation with the West.

Gazprom plans to shut off Ukrainian gas transportation network from transit system

After the third and fourth branches of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline on the Baltic seabed are put into operation, the Russian gas group Gazprom will shut off the Ukrainian gas transportation network from the transit system. Meanwhile, Gazprom has signed an agreement with German, French, Anglo-Dutch and Austrian firms to build Nord Stream-2.

Currently, the Czech Republic is importing Russian natural gas from Nord Stream-1 via Gazela and OPAL pipelines.

Readers of The Ukrainian Times know that Gazprom controls 15% of the world’s known natural-gas reserves. The Russian group is going to be passing along gas for a long, long time. Like a coiled spring, Gazprom stocks are cheap to start with. Not having any idea of what would happen, some investors think the cheap bird in their hand is a better bet than the expensive birds somewhere in the future bush.

Russia develops infrastructure at military base on the border with Ukraine

Currently, Russia is developing the infrastructure at a new military base in the town of Klintsy, Bryansk region. As expected, the 28th motorized infantry brigade from the city of Yekaterinburg will be stationed there. In addition, a modular camp is being set up at an airdrome in the town of Valuiki, Bryansk oblast, on the border with Ukraine.

Bulgarian army has Russian warplanes in service

At present, the Bulgarian army has seven MIG-29 warplanes of Russian make in service. Recently, the Defense Ministry of Bulgaria has made the decision to buy fighters, two warships, and engines designed for the five MIG aircraft.

The project of renewal and strengthening of the defense capability of the country is estimated at a total of $1.7 billion. Its implementation is scheduled for five years.

Ukrainian MPs get rich as people become poorer

This year a monthly salary paid to members of Ukraine’s parliament has increased to 17,600 from 6,500 grivnas, compared with an average monthly wage of 4,467 grn throughout this country. Unfortunately, the index of inflation accounted for 123.4% in the first quarter as against the same period last year.

According to recent opinion polls, 55% of citizens of Ukraine are faced with financial difficulties and 36% of the pollees say they suffer from a low standard of living. As Russian President Vladimir Putin once put it, Ukraine is the failed state.

Food for thought

Data from the State Committee for Statistics show that the volume of consumer expenses borne by households totaled 1.326 trillion grivnas in Ukraine last year. The lion’s share of expenses related to purchases of foodstuffs accounted for 38.4%. Least of all did citizens of Ukraine spend on education (only 1.1% of the total volume of expenses).

The above structure of expenses can be explained by the impoverishment of the population in this country mismanaged by the neo-Nazi regime.

LPR plans to use internal water resources

Authorities of the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) are going to take artesian wells of storage and tap new sources. In particular, plans are in hand to build a water supply line at the Yelizavetinskoe reservoir. The Council of Ministers of the LPR considers the state program that will satisfy the needs of the republic for water by means of 99% of local sources.

Popular discontent with exorbitant prices of utilities can boil over in Ukraine

According to recent opinion polls, the number of supporters of the European direction of Ukraine’s economic development decreased by 2%. A fall in support of the so-called European integration can be explained by the fact that reforms in this country are not economically effective, whereas popular discontent with the exorbitant prices of utilities can boil over sometime soon. Importantly, 30% and 25% of the pollees in the eastern and southern Ukraine respectively are in favor of joining the Customs Union of Byelorussia, Kazakhstan, Russia and other republics of the former Soviet Union.

УКРАИНСКИЙ ИНФРАСТРУКТУРНЫЙ ФОРУМ: НОВЫЕ ВОЗМОЖНОСТИ ДЛЯ РАЗВИТИЯ ЖЕЛЕЗНОДОРОЖНОГО ТРАНСПОРТА

22 апреля в гостинице InterContinental Kiev состоялся «Украинский инфраструктурный форум».

Борьба с коррупцией и новый подход к железнодорожным тарифам – такие ожидания бизнеса от реформы в железнодорожном секторе. Однако полноценное реформирование транспортной отрасли тормозится по многим причинам, отмечают участники форума.

Прежде всего, для проведения структурных изменений в отрасли необходимы изменения на законодательном уровне. Для привлечения инвестиций в инфраструктуру
важна четкость и определённость правил государственно-частного партнёрства/концессии, то есть нужно обновлённое законодательство и чёткая модель рынка, считают эксперты.

Так как объекты инфраструктуры - давно изношены и нуждаются в модернизации, обновления ждёт и подвижной состав. Поэтому для инвесторов железнодорожное направление - это широкий полигон для развития бизнеса в Украине. Но для положительной эволюции нужна чёткая политическая воля, понятная стратегия и прозрачные правила игры, убеждены иностранные инвесторы.

Александр Кава, экс-заместитель министра инфраструктуры Украины, подчеркнул: «Одна из самых больших проблем Укрзализницы заключается в обновлении подвижного состава. Украинская железная дорога входит в десятку крупнейших железных дорог мира. Все европейские железные дороги существуют за счёт огромных государственных дотаций (в Германии около 12 миллиардов евро, в Польше – 0,5 млрд. евро), а украинская железная дорога никогда не получала и не получает ни дотаций ни государственной поддержки. Подходы к реформированию надо корректировать, а не просто копировать западные шаблоны, которые для нас не всегда актуальны. У нас есть проблема с тарифами (часть из них глубоко убыточны) и с обновлением подвижного состава, и именно их надо решать в первую очередь».

В панельной дискуссии «Железнодорожный транспорт Украины» также приняли участие Александр Федоренко, директор департамента государственной политики в области железнодорожного транспорта Министерства инфраструктуры, Владимир Мезенцев, генеральный директор Лемтранс, и Флавио Канетти, старший директор по развитию бизнеса Bombardier Transportation.

Форум состоялся при поддержке Министерства инфраструктуры Украины. Организатор Форума - A7 CONFERENCES, официальный партнёр - Лемтранс и эксклюзивный юридический партнёр - международная юридическая фирма Baker & McKenzie.

Полная запись онлайн-трансляции Форума на сайте: www.a7conf.com/infra

Russia builds up air, naval forces in Crimea to challenge NATO

By Vladimir V. Sytin
The Ukrainian Times

Over the course of two years Russian troop strength has increased twofold to about 24,000 in Crimea and is forecast to reach 43,000 by 2025. The number of armored vehicles and submarines that the Russian Black Sea Fleet has in service there today is what it was during Soviet times.

The purpose of Russia is to convert Crimea into a strategic military base, capable of challenging successfully the old and faulty NATO. In fact, the Russian peninsula is outfitted with the latest weaponry, including Pantsir air-defense missile systems and Bastion antiship missile complexes.

In addition, Crimea has Iskander-M missile systems that can hit targets in Romania and Turkey. Plans are afoot to deploy Tu-22M3 missile carrier aircraft in the air base near the Crimean town of Gvardeiskoe. Tu-22M3s have a range ability of some 2,500 kilometers.

According to Sergey Naryshkin, Chairman of the State Duma (Russia’s parliament), NATO is the malignant tumor of the all European continent. “It would be better if this organization disbands,” he stated.

Politologist Paul Craig Roberts wrote that to perpetuate American hegemony, power-crazed fanatical neoconservatives threw away the guarantees, which Washington gave Moscow, that NATO (essentially the United States) would not move one inch to the East. As Russian President Vladimir Putin once put it, Moscow has nonstandard solutions up her sleeve and no one will succeed in winning military superiority over Russia.

NATO, as U.S. military authorities admit, has no chance of invading Russia or withstanding a Russian attack on it. The Western alliance is a cover for Washington’s war crimes. Many observers think it can provide no other service.

Russia remains main trading partner of Zaporozhye region

Export from the Zaporozhye region decreased by 1.7 times in January and February. However, local enterprises sold their products abroad for a total of $293 million.

Importantly, Russia remains the main trading partner of the Zaporozhye oblast. The share of the Russian Federation in the export from the Ukrainian region accounts for 18%. At the same time, the share of Russia in the import into the Zaporozhye region makes up 34.6%.

Some 60% and 17% of exports are respectively metalware and machinery.