Vene päritolu inimesed vahetavad aina rohkem nime eestipärasema vastu

Kristjan Pihl, ERR

[People with Russian names have started to ‘Estonianize’ their names.]

—

“Viimasel ajal on Eestis elavate vene juurtega inimeste seas tõusev trend, et Makarovid ja Ivanovad tahavad saada Luikedeks ja Tammikuteks ehk slaavipärane nime eestindatakse. Ehkki motiivide kohta eraldi täpset arvet ei peeta, ütleb nii mõnigi asjaosaline, et üks nimevahetuse põhjus on Venemaa agressioon Ukrainas. Näiteks Julia Makarova on nüüd Julia Maakar, Artjom Trohhatšev on Artjom Pähkel.”

https://www.err.ee/1608790579/vene-paritolu-inimesed-vahetavad-aina-rohkem-nime-eestiparasema-vastu

Keelatud perekonnanimede nimistusse lisandub viis uut nime

(ERR)

“Eesti nimeseadus piirab perekonnanimede valikut, liiga laialt levinud nimesid uueks priinimeks võtta ei lasta. Tänavu lisandub nii-öelda keelatud nimede sekka viis uut perekonnanime.”

https://www.err.ee/1608790681/keelatud-perekonnanimede-nimistusse-lisandub-viis-uut-nime

The war in Ukraine is breaking up Russian families in Estonia

By Anita Avakova

Portaali Rus. Postimees

“Anna moved to Estonia from Russia a few years ago. She knows the difficulties that people living in Russia struggle with every day. The absence of choice there and the acquired helplessness, due to which they do not vote, believing that even without them, everything has already been decided and one only has to express the "right" opinion, which must not differ from the so-called party line. Otherwise, you have sold yourself to the West, you are a liberal and Navalny's puppy, you do not love your country, etc.”

—

“Anna asserts that most people aged 20-35 are against the war. It is often easier for this generation to find a common language with their grandparents. “Yes, all kind of propaganda clichés can also be stuck in their minds, but in general, the generation which has grown up during the war views is as something unequivocally evil which cannot be allowed to exist,” says Anna.”

https://news.postimees.ee/7649873/the-war-in-ukraine-is-breaking-up-russian-families-in-estonia

__________

Due to next week’s Thanksgiving holiday here in 

the U.S., the newsletter will not be sent out. Next

EstoNews will be on 2. December. Aitäh!

__________

Friday 18. November

Eesti sõjaline abi Ukrainale läheneb 300 miljonile eurole

(ERR)

“Eesti antud sõjaline abi Venemaa agressiooni tõrjuvale Ukrainale läheneb juba 300 miljonile eurole, millega oleme üks suhteliselt enim panustanud riike, ütles kaitseministeeriumi kantsler Kusti Salm.”

https://www.err.ee/1608793597/eesti-sojaline-abi-ukrainale-laheneb-300-miljonile-eurole

"Estonia's total military aid to Ukraine to date approaching €300 million.” - ERR

Eesti tõusis üleilmses korruptsiooniindeksis viiendaks

(ERR)

“Eesti tõusis rahvusvahelise riskianalüüsi ettevõtte Global Risk Profile (GRP) koostatava ülemaailmse korruptsioonitaseme hinnangus aastaga ühe koha võrra ning on nüüd Põhjamaade järel vähimkorrumpeerunud riikide seas viies.”

—

“Korruptsiooni ning majanduskuritegevuse taset hindava globaalse korruptsiooniindeksi (GCI) esimesele positsioonile tõusis Norra (eelmisel aastal 2. kohal), millele järgnevad Soome, Rootsi, Taani (mullu 1. kohal) ja Eesti (2021. aastal 6. kohal).”

https://www.err.ee/1608793267/eesti-tousis-uleilmses-korruptsiooniindeksis-viiendaks

Finnish, Estonian navy chiefs meet

(Baltic Times)

“The commander of the Finnish Navy, Rear Adm. Jori Harju, met with Cmdre. Juri Saska, the commander of the Estonian Navy, at the Mine Harbor compound in Tallinn to discuss ongoing cooperation projects and set the framework for joint activities in the future.”

https://www.baltictimes.com/finnish__estonian_navy_chiefs_meet_in_tallinn/

Interview: Estonia’s Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur

(EL PAÍS)

“The border separating Russia from Estonia and other countries is the border of civilization.”

https://english.elpais.com/international/2022-11-17/estonias-defense-minister-the-border-separating-russia-from-estonia-and-other-countries-is-the-border-of-civilization.html

“Defense of Estonia begins with Ukraine says Kaja Kallas.” - ERR

Ex-Russian spy flees to the NATO country that captured him

(ERR | Yahoo News)

“The Russians have no idea,” Alexander Toots, the head of Estonian counterintelligence, tells me, laughing. “They have absolutely no idea he is here. You can be the one to tell them.”

—

“Toots was referring to the defection of a Russian spy to Estonia. But Artem Zinchenko isn’t just any spy. He was the first agent of Russia’s military intelligence arrested by Estonia, in 2017, then traded back to Moscow a year later for an Estonian citizen in Russian custody. Zinchenko has now sought asylum from the very NATO country that unmasked and imprisoned him for spying against it.”

https://news.err.ee/1608793006/daily-russian-spy-exchanged-in-2018-flees-back-to-estonia-claims-asylum

—

https://news.yahoo.com/exclusive-ex-russian-spy-flees-to-the-nato-country-that-captured-him-delivering-another-embarrassing-blow-to-moscow-010049616.html

“Piusa jõe sillal välja vahetatud GRU luuraja põgenes tagasi Eestisse.” - ERR

Estonia counts 322 Soviet monuments and tributes to be removed

(MSN)

“A confidential working group of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs … has been operating since June and has the task of assessing the future of all these memorials that were erected decades ago to remember the triumph of the Soviet Union in World War II and the liberation of its former republics from Nazi control. The content of this list is also secret for the moment.”

https://www.msn.com/en-in/autos/news/estonia-counts-322-soviet-monuments-and-tributes-to-be-removed/ar-AA14erev

____________________

Ukraine’s 15,000-Mile Lifeline

How the country’s vast rail system 

has helped it withstand an invasion

By Sarah A. Topol

New York Times Magazine

“Ukraine’s airspace was closed a few days before the invasion, and movement in, out and around the country was immediately curtailed. The Russians attacked from multiple fronts — the land, the skies and the seas. … In late February and through March, terrified Ukrainians across the country made their way to their cities’ main train stations. Panicked people on the platform tried to break into the carriages, mobbing the doors and beating them with their hands.”

—

“Trains quickly became the backbone of the country: essential to the war effort, crucial to moving people, weapons, goods and supplies, as well as providing a diplomatic avenue and an economic lifeline. As Russia began to target critical infrastructure, the job took on an added danger. Trains “running on schedule” — a catchphrase Kamyshin repeated as a mantra — became a symbol of normalcy in the most abnormal situation.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/15/magazine/ukraine-trains.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Taking the night train across the war-torn country of Ukraine

By Tamuna Chkareuli

RFERL

“With the absence of air travel, Ukraine's railways, with nearly 20,000 kilometers of track, have been crucial in the time of war. Since February, the trains have transported thousands of refugees to safety. Now, after Ukraine's counteroffensive, many of them have come home.”

—

“Every night, around 80 to 100 long-haul trains crisscross the country, and another more than 200 regional trains run through the early hours. Beside Poland, international trains depart for Vienna and Budapest. Going east within Ukraine, the trains run right up to the areas occupied by Russian forces -- Kramatorsk, Pokrovsk, and Izyum. …”

https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-night-train-stories-photos/32128751.html

____________________

‘Gross sabotage’: traces of explosives found at sites of Nord Stream gas leaks

(The Guardian)

“Traces of explosives have been found at the sites of September’s multiple leaks from the Nord Stream gas pipelines, confirming that the breaches were the result of sabotage, Sweden’s prosecution authority has said. Analysis that has now been carried out shows traces of explosives on several of the objects that were recovered from the scene in the Baltic Sea …”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/18/gross-sabotage-traces-of-explosives-found-at-sites-of-nord-stream-gas-leaks?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

“Rootsi leidis Nord Streami torude juurest lõhkekehade jäänused.” - ERR

Thursday 17. November

Tallinna Raekoja platsi jõulupuu pärineb tänavu Anija vallast Mustjõe külast 🎄

(ERR | Postimees)

“Raekoja platsi jõudis kuusk neljapäeva pärastlõunal. Tänavune jõulupuu on 15 meetri kõrgune ning kasvas elumajale üsna lähedal. Jõulutuled süüdatakse Raekoja platsi kuusel 25. novembril, kui avatakse ka jõuluturg.”

https://www.err.ee/1608791299/galerii-tallinna-tanavune-joulupuu-tuleb-anija-vallast

—

https://www.postimees.ee/7650544/galerii-elumajale-juuri-alla-ajanud-joulupuu-sarab-nuud-tallinna-roomuks

Juhtkiri: Naaberriigid peavad aitama vabu vene ajakirjanikke

(Postimees)

“Vene ajakirjanduse võimalused mõjutada Venemaal toimuvat on väga vähesed, kuid sellegipoolest tuleb sealseid ajakirjanikke toetada ja aidata, sest osalt sõltub Vene vabast ajakirjandusest ka Eesti julgeolek.”

https://arvamus.postimees.ee/7651009/juhtkiri-naaberriigid-peavad-aitama-vabu-vene-ajakirjanikke

Finnish, Estonian PMs meet: Countries' bonds tighten amid a changing world

(Yle)

“Finland's relationship with Estonia will further be strengthened once Finland also becomes a member of Nato, according to Prime Minister Sanna Marin.”

—

“"We have experience, historically, with how Finns and Estonians have come to aid each other in wartime, but plans for cooperation in a similar situation today could be much clearer," Kaja Kallas said.”

https://yle.fi/a/3-12677358

“Kaja Kallas ja Sanna Marin andsid Helsingis ühise pressikonverentsi.” - Postimees

“We are joining NATO to strengthen security of the whole Baltic Sea region - Swedish expert.” - Baltic Times

“NATO must keep 'cool head' over missile incident in Poland, says Estonian PM Kaja Kallas.” - CNN

“Finland and Estonia signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the digitalisation of logistics.” - Helsinki Times

Narvas käiakse endiselt tank-monumenti meenutamas

(ERR)

“Narvas kogunes umbes kümmekond inimest tankiausamba endisesse asukohta monumendi teisaldamist meenutama. Kolmapäeval möödus Narva tanki äraviimisest kolm kuud. Lilled, küünlad, lein ja kurvad laulud. Nii nägi Narva tanki asukoht välja augustis, mõni päev peale sõjamasina muuseumisse viimist. Nüüd on käes juba november, kuid inimesed ei taha kolme kuuga väljakujunenud tavast kuidagi loobuda. …”

https://www.err.ee/1608790807/narvas-kaiakse-endiselt-tank-monumenti-meenutamas

Population census: 76% of Estonia’s population speaks a foreign language

(BNN)

"Census data show that an estimated 76% of Estonia’s population speaks a foreign language. While 10 years ago the most widely spoken foreign language in Estonia was Russian, today it is English, reports Statistics Estonia.”

https://bnn-news.com/population-census-76-of-estonias-population-speaks-a-foreign-language-240117

“Census: Number of dialect speakers in Estonia has increased.” - ERR

President Karis: Without Putin's war in Ukraine, missiles would not fall in Poland

(Baltic Times)

“Alar Karis confirmed in a phone conversation with the Polish head of state Andrzej Duda Estonia's comprehensive support for Poland in determining the circumstances of the recent incident involving missiles that fell on the territory of Poland and said that if Russia had not initiated a war in Ukraine, missiles would not have landed in Poland. Duda gave an overview of the investigation of the incident and noted that the next steps will be decided after the circumstances become clear.”

https://www.baltictimes.com/estonian_president__without_putin_s_war_in_ukraine__missiles_would_not_fall_in_poland/

“Errant missiles from Ukraine are a reminder that wars can always escalate accidentally.” - Foreign Policy

“Ukraine’s Appetite for Weapons Is Straining Western Stockpiles.” - FP

“Russia launches another wave of rocket, drone and missile strikes across Ukraine.” - The Guardian

“Cold, dark confusion grips Ukraine after Putin’s missile barrage.” - Politico

“Over 115,000 Ukrainian refugees entered Estonia since February.” - ERR

The Soviet-era anti-aircraft gun that missfired on Poland

(DW)

“The misfired projectile that fell in Przewodow, Poland, probably came from the S-300 defense system. … The S-300 anti-aircraft system, developed in the Soviet Union, was first put into service by Moscow in the late 1970s. It was used almost everywhere in Eastern Europe until the fall of the Iron Curtain and the end of the Cold War in 1991. According to calculations by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Ukraine alone is said to have had over 250 S-300 systems shortly before Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. … The ranges of the various land-based S-300 systems range from 75 to 195 kilometers.”

https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-the-soviet-era-anti-aircraft-gun-that-likely-missfired-on-poland/a-63792164

Europe has moved closer to Estonia in the last three decades

By President Alar Karis, ERR

“… while the eastern border is just as close as it was 31 or 104 years ago. And just as dark …”

https://news.err.ee/1608791584/alar-karis-europe-has-moved-closer-to-estonia-in-the-last-three-decades

KÄBI: a contemporary Estonian cabin

(Wallpaper | Archello)

“The Nature Villa KÄBI is an ultra-compact hotel, set in the grounds of a 15th-century manor house in the Estonian town of Maidla, about 50km south of Tallinn. Designed by architects Mari Hunt and Arvi Anderson of b210 Architects, the 38 sq m Estonian cabin combines traditional timber construction with an unconventional geometry. … Set deep in a birch forest, the contemporary cabin is named ‘KÄBI’ after the Estonian word for conifer cone.”

https://www.wallpaper.com/architecture/kabi-estonian-cabin-b210-architects

—

https://archello.com/project/maidla-nature-villa-kabi

Nature Villa KÄBI in Estonia by b210 Architects

(Image credit: Tõnu Tunnel)

Wednesday 16. November

PPA kontrollib sel nädalal põhjalikumalt Vene ja Ukraina kodanike piiriületusi

(ERR)

“Politsei- ja piirivalveamet (PPA) alustas esmaspäeval tugevdatud piirikontrolli Eesti piiridel Läti ja Soomega, et saada parem ülevaade Ukraina ja Vene kodanike liikumisest.”

—

"Vahemikus 14. kuni 20. novembrini kontrollime lisaks Eesti-Vene piiril toimuvale põhjalikumalt ka Eestist Läti või Soome suunas lahkuvaid Ukraina ja Vene Föderatsiooni kodanikke. Meie eesmärk on saada parem ülevaade sellest, kui paljud sõjapõgenikud ja Vene kodanikud jäävad Eestisse ning kui paljud liiguvad edasi teistesse riikidesse, ütles PPA peadirektori asetäitja piirivalve alal Egert Belitšev.”

https://www.err.ee/1608789331/ppa-kontrollib-sel-nadalal-pohjalikumalt-vene-ja-ukraina-kodanike-piiriuletusi

NATO liikmelisus kasvatab Soome ja Eesti koostööd

(ERR)

“Eesti ja Soome peaministrid keskendusid tänasel kohtumisel kahe riigi julgeolekuküsimustele. Kaja Kallas osales täna ka Eesti-Soome tulevikukoostööle pühendatud valitsustevahelisel seminaril ning pidas kõne Paasikivi Seltsis. Kahe riigi koostöö tulevikuvisiooni raport, mille konkreetset rakendamist täna Helsingis arutati, keskendub koostööle digitaalses juhtimises, majanduses ja keskkonnahoidlikus tulevikus. Samuti on juttu ka haridusest ja kultuurist. Tegemist on arvult kolmanda raportiga, mille koostamist alustati kaks aastat tagasi.”

https://www.err.ee/1608789793/marin-nato-liikmelisus-kasvatab-soome-ja-eesti-koostood

Ministrid andsid ülevaate Poolas toimunud raketiintsidendi kohta

(Postimees)

“Peaminister Kaja Kallas (RE), kaitseminister Hanno Pevkur (RE), välisminister Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa) ja siseminister Lauri Läänemets (SDE) andsid kell 16 algaval pressikonverentsil ülevaate eile Poolas aset leidnud raketiintsidendist.”

https://www.postimees.ee/7649750/video-ja-blogi-ministrid-andsid-ulevaate-poolas-toimunud-raketiintsidendi-kohta

“Poola hoidis infot kinni, Eesti säilitas külma pead.” - Postimees

“Polish village struck by Ukraine war missile struggling with trauma.” - The Guardian

“Ukrainat tabanud raketisadu tuli lennukitelt ja laevalt.” - Postimees

“NATO ja Poola: puuduvad märgid tahtlikust rünnakust.” - ERR

“The missile strike has ignited visceral fear in Poland, and poses hard questions for Nato.” - The Guardian

“Õhuväelane: Poolal polnud lootustki raketti maha võtta.” - ERR

“Kyiv requests access to Poland blast site.” - Twitter

“Security situation in Latvia unchanged after deadly strike in Poland.” - Latvian Broadcasting

“More Allies join NATO’s Multinational Ammunition Warehousing Initiative.” - NATO press release

Poland blast 'likely caused' by Ukrainian air defence system, NATO chief says

(Various open-sources)

“‘Our preliminary analysis suggests that the incident was likely caused by a Ukrainian air defence missile fired to defend Ukrainian territory against Russian cruise missile attacks," the NATO Secretary General told reporters after an emergency meeting of the alliance's Security Council.”

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/11/16/nato-chief-holds-emergency-meeting-over-poland-explosion

—

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-hails-chinas-opposition-nuclear-threats-2022-11-15/

—

https://www.politico.eu/article/mateusz-morawiecki-missile-poland-from-ukraine-nato-warsaw/

—

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/false-alarm-poland-blast-caused-errant-ukrainian-missile-205892

—

https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-poland-missile-nato/32133101.html

Estonia prepares for China’s inevitably growing influence

By Marian Männi, Estonian World

“… as the Asian giant wants a better seat in Europe’s power circles.”

https://estonianworld.com/security/estonia-prepares-for-chinas-growing-influence/

Russian Flight From the Arctic Undercuts Moscow’s Hold on the Far North

By Paul Goble, Jamestown

“The Kremlin’s hopes for the development of the Northern Sea Route and for protecting and projecting power into the Arctic may soon collapse. This is not due to global warming, the moves of other countries in the Arctic Ocean, nor Russia’s own problems with developing and maintaining the onshore facilities needed to keep the route operating efficiently. Rather, it is because of the accelerating flight of ethnic Russians from the northern regions of the country. That flight is making it impossible for Moscow to maintain, let alone expand, the facilities needed to support its ambitious plans for the Arctic, tipping the ethnic balance of the population there away from ethnic Russians to indigenous populations increasingly at odds with the Kremlin. Such a development is even raising fears that other countries, China and the United States in particular, may challenge Moscow for control of the Northern Sea Route and even key parts of land now within the Russian Federation.”

https://jamestown.org/program/russian-flight-from-the-arctic-undercuts-moscows-hold-on-the-far-north/

Tuesday 15. November

‘Dark Ships’ Emerge From the Shadows of the Nord Stream Mystery

(Wired)

“The first gas leaks on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in the Baltic Sea were detected in the early hours of September 26, pouring up to 400,000 tons of methane into the atmosphere. Officials immediately suspected sabotage of the international pipeline. New analysis seen by WIRED shows that two large ships, with their trackers off, appeared around the leak sites in the days immediately before they were detected.”

—

“According to the analysis by satellite data monitoring firm SpaceKnow, the two “dark ships,” each measuring around 95 to 130 meters long, passed within several miles of the Nord Stream 2 leak sites. “We have detected some dark ships, meaning vessels that were of a significant size, that were passing through that area of interest.”

https://www.wired.com/story/nord-stream-pipeline-explosion-dark-ships/#intcid=_wired-right-rail_0c0a63f5-38dd-4688-b705-d7c3ca9b29d0_popular4-1-reranked-by-vidi

Estonia providing €1 million in grants to Russian-language private media

(ERR)

“… in Estonia, with the aim of providing balanced content in that language.”

https://news.err.ee/1608787864/estonia-providing-1-million-in-grants-to-russian-language-private-media

European Commission predicts inflation in Estonia will fall to 6.6 % in 2023

(ERR)

“According to the report, the government deficit is projected to expand to 3.7 percent of GDP in 2023 before falling again in 2024, while public debt is expected to increase slightly, to 21 percent of GDP in 2024.”

https://news.err.ee/1608786001/european-commission-predicts-6-6-percent-inflation-drop-for-estonia-in-2023

Interview: Mart Noorma, director of NATO’s cyber brain trust

(Defense News)

“In August Noorma became the latest director of the CCDCOE, a Tallinn-based hub focused on cyber research, training and exercises. He succeeded Brig. Gen. Jaak Tarien, who stepped into the position in 2018. Noorma will serve a 3-year term.”

https://www.defensenews.com/cyber/2022/11/11/qa-with-mart-noorma-the-new-director-of-natos-cyber-brain-trust/

“A volunteer hacker on waging cyber war against Russia.” - Euronews

Estonia changes tack, says it won’t side against Israel in UN votes

(ERR | Times of Israel | ABCNews)

“Estonia’s foreign minister Urmas Reinsalu says the Baltic country has changed its policy toward Israel and will no longer vote for UN resolutions condemning Israel’s actions in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Instead, the European country is looking from now on to align its UN voting position in such matters with Washington, its closest security policy ally.”

https://news.err.ee/1608788215/minister-estonia-will-generally-no-longer-side-against-israel-in-un-votes

—

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/estonia-changes-tack-says-it-wont-side-against-israel-in-un-votes/

—

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/estonia-tack-side-israel-votes-93272048

- Putin’s War -

The Russian Empire Must Die

By Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic

“A better future requires Putin’s defeat—and the end to imperial aspirations.”

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/12/putin-russia-must-lose-ukraine-war-imperial-future/671891/

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment:

November 16. And 17.

(ISW)

“Russian sources and proxy officials are flagrantly touting the forced adoption of Ukrainian children into Russian families.”

—

“The Russian information space largely followed the official Kremlin framing of the missile strike on Polish territory as a Western provocation.”

—

“Russian forces conducted another massive wave of missile strikes across Ukraine on November 17.”

—

“Russian authorities continue to face discontented mobilized personnel and low morale on the front lines.”

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-november-16

—

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-november-17

The particular problems of fighting in the Ukrainian autumn

(The Economist)

“It’s mud season again in Ukraine. Spring and autumn are the most difficult periods for warfare,” says reservist Colonel Oleh Zhdanov, a former operations officer on the Ukrainian general staff. “The main problem is the rain.” Farm tracks leading to the front lines are churned into slippery swamps, armoured vehicles founder, soldiers slip and fall and sometimes break bones. “As the temperature drops, the fighting slows down,” says Colonel Zhdanov. “When roads are impassable, the war usually becomes more positional.”

https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/11/10/the-particular-problems-of-fighting-in-the-ukrainian-autumn

“Putin Runs out of Options.” - CEPA

“Russia Rejects Ukraine’s Negotiating Terms.” - Moscow Times

“As Ukraine War Grinds On, Moscow Faces Ever More Military Veterans and the Rising Cost of Supporting Them.” - Paul Goble

"Visiting liberated Kherson, Zelensky sees ‘beginning of the end of the war’.” - Washington Post

“UN General Assembly Calls For Russian Reparations To Ukraine.” - RFERL

“Russian Colonel Who Helped Putin’s Mobilization Mysteriously Shot Dead.” - Daily Beast

“Russia Tried to Absorb a Ukrainian City. It Didn’t Work.” - New York Times

“Zelensky says 400 war crimes already documented in Kherson.” - The Hill

“Liberated Kherson Residents Talk About Resistance To The Russian Occupation.” - RFERL

“Ukraine Could Eventually Retake Crimea. How Would Crimeans Respond?” - The Bulwark

“Russia fires biggest barrage so far at Ukrainian cities as it retreats on battlefield.” - CBC

“Russians Near Ukrainian Border Want to Sell Their Residences.” - Paul Goble

Putin Has 'Unleashed Too Much Torment' For An Easy Exit

Jon Lee Anderson Interview, RFERL

“… maybe it's a superstitious faith in "what goes around comes around," but one senses that Russia today under Putin is a much more precarious place, a violent place, even in the halls of power around him. You see these characters emerging from the wars that he has unleashed, who are now these powerful figures when he commands to go and wreak more havoc on Ukraine.”

—

“And the appearance now of this dark character, [Yevgeny] Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner [mercenary] group, taunting the world with what he's doing, openly sending mercenaries from different countries to fight… They even look like villains from some bad movie.”

https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-ukraine-war-exit-torment-interview--jon-anderson-new-yorker/32132255.html

The New Stalin Era

By Anna Nemtsova, The Atlantic

“In Russia today, Nikita Khrushchev’s memory has been almost completely erased from public discussion, even though he led the post-Stalin U.S.S.R. through what was arguably its most hopeful time. In that era, from 1953 to 1964, the Soviets were competing with the U.S. in the space race; Khrushchev even boasted that the U.S.S.R. was close to overtaking the U.S. as world leader. And a period of liberalization known as “The Thaw” seemed to consign the show trials, purges, and mass murder of the 1930s to communism’s dark past. Yet the Kremlin today conspicuously overlooks Khrushchev.”

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/11/putin-russia-nikita-khrushcheva-cuban-missle-crisis/672094/

Belarus Under Russian 'Military Occupation’ says Opposition Leader

(The Moscow Times)

“Belarus opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya said that her country was under de facto "military occupation" by Russia on Monday as she urged the EU to maintain pressure on the regime of President Alexander Lukashenko. Moscow used ally Belarus as a key launchpad for its invasion of Ukraine and is deploying thousands of troops to its close ally as part of a joint task force.”

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"I have to say that Belarus is de facto under military occupation," Tikhanovskaya told AFP after meeting EU foreign ministers in Brussels. She said that Lukashenko does not "control the presence of Russian troops" or the stationing of Moscow's military equipment in Belarus.”

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"He just has to agree with everything because he knows that without [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's support, he will not politically survive in Belarus."

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/11/14/belarus-under-russian-military-occupation-opposition-leader-a79367

“Lukashenka Would Put Himself at Risk if He Ordered Belarusian Army into Ukraine.” - Paul Goble

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