Tuesday 26 May 2015

Russia and Ukraine - 05/25/2015

Putin's Spokesman Exposes Western Media Echo Chamber
Disclosure of identical questions sent to Russia’s Presidential Press Service by two separate Western media agencies exposes orchestrated campaign

Alexander Mercouris

25 March, 2015

One of the questions those of us who write about Russian affairs from an independent perspective at some point ask ourselves is whether the uniformly bad coverage Russia gets in the Western media is orchestrated or spontaneous.

In other words do Western journalists write what they do about Russia — even when it is obviously completely wrong — because they are told to or because they believe it?

I say this because there have been times when I have read almost identical wrong editorials on the same Russian subject in several supposedly rival Western newspapers coming out on the same day. Since these were editorials it was clearly not the case of newspapers republishing the same piece written previously by a news agency or wire service. The language of the editorials was however so similar that they actually gave the impression of having been written by the same hand.

Information just provided by Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov adds spice to this perennial question.

Peskov has revealed that two different Western media agencies, one based in London and one in New York, have simultaneously written to Russia’s Presidential news service asking for information about the same question: Putin’s connections to the businessman Gennady Timchenko and his former company Gunvor.

According to Peskov the two requests were very similar. Both used peremptory language, taking the form of an ultimatum. Peskov speculated, surely correctly, that the two requests were sent simultaneously by prior arrangement, suggesting an orchestrated campaign.

The subject of Putin’s connections to Timchenko and Gunvor is a hardy perennial that continues to be brought up at regular intervals ever since it was first floated back in 2007 by Berezovsky’s former bagman Stanislav Belkovsky. As Peskov correctly pointed out, there is no substance to it. When The Economist tried to float the story some years ago, Gunvor threatened legal action, obliging The Economist to publish a retraction and apology, which included the words: “We accept Gunvor’s assurances that neither Vladimir Putin nor other senior Russian political figures have any ownership interest in Gunvor. We regret if any contrary impression was given.”

That ought to have been the end of the story. However, like every other smear that has circulated about Putin, the total absence of fact to support it has never stood in the way of its believers. Moreover last year, when the US authorities first imposed sanctions on Russia, it emerged that among these believers is none other than the US government.

The endlessly recycled smears about Putin’s wealth require a separate discussion. Here I will only touch on Peskov’s point concerning the orchestration of the Western media’s assault on Putin and Russia.

The fact that two Western media agencies are working in close collusion with each other is not necessarily wrong. Media agencies do occasionally work together. Also there is some degree of cross-ownership, with the Murdoch press in particular having a presence in both London and New York. Peskov did not reveal who the two media agencies were, and it is possible they were both part of the same group.

However the Western media does often work as an echo chamber, with the same story appearing to gain authority because it is published at one and the same time in more than one place, giving the impression that the story has more than one source, and must therefore be true.


What Peskov’s information shows is that this is not always so. More often than not a story about Putin or Russia has only one source, and the reason it is appearing in more than one place is because someone is arranging for it to be published that way.



Ukraine SITREP May 25th, by Duff

ECONOMY
Ukraine has just couple of days left to try to negotiate   restructuring of $ 23 billion debt if they want to get  a  new credit tranche from IMF program worth $ 17.5 billion
Ukraine Debt Default. Kiev Reneges On Its Debt Obligations. Ukraine Parliament’s “Debt Moratorium Authorization”
As Ukraine’s Debt Approaches GDP, Is Default Inevitable?
A quote from  Fort Russ article:
The decision of the Verkhovna Rada not to pay debts means the default is close, thinks the ex-MP, the former head of the the State Commission of Financial Services [of Ukraine], Vasily Volga,
ex-Rada explained what would a total default mean for the country. “This is a situation when lenders refuse to write off and restructure debts. In this case, the creditors have the right to demand the arrest of all foreign property and accounts of a bankrupt state. Also, the creditors, to satisfy their requirements, have the right to foreclose on the assets of the debtor state within the state. And, of course, you can forget about any loans from any international financial institutions. The national currency is instantly devalued. The value of state assets will plunge towards zero. Social programs are destroyed”.
In this case the one who owns the debt of a bankrupt state, becomes the owner of everything for nothing. “I think we should not forget about the information spread in the press a couple of months ago about the Rothschilds buying the sovereign debt of Ukraine”, – said the politician.
He noted that if the default of the country will be total, then “we will witness a grand buyout, which was prepared by war and the murder of tens of thousands of my fellow citizens. “The culmination is near. We will see everything. All the cards will be revealed,”
Somebody  else commented:
Judging by the recent events, default that is knocking at the at the door with both hands   may reveal  that there is no money  left in Kiev, not only  to pay soldiers, but not even to pay  those who are now preventing soldiers from rioting. If so, Kiev authorities can consider themselves  lucky  if  they succeed  to retain control over  Kiev region solely. “
Medvedev expressed concern about the commercial loans granted by Russian banks that are totaling approximately $ 25 billion. Main shareholder of the most commercial banks is the state, He also  promised  Russia will toughen its position in case  Kiev fails  to repay debts
We will not pay debts to Russia because of principle
Ukraine is not going to pay a  3-billion debt to Russia, out of principle,  said Viktor Chumak, Verkhovna Rada deputy from Poroshenko Bloc  in  Shuster Live a  talk show.
Партия Порошенко: Принципиально не будем возвращать России долг
RELATED:
Greece says it will default in June without aid from lenders
Greece will not be able to make a payment to the International Monetary Fund due on June 5 unless foreign lenders provide more aid, a senior ruling party lawmaker said on Wednesday, the latest warning from Athens that it is on the verge of default.
Email mistake reveals Bank of England’s EU exit project
A spokesman for the bank described the error as “unfortunate”.source
London Gold Fix Closed – Sign of Drastic Changes the World Financial System Is To Go Through
The Roman Catholic Church has the largest reserves of gold in the world
The Roman Catholic Church controls approximately 60 350 tons of ‘gold, twice the size of total official gold reserves worldwide, or approximately 30.2% of all the’ gold ever mined / product source
Russia’s international reserves grew by $3.8 billion between May 8 and 15
Russia’s gold and foreign currency reached $362.3 billion, according to the Bank of Russia. As of May 8, the reserves totaled $358.5 billion. Thus the grew by $3.8 billion in a single week. The Bank of Russia press service explained to journalists that the growth of the reserve fund was mainly due to favorable exchange rate shifts. Moreover, the Bank of Russia began to regularly purchase foreign currency in order to replenish its reserves, buying $581 million between May 13 and May 15.
PROPAGANDA
Lets see how it works subtly:
If nothing else works, then the media should push the right buttons – how about resentments of population wanting better support from Russia?:
The quote from Inforesist :
Seems that after the iron curtain between Russia and the West rattled with a bang, Vladimir Vladimirovich  abandoned Novorussiya Project,  where he was defending Russian speakers  from “Kiev junta”, and  rushed to find another enemy.
He found it  right under his nose! A few days ago, Putin ordered to get rid of the foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs). “
Putin signed the law about “unwanted” foreign organizations in RF
Путин подписал закон о “нежелательных” иностранных организациях в РФ
after that
US urges RF to respect freedom of speech
США требуют от РФ выполнения обязательств по соблюдению свободы слова |
Russia and China have agreed to confront intervention in the sovereign affairs
Secretary of Security Council Nikolai Patrushev and State Councilor Yang Jiechi in Moscow held consultations on strategic security
Ukrainian dystopia: who manipulates the collective psychosis
Many people are still asking in amazement, how can Ukrainians  believe  blatant nonsense served by  oligarch-controlled media ( other media  in  Ukraine does not exist).Indeed, even minimal capacity of logical thinking would lead to doubt, but  often it  this doesn’t happen.
It must be stressed that not everyone believes, and we should not think that entire country went crazy  (mentally healthy individuals in a madhouse are just forced to disguise).
As for affected,  which is actually a hyperactive minority, it is defined in the literature  about   totalitarian sects and destructive cults define the phenomena as  “sectarian pseudo personality” The creation of such pseudo personality  in the human psyche is called “indoctrination.” During the sectarian influence through various technologies “pseudo personality” is created that   suppresses authentic “I” and opens to external control. Individuality is destroyed, and free will is suppressed.
Individual is kept in the dark, with access to alternative information restricted, at the same time fed with one-sided propaganda,  misinformation, and lies.
Amnesty International: Report on  the torture of prisoners in Ukraine can shock Europe
Europe must put pressure on Kiev to stop the torture of prisoners source
Basurin: Kiev is ready to send 85 commando units to Donbass
Басурин: Киев готов направить 85 диверсионных групп в Донбасс source
US Navy Destroyer Ross Enters Black Sea
The USS Ross (DDG 71), a guided-missile destroyer from the US Sixth Fleet, has reportedly entered the waters of the Black Sea. The warship, which is equipped with the Aegis ballistic missile-defense system, is due to take part in joint US-Romanian naval drills codenamed Trident Poseidon 2015.
Related reminder
a year old article
3 reasons why Moldova could become the next Ukraine
Russian Defense source: US intelligence developed a plan on liquidation of Transnistria
A source in the Russian Defense Ministry announced about the existence of a military plan of liquidation of Transnistria, developed by U.S. intelligence with participation of military agencies of Ukraine, Moldova and Romania.
Оn CNN building in Chicago, activists placed  a banner in support of Donbass
Ukrainian edition of Komsomolskaya  Pravda, brings the article about the death of Mozgovoy’s press secretary,  Anna  Aseeva, from an unexpected angle.
It reveals that Ana Aseeva and her husband and colleague, journalist Yuriy Aseev, took diametrically opposite sides, at the beginning of the conflict in Donbass. After many confrontations between the couple, he joined Aydar battalion, when at the same time  she became a press secretary in Mozgovoy’s office.
Despite of different views, Aseev remembers his wife with warmth and appreciation.
Latest news:
There were rumors today  that Plotnicky has been arrested.
Zaharchenko, called him to congratulate for finally been behind the bars. But, no. Appears that Plotnicky is still free.

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