The Spirit of Tengri in Yakutia, Russia

Yakutia (Saha) is an autonomous republic in the Russian northern Far -East, and is famous for permafrost climate, Nordic deer, and diamonds. World's coldest region, the Oymiakon, is located in Eastern Yakutia.

Oymiakon, Yakutia, Russia

These music videos below present a traditional Yakutia music style, the first one is from a folk festival, the second is more pop/ 'Eurovision' mix, and also show nature scenes from Yakutia. 

Both music pieces are dedicated to Tengri. Tengri is the main Turkic god, from the pre-Islamic period. Tengri is the one controlling celestial spheres. He is often presented a pure, white goose that flies constantly over an endless expanse of water, which represents time . Tengri creates Er Kishi, who eventually becomes a demonic character. Together they rule the world. Those beliefs appear close to  Zoroastrianism, with only one main god. Tengri is also sometimes compared to the pagan Scandinavian deity Odinn. 

Ksenia Sobchak told about a new castling 

Ksenia Sobchak, referring to her sources, told Sobesednik.ru, that in the presidential elections in 2018,  it will be Medvedev turn to run. 

Ksenia, what do you think, will Putin run for the next term? 

- Very serious people close to the administration, are telling me that as of  today there is a decision about castling, that is than again Medvedev. But it seems nonsense to me . Medvedev, first of all, is much less electable, and the second - why this reshuffle? By 2018, they will somehow fix the economy, will come to their senses  ... -

What, oil price will rise ?

- Even if it will not go up, everybody will become accustomed. What is the price of oil to these people?  Do they receive preferential treatment from the fact that these prices are off scale? As before, some earned six million a month, and others - six thousand ... As for oil prices, in Russia they are not listening to economists but to an astrologer Globo. No, just by 2018  they will learn to cope with the shock, people are adaptable, and cit will be possible to  select calmly  for a further six years.

I do not think so. 
- Your optimism is well known. But they--and you will see this in 2016, -will firmly cement everything in the Duma, not a mouse will sneak by, not a fly - what PARNAS, no way, I beg you.

Translated by KarlosDJX

Source: Sobesednik.ru, January 3, 2016

Surkov and Nuland discussed Minsk agreements progress

WASHINGTON, Jan 15.

Progress in implementing the Minsk agreements, designed to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, was discussed at a meeting on Friday in Kaliningrad by Russian presidential aide Vladislav Surkov, and US Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland. This was announced by head of the press service of the US State Department, John Kirby. 
Kirby believes believes that the Surkov-Nuland consultations should be regarded as part of US efforts to work together
with Russia with an aim to guarantee full implementation of the Minsk 

TASS

Surkov: "detailed, constructive and useful consultations took place. That was a sort of brainstorming session seeking compromises towards fulfillment of Minsk agreements...On certain sensitive issues, such as constitutional reform (in Ukraine) , security, and elections, ideas were proposed, which may be further discussed in the Normandy format contact group"

RIA

It is reported that the  meeting lasted for 6 hours in total. 



Translated by Karlos.


Added: Interfax-Ukraine

Nuland:  "Recently truce turned into a better life, but it is not yet complete, people still die“, - she said.

” So the first challenge - to stop killing people, so you can move to other parts of Minsk agreements, including political decision, real elections in accordance with Ukrainian legislation which meets standards of the OSCE, withdrawal of foreign military equipment and military to regain control of the borders, “- added the assistant secretary of state.

According to Nuland,” we all have to work to Minsk agreements were enforced, otherwise we will be at least frozen conflicts, and perhaps worse - a constant danger for Ukraine and for themselves “.

Previously reported that Nuland on Friday will arrive in Kaliningrad, where he will hold talks with presidential aide in ‘Vyacheslav Surkov.

The interviewee said that these recommendations may relate, in particular, carrying out in parts of Donetsk and Lugansk regions local elections. 

More from BNS (Lithuania)  

Also: Recent Nuland interview,- found at BNS, and Translated by a robot:

US calls on allies to send troops into the Baltic states - BNS INTERVIEW

Paunguriai, 15 January. (BNS). United States invites allies to send their troops to the Baltic countries, that each of them would be formed after the international battalion arrived to Lithuania says US Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland (Victoria Njuland).

BNS diplomat said in an interview that will take place in Poland in July NATO summit will strengthen their security at the same time called on the Russian twitchy eastern European countries to cope with challenges of the Alliance in the South.

V.Nuland said the US intends to continue to maintain a dialogue with Russia on Syria to stop the civil war and stop the flow of refugees.

The traditional security experts "Snow meeting" Trakai district participating diplomat also called on Minsk contribute to the implementation of agreements on a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, warning them that the collapse of Ukraine would face a constant threat.

- Mr Ambassador, at the meeting in Trakai focus on the upcoming NATO summit in Warsaw. Is this summit somehow increase their security?

- I think that certainly strengthen. We keep the promises that we have given (the former summit) in Wales to ensure that deter any threats act together and the strengthening of the region's countries, including Lithuania, the capacity of their own safety. We have come a long way already. In each of these countries regularly rotate 150 American soldiers are new NATO headquarters elements, Lithuania received the first US technology, which is deployed in advance, if necessary, improving your air defense, cyber-security capabilities, all countries in the region to better cooperate with each other. So I think that Lithuania and by all the countries citizens will benefit.

- More particularly the Baltic countries seek what could be called the "Baltic Brigade" - after the international battalion in each of the countries. Do you mean you support?

- The idea is that now each of the parties is under the host country band and US band, we are ready to work, and ask if you can help another ally of the regular rotation in, and how we can combine these companies, and that the overall result would force battalion but any given time. United States, of course, supported by the fact that more allies to come and contribute to our land forces here in the east. But NATO countries on the eastern outskirts as well as please think about how they can contribute to the situation in the South. We not only take care of the security of the East, but we are working to ensure the safety of the South. Solidarity must be both missions.

- In 2014, when Russia annexed the Crimea and eastern Ukraine started the war, quite a lot of politicians, journalists, analysts warned that the Baltic countries may become the next Russian President Vladimir Putin's target. In your opinion, is it a realistic scenario?

- The work we have done over the past one and a half, two years, speaks for itself, that deterrence is strong, and Russia did not take our test, with the exception of some kind in our air defense control. Remains a commitment to work together to ensure that that will continue, that our strength is evident and that would not be worth it to try.

- Many Lithuanian may be straightforward question - whether the US ever risking the Third World War in order to defend the Baltic states against Russian attack. What would you answer?

- We nekviečiame new members into the Alliance - whether it be in Germany in the fifties, and Lithuania, when you join you - without being willing to defend you. This is the fifth (North Atlantic Treaty) article. I have a draft-age sons and I appreciate it very seriously, I think all Americans appreciate it very seriously. But it is not only important that the Americans would come to defend Lithuania, but also as Lithuania contributes to the security of all of us, including your activities in such places as Afghanistan. This is the essence of the Alliance.

- I would like to go to Syria. Russia is there for your partner or a source of problems?

- As you know, Russia in Syria has its own approach. She continued to say that its military activities are primarily directed against the ISIL ("Islamic state" grouping). Išsakėme concern that in some cases they are aiming more to defend (President Bashar) Assad and his regime. But through dialogue that my leader, Secretary (John) Kerry carries with Foreign Minister (Sergei) Lavrov and Syrian wider international support group, we seek to find a political solution which will put an end to this war. This is important not only for Syria but for the entire region, as well as to stop the flow of desperate migrants here in Europe.

- Last question about Ukraine, where a few days ago again announced renewed ceasefire. Do you see the possibility that this year ceasefire to take effect, or the Minsk agreements can be implemented?

- It is very important that all of us who are friends of Ukraine, we work very hard to help not only Ukraine, but all of Normandy countries to implement the agreement in Minsk, which is important not only for Ukraine's security, but also the entire region's security.

You are right that the recent ceasefire implementation was better, but still incomplete, people are still dying, going clashes. Thus, the first challenge is to stop the massacres, so we can move on to other parts of the Minsk agreement, including a political decision, genuine elections according to the laws of Ukraine, who meet OSCE standards, foreign military equipment and troops withdrawal and the return of border controls. We all have to work that Minsk would be implemented, because otherwise we will have as a minimum a frozen conflict, and perhaps worse - a constant threat to Ukraine and yourself.

- Madam Deputy Secretary, thank you for your time.

 Return  of  Donbass and Gryzlov visit. The main points of Poroshenko speech 

"I am the first man in Parallel Universe"

Return of control over the Donbas 
Poroshenko said that the top priority for this year  is the return of control over the occupied territories of Donbass. "Achieving peace and the return of Ukrainian to Donbass. In 2016, the restoration  of the Ukrainian sovereignty  over the occupied territories in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions should occur" - said the head of state.

Fight for the annexed Crimea.

He added that the annexed by Russia  peninsula remains a priority for Ukraine. According to Poroshenko, he wants to initiate the establishment of an international mechanism for  de-occupation of the peninsula. "In my opinion, the optimal option for the start of such a mechanism, I consider the Geneva format with the participation of our partners from the European Union, the United States and, perhaps, the signatory countries of the Budapest Memorandum," - said the Ukrainian leader.
...

Regarding Gryzlov visit, Poroshenko said that he reserves the right to speak with whomever, "to bring our heroes, Savchenko, Sentsov, back, and to stop shelling of Ukrainian positions".



TSN.UA

(Just translating. Karlos).

Russia in the Mist 

In the beginning of the second decade of January 2016 the cyclone “Daniella” affected the European part of Russia.

Cyclone “Daniella” originated in Central Europe and brought a lot of rain and snowfall.

The orange weather alert has been issued by the Met Office for strong wind and snowfall for 12^th and 13^th January 2016 in Capital region and also in other regions of Central Russia.

Strong snowfall in St.-Petersburg will continue for the next 3 days.

In Moscow just in one day 1/3 of monthly rate of precipitation for this period was observed.

Snow fall in Moscow was the biggest since the beginning of the winter, but not on the record.

The wind could reach 20m/sec. About 100 flights from Moscow have been delayed.

But the roads in capital are working in relaxed style because of the service provided by the transport ministry to clean the roads on time.

Because of the snowfalls in the Central Russian town Ulyanovsk the traditional celebration of the Old New Year (13-14^th January) was postponed till the upcoming weekend on 16^th January, when the travel will be resumed.

On federal road between Moscow and St.-Petersburg there was 170 mm of snow just in one day - equivalent to whole month of precipitation.

180 special machines for cleaning the snow have been working around the clock. So there was no traffic jam on the road.

Near the city Voronezh the icy rain damaged the electrical cables, which were teared apart by the weight of ice. The households have been left without electricity.

 

Public transport in Moscow was not affected by the weather conditions. The Metro rails were cleared from snow timely, so the travel was not disrupted.

Citizens have been encouraged not to use their cars, but to use the public transport instead, which run smoothly.

TASS-Society. (More rare weather photos in the original)

Translated from Russian by ZenaV_1.0 © for Karlos DJX  ©

Noted: Russia in the Mist  here is a variation on Russia in the Shadows, a documentary by Herbert George Wells, written in 1920 after his visits to Soviet Russia. 

Petr Poroshenko and Boris Gryzlov discussed  relations between Moscow and Kiev 

Illustration on Cassad blog:

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko met with Boris Gryzlov, the representative of Russia in the contact group on resolving the situation in the Donbass . According to ZN.ua sources , the sides discussed a wide range of issues of the Russian-Ukrainian relations. One of the topics of the talks was changes in the constitution of Ukraine, which must be approved by Ukrainian Parliament (the Rada) before the end of the current session. According to the newspaper, the meeting was initiated by the President of Ukraine.

Earlier, Boris Gryzlov held talks with Leonid Kuchma, the representative of Ukraine to the tripartite contact group. In Kiev. The arrival of the Russian policymaker to the Ukrainian capital was called unprecedented. Yesterday in Minsk  political subgroup of the tripartite contact group continued its work to resolve the situation in the Donbass, And today, the first  in the year of 2016 meeting of the tripartite group will be held 

 Source: Kommersant

 January 12, 2016. Translated by Karlos. 

First Film of Andrey Tarkovsky

1956 "The Killers" is the first film of the great director. The film was made when Tarkovsky was in his  third year at VGIK, in the Fall semester, together with his classmates A. Gordon and M. Bakey. At that time, collected  works of Ernest Hemingway were  published for the first time in the Soviet Union, and Tarkovsky proposed to make a short film based on Hemingway story. VGIK officially approved the project, which enabled the students to make a film based on a works of a foreign author.

The first and last scene in the cafe were filmed ( ) by Tarkovsky, the second scene, in the room Andresen, was filmed by A.Gordon. All the roles in the film are played by students of VGIK. The film was highly appreciated by the master of this VGIK course,  Mikhail Romm. Movie script was written by Tarkovsky and Gordon. The film was directed by Bakey, Gordon, and Tarkovsky.

See Alexander Gordon publication for more: The parts were to be played by fellow students — Nick Adams by Yuli Fait, Ole Anderson the former boxer, of course, by Vasily Shukshin. The murderers were Valentin Vinogradov, a directing student, and Boris Novikov, an acting student. I played the cafe owner... 

By 2002, it was other way around: Steven Soderbergh "Solaris",  a reflection on  Tarkovsky's "Solaris" (1972); both based on a sci-fi story by a Polish writer Stanislav Lem.