Europe unlikely to buy Russian gas from Turkish stream, while Turkey might depend on Russian gas.

Europe unlikely to buy Russian gas from Turkish stream, while Turkey might depend on Russian gas. (Taz).

Likelihood of Russian gas supplies to Europe by Turkish stream pipeline is remote given the current state of play in EU- Russia relations, Constantine Levoyannis, head of the Greek Energy Forum's Brussels branch told Trend by email on Oct. 12.

This week an intergovernmental agreement on the Turkish Stream pipeline has been signed in Istanbul in the presence of both presidents. The agreement envisages the construction of two pipeline strings, each with a capacity of 15.75 billion cubic meters.

The first string will supply gas directly to Turkey, while the second is to be used to deliver gas to European countries through Turkey.

Levoyannis noted that the first stream supplying Turkish gas demand should come as no surprise.
“It is likely to happen. It makes commercial sense and the demand is there,” he said.

On the other hand, the expert noted that the likelihood of the second string to Europe materializing is remote, given the current state of play in EU Russia relations, adding that a top priority for the EU is the Southern Gas Corridor.

“To me the second announcement bears more of a political message towards the EU,” Levoyannis said.


Within the negotiation on the Turkish Stream this week, the parties also agreed on a mechanism by which to provide a discount on Russian gas for Turkey.

The agreement on gas price discount is interesting news, Levoyannis said.
“This could have a significant macroeconomic impact - particularly on gas on gas competition,” he noted. Hmmm....I'm sure Iran won't be happy with this.

Russia Confirms Turkish Stream Pipeline abandoned.

Russia Confirms Turkish Stream Pipeline abandoned. (Novinite).

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak has announced the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project between Moscow and Ankara has been abandoned.

Novak's statement that work on the project is now suspended comes after earlier comments by Russian officials that talks between Russia and Turkey over the project had not yet been frozen as reported.

The development comes amid heightened Ankara-Moscow tensions over the downing of a Russian jet by the Turkish air forces.

Turkish Stream was announced on December 02 of last year as an alternative to South Stream, a pipeline project that was to carry gas to Central Europe via Bulgaria and Serbia. Russian President Vladimir Putin than declared South Stream abandoned, citing EU opposition which had resulted in Bulgaria's refusal to issue construction permits.

Russia introduced economic sanctions against Turkey after the incident, but initially maintained current projects such as Turkish Stream and the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant would not fall in the scope of restrictions.

Bilateral talks on the project had been in limbo for months, with the two state-run companies, Gazprom and Botas, failing to agree on gas pricing.

Russia's TASS agency earlier quoted Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller as saying if Turkey is intersted in Turkish Stream it must turn to Russia so that talks are carried out.

"[If it] turns to us - we'll consider [renewing talks]. Turkey hasn't turned to us with a proposal to build Turkish Stream." Hmmmm......Already in June I said the 'Turkish stream' was a 'dead stream'. 

Why the EU politicians never Will criticize Erdogan's 'rule.

Map from 2013 ! #NATO’s Energy Security Strategy: Break Russia’s control over European gas markets.

Why the EU politicians never Will criticize Erdogan's 'rule. Iran has potential to increase gas supply to Turkey, export it to Europe. (Taz).

Iran has great potential and technical opportunities to increase gas supply to Turkey, Amir Abbas Soltani, first secretary of Iranian parliament's energy commission exclusively told Trend.

The country also has technical potential to export its gas to European countries, he added.

Soltani said currently, Iran can meet 8-9 percent of the world market’s demand for natural gas and expressed regret that the sanctions didn’t allow Iran to use this potential.

Tehran always expresses readiness to cooperate with all countries which want to import Iranian gas, he noted.

Touching upon the relations between Iran and Turkey, Soltani pointed out that before the imposition of sanctions by the West, Ankara and Tehran had close bilateral relations.

Furthermore, he said that Ankara’s policy towards Syria and opening its military base for the US would inevitably affect the relations between Turkey and Iran. Hmmm.....As i said before EU parlimentarians would sell mother and father for cheap energy....human rights or a nuclear armed Iran won't stop them. Read the full story here.

Related:

'Sanctions that Benefit' - Iranian MPs Visit Belgian Gas Transmission Firm.

More on Iran's potential as EU's 'official gas provider' in cooperation with the 'Angry man of Europe' Turkey here below.

NATO’s Energy Security Strategy: Break Russia’s control over European gas markets.

http://www.naturalgaseurope.com/unprecedented-opportunity-for-nato-allies-natural-gas-diversification

http://csis.org/files/publication/100228_Smith_RussiaEuropeEnergy_Web.pdf

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2014/542167/EPRS_BRI(2014)542167_REV1_EN.pdf

http://www.nato-pa.int/default.asp?SHORTCUT=2074

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/departments/warstudies/research/groups/eucers/fu-pubs.pdf

Russia's gas pipelines to Europe by 2018.

Russia's gas pipelines to Europe by 2018. (TASS).

Video - Captured Russian officer explains how 2-3k Russian officers w/ fake ID run Putin's proxy Ukraine forces.

Full video transcript in English here: http://t.co/X7yCGzF0Ym via @LUGANSK_TODAY

— Silver Surfer (@RobPulseNews) July 30, 2015

Video - The Honeymoon Is Over In the Crimea.

'Flexibility' - Russian Ground Forces to hold drills with Indian, Mongolian, Chinese, Belarusian troops this year.

'Flexibility' - Russian Ground Forces to hold drills with Indian, Mongolian, Chinese, Belarusian troops this year. (RBTH).

The Russian Armed Forces' Ground Forces will hold joint military peacekeeping and anti-terror exercises with troops from India, Mongolia, China and Belarus in the second half of 2015.

"In the second half of 2015, the Ground Forces units and formations are expected to take part in five joint military peacekeeping and anti-terror drills with army units from India, Mongolia, China and the Republic of Belarus, as well as with the armed forces of the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) member states," according to the documents prepared for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, focused on the development of the Russian Armed Forces.

A total of 18 inter-service drills involving Ground Forces, Air Force, Navy units, armed forces branches and specialist troops are expected to be held before the end of 2015.

"The main event during the summer training period will be a joint command post exercise with central military-command offices, command post crisis-resolution and peacekeeping drills supervised by the Ground Forces commander-in-chief," according to the documents.

In addition, in 2015 the Ground Forces will conduct over 150 tactical and specialist tactical drills with various armed forces branches and specialist troops, as well as field and map command post exercises. Hmmm.......'Practices make perfect' 

Former Amb of Ukraine to Belarus Bezsmertnyi: Gomel and Vitebsk regions have already distributed leaflets that they are "native Russian land".

Former Amb of Ukraine to Belarus Bezsmertnyi: Gomel and Vitebsk regions have already distributed leaflets that they are "native Russian land". (Gordonua). [GoogleTranslate].

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko in an interview with Bloomberg said that Belarus will never be a part of Russia, and the Kremlin has threatened the most severe reaction to the attempted military invasion of the country.

Why Belarusian president brought up this topic for the public, what lies behind it, and what can be further developments? All these questions correspondent "Gordon" said Ambassador of Ukraine to Belarus in 2010-2011 Roman Bezsmertnyi.

His position is clear. And whether the current Russian leadership plans for the annexation of Belarus? Especially because the Kremlin has long been talk of the seizure of the Baltic states and threaten Finland, Poland.

- If the spring and autumn of this year, Putin will not be able to explode the situation in Latvia, where it is also possible developments on the "Donbass" scenario, I do not rule out that he may come to Belarus and take Vitebsk and Gomel regions. And this need to think very seriously by the Belarusians, as they missed the moment when you could still get the Eurasian train. This could have been done a year ago, yet they are not completely "swallowed the" bait with EurAsEC.

- And how many are now in the territory of Belarus is the Russian troops?

- Now there are two radar base and several air bases that host five squadrons of aircraft.

- As far as we know, this year want to open another Russian airbase with modern aircraft?

- And they keep doing it, because Belarus does not have its base maintenance of aircraft, left over from the Soviet Union.

- What is the current state of the Belarusian army?

- I can say briefly: the parade have something to show. But I am afraid that it is only "show". If the Ukrainian army to the conflict in the Donbas had tripled stamp to everything fell apart, there is enough only two.

- That is the word Lukashenka: "We will fight against the Europeans, Americans, Russians, anyone, if they set a goal to win this piece of land" - this is just bravado?

- Yes, because that can tell people, long considered to be a dictator in the West, so light-yourself option Gaddafi? Just this.

- How the West react to a possible attack on Putin Belarus, given its long-standing aversion to Lukashenka?

- Just as in the Ukrainian conflict. Will statements conviction concern. It's not in the country, and the principle of territorial integrity. Especially, that Belarus is one of the countries - founders of the United Nations.

Ukrainian Min of Finance: 'West should provide more then 40 billion dollars, bankruptcy will cost more'.

Ukrainian Min of Finance: 'West should provide more then 40 billion dollars, bankruptcy will cost more'. (vz.ru) [GoogleTranslate].

One of the largest Ukrainian state-owned banks - Ukreximbank - threatens to default.

The only way out of this situation - the consent of holders of notes in the amount of $ 750 million to extend the maturity of these securities. This period, according to The Sunday Times, expires at the end of this month. Material edition leads InoTV .

The author notes that last week, the international rating agency Fitch downgraded the credit rating of Ukreximbank to "C", while noting that a default on external debt of the bank "is now inevitable."

Recently, the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine appealed to the creditors of the bank with a request to extend the maturity of the securities, which was announced on the background of the negotiations between Kiev and "holders of bonds of the City and Wall Street" about the huge Ukrainian debt.

Head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Finance Natalya Yaresko urged creditors to "forgive" Ukraine more than 15 billion debt. According to The Sunday Times, itself a default Ukreksimbanka not lead to a breach of Kiev any loan agreements. But here's the response to the request of creditors Yaresko will be an indicator of a vector will be given a large-scale negotiations on the restructuring of the Ukrainian debt.

The publication stresses that the holders of Eurobonds, led by US investment fund Franklin Templeton  are «furious" from the announced before the start of negotiations "insistence" Natalia Yaresko that creditors will have to write off a portion of the external debt of Ukraine. 

The head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Finance stressed that the question of its restructuring should be resolved before the end of May, so that Ukraine was not out of the program IMF assistance.

Recall that in late March Yaresko stated that the West should provide additional financial assistance to Ukraine in addition to the package of 40 billion dollars, as the country is bankrupt will cost more. 

"I firmly believe that" Seven "and to be honest, as the" Group of Twenty "now have a responsibility to provide financial assistance to Ukraine on a larger scale," - stated Yaresko.

Earlier on Sunday celebrated the Agence France-Presse, Ukraine rocked by a series of crises, because of which she threatened decades of dependence on external assistance.

March 12 The International Monetary Fund has sent Ukraine the first tranche of financial assistance in the amount of $ 5 billion in total this year it will be allocated 10 billion. The money would not be used for social needs , they will go to pay off the national debt.

Meanwhile, prices for electricity, gas, heat and hot water rose to the population of Ukraine on April 1. According to the agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the International Monetary Fund, the average price of gas for the population increased by 285%.

Tariffs on light for the population of Ukraine also will be increased by 3.5 times in two years. In addition, water tariffs for the population will increase to 4-100% from May 1, due to the rising cost of electricity.

The International Monetary Fund believes that the decline in the economy of Ukraine in 2015 will amount to 5.5%. In addition, the IMF experts believe that in 2015 Ukrainian exports fell against the general deterioration of trade.

Video - Russian helicopter pilots preparing for Victory parade, will fly in very close formation.

Preparing for Victory Parade already in full swing. So helicopter from the Tver region went to the outskirts of Moscow Kubinka to continue preparation for the celebration in the general scheme of the Air Force. However, the flight turned out to be difficult.

Percussion Russian Ka-52 "Alligator" and Mi-28-H "Night Hunter" - machines, of course, all-weather and equally effective both day and night. But hurricane wind and snowfall in early April forced the pilots to demonstrate their skills on the way from Torzhok in Kubinka.

More than two dozen helicopters virtually all types will be presented at the anniversary of the Victory Parade. In addition to the Ma-28-N and the Ka-52, this latest modification of the Mi-8 with the index "AMTSH" and the famous Mi-24, and heavyweight champion of the Mi-26.

For the first time over Red Square they fly not in isolation, but as part of larger units. The distance between the helicopter rotor will not exceed 10-20 meters - even for experienced pilots is a challenge to their skill. Source.

Russia grants Kiev gas discount, but Kiev counts on the EU to fit the bill.

Russia grants Kiev gas discount, but Kiev counts on the EU to fit the bill. (RBTH).

The centrist newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes that Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed a decree on the extension of discounted gas supplies to Ukraine. Moscow is ready to supply Kiev with gas at $250 per 1,000 cubic meters. The publication explains that this will allow Ukraine to acquire gas at a cheaper rate than directly from gas hubs in Europe.

However, Kiev, writes the newspaper, is not able to purchase reserve gas even at reduced prices.

The Ukrainian government is counting on the Europeans paying for its gas supplies: Kieve is holding talks with the European bank for Reconstruction and Development, the World Bank and other international financial institutions on the granting of loans for pumping natural gas into storage tanks in the summer period in order to create the necessary fuel reserves for the next heating season and ensure the uninterrupted transit of Russian gas to the EU.

Nezavisimaya Gazeta notes that Kiev’s current attempts to use European money to replenish Ukraine’s underground gas storage tanks are a repeat of the actions taken by former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko in 2009.

Russian experts explain that the super-reduced prices for Ukraine are principally due to political factors. “It appears that the European Union is now interested in the preservation of gas supplies from Russia to Ukraine. And the Europeans may allocate further credit to Ukraine for this,” says Mikhail Krutikhin, a partner at consulting company RusEnergy.

However, he stressed that the sides remained in fundamental disagreement on the issue of the gas contract.  Hmmm.........And there's still the unsettled remaining debt to Russia. Read the full story here.

Russian Pres Putin: 'try to take Crimea away and I will give you a nuclear war'.

Russian Pres Putin: 'try to take Crimea away and I will give you a nuclear war'. (TheAustralian).

As President Putin celebrated the anniversary of the annexation of Crimea on March 18 with an appearance at a concert outside the Kremlin, a group of retired Russian generals sat down in Torgau, Germany, with a group of their American counterparts. The assembled Russians once ran the interior ministry, the military directorate in charge of nuclear weapons, the GRU (Russian military intelligence) and the FSB (the main successor agency to the KGB). The American individuals present had similar backgrounds in the military, CIA and Defence Intelligence Agency.

Behind closed doors, over two days, the Russians delivered a series of blunt warnings from Moscow that reveal just how precarious Europe’s security has become over the past year, and how broad the gulf between the Kremlin and the West now is.

The US party at the Elbe Group talks appears to have been surprised to discover that Russian security experts believe that the US is bent on destroying their country — and that Russia is both entitled and fully prepared to use nuclear force to defend itself. That point of view reflects both Mr Putin’s assessment of Russia’s vulnerability and the KGB background shared by him and his closest advisers, according to Kremlin insiders.

Swaggering nuclear rhetoric has increasingly permeated Russian life. In a recent documentary, Mr Putin said that when he gave the instruction to annex Crimea, he also ordered that Russia’s nuclear forces be placed on full alert.

He has referred to Russia’s nuclear might many times since the Ukraine crisis began, including in remarks to a group of schoolchildren in August, when he reminded them that “Russia is one of the leading nuclear powers”, and “it’s best not to mess with us”.

Notes of the Elbe Group meeting indicate some areas where the Kremlin is open to dialogue, namely on the “future nature and composition” of the contested territory in eastern Ukraine which, the generals say, Russia wants to see become “an autonomous entity in a confederated Ukraine”.

However, they also show the detailed thinking behind the nuclear bluster. Among the “key messages delivered by Russian participants” was a warning that any military move by the West on Crimea would trigger a Russian response, possibly involving nuclear force. “The United States should also understand it would also be at risk.”

The Russian delegation said that any NATO build-up in the Baltics would prompt an increase in Russia’s “nuclear posture”, according to notes drawn up by a US participant. The warning is baldly recounted: “Russia will use its nuclear weapons against NATO.”

When discussing possible Russian action in the Baltics, it reported: “Russian members mentioned a spectrum of responses from nuclear to non-military.” Hmmmm.....I'm convinced Putin believes he can survive a nuclear showdown with the West and emerge victorious.Read the full story here.

"CHANGE" - Putin Pulls Out of Post-Cold War Arms Treaty.

"CHANGE" - Putin Pulls Out of Post-Cold War Arms Treaty. (FT).

At a time when European officials concerned about Russian aggression in Eastern Europe are openly calling for the creation of a Pan-European army, Moscow has announced it will cease all involvement in a major arms control treaty that was signed at the end of the Cold War.

The Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe was an agreement signed in 1990 between the 16 North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries and six Warsaw Pact countries. It set caps on the number of soldiers, tanks, artillery pieces and other non-nuclear military assets that could be stationed in Europe.

State-run media reported that the decision to “withdraw completely” from the treaty was announced by Anton Mazur, head of the Russian delegation arms control talks in Vienna.

Russia’s withdrawal decision is very nearly a formality. Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2007 suspended Russia’s observation of the treaty after the other signatories would not agree to changes, in the form of an “adapted” treaty. Russia had felt those changes were necessary because of a realignment of global power away from Russia after the Cold War.

“For years, the Russian side has been doing its best to maintain viability of the regime of control over conventional arms, it initiated talks on adapting the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, it ratified the agreement on Adapted CFE Treaty,” Mazur said,according to the Kremlin-owned news service ITAR-TASS. “Regrettably, NATO countries have preferred to dodge CFE provisions by means of the alliance’s expansion and use any pretexts to prevent the Agreement on Adapted CFE Treaty from coming into effect. This course pursued despite our repeated warning about its harmful impacts on the regime of control over conventional weapons led to the unavoidable result — Russia’s suspending the CFE Treaty in 2007.”

Russia had continued to participate in “consultative” meetings with the signatories. However, Mazur said the Kremlin now sees further participation as “pointless from both political and practical points of view and as excessively costly from the financial and economic point of view.” Hmmmm......Change you can believe in. Read the full story here.

Video - Russian Army - We're back !!! (In Russian).

 Source Dep PM Rogozin : As happy as a kid in a candy store: 

Ну как-то так... https://t.co/UgVVDdAms7 Действительно возвращаемся

— Dmitry Rogozin (@Rogozin) March 19, 2015

Russia placing Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad and Tu-22M3 Backfire C Bomber, Missile Carrier to the Crimea

Source

Russia placing Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad and Tu-22M3 Backfire C Bomber, Missile Carrier to the Crimea.(BBC.ru)

Sources in the Russian Defense Ministry told Tass and RIA Novosti about the transfer of Tu-22M3 capable of carrying nuclear weapons, in the Crimea.

It is noted that this transfer will take place "during the check carried out by the sudden readiness of the Armed Forces."

On the relocation of Russian bombers on the peninsula in the autumn reported the US Congress in a letter to President Barack Obama.

On Monday, the military command in Moscow announced another spot checks readiness of the Northern Fleet. According to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, the check will be held until March 21. Hmmm........'Flexibility and Change' More on the Backfire Bomber here.

Belarus Sends Servicemen to Russia for Strategic Command Exercise.

Two partners in 'crime' 

Belarus Sends Servicemen to Russia for Strategic Command Exercise. (SP).

Belarusian servicemen will participate in a joint strategic command and staff exercise with the center command office of the Russian Armed Forces, the country’s defense ministry reported.

“The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will start strategic command-staff exercise with the central bodies of military control on March 17. In order to participate in this event the operational team of officers of the General Staff of the Belarusian Armed Forces arrived,” the ministry statement read.

The strategic training will be held amid a snap combat readiness exercise of the Russian Armed Forces in the Arctic region which began on March 16. It includes 38,000 military personnel, 3,360 units of military equipment, 41 warships, 15 submarines, 110 aircraft and helicopters.

Russia's Arctic Soldiers May Be Rewarded With Free Homes in Crimea and other desirable locations in southern Russia.

Russia's Arctic Soldiers May Be Rewarded With Free Homes in Crimea and other desirable locations in southern Russia.(MT).

Russian soldiers who serve in the rough and inhospitable Arctic could be compensated by the state with real estate in Crimea, or other desirable locations in southern Russia, a Defense Ministry official said Thursday.

Russia is pursuing a major military expansion in the Arctic that aims to reoccupy abandoned Soviet positions and assert Russia's territorial claims in the resource-rich North.

“Naturally, military personnel service in remote Arctic garrisons can count on quality accommodation in Russia's central and southern regions,” the Interfax news agency quoted Sergei Pirogov, director of the Defense Ministry's housing department, as saying Thursday.

The Defense Ministry has been working to increase the standard of living for its soldiers by building them modern housing and increasing wages for contract soldiers in the hopes of attracting more quality applicants for volunteer service.

Pirogov said that in the last two years, over 2,000 servicemen from the Northern Fleet — upon which Russia's new Arctic command is being built — have been provided with housing in central and southern Russia.

Arctic military personnel may qualify for brand new apartments in the Crimean city of Sevastopol and in Sochi, Pirogov was quoted as saying. Other less exotic locations include Moscow, St. Petersburg, Voronezh, Smolensk, Tver and other areas with developed infrastructure, he said. Read the full story here.

Azerbaijan as gas mediator between Iran.....'Turkey' and Europe.

Azerbaijan as gas mediator between Iran and Europe.(Taz).

Gradual change of the West's attitude towards Iran opens new perspectives of cooperation, firstly, in economical area, for this country. For development of this cooperation, Tehran needs reliable partners which have close relations with Europe, which is more liberal towards Islamic Republic, and can be mediators in resuming and expanding of trade and economic ties.

Azerbaijan, which has proven itself as a reliable partner, can be one of such mediators. It is also confirmed by the statement of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani made during his visit to Baku. He said, that Iran can unite with Europe with Azerbaijan's help.

Today Iran with nearly 34 trillion cubic meters holds the first place of natural gas reserves in the world. And, as in every energy resources-rich country, hydrocarbons are one of the main income resources and they form economy.

Before sanctions were imposed Iran had been considered as one of the main natural gas providers to Europe, and after their cancellation this issue has become relevant again.

No one better than Azerbaijan can help Iran in this issue.

Baku, being an initiator of Southern Gas Corridor, through which Azerbaijani gas will go to Europe, personally taking part in creation of necessary infrastructure, is already realizing a project of passing gas from new reserves to Europe. Iran can be one of these resources with its huge gas supplies.

Tehran would only need to build a pipeline to connect with the existing gas infrastructure. Hmmm.....Notice the total silence about their 'Silent Partner' in crime Turkey.


Related: Azerbaijan and Turkey ties bolstered by energy and political solidarity  

When Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Baku in early September, shortly after his election as president, he was welcomed with open arms. “We are very pleased that less than a week after your swearing-in ceremony you are paying a visit to Azerbaijan,” beamed Ilham Aliyev, president of Azerbaijan. “There is not a single person in Azerbaijan who would not love Turkey as much as their homeland.”...

Video - Confirmation Russia places Iskander Ballistic Missiles on border with Ukraine (Ukrainian)

Related: Russia moves at least 6 "Iskander" (SS-26 Stone) to the border of Ukraine.

Video - US Expert Warns of Russian Invasion Threat: Georgetown professor Phillip Karber fears Spring attack

Ukraine should get ready for a possible full scale military invasion by Russia according to military expert and Georgetown University professor Phillip Karber. In an interview with Ukrainian news service TSN, Karber warned that Ukraine’s regions that border with Russia are particularly vulnerable. He highlighted the importance of Ukraine beefing up defenses along its north eastern border. Hmmm....I would say the 'invasion' would come in Winter, not Spring.