Nabucco 2.0? - New route for Russia'n gas to Europe bypassing Ukraine jointly with Gazprom.

Nabucco 2.0? - New route for Russia'n gas to Europe bypassing Ukraine jointly with Gazprom.(Euractiv).

A new version of the defunct Nabucco gas pipeline project is being prepared, this time based on the transport of Russian gas, Austria's Die Presse has learned. Ironically, the original concept of Nabucco was precisely to carry gas from other sources than Russia.

According to the newspaper, Austria's OMV energy company is planning a new route for Russian gas to Europe bypassing Ukraine jointly with Russia’s Gazprom.

The new route appears to resurrect the defunct Nabucco West project, with one major difference: instead of carrying Azeri gas, it will transport Russian, and possibly Iranian gas, via Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary to the Baumgarten gas hub in Austria.

Nabucco West - a 1,326-km pipeline with a 122-cm diameter - was to take the gas from the Turkish border across Bulgaria to Romania and Hungary to the gas hub of Baumgarten near Vienna. The project was shelved in June 2013 after a consortium managing the gas, which is expected to be pumped from the offshore Shah Deniz II gas field in Azerbaijan, was awarded to the Trans-Adriatic TAP pipeline.

Now Russia is planning to bring gas to the European territory of Turkey and says it’s up to the EU to decide how to transport it further.

But in reality Russia is devising plans for a so-called Tesla pipeline across Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary to Austria.

Such a project, however, would need more time to be realised, compared to the Nabucco project, which was in an advanced phase before it was shelved.

Most of Gazprom’s clients have gas contracts which specify Baumgarten as the delivery point.

Three independent sources have reportedly confirmed to Die Presse that the new Nabucco project would be promoted by Reinhard Mitschek, the former managing director of the Nabucco consortium, in which OMV, Hungary’s MOL, Romania’s Transgaz, Bulgaria’s Bulgargaz, Turkey’s Botas and Germany’s RWE each held 16.67%. Hmmm.........Seems once again i was right earlier this week when i said 'Turkish stream has become dead stream'.Read the full story here.


Update:    More on the 'Turkish stream' story here.

Video - Russia: top-secret Armata T-14 tanks rev up for Moscow's V-Day parade.

Video - Russia: top-secret Armata T-14 tanks rev up for Moscow's V-Day parade. (Sputnik).

The Russian Ministry of Defense officially revealed the country's most advanced battle tank, the T-14 Armata Main Battle Tank (MBT), arguably the world's deadliest armored fighting vehicle, a couple of weeks ahead of the grand 2015 Moscow Victory Day Parade.

The new T-14 and the rest of Russia's new armored vehicles show a huge technological leap from the old Soviet-era military hardware.

"The new vehicles are principally clean-slate designs and represent the biggest change in Russia's armored fighting vehicle families since the 1960s and 1970s," HIS Jane's 360 Defense Weekly reported.

The key feature of the new tank is its unmanned remotely-controlled turret, with crew members seated in an armored capsule at the front of the tank's hull.

The T-14 is armed with a 125 mm smoothbore cannon that can fire high-powered munitions, including armor-piercing discarding sabot projectiles, guided missiles, shaped-charges and other types of munitions. The muzzle energy of the tank's cannon is greater than that of the German Leopard-2 Rheinmetall 120 mm gun, according to the Diplomat.

It is speculated that the Armata tank might also come with a 152 mm gun. If this is true, the tank will have the most powerful cannon ever mounted on a main battle tank. 

The T-14 will also carry a 30-mm sub-caliber gun to shoot down low-flying aerial targets, including planes and helicopters. To defend against incoming anti-tank missiles, the T-14 will have a 12.5 mm turret-mounted heavy machine gun, RT said.

To finish all of that, the tank has fully automated ammunition loading and computerized targeting systems. Despite all the guns and computerized technology built into the armored vehicle, the menacing tank only needs two servicemen to operate it. Read the full story here.

Longer video of the repitition of the parade below.

Dmitry Rogozin : "Russia will present at the May 9 Victory day parade only the latest technology".

Dmitry Rogozin : "Russia will present at the May 9 Victory day parade only the latest technology".(RGov).

TASS /. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin has promised that on the May 9 Victory  parade will come only the latest technology. This he said, opening a new permanent exhibition on the history of small arms and bladed weapons from the 14th century to the present day at the Tula State Museum of Weapons.

"I want to confirm his words, which said two years ago that we - the defense industry - promise that at the Victory Parade dedicated to the 70th anniversary of her, which will be held on the Red Square, we show only the most modern, but the latest technology." He noted that on the pavement will be modern weapons that are already supplied the Russian army.

"We believe that today the country's defense industry will make a maximum of a complex, difficult time, in an environment where today we have the enemy at the gates, - he said. - A few hundred kilometers from Tula, Voronezh, Kursk is a fratricidal civil war where people are being killed just because they want to speak in Russian. "

According to the vice-premier, only modern armaments able to make Russia strong. "May 9, we show and friends, and the adversary, in which case we'll move this adversary in the face here is that modern weapons, Russian arms tradition going back to Tula, Tula land", - concluded Rogozin.

Dmitry Rogozin also shared his impressions after viewing the new exhibition at the Tula State Museum of Weapons.

23.02 в тульском музее оружия открылась новая постоянная экспозиция. Музей стал "живым", коллекция оружия уникальна. pic.twitter.com/q5XyGkBAQd
— Dmitry Rogozin (@Rogozin) February 24, 2015

In his view, the museum collected weapons collection will be an interesting visual aid for studying Russian history and formation of patriotism and love of country among the younger generation. Their impressions after viewing the new exhibition zampredpravitelstva shared with journalists.

"It is important to prepare the younger generation - he said. - It is imperative now is to put in them something that has always been at the heart of the Russian people: patriotism, love of country, willingness to give all of himself for the span of his native land."

Rogozin said that he was very impressed after seeing the museum. "The very exposition very rich. I myself am a collector of weapons and I can say that I see here the samples, it is not a replica, it is real fighting patterns that carefully preserved, prepared for the exhibition" - praised the Deputy Prime Minister. He also noted the work of the museum staff, thanks to which it is possible to find out more information about the unique work gunsmiths using multimedia carriers.

He recalled the 90s, when the engineers and inventors have been pushed into the background, although in the Tula region as a master of weapons have always been the foundation of society. 

"Today, the military-industrial complex shows that it is pulling out of heavy congestion 90s, out of the swamp, civil industry - said zampredpravitelstva. - At the same time young people took the experience of the older generations and do the job that is related to the engineering business, designing weapons interesting and popular. "

Rogozin said that very often spoken about the heroism of the Red Army during World War II, but in the background departs feat defense industry, where in a few months from the western regions of the Urals in Siberia were moved entire factories, and unfolded in a bare field and began to manufacture products which won the quality, the simplicity, efficiency in military production Wehrmacht.

"It was still a war between two military-industrial complexes - Soviet and European and NATO today.

Today we are seeing the same opposition, when the Russian defense industry has to give the army an effective, inexpensive, fast playback arms and military equipment, and thus at the expense of small resources , small investments we need to recreate the defense potential of Russia ", - concluded Rogozin. Hmmm....As i wrote three years ago "Rogozin....A man with a vision". The Russian 'Bear' isn't ready ....yet but he's preparing at full speed.

http://t.co/Kdzfg2FmzA This tank isn't for parades. But we'll make an exception for May 9th
— Dmitry Rogozin (@DRogozin) February 6, 2015

Nato must prepare for Russian Blitzkrieg, warns NATO general

Armata new Russian tank.

Nato must prepare for Russian Blitzkrieg, warns NATO general.(CBN).

Nato forces must prepare for an overwhelming Blitzkrieg-style assault by Russia on an eastern European member state designed to catch the alliance off guard and snatch territory, the deputy supreme commander of the military alliance has warned.

Openly raising the prospect of a conventional armed conflict with Russia on European soil, the remarks by Sir Adrian Bradshaw, second-in-command of Nato's military forces in Europe, are some of the most strident to date from Nato.

They come amid a worsening in relations with the Kremlin just days into a second fragile ceasefire aimed at curbing continued bloodshed in Ukraine's restive east between Kiev's forces and Russian-backed separatists.

Speaking at the Royal United Services Institute think-tank in London on Friday, Sir Adrian warned that as well as adapting to deal with subversion and other "hybrid" military tactics being used by Russia in Ukraine, allied forces needed to be prepared for the prospect of an overt invasion.

Sir Adrian is a former commander of British land forces and the most senior UK officer in the alliance.

He added: "After which the threat of escalation might be used to prevent re-establishment of territorial integrity — this use of so-called escalation dominance was, of course, a classic Soviet technique."

Deploying overwhelming force at short notice has become a hallmark of recent Russian military exercises. Russia's 2013 "Zapad" ("West") war game involved the rapid mobilisation of 25,000 troops in Belarus and the enclave of Kaliningrad for a conflict with a Nato state. Hmmm.....Well Russia's Dep PM Rogozin used to be at the NATO HQ he'll surely know all the weaknesses.....As i wrote three years ago "Rogozin....A man with a vision". The Russian 'Bear' isn't ready ....yet but he's preparing at full speed. Read the full story here.

In January 2008, Rogozin became Russia's ambassador to NATO, serving until December 2011. He was a leader of the Rodina (Motherland) party until it merged with other similar Russian parties to form the Fair Russia party.He holds a doctor's degree and is said to speak four languages. On 18 February 2011 Russian President Dmitry Medvedev appointed Dmitry Rogozin as a Special Representative on anti-missile defence and negotiations with NATO countries on this issue.

http://t.co/Kdzfg2FmzA This tank isn't for parades. But we'll make an exception for May 9th
— Dmitry Rogozin (@DRogozin) February 6, 2015

Rogozin's Armata fleet 'Vision' threatened by the Nightmarish cost?

Rogozin's Armata fleet 'Vision' threatened by the Nightmarish cost? HT: Fool.

                        Russia is building a supertank -- if the nation can afford it.

Last month, we introduced you to Russia's new Armata main battle tank. Weighing in at 55 tons, and featuring multilayered armor, an independent crew capsule, and a fully automated 125 mm main gun firing both cannon rounds and laser-guided missiles, Armata is designed to be Russia's answer to General Dynamics' (NYSE: GD ) M1 main battle tank built for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps.

We also described how Russia is using Armata ("Армата") as a core chassis upon which it will build an entire family of armored personnel carriers, anti-aircraft missile launchers, armored self-propelled artillery, flame throwers, bridge-layers, and minesweepers -- some operated as robots.

But as high-tech and powerful as all this sounds, the Armata contains one potentially fatal flaw: its cost.

Trouble in Putin's paradise Late last year, a controversy broke out between Russia's Ministry of Defense (MinOboron) and UralVagonZavod (UVZ), the military contractor responsible for building Armata. As described on Russian-language website gazeta.ru, MinOboron blasted UVZ for offering a tank that it describes as overpriced and incomplete.

To date, Russia has invested 15 billion rubles ($239 million) in developing the Armata tank, and budgeted 39 billion ($622 million) more. But MinOboron is demanding UVZ both complete its design and lower its price. Unless UVZ complies, "MinOboron will not extend the contract for delivery of Armata to the [armed] forces, and will refuse serial purchase. ... We'd rather buy the latest version of the T-90 while they finish up the Armata," said the Defense Ministry.

To date, the Russian army has taken delivery of only 12 prototype Armata tanks, bought in 2013. A contract is in place for production through 2017. But at last report, no long-term contract had been signed. Read the full story here.

Hmmm....As i wrote three years ago "Rogozin....A man with a vision". The Russian 'Bear' isn't ready ....yet but he's preparing at full speed.

http://t.co/Kdzfg2FmzA This tank isn't for parades. But we'll make an exception for May 9th
— Dmitry Rogozin (@DRogozin) February 6, 2015

Russia is reportedly getting military bases in EU member........CYPRUS?

Russia is reportedly getting military bases in EU member........CYPRUS? (GCSSI).By Elena Holodny

Cyprus has offered Russia to have air and navy bases on its territory.

Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades announced that the country is ready to host Russian aviation and naval bases. The official agreement on military cooperation between the two nations is expected be signed on February 25, 2015, according to Lenta.ru.

“There is an old [defense] agreement, which should be renewed as is. At the same time, some additional services will be provided in the same way as we do with other countries, such as, for example, with France and Germany,” Nicos Anastasiades said. “Cyprus and Russia have traditionally had good relations, and this is not subject to change.”

Cyprus’ announcement comes after Russia expressed interest in having a military base in Cyprus in late January, according to the Global Post and Greek Reporter.

And just like Greece has recently caused a stir by complicating the process of extending sanctions on Russia, Cyprus, too, just voiced some opposition to the additional sanctions on Russia, adding that many EU members share that opinion.

“We want to avoid further deterioration of relations between Russia and the European Union,” the Cypriot president reportedly said. So military cooperation between Cyprus and Russia is yet another red flag for the EU.

Presumably, the Russian Air Force will use the airbase “Andreas Papandreou,” along with the international airport of Paphos in the southwest of the island, approximately 50 kilometers from the air base of the British Royal Air Force “Akrotiri.” Additionally, the Russian navy will be able to permanently use the base of Limassol, according to Lenta.Ru.

“The Limassol port borders on the British air base of Akrotiri which serves NATO operations and is also an important hub in the electronic military surveillance system of the alliance,” according to the Global Post.

But the most alarming Russia-Cyprus dalliance came during the height of the Cypriot financial crisis when Cyprus was reportedly negotiating with Russia for a bailout in 2013. The EU was particularly nervous about this because there was speculation that Russia might ask for a naval port and access to the country’s gas reserves in return.

On top of all of that, it’s notable that Russia made some major moves in the Mediterranean recently.

In mid-January, Russia announced that it will shift all its natural gas flows to Europe via Turkey, instead of Ukraine. “Our European partners have been informed of this and now their task is to create the necessary gas transport infrastructure from the Greek and Turkish border,” the head of Gazprom Alexei Miller said in a statement.

Additionally, Russia and Greece’s new government have taken initiatives to explore their military and economic relationship (for example, here, here, and here).

In fact, the new Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras even stated in early February: “Greece and Cyprus can become a bridge of peace and cooperation between the EU and Russia.”

So this part of the world could soon become very interesting — and a huge pain for Europe. Hmmmm....If true this will also be a major headache for 'Neo Ottoman Conqueror' Turkey's plans on Cypriot gas reserves, Guess Putin's love for Turkey isn't that deep after all.......just ask the Tatars. Read the full story here.

Ukraine crisis: Do not try to scare Putin with arms deliveries, warns Merkel.

Ukraine crisis: Do not try to scare Putin, warns Merkel. (Telegraph).

Sending arms to Ukraine will not scare Vladimir Putin, warns Angela Merkel, while Francois Hollande warns it could lead to war

Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, championed last chance efforts to end the Ukraine conflict while warning success was far from certain as Kiev said rebels were massing for a new offensive.

As fresh fighting in eastern Ukraine saw five civilians and five government soldiers reported killed in 24 hours Merkel insisted that sending more weapons would not resolve the conflict.

"I can't conceive of a situation where better armaments for the Ukrainian army would so impress President Putin that he believes he will militarily lose," Merkel told the Munich Security Conference.

The German leader came to Munich from overnight Moscow talks she and French President Francois Hollande held with Russian President Vladimir Putin to thrash out new peace proposals.

"It is uncertain whether it will lead to success, but from my point of view and that of the French president it is definitely worth trying," she said of the Franco-German initiative.

Hollande for his part said the stakes could not be higher and the new peace plan was "one of the last chances" to halt the 10-month-old conflict.

"If we fail to find a lasting peace agreement, we know the scenario perfectly well - it has a name, it is called war," he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he believed the new proposals could help end the conflict, all the while charging the United States and the European Union with having escalated the conflict at every turn.

"These talks will continue as you know; we believe there is every possibility that we will reach a result and agree the recommendations that will allow the sides to really untie this knot of a conflict," Lavrov told an MSC panel.

In that case, Russia would be ready to guarantee the outcome, he added..Hmmm..........Russia is not ready yet he will only go to war if provoked, but it will come once he's ready. Read the full story here.

Related: Russian Dep PM Rogozin: " This Armata tank isn't for parades. But we'll make an exception for May 9th."

Russian Dep PM Rogozin: " This Armata tank isn't for parades. But we'll make an exception for May 9th."

Russian Dep PM Rogozin: " This Armata tank isn't for parades. But we'll make an exception for May 9th." (M.Kp).[GoogleTranslate].

The tank "Armata" tower in the desert will be a new 125 mm smoothbore gun, it - launcher. That is, you can shoot as conventional ammunition and guided missiles. 

What kind of gun, can be represented at least by the fact that its predecessor could pierce armor thickness of up to one meter of conventional shells from a distance of two kilometers. In this case, the predecessor is easy to fit a row of four projectile at a target the size of a bow scarf. Guided missile hit the target allows for the range of 5 - 7 km. In addition, there is coupled with the gun 7.62 mm and a heavy anti-aircraft machine guns. All weapons - with remote control.

So now it is not a gunner, and a high-tech fire control system (FCS). "Armata" get MSAs with radar capable of simultaneously carry up to 40 land and up to 25 air targets within a radius of 100 km, and automatically destroy them when entering the affected area.

"Armata" will shock the universal machine of the Ground Forces of Russia. It will bring together a full tactical missile system, air defense system, a complex of military reconnaissance and target designation and, in fact, himself a tank. JMA and other electronics are integrated into the combat information and control system - the "digital board." It is intended for start-up and management, diagnosis and adjustment of the machine. Even in the case of failure to decide what and how to fix will not repair crew or crew, namely "smart" electronics.

"Horses" spoiling for a fight

Mobility "Almaty was" provides an X-shaped 12-cylinder turbocharged diesel. Its capacity - 1500 "horses", while boosting of - as many as in 2000! But in order to increase its share fell to 1,200 liters. p.

Developed motor in Chelyabinsk to replace born in the late 30s diesel V-2, which remembers all the generations of our tankers. In pair with the new motor will operate a new 12-speed automatic transmission with manual shift.

Armor grows stronger

Armor "Almaty was" - layered cake made ​​of metal, ceramics, and composites. It is based on established scientific research institute new steel armor steel, which has increased by 15% protective properties. At the same share of reduced weight and design. On saving the combat vehicle is running and the system dynamic protection production Kolomna KBM - "Afghani". Here too there is a radar that detects approaching the enemy tank shells, missiles and rocket-propelled grenades. Towards protective fired munition that destroys them at a safe distance of 15 - 20 meters.

In the future, "Armata" planned to install a better system protection "Barrier". But that's not all. The crew will cover not only basic protection, but also special bronekapsuly inside the hull. It is capable to save the lives of the tanks, if a foreign shell still will not stop any explosive reactive armor or new armor.

No analogues in the world

Knowledgeable experts believe that the combined characteristics of the "Armata" a third surpasses all existing analogues in the world. On Victory Day parade in Moscow Defense Ministry plans to hold a parade from 12 to 16 new tanks. Let's see what will be the main battle tanks Russian new generation.

"Boomerang" by "approaching"

It is expected that by 2020 the Russian Ground Forces will have adopted more than 11 000 units of new and upgraded armored vehicles.

It is planned to purchase from the defense industry modernized tanks T-72B3, infantry fighting vehicles BMP-3, modernized BMP-2 and BTR-82A.

To perform the state armament program, which covers the period from 2011 to 2020, planned to send 20 trillion rubles. ***

Serial production of tanks on a platform of "Armata" starts as expected in 2017 - 2018 years. This was stated by deputy director of the " Uralvagonzavod "by Vyacheslav Halitov special equipment. Hmmm.....If they show 12 - 16 it means they're producing it.....at full speed.

Hmmm....As i wrote three years ago "Rogozin....A man with a vision". The Russian 'Bear' isn't ready ....yet but he's preparing at full speed.

http://t.co/Kdzfg2FmzA This tank isn't for parades. But we'll make an exception for May 9th

— Dmitry Rogozin (@DRogozin) February 6, 2015

Ukraine is receiving now natural gas from Slovakia, only testing mode 2 mln cubic meters daily

Ukraine is receiving now natural gas from Slovakia, only testing mode 2 mln cubic meters daily.(Liga).[GoogleTranslate].

Today, the operator of the Ukrainian gas transport system together with Ukrtransgas Eustream as the test began deliveries of natural gas from the Slovak Republic. This is referred to in the report of the Office of Public Relations Naftogaz.

According to the operative data of the Central Dispatch Department Ukrtransgas, during the test supplies daily intake of natural gas will be 2 million cubic meters.

"Ahead Ukrtransgas will stand in front of a lot of strategic objectives, I am convinced that together we will be able to meet them," - quoted in the message words of the head of the Board Igor Ukrtranshaz Prokopiva.

Recall last week Ukrtransgas in accordance with the schedule of completed full range of activities to ensure the technical possibility of receiving natural gas from Slovakia in the area of the compressor station "Uzhgorod". Memorandum of Understanding on the provision of reverse gas supplies to Ukraine was signed between Ukrtransgas and Eustream as April 28, 2014.

 Hmmm......The government in Kiev estimates Ukraine needs to import 7.23 billion cubic meters of gas in the next eight months through to March in order to keep economic activity stable......Good luck with that one.

Ukrainian MP advice after US -EU takeover of gas pipelines: 'Buy firewood & coal'

Ukrainian MP advice after US -EU takeover of gas pipelines: 'Buy firewood and coal'. (RT).

The decision by the Ukrainian parliament to allow companies from the US and EU to co-manage the country’s gas pipelines could lead to the country being left with no gas supplies in the coming winter, an MP has warned in an emotional online address.

Nikolay Rudkovsky, an independent MP in Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada, believes the law allowing 49 percent of Ukraine’s national gas transportation system (GTS) to be managed by foreign companies is a big mistake.

“People, my advice to you is: buy firewood and coal! After the Law on reforming the management system of the united gas transportation system of Ukraine (#4116) was passed today, our country has been left with almost no chances of staying with gas,” Rudkovsky said on Facebook, following the Rada session.

“Don’t the MPs understand that we are now guaranteed to have a winter with no heating?” he asked.

The bill, proposed by PM Arseny Yatsenyuk, has raised much controversy among Ukrainian MPs, who rejected it several times before the final approval on Thursday. One of the rejections, on July 24, is believed to have prompted Yatsenyuk’s resignation move, which was eventually dismissed by the Rada.

Rudkovsky might have voiced the fears of quite a number of the bill’s opponents when he tried to speak out against passing of the bill on Thursday, but was silenced by the Rada Chairman Aleksandr Turchinov.

“We don’t get a single cubic meter of gas from Russia now. This law gives away Ukrainian gas transportation system to the US,” Rudkovsky had time to say, before his microphone was switched off, according to ITAR-TASS.

Turchinov accused the MP of lobbying for Russian interests.

Rudkovsky has asked Ukrainians to write petitions to the government, calling for the bill’s cancelation.

“We can’t allow dozens of other Alchevsks to happen.”

Around 1,500 people were left without gas in the town of Alchevsk, Lugansk Region of eastern Ukraine, earlier in August due to a malfunctioning gas pipe.

Rudkovsky’s post has inspired dozens of worried comments, with Ukrainians sharing stories of electricity and water shortages they are already encountering, as well as fears of more to come.

Rudkovsky believes the government “failed” preparation for the winter.

“There are other right ways of solving this problem, but the government does not hear me. I advised them to buy heating oil and transfer heating facilities to coal,” he said.

Meanwhile economic experts doubt Ukraine will actually be able to find the EU and US investors for its gas transportation system.

Mikhail Korchemkin of East European Gas Analysis believes it’s the make such investments, as the future of the gas market in vague, Vedomosti reports. Energy Intelligence analysts argue the conflict in the east of Ukraine makes the project risky in general.Hmmm......I've warned for a while that this will blow in late Autumn.