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You can find a million unflattering pictures about America, it would not change the fact that Russia is doing really poorly in almost every single aspect other than bullying its neighbours. A massive dip of life expectancy like that only happens in war times. I know there is a pandemic going on, but other countries are not nearly as ****ed as Russia is.
You don't know much about Russia.You judge her by the materials that your media give. Naturally, they demonize Russia at every opportunity.They have been given such an attitude: Everything is bad in Russia, it is a backward third world country. Meanwhile, Russia is not far behind the United States and Western countries in terms of technology, and in some cases surpasses them. And uh, as for rights and freedoms, judging by the materials that I see on the web, Russia has gone far ahead. And in my opinion, America is much more totalitarian in some aspects than Russia.
You don't know much about Russia.You judge her by the materials that your media give. Naturally, they demonize Russia at every opportunity.They have been given such an attitude: Everything is bad in Russia, it is a backward third world country. Meanwhile, Russia is not far behind the United States and Western countries in terms of technology, and in some cases surpasses them. And uh, as for rights and freedoms, judging by the materials that I see on the web, Russia has gone far ahead. And in my opinion, America is much more totalitarian in some aspects than Russia.
There's a real disconnect between reality and the distortion of the media on all levels.
Sam makes great points. I also looked into why Vladimirs citizens don't have a beach or boardwalk on the river. It's because of the railway and also because of the river flooding and the way the city was laid out. This city has MAJOR issues when it comes to building modern infrastructure. The cost is going to be incredible, so much so that it would take a national effort and decades to do it and possibly change the entire character of and 1100 year old city.
From what I have been hearing protests started about 5 days ago due to the doubling of fuel prices. After a day or 2 the riots got violent and some rioters turned to looting and destruction.
It was anarchy yesterday. The government asked for support.
I have always heard life was hard there. The city folk and the country folk are divided drastically. I chalk this up to Western style capitalism and poor governance.
From what I have been hearing protests started about 5 days ago due to the doubling of fuel prices. After a day or 2 the riots got violent and some rioters turned to looting and destruction.
It was anarchy yesterday. The government asked for support.
As Strana UA was reporting yesterday, the "organization of the protest" comes from Kiev.
"Nexta" is involved as well somehow - don't remember all the details now, with all this nonsense.
But yeah... that new guy, Tokayev, the president ( who replaced Nazarbayev) asked the members of the ODKB ( Collective Security Treaty Organization) for help.
The idiots ( the protesters that is) are saying that they are "tired to live in poverty, they want to live like in Norway or Sweden."
Oh geez... Looking at the Russian news here ( on Kazakhstan);
"Murders, cruelty, heads cut off."
They are describing what took place in one of the Kazakhstan regions - apparently there are well-prepared Islamic nationalists operating there.
"The Norwegians" were looting stores, setting on fire the fire trucks and ambulances. ( there are some photos/footage in the video below from 2:06 to 2:55.)
( Yeah, they cut the heads off of the three policemen too - just beating them up with iron sticks or shooting them was not enough.)
City of Pavlodar (40% of Russian population) took care of the arriving gangs on its own from what I hear, but for now the ODKB troops (about 3,000) are on their way.
From what people are saying in the comments, the ODKB troops will guard the important civil service buildings, the rest will be taken care by the Kazakh law enforcement/military.
Russians are still looking into the whole protest - who exactly was behind the organized violence ( not the ORIGINAL protest against hike in the gas prices - those demands were met practically immediately. )
Some are guessing an attempt to "put a wedge between Russia and China" ( since Kazakhstan is somewhere there, geographically speaking.) Some are pointing at the upcoming negotiations between Moscow/Washington/NATO in couple of days.
Russians are still looking into the whole protest - who exactly was behind the organized violence ( not the ORIGINAL protest against hike in the gas prices - those demands were met practically immediately. )
I have found some of the same scents from both Libya, Egypt and Syria in this bonfire. Both started with legitimate demonstrations then some shadowy groups started getting violent. I remember hearing of police bring killed in Libya then seeing it with my own eyes in Syria. The protestors are used as cover by these 5th column types. Literally.
If my assumption is correct there are groups of people who lay in wait for the conditions to be a certain way then they strike. Who they work for I don't know.
Quote:
Some are guessing an attempt to "put a wedge between Russia and China" ( since Kazakhstan is somewhere there, geographically speaking.) Some are pointing at the upcoming negotiations between Moscow/Washington/NATO in couple of days.
The US and the Uighurs. Its not just the upcoming negotiations, it's the BRI also. Kazakhstan is a major player in it. Look at what is happening in Myanmar, the southern portion of the BRI.
The West has to obstruct and even stop it from happening in any way possible.
Just speculations so far.
01-06-2022, 04:28 PM
Status:
"From 31 to 41 Countries Visited: )"
(set 6 days ago)
4,640 posts, read 13,917,464 times
Reputation: 4052
Quote:
Originally Posted by elnina
Strange. I used Istanbul Airport and Turkish Airlines on several occasions for connecting flights and was never asked to show transit visa.
What did they want? A visa for Turkey or to fly to NY?
Yes, I agree. In December 2019, I just had no issues in going onto the flight between Romania and USA without a Visa. I bet this must be a new Virus rule for Russia. If anyone goes on a connecting flight with Russia(Even when not leaving the airport), please get a Transit Visa until the situation changes. I lost only $300 with this cheap flight(One of the most affordable options with Turkey to USA other than with Doha Qatar of Qatar Airways $375). Although, I then lost $555 for the next airplane ticket. Close to -$900 USD approximate.
At least I finished the rest of my own Istanbul itinerary. So, still not a big deal I missed the first airplane ticket by accident. And I got to see the other side of Turkey(Ankara, Gazientep, Izmir).
Wow, kind of surprising Russia is the next country that I want to visit. Probably in the middle of July 2022. I have to make sure to get the correct Visa(s). Turkey(New rule sine 2019 before the Virus for USA citizens), and Azerbaijan are quite easy and not expensive compared to this one. I have no idea about Russia in relation to China, Vietnam, India, Brazil. Maybe the most highest cost, complicated, and extensive in the entire processing beginning to final.
01-06-2022, 04:56 PM
Status:
"From 31 to 41 Countries Visited: )"
(set 6 days ago)
4,640 posts, read 13,917,464 times
Reputation: 4052
Quote:
Originally Posted by erasure
Out of curiosity - what Visa company did you deal with ( that messed up your paperwork)?
The website of https://ievisa.com/. Wow, there was just a typo in my name of the Invitation Letter with a change among calendar mark of arriving because of a cancelled airplane flight. And the company refused to edit this item free of charge after paying close to $100 USD. I decided to postpone my Russia trip until the next one mostly because I was in Amman Jordan away from my home country during the occurrence. The Russian embassy building over there also didn't remember to tell me what I had to edit for the Invitation Letter. I went to Turkey, UAE, Jordan, Cyprus, Azerbaijan instead September to December 2021 and South Korea December 2020 February 2021 just one trip before, so I don't have to go visit Russia until just 7 months later middle of Summer 2022.
Can you tell me the exact correct procedures to get this Visa for Russia for USA citizens? Or are you a Russian national? I am not surprised if the rules are quite different. If I was from Azerbaijan, I wouldn't even need a Visa. Wow, highly Soviet in the past for a Middle East country: https://mfa.gov.az/en/category/visa/visa-free-countries
01-06-2022, 04:59 PM
Status:
"From 31 to 41 Countries Visited: )"
(set 6 days ago)
4,640 posts, read 13,917,464 times
Reputation: 4052
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Very Man Himself
Embassy staffing issues on both sides have caused problems.
Maybe Russia is just going to allow Visa free Travels for now on. For absolutely everyone. Very magical, and wonderful.
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For absolutely everyone. Very magical, and wonderful.
