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Today, May 2, 2016, #Odessa marks the anniversary of the #Kulikovo Polye massacre.

This spring is especially hard for Odessa. The provocations had begun on April 10, 2016, the day of ‘Odessa’s liberation from German Nazi and Romanian occupation.’

After Crimea and DNR/LNR, Odessa is the biggest symbol of resistance against the Kiev junta and fascism. The goal of the junta and their foreign handlers is to break the spirit of the city that had never surrendered. As I revealed in ESR8: BLACK SEA GAMBIT, Odessa is the most valuable asset left in Ukraine’s possession. It consists of seven major ports and it hugs the entire northwestern shore of Black Sea. Kiev junta and its Transatlantic handlers are attempting to mold Odessa into being the ultimate anti-Russian sea fortress, especially in case they lose the rest of Ukraine. For this reason the ousted Georgian president and US agent, Saakashvili, was illegally installed as governor. For this reason they also want to bend the will of the majority of Odessans, who never agreed with foreign occupation.

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This is breaking news! On this TODAY’S video, made at the Romania – Moldova border, you can see Moldavian parliament deputies / members of Igor Dodon’s Party of Socialists trying to block US tanks and armed vehicles from entering Moldova. The delay was only temporary and all that stuff did roll into the country. So far a total of 58 US tanks and other military vehicles entered Moldavia from several border points.

Dear Americans!

Please take a look at who’s manning these vehicles – as you well see, these are your co-citizens! What business do they have thousands of miles away from your country, meddling in another country’s affairs, which most of you will never be able to find on the map??!

I’ll add to it that the country in question borders strategic Russian-protected territories. In Moldavia itself at least half of the population is Russian-speaking. Now, tell me: why are your tanks there?

I happen to agree with the opinion (at least, this part of it) of the leader of Moldavia’s “Nasha Partia’ Renato Usatii. See on this video:

To paraphrase what he says: This is akin to what happened on June 22, 1941 (attack by Nazi Germany on USSR at 4am), when people were still asleep, or preparing to take children for a walk, or getting ready for a day of relaxation… Moldavia today is on holiday mode, and many people are believers (LR: Orthodox Paskha/Easter coincided with May 1 holiday). Everyone is relaxed, not paying attention. They took advantage of the holiday mode to sneak their tanks into the country.

US/West are attempting to ‘subvert’ Moldova, like Ukraine before that. They are trying to create a civil war in Moldova. We are being blamed for being pro-Russian, told that NATO will protect us from Russian tanks. Yet, as we see today, it’s not Russian tanks that are rolling into Moldova. Together with the sold-out Moldavian government, West is trying to turn Moldova into yet another battlefield in which to settle their score with Russia.

US is trying to ignite a conflict inside Moldova, fracture the country, leading to civil war. They also cover for the regime of the bandits in power. (LR: as discussed in my earlier comprehensive Moldavia protests report, last year $1 bln was stolen from Moldovan banks by those in power, and the money was laundered offshore.)

To echo what he says, I’ll add that US/West are desperately trying to create yet another unresolved conflict around Russia and post-Soviet space. This is yet another attempt to reformat people’s memory and consciousness.

During this delicate and turbulent time in nearby Ukraine and all over the world, US/EU/NATO are trying to destabilize Moldavia. They are trying to stoke yet another hybrid war near Russian borders, to impinge on Russian interests in the region. If you look at the maps below, you will see that Moldova borders the breakaway Pridnestrovie (Transnistria), with Russian peacekeepers stationed there.

Should US and Romania – who is licking its lips, attempting to swallow Pridnestrovie and Moldova – provoke yet another conflict in Pridnestrovie, the consequences could be dire for all. Pridnestrovie is populated with at least 200,000 Russian citizens, out of a total of 500,000 population. NATO destabilizing Pridnestrovie automatically means WWIII.

This is breaking news! On this TODAY’S video, made at the Romania – Moldova border, you can see Moldavian parliament deputies / members of Igor Dodon’s Party of Socialists trying to block US tanks and armed vehicles from entering Moldova. The delay was only temporary and all that stuff did roll into the country. So far a total of 58 US tanks and other military vehicles entered Moldavia from several border points.

Dear Americans!

Please take a look at who’s manning these vehicles – as you well see, these are your co-citizens! What business do they have thousands of miles away from your country, meddling in another country’s affairs, which most of you will never be able to find on the map??!

I’ll add to it that the country in question borders strategic Russian-protected territories. In Moldavia itself at least half of the population is Russian-speaking. Now, tell me: why are your tanks there?

I happen to agree with the opinion (at least, this part of it) of the leader of Moldavia’s “Nasha Partia’ Renato Usatii. See on this video:

To paraphrase what he says: This is akin to what happened on June 22, 1941 (attack by Nazi Germany on USSR at 4am), when people were still asleep, or preparing to take children for a walk, or getting ready for a day of relaxation… Moldavia today is on holiday mode, and many people are believers (LR: Orthodox Paskha/Easter coincided with May 1 holiday). Everyone is relaxed, not paying attention. They took advantage of the holiday mode to sneak their tanks into the country.

US/West are attempting to ‘subvert’ Moldova, like Ukraine before that. They are trying to create a civil war in Moldova. We are being blamed for being pro-Russian, told that NATO will protect us from Russian tanks. Yet, as we see today, it’s not Russian tanks that are rolling into Moldova. Together with the sold-out Moldavian government, West is trying to turn Moldova into yet another battlefield in which to settle their score with Russia.

US is trying to ignite a conflict inside Moldova, fracture the country, leading to civil war. They also cover for the regime of the bandits in power. (LR: as discussed in my earlier comprehensive Moldavia protests report, last year $1 bln was stolen from Moldovan banks by those in power, and the money was laundered offshore.)

To echo what he says, I’ll add that US/West are desperately trying to create yet another unresolved conflict around Russia and post-Soviet space. This is yet another attempt to reformat people’s memory and consciousness.

During this delicate and turbulent time in nearby Ukraine and all over the world, US/EU/NATO are trying to destabilize Moldavia. They are trying to stoke yet another hybrid war near Russian borders, to impinge on Russian interests in the region. If you look at the maps below, you will see that Moldova borders the breakaway Pridnestrovie (Transnistria), with Russian peacekeepers stationed there.

Should US and Romania – who is licking its lips, attempting to swallow Pridnestrovie and Moldova – provoke yet another conflict in Pridnestrovie, the consequences could be dire for all. Pridnestrovie is populated with at least 200,000 Russian citizens, out of a total of 500,000 population. NATO destabilizing Pridnestrovie automatically means WWIII.

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The Elenovka tragedy

This happened two days ago. Kiev’s brutal bombing and provocation against peaceful civilians shocked many in Donbass and Ukraine. Six people were killed, including a pregnant woman, and scores wounded, in Elenovka village. These people were sitting in their cars near border control post between DNR and Ukraine, waiting in line to cross to the other side. Some of them were retirees forced to drive to Ukrainian side to get pensions, since Kiev refused to distribute pensions on the DNR side; others – were on their way to visit families or tend to their fields stuck on the other side.

Because Kiev continues shutting down border crossings, more and more have to use the same crossing, resulting in long lines. People sometimes have to spend the night in their cars waiting for their turn to cross. Just before the shelling, locals reported hearing a Ukrainian drone right above them, and shortly after, the Minsk-2 banned heavy Ukrainian artillery began shelling cars with sleeping people inside.

Link to video with the aftermath of the Elenovka tragedy. Warning! It’s very graphic!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIsq4qP_wK4

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This new provocation falls in line with Kiev tactics of trying to provoke DNR/LNR into retaliating. Poroshenko is desperate. He is being pressured by EU, and now even by US due the election year, to start fulfilling Minsk agreement’s demands. He can’t do that because his own Rada will tear him apart. His only choice is to re-start armed conflict in Donbass to delay Minsk-2 fulfillment. This is why provocations, targeting peaceful civilians, will continue.

My prediction is that the Elenovka tragedy won’t go as planned by Kiev. The plan to provoke DNR into retaliating is needed to distract Ukraine’s public from internal problems, to re-ignite animosity against Russia, to delay the implementation of Minsk 2, to blame the republics for breaking the truce, and to instigate renewed sanctions against Russia in the wake of EU gearing up for their removal. However, all this will backfire.

Instead, the brutal killing of innocents will serve as yet another clear international proof of Kiev breaking the Minsk agreements. This event will put yet another nail in the coffin of the Kiev junta and its support by the West (many more nails still required, but it’s a start). If not, then EU, US, Canada, IMF and NATO will publicly demonstrate to all that they condone the slaughter of innocent civilians. Before some crucial referendums and elections, and in view of recent EU and US criticisms, this won’t look good.

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This is a cold and dangerous spring of 2016. At least in Ukraine it is. So much is going on that I’ve decided to publish this new UKRAINE report in two parts.

Part 1 addresses a number of crucial new events and important threats facing Ukraine. These are:

1 The shocking Elenovka tragedy – a clear proof of Kiev breaking Minsk-2 peace agreement.

2 Polish and Ukrainian war against Russian monuments and their own history.

3. Chernobyl-2 in the making: persistent dire warnings of possible new nuclear disaster in Ukraine!

Also in this report:

4. The whole truth about Hitler and Nazi Germany.

5. What does Russia really want in Ukraine?

6. How Putin and Lavrov, through peaceful means and reason, outplayed Merkel and Hollande and why Poroshenko won’t be able to attack DNR and LNR.

7. A concise Lada Ray guide to Ukraine’s parts (See additional maps and complete explanation in ESR6: NEW KHAZARIAN KHAGANATE.)

In addition:

8. Why the pristine Kherson Oblast I once knew is being turned into a disaster zone, being invaded by ISIS militants and the ‘right sector.’ More in the future Earth Shift Report: CRIMEAN AGENDA.

9. Worrying news from Odessa! City’s bracing for possible civil war on May 2 and May 9. The world’s eyes are on Odessa! Part 2 of this report, SPRING 2016 ODESSA REPORT, will put in perspective the dangerous events expected there.

10. Plus, a pre-announcement: upcoming surprise Earth Shift Report re. big changes in EU!

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We are very excited to share with you today that Bitstamp has been granted a license by the Luxembourg government to be a fully regulated and licensed exchange in the EU. This is an unprecedented moment for the bitcoin, and brings with it a new era of security and transparency to the industry. The news is the result of a rigorous application process with the Luxembourg financial regulator, the Luxembourg Financial Industry Supervisory Commission (known as CSSF) spanning nearly two years, which included security reviews in addition to an audit by Ernst & Young Luxembourg. Bitstamp's license is passportable into the 28 EU member states providing all European customers with a robust, secure platform for bitcoin trading.
Establishing our EU base in Luxembourg, a country that is known for its long-standing history as an international leader in e-payments and data privacy as well as the European headquarters for many global players including Amaz on, PayPal and Skype, Luxembourg embodies an exceptionally strong infrastructure and the financial and security awareness we were seeking for this process.

What does this mean for me?

New and current Bitstamp clients can rest assured knowing that Bitstamp and its services are approved across Europe. This stamp of approval ensures that Bitstamp offers the highest levels of security and consumer protection previously only recognized in traditional financial institutions.

What else is new?

Bitstamp has simultaneously launched BTC/EUR trading to better serve European markets. We are also offering free trading in BTC/EUR for our loyal clients for the next month (Until end of May).

Effective Tuesday, 26th of April all EUR deposits received will be credited directly to EUR account balance. Trading will start same day at 1:00 PM CEST. To protect our clients ask/bid orders overlapping on launch day will be removed prior to launching the order book.

Note that all non-EUR deposits will continue to be converted to USD.

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This is a very touching story of Lieutenant Alexander Prokhorenko and his heroic death in Syria. Facing imminent capture, he called the Russian fire upon his own hidden position after being surrounded by ISIS jihadists, thus taking many islamists with him to the grave. He was posthumously awarded the Gold Star of the Hero of Russia. Lieutenant Prokhorenko has left behind his pregnant wife.

Incidentally, Prokhorenko is a typical Ukrainian name. You’ve probably heard me say before that there are millions of Ukrainians living in Russia, since essentially ‘Ukrainians’ are, simply put, Southern Russians, and most of the normal ones don’t consider themselves separate from the Great Russians in any way.

With great dismay, I often talk on this blog about the embarrassment that today’s Kiev junta-ruled Ukraine has turned itself into. This young man proves that there are good Ukrainians left in the world.

But the story of the Russian hero doesn’t end there. A French couple, in protest against the French media and government’s silence about Prokhorenko’s act of heroism and Russia’s role in Syria, decided to donate their cherished WWII medals to his family.

I’ve said that today’s Ukraine is an embarrassment. However, in truth, today’s collective West’s behavior and manipulation is an even bigger embarrassment, especially that of the US and EU.

But while the West is silent, trying to ignore facts and twist the truth to suit its agenda, ordinary people do speak up. It’s people’s diplomacy at work: Prokhorenko family has been getting letters and donations from all over, through Russian embassies and organizations. These tokens of support won’t replace their beloved husband and son, but they do confirm the family isn’t alone, as many grieve with them.

Touching video with details of Lieutenant Prokhorenko’s Syria act and the French couple’s gift

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He actually achieved a great victory there, he occupied Crimea, and shifted the focus towards Syria by supporting the rebels, provoking Turkey, USA etc.
When is the last time your heard something about Ukraine on the news?
Putin is a smart guy, everyone's worried about ISIS, some ships and airplanes in the middle east, completely forgetting the invasion

Since when is that?

The Saker, an astute analyst, published not long ago an article Putin’s biggest failure, in which he describes the dynamics and the forces that were active in the 90s and, which are still partially present in the Russian political life. The Saker describes the continued presence of this 5th column as one of the Putin’s failures.

I do not entirely agree with the formulation. Rather, I view this as an event yet to happen. Observing Putins moves, one can come to a conclusion that he, like a doctor, is guided by the principal of “don’t do harm”. If an intervention into the political system brings more harm than good, then he’ll wait for a more favourable time. In this case, the threat is unsettling a delicate political balance in Russia, which it just re-acquired after the Wild 90s.

As a post-scriptum, a remark to the fragment from the above article that “Russian Federation almost broke up into many small statelets”. Nikolai Starikov in his videoblog #68 at 44:23 demonstrates a collection of “Ural Francs” – money that were printed in 1991 in anticipation of the break-up of the Russian Federation into such statelets:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=iQEKOMOewd0#t=2663

Such scenario is possible only in Movie or fantasy book
Russians don't really know what is real democracy because they never had democracy in their country.
But, they remember ''old good days'' when they had great world influence as USSR and they was unhappy when USSR collapsed.
Putin had luck with oil price (Russian economy recovered) and a few war victories and through this he gave Russian people national pride again.
Because of this they respect Putin but you can't compare Russia and USA.
For the same reasons Russian like Putin, people in America hate him.

I don't think that Putin ever wanted to reform Russian political or economic system.
Why?
Now he have absolute power in Russia and can do whatever he want.
His biggest failure?
In my opinion conflict he caused in Ukraine, and all bad results Russia received from it, including trade lost with EU.
Because of Putin all former Easter block (Poland, Ukraine etc) demanding that Nato soldiers came in their countries and protect them from Russia.
It's big strategic mistake because Russia lost their influence in this area.

Whatever happens in the future, Putin has already secured his place in history as one of the greatest Russian leaders ever. Not only did he succeed in literally resurrecting Russia as a country, but in a little over a decade he brought her back as a world power capable of successfully challenging the AngloZionist Empire. The Russian people have clearly recognized this feat and, according to numerous polls, they are giving him an amazing 90% support rate. And yet, there is one crucial problem which Putin has failed to tackle: the real reason behind the apparent inability of the Kremlin to meaningfully reform the Russian economy.

As I have described it in the past many times, when Putin came to power in 1999-2000 he inherited a system completely designed and controlled by the USA. During the Eltsin years, Russian ministers had much less power than western ‘advisers’ who turned Russia into a US colony. In fact, during the 1990s, Russia was at least as controlled by the USA as Europe and the Ukraine are today. And the results were truly catastrophic: Russia was plundered from her natural wealth, billions of dollars were stolen and hidden in western offshore accounts, the Russian industry was destroyed, a unprecedented wave of violence, corruption and poverty drowned the entire country in misery and the Russian Federation almost broke up into many small statelets. It was, by any measure, an absolute nightmare, a horror comparable to a major war. Russia was about to explode and something had to be done.

Two remaining centers of power, the oligarchs and the ex-KGB, were forced to seek a solution to this crisis and they came up with the idea of sharing power: the former would be represented by Dmitrii Medvedev and the latter by Vladimir Putin. Both sides believed that they would keep the other side in check and that this combination of big money and big muscle would yield a sufficient degree of stability

I call the group behind Medvedev the “Atlantic Integrationists” and the people behind Putin the “Eurasian Sovereignists”. The former wants Russia to be accepted by the West as an equal partner and fully integration Russia into the AngloZionist Empire, while the latter want to fully “sovereignize” Russia and then create a multi-polar international system with the help of China and the other BRICS countries.

What the Atlantic Integrationists did not expect is that Putin would slowly but surely begin to squeeze them out of power: first he cracked down on the most notorious oligarchs such as Berezovskii and Khodorkovskii, then he began cracking down on the local oligarchs, gubernatorial mafias, ethnic mobsters, corrupt industry officials, etc. Putin restored the “vertical [axis]of power” and crushed the Wahabi insurgents in Chechnia. Putin even carefully set up the circumstances needed to get rid of some of the worst ministers such as Serdiukov and Kudrin. But what Putin has so far failed to do is to

    Reform the Russian political system
    Replace the 5th columnists in and around the Kremlin
    Reform the Russian economy

The current Russian Constitution and system of government is a pure product of the US ‘advisors’ which, after the bloody crackdown against the opposition in 1993, allowed Boris Eltsin to run the country until 1999. It is paradoxical that the West now speaks of a despotic presidency about Putin when all he did is inherit a western-designed political system. The problem for Putin today is that it makes no sense to replace some of the worst people in power as long as the system remains unchanged. But the main obstacle to a reform of the political system is the resistance of the pro-Western 5th columnists in and around the Kremlin. They also the ones who are still forcing a set of “Washington consensus” kind of policies upon Russia even though it is obvious that the consequences for Russia are extremely bad, even disastrous. There is no doubt that Putin understands that, but he has been unable, at least so far, to break out of this dynamic.

So who are these 5th columnists?

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Yevgeny Rozhkov: We will discuss the main issues today and put the big questions to the star of today’s programme – the President of the Russian Federation.

So, here, live, we have Vladimir Putin.

Valeriya Korableva: Good afternoon.

Yevgeny Rozhkov: Good afternoon.

Mr President, this is the question processing centre, or the call centre, as we also call it. It is one of the few such centres specially established by Rostelecom to collect the questions people are sending to you for this direct line.

There are several centres because one alone would simply not cope with the volume. Dozens of messages are coming in every second – SMS and MMS messages and telephone calls. If you look around, you see the girls busy taking the many calls coming in.

At the computers over there they are taking video calls. We have someone right now who wants to put a question to you live. Incidentally, these video calls are one of the innovations of this year’s Direct Line.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Excellent.

Valeriya Korableva: Let me show you how it all works. The operator is taking the call right now. It’s a call from Omsk Region, a video call, and this young lady wants to put her question. It looks like a question about roads.

Vladimir Putin: Let’s hear the question.

Valeriya Korableva: There’s a real hail of questions about roads this year. Yes, let’s hear what she wants to ask.

Vladimir Putin: Go ahead. So, roads then, well, this means we get straight into the heart of things this year, without any warm-up.

Question: Hello, Mr President.

My name is Yekaterina and I am calling on behalf of the people of Omsk Region. We have a problem here, and it’s no small problem – it’s our roads. Take a look at what state they’re in. It’s just one pothole after another. Our cars break down on these roads, the wheels come off.

The authorities turn a deaf ear to our problems and pleas. We try to take action, organise petitions, but the authorities ignore us. The people here don’t have proper roads, no bicycle paths either, the trees are being cut down, and there’s mud everywhere.

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Question: Was it not daunting to face so many serious problems and pressing questions?

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: No.

Question: Why do you say that?

Vladimir Putin: This is my work, what my colleagues and I are expected to do. You can’t hide from serious questions, because if you try to put a gloss on reality, how will you understand what is really going on? And it is extremely important to understand where we are, how we are working, and how people view our work.

Question: Mr President, when you were asked about [Alexei] Kudrin, you started talking about the future, about some plans for 2018. Does this mean that you have already made the decision to run for president in 2018?

Vladimir Putin: No, it doesn’t mean that I have made such a decision. It means that we need to adjust our medium and long-term plans. No country can survive without making such adjustments, and Russia is no exception. We had development plans in place through to 2020, and now it is already 2016. We have come to the point where we need to reflect on the medium-term prospects.

This was Mr Kudrin’s own initiative too, really. He and some other colleagues said that we should be working on this regardless of who will be in the Government and who will be the President. The country has to know which road it is taking, at what pace, and what is needed to reach the goals it has set.

Question: Do you regret Obama’s imminent departure?

Vladimir Putin: We will all go one day – there is no point in having regrets, we have to work. I must say that the President of the United States – assessments can vary of course, but in any case his work should be assessed by the citizens of the US – but he is working, and very actively. He and I keep in touch, I maintain contact with his Administration, and I am confident that this will continue until the end of his tenure. He is a very responsible man. But once America elects a new President, we’ll start working with the new one.

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