This is one of the issues China's fanboys do not want to face. I use the term "China's fanboys" in a very narrow sense--China is a superpower and is a gigantic economy--but, Xi still flies customized Boeing-747. Putin flies 100% Russian-made IL-96. Symbols do matter. Anyone who denies this is a fool. It also underscores how difficult commercial aviation is.
This is not easy to rectify. CR-929 could have been it, but not anymore. Russia is not sharing PD-35 engines, period. Neither does GE or Rolls Royce. It is hard, very hard...
He gave a very substantive interview to Ukraina.ru, which I strongly suggest anyone who reads this blog to look at. Use Google Translate. Here is the piece which is of utter importance for Russia's strategic planning. No, not just land bridge to Transnistria--this has been discussed often, by yours truly too. But, get a load of this:
Translation:Immediately after the end of the Special Military Operation, the West will not be able to fight with us.It does not have a trained army, it will not accumulate the required amount of resources, it has no plans for war with Russia.It only has scraps of speculation and guesswork.These three factors make war with NATO unlikely.It is clear that the United States can push the Europeans to take crazy steps.But on the economic and diplomatic front we have specialists who will try to keep them from doing this.And the NWO will lead to processes that will lead to a split in the European Union and NATO.If we break through a land corridor to Hungary, then Serbia will be magnetized to this axis.And it can be followed by Slovakia and Romania, where very interesting processes are taking place.Eastern Europe will begin to break away from old Europe, which will be severely depressed due to the economic situation.After all, Europe is defeated not only on the eastern front, but also in the global south (it is not so simple with China).
Consider this: Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Serbia have a combined population of roughly 42 million. This is substantial, it is also a promising market--make your own conclusion. As I already stated many times, Russia doesn't need love or obedience, Russia is interested in trade with people who still recognize that there are only two genders. Simple as that. Once the land bridge is built, European structure changes dramatically. Old Europe can go and die.
It it sad, but it is also hilarious. A video is worth a thousand words. Serbia's President Vucic is being had (together with Serbia) in every hole. This video is already making rounds and poor Masha Zaharova was forced (Russians usually keep their cool under most circumstances) to clarify after she posted this in her Facebook. Serbs were incensed, probably because of this being true, and video is hilarious and proves that it is true.
Well, as I say non-stop, you cannot save people from themselves. In the end, one is ultimately responsible for choices one makes. Saker posted a good write up on this whole bizarre affair at his blog and I suggest you acquaint yourself with this excellent guest analysis.
In related news, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Kuleba concluded that this was Ukraine which brought civilization to Russia. We know that Ukraine is run from D.C. and Brussels (in different proportions, I don't care to calculate) and that Ukrainian "elites", while cruder and dumber are still a reflection of say, America's "elites", which are also crude and dumb and installed own likeness, but the point is that huge percentage of Ukrainian population, including Russian-speakers shares this point of view. That explains, yet again, why not only Russia didn't go into Ukraine in 2014 but why iron curtain between Russia and Ukraine is ultimately required, including removal of many seasonal Ukrainian workers from Russia and blocking their return. The issue is not only of some of them being SBU assets, for that there is FSB, but with the overall virus of Ukrainian insanity and perfidy which needs to be contained outside Russia's borders. As I repeat ad nauseam--Ukraine did happen as a political nation and nothing could, or should, be done about it. Russians and Ukrainians are, indeed, different and that is all for the better. Europe has plenty of strawberry farms and toilet bowls needing tending to and Ukraine fits perfectly to this function. In the end, there is always Canada, where they love svidomys.
Meanwhile, Pentagon issued a report to US Congress on China's military capability. You all know my attitude to Pentagon's "analysis", plus you know that I am not a Sinophile by any stretch of imagination--I do not even pretend to be a specialist in China--but something tells me that D.C. long ago lost any touch with the reality and as historic record shows, as Patrick Armstrong observed, the US is a slower learner in matters of real war. I will have to endure digging into all those pages of data to have my opinion on the issue Interesting still to read between the lines in such kind of reports.
As with Italy, the group of 11 Military Transport Aviation aircraft was formed by the orders of Sergei Shoigu to start deliveries of equipment and specialists to Serbia to help to deal with Covid-19. First IL-76s already landed in Serbia (in Russian). So, does anyone have any questions about "where is Russia" when speaking about Serbia anymore? I guess all questions have been answered. The reason Serbia wasn't first most likely is simple--Lombardy was in such a rough shape that aid was needed there first and it was needed urgently. It is clear that Russia will not abandon Serbs as people. Serbia's political top is a different matter--it is very pro-EU. Albeit, at this stage one question is not just warranted, but is irresistible--so how did EU perform so far? We all know the answer.
These are Russia's brothers in blood and faith and finally all speculations (and trolls) are put to rest.
UPDATE: from Russia's MoD from Serbia. Arrival of the first "bort" (board, aircraft). No interpreter between Russians and Serbs is crucial, a lot in common in languages.
A sort of Russia's atonement, I guess, for betraying Serbs in 1999. I recall vividly when in a huge crowd of Serbs who went to greet Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Alexy II in Belgrade in 1999, visible were the banners with such message: Don't give us Patriarch, Give Us S-300s. That was my sentiment too. But Russia of 1999, led, if one may say so, by alcoholic low life and his cabal of "reformers" many of who were openly anti-Russian, was speedily shown her place by the US and she... obliged. Things changed since then, as did Russia, who was forced to change after NATO aggression against Serbia.
Anyone is 100% positive that all of those systems will get back to Russia? After all, this kind of statements DO mean something important:
The two countries have also boosted intelligence cooperation. On
Wednesday, Sergey Naryshkin, head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence
Service (SVR), told Serbian state-run RTS TV that the two countries were
performing "complex mutual operations" to protect their external
interests. Serbia has relied on Russia for support in its
continued refusal to recognize the independence of its former southern
province of Kosovo, which seceded in 2008 after a bloody guerrilla
uprising. NATO peacekeepers remain in Kosovo. Serbia also depends
on Russia for natural gas supplies and the largest local oil company,
Naftna Industrija Srbije, is majority-owned by Russia’s Gazprom.
The West was behind gang-rape of Serbia based on a completely cooked "intelligence" which ignored completely the fate of Serbs, who were ethnically cleansed and are being ethnically cleansed in the illegal statelet of Kosovo. Obviously NATO had no inhibitions in supporting Kosovar organized crime and Islamism--a feature of the contemporary West from the times of Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. We know the results, don't we?
I am in no position to write on Serbia's internal dynamics--to be sure Serbia is filled with all kinds of Western "assets" and other "democracy"-activists--but there is very little doubt that many, very many, Serbs DO view Russia as their only chance at restoration of territorial integrity and, in the end, economic growth. S-400s and other systems can help ensure Serbia's safety from aggression. This was 9 months ago in Belgrade. No comments are necessary here.
It is now up to Serbs themselves, Russia, it seems, will do her part. History is a peculiar thing, some things in it you just can't break.
Milos Obilic who is known to Russians since Soviet times (and earlier)--his picture killing him a Sultan in every Soviet history books for school. A holy Orthodox warrior--for a Cross. This is how it sounds today--Kosovo Polje, Kosovo is Serbia... Kipelov says so and it is true....
"Kerry will be seeking clarity from Putin and Lavrov as to where Russia
stands on a political transition for Syria, particularly on the future
of President Bashar Assad, now that a fragile truce is holding and U.N.
brokered peace talks are underway."
So, US still wants "clarity" on the fate of the guy (Assad) who fought, and consistently killed for the last 5 years, West-sponsored terrorists. Talk about being out of place and out of time. West's "successes" in "fighting" terrorism have been on the global display for the last 16 years, starting from its despicable aggression against Yugoslavia (this very day). But then comes this:
"Kerry said that he was optimistic his talks could "prove that two
powerful nations that have been able to find cooperation in the past few
years despite differences have the ability in the face of those
differences to do what is necessary to meet the challenge."
No, really, how about John Kerry and his Big Boss give the definition to this "challenge"? Russia did, which she proved, time after time and beyond the shadow of a doubt, by actions. I think the time is upon us that if US and Europe are serious (which I predict they are not and will not be) about fighting terrorism they stop those hollow (and useless) statements and either put up or shut up, or follow. Or, they may continue to cry us, people who hold dear the best Christendom gave us and who face life with open eyes, a river as this clown Mogherini did. How about starting with charging former US Secretary Of State Madeline Albright, together with Christian Amanpour, with war crimes and support for Islamic terrorism which started this day with bombing of innocent civilians in Belgrade. How about opening a criminal probe into the activity of Senator John McCain in support of the Islamic terrorists in Syria. Well, all this is a wishful thinking. Very little could be discussed with people who proclaimed Islam a religion of peace or when the biggest boss can not bring himself to recognizing "terrorism" for what it is. What "unity" is possible with such people? And then, of course, there is this issue of sanctions. "Unity" with backstabbers is not possible. It seems Russia finally learned her lessons.
