Tag: Russia

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Kerch Strait bridge linking Crimea to Russia opens ahead of schedule – an annotated infographic

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The bridge linking Crimea to Russia over the Kerch Strait across the Black Sea has opened six months ahead of schedule. The 19km road-and-rail bridge is a flagship political project for Russia, as it seeks to cement its hold on Crimea, annexed from Ukraine in 2014 after an unrecognised referendum on unification with Russia. The bridge, which some Russians have dubbed “Putin’s bridge”, will be the longest dual-purpose span in Europe. For the bridge to overcome treacherous conditions in the region, thousands of pylons have been driven into the seabed for stability, with space in between to allow strong currents … Continue reading Kerch Strait bridge linking Crimea to Russia opens ahead of schedule – an annotated infographic

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Russia’s aviation safety record – an annotated infographic

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The crash of a Russian Antonov An-148 plane near Moscow earlier this month, which killed all 71 people aboard, is one of the country’s worst-ever aviation disasters. Russia has suffered 11 air disasters since 2008, claiming 893 lives, according to Airsafe.com. The chronology of tragedy among Russian carriers contains a number of recurrent themes. The leading cause of fatal accidents appears to be a combination of severe weather and poor pilot decision-making. Click on the graphic for an expanded view. Continue reading Russia’s aviation safety record – an annotated infographic

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Kazan, Russia’s most dangerous nuclear attack submarine – an annotated infographic

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Russia has floated its newest nuclear-powered multi-purpose attack submarine. The launch of Kazan, considered a counterpart to U.S. Seawolf and Virginia-class, comes as Moscow claims its submarine fleet has increased combat patrols to levels last seen during the Cold War. The Kazan is the first upgraded Project 885M Yasen-class attack submarine. Equipped with eight vertical missile launchers, it can deliver Kalibr or Oniks anti-ship and land-attack cruise missiles – significant after Russian ships and submarines fired long-range missiles from the Caspian and the Black Sea into Syria in 2016. For the first time in Russian shipbuilding, the torpedo tubes are … Continue reading Kazan, Russia’s most dangerous nuclear attack submarine – an annotated infographic

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Book Review: Fardwor, Russia! A Fantastical Tale of Life under Putin – Oleg Kashin

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By Jade Fell “I predict we will abolish suffering throughout the living world. Our descendants will be animated by gradients of genetically pre-programmed well-being that are orders of magnitude richer than today’s peak experiences.” ― David Pearce Oleg Kashin is a rather notorious Russian journalist whose open criticism of the Putin government may or may not have motivated unknown assailants to beat him to within an inch of his life back 2010. You’d think such an event would put the dampeners on a guy, but apparently Kashin was undeterred and returned full force to publish his first work of fiction, … Continue reading Book Review: Fardwor, Russia! A Fantastical Tale of Life under Putin – Oleg Kashin

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Malaysia Airlines #FlightMH17 shot down by Russian-made Buk missile – an annotated infographic

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The Dutch Safety Board has released its final report into the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over war-torn Ukraine, which has concluded that a Russian-built Buk missile took down the plane. The question of who fired the missile and thus who is to blame for the tragedy remains unresolved. Dutch prosecutors are conducting a criminal investigation to find the perpetrators. Click on the graphic for an expanded view. Continue reading Malaysia Airlines #FlightMH17 shot down by Russian-made Buk missile – an annotated infographic

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NATO shows off new steerable nuclear bomb – Russia not happy about it – an annotated infographic

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The United States plans to deploy 180 precision-guided thermonuclear bombs to five European countries between 2020-24. The B61-12 has a “dial-a-yield” feature and is able to strike within 30 metres of its target. Russia has threatened to take countermeasures over reports that the U.S. is to upgrade nuclear weapons in Europe. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said plans for the U.S. to station up to 180 modified B61–12 guided nuclear bombs in five NATO countries “would lead to a violation of the strategic balance in Europe.” Under a $10.4 billion “Life Extension Programme” (LEP) the new munitions will be converted from … Continue reading NATO shows off new steerable nuclear bomb – Russia not happy about it – an annotated infographic

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New Pyrenees pipeline to help cut dependence on Russian gas – an annotated infographic

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The leaders of Spain, France and Portugal are expected to strike an accord in Madrid to build a new pipeline through the Pyrenees that would allow Spain to pump almost 15 billion cubic metres of gas a year northwards – approximately 10 per cent of the supply currently coming from Russia. Click on the graphic for an expanded view. Continue reading New Pyrenees pipeline to help cut dependence on Russian gas – an annotated infographic

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Malaysia Airlines #MH17 – airlines ban flights over trouble hot spots – an annotated infographic

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Airlines around the world are addressing global trouble spots by cancelling or rerouting flights to avoid them. A new sense of urgency is being displayed in dealing with global trouble spots, following the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine. U.S. and European airlines have already cancelled flights to Israel’s Tel Aviv airport due to the ongoing conflict there. Click on the graphic for an expanded view. Continue reading Malaysia Airlines #MH17 – airlines ban flights over trouble hot spots – an annotated infographic

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Malaysia Airlines #MH17 – clues to the plane’s final moments – an annotated infographic

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Aviation and defence experts say that chemical residue on wreckage could confirm the type of weapon that brought down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. The location of debris could yield information on how the attack unfolded and evidence of shrapnel in aircraft panels could confirm that the plane was hit by a SA-11 Buk missile. The black boxes could offer vital clues as well, with the explosion captured by the cockpit voice recorder, and the data recorders, which register altitude and position, would be able to tie that information to the timing of any known missile launch in the area detected … Continue reading Malaysia Airlines #MH17 – clues to the plane’s final moments – an annotated infographic

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Malaysia Airlines #MH17 – facts, rumours, accusations and threats – FOUR annotated infographics

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With investigations in to precisely what happened and who was responsible for the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 moving considerably faster than the investigations in to precisely what happened and who was responsible for the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, here we offer four infographics. These range from the first news of the incident (bottom), when only the bare facts of the plane’s crash were known, up to the most recent direct accusation of Russian complicity in the attack, as voiced by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (top). For the latest facts, revelations, nation accusations and on-the-spot … Continue reading Malaysia Airlines #MH17 – facts, rumours, accusations and threats – FOUR annotated infographics