Russian Elections 2012: Trouble in Paradise?

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

This is why Putin's plan is going to be an EPIC fail... The world is watching now!

Madonna speaks up for Riot
www.cbc.ca/news/arts/story/2012/08/06/arts-madonna-russia-rockers.html

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Nothing like drawing a bunch of attention to yourself. Nice Job Vlad!

Global activists gear up for Riot rallies
www.ctvnews.ca/world/global-activists-gear-up-for--riot-rallies-1.914762

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Too funny.. So now what Vlad? You had the support now you don't..

Grant Riot mercy, Russian Orthodox clerics say
www.theprovince.com/news/+Riot+should+granted+mercy+Russian+Orthodox+clerics/7112621/story.html

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Go Vlad go!!

Russian police pursuing other members of Riot
www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/20/entertainment-us-russia-riot-idUSBRE87F1E520120820?feedType=RSS&feedName=entertainmentNews&rpc=986

Russian opposition leader questioned by police
www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/russian-opposition-leader-questioned-1502546.html

Russian court website defaced in support of Riot
www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ifZ-vQMurxoRIHSO8d8dcwgQpi7A?docId=CNG.190ace56035c08110aa9b72cd4d0d3cd.ae1

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Again.. Go Vlad go!!

Russia's rights ombudsman decries Riot verdict
www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/23/entertainment-us-russia-riot-idUSBRE87L0WT20120823?feedType=RSS&feedName=entertainmentNews&rpc=986

Russia abandons Putin's bullet train promise
www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gYodxD9vtOcAv6vXQMJINpTGtqBA?docId=CNG.bf6e04b6089cdd538395d97aba337d68.3b1

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

I thought this was an interesting OP, Riot was nothing buy a ruse by the opposition? Makes sense to me because it looks like Vlad fell right into the trap...

Riot Was Carefully Calibrated for Protest
www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/arts/music/-riot-was-carefully-calibrated-for-protest.html

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

So while Putin has the Riot to worry about...

Riot: 'we still burn with desire to take Putin's monopoly on power'
www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/27/-riot-interview-yekaterina-samutsevich?newsfeed=true

It would appear that some type of conflict is about to break out near Georgia, and it seems that it's not between Russia and Georgia..

UPDATE 3-Georgia says 3 soldiers, 11 militants killed near Russia border
in.reuters.com/article/2012/08/29/georgia-fighting-idINL6E8JTCL420120829

It said five soldiers had also been wounded near the frontier with Russia's Dagestan region, but did not give the nationality of the gunmen or say whether they had entered the country from Russia.

Russian police identify female suicide bomber who killed Muslim leader in Dagestan
www.vancouversun.com/news/Russian+police+identify+female+suicide+bomber+killed+Muslim+leader+Dagestan/7163620/story.html

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

It's looking more and more like this Riot band is nothing more than a careful plan by the opposition...

Russian punk band torches Putin portrait in video, Walesa weighs in
www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/07/entertainment-us-russia-riot-idUSBRE88613520120907?feedType=RSS&feedName=entertainmentNews&rpc=986

[jarhead1976]

Aham, nothing like a riot to get things going. Damn good thing as high as Russian inflation is, they bailed on the debt , Goldman f&$ked em.

Regardless " how brutal" Russians are portrayed, their out and better off.

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

No Communism f)(ked them.. LOL.. The banks just knew how to make a buck off of it for the USA.. They just joined the WTO too. Plus they want into the Euro as they just issued a bunch of debt in euros this year.. Putin is on his way out my friend.. XOM has a nice sized play in Russia, great long term play there, JMO.

[Virgil Showlion]

Putin is on his way out my friend

On what timeline?

Want to bet 100 karma?

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

You don't want to know my time line... The opposition that is clearing rallying around the guy says he won't make it to the next election; which is about 5 and half years from now. My bet would be that sometime in the next half decade we are going to see some pretty crazy stuff come out of Russia. Remember there is big money behind the opposition, it's not just some "punks".

If that works... Sure 100 karma it is..

[jarhead1976]

Come on who doesn't like ? Ok never mind. Virgil you can delete that. Check out the USSR numbers, painful but survivable

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

LOL... Apparently Putin. He just like to fly with the birds.. ;D I agree. Russia survived it, now that they will be going full capital approach they should really start to do well.

[Virgil Showlion]

My bet would be that sometime in the next half decade we are going to see some pretty crazy stuff come out of Russia. Remember there is big money behind the opposition, it's not just some "punks".

If that works... Sure 100 karma it is.

I'd be surprised if planet Earth circa 2017 even halfway resembles Earth circa 2012. So no bet.

I thought you were talking about Putin being canned in 2013 or something, in which case I'll happily take your karma.

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Ah come on Virg! Not even a few? I think they wanted him out before he even got in. I should have bet ya that the Riot was indeed a set up with some money backing it. Russia TV is now saying...

Russian State TV Claims Exiled Tycoon Behind Riot
thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/12/film-shown-on-russian-tv-ties-exiled-tycoon-to--riot/

A report broadcast Tuesday on the state-owned Rossiya 1 channel claimed to have found the mastermind behind the Riot controversy: Boris A. Berezovsky, the exiled Russian tycoon living in London. The second installment of “Provocateurs,” a film by the journalist Arkady Mamontov, suggests that Mr. Berezovsky financed the punk band in order to destabilize Russian society.

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Looks like someone else is getting some money from this tycoon as well.

Medvedev calls for Riot release
www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/russian-prime-minister-medvedev-calls-for--riot-release/article4539138/

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

It just keeps getting better for Putin...

Anti-Putin Lawmaker Ousted in Russia; Who's Next?
abcnews.go.com/story?id=17233019#.UFTWebJlTKw

Anti-Putin rally draws thousands, but turnout far from true ‘March of Millions
o.canada.com/2012/09/15/anti-putin-rally-draws-thousands-but-turnout-far-from-true-march-of-millions/

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

The paranoia is setting in....

Russia accuses US aid agency of trying to influence elections, as explanation for expulsion
www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/russia-accuses-us-aid-agency-of-trying-to-influence-elections-in-explaining-expulsion/2012/09/19/170fc74a-0241-11e2-9132-f2750cd65f97_story.html

Russia explained its decision to end the U.S. Agency for International Development’s two decades of work in Russia by saying Wednesday that the agency was using its money to influence elections — a claim the U.S. denied.

The U.S. State Department announced Tuesday that Russia has demanded USAID leave the country, a culmination of years of resentment over what Moscow sees as American interference aimed at undermining President Vladimir Putin’s hold on power.“We are talking about attempts through the issuing of grants to affect the course of political processes, including elections on various levels, and institutions of civil society,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said.

Nearly 60 percent of the aid agency’s $50 million annual budget this year has been allocated for the promotion of democracy and civil society in Russia. Some of this money has gone to support Russia’s only independent election monitoring group, Golos, which fielded thousands of observers in last winter’s elections and compiled reports of widespread vote fraud in support of Putin’s party.

Putin had accused Western governments of trying to influence the December parliamentary vote through their grant recipients, and a state-owned television channel directly denounced Golos, showing suitcases full of dollars that the group supposedly had received. After those elections set off an unprecedented wave of protests, Putin accused the demonstrators of being in the pay of Washington.

The U.S. State Department denied that it was trying to affect the outcome of elections.

“We completely reject the notion that our support for civil society, democracy, human rights in any way interferes with elections, whether in Russia or anywhere else in the world,” spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters in Washington. “We do these programs all over the world. We are even-handed as to access to the resources for political parties.”

Grigory Melkonyants, the deputy director of Golos, said the expulsion of USAID was a logical extension of a Kremlin crackdown on dissent since Putin returned to the presidency in May.

“All of this is part of a series of moves aimed at toughening policy toward protests, the Internet, NGOs and freedom of speech,” he said. “The people who make these decisions intend to crack down on dissent and criticism in a way that is as harsh as possible. It is frightening even to think about what may happen tomorrow.”

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Now that the paranoia has set in as discussed above, it's leading to things that will go over real well with the general public I would imagine..

Russia moves to prosecute anti-Putin protest leader
www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/17/us-russia-protest-charges-idUSBRE89G0A420121017

Russian anti-Putin activist Udaltsov under house arrest
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19976822

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

It looks like Medvedev is joining in the fun as Putin tries to lock away his competition.

Russian opposition leaders detained in Moscow
www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5in4W6txhJrObZHTIAYqanXtdcvcQ?docId=e08a36f81ec648c68cb007875ce89619


Russian PM says Riot members should be released
www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/russian-pm-says--riot-members-should-be-released-1.1021728

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Friday that he detested the Riot act, but added the women have been in prison long enough and should be released.

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

More fun over the weekend....

Russia's Putin appears in public amid rumours about his health
www.ctvnews.ca/world/russia-s-putin-appears-in-public-amid-rumours-about-his-health-1.1023824

Meanwhile, also on Sunday...

Russian nationalists protest Putin, eye mainstream
www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iSYOuY_1meuslBv0o6x122W3VoXA?docId=d44d69dc65ac4d99962b5911c8d119f0

Thousands of nationalists marched through Moscow on Sunday chanting slogans such as "Russia for the Russians" to protest President Vladimir Putin's government, which they accuse of lavishing privileges on migrants and minorities while ignoring ethnic Russians.

The anti-Kremlin tone of the nationalists, who once backed Putin, comes as the movement's leaders try to broaden their base in the wake of last winter's historic opposition protests against the Russian leader. Some nationalists are even denouncing violence and racism, moves many mainstream opposition activists view with suspicion.

Russia more fragile than it looks
www.thestarphoenix.com/Russia+more+fragile+than+looks/7493442/story.html

When Vladimir Putin celebrated his 60th birthday last month, a group of patriotic mountaineers unfurled a portrait of the Russian leader on a 4,150-metre mountain peak.

Hailing him as a guarantor of happiness and stability, the climbers' leader explained: "We have stuck Putin's portrait on a rock wall we see as unbreakable and eternal as Putin."

But as Putin nears the end of his 13th year ruling this vast country, Russians feel increasingly unhappy and worries over long-term political and economic stability are growing.

Russia is exporting three things in great quantity, says a leading Moscow banker: natural resources, capital and people.

Only the first could be regarded as healthy and sustainable; the other two imply that oligarchs and ordinary citizens alike are turning their back on Putin's Russia.

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Sept 8, 2012 22:48:51 GMT -5 Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger said:

You don't want to know my time line... The opposition that is clearing rallying around the guy says he won't make it to the next election; which is about 5 and half years from now. My bet would be that sometime in the next half decade we are going to see some pretty crazy stuff come out of Russia. Remember there is big money behind the opposition, it's not just some "punks".

If that works... Sure 100 karma it is..

Hey Virg, is this what you're looking for. A 5 year outlook from sept 2012, if you're going to try and burn people with their own words, maybe make sure you know what you're talking about first, eh?

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/psychiatric-sentence-for-antiputin-protester-is-return-to-soviet-tactics-8867363.html

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Hey b2, Putin freeded the riot! What did they have to say about it?

Riot members vow to continue anti-Putin protests

Also, it's not just the Ukrainians that don't want anything to do with Russia...

Arrests as anti-Putin protesters march in Armenia

I'm sure most have heard, but there is more than a good chance that these winter Olympics could end up being a lynch pin in a much bigger situation.

I guess it was more than a rumor that the Saudis offered Putin an olive branch at home for cooperation on Syria. Stay all.

Russia's deadly black widow cult that threatens Olympians

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Stay .

Russia may hit back at Saudi Arabia

Shootout with militants in Russia kills seven before Olympics

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Thank God that the Olympics went off without anything but ant-Putin activities and mutiny in the Ukraine.  Further evidence that Islam is collapsing in on itself, more on that later... For now...Stay all.

Russia arrests 200 in rally echoing Ukraine protests

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Don't forget, the black sea region is where Sochi is located.

Thousands march in pro-invasion rally in Moscow while dozens detained at anti-invasion protest

[bimetalaupt]

Mar 2, 2014 12:53:02 GMT -5 Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger said:

Don't forget, the black sea region is where Sochi is located.

Thousands march in pro-invasion rally in Moscow while dozens detained at anti-invasion protest

remember when Odessa was in Russia!  We do not think of Russia as a navel power but they ripped Sweden in 1890 war.   Quality of quantity.  A better number of ships of the line.  

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Exactly Bruce, Russia has shown time and again that they are aggressors. How about the backfire in this situation for Putin though? Talk about opening yourself up. If there is an all out conflict, the wahhabists will look at is an opportunity. Look at the attack in China over the weekend. The can of worms is wide open and it's going to get messy. There is literally no stopping this out of control train that will leave the east in a wreck.

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

One of the underlying issues in what is going in the Ukraine is that there has been trouble in paradise for Putin since he came back into power, as this thread has been outlining. Since reworking my models, I have not ruled this fact out. Basically, Putin and the Kremlin can use the unrest in Crimea, then Easter Ukraine, then Eastern Europe, as a pretext for control on the streets in Moscow. Kind of like this..

Editor of independent Russian news site replaced with pro-Kremlin figure

Little fish on a frying pan?