Around Russia Unrestrained restraint April 14, 2006 Alexander Golts Some military historians are sure: the First World War began almost contrary to the desire of opposing coalitions. Simply, having launched the mechanisms of universal mobilization in 1914, the General Staff could not stop them. It seems that the confrontation between Washington and Iran creeps into the stage, when the de -escalation is becoming less likely.

Since April 10, 2006, the RosUkrEnergo company has reduced gas supplies to Ukraine by 50%. Company representatives say that the price of gas for Ukraine in the second half of 2006 may increase. The attempt to “put Ukraine in its place” has already resulted in interruptions in energy supplies to Europe. In response, Kyiv says it will sharply increase prices for transit of Russian gas.

The North Ossetian public organization of victims of terrorist attacks “Voice of Beslan” called “an insult to the memory of the victims and a humiliation for the republic” the proposal of the Harmony and Stability movement to hold a referendum on amending the Constitution in order to enable Putin to run for a third term.

The Forum of Resettlement Organizations, which deals with migration issues and helps refugees, was first on the Kremlin’s list of human rights organizations to be destroyed. The reason for the lawsuit was the mention of the Republic of Abkhazia as a subject of international law in the Forum's charter. In fact, the Ministry of Justice blames itself, since in 2000 it did not pay attention to this detail and successfully registered the organization.

A shameful fact that has become generally known is that many nightclubs and restaurants in Moscow arrange “face control” for their clients, focusing not on the dress code, but on the nationality of the visitors. On websites, and sometimes even on the doors of entertainment establishments, it is openly written that entry to “persons of Caucasian nationality” is prohibited. Straight, segregation: dark green to the left, light green to the right.

According to statistics, the number of marriages performed in the Catholic Church decreased by 44% from 1994 to 2005, while the number of marriages registered by the state decreased by only 10%.

Less than half of the applicants for the title of academician from the RAS list can, with a clear conscience, be called scientists. State Duma deputies, heads of large companies, and even the Minister of Agriculture want to be academicians.

As expected, the whole story with grievances, statements and disappearances of the President of Adygea Khazret Sovmen ended with his departure. Today Vladimir Putin personally accepted and signed his resignation. An ardent opponent of the unification, Sovmen entered into an open conflict with the presidential envoy to the Southern Federal District, Dmitry Kozak. Protests took place in Adygea, people threaten the Kremlin with another war in the Caucasus.

The government did everything possible to stop the deal between Yukos and the Lithuanian government for the sale of shares in the oil concern Mazeikiu Nafta. If successful, the money would go to the disposal of the Dutch court, which would distribute the funds among the company's creditors. Several million dollars could have gone to MENATEP, which the authorities could not allow.

There are rumors in Jerusalem that the former Patriarch Irenaeus may appear with his supporters at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on Holy Saturday and publicly challenge the right of Theophilus III, the current head of the Jerusalem Church, to receive and transmit the Holy Fire to believers. Deposed last year, Irenaeus I still does not recognize his resignation and is forming an opposition to the current patriarch.

Let's ask ourselves again: do we need modernization, and if necessary, which? The fact that capital is needed is undoubted. I will not even give any data on the wear of equipment, its moral obsolescence, which are given in all works on this topic. Not only not to be repeated: it’s just not the matter of this, you can’t do anything with the change of “iron”.