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Category: Russian Federation

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The floor is yours, Andrey Zaitsev. “May the power of the Polytechnic be with you!”

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    Exactly one year ago, the Polytechnic launched the Lepota ecosystem project — the discussion club “You have the floor!” During this time, students and university staff have had six distinguished guests as interlocutors: the coach of the Zenit football club Sergey Semak, academician of the Russian Academy of Education Tatyana Chernigovskaya, legendary hockey player Vyacheslav Fetisov, neuropsychologist and psychotherapist Alena Vanchenko, chief architect of the investment and construction holding “A101” Elizaveta Grechukhina, professional developer of educational games and author of additional education programs Andrey Latyshev.

    And now a new season has begun in the discussion club. It was opened by the St. Petersburg actor, TV and radio host and blogger Andrey Zaitsev.

    Andrey is best known to the general public as a dubbing actor. He voices characters in at least 199 foreign films. Including the main characters: programmer Daniel Domscheit-Berg, played by Daniel Brühl in The Fifth Estate, Sam Hall played by Jake Gyllenhaal in The Day After Tomorrow, Richard Madden’s prince in Cinderella, etc. Fans of the Star Wars saga certainly know that Andrey Zaytsev has been speaking for Anakin Skywalker since 2002. Fans of The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy know Andrey as Star Lord. And if you rewatch Terminator, note that in the third part, Andrey voices John Connor. And, of course, Orlando Bloom’s Will Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean.

    So, one can say that in Andrey the polytechnicians saw (or rather heard) all their favorite movie characters at once, which is why the atmosphere at the meeting was so light and relaxed. In addition, Andrey has a great sense of humor, and he easily won over the audience. Although he admitted that he was very nervous, because speaking in front of an audience is always difficult. By the way, among the numerous questions to the guest was one about how to overcome constraint in public speaking.

    “The most important thing is that I can be useful to you,” Andrey said at the very beginning of the meeting, inviting us to a dialogue. “Today, many people, in parallel with their main activities, try themselves in voice-over work, try to show themselves, primarily on social networks, and this is normal. I will tell you everything that interests you in the industry of dubbing, cinema, sound, artificial intelligence, to which I have also already contributed my voice.”

    The guys were interested in whether AI could replace voice actors in the future. In response, Andrey let them listen to his own voice, made by a neural network.

    “This is already happening,” he admitted. “For example, Teo Voice signed a contract with me, we made two voices. One is my regular one, and the other is an old man’s. It’s for streamers, for computer games. Artificial intelligence will help us develop further. Today, if we have professional burnout, we go to ChatGPT and solve the problem with its help. But creative brains cannot be replaced by anything.”

    Naturally, the audience wanted to know why Andrey took up dubbing films.

    I always dreamed of working with a microphone. I graduated from school in 1996. The first place I wanted to get into was the radio. I thought you had to speak endlessly fast there, like DJs in the 90s, and I still speak very fast and often now — such is my professional deformation. I started with Radio Shanson, then worked for 16 years at Avtoradio. I understood that radio people in the 90s were mostly educated as actors.

    The meeting did not pass without discoveries. Thus, the students learned that whispering is harmful to the vocal cords, it is a lot of strain. And the best way to restore a torn voice is… regular sleep. And silence.

    It also turned out that in dubbing, in addition to the translator, there is also the profession of “stacker”.

    “The actors must get not only the intonation right, but also the closure,” Andrey Zaitsev explained. “It’s not enough to translate a film; there’s a concept called ‘lip syncing’ (full synchronization of sound and visuals in films – Ed.). Sometimes it’s not the dubbing that’s bad, it’s just the translation that’s ‘off track.’ And the perfect dubbing is in the film ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.’”

    Andrey advised those students who were interested in how to get into voice acting to act on their own.

    Come to try at a studio – there is no such practice now. Now there is the Internet. I always recommend starting on your own. But if you try to voice, then choose characters of your age. And sometimes your build. When dubbing, specific actors are selected for specific characters.

    The conversation ended with a question about plans and dreams for the future.

    I don’t make plans in the dubbing industry, I’ve already done everything there. I’ve made my acting business cards and want to do something where I can be useful 300 percent, and not plug a hole in another run-of-the-mill series. It’s a little comforting to me that Louis de Funes became popular at 54, I still have some time to spare.

    According to tradition, two Lepota branded T-shirts appeared on stage at the end of the meeting. One, with the seventh number, was given to the guest. And on the second one, he left an autograph for the Polytechnicians. Andrey wrote a wish: “Live only for what you love.” And, of course, he could not help but add the great words from the star saga, but did it with reference to the meeting place: “May the power of the Polytechnic be with you!”

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    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.spbstu.ru/media/nevs/student_life/to you-Andrey-zaitsev-may-the-force-of-polytechnic-be-with-you-/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK constrains Russia’s future Liquified Natural Gas plans 

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    The UK has sanctioned 5 ships and 2 entities involved in the Russian Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) sector. 

    • the UK has sanctioned 5 ships and 2 entities involved in the Russian Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) sector

    • this is the first time the UK is using its new ship specification power to target LNG vessels directly

    • today’s action builds on efforts alongside allies to bear down on Russia’s attempts to bolster its future energy revenues – the most critical source of funding for Putin’s war in Ukraine

    The UK has today, 26 September, taken decisive action to sanction 5 vessels and 2 associated entities involved in the shipping of Russian LNG, including from Russia’s flagship Arctic LNG 2 project. 

    LNG is an important source of funding for Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine. Russia has plans to expand its LNG revenues, aiming to grow their global LNG market share from 8% to 20%.  

    Earlier this year, the UK sanctioned Arctic LNG 2, alongside our allies in the US and EU. Since then, the project has been forced to slash production. Today’s action builds on this by targeting ships and entities involved in the Russian LNG sector, which engage with projects important to Russia’s future energy production. 

    The UK has now sanctioned 15 vessels and entities involved in the Russian LNG sector and we will continue to bear down on this important source of funding for Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine.   

    The vessels sanctioned today are: 

    • PIONEER (IMO 9256602) 

    • ASYA ENERGY (IMO 9216298) 

    • NOVA ENERGY (IMO 9324277) 

    • NORTH SKY (IMO 9953523) 

    • SCF LA PEROUSE (IMO 9849887)  

    We are also sanctioning the following entities associated with the vessels: 

    • OCEAN SPEEDSTAR SOLUTIONS OPC – The operator and manager of PIONEER and ASYA ENERGY. 

    • WHITE FOX SHIP MANAGEMENT – The operator and manager of NORTH SKY 

    View the UK Sanctions List.

    Background

    Ships specified under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 are prohibited from entering a port in the UK, may be given a movement or a port entry direction, can be detained, and will be refused permission to register on the UK Ship Register or have its existing registration terminated.

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 September 2024

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: High-level Open Debate: “Leadership for peace: United in respect of the UN Charter in search of a secure future” Address by Jean-Noël Barrot Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs at the Security Council (25.09.24

    Source: Republic of France in English
    The Republic of France has issued the following statement:

    President,

    I would like to thank Slovenia for organizing this open debate, and the UN Secretary-General, ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for their remarks.

    Our Council had to meet at a time when the world was being struck and divided by major conflicts of an exceptional gravity. And unfortunately, these conflicts are growing in number. It is the responsibility of our Council to resolve them and it needs to do more.

    Our first responsibility is to enforce the rules that govern the international order and to enforce the Charter of the United Nations.

    This means condemning without hesitation Russia’s war of aggression on Ukraine, its neighbour. As I said yesterday: the Ukrainian people have been subjected to atrocities, war crimes, and indiscriminate bombardments on civilian targets on a daily basis for over 900 days. They are unjustly living in fear and suffering.

    This means condemning all violations committed by Russia. This means demanding that Russia end its war of aggression on Ukraine immediately and withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory. The General Assembly made this demand seven times in no uncertain terms.

    We have a responsibility to support Ukraine in its right to self-defence. France and its partners will continue to support Ukrainians as long as it takes in its efforts to stop Russia’s aggression and to find a just peace. And a just peace can only be based on compliance with our common Charter. It is at the core of President Zelenskyy’s peace plan that we support.

    We have a responsibility to uphold the fundamental principles of the Charter of the United Nations in the face of an unequivocally illegal and unjustifiable war of aggression. Of this I am certain: these principles are dear to all of us, particularly the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States. Without these principles, it is the strong who make the law and not the law that governs the strong. Without these principles, borders would no longer be intangible. Without these principles, States would no longer have security and everyone would fear an invasion by their neighbour. We must uphold these principles and enforce them. You all understand that compliance with international law is our compass everywhere.

    We have clearly said since the barbaric terrorist attacks committed by Hamas and other terrorist groups on 7 October, which we condemn in the strongest terms, that Israel has the right to defend itself against aggression and the duty to do so in compliance with international law, particularly international humanitarian law. Everyone must respect this law, including Israel.

    The war in Gaza must stop now. For civilians, for the men and women of Gaza whose suffering must end; for the hostages who must finally be released, and for stability in the region, which is currently deeply shaken.

    The situation is untenable. The number of civilian victims is intolerable. In the face of this humanitarian disaster, it is vital to establish an immediate and permanent ceasefire and to enable the massive unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid as a matter of urgency. The civilian population’s needs are huge.

    To ensure a lasting end to the crisis in the Middle East, it is vital to reach a political settlement of the conflict between Israel and Palestine as a matter of urgency. This settlement is a two-state solution. You can count on France to continue to take the helm, with its partners, in promoting a critical and irreversible revitalization of peace efforts.

    It is also vital to now begin building the future of Gaza, the “day after”. It is up to the Palestinian Authority, which we support, to exercise its full authority over Gaza. For this to become a reality, the United Nations has and will have a central role to play.

    President,

    These vital demands must not be paid lip service but met with action. And I will say it again: our collective responsibility is to ensure this happens. That is why France will continue to work within this Council to sketch out this path.

    I asked that a meeting be held this evening on Lebanon, as hundreds of Lebanese people, including children, have lost their lives in Israel’s strikes. At a time when this Council must call for de-escalation to avoid regional conflagration with devasting outcomes. Our Council must call for reason, which requires restraint and a ceasefire, something that it has been doing for a long time.

    President,

    No war, no humanitarian tragedy should be forgotten.

    In Sudan, more than half the population is suffering from acute food insecurity. Famine has taken hold in the Zamzun camp in North Darfur. The situation is tragic. And we must remain mobilized. To raise awareness of the international community and to work together to address this tragic situation in Sudan, we held a conference in Paris where we raised more than €2 billion, €900 million of which from the European Union and its Member States, to support civilian populations in Sudan and its neighbouring countries. Many of our States signed a declaration of principles calling for Parties in the conflict to cease their hostilities, abide by their commitments and deliver on their obligations with respect to international humanitarian law and human rights. We have called on all States to refrain from any committing any acts that would fuel the conflict. I reiterate this appeal here today.

    Many diplomatic efforts have been made in recent months to end the crisis. These initiatives have produced humanitarian advances, such as the issuance of visas for humanitarian workers and the re-opening of the Adre border post. These advances are encouraging but are still not enough given the urgency of the situation. Together, we must do more.

    President,

    As members of this Council, and more broadly as members of the United Nations, we must work to ensure the Security Council is capable of fully exercising its prime responsibility in upholding international peace and security.

    That is the reason for France’s clear, long-standing and constant support for a comprehensive reform of the Security Council, based on the belief that expansion of both membership categories is required.

    We have been tirelessly advocating greater representation of Africa on the Security Council for 20 years, including among the permanent members. That is a key aspect of the G4 model, which we support, just as we support the aspirations of Brazil, Germany, India and Japan to gain permanent membership.

    In this same spirit of responsibility, France and Mexico promote an initiative that requires no amendment of the Charter. It is a commitment, an essential one, not to use a veto in the event of mass atrocities. That is a major expectation of the UN’s Member States. We owe it to them to progress on this matter.

    President,

    The principle of humanity must prevail. This year, we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, and I would like to recall that they are universal and apply in all circumstances in the event of armed conflict.

    We need to ensure they are enforced. We will reiterate this at high level, with the ICRC which is their guarantor. We need to enforce international humanitarian law. Because respect for these rules saves lives: the lives of women, children and men who suffer in war; the lives of the humanitarian personnel who try to save them, and whose immense courage I salute; and the lives of those, too, who will otherwise live with a terrible injury in their memory.

    There is only one standard: the law, made up of our Charter and our Conventions, which put humanity first.

    You can count on France to enforce this standard.

    Our Council, too, must enforce it in all circumstances.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ukraine war: Vladimir Putin ups the ante on his nuclear blackmail – the big question is how the west will respond

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Christoph Bluth, Professor of International Relations and Security, University of Bradford

    Vladimir Putin has announced what appears to be a dramatic strengthening of Russia’s nuclear doctrine. The Russian president was responding to speculation that the west may relax its restrictions on Ukraine’s use of its weapons to attack targets inside Russia.

    He told his security council that Russia would consider using nuclear weapons if it was attacked by any state with conventional weapons. The trigger for the launch of nuclear missiles against Ukraine or any of its allies, he said, would be “reliable information about a massive launch of aerospace attack means and their crossing of our state border”.

    Whether this will affect the thinking of Ukraine’s western allies about the use of its long-range missiles has yet to be seen. But one of the major features of the public discourse about the Ukraine war has been the risk of the use of nuclear weapons.

    Nuclear threats have been a standard tactic for the Russian leadership. Whenever Ukraine receives new weapons from the west or is allowed to use western arms to target Russian territory Moscow has responded by either referring to the devastation it could wreak with its nuclear arsenal or by holding a drill to remind the west of its existence.

    But there have recently been reports of a growing realisation among Putin’s close advisers that these threats are beginning to wear thin, as one after another of Moscow’s “red lines” are ignored.

    Nevertheless, despite providing Ukraine with the most advanced air defence systems and offensive missiles that could strike targets deep within Russia – and perhaps even influence the course of the war – Nato countries are maintaining a strict limit on their use. It’s an indication that despite scepticism about Putin’s willingness to use nuclear weapons, deterrence remains robust – in western minds anyway.

    Nuclear deterrence is based on the threat to inflict “unacceptable damage” on an enemy. It is credible only if the adversary believes that the threat is accompanied by the capability and will to follow through.

    Nuclear powers have generally conducted nuclear messaging by publicising guidelines for the use of their arsenals. Nato’s current strategic concept was adopted by heads of state and government at the alliance’s summit in Madrid in June 2022. It states: “The circumstances in which Nato might have to use nuclear weapons are extremely remote.”

    But the document stresses that if nuclear weapons were used against any Nato member state it would “fundamentally alter” any conflict in which Nato was engaged. It goes on to warn that: “The Alliance has the capabilities and resolve to impose costs on an adversary that would be unacceptable and far outweigh the benefits that any adversary could hope to achieve.”

    Russia, meanwhile, is reportedly updating its nuclear doctrine in response to what it says is “western escalation” in the war in Ukraine. The current doctrine, established by a decree in 2020, says Russia can use nuclear weapons to respond to a nuclear attack by an enemy, or to a conventional attack that “threatens the existence of the state”.

    The latest statement by Putin is apparently the “draft” of a reworked nuclear doctrine. It certainly appears to lower the bar on resorting to the use of nuclear weapons.

    Sabre rattling

    The Russian leader made his first overt threat to use nuclear weapons in the conflict in Ukraine in September 2022. He was overseeing the annexation of four occupied Ukrainian provinces after hastily arranged plebiscites, which were generally regarded in the west as being rigged.

    He stated that “the US is the only country in the world that twice used nuclear weapons, destroying the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Incidentally, they created a precedent.”

    He went on to assert that during the second world war the US and Britain had deliberately bombed several German cities to rubble. This, he insisted, had the “sole goal, just like in the case of nuclear bombardments in Japan, to scare our country and the entire world”.

    But CIA director William Burns recently said the west should not take Putin’s threats seriously: “Putin’s a bully. He’s going to continue to sabre rattle from time to time.”

    CIA director Wiliam Burns and MI6 chief Richatrd Moore in conversation at an FT conference, September 2024.

    Burns told a festival organised by the Financial Times on September 7 that: “There was a moment in the fall of 2022 when I think there was a genuine risk of potential use of tactical nuclear weapons … I never thought … we should be unnecessarily intimidated by that.”

    He said he had subsequently passed on a message from US president Joe Biden to Sergey Naryshkin, the head of the Russian foreign intelligence service at a meeting in Turkey in November 2022 “to make very clear what the consequences of that kind of escalation would be”.

    US satellite networks and other intelligence sources have shown no evidence of any preparations for the employment of nuclear weapons. This is despite Russian claims that the alert status of Russian forces has been raised.

    But Putin’s proxies have been busily putting out propaganda messages to reinforce their leader’s threats. According to the Washington Post, Alexander Mikhailov, the director of the Bureau of Military Political Analysis, recently called for Russia to bomb plywood mock-ups of London and Washington to simulate a nuclear attack, so that that would “burn so beautifully that it will horrify the world”.

    The speaker of the lower house, Vyacheslav Volodin, warned that strikes on Russia would lead to war with nuclear weapons and warned that the European parliament in Strasbourg was only a three-minute flight for a Russian nuclear missile.

    So far Putin’s threats have been sufficient to limit the scope of western involvement. Whether the Russian president’s latest threat will be effective is now the question.

    Christoph Bluth received funding from the Volkswagen Stiftung and the AHRC

    – ref. Ukraine war: Vladimir Putin ups the ante on his nuclear blackmail – the big question is how the west will respond – https://theconversation.com/ukraine-war-vladimir-putin-ups-the-ante-on-his-nuclear-blackmail-the-big-question-is-how-the-west-will-respond-239660

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ukraine war: Zelensky’s pleas for help are getting drowned out in the clamour from the Middle East

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham

    While Russia continues its nuclear sabre rattling, with renewed threats to use its arsenal if attacked, fighting on the frontlines in Ukraine and in Russia’s Kursk region remains intense. But the diplomatic centre of gravity of the war recently shifted to New York and Washington.

    Discussions at the UN and meetings scheduled between the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, the US president Joe Biden and vice-president Kamala Harris are by no means unimportant for the outcomes of the conflict. But it is unlikely that they will constitute the pivotal moment in accelerating the pace towards a Ukrainian victory that Zelensky might envisage.

    At meetings at the UN general assembly and security council, Zelensky appealed to world leaders to support his country and force Russia to make peace with Ukraine. His vision to achieve this is via a second global peace summit. This time he wants Russia to participate after the first effort in Switzerland in June achieved very little.



    Read more:
    Ukraine summit fails to provide a path to peace for Kyiv and its allies

    But with Zelensky continuing to push his ten-point peace plan and Putin insisting on Ukraine recognising Russia’s annexation of Crimea and four regions on the mainland, the two sides are as far apart as ever. So prospects of any meaningful negotiations virtually non-existent.

    This has not deterred Zelensky from promoting to Ukraine’s allies what he is calling his “victory plan”.

    The plan “envisages quick and concrete steps by our strategic partners … from now until the end of December”. These concrete steps are likely to include more western military support and the permission to use longer-range western weapons against targets deeper inside Russia.

    This latter point is something on which the western alliance is divided – and the US sceptical on its strategic value. Putin’s insistence that Russia will respond by using its nuclear arsenal if it detects any western missiles crossing its border will have added to this uncertainty.

    Even if more decisive western support were suddenly forthcoming, it is unlikely that it would offset other disadvantages that Ukraine and its allies are facing on the battlefield and beyond. Russia has consolidated its alliances with Iran, North Korea and China. All of these countries have supplied mission-critical ammunition and equipment that has enabled the Kremlin to sustain its war effort in Ukraine.

    Russia, so far, has also maintained its advantage in numbers. It appears to be determined to push this even harder following Putin’s order to increase the number of combat troops of the Russian army by another 180,000 soldiers.

    Meanwhile, a relentless Russian air campaign against Ukrainian infrastructure has also caused lasting damage, especially to the country’s energy supply network. This is likely to have a particularly adverse effect on Ukraine’s civilian population. It is likely to seriously dent morale during the coming winter.

    Other plans (and priorities)

    As discussions at the UN this week have underlined, there is also some diplomatic momentum building up behind a joint proposal by Brazil and China that was initially launched in May. Brazil’s president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, pushed the plan during his speech at the UN general assembly on September 24, as did China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi.

    Like previous proposals from China and Brazil individually, as well as from Indonesia, a group of African states and Saudi Arabia, the joint Brazilian-Chinese plan calls for a ceasefire along the current frontlines. Negotiations would then follow.

    Ukraine fears, rightly, that this would entrench the status quo and effectively amount to Kyiv giving up territory illegally annexed by Russia. It would not guarantee any fruitful negotiations but give Russia time and space to regroup and rebuild its armed forces for a likely future escalation. None of this is acceptable to Ukraine and its allies as Zelensky made clear in his speech at the UN.

    Volodymr Zelensky criticises the Brazil-China plan at the UN general assembly.

    China’s previous effort to promote this joint initiative with Brazil just before the peace summit in Switzerland last June, did not go very far. It may not go much further this time either.

    But attention and resources are now much more focused on the Middle East and – to a lesser extent – the civil war in Sudan. So the very fact of this plan’s resurrection may be enough for Russia and its allies to prevent the rest of the world from uniting behind the western-backed Ukrainian proposal for a second global peace summit.

    This is clearly a concern for Ukraine. Zelensky, with a clear eye on countries in the global south, not only rejected the proposal but also argued that forcing Ukraine to make territorial concessions to Russia would be akin to reimposing a version of the brutal colonial past of the Soviet era on his country.

    Will Zelensky be Trumped in November?

    While the stars are thus hardly aligning in Ukraine’s favour at the UN in New York, things did not go much better as far as US domestic politics is concerned ahead of presidential elections in November. Questioning whether Donald Trump really has a credible plan to end the war, Zelensky triggered the notoriously short-fused Republican contender into lashing out at him at campaign rallies.

    Donald Trump takes aim at Volodymr Zelensky.

    Trump is both accusing Zelensky of refusing to make a deal and expressing doubts about Ukraine’s ability to win the war. Meanwhile, a recent opinion piece penned by Robert F. Kennedy Jnr and Donald Trump Jnr for The Hill, an influential political newspaper, urges that Ukraine be pushed to make a deal with Russia to prevent nuclear escalation.

    And Trump’s running-mate J.D. Vance has made clear his opposition to the US continuing to supply aid to Ukraine if elected in November. So it’s pretty clear that there is a very real prospect that Washington may soon cease to be Kyiv’s most important global ally.

    All of this explains the urgency behind Zelensky’s push for more and more decisive western support in the coming months, and his pleas to the wider international community to back efforts for a just peace for Ukraine. But it also indicates that Russia and its allies have, for now, done enough to further frustrate any progress towards a Ukrainian victory both on the battlefield and at the negotiation table.

    Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.

    – ref. Ukraine war: Zelensky’s pleas for help are getting drowned out in the clamour from the Middle East – https://theconversation.com/ukraine-war-zelenskys-pleas-for-help-are-getting-drowned-out-in-the-clamour-from-the-middle-east-239752

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The world isn’t taking Putin’s nuclear threats seriously – the history of propaganda suggests it should

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Colin Alexander, Senior Lecturer in Political Communications, Nottingham Trent University

    Vladimir Putin has spoken several times about using nuclear weapons since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. However, the initial attention and concern that global news media gave to Putin when he first spoke on the issue in September 2022 seemed to have largely dissipated over the past two years of conflict, perhaps because of the frequency with which he has threatened to resort to use of Russia’s nuclear arsenal.

    Now Putin has issued his strongest threat yet, saying that Russia would use nuclear weapons against any country attacking it, even with conventional weapons. This statement appears to be intended to influence the debate happening at the United Nations, where Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is trying to persuade his country’s western allies to allow Ukraine to use the weapons they have provided against targets deep within Russia itself.

    This has been a “red line” hitherto that Ukraine’s allies have been unwilling to cross. That may be about to change though and Russia’s reaction has been to reiterate a nuclear response.

    For those interested in the study of propaganda, Putin’s threats appear to have moved from what American media scholar Dan Hallin called the “sphere of legitimate controversy”, where the validity of an utterance is urgently debated by journalists, politicians and academics, into the “sphere of consensus”, where there is broad agreement about the meaning of the message. This generally results in it receiving less attention.

    To believe that Putin is not serious about using nuclear weapons is a dangerous assumption to make. But it provides a good opportunity to examine the political and public relationship with nuclear weapons in more detail.

    The psychology of nuclear threat

    Most adults know of the existence of nuclear weapons and understand the consequences of their use. Very few are simply ignorant of them or their immense power. But global annihilation is too overwhelming to think about other than fleetingly. As a result we tend to focus on less drastic futures.

    These regular denials and self-deceptions affect political outlooks though. Every so often the leader of a nuclear-armed country is asked by a journalist or another politician about their readiness to press the nuclear button. They always say “yes”. When this question is asked in front of an audience there is usually enthusiastic applause.

    This response – applauding an individual politician’s willingness to bring about the end of the world – is perhaps the most compelling evidence of the duality that the threat of nuclear war exists within. Rather than perceiving such a response as the worrying sign that a maniac has somehow manoeuvred their way into high office and should be immediately removed, the voter perceives the utterance as a signifier of leadership strength.

    Psychologically, it can be argued that the applause actually represents an outpouring of relief that this mass self-deception can continue.

    ‘Fear propaganda’ and confirmation bias

    During the cold war, official propaganda placed great emphasis upon threat and preparedness for nuclear attack. The BBC film Threads first aired 40 years ago in September 1984 and depicted the aftermath of a nuclear strike. It was responsible for great alarm among the British public at a time when news media, movies and even official literature were also focused upon the threat of nuclear war.

    Between 1974 and 1980, the UK government issued a booklet entitled Protect and Survive, accompanied by short films. The BBC, in its public service role, also ran documentary programming including a 1980 edition of Panorama called If The Bomb Drops. While US secretary of state Henry Kissinger’s 1957 study Nuclear War and Foreign Policy caused alarm for arguing that small-scale nuclear war using “battlefield” weapons might be possible.

    Cold war communications like these served to focus the public mind towards the threat of nuclear attack above all other fears. And perhaps, at that time, they were right to do so. But more than 30 years have now passed since the end of the cold war and the emphasis within what is known as “fear propaganda” now focuses on other threats, such as extremism, pandemics and migration.

    As such, Putin’s nuclear threats provide propaganda analysts like myself with a case study about the important role played by fear propaganda in determining what people are scared of. If taken within the wider history of the fear of nuclear holocaust, it is clear that political leaders cannot rely on their words alone to be taken seriously. They require a wider supportive propaganda environment – like the atmosphere created at the height of the cold war.

    Putin the ‘madman’

    Questions around how to understand Putin’s nuclear attack threats ought to be positioned as the latest in a long(ish) line of world leaders who have tried to convince global publics of their readiness to commit nuclear genocide.

    Richard Nixon, for example, used what was referred to as “madman” tactics when trying to convince people of his readiness to push the button. Interestingly, the more recent depictions of Putin, Kim Jong-un and other authoritarian leaders as madmen by western tabloids can actually helps them by playing down the fact of their inferior military capabilities when compared to those of the Nato allies.

    Don’t think for a moment though that any of this discussion of propaganda increases or decreases the actual threat posed by nuclear weapons. Indeed, there exists a degree of confirmation bias among politicians, journalists and other public commentators that because nuclear war did not happen during the cold war, it is unlikely to happen now. But this can’t be guaranteed. It may be that these conclusions are mistakenly based upon the intensity of the propaganda environment – not the actuality of the threat posed.

    To this end, it ought to be remembered that the ability to press the button sits well within the capacity of the sane human mind. US president Harry S. Truman pushed the button in 1945. He was then given detailed reports of the death and destruction that his decision caused to Hiroshima. Then he pushed the button again to annihilate Nagasaki.

    Colin Alexander does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. The world isn’t taking Putin’s nuclear threats seriously – the history of propaganda suggests it should – https://theconversation.com/the-world-isnt-taking-putins-nuclear-threats-seriously-the-history-of-propaganda-suggests-it-should-239942

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Victory in the Field Begins in the Factory’: Ukrainian President Thanks IAM Local 847 Members in Visit to Pennsylvania Ammunition Facility

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently visited a factory in Scranton ,Pa., to watch proud IAM Local 847 (District 1) members manufacture artillery shells. Zelensky also wanted to meet and thank the workers he considers vital to his country’s defense.  He was accompanied by U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.,) and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) , who also wanted to meet and thank IAM Union members. 

    (Photo Courtesy: Volodymyr Zelensky, via X)

    Over 400 IAM members work at the Scranton Army Ammunition factory, with another 1,000 General Dynamics workers nearby manufacturing the lethal explosives used inside each shell. 

    “400 people save millions of Ukrainian people,” said Zelensky. “I just say thank you.”

    Watch a highlight video here.

    If you are a Russian soldier on the front in Ukraine, you have roughly 75 seconds from the time Ukrainian forces fire a 155 millimeter shell your way, until that artillery round hits. When it does, most things within 50 meters are dead, and much within 100 meters is seriously shredded by steel shrapnel.

    The modern artillery systems, like the famed M777 Howitzer cannon, sold to the Ukrainians by NATO since the Russian invasion in 2022, are accurate to within 10 meters of a target point. Russians within 100 meters of that target point are having a seriously bad day.

    Ukrainian military leaders report that they fire 6,000 to 8,000 rounds of these artillery shells every day at the Russians, from 15 to 20 miles away. Russian troops are firing multiple thousands of 120 millimeter artillery rounds per day back at the Ukrainians, with far less accuracy, which often fail to function on impact. Ukraine has asked western defense contractors, like this U.S. Army factory run by General Dynamics, to up their production rate of artillery shells so that Ukraine can send 7,000 to 9,000 shells a day at the Russians.

    That means steady work for IAM members of local 847, just outside of Scranton.

    “Our members at Local 847 have been shaping the steel artillery rounds for the Army for a few generations now,” said IAM District 1 Directing Business Representative Anthony Armideo. “General Dynamics runs that factory now, but we have been at that site since Hoffman Machinery Corp. converted the factory to produce artillery shells in 1953.”

    (Photo Courtesy: Volodymyr Zelensky, via X)

    “Any time we hear that production is ramping up for our members, that is good news. Local 847 has a long history with the IAM, dating back to its charter in 1952 when 500 brothers voted to join,” said IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan. “Now these Brothers, Sisters, and Siblings are continuing that legacy of shaping steel for our defense industry at General Dynamics”.

    Media reports that Ukraine has ordered 1.5 million of these rounds, and IAM members have helped meet that demand. 155 millimeter rounds have become one of the most sought after tools for the Ukrainian military. Some unique engineering has seen mortars and artillery rounds dropped from drones by the Ukrainians to defeat Russians. 

    “Our members do this work everyday, with little notice or fanfare,” said IAM Local 847 President Joe Leary. “We were just happy to see Zelensky up close, because we want him to win.”

    A banner stretches above the factory floor: “Victory in the field begins in the factory.” Above the banner hangs a flag of each U.S. military service branch, with the U.S. flag in the proper position of honor, facing forward from the right of all other flags.

    These IAM members are honored to hold their position in this factory to bring victory closer each day. Hoping to shape an outcome of a war of self defense that keeps Ukraine free and independent.

    (Photo Courtesy: Volodymyr Zelensky, via X)

    Share and Follow:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s remarks at High-level Meeting Commemorating and Promoting the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons [bilingual, as delivered; scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations – English

    xcellencies, ladies and gentlemen,  

    Thank you for joining us on this important day highlighting the need for the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

    There should be no place for these devices of death in our world.

    Nuclear weapons are a double madness.

    The first madness is the existence of weapons that can wipe out entire populations, communities and cities in a single attack. 

    We know that any use of a nuclear weapon would unleash a humanitarian catastrophe — a nightmare spilling over borders, affecting us all.

    These weapons deliver no real security or stability — only looming danger, and constant threats to our very existence.

    The second madness is that, despite the enormous and existential risks these weapons pose to humanity, we are no closer to eliminating them than we were 10 years ago.

    In fact, we are heading in the wrong direction entirely.

    Not since the worst days of the Cold War has the specter of nuclear weapons cast such a dark shadow.

    Nuclear saber-rattling has reached a fever pitch.
    We have even heard threats to use a nuclear weapon.  

    There are fears of a new arms race.

    Meanwhile, the norms painstakingly established over decades against the use, spread and testing of nuclear weapons are being eroded.

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,  

    The first-hand, lived experience of the hibakusha — the brave survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki — stand as clear reminders of where the nuclear path ends.

    They continue to sound the alarm, reminding us that we cannot afford to forget the lessons learned from those horrifying nuclear attacks in 1945.

    And yet, nearly 80 years later, nuclear-weapon States continue to roll the dice, resisting disarmament measures and believing that, somehow, our luck will never run out.

    But luck is not a strategy.

    They must stop gambling with humanity’s future.

    This starts with nuclear-weapon States honoring their commitments, and meeting their disarmament obligations.

    Until nuclear weapons are eliminated, these States should commit to never use them under any circumstances. And they must demonstrate the utmost transparency in all matters related to nuclear weapons.

    I also call on the Russian Federation and the United States to return to the process of nuclear arms reductions, with other nuclear-weapon States following in due course.

    Disarmament and non-proliferation are two sides of the same coin.

    Progress in one spurs progress in the other.

    States must pursue both as a matter of urgency.

    Just days ago, the Summit of the Future — and the Pact for the Future that emerged — resulted in a new global commitment to revitalize the global disarmament regime, and bring our world closer to our goal of total elimination of nuclear weapons.

    This goal is supported by the vast majority of Member States — including through the General Assembly’s first-ever resolution in 1946 calling for nuclear disarmament. 

    The time has come to take steps to ensure that a nuclear weapon is never used again.

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Nous vivons – depuis bien trop longtemps – sous la menace des armes nucléaires.

    Les générations précédentes ont appris à se cacher sous leur bureau ou à se réfugier dans des bunkers pour échapper à une attaque nucléaire.

    Mais les dirigeants ne peuvent pas échapper à leur responsabilité primordiale de prendre des mesures concrètes pour réduire la menace nucléaire – et y mettre fin, une fois pour toutes.

    L’heure de l’élimination totale des armes nucléaires a sonné.

    L’Organisation des Nations Unies est aux côtés de tous les États membres – tandis que nous œuvrons ensemble pour bâtir l’avenir que nos enfants et petits-enfants méritent : un avenir pacifique et débarrassé des armes nucléaires.

    Je vous remercie. 

    ******

    [all-English]

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,  

    Thank you for joining us on this important day highlighting the need for the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

    There should be no place for these devices of death in our world.

    Nuclear weapons are a double madness.

    The first madness is the existence of weapons that can wipe out entire populations, communities and cities in a single attack. 

    We know that any use of a nuclear weapon would unleash a humanitarian catastrophe — a nightmare spilling over borders, affecting us all.

    These weapons deliver no real security or stability — only looming danger, and constant threats to our very existence.

    The second madness is that, despite the enormous and existential risks these weapons pose to humanity, we are no closer to eliminating them than we were 10 years ago.

    In fact, we are heading in the wrong direction entirely.

    Not since the worst days of the Cold War has the specter of nuclear weapons cast such a dark shadow.

    Nuclear saber-rattling has reached a fever pitch.
    We have even heard threats to use a nuclear weapon.  

    There are fears of a new arms race.

    Meanwhile, the norms painstakingly established over decades against the use, spread and testing of nuclear weapons are being eroded.

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,  

    The first-hand, lived experience of the hibakusha — the brave survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki — stand as clear reminders of where the nuclear path ends.

    They continue to sound the alarm, reminding us that we cannot afford to forget the lessons learned from those horrifying nuclear attacks in 1945.

    And yet, nearly 80 years later, nuclear-weapon States continue to roll the dice, resisting disarmament measures and believing that, somehow, our luck will never run out.

    But luck is not a strategy.

    They must stop gambling with humanity’s future.

    This starts with nuclear-weapon States honoring their commitments, and meeting their disarmament obligations.

    Until nuclear weapons are eliminated, these States should commit to never use them under any circumstances. And they must demonstrate the utmost transparency in all matters related to nuclear weapons.

    I also call on the Russian Federation and the United States to return to the process of nuclear arms reductions, with other nuclear-weapon States following in due course.

    Disarmament and non-proliferation are two sides of the same coin.

    Progress in one spurs progress in the other.

    States must pursue both as a matter of urgency.
    Just days ago, the Summit of the Future — and the Pact for the Future that emerged — resulted in a new global commitment to revitalize the global disarmament regime, and bring our world closer to our goal of total elimination of nuclear weapons.

    This goal is supported by the vast majority of Member States — including through the General Assembly’s first-ever resolution in 1946 calling for nuclear disarmament. 

    The time has come to take steps to ensure that a nuclear weapon is never used again.

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    We have spent far too long living with the threat of nuclear weapons.

    Previous generations learned how to hide under their desks or flee to bunkers to escape a nuclear assault.

    But leaders cannot escape their overriding responsibility to take concrete steps to reduce and end the nuclear threat, once and for all.

    The time for the total elimination of nuclear weapons is now.

    The United Nations stands with all Member States as we work together to build the peaceful, nuclear-weapons-free future our children and grandchildren deserve.

    Thank you.

    ******

    [all-French]

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Je vous remercie d’abord de vous être joints à nous en ce jour spécial qui nous rappelle combien il importe d’éliminer totalement les armes nucléaires.

    Ces engins de mort n’ont pas leur place sur notre planète.

    Les armes nucléaires sont une folie à deux titres.

    D’abord, l’existence même de ces armes, capables d’anéantir des populations, des communautés et des villes entières en une seule frappe, est une aberration.

    Nous le savons, tout emploi de l’arme nucléaire déclencherait une catastrophe humanitaire – un cauchemar qui ne connaîtrait pas de frontières et nous toucherait toutes et tous.

    Loin d’apporter une véritable sécurité et stabilité, ces armes constituent un danger imminent et font peser une menace constante sur notre existence.

    Deuxième aberration, malgré les risques énormes et existentiels que ces armes font courir à l’humanité, nous ne sommes pas plus près de les voir disparaître qu’il y a dix ans.

    À vrai dire, nous allons dans la direction complètement opposée.

    Jamais, depuis les pires heures de la guerre froide, le spectre des armes nucléaires n’a jeté une telle ombre.

    Les rodomontades nucléaires ont atteint leur paroxysme.

    On entend même des menaces d’emploi d’armes nucléaires.

    On craint une nouvelle course aux armements.

    Parallèlement, on voit s’éroder les normes qui, laborieusement, avaient été élaborées au fil des décennies pour prohiber l’emploi, la dissémination et la mise à l’essai de ces armes.

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Ce qu’ont vécu dans leur chair les hibakusha – ces courageux survivants d’Hiroshima et de Nagasaki –nous rappelle où conduit inévitablement le chemin du nucléaire.

    Ces femmes et ces hommes continuent de sonner l’alarme, en nous conjurant de ne pas oublier les leçons tirées des horribles frappes atomiques de 1945.

    Pourtant, près de 80 ans plus tard, les États dotés d’armes nucléaires continuent de jouer avec le feu, de se soustraire aux mesures de désarmement et de croire que, d’une manière ou d’une autre, la chance les servira toujours.

    Toutefois, la chance n’est pas une stratégie.

    Ils doivent cesser de jouer avec l’avenir de l’humanité.

    Avant tout, il faut que les États dotés d’armes nucléaires honorent leurs engagements et respectent leurs obligations en matière de désarmement.

    Tant que les armes nucléaires n’auront pas été éliminées, ces États doivent s’engager à ne jamais les utiliser, quelles que soient les circonstances. En outre, ils doivent faire preuve d’une plus grande transparence sur toutes les questions concernant ces armes.

    Je demande également à la Fédération de Russie et aux États-Unis de s’engager de nouveau dans une démarche visant à limiter les armes nucléaires. Les autres États dotés d’armes nucléaires pourront s’y joindre en temps voulu.

    Le désarmement et la non-prolifération sont les deux faces d’une même médaille.

    Tout progrès d’un côté entraîne des progrès de l’autre.

    Les États doivent s’employer à atteindre ces deux objectifs de toute urgence.

    Il y a quelques jours seulement, lors du Sommet de l’avenir – et dans le texte même du Pacte pour l’avenir qui a été adopté – la communauté internationale a pris un nouvel engagement : celui de revitaliser le régime mondial de désarmement et de faire en sorte que le monde progresse vers la réalisation de l’objectif commun qu’est l’élimination totale des armes nucléaires.

    C’est un objectif auquel souscrit la grande majorité des États Membres, qui se sont notamment exprimés en ce sens dans la toute première résolution appelant au désarmement nucléaire adoptée en 1946 par l’Assemblée générale.

    Le moment est venu de prendre des mesures pour que l’arme nucléaire ne soit plus jamais utilisée.

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Nous vivons – depuis bien trop longtemps – sous la menace des armes nucléaires.

    Les générations précédentes ont appris à se cacher sous leur bureau ou à se réfugier dans des bunkers pour échapper à une attaque nucléaire.

    Mais les dirigeants ne peuvent pas échapper à leur responsabilité primordiale de prendre des mesures concrètes pour réduire la menace nucléaire – et y mettre fin, une fois pour toutes.

    L’heure de l’élimination totale des armes nucléaires a sonné.

    L’Organisation des Nations Unies est aux côtés de tous les États Membres ‒ tandis que nous œuvrons ensemble pour bâtir l’avenir que nos enfants et petits-enfants méritent : un avenir pacifique et débarrassé des armes nucléaires.

    Je vous remercie.
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks at High-level Meeting Commemorating and Promoting the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons [bilingual, as delivered; scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,  

    Thank you for joining us on this important day highlighting the need for the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

    There should be no place for these devices of death in our world.

    Nuclear weapons are a double madness.

    The first madness is the existence of weapons that can wipe out entire populations, communities and cities in a single attack. 

    We know that any use of a nuclear weapon would unleash a humanitarian catastrophe — a nightmare spilling over borders, affecting us all.

    These weapons deliver no real security or stability — only looming danger, and constant threats to our very existence.

    The second madness is that, despite the enormous and existential risks these weapons pose to humanity, we are no closer to eliminating them than we were 10 years ago.

    In fact, we are heading in the wrong direction entirely.

    Not since the worst days of the Cold War has the specter of nuclear weapons cast such a dark shadow.

    Nuclear saber-rattling has reached a fever pitch.
    We have even heard threats to use a nuclear weapon.  

    There are fears of a new arms race.

    Meanwhile, the norms painstakingly established over decades against the use, spread and testing of nuclear weapons are being eroded.

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,  

    The first-hand, lived experience of the hibakusha — the brave survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki — stand as clear reminders of where the nuclear path ends.

    They continue to sound the alarm, reminding us that we cannot afford to forget the lessons learned from those horrifying nuclear attacks in 1945.

    And yet, nearly 80 years later, nuclear-weapon States continue to roll the dice, resisting disarmament measures and believing that, somehow, our luck will never run out.

    But luck is not a strategy.

    They must stop gambling with humanity’s future.

    This starts with nuclear-weapon States honoring their commitments, and meeting their disarmament obligations.

    Until nuclear weapons are eliminated, these States should commit to never use them under any circumstances. And they must demonstrate the utmost transparency in all matters related to nuclear weapons.

    I also call on the Russian Federation and the United States to return to the process of nuclear arms reductions, with other nuclear-weapon States following in due course.

    Disarmament and non-proliferation are two sides of the same coin.

    Progress in one spurs progress in the other.

    States must pursue both as a matter of urgency.

    Just days ago, the Summit of the Future — and the Pact for the Future that emerged — resulted in a new global commitment to revitalize the global disarmament regime, and bring our world closer to our goal of total elimination of nuclear weapons.

    This goal is supported by the vast majority of Member States — including through the General Assembly’s first-ever resolution in 1946 calling for nuclear disarmament. 

    The time has come to take steps to ensure that a nuclear weapon is never used again.

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Nous vivons – depuis bien trop longtemps – sous la menace des armes nucléaires.

    Les générations précédentes ont appris à se cacher sous leur bureau ou à se réfugier dans des bunkers pour échapper à une attaque nucléaire.

    Mais les dirigeants ne peuvent pas échapper à leur responsabilité primordiale de prendre des mesures concrètes pour réduire la menace nucléaire – et y mettre fin, une fois pour toutes.

    L’heure de l’élimination totale des armes nucléaires a sonné.

    L’Organisation des Nations Unies est aux côtés de tous les États membres – tandis que nous œuvrons ensemble pour bâtir l’avenir que nos enfants et petits-enfants méritent : un avenir pacifique et débarrassé des armes nucléaires.

    Je vous remercie. 

    ******

    [all-English]

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,  

    Thank you for joining us on this important day highlighting the need for the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

    There should be no place for these devices of death in our world.

    Nuclear weapons are a double madness.

    The first madness is the existence of weapons that can wipe out entire populations, communities and cities in a single attack. 

    We know that any use of a nuclear weapon would unleash a humanitarian catastrophe — a nightmare spilling over borders, affecting us all.

    These weapons deliver no real security or stability — only looming danger, and constant threats to our very existence.

    The second madness is that, despite the enormous and existential risks these weapons pose to humanity, we are no closer to eliminating them than we were 10 years ago.

    In fact, we are heading in the wrong direction entirely.

    Not since the worst days of the Cold War has the specter of nuclear weapons cast such a dark shadow.

    Nuclear saber-rattling has reached a fever pitch.
    We have even heard threats to use a nuclear weapon.  

    There are fears of a new arms race.

    Meanwhile, the norms painstakingly established over decades against the use, spread and testing of nuclear weapons are being eroded.

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,  

    The first-hand, lived experience of the hibakusha — the brave survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki — stand as clear reminders of where the nuclear path ends.

    They continue to sound the alarm, reminding us that we cannot afford to forget the lessons learned from those horrifying nuclear attacks in 1945.

    And yet, nearly 80 years later, nuclear-weapon States continue to roll the dice, resisting disarmament measures and believing that, somehow, our luck will never run out.

    But luck is not a strategy.

    They must stop gambling with humanity’s future.

    This starts with nuclear-weapon States honoring their commitments, and meeting their disarmament obligations.

    Until nuclear weapons are eliminated, these States should commit to never use them under any circumstances. And they must demonstrate the utmost transparency in all matters related to nuclear weapons.

    I also call on the Russian Federation and the United States to return to the process of nuclear arms reductions, with other nuclear-weapon States following in due course.

    Disarmament and non-proliferation are two sides of the same coin.

    Progress in one spurs progress in the other.

    States must pursue both as a matter of urgency.
    Just days ago, the Summit of the Future — and the Pact for the Future that emerged — resulted in a new global commitment to revitalize the global disarmament regime, and bring our world closer to our goal of total elimination of nuclear weapons.

    This goal is supported by the vast majority of Member States — including through the General Assembly’s first-ever resolution in 1946 calling for nuclear disarmament. 

    The time has come to take steps to ensure that a nuclear weapon is never used again.

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    We have spent far too long living with the threat of nuclear weapons.

    Previous generations learned how to hide under their desks or flee to bunkers to escape a nuclear assault.

    But leaders cannot escape their overriding responsibility to take concrete steps to reduce and end the nuclear threat, once and for all.

    The time for the total elimination of nuclear weapons is now.

    The United Nations stands with all Member States as we work together to build the peaceful, nuclear-weapons-free future our children and grandchildren deserve.

    Thank you.

    ******

    [all-French]

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Je vous remercie d’abord de vous être joints à nous en ce jour spécial qui nous rappelle combien il importe d’éliminer totalement les armes nucléaires.

    Ces engins de mort n’ont pas leur place sur notre planète.

    Les armes nucléaires sont une folie à deux titres.

    D’abord, l’existence même de ces armes, capables d’anéantir des populations, des communautés et des villes entières en une seule frappe, est une aberration.

    Nous le savons, tout emploi de l’arme nucléaire déclencherait une catastrophe humanitaire – un cauchemar qui ne connaîtrait pas de frontières et nous toucherait toutes et tous.

    Loin d’apporter une véritable sécurité et stabilité, ces armes constituent un danger imminent et font peser une menace constante sur notre existence.

    Deuxième aberration, malgré les risques énormes et existentiels que ces armes font courir à l’humanité, nous ne sommes pas plus près de les voir disparaître qu’il y a dix ans.

    À vrai dire, nous allons dans la direction complètement opposée.

    Jamais, depuis les pires heures de la guerre froide, le spectre des armes nucléaires n’a jeté une telle ombre.

    Les rodomontades nucléaires ont atteint leur paroxysme.

    On entend même des menaces d’emploi d’armes nucléaires.

    On craint une nouvelle course aux armements.

    Parallèlement, on voit s’éroder les normes qui, laborieusement, avaient été élaborées au fil des décennies pour prohiber l’emploi, la dissémination et la mise à l’essai de ces armes.

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Ce qu’ont vécu dans leur chair les hibakusha – ces courageux survivants d’Hiroshima et de Nagasaki –nous rappelle où conduit inévitablement le chemin du nucléaire.

    Ces femmes et ces hommes continuent de sonner l’alarme, en nous conjurant de ne pas oublier les leçons tirées des horribles frappes atomiques de 1945.

    Pourtant, près de 80 ans plus tard, les États dotés d’armes nucléaires continuent de jouer avec le feu, de se soustraire aux mesures de désarmement et de croire que, d’une manière ou d’une autre, la chance les servira toujours.

    Toutefois, la chance n’est pas une stratégie.

    Ils doivent cesser de jouer avec l’avenir de l’humanité.

    Avant tout, il faut que les États dotés d’armes nucléaires honorent leurs engagements et respectent leurs obligations en matière de désarmement.

    Tant que les armes nucléaires n’auront pas été éliminées, ces États doivent s’engager à ne jamais les utiliser, quelles que soient les circonstances. En outre, ils doivent faire preuve d’une plus grande transparence sur toutes les questions concernant ces armes.

    Je demande également à la Fédération de Russie et aux États-Unis de s’engager de nouveau dans une démarche visant à limiter les armes nucléaires. Les autres États dotés d’armes nucléaires pourront s’y joindre en temps voulu.

    Le désarmement et la non-prolifération sont les deux faces d’une même médaille.

    Tout progrès d’un côté entraîne des progrès de l’autre.

    Les États doivent s’employer à atteindre ces deux objectifs de toute urgence.

    Il y a quelques jours seulement, lors du Sommet de l’avenir – et dans le texte même du Pacte pour l’avenir qui a été adopté – la communauté internationale a pris un nouvel engagement : celui de revitaliser le régime mondial de désarmement et de faire en sorte que le monde progresse vers la réalisation de l’objectif commun qu’est l’élimination totale des armes nucléaires.

    C’est un objectif auquel souscrit la grande majorité des États Membres, qui se sont notamment exprimés en ce sens dans la toute première résolution appelant au désarmement nucléaire adoptée en 1946 par l’Assemblée générale.

    Le moment est venu de prendre des mesures pour que l’arme nucléaire ne soit plus jamais utilisée.

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Nous vivons – depuis bien trop longtemps – sous la menace des armes nucléaires.

    Les générations précédentes ont appris à se cacher sous leur bureau ou à se réfugier dans des bunkers pour échapper à une attaque nucléaire.

    Mais les dirigeants ne peuvent pas échapper à leur responsabilité primordiale de prendre des mesures concrètes pour réduire la menace nucléaire – et y mettre fin, une fois pour toutes.

    L’heure de l’élimination totale des armes nucléaires a sonné.

    L’Organisation des Nations Unies est aux côtés de tous les États Membres ‒ tandis que nous œuvrons ensemble pour bâtir l’avenir que nos enfants et petits-enfants méritent : un avenir pacifique et débarrassé des armes nucléaires.

    Je vous remercie.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The Russian Federation’s malign activities and interference: UK statement to the OSCE, September 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Deputy Ambassador Brown condemns Russian disinformation and other forms of malign influence.

    Location:
    Vienna
    Delivered on:
    (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

    Thank you Madam Chair.     

    The United States has just informed this Council of steps it has taken to defend its democratic institutions in the face of a covert foreign influence operation by the Russian Federation. This follows other participating States’ interventions in this Council to highlight multiple forms of malign interference across our region in recent months.    

    Indeed the United Kingdom put Russia’s malign influence and interference onto the Permanent Council’s agenda in May and I thank the US for once again raising this matter.   

    All OSCE Participating States – including the UK – have made important commitments to uphold media freedom, including to foster “free, independent and pluralistic media” as part of open societies and accountable governments.   

    The United Kingdom will continue to uphold media freedom, learning from best practice – including that shared by the Office of the Representative for Freedom of the Media. And we again call on all other participating States – particularly Russia and Belarus – to uphold OSCE commitments on media freedom, safety of journalists and freedom of expression.  

    At the same time the United Kingdom will also take action to defend our national and regional security against the full spectrum of threats emanating from Russia, working in partnership with others. This has included sanctioning Russian media outlets like Rossiya Segodnya and TV Novosti (which controls Russia Today) which spread disinformation and propaganda designed to incite violence and hatred towards Ukraine and its people.     

    Madam Chair. Our message to Russia is clear: stop this illegal war; withdraw your troops from Ukraine; cease your malign activities including disinformation and information manipulation; and, respect the OSCE principles and commitments that keep us all safe.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 September 2024

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: GUU introduced schoolchildren to the RosGeoTech PISh

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    The State University of Management held a business game “IT – hands and eyes of the engineer of the future” for schoolchildren of grades 10-11 as part of the Advanced Engineering Schools “RosGeoTech” project of GGNTU.

    The meeting was opened by the Head of the Department for Coordination of Scientific Research of the State University of Management, Maxim Pletnev, who introduced the guests to the activities of the RosGeoTech Scientific Research School, which covers such areas as alternative energy, power engineering, oil and gas, autonomous unmanned and robotic innovative systems.

    The head of the RosGeoTech PISh, Andrey Luzhetsky, also addressed the participants with a welcoming speech.

    As part of the business game, schoolchildren learned the basics of programming, computer science concepts, digital technologies, software, operating systems, and much more. The children also tried their hand at testing and system analysis.

    Such events help participants to make an informed choice of specialization and technologies in the future, as well as improve their skills in the chosen direction.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 09/26/2024

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    GUU introduced schoolchildren to the RosGeoTech PISh

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The VIII season of the All-Russian student Olympiad “I am a professional” has started

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    A press conference dedicated to the opening of the 8th season of the All-Russian Student Olympiad “I am a Professional” – a project of the presidential platform “Russia – a Country of Opportunities” – was held in Moscow. The All-Russian Olympiad is implemented with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation. This is a large-scale career development platform for students of all fields of study: technical, humanitarian, natural science, pedagogical, agricultural and medical.

    In the new season, the Olympiad will traditionally provide young people with a wide range of educational and professional opportunities, and will become a career assistant for each participant. The main theme of the season is “Work and study in Russia”.

    The “I am a professional” ecosystem is constantly developing and growing: this year the Olympiad was included in the events of the national project “Youth and Children”, which is aimed at promoting the comprehensive development of the younger generation. “I am a professional” is a kind of challenge, an opportunity to move to a new level. Every year, hundreds of thousands of students join the Olympiad, and for many, participation becomes a good tradition – an educational norm: from year to year, young people complete practice-oriented tasks, improve their results and reach new heights regardless of their social status and region of residence, – said Olga Petrova, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

    In the new season, it is planned to expand access to the career portal – a platform where each participant can find a vacancy in the profile of interest – the opportunity to respond will also be available to Olympiad participants who have successfully passed the selection stage. Previously, this function was provided only for project diploma winners and participants in the final stage who showed a non-zero result.

    Executive Director of ANO “Russia – Country of Opportunities”, Rector of the Senezh Management Workshop Andrey Betin spoke about the new system of working with diplomas from previous seasons. Points will be counted automatically when summing up the results of the selection stage, participants will only need to select the necessary areas during registration and mark the item with the crediting of diplomas among the options.

    In Russia, the need for professionals is enormous — all industries need fresh ideas and people who can implement them. Today is the best time to study and work in Russia, because it is here that the best opportunities open up, the most interesting professional challenges, and therefore career prospects. “I am a professional” has been helping talented students and their potential employers “find each other” for seven seasons already. The largest and most technologically advanced companies in our country are looking for ambitious interns. This is not just an Olympiad, it is a community where you will be supported, where your potential is revealed and where you grow both as an individual and as a highly competent specialist, — shared Andrey Betin.

    Every year, the Olympiad grows with new areas, taking into account the needs of students and the prospects of the labor market. In the upcoming season, the project will cover 71 subject areas, and new disciplines such as “Project Management” and “Digital Product Management and Innovation” will be presented.

    Today we are opening the 8th season of the Olympiad, a key career navigator that ensures interaction between employers, the academic community and young people. The best companies in Russia are showing great interest in our participants, seeking to fill their teams with promising personnel even before they graduate from universities and enter the labor market. The Russian education system, science and industry are aimed at achieving leadership, and the new national projects initiated by the country’s president provide an opportunity for the realization of the potential of each active student, and the Olympiad participants are direct proof of this, – shared the head of the All-Russian Student Olympiad “I am a Professional” Valeria Kasamara.

    During the press conference, an agreement was signed between the All-Russian Student Olympiad “I am a Professional” and the “Mendeleev Map” project.

    Two large-scale projects for students are starting to work together to pave new paths for the development of our country’s youth and to accumulate efforts for the common good. “I am a professional” makes a significant contribution to the popularization of science among young people. I am sure that the capabilities of the “Mendeleev Map” will help students in their profession, in preparation for Olympiad assignments, and in self-development, – believes the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Science and Higher Education, curator of the “Mendeleev Map” project Alexander Mazhuga.

    Participation in the Olympiad is a great opportunity to test your knowledge and skills, make new acquaintances, and decide on a career direction. Such competitions develop critical thinking, creativity, and the ability to work in a team. St. Petersburg Polytechnic University traditionally organizes several areas in the “I am a professional” Olympiad. Last season, our university entered the TOP-3 universities in St. Petersburg in terms of the number of diploma winners. I wish good luck to all participants of the new season! Let me remind you that the winners of the Olympiad receive additional points when entering a master’s and postgraduate program, – noted Vitaly Drobchik, Advisor to the Rector’s Office of SPbPU, organizer of the Olympiad at the Polytechnic University.

    The Olympiad provides a wide range of career support opportunities: project diploma holders can take advantage of benefits when entering the next level of education, get the opportunity to do an internship and start their professional career with leading employers in Russia. Cash prizes of up to 300 thousand rubles are provided for medalists.

    The qualifying round of the Olympiad will be held from November 15 to December 1. The final stage of the competition will be held from February to April 2025. The results of the Olympiad will be announced in May 2025.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://vvv.spbstu.ru/media/nevs/education/the-vii-season-of-the-All-Russian-Olympiad-students-I-am-professional has started/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Scientific Regiment. Volunteer Mikhail Laletin: “After the Front – to a University, and Then, Possibly, to an Officer”

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –

    Mikhail Laletin

    Mikhail Laletin, a second-year student at the Faculty of Forensic Science and Law in Construction and Transport at SPbGASU, has served in the 76th Division of the 104th Airborne Assault Regiment of the Airborne Forces in the Special Military Operation Zone. Today, he is getting a higher education and does not rule out that after graduation he will continue to serve as an officer.

    “Higher education provides knowledge and advantages not only in the civilian sphere, but also in the army. A person with higher education is an officer. I am getting a sought-after specialty at a prestigious university and I do not rule out that after graduating from the university I will continue military service. Because until the goals of the SVO are achieved, I cannot be calm about my future and the future of our people, our Fatherland,” says Mikhail.

    Mikhail not only knew that there was such a profession as defending the Motherland, but also looked closely at it: he wanted to enroll in a military school. But then he decided to get a civilian specialty. He recalls how in 2020, as an applicant, he and his friends chose SPbGASU. First of all, the guys evaluated the university from a practical point of view: the university is known for its high quality of education, affordable tuition fees, demand for graduates in the labor market, and convenient location. But everyone made the choice of faculties in accordance with their interests.

    “History and politics are topics that have always interested me. Jurisprudence is important in matters of politics. In addition, I continued the dynasty – my mother and sister graduated from law school. Having received a diploma, perhaps in the future I will get a second higher education – in history,” adds Mikhail.

    In 2022, when the SVO began, he volunteered. He says there were good reasons for that. First of all, he is a patriot and knows the history of his country well.

    “I cannot remain indifferent to how they are trying to rewrite our history from the outside and how the ideology of Nazism is spreading. I stand for traditional values and want to live in a society in which a child has a mother and father, and not parents number one and two. They want to break up our country, divide it, as they did with the Russian Empire and the USSR. Therefore, we must achieve our goals in the SVO. For us, Russians, this is literally a matter of life and death. I am concerned about my fate, the fate of Russia and its people, so I am ready to make my own contribution to its defense,” said Mikhail.

    He recalls how he, a young man from civilian life, was surprised by the attitude of the fighters, how they maintained their fighting spirit even in the most difficult situations. It was here that Mikhail fully felt such a sincere attitude towards each other and truly understood what military brotherhood is.

    “At the front, the line between superior and subordinate, between commanders and soldiers is erased. Here we are all like brothers, everyone is ready to lend a shoulder to another at any moment, both during a combat mission and in any situation. This is the strength of our army,” Mikhail concluded.

    Other materials of the project “Scientific Regiment”

    Our graduate built the Road of Life

    The pioneering work of architect Alexander Nikolsky

    A scientist who developed science in besieged Leningrad
    Fights of student Klinov

    Engineer of the 3rd Belorussian Front

    The path of a volunteer: from front-line roads to space developments

    Ivan Solomakhin: “The most memorable battle is for this Devil’s Height!”

    Fiery Dnieper of the Hero of the Soviet Union Alexander Prygunov

    Bringing Victory Closer

    Fyodor Komal’s Front: From the First Minutes of War to Victory

    Junior Political Instructor Boris Gubanov: “The shells whistled, and the earth flew up nearby”

    Viktor Kvyatkovsky – radio operator-intelligence officer of the Baltic Fleet

    How Chief Architect Nikolai Baranov “Hid” Leningrad from the Enemy

    Architect Nikolay Khomutetsky: Four years on the front lines

    Semyon Shifrin thwarted the Nazis’ plans to leave Leningrad without water

    LISI in the post-war years

    Nineteen-year-old machine gunner stormed Berlin

    Abdulla Mangushev: Four Years at the Front and a Life in Science

    The Zazersky architects built and defended the city on the Neva

    LISI graduate Mikhail Zherbin is a design engineer and composer

    He went from being a technical lieutenant to a galaxy of mathematicians

    Konstantin Sakhnovsky: from a cadet of the Russian Empire to an academician of the USSR

    Military architect of the front line of defense and engineering reconnaissance

    A world-renowned scientist, an outstanding engineer and a national champion

    An outstanding urban planner who lived and worked in besieged Leningrad

    Scientific Regiment. Projects of the architect Sergey Evdokimov: from defensive structures and city restoration to metro stations

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://www.spbgasu.ru/nevs-and-events/nevs/scientific-regiment-volunteer-Mikhail-laletin-after-the-front-to-university-and-then-possibly-to-officers/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: E10 buses started running to Salaryevo metro station

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    After the opening of the Troitskaya metro line, route E10 was extended to the Salaryevo metro station. 23 modern extra-large class buses run between the major transport hub of TiNAO and the center of the capital.

    “We continue to improve transport accessibility of TiNAO on behalf of Sergei Sobyanin. Residents of the new districts now have another convenient and fast way to get to the city center, rail frame stations and social facilities. Since September 8, buses of route E10 depart from the Salaryevo metro station. On average, they are used by about 24 thousand passengers per working day outside the holiday season,” said Deputy Mayor of Moscow in the Government of Moscow for Transport and Industry

    Maxim Liksutov.

    Now trips from Pervomaysky, Troitsk, Moskovsky and other settlements of TiNAO to the center can be made with just one transfer at the Salaryevo metro station.

    The travel time on the E10 express buses from Salaryevo to the Novatorskaya metro station is about 24 minutes without transfers, to the Ploshchad Gagarina station of the Moscow Central Circle – just over 40 minutes without transfers. The interval between E10 buses is up to 10 minutes.

    City residents can transfer between ground transport routes free of charge. To do this, you need to link your Troika card to your personal account in the Moscow Metro or Moscow Transport app. Remote replenishment of the Troika card can be activated at any validator on buses.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/144116073/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Sweden’s National Statement at the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly

    Source: Government of Sweden

    Mr President, Excellencies,

    We are gathered in this Assembly while the world, and this organisation, are facing major and existential challenges.

    We are gathered while we are witnessing an unprecedented number of armed conflicts. From Ukraine to Sudan, the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and Gaza.

    We are gathered while we are failing at our collective goal of maintaining international peace and security, of saving future generations from the horrors of war and from the disastrous consequences of underdevelopment and climate change.

    Mr President,

    The UN Charter – the sovereign equality of all states, the peaceful settlement of disputes, the prohibition of the threat or use of force against any state – is being challenged. We must stand by the Charter.

    Sweden’s strong defence of international law, including the UN Charter, is based on the understanding that both our own security and that of other countries depends on it.

    Ensuring respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of all states – both large and small – is in our common interest. At its core lies the need for a global system that is open, predictable and applies equally to all.

    In too many places around the world, including in Sweden’s immediate neighbourhood, we are witnessing the consequences of violations of the rules and principles we have all agreed to.

    Since the start of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine in 2014, and with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has brutally invaded the territory of another UN Member State. This Assembly has strongly and repeatedly condemned Russia’s aggression against Ukraine as a blatant violation of international law, including the UN Charter.

    If a member of the Security Council is allowed to reap the fruits of aggression, the harmful impact will not stop with Ukraine. Russia’s leadership will continue its attempts to impose its rule on neighbouring countries.

    The territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states must serve as a basis for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine. This was confirmed at the Peace Summit in Switzerland in June, which gathered some 100 delegations from all continents.

    Ukraine has made clear from the start that it wants a peaceful settlement based on the UN Charter. As President Zelensky rightfully said in his speech before this assembly yesterday: “There can be no just peace without Ukraine.” Sweden’s steadfast support for Ukraine’s efforts to restore its sovereignty and territorial integrity will continue for as long as it takes.

    As a direct response to Russia’s full-scale invasion, Sweden and Finland chose to join NATO. For Sweden’s part, this represents a truly historic change, ending 200 years of military non-alignment. This was our decision to take, because it is the right of each state to choose its own security policy path.

    Sweden’s NATO membership gives us a new, crucial platform to defend the fundamental values of our foreign and security policy. We will apply the same principled approach in NATO as we do in the UN, the EU, the OSCE and the Council of Europe. In other words, we will continue to defend international law, democracy, individual freedoms, human rights and gender equality.

    Mr President,

    Sweden has always defended the universal principles of sovereignty and the right to self-determination. In fact, Sweden has consistently supported countries struggling for liberty, independence and democracy – not least in Africa. And we continue to be an engaged partner of African countries. 
    To take just one example, I am deeply concerned about the situation in Sudan. More than 10 million people have been displaced, which roughly corresponds to the entire population of my own country. Safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access, an immediate ceasefire and negotiations ensuring a return to civilian rule are urgently required.

    Therefore, Sudan is among the countries receiving the most humanitarian support from Sweden this year. Sweden remains a key partner and donor of UN humanitarian assistance, as well as of peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts.

    Similarly, Sweden supports the ongoing peace efforts by the United Nations in Yemen, where we will continue to work with our partners for a principled and inclusive humanitarian response. The people of Yemen are looking to the international community for hope, for a way out of humanitarian despair. We must answer that call.

    Mr President,

    We are also faced with the threat of a regional war, the consequences of which no one can predict. My country’s longstanding commitment to peace efforts in the Middle East dates back to 1948 and the efforts of UN mediator Folke Bernadotte. Today, Sweden is one of the largest core donors to UN agencies and other organisations working to mitigate the immense suffering of the civilian population in Gaza. At the same time, Sweden stands up for Israel’s right to defend itself in accordance with international law and demands that the hostages be released.

    Israel is being threatened by Iran and its allies simultaneously on several fronts. Hezbollah’s repeated attacks since October 8th has led to a dangerous military escalation. Sweden fully supports the efforts by the United States, France and others to reach a diplomatic solution. A ceasefire would provide space for reaching a diplomatic settlement consistent with UN Security Council resolution 1701 as well as the implementation of UN Security Council 2735 on a ceasefire in Gaza.

    In the longer term, Sweden – like the EU and the United States – believes in the idea of a two-state solution in which Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace, freedom and democracy.

    Mr President,

    In order to address global challenges, we need to ensure that our aid helps to mobilise additional resources, not least private capital.
    Development assistance alone is not enough to build long-term wealth and welfare.

    It must go hand in hand with democracy, the rule of law, market development, trade, investments and technology transfer. We see that clearly in the countries now leaving poverty behind.

    We must also redouble our efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda. Sweden is one of the world’s most generous donors of development assistance. Through our development assistance, we are accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. To achieve this, strong national ownership in partner countries and a broader approach to development cooperation among donors is needed.

    We must also step up the fight against corruption so that economic growth benefits the whole of society, not just the few.

    Mr President,

    I can only note that women have been underrepresented as speakers this week at the General Debate. Women make up 50 percent of the world’s population, yet less than 10 percent of speakers this week are women. There is a lot of room for improvement in this regard.

    I agree with the Secretary-General that global opposition to gender equality is on the rise. That is why gender equality is a core value in Sweden’s foreign policy.

    So let me say this: countries that stand up for women’s and girls’ rights are not only champions of freedom and human rights. They also benefit from broad labour market participation and economic growth.

    Respect for human rights, providing sexual and reproductive health and rights services, and empowering young girls and women are tangible contributions to advancing gender equality. This is what I want for the future of my daughter and for the daughters of others, too.

    Simply put, our free society must stand up against those who wish to exploit our freedom to restrict the freedom of others. Everyone must be able to live safely and freely, regardless of religious beliefs or personal convictions, regardless of skin colour and regardless of whom they love. To my government, this is of such importance that we have begun work on an action plan for equal rights and opportunities for LGBTQI people.

    The green and digital transition offers vast opportunities in terms of new jobs, increased growth and improved livelihoods. Sweden aims to become climate-neutral by 2045, at the latest. As early movers, we want to show that it is possible to reduce emissions while maintaining economic growth. At the same time, global ambitions on climate action and climate financing must be raised. Here as well, we are increasing our support even further and enhancing its effect, advancing innovative financial models to mobilise more private capital.

    Mr President,

    The many crises in our world today have shed a harsh light on the need for reforms of our multilateral system. We need global governance structures that can withstand the challenges of our time and that are resilient against malevolent attempts to undermine the UN Charter.

    Action – implementation and follow-up – must be our approach as we look forward and take stock of the Summit of the Future and the Pact adopted there.

    The UN Security Council – the body entrusted with the ultimate responsibility to maintain international peace and security – must be effective, transparent and accountable.

    Sweden supports a balanced expansion of the Security Council to better reflect current global political and economic realities. This can be achieved by such means as adding new permanent and non-permanent seats, including for African countries.

    Sweden also supports the ongoing reform processes in multilateral development banks to increase the effectiveness and scale of financing to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and implement the Paris Agreement.

    Another area where strengthened global governance is essential is outer space. Modern societies are becoming more and more dependent on space services and the space environment is becoming increasingly congested and contested.

    Sweden is strongly committed to preventing an arms race in outer space and safeguarding the use of space for peaceful purposes. This includes all states’ full compliance with existing international law, including the Outer Space Treaty. We will continue to promote the development of norms and rules for responsible behaviour in space.

    Together with Zambia, Sweden is proud to have co-facilitated the Global Digital Compact. Through this framework, all Member States have committed to strengthen international cooperation to close digital divides between and within countries and to establish the governance required for a sustainable digital future, including on Artificial Intelligence.

    Rest assured, Sweden will continue to fulfil its responsibility and be an active, engaged and constructive multilateral actor. We will continue to be a close – and demanding – partner to the UN. We will constructively demand more.

    More efficiency, more coherence, more impact, more innovation. This is how we will achieve our shared ambitions for the future, together.

    Mr President,

    This is a moment of major existential challenges. But we must not allow anything to stop us from defending the fundamental principles that form the foundation of this organisation.

    It is true that there are areas where international law needs to be developed to meet new challenges. However, it is equally true that hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty based on the norms, purposes and principles enshrined in the UN Charter.

    Global health and well-being have reached unprecedented levels. People across the globe are enjoying justice, peace, freedom and prosperity at levels unimaginable to previous generations.

    It is a legacy to be proud of. One that we must all do everything we can to uphold.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Joint Statement on Ukraine Energy Sector Support

    Source: Government of Sweden

    We, the G7+ Ministerial Group, met on the margins of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly to reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s brutal and unjust attacks on Ukraine and it’s energy infrastructure.

    We reaffirm our strong commitment to the territorial integrity, independence, and sovereignty of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders and to focus on the key priorities needed to achieve a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace based on international law, including the UN Charter and its principles.

    We strongly condemn Russia’s continuous missile and drone strikes against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and cities across Ukraine, which have escalated since March 2024 and severely threaten Ukraine’s energy security and the Ukrainian people’s access to critical services including electricity, heat, and water during the cold winter months, which could be the harshest for Ukraine since at least its independence. We highlight the regional implications of such attacks, notably on the Republic of Moldova’s energy security. Russia must end its war of aggression and pay for the damage it has caused.

    We recommit to supporting Ukraine’s immediate, medium, and long-term recovery and reconstruction in line with its path towards the EU and to work to involve our private sectors and local governments in the sustainable economic and social recovery of Ukraine. We welcome and underscore the significance of Ukraine’s commitment to business-enabling reforms that will establish a level playing field for investment in the energy sector. We stress the importance of the implementation of the National Energy and Climate Plan and the monitoring of this process. We will continue to support efforts of the Ukrainian government and people in these endeavors.

    We stress the importance of implementation of energy sector reforms in line with the EU accession path and fulfilling obligations under the Energy Community Treaty, including OECD-compliant corporate governance standards. This is especially crucial ahead of the winter, given the scale of repairs and new energy infrastructure needs.

    We acknowledge the need for international assistance to protect energy infrastructure from attacks, including through the strengthening of Ukraine’s air defense capabilities by the committed countries, and reaffirm our readiness to continue providing such assistance.

    We condemn Russia’s seizure and continued control and militarization of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which threatens energy security. We emphasize that any use of nuclear energy and nuclear installations must be safe, secured, safe-guarded, and environmentally sound. With reference to the UNGA resolution from 11 July on “Safety and security of nuclear facilities of Ukraine, including the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant” we stress that Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant must return to the full sovereign control of Ukraine in line with IAEA principles and under its independent supervision.

    We are convinced that rebuilding Ukraine’s energy system in the short and long term is in the interest of enhancing global energy security and sustainability.

    We welcome further commitments to provide funding and in-kind support to address the Ukrainian energy sector’s most urgent needs, including repairs of damaged power plants and district heating systems, deployment of new, distributed power generation, emergency backup power for critical services, and passive protection for energy infrastructure. We call on the global community to urgently strengthen efforts in that regard and provide Ukraine with all assistance needed.

    We underline the important work of international partners, banks, and the Energy Community’s “Ukraine Energy Support Fund” in this regard. We call upon international partners to elevate their financial contributions, in particular to the latter fund in order to improve Ukraine’s resilience next winter.

    Based on the work of the Working Group on Energy Security and the outcomes of the First Global Peace Summit held on 15-16 June 2024 in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, as well as the results of a productive and constructive dialogue at the Energy Security Conference held on 22 August 2024, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to achieving a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace for Ukraine.

    Based upon the Japan-Ukraine Conference for the Promotion of Economic Growth and Reconstruction in Tokyo, the 2024 Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) in Berlin and looking ahead to the November 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) and the 2025 URC in Italy, we are committed to continue supporting immediate needs and Ukraine’s vision of a more decentralized, diversified, resilient, and renewable/sustainable energy system that is fully integrated with Europe.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Tourist flow to Moscow exceeds 2019 record figures — Sergei Sobyanin

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The trend of increasing tourist flow to the capital continues. In the first six months of this year, Moscow received 12.2 million guests, which is six percent more than in the same period of 2019. This was reported by Sergei Sobyanin in his blog.

    “The absolute majority of tourists are our compatriots from other regions of Russia. Most often, people come to Moscow for vacation or holiday from St. Petersburg, Krasnodar Krai, Vladimir, Rostov, Tula regions,” the Mayor of Moscow noted.

    The average occupancy rate of hotels increased by 75 percent, which is 10 percent higher than the first half of 2023 and three percent higher than the first half of 2019. At the same time, the number of places to accommodate guests is also growing: five hotels with 507 rooms have opened since the beginning of the year.

    The contribution of tourism to the city’s economy is steadily growing. The volume of tourist and excursion consumption reached 650 billion rubles, of which budget revenues are estimated at 89 billion rubles. Both figures are a third higher than similar figures for 2019.

    Tourism growth is the result comprehensive support for the industry and close cooperation between the city and business.

    The majority of tourist traffic occurs during the May holidays and the summer vacation and holiday season.

    In the summer, 7.4 million tourists vacationed in Moscow. The average hotel occupancy rate was 78 percent, which is six percent more than the year before.

    At the same time, domestic tourism figures are also growing. This year, the capital was visited by 6.7 million people, which is 12 percent higher than the peak figures of the summer of 2019.

    Although the majority of travelers are Russians, every fifth guest at Moscow hotels this summer is a foreigner.

    The summer period brought 54.5 billion rubles to the city budget, and the volume of tourist and excursion consumption amounted to 398.1 billion rubles.

    The capital’s guests were especially fond of summer festivals, such as “Territory of the Future. Moscow 2030” and “Summer in Moscow. Everybody out on the streets!”

    Sergei Sobyanin: More than 12 million people visited the forum-festival “Moscow 2030”

    The United Arab Emirates Culture Days, which took place this summer on Manezhnaya Square, attracted over 300,000 people in five days. Visitors enjoyed fashion shows accompanied by traditional music, tried popular national dishes, and learned about unusual crafts. At the site, one could become a guest of a wedding show or see oriental landscapes at an open-air photo exhibition.

    The Moscow Estates Festival was held for the third time and became a record-breaker both in duration and scale. The number of visitors exceeded 700 thousand – this is 1.6 times more than in the two previous seasons combined.

    More than three thousand events took place: masquerades, theatrical performances, symphonic music concerts and musicals in the scenery of old estates, historical picnics, outdoor games of gorodki, badminton and serso.

    The festival brought together 40 estates in the capital.

    “We have managed to form a new weekend culture among Muscovites and tourists: the number of visitors to some estates has increased several times compared to the same period last year,” added Sergei Sobyanin.

    Post stations where you could sign a postcard with a quill pen were popular. From there, tourists sent over 65 thousand such messages to different cities in Russia.

    Almost every second guest of the festival visited the pavilions of the “City Dacha”, 255 liters of jam were cooked from seasonal berries.

    This season of “Moscow Tea Party” guests tried and chose the tea blend that is most associated with Moscow. Now golden-amber black tea with the taste of black and red currants, strawberries, with the addition of cornflower petals, safflower, rosebuds and orange slices can be purchased in the capital’s coffee shops.

    The real discovery was the iced Moscow tea. Restaurants and cafes presented more than 800 types of the soft drink, and also offered unique recipes. Muscovites and tourists drank about 50 thousand liters of iced tea.

    More than 500 events took place on Tverskaya Square, the festival’s flagship venue. They were attended by over 400,000 people. The most popular were thematic theatrical performances, musical talks, and interactive lectures related to tea culture, which were accompanied by useful master classes.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://vvv.mos.ru/major/themes/11815050/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Almost 90 panel houses with tile cladding will undergo major repairs in Moscow

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    This year, 87 residential panel houses built according to standard designs will undergo major repairs in Moscow. These will be buildings whose facade panels were faced with small and medium-sized tiles during production at the factory. Over time, they lost their color or crumbled. The Moscow City Services Complex noted that a special technology using polymer-cement mixtures on reinforcing meshes was developed for repairing the walls of such houses. This will extend the service life of the facades by at least 30 years.

    Two shades of white house on Kosygina street

    This technology is already being used in the major renovation of the building at 7 Kosygina Street. The 16-story residential building was erected in 1967 according to a standard series design, which was considered an achievement in the construction industry at the time. Hotels or hostels were often located in such buildings.

    The specialists have already restored the facade. The work was carried out in several stages for the convenience of residents. At the first stage, the surfaces were cleaned, then they were sanded and cracks were eliminated. And at the third, final stage, they applied glue, polymer-cement mixtures on reinforcing compounds, and a layer of textured plaster. The house was painted creamy white and papyrus white.

    Later, the basement and entrance were repaired, and the double-glazed windows in common areas were updated. Currently, the roofing is being put in order, having previously dismantled the old one.

    Intense yellow house in the southwest

    In a similar way, this year the building at 11 Tsyurupy Street, Block 1 was renovated. The work also took place in several stages, at the end of which the building was painted creamy white and intense yellow. In addition, the basement was renovated, new windows were installed in common areas and the balcony screens were replaced. In addition, the entrances were put in order, the slopes were repaired and a new blind area was installed. The nine-story residential building was built in 1976 according to a standard series project. The plasticity of the facade is formed by rhythmic rows of balconies and loggias.

    House with projections on Simferopolsky Boulevard

    Another facility in the South-West Administrative District that has undergone a major overhaul this season is located at 4a, Simferopolsky Boulevard. The main work on restoring the building’s façade has already been completed. In particular, specialists knocked off the old small tiles, filled the resulting voids, applied a new layer of glue and primer, laid insulation in the seams and sealed them. The building is painted white and “blue aragonite”. In addition, the windows and balcony screens were also replaced and the entrances to the building were renovated. The 16-story residential building was erected in 1981. The plasticity of the façade is supported by risalits, which house common areas and kitchens.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/144422073/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sobyanin: Vascular centers received 8 angiographs with 3D modeling function

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Since the beginning of the year, eight newest angiographs with 3D modeling function have been purchased for vascular centers. Sergei Sobyanin reported this in his telegram channel.

    “Today, 3D technologies provide a full cycle of support for doctors – from training to planning and conducting high-tech interventions. They allow doctors to create highly accurate three-dimensional models of the patient’s vascular network, taking into account all anatomical features,” the Mayor of Moscow noted.

    Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @mos_sobyanin

    With the help of such models, doctors can conduct a kind of rehearsal of the operation. This gives doctors the opportunity to plan the route to the vascular lesion in advance, choose the optimal position for installing the stent and accurately select its size. Thanks to this, risks during the operation are reduced, and the time it takes to complete is shortened.

    Another important advantage of 3D models is that they eliminate the need for additional X-ray examinations. The radiation load on patients and medical personnel is reduced.

    Three-dimensional modeling technologies are also actively used for training X-ray surgeons.

    Moscow doctors have developed a technique for diagnosing childhood strokes — SobyaninSobyanin: More than 370 units of the latest medical equipment installed in Moscow medical institutions

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://vvv.mos.ru/major/themes/11829050/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The train schedule on the Belorussky and Savelovsky directions of the MCD-1 will change

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    From 20:20 on September 27 to September 29, the train schedule on the Belorussky and Savelovsky directions of the first Moscow Central Diameter will change.

    On the Belorussky direction, some suburban trains heading to Belorussky Station will arrive on tracks No. 14 and 15 instead of tracks No. 1–5. The changes can be found on the information boards at the stations.

    Some suburban trains will be cancelled, some will only go from and to Fili station. Some express trains to Mozhaisk and Zvenigorod have been cancelled. Some trains will pass Begovaya and Testovskaya stations without stopping. Trains from Usovo station will only go from and to Rabochy Posyolok station. The intervals will be increased to 15 minutes.

    On the Savelovsky direction, some trains will be cancelled, some will follow shortened routes from and to the Savelovskaya station. The intervals will be partially increased to 15 minutes.

    During the period of restrictions, work will be carried out to modernize the track infrastructure.

    The schedule of some Aeroexpress trains will change. To travel to Sheremetyevo Airport, you can use buses from the Khovrino metro station – these are routes No. 1195 (to terminals B, C) and No. 1195D (to terminal D).

    You can find the schedule of buses and Aeroexpress trains here on the company’s website. The schedule of suburban and city trains is available in the applications “Moscow Metro”, “Moscow Transport”, and also in the application Andon the carrier’s website.

    Passengers are asked to plan their trips in advance.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/144534073/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Find yourself in the metropolis of the future: how the Smart City pavilion at VDNKh will celebrate its eighth anniversary

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    For eight years now, guests of the pavilion “Smart City” at VDNKh can learn more about the capital’s IT projects and key solutions that make Muscovites’ lives even more comfortable and safe. In honor of the pavilion’s birthday, visitors have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of innovations and entertainment of the future, as well as receive memorable gifts.Department of Information Technology of Moscow told about the program they had prepared for guests of the interactive exhibition on September 28.

    “Moscow is one of the smartest megacities in the world, a city where technologies help people every day and make their lives more comfortable, brighter and more interesting. Muscovites can no longer imagine their lives without convenient services, gadgets and an intelligent urban environment. But technological progress does not stop for a minute, so on the pavilion’s birthday we invite all visitors to imagine themselves as residents of the megalopolis of the future and take part in the everyday entertainment of the new era: compete in robotic races, create your own robot, walk through the VDNKh metaverse, assemble a quantum computer and clean space from garbage. The interactive and varied program will be interesting for both children and adults. Through a fascinating immersion in the world of future technologies, guests will be able to expand their knowledge of the IT projects of the capital of the present,” noted Anastasia Sharova, Head of the Exhibition Activities Department of the Moscow Department of Information Technology.

    VDNKh Metaverse and Roboball Races

    While getting acquainted with the interactive exhibition and learning more about high-tech projects and services, riding a real bicycle through the VDNKh metaverse or traveling through digital twins of iconic places in a cable car cabin, guests will get acquainted with the achievements and technologies used in the capital in an entertaining and interactive format.

    Thus, all comers will be able to stroll through a virtual digital copy of the country’s main exhibition. The VDNKh metaverse is more than 80 objects and 400 exhibits, recreated with such a high degree of accuracy that you can examine the smallest details of buildings or the entire architectural ensemble, see the splashes of fountains and leaves swaying in the wind, and get acquainted with the exhibits of some pavilions. City residents will be offered to go on a unique gamified excursion in the company of a digital double of the singer Vanya Dmitrienko, during which they will travel in time, visit space, look into a nuclear reactor and find themselves on a film set.

    For those who love speed and competition, there will be robotic ball races. The track is designed as a labyrinth, and participants will have to guide their ball through all the obstacles – ramps, swings and dead ends. To control their robotic ball, each racer will have a tablet in their hands. In the pavilion, you can also learn about the principles of quantum computers and their potential for solving complex problems, as well as feel like nuclear physicists and independently launch a virtual computing device of the future.

    Basics of Robotics and Space Debris Removal

    In addition, visitors will be immersed in the world of innovation and will understand how artificial intelligence is used on Earth and beyond. They will be able to sort space debris on their own and learn about technologies that will help clean up space pollution.

    The pavilion will host master classes where city residents will learn the basics of robotics and create their own robot assistant. Under the guidance of an expert, participants will design a robot from construction set elements and learn how to create and program mechanisms to perform the necessary operations. As a souvenir of the visit, they will be offered to take photos in the branded photo zone “MetaVDNKh” together with a life-size figure of the guide to the metaverse Vanya Dmitrienko.

    Guests are welcome from 12:00 to 18:00. Branded gifts for participation in the events are also provided: portable batteries, notebooks, sets of stickers with logos of Moscow digital services, cardholders and more. And the winners of the competition, which is held in the official group pavilion “Smart City” on the social network “VKontakte”, will be able to receive one of the super prizes – a sweatshirt, backpack, shopper or baseball cap, which can be decorated with the included patches on Velcro.

    To take part in the competition, you must fulfill all the conditions: subscribe to the pavilion account, repost the entry about the competition, like it, write a comment and attend the Smart City birthday on September 28. Participants of the competition will need to confirm that they have fulfilled all the conditions at the reception, and at 17:00 the winners will be announced, selected using a random number generator.

    The Smart City pavilion at VDNKh was opened in 2016. Here you can take part in master classes, quests, programming workshops, 3D modeling courses, robotics and other events for free. The exhibition is open to visitors from 10:00 to 20:00 from Tuesday to Sunday. Group tours of the pavilion’s exhibition area are held every hour. To get on them, you will need to pre-register. on the official websiteYou can walk around the center on your own by downloading the “Discover Moscow” app and finding the audio guide in the “Smart City” section.

    The use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence to improve the quality of life of city residents corresponds to the objectives of the national program “Digital Economy of the Russian Federation” and the regional project of the city of Moscow “Digital Public Administration”. More information about this and other national projects implemented in Moscow, you can find out here.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/144513073/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Walks, games and premieres: Russpass has collected ideas for an autumn holiday in Moscow

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Moscow celebrates World Tourism Day. The capital continues to attract visitors at different times of the year and is ideal for off-season travel. You can find out which city parks to visit, where to see the best exhibitions and where to go with children in the new section “Autumn in Moscow” on Russpass.

    The beauty of nature

    In city parks you can stroll among colorful trees, listen to the rustling of leaves under your feet, and also see old estates, sculptures and ponds. In the fresh air you can not only observe the beauty of nature, but also take interesting pictures.

    Russpass has prepared routes through the most beautiful parks of the capital. Among them are: Museum-Reserve “Kolomenskoye” with stunning panoramic views from the steep bank, forest labyrinths estates Pokrovskoe-Streshnevo, literary Peredelkino, a mysterious national park “Moose Island” and the Russian Versailles – Kuskovo estateIf you don’t want to go into the thicket, you can take a ride by bike or walk along the autumn Boulevard Ring.

    On a date with art

    Moscow museums offer to evaluate works of art. After walking through the Muzeon Art Park, you can go to the New Tretyakov Gallery and see the capital of different eras through the eyes of artists from the Vasnetsov dynasty. The exhibits are worthy of attention at the Museum of Russian Impressionism, and also “Adepts of Red” in the Engineering Building of the Tretyakov Gallery. You can admire the fascinating autumn still lifes and many other works of art at the A.S. Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts.

    Tastes of Autumn

    Capital restaurants invite you to meet with the off-season menu and appreciate the views of Moscow streets. Most of the city’s gastronomic establishments are located in beautiful places in the historical center. Hot pumpkin soup with Italian croutons, meat salads or hot tea will help to complement the impressions of autumn leaf fall.

    Theatre premieres

    Autumn is the beginning of the theatre season, including in Moscow. This year there will be more than 200 premieres, including fearless experiments, classical ballet, and sparkling musicals. Spectators will enjoy masterful performances by their favorite actors, beautiful interiors, and unforgettable emotions. A special part after the performance will be a walk through the evening capital, sparkling with lights.

    Learning is easy and fun

    Moscow confirms its status as the capital of children’s tourism and offers a wide range of entertainment and play-based learning for both children and their parents, who will certainly want to remember their childhood. This is an ideal city to visit during the autumn holidays. The Russpass service invites little explorers take part in immersive shows, quests and master classes in autumn parks, join to lessons in magic and scenography, and also visit Lego Museum— one of the largest in Europe.

    Russpass service launched in 2020. In four years, it has become an entire tourism ecosystem, with the help of which it is easy to plan a trip, book tickets and a hotel, and select excursions. Interesting facts about traveling in Russia are posted in the online publication “Russpass-magazine”. In addition, since June 2023, a portal has been operating for representatives of the tourism industry “Russpass. Business”.

    The service was created on the initiative of the Moscow Government. The project is supervised by the capital Tourism Committee together with the city Department of Information Technology.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/144528073/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Muscovites have become almost three times more likely to seek video consultations from employees of government service centers

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Since the beginning of the year, employees of the My Documents government service centers have conducted almost eight thousand video consultations. This is almost three times more than the results of the same period in 2023. In total, since the service was launched in 2021, specialists have conducted more than 13 thousand video consultations for city residents. Today, thanks to the service on the mos.ru portal, Muscovites can consult on issues related to government services without leaving their homes. To do this, simply sign up on the portal.

    Most often this year, users sought video consultations on issues of housing and communal services charges, payments and compensations for families with children and large families, payments and benefits for pensioners and people of pre-retirement age, as well as on the topic of guardianship and trusteeship.

    Since 2024, city residents have had the opportunity to receive online consultations on issues of recalculation of housing and communal payments, charges and debts, confirmation of documents on education and (or) qualifications, academic degrees and titles. Video consultations on guardianship issues related to the issuance of preliminary permission for transactions with property and the disposal of funds of minors, incapacitated or partially incapacitated citizens have also become available. City residents can also receive preliminary information on the disposal of funds from the ward’s account in the Telegram channel using the chat bot “Guardianship”.

    As noted in the capital Department of Information Technology, today, thanks to the service on the mos.ru portal, you can ask questions not only to employees of the My Documents government service centers, but also to representatives of 13 departments. Online consultations are available on more than 200 different topics. For example, you can find out about the procedure for obtaining a birth certificate, pension, foreign passport, TIN, compulsory medical insurance policy, as well as other important services.

    Using the service “Sign up for a consultation and personal appointment online” Residents of the capital, legal entities and individual entrepreneurs registered on mos.ru can sign up for an online meeting in a few minutes using any electronic device, without visiting the institution. To do this, on the portal in the catalog of services for residents, go to the “Documents” section, then select “Popular in the section”, then – “Sign up for a consultation and personal appointment online” and click on the button “Sign up for an online consultation with a specialist of the state services center or department”. The applicant can choose a life situation and the category of interest, as well as a convenient date and time for receiving the consultation. An invitation to an online meeting and a link to connect will be sent to your personal account and to your email address. The duration of one consultation is up to 20 minutes.

    Employees of government service centers provide online consultations on issues of confirmation of educational documents

    Online consultations are informational in nature. To submit documents, the applicant must personally contact any convenient government services center or use electronic services on the mos.ru portal.

    Increasing the availability of mass socially significant services in electronic form corresponds to the objectives of the national program “Digital Economy of the Russian Federation” and the regional project of the city of Moscow “Digital Public Administration”. More information about this and other national projects implemented in Moscow can be found on a special page.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/144519073/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Feathers for the Natives and a Crinoline for the Karlitsa. How the Workshops of the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theatre Work

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Any performance is the result of long, intense and painstaking preparation. The work of actors and directors is, of course, always visible at first glance, but the work that remains behind the scenes also makes the production a harmonious and integral work of art. Decorations and costumes, technical solutions and organizational processes are no less important, but not always obvious components of the success of the performance.

    Moscow Academic Musical Theatre named after K.S. Stanislavsky and Vl. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko (MAMT) is unique: hundreds of employees of the workshops work on the seven floors of the building on Bolshaya Dmitrovka – painting and decoration, sewing, shoe, props, metalwork, carpentry and other shops. More details about their work – in the material mos.ru.

    Headwear and fabric painting

    Almost no performance can do without headwear for the artists (and there are more than 40 of them in the repertoire). And the specialists can create almost any product right here in the workshop.

    Making a headdress is an individual job. When an artist joins a troupe, their head is immediately measured so that the product fits perfectly. Of course, the data needs to be updated periodically – for example, if the actor changes his hairstyle. And in the case of opera artists, they have to resort to tricks – under the spotlight and from the stress of performing parts, the head circumference can become significantly larger, sometimes even by several sizes. To make the artists comfortable throughout the performance, the craftsmen sew special elastic bands into the headdresses.

    Another important task is to make the products as light as possible so that the actors can move freely, dance, perform complex pirouettes and jumps. Sometimes it happens that the idea of a particular headdress is technically impossible to implement, and the craftsmen have to compromise – so that the costumes suit both the production designer in appearance and the performers in convenience and functionality. For example, for the round red headdresses of the natives (working title – “tomatoes”) in the play “Robinson Crusoe”, costume designer Vladimir Arefyev suggested using wooden sticks as a frame. But they would have turned out too heavy this way, and the craftsmen came up with the idea of creating lighter structures from polyurethane foam and wrapping them with red threads.

    And the opera “Not Only Love” was the easiest for the specialists, although about 100 different headdresses were made for it. The action takes place in a post-war collective farm, so the headscarves were sewn by hand, but many were not even processed along the edges – to create a more authentic image.

    The fabric painting workshop does a huge and very diverse job – here they “blow” the ballet costumes (darken them on the sides so that the artists on stage look even more slender and fragile), and finish the details, and actually paint the fabrics. For “Robinson Crusoe” the workshop worked almost around the clock – for 40 native costumes it was necessary to blow and paint several thousand feathers by hand, and shell beads were collected (also by hand) by almost the entire team. The craftsmen joked that it seemed that shells had run out in all of Moscow at that time, and there were still few of them.

    The costume designer for the opera Othello, Dmitry Andreyev, took great care to recreate the historical reality. Each woman’s dress made of silk velvet required about 10 meters of fabric, and the entire choir – almost 50 people – had to be dressed in them. And the artist performing the part of the Dwarf in the opera The Tales of Hoffmann moves around the stage on his knees in a short crinoline skirt made of scraps of different fabrics, painted and sewn together by hand. It took the workshop’s master several weeks of continuous work to make it.

    Assistant Director: The Unsung Conductor

    An assistant director is a rare profession even for the theater industry; many theaters simply do not have a person who would be responsible for all the services involved in holding a performance. But at MAMT, this is an indispensable specialist, without whom not a single production would take place. In essence, this is the captain of the ship – he is responsible for changing scenes on time, turning on and off the lights, and making sure that the stage props appear on time. And if during a performance the conductor directs the orchestra from the pit, then from behind the scenes, the assistant director conducts everything that happens on stage.

    Such a specialist must have a musical education, because he directs the performance using a piano score — the musical score of a ballet or opera, which is filled with notes about what should happen on stage at every second. One page of the piano score can contain up to six such notes. The assistant director knows the entire theater repertoire almost by heart and is next to the director throughout the entire process of creating new performances. Moreover, he is a full-fledged participant — together with technologists at the staging stage, he looks for ways to quickly, “cleanly,” and conveniently for employees of all theater services change the scenery on stage. Assistant directors have to literally measure some moments with a stopwatch so that the performance goes perfectly.

    The assistant stage manager’s console at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theatre is located in the left wings, in the stage pocket. The console can be used to open and close the curtain, as well as maintain contact with all services involved in the performance: lighting technicians, machinists, mechanics and many others.

    The Invisible Work of the Stage Operator

    Other specialists, invisible to the viewer’s eyes, are responsible for the magic that happens on the theater stage – stage machinists. They are the ones who assemble and disassemble the giant scenery and change it during performances.

    More than 60 people work in the MAMT machine and scenery shop, 40 of them are stage machinists who literally physically ensure the performance of all productions. Their tasks include assembling and disassembling scenery, loading and unloading it, and they are also responsible for storage. And there are a lot of scenery – some are located right in the theater, in a huge room underground at a depth of 30 meters, some are stored in 50 containers outside the theater.

    The shop works almost around the clock, and preparations for each new performance begin long before the premiere. Several weeks before the first show, “bau-tests” are held, during which the machinists rehearse the change of scenery so that everything works without a hitch at the premiere. There are so-called “draw-up” performances, which are considered quite simple for stage machinists – the scenery can be assembled in a few hours on the morning of the show. They mainly consist of suspended structures that are installed on the stage fairly quickly. Draw-up performances include the operas “Madame Butterfly” and “The Elixir of Love”, and the ballets “Giselle” and “The Stone Flower”.

    “Norma” is one of the most complex performances in terms of editing. At the beginning, the audience sees a forest of huge trees about 10 meters high, each consisting of three separate parts. The installation of “Norma” takes a day of continuous work. And for the opera “Rigoletto” the machinists literally build a two-story house on the stage. The floors are assembled separately, and then they are connected by raising the second floor on fly rods and lowering the first on plunger platforms. Another example of complex editing is the ballet “Don Quixote”: huge wings, complex rigid wings on frames, towers, gazebos, carts – only a small part of what the machinists must assemble on the stage in two days.

    The opera “Eugene Onegin” requires special participation of the employees of the machine and scenery shop. The floor covering for it is made of natural wood, and before each performance the parquet is assembled from many blocks. Also on the stage are four 10-meter columns that must rotate, and a suspension bridge about 30 meters long – on it Tatyana soars upward when she writes a letter to Onegin. From the auditorium it looks light and airy, and behind the scenes the machinists hold the bridge with special iron rods so that the structure does not wobble, and the actors are safe. And for one of the scenes of the play “Winter Evening in Chamonix”, where two actors travel towards each other in cabins on a cable car above the stage, the simultaneous work of eight machinists is required – they adjust the position of the cabins, raise and lower them.

    A “clean” change of scenery is a special job for stage machinists: the picture in this case changes right during the performance, with the curtain open. Then the employees of the machine-set shop are dressed in costumes so that they do not differ from the actors on stage and continue to do their work. Such a change of scenery is, for example, in the ballet “Snegurochka” – in the first act, the machinists, dressed in fur coats, bring a small fence and a bench onto the stage.

    “Mermaid”. What will be the main premiere of the 105th season at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theatre

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/144521073/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Convenient tool for real estate analysis and evaluation: DIT of Moscow spoke about the possibilities of the investment card

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    On the investment map of the capital portal investtossov.ru in real time you can find current lots at city auctions and sites for the creation and development of production in Moscow. Currently, information is presented here on 2.4 thousand city property objects put up for auction in all districts, as well as more than 1.3 thousand investment sites that can be used to place production in the city.

    “The service’s functionality allows you to assess the attractiveness of a selected site based on several criteria, learn more about the real estate offered by the city, and select an object that suits your needs and goals. Based on the investment map information, entrepreneurs can make a preliminary assessment and make more informed decisions to launch a business project. In addition to comprehensive information on each lot presented, the map provides data on possible support measures for businesses and investors and general analytical information about the capital: investment indicators, human resources, infrastructure facilities,” said the deputy head of

    Department of Information Technology of the City of Moscow Roman Urnyshev.

    The “City auctions” section of the investment map presents capital property: buildings, non-residential premises, non-stationary retail facilities, as well as land plots for the construction of commercial or administrative real estate. Investors and entrepreneurs can buy, rent, or enter into an agreement for the right to conduct trade and other activities in these lots. Using filters, it is possible to select an object suitable for its purpose, location, area, initial cost, and other parameters. The information panel on the left displays the number of offers in each category, which allows you to save time and go straight to searching for current lots.

    Another section of the map is “Investment sites”. It contains information about land plots and premises that are available for the placement of various enterprises. Here you can find out about free areas in the special economic zone “Technopolis Moscow” and the capital’s technology parks, provided with infrastructure for the placement of production of any profile: from metallurgy and mechanical engineering to nanotechnology and software development. In addition, the section contains data on industrial cluster facilities, projects implemented within the framework of integrated development of territories, as well as offers from the investment catalog of Moscow.

    The investment map’s capabilities allow you to sort objects by location: within the district boundaries, near the desired metro station, or by exact address. Important tools are analytical layers that allow you to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the object’s potential. New layers are regularly added and the functionality of existing ones is expanded at user requests.

    In the press service of the capital Department of Investment and Industrial Policy They said that the investment map of Moscow has become a universal tool for investors and entrepreneurs when choosing a location to create production facilities in the city.

    Thus, analytical layers allow you to find out about the availability of parking in the area, the intensity of traffic and the possibility of passage of freight transport without issuing permits, the age and gender structure of the population. In addition, the map displays infrastructure facilities located in the immediate vicinity of the selected site – these are stores, public transport stops, educational institutions and construction sites.

    Thanks to the new analytical layer “Industry”, the investor can analyze the distance from the selected site to other enterprises, find out the name, legal data and scope of activities of these companies. This approach is useful when assessing a place according to certain criteria, such as the availability of the necessary communications and capacities for opening an enterprise, possible industrial hazards.

    Last year, the analytical layer “Cargo Framework” appeared, which allows you to assess the logistical accessibility of a future enterprise or retail outlet. It displays information about the roads on which freight transport can move without obtaining permits. And with the help of the layer “Traffic intensity” based on geoanalytics of mobile operators, it will be possible to track the congestion of roads depending on the time of year, day and day of the week.

    Isochrones are another useful investment map tool. They are used to calculate the walking and transport accessibility of any urban object. This indicator measures the distance that can be covered in a certain time, moving from a given point on foot, by bicycle or by car. Isochrones are used when calculating the potential effectiveness of a project to assess the coverage area and the distance of the object from houses, transport stops, schools, road junctions and other infrastructure objects.

    For example, when opening a store, you can build an isochrone and, based on the number of residential buildings in the area, calculate the approximate number of potential customers who live within a 10-minute walk of the future retail outlet. This tool also helps to evaluate the infrastructure of the place of interest and even determine the direction of investment in a specific urban segment.

    The Moscow Investment Portal is one of the most popular specialized resources for investors. It provides all the information on tax regimes, benefits, and support measures, including for industrial enterprises. The portal has more than 40 online services for investors, industrialists, entrepreneurs, and residents of the capital. The resource reduces the time spent searching for a site for opening or developing production, provides the opportunity to evaluate and pre-calculate the effectiveness of a future business, and opens a channel of direct communication with the Moscow Government, which, in turn, allows the city to promptly respond to requests from entrepreneurs and investors.

    The implementation of digital solutions in public administration is in line with the objectives of the national program “Digital Economy” and the Moscow regional project “Digital Public Administration”. More information about this and other national projects being implemented in the capital can be found find out here.

    Sergei Sobyanin told how the updated investment map of Moscow helps to choose a site for localizing a business

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/144498073/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: From bottles to overalls: a chain of children’s stores helps border areas of the Kursk region

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The largest chain of children’s stores, with the assistance of the Moscow Government, sent more than 65 thousand goods to residents of the border areas of the Kursk Region. As humanitarian aid, they collected 7.5 thousand packages of nappies and diapers, 3.5 thousand pieces of soap, the same number of baby bottles and nipples.

    The chain didn’t forget about children’s clothing either – more than 40 thousand children’s overalls, shirts and sweaters, as well as rompers were sent to the region. Families from Kursk Oblast will receive all of this free of charge.

    The capital was one of the first to join in helping residents of border regions. Caring citizens and business owners provide financial support to their compatriots and collect humanitarian aid. Volunteers and charitable foundations help them with this.

    Previously five million rubles handed over winner of the gastronomic competition within the framework of the forum-festival “Territory of the Future. Moscow 2030”.

    Many retail chains provide daily support to the affected areas: they help with the placement of evacuated employees, ensure the uninterrupted operation of grocery stores and collect hundreds of tons of humanitarian aid. Marketplaces join them, delivering food and essential items, as well as coffee shops that cooperate with charitable foundations.

    More information about the activities of the Department of Trade and Services is available in the official telegram channel.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/144456073/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Foreign tourists flocking to Hainan

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    The number of overseas visitors in Hainan province has been increasing thanks to the convenient immigration policies of the Hainan Free Trade Port, local authorities said.

    The entry and exit policies at the province are considered the most favorable in China, said Wang Haixing, director of the Haikou General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection, at a news conference on Thursday.

    In February, the National Immigration Administration implemented new policies to enhance visa-free entry opportunities for people from 59 countries who want to visit Hainan. In May, a 15-day visa-free entry policy took effect for foreign tour groups arriving in Hainan via cruise ships, and in July, visa-free entry for foreign tour groups entering the island province from Hong Kong or Macao was permitted for up to 144 hours.

    As of Thursday, 1.514 million inbound and outbound personnel have been inspected this year, up 278.5 percent year-on-year, according to the station.

    So far this year, 238,500 foreign tourists have entered Hainan visa-free, a 6.5-fold increase compared to last year, constituting over 80 percent of the total number of overseas visitors to the island.

    Wang said that visa exemptions have become the primary method for foreigners who want to visit Hainan, and they have facilitated the hosting of major international events such as the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference and the China International Consumer Products Expo.

    Luo Zhengyu, deputy director of the station, highlighted that the border inspection authorities have implemented a series of effective measures to ensure the smooth implementation of travel policies. For instance, the number of passenger inspection channels at all provincial airports has increased from 39 to 98, with the activation of 44 inbound and outbound express channels.

    “This expansion has significantly reduced passenger waiting times and improved customs clearance efficiency,” he said.

    Additionally, passengers from 59 nations who are eligible for visa-free entry in Hainan, as well as foreign tourist groups entering Hainan from Hong Kong or Macao visa-free for 144 hours, no longer have to fill out entry cards. Furthermore, passengers arriving by cruise ships are no longer required to provide fingerprint information.

    “We will introduce innovative measures to enhance the travel experience for Chinese and foreign individuals, further creating a more convenient and streamlined border inspection atmosphere,” Luo said.

    Two of Hainan’s major airports have launched 58 international passenger routes — 36 at Haikou’s airport and 22 at Sanya’s — connecting 31 cities in 18 countries and regions.

    This week alone, two international routes have been launched, and a third will open this weekend, bringing the total number of international flights to and from the island to 61 by the end of this month, according to Hainan Airport Group.

    On Tuesday, the route linking Taiyuan, Shanxi province, and Singapore via Sanya commenced operations. On Thursday, Haikou Meilan International Airport inaugurated its first route to the United States, offering service to Seattle, Washington. On Saturday morning, Boao International Airport will host the inaugural flight ceremony for the first international route from Qionghai to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

    “For many foreign visitors, a trip to Hainan without plans has become a reality,” said Mai Weiwen, CEO of Hainan Wenhua Tourism Group. “Thanks to the increasing number of international flights being launched in Hainan, local travel agencies are seizing opportunities to expand their market by venturing abroad to overseas tourist source markets.”

    Russian expatriate Andreev Aleksei, a lecturer at Hainan University, is excited about the preferential visa-free policies.

    “I plan to invite my family members to Hainan due to the ease of travel without the need for visa applications,” he said, also highlighting the convenience of direct flights from Moscow to Haikou and Sanya, as well as from other international cities to Hainan, making travel to the tropical island more accessible for foreign visitors.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK to speed up military kit deliveries to support Ukraine’s fight

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Government is set to surpass its commitment to deliver 12 AS90 artillery guns within 100 days of taking office, with 16 units now on course to be delivered

    The UK has provided AS90 artillery guns to Ukraine

    The UK will send more vital artillery guns to support Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s illegal invasion after the UK recommits to £3 billion a year of military support for Ukraine until 2030/31 and for as long as it takes.

    The announcement comes as the UK speeds up the delivery of vital military support, with the new government set to surpass its pledge of delivering 12 AS90 artillery guns within 100 days of taking office.

    A total of 16 units are now on course to be delivered, with 10 already delivered and six more to follow in the coming weeks. Artillery has played a vital role in providing cover for Ukrainian troops and destroying key Russian targets.

    The government have also announced a new joint MOD and FCDO Ukraine unit – led by Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Defence Secretary John Healey –which will integrate expertise and help drive a new whole-of-government approach to Ukraine.

    Alongside this, defence is creating a new direct cyber pathway to help boost the UK’s cyber resilience, with different tailored selection and basic training requirements.

    This scheme would create direct entry paths into cyber careers in Defence and provide routes for lateral entry for specialists who are mid-way through their cyber careers, expanding Defence’s appeal, increasing workforce diversity, and in turn complementing other trades in the services, rather than acting in competition.

    The Government has also announced that more than 100 outdated policies have been scrapped or updated since July. These include measures blocking recruitment within the Armed Forces of some sufferers of hay fever, eczema and acne, and some injuries that have fully healed, with work ongoing at pace to modernise recruitment.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 September 2024

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Construction of a motorway continues in the Shcherbinka district

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The highway in Shcherbinka from Yuzhnaya Street to Zalineyny Lane is a quarter complete. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.

    “Since joining Moscow, more than 400 kilometers of roads have been built and reconstructed in TiNAO. And we continue to actively develop the transport framework of the new districts. One of the projects that we are implementing today is a four-lane highway from Yuzhnaya Street to Zalineyny Lane in Shcherbinka, near Varshavskoye Shosse with exits to this highway. The length of the facility will be about three kilometers, now it is 25 percent ready. Thus, the embankment has been fully prepared, the road surface is being laid and utility lines are being installed,” said Vladimir Efimov.

    Thanks to the new road, residents will find it convenient to leave Shcherbinka for Varshavskoe Shosse. In addition, it will be easier to get from the eastern part of the city to the Ostafyevo platform of the second Moscow Central Diameter.

    “During the work, Yuzhnaya Street and Zalineyny Lane will be widened to four lanes – two in each direction. A U-turn for public transport will be built near the Ostafyevo railway platform. Also, as part of the project, a pedestrian sidewalk and a bicycle path will be installed, and outdoor lighting will be installed along the highway,” said the head of the Department for the Development of New Territories of the City of Moscow.

    Vladimir Zhidkin.

    The route will be equipped with traffic lights. After the main works are completed, the adjacent territory will be landscaped, including near Yashkin Pond.

    Earlier, Sergei Sobyanin opened new site the main highway of TiNAO Solntsevo – Butovo – Varshavskoe shosse. In 2026, the highway will be connected to the Moscow High-Speed Diameter. As a result, traffic without traffic lights will be organized from New Moscow through the entire city to Leningradskoe shosse and the overpass that leads to St. Petersburg.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/144508073/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: New directions, “Longevity exercises” and star guests: how the summer season of the “Moscow Longevity” project went

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Every senior Muscovite can fill their lives with bright events. This summer, participants in the Moscow Longevity project attended training sessions with famous athletes, met with actors and writers, went kayaking and SUP boarding, went Nordic walking, opened an exclusive route along Arbat, and participated in many other events.

    In 2024, the project’s summer season lasted four months, thanks to September being one of the warmest in the history of the capital.

    Training with celebrity guests and outdoor activities

    One of the most striking events of the summer season was the “Longevity Exercises”. For 17 weeks, senior citizens participated in morning warm-ups at sites organized in all districts, including in iconic places of the capital – for example, on Sparrow Hills, near the Bolshoi Theater and at the Northern River Terminal. During this time, 87 training sessions were held, which were attended by more than 14 thousand people.

    Once a week, the “Longevity Exercises” were held by invited guests, including Roman Kostomarov, Evgenia Medvedeva, Tatyana Totmianina, Ilya Averbukh, Alexey Nemov, Alexey Yagudin, Artur Dalaloyan, Irina Slutskaya, Nikita Nagorny, Daria Dontsova, Anna Semenovich, Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, Elena Vorobey, Yulia Mikhalkova.

    Participants of the “Longevity Exercises” mastered qigong, attended dance training, classes with gymnastic ribbons, and even warm-ups with drums.

    Throughout the summer, outdoor activities were held for senior citizens in more than 1,500 groups at 800 outdoor venues throughout the city – at the Moscow Zoo, the equestrian club, parks, the City Farm at VDNKh, and other places.

    New water directions

    In July, the Moscow Longevity project opened classes in SUP surfing and kayaking for the first time. About 1,500 senior Muscovites learned the history of these sports and learned how to operate watercraft.

    The classes took place in the waters of the Moscow River at the Academy Rowing Club under the guidance of experienced coaches. Despite the fact that SUPs and kayaks are considered popular among young people, the groups in these areas already broke the record for the number of older participants in the first days.

    SUP and kayak rowing classes will be held for the first time as part of the Moscow Longevity project

    Unique route

    In August, a new exclusive excursion route, “Not Old Arbat”, was opened for participants of “Moscow Longevity”. It was created especially for the project by writer and Moscow expert Alexander Vaskin and is dedicated to long-livers whose fate was connected with the most famous pedestrian street of the city.

    Philosopher, polar hero and Russian Rodin: what participants of the excursion “Not Old Arbat” can learn

    The walk includes nine thematic points, each of them is connected with the biographies of famous long-livers: writers, actors, sculptors and composers. For example, the excursionists learned about the philosopher Alexey Losev, who continued to pass on knowledge to his students until his last days, and the writer Marietta Shaginyan, who never abandoned her favorite work.

    The guides were the participants of Moscow Longevity themselves, who had completed training at the Silver University in the field of Excursion Guidance. 11 graduates mastered a new profession, were employed in the project and regularly conduct excursions for groups.

    Fashion collections about family, city and future

    This summer, the project held its fourth season of creative laboratories “Designers’ Workshop”, dedicated to the Year of the Family. The final show, held at the forum-festival “Territory of the Future. Moscow 2030” in Gostiny Dvor, was attended by more than 600 people, another 135 thousand watched the live broadcast of the show.

    Participants of “Moscow Longevity” under the mentorship of five famous fashion designers – Leonid Alekseev, Igor Gulyaev, Denis Eremkin, Ksenia Novikova and Vadim Merlis – created five clothing collections. They were demonstrated on the podium by “silver” age models from the beauty and style school “Royal Posture”.

    The Family Albums line is based on the 1970s style, with prints on clothes that bring to life photographs of the designers’ grandparents, fathers and mothers. The creators of the feminine and elegant Mom collection were inspired by touching memories. Each participant imagined her mother, images from her youth. The Bright Age, Urban Romance and We Are 2030 collections are dedicated to the future, the city and longevity. Bright textured fabrics and artificial intelligence capabilities were used in their creation.

    New spaces for healthy living and socializing

    The network of Moscow longevity centers continues to expand: 14 spaces opened this summer, now there are 134. Older city residents can do their favorite things in a circle of like-minded people, communicate and lead a healthy lifestyle. Since September 1, the centers have switched to a new, convenient work schedule.

    Along with the expansion of the network of centers, new services are also appearing in them. Thus, since this summer, they have been providing consultations on obtaining electronic government services. In each center, city residents can find out how to apply for 71 government services, including obtaining a Muscovite social card, a spa voucher, or housing subsidies.

    Bright events of the summer season

    Muscovites of the “silver” age celebrated the middle of summer at the festival “Long-lasting Moscow”, which took place on Vorobyovy Gory and brought together more than three thousand guests.

    The most popular outdoor classes of Moscow Longevity were held on one site – dancing, Nordic walking, drawing, as well as Longevity Exercises, educational lectures and much more.

    One of the central events was a mass gathering of Nordic walking enthusiasts, in which even city residents over 90 years old took part. A choreography master class for guests was conducted by dancer Evgeny Papunaishvili, and in the open air one could compete in drawing caricatures of singer Anna Semenovich and writer Daria Dontsova.

    The combined choir of the Moscow Longevity project performed at the Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival on Red Square. A program of 13 songs was presented by 350 people. The choir was accompanied by the Central Military Orchestra of the Russian Ministry of Defense under the direction of Honored Artist of Russia Colonel Sergei Durygin.

    The combined choir of the Moscow Longevity project performed at the Spasskaya Tower festival

    In addition, this summer the group gave five master classes. Choirmasters held open vocal lessons, where they introduced guests to the techniques and methods of choral singing.

    In July, the Sokolniki Park hosted the “Dance Stories of Moscow Longevity” festival. One of the main events was the “Purple Waltz” flash mob, which brought together 500 senior citizens. On this day, people of different ages took to the dance floor – from 55 to 90 years old, and the oldest was 90-year-old project participant Valentina Semenova. A competition was also held: 18 couples and 10 groups competed for the title of the best dancers of the project.

    “Boulevard of Moscow Longevity”

    One of the most striking expositions of the forum-festival “Territory of the Future. Moscow 2030” in Gostiny Dvor was “Boulevard of Moscow Longevity”. Guests immersed themselves in a multimedia space dedicated to a healthy lifestyle and learned how to maintain activity, stay young and happy for many years. During the days of the forum-festival, over 50 thousand people looked into the future, making a “Portrait of Longevity” with the help of neural networks. Guests also walked about seven thousand virtual kilometers on the excursion “Not Old Arbat”, almost 15 thousand visitors participated in a sociological survey, which helped to find out how different generations of Muscovites relate to longevity.

    Ahead of the city residents there is an equally busy autumn-winter season. All Muscovites of the “silver” age – women from 55 years old and men from 60 years old – can join the “Moscow Longevity” project. You can sign up at any Moscow Longevity Center or the “My Documents” government services center, as well as online on the mos.ru portal.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/144450073/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –