Russia General Discussion

[Simfan34]

Among about 40 bills signed by President Vladimir Putin in a marathon session on Tuesday was a widely lambasted law that will strip hundreds of independent Russian television channels of a basic source of income: advertising.

The law, which will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2015, bans advertising on all subscription channels as well as on channels that can only be viewed with a decoding device. Excluded from the ban are all "national, compulsory, universally accessible" channels and those conveyed by terrestrial broadcasting — in other words, all the leading state-run channels that dominate Russia's airwaves.

Bundled together in a packet with two other amendments to Russia's advertising law, the bill raced through the State Duma and the Federation Council earlier this month just weeks after reports of it first surfaced in the Russian media.

Source: the Moscow Times

[Simfan34]

Amid of flurry of new laws announced Tuesday, President Vladimir Putin signed legislation bolstering punishments for unruly protesters.

Repeat violations of the law governing public rallies can now warrant fines ranging between 600,000 and 1 million rubles ($30,000), or up to five years in prison.

The new fines impact recidivists, defined under the amended legislation as those who are caught violating the law's terms more than once within a 180-day period.

The law also increases the amount of time detained protesters can spend in police custody to 30 days, double the former limit of 15 days.

Source: The Moscow Times

[politicus]

I didn't think it deserved it's own thread, but it is interesting.

Yes, its interesting.

Bill Browder says he just picked one out of the pack to warn them against trying anything political, now that Western sanctions are reducing their wealth.

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/sep/21/oligarch-arrest-warning-from-putin-says-bill-browder

Maybe...

[swl]

Khodorkovsky annonced this weekend that he is creating his own party to bring the opposition together and that he might become president one day, and a real anti-war demonstration took place in Moscow.
It looks like a new battle between Putin and the oligarchs+liberals is going to take place.

[politicus]

Khodorkovsky annonced this weekend that he is creating his own party to bring the opposition together and that he might become president one day, and a real anti-war demonstration took place in Moscow.
It looks like a new battle between Putin and the oligarchs+liberals is going to take place.

Well, Putin wants to be able to disconnect the internet if there is massive "civil unrest". 

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/19/vladimir-putin-plan-unplug-russia-internet-emergency-kremlin-moscow

[swl]

What happened with Yanukovych can happen in Russia. It's the same situation, the same kind of people doing the same things, with everything "bigger" in Russia. But it took the Ukrainians 10 years, two "revolutions" and tens of deaths to get rid of Yanukovych, and it is unclear how far Putin would be ready to go against his own population (it is easy to jail divisive figures like oligarchs or the Pussy Riot girls, but what about "good russians" like the soldiers's mothers or normal students).  

[dead0man]

Russia will add 80 new warships to Black Sea Fleet: fleet commander[/url

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Pingvin]

What happened with Yanukovych can happen in Russia. It's the same situation, the same kind of people doing the same things, with everything "bigger" in Russia. But it took the Ukrainians 10 years, two "revolutions" and tens of deaths to get rid of Yanukovych, and it is unclear how far Putin would be ready to go against his own population (it is easy to jail divisive figures like oligarchs or the Pussy Riot girls, but what about "good russians" like the soldiers's mothers or normal students). 

Won't happen. Too much propaganda and fear.

[ag]

What happened with Yanukovych can happen in Russia. It's the same situation, the same kind of people doing the same things, with everything "bigger" in Russia. But it took the Ukrainians 10 years, two "revolutions" and tens of deaths to get rid of Yanukovych, and it is unclear how far Putin would be ready to go against his own population (it is easy to jail divisive figures like oligarchs or the Pussy Riot girls, but what about "good russians" like the soldiers's mothers or normal students). 

Won't happen. Too much propaganda and fear.

Oh, it will. After the oil money runs out. It will be a lot bloodier, though.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Unless oil goes down to $25 a barrel or so, the oil money won't be drying up anytime soon.

[dead0man]

New Law Compensates Wealthy Putin Allies For Western Sanctions

You must be logged in to read this quote.

It seems when Putin isn't shooting at Ukrainians and Georgians he is shooting at his own feet.

[RogueBeaver]

Constitutional Court chief justice: Serfdom was a good national unifier. Talking about breaking the batsh**t meter.

[politicus]

Two opposition parties merge RPR-Parnas, which Boris Nemtsov helped form and the Progress Party (the ex-Peoples Alliance) led by  Aleksej Navalnij.

They will run on a joint list at the regional council elections later this year and in the Duma elections next year.

[politicus]

Ukrainian companies about to claim 2 billion dollars in compensation for property loss on Crimea.

http://tass.ru/en/world/810110

[politicus]

Russian police looking for Islamic LGTB terrorists...

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/french-parliamentarians-head-to-crimea-for-controversial-visit/news/article/russian-police-seek-gay-transgender-islamic-state-suspects--report/524280.html

(disreputable source, I know)

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Russian police looking for Islamic LGTB terrorists...

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/french-parliamentarians-head-to-crimea-for-controversial-visit/news/article/russian-police-seek-gay-transgender-islamic-state-suspects--report/524280.html

(disreputable source, I know)

Russia is so homophobic that they've decided that ISIS terrorists must be gay and trans?

[All Along The Watchtower]

http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/23/politics/us-russian-bombers-july-4-intercept/

RIP California, Alaska, etc.

[politicus]

Berlusconi says Putin has offered him Russian citizenship and a job as Minister of Economics. LOL.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/11758227/Berlusconi-says-Vladimir-Putin-wants-him-to-become-Russias-economy-minister.html

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Hahah what.

[Mr. Morden]

Putin says Sepp Blatter deserves a Nobel Prize:

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/fifa-corruption-scandal/russias-vladimir-putin-says-fifa-boss-sepp-blatter-deserves-nobel-n399496

[The Free North]

Putin says Sepp Blatter deserves a Nobel Prize:

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/fifa-corruption-scandal/russias-vladimir-putin-says-fifa-boss-sepp-blatter-deserves-nobel-n399496

Surely he's just trolling the world at this point?

[Sir Tiki]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

http://www.ibtimes.com/russian-sanctions-putin-signs-decree-ordering-all-western-imported-food-destroyed-2031380

[Clyde1998]

Russia have imposed sanctions on Ukraine over its free trade deal with the EU. Specifically, it appears to be in response to the Ukrainians moving in line with the EU sanctions on Russian banks, defence firms and airlines.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35150755