Russia slams ‘unacceptable’ calls to use force in Syria [video included]
PressTV
August 23, 2013
In a statement released on Friday by the country’s Foreign Ministry, it said Moscow is against further propaganda targeting the Syrian regime.
“Against the background of another anti-Syrian wave of propaganda, we believe calls from some European countries to apply pressure on the UN Security Council and already now take a decision on the use of force are unacceptable,” Russian Foreign Ministry said in the statement.
In addition, Russian Foreign Ministry said evidence was mounting that the attack was “clearly provocative in nature” and that footage posted online claiming to incriminate the Syrian regime had been posted before the chemical attack took place. It also accused the insurgents of “directly impeding an objective investigation” of the incident.
There were also calls by the Ministry earlier on Friday for Takfiri militants operating in Syria to “ensure safe access” for the UN investigation team to the area where chemical weapons were allegedly used.
The head of the so-called Syrian National Coalition, George Sabra, claimed on August 21 that 1,300 people were killed in a government chemical attack on militant strongholds in Damascus suburbs of Ain Tarma, Zamalka and Jobar.
However, the Syrian government vehemently dismissed the baseless claims, saying the new accusations were fabricated to distract the visiting team of the UN chemical weapons experts and to cover up militants’ losses.
Meanwhile, the UN children’s agency, UNICEF, reported on the same day that one million Syrian children now live as refugees abroad and another two million are displaced within the country as a result of the ongoing fighting.
According to the UN, more than 100,000 people have been killed and millions of others displaced in Syria since March 2011.
CAH/SS
[hat tip: Syrian Girl]
Worst flooding in decades hit China, worst in 120 years for Russia’s Far East [video included]
The Watchers
August 21, 2013
Unusually heavy rainfall occurred near the Amur river which marks the dividing line between China and Russia from the end of July to mid-August 2013. Starting on August 10, 2013, areas of northeastern China began to experience flooding.
From August 15 to 17, heavy rainfall worsened the problem, causing the worst flooding in the region in more than a decade. Nankouqian Township, one of the hardest-hit areas, saw 44.9 centimeters (17.7 in) of rain, half the average annual total, on August 16 alone. By August 18, water levels at 61 reservoirs surpassed the “danger” level. Parts of Liaoning province saw an incredible 40cm in just 24 hours, according to China’s provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters. Fushun city in the Liaoning province was especially hard hit as rainstorms caused several rivers in the city to overflow.
VIDEO — Inland Sea: Aerial video of floods swamping Russia’s Far East
RT
August 22, 2013
Russia’s Far East, which spreads across 2,000 kilometers from west to east, has been hit hard by the seemingly endless inundation. A dam was recently destroyed by raging flood waters, sinking 60 homes. Local settlements and villages can now be crossed only by boat. READ MORE: http://on.rt.com/0nun96
PHOTO GALLERY: http://on.rt.com/a0x9ab
RT LIVE http://rt.com/on-air
Subscribe to RT! http://www.youtube.com/subscription_c…
Like us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/RTnews
Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/RT_com
Follow us on Instagram http://instagram.com/rt
Follow us on Google+ http://plus.google.com/+RT
RT (Russia Today) is a global news network broadcasting from Moscow and Washington studios. RT is the first news channel to break the 1 billion YouTube views benchmark.
VIDEO — US rockers Bloodhound Gang ejected from Russia over flag stunt
RT
August 4, 2013
Stunt, that appears to have literally wiped a band off stage. American punk-rock group The Bloodhound Gang have been scattered with eggs and tomatoes, beaten and banned from performing in Russia after their base player shoved the country’s flag down his trousers during a gig in Ukraine. RT’s Alexey Yaroshevskiy is in studio with the details. READ MORE http://on.rt.com/1x7kc7
RT LIVE http://rt.com/on-air
Subscribe to RT! http://www.youtube.com/subscription_c…
Like us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/RTnews
Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/RT_com
Follow us on Instagram http://instagram.com/rt
Follow us on Google+ http://plus.google.com/+RT
RT (Russia Today) is a global news network broadcasting from Moscow and Washington studios. RT is the first news channel to break the 1 billion YouTube views benchmark.
VIDEO — Russia Proton-M rocket erupts in fireball, rams into ground
RT
July 2, 2013
A Russian Proton-M rocket carrying three GLONASS navigation satellites crashed soon after takeoff from Kazakhstan’s Baikonur cosmodrome. Immediately after takeoff, the rocket swerved to one side, tried to correct itself, but instead veered in the opposite direction. It then flew horizontally and started to come apart with its engines in full thrust. READ MORE: http://on.rt.com/w7bx34
RT LIVE http://rt.com/on-air
Subscribe to RT! http://www.youtube.com/subscription_c…
Like us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/RTnews
Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/RT_com
Follow us on Google+ http://plus.google.com/+RT
RT (Russia Today) is a global news network broadcasting from Moscow and Washington studios. RT is the first news channel to break the 1 billion YouTube views benchmark.
VIDEO — Sky Defender: Russia unveils S-300 SAM replacement
RT
June 20, 2013
Russia has for the first time demonstrated the short-to-mid-range air defense platform ‘Vityaz,’ which will replace older variants of the S-300 system due to be scrapped soon. The army will begin testing the new hardware later this year. READ MORE: http://on.rt.com/l3yc4t
RT LIVE http://rt.com/on-air
Subscribe to RT! http://www.youtube.com/subscription_c…
Like us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/RTnews
Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/RT_com
Follow us on Google+ http://plus.google.com/+RT
RT (Russia Today) is a global news network broadcasting from Moscow and Washington studios. RT is the first news channel to break the 1 billion YouTube views benchmark.
Russia reaffirms S-300 commitment, calls it a ‘stabilising factor’
The Hindu
May 28, 2013
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Tuesday that Moscow has a contract for the delivery of S-300 missiles (in picture) to Syria and sees the deal as a key deterrent against foreign invasion in that country. File photo
In an angry reaction to the lifting of a European Union (EU) embargo on arms for Syrian rebels, Russia has reaffirmed plans to supply advanced air defence missiles to the Syrian government forces.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov accused the EU of “throwing fuel on the fire” by letting its Syria arms embargo expire.
Mr. Ryabkov told an urgently called press conference on Tuesday that Russia would not scrap its contract to supply Syria with S-300 long-range air defence systems despite “signals” from Western capitals.
“We see no reason to review our stance,” he said, adding S-300 would be useful in deterring “hotheads” from internationalising the conflict in Syria.
Earlier, an official had said Moscow would refrain from supplying S-300 to Syria. Mr. Ryabkov stressed that Moscow was “disappointed” by the EU decision, which “harmed” the prospects of an international peace conference jointly proposed by Russia and the U.S.
[hat tip: Emmanuel Buckshi]
PN 