2013 Results of the Year: Around Russia

Biryulyovskaya vegetable shop as the tip of the iceberg

July 7, the city of Pugachev, Saratov region. October 10, Moscow, Biryulyovo West. December 7, Arzamas. The events of one long chain that agitated society during the year. Regular readers of the site perfectly remember what they are talking about: the killing of local residents by “guests” of the mentioned cities and, to put it mildly, not the highest activity of local authorities (including law enforcement officers), which provoked popular unrest of various mass characteristics.



For obvious reasons, the most massive and, as a result, resonance, had the events in Moscow. If locals initially went to a people's gathering to demand the punishment of the perpetrator of the murder of a local resident Yegor Shcherbakov and restore order in an area that became a hotbed of crimes and offenses related to migrant workers, then eventually the gathering, under the onslaught of radical nationalists, turned into pogroms .

Against this background, the term “Pokrovskaya vegetable shop” became almost a common noun, equivalent to the developed concept of inaction of local authorities against the background of corruption of astronomical proportions that overlap the interests of local residents. Inaction, which provokes a surge of emotions and leads to uncontrollable consequences.

The footage of the detention and delivery of the alleged perpetrator of the murder to the office of the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs caused a controversial reaction. Someone said that this is how it’s supposed to be with them, someone saw a kind of show in the shown frames. Of course, the twisted arms and the pose of citizen Zeynalov in the form of the letter “sic”, together with the sizzling gaze of Minister Kolokoltsev, is strong! But for some reason, nothing like this was subsequently shown to us with respect to those very people who are ready to lock themselves in their warm cabinets for a wad of bills and report on the work done without raising the fifth points from leather chairs ... But if such a “string” the responsible persons in the same pose were given the letter “sic” to the ministerial parquet and with all the consequences, it would be more efficient. For now - we beat "on the tails" ...

Shots in Belgorod

One of the events of the year that caused a wide public response was the massacre in Belgorod. April 22 one of the most peaceful and prosperous regions of Russia plunged into mourning. 31-year-old previously convicted Sergey Pomazun coolly shot six people (three employees of the Ochota store and three passers-by, among whom were two underage girls).



Not only Belgorod law enforcement officers, but also police officers from neighboring regions, and not only in the rank and file and sergeant ranks, were sent to Pomazun’s search. The man who detained the murderer was Major Yuri Sedykh, a police officer from Kursk, who was stabbed by Pomazun during his detention.

Major Sedykh was awarded the deserved award - the Order of the Holy Grand Prince Dmitry Donskoy (2 degree). In addition to Yuri Sedykh, lieutenants Dmitry Konovalov and Alexander Samsonenko, as well as Lieutenant Colonel Alexei Edreshov, took part in the direct arrest of the killer. All of them received awards “For distinction in the protection of public order” and personal thanks from Vladimir Kolokoltsev and Vladimir Putin.

The murderer did not belong to either totalitarian sects or any other extremist organizations. By and large, the motives for the killing of six people by Pomazun have not yet been determined. Initially, it was about Pomazun’s mental disorder, but the examination showed that the killer was mentally healthy, which means that he committed the killings consciously. Four months after the tragedy, Sergei Pomazun was sentenced by a court to life imprisonment in a high-security penal colony and the payment of three million rubles to the relatives of the victims.

Chelyabinsk meteorite, or as a Mayan calendar late

Last year (2012) one of the main events discussed, not related to geopolitics, was the Mayan calendar. Most Russians, of course, did not see the calendar itself, but, having heard that it ends on December 21, entered the stage of heated discussions about the end of the world. December 21 passed 2012, the year 2013 came - everyone, as they say, was relieved ... But February came 15, about a quarter past nine in the morning - over the heads of the inhabitants of the Russian Urals, and an object exploded at the height of 20 km in the sky over the vicinity of Chelyabinsk, causing serious damage to the city. Scientists dubbed this object a Chelyabinsk or Chebarkul meteorite, and people with rich imagination immediately remembered the calendar of Central American Indians. They say everything fits ... Just mathematicians and astronomers miscalculated a little, and the Mayan calendar needed to be adjusted a month and a half to two, considering translations and non-translations of time in Russia, initiated by Dmitry Medvedev ... Someone even announced that it was not the cosmic body that fell American either rocket or spy satellite ...



Only now the Chelyabinsk authorities were not up to irony. The car (or superbol) exploded in flight over the city at a speed of about 38 km / s. The TNT equivalent of an explosion in 300 kilotons (estimated by NASA) and 100-200 kilotons (estimated by the Russian Academy of Sciences) was estimated. For comparison, the power of the American "Kid", dropped on Hiroshima in 1945, corresponded to 15-18 kilotons in TNT.

The total number of victims of the fall of the superbolde amounted to more than one and a half thousand people, more than three thousand households lost their glass, some buildings (including factories and sports facilities) were more seriously damaged.

The First Channel was especially notable, and under the guise of a meteorite crater, managed to post a video of a giant gas crater in Turkmenistan, evoking a real shock from what it was seen by viewers.

As a result, interest in the fall of a cosmic body in the world has become so great that footage of a meteorite falling has become one of the most popular news episodes of the year (by number of views). And in the United States, even a kind of joke was born that, they say, in Russia there are hundreds of shots of a meteorite falling from different angles, and in the USA not a single shot of a passenger plane captured by terrorists falling on the Pentagon in 2001 ...

The case of "Oboronservis." And the years are flying ...

Surprisingly, one of the main news topics of last year concerning the noisy affairs of Oboronservis migrated to the current year. In this regard, the article on the "Military Review" will soon be entitled as the "Oboronservice". Five years have passed ”or“ Vasilyeva met a pension under house arrest ”...



The picture has changed little compared to last year. Evgenia Vasilyeva (ex-head of the property department of the Ministry of Defense) continues to walk around her rooms in Molochny Lane, sipping champagne with invited people, writing poems, confessing to the press about his relationship with Serdyukov, Anatoly Eduardovich himself (not without public pressure) re-qualified as accused , yes, only under such an article, which, probably, he himself, apart from laughing in a fist, does not cause any emotions ...

The only thing that needs to be noted as a positive in this matter is the return of many of the so-called “non-core” military real estate objects sold for a pittance. But it should be noted: "many", but not all. Those “bonuses” that were won by large and scandalous persons involved in such transactions did not return. After all, if the damage is not more than returned, it will be a kind of promise for other gentlemen who think that now any state property can be resold for profit, because then all the same someone will return this property back, and “we” with our profits, we will have a ride on the case, as a maximum, about any negligence, and we will go to work in another department.

The event of the year here can also be called the fact that Mrs. Vasilyeva is now going to prepare something in the style of a counterclaim: they say that they slandered, slandered, intimidated the doctors - and so intimidated that the girl's heart began to be naughty. Well, it is likely that the work on this lawsuit (if it takes place) will be much faster than the work that concerns the collection of evidence on the fact of guilt of persons involved in the case of theft on an astronomical scale.

"Who will come to us with a sword ..."

The latest events are such that after them it is extremely difficult to tune in to the positive. It’s hard not just to tune in, but even to convince yourself that 2013 a year is not only a year with a minus sign. This is a dominant, but in fact it is precisely the appearance of such a psychological dominant that the bloody attacks of terrorists in different regions of the country are designed for: Dagestan, Ingushetia, in the Stavropol region and, of course, in Volgograd.



On the eve of the holiday loved by Russians, when people are swept by joyful bustle, when New Year's preparations are in full swing, the geeks decided to put us on our knees. Us! Russian people, who for all his history survived bloody wars, internal pressure, change of power and ideologies, communion with faith and trampling of faith, days of anger and grief, but, in spite of everything, survived and preserved itself!

Creatures (otherwise it is difficult to call them), killing innocent citizens - women, children, old people - believe that with their deeds they make their way to heaven for themselves and their kind and tear Russian society into parts. Well ... These organisms seem to be insanely far both from the canons of Islam and from the canons of common sense, and they are still insanely far from understanding Russian (Russian) history. And the history of our people and state says that any bloody challenge ultimately contributes to the consolidation of society - the consolidation, regardless of religion, ethnicity and political affiliation. By rallying not under the lash, not by the letter of some kind of bill, but rallying from the heart. Who will come to us with a sword ... - we can remind further!

Volgograd, we all know your real heroic name and your feat! All Russia in these difficult days with you!

Restoration of military power

One of the highlights of the year with a plus sign is a series of large-scale exercises held in the army. This year, Russia learned that the exercises are not only when several generals gather at the same table and move the figures, making notes in their journals and subsequent reports to the minister. Large-scale exercises in different types and kinds of troops were carried out, one might say, with enviable regularity. And if someone originally smiled epithet "sudden" in relation to the teachings of the units of the Ministry of Defense, over time, the irony in this regard began to disappear.



Exercises on the Black Sea, maneuvers of aerospace defense units, effective missile launches of strategic nuclear forces of Russia, development of interaction between units of the Russian Defense Ministry and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, long-range naval naval ships (including to the Syrian coast), use of long-range aviation (Flights to Venezuela and Nicaragua, work in the sky in the Far East). Practicing landing operations. Exercises in the framework of the CSTO "Indestructible Brotherhood 2013". And this is not a complete list.

For the first time in recent years, the army began to feel that it is an army, and that the army is, no matter how trite it sounds, support for the state, and hopefully for the whole people, and not a collection of individuals taken to pay their staffs and staffs. barracks.

The soldiers and officers who took part in the maneuvers had a good light in their eyes, demonstrating their keen interest in what was happening. Now the main thing is not to stop and not to give back, otherwise the “liberalissimuses” have recently manifested themselves, declaring that the Russian army is not affordable and it’s better to pack money in a stocking and put it in an account in a foreign currency - they say we don't have ... C'mon ...

Heroic standing on the Amur

In 2013, the elemental nature once again showed that it is ready at any moment to prove its power and to reverse the efforts of mankind, aimed at curbing it. We are talking about a truly unprecedented flood in the Far East. The scale was such that the water level at the peak of the flood broke all records for observing the marks of Cupid. The flow of water from the Far Eastern rivers grew 2-3 times, which had terrible consequences.



Whole regions went under the water: the Khabarovsk Territory, the Jewish Autonomous Region, the Amur Region, some districts of the Magadan Region and Primorye. There was a threat of accidents at the Zeya and Bureiskaya hydroelectric power stations.

The rescue and recovery operations were unprecedented. It is noteworthy that not only professional employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, military personnel and employees of public utilities, but also ordinary residents of cities and villages participated in it. The story of the retention of the Mylkinskaya dam breakthrough became a real example of the courage of people who stood literally to the waist for hours in ice-cold water, trying to prevent complete flooding of Komsomolsk-on-Amur. Technology could not stand - people survived! The operation involved even the children who did everything to save their hometown.

Not indifferent people from all over the country took part in a campaign to raise funds for the affected regions. The World's Marathon, organized by Channel One and supported by other media, collected more than 600 million rubles, which were used to build new homes for people who lost shelter and property in the Far East. Internal political squabbles, cries about who is the "belolechntochnik", who is the "red fox" or, God forgive me, "warlock", have gone to the background. People rallied in front of great sorrow. If not us, then who?

Berlin's free air

One of the noisy domestic political events of the year was pardon by the head of state, Mikhail Khodorkovsky. This became known immediately after a big meeting of the President of the Russian Federation with representatives of the press. Literally, “on their feet”, the president was asked about how the oligarch’s amnesty question was there, to which Vladimir Putin replied that Khodorkovsky had written a petition for clemency in connection with humanitarian problems (according to some information, Khodorkovsky’s mother is seriously ill) (President Putin) decided to pardon the former head of Yukos. Someone after these words was shocked, someone clapped his hands in opposition, someone wrote off on social networks or even called back to the American embassy ...



After the pardon, Mikhail Borisovich appeared before the camera lenses as if he had spent 10 years not in Russian “state houses”, but at least in Kavminvod sanatoriums: his face is radiant, the smile is almost Hollywood, the suit fits perfectly.

However, this is not what caused the main discussions. Resonance in society turned out to be caused by the words of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, said in an interview with the newspaper The New Times (chief editor Yevgeny Albats) that he, Khodorkovsky, is a nationalist, ready to fight for Russia's territorial integrity if necessary and that Putin gave his surroundings sign "do not borzet". The hyperliberal public expected a “red-hot iron” to be criticized by Putin’s politicians from Khodorkovsky, but he behaved in such a way that after the interview Yevgenia Albats even decided to “cut off” the MBH. “Circumcision” touched “incorrect” Khodorkovsky’s answers from the point of view of the interviewer’s mistress.

Now everyone is wondering: what was it? Excellent work of the Russian correctional system or amazingly high-quality acting skills of Mikhail Borisovich? ..

The news of the release of Khodorkovsky was somewhat obscured by the news of the amnesty withdrawal of the “vociferous” from Pussy. And the truth is, well, what kind of news is this: they shit - sat down - thought - went out before the deadline. Not news, but an example of how the investigation, the judiciary, and even the legislation sometimes work quickly in some cases, and how clumsy all these “institutions” are in other cases ...

Ukrainian spread

Of course, an important event of the year was the “backing” of the Ukrainian leadership towards the signing of an association agreement with the European Union. It remained for Yanukovych to take the last step, not even a step, but a small step ... But several personal meetings with Vladimir Putin, several appeals to the Ukrainian president from major industrialists - and Viktor Fedorovich’s opinion about the benefit of European integration on the terms of the main European integrators has changed. How much such reverse of official Kiev will contribute to rapprochement with Russia is a separate issue. While - the facts.



On the summit of the "Eastern Partnership" Yanukovych still went, but so - for the pro forma. All the persuasions of the Western "friends" on the Ukrainian president did not work. Moreover, quite active interaction of Kiev and Moscow took shape in the economic sphere. However, so far it has been formed only by the Russian preferences: a significant reduction in gas prices, as well as the purchase of billions of dollars of Ukraine’s debt obligations by 15. But Ukraine and the fraternal state - fraternal assistance allowed the country's economy to stay afloat. The default of Ukraine due to Russian injections was postponed indefinitely, and the credit rating was raised by international agencies.

Maidan boiled. The flags of the UPA tied up with the flags of the European Union soared into the Kiev air. Klitschko, Yatsenyuk, Tyagnibok, Tymoshenko Jr. began to compete in oratory, occasionally welcoming "high" foreign guests: from the still free-moving on the planet Saakashvili to Victoria Nuland, trying to feed the Maidan with rolls. What kind of deferred default is there, what is the credit rating increase? .. These gentlemen are worried about something completely different, and we know perfectly well what exactly is the opportunity to break off fraternal peoples through shouts and speculations about a “bright European future”, having received a portion of praise from Western sponsors of revolutionary activity.

The "Berkut" went to storm the barricades - either by order of the generals and government officials, or by agreement with the protesters themselves. Protesters "courageously" defended themselves, leaving instead of their leaders face to face with the police students who wandered into the Maidan in order to earn an extra hundred hryvnia. Everything is mixed up ... And this “mixer” works to this day ...

Whatever it was, but the fact that the Ukrainian authorities decided to “inventory” EU requirements, rethinking the consequences of signing an agreement with Europe, can be considered a tangible enough foreign policy victory of the Russian authorities and personal victory of Vladimir Putin. Even Western “friends”, who, frankly speaking, are extremely rarely inclined to notice Russian foreign policy successes, do not deny this. However, not to notice them today ... mmm ... stupid. And Russia's foreign policy victory is not only Ukraine. Another example is the prevention of the full-scale intervention of foreign troops in the Syrian conflict and agreements to destroy the Syrian chemical weapons international forces. Here the leadership of the Russian Federation worked with a quality mark.

Kazan tragedy

Air crash of the year: a fall when you try to enter the second round of the passenger aircraft “Boeing-737” at the Kazan airport 17 in November. The passenger 44 and crew members 6 died. The official cause of the catastrophe has not yet been announced, but the main versions concern the fact that the crew made the wrong decision during the attempt to land the plane.



Initially, a heated debate flared up around the technical condition of the crashed Boeing, which before the start of flights in Russia, passed 23, French, Ugandan, Brazilian, Romanian and Bulgarian operators. However, experts assure that the age of the aircraft was tolerable and that the cause of the tragedy is to be found elsewhere. The question arises: if the reason is not in the technical condition of the aircraft, but in the qualifications and experience of the crew, then it turns out that Russian pilots today are inferior to Bulgarians, Brazilians and even Ugandans in terms of skill level? The fact is sad ...

“It is not a weapon that shoots, a man shoots”

Russia suffered a heavy loss in the outgoing year. The great Russian gunsmith Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov, a legendary man, a great professional, passed away from life, thanks to the selfless work of which a weapon was born that became famous throughout the world. Long life, work almost until the last days, great ideas, a role model - all this, he is a typical native of the Altai village, Mikhail Kalashnikov, whose work was embodied in ingenious inventions - weapons units that are today the benchmark for combining simplicity and efficiency. “It’s not guns that fire, man shoots,” said Mikhail Timofeevich, leaving a call for all of us to put the value of life in the first place.




Is 2013 a difficult year? Yes, he was not easy, he was not unequivocal, he was not perfect. But if we abstract away from limitless idealism, then it is worth asking the question: are there such years at all? Probably not. Each year brings joy and grief, each year gives food for thinking about his place in society, in his system of values, food for thinking about achievements and failures, about those actions and events that can be proud of, and about better to forget how about a nightmare.

In this regard, you always want to hope that the next year will not be an example better than the one that is leaving. Let this hope is always naive, but I want it so that it warms the soul!

Dear readers of our publication (by the way, since 2 December 2013, “Military Review” has received the official status of the all-Russian media), dear fellow employees! I sincerely want to congratulate everyone on the upcoming New Year holidays, wish you creative success, positive news, health, health and health again! May family well-being and prosperity not leave our homes, and may all problems and hardships remain where we are not! Happy New, 2014, year!