RBTH Thailand February issue

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Society How to enrol at some of Russia’s leading universities

LEGION-MEDIA

Opinion Economic cooperation between Russia and Thailand is climbing new highs

Thursday, February 26, 2015

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February 27 - March 5, 2015

What is the Defender of the Fatherland Day?

HOW IS IT CELEBRATED AND WHERE TO GO IN MOSCOW?

PAGES 8-9 REUTERS

A FRESH VIEW TO THE FUTURE OF RUSSIA-INDIA RELATIONS

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02

RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Current affairs

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POLITICS

IN BRIEF

Russia back as US public enemy No 1: poll

Arms exporter has orders worth 38 bn

A new survey published by Gallup on February 16 declared Russia as Public Enemy No 1 of Americans.

Eighteen per cent of respondents named Russia when asked the open-ended question: “What one country anywhere in the world do you consider to be the United States’ greatest enemy today?” North Korea came in second with 15 per cent, followed by China (12 per cent) and Iran (9 per cent). Three years ago, only 2 per cent of respondents named Russia when asked a similar question; that number increased to 9 per cent in 2014 as tensions between Russia and the US rose over the crisis in Ukraine.

The poll was conducted between February 8-11, just before a new ceasefire agreement was brokered between Ukraine and proRussian separatists in the

Eighteen per cent of Americans consider Russia the greatest enemy of the United States.

Donbass region of eastern Ukraine.

According to Gallup, Americans have also become significantly more concerned about Russia’s military power. About 49

per cent of respondents consider the Russian military a critical threat to the US, compared with 32 per cent a year ago.

Despite the increase in negative perceptions of Rus-

sia, most Americans still consider other international challenges as bigger threats, including terrorism generally, ISIS specifically, and Iran’s development of nuclear weapons.

The Gallup poll also showed that only 24 per cent of Americans viewed Russia favourably, while 70 per cent viewed the country negatively. This is the most negative Russia has been viewed in the organisation’s 26-year history.

Russia’s favourability rating has declined 10 points in each of the last two years. Only three years ago, more Americans were inclined to see Russia positively.

At the same time, the results of a recent Russian survey show the feelings are mutual. According to a poll on US-Russian relations published by the independent Levada Center, only 13 per cent of respondents viewed US positively, while 81 per cent have negative views. Only 4 per cent of respondents characterised Russian-American relations as friendly.

Russia’s arms exporter Rosoboronexport has export orders whose value exceed 38 billion rubles ($603 million), Rostec corporation deputy general director Dmitry Shugayev told the Ekho Moskvy radio station.

“In particular, Rosoboronexport’s military and technical cooperation stock of orders exceeds 38 billon rubles,” Shugayev said.

Speaking about the geography of Russia’s military and technical cooperation, Shugayev said that “Southeastern Asia and the Asian Pacific region account for 55 per cent of our arms sales, Arab countries 18 per cent, Latin America 15 per cent, the CIS 7.9 per cent and Europe 2.2 per cent.”

Satellite launch delayed

LECTURE

CULTURE

Ambassador outlines Russian world view

Chandelier unveiled

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On February 4, Russian Ambassador Kirill Barsky delivered a lecture at Thammasat University on “Russian foreign policy towards the East”. The event, organised by the Russian Studies Programme at Thammasat University, attracted the attention of not only the teachers and students, but also alumni of the university. Some of them made a special trip to Bangkok from Pattaya to learn“firsthand” about the Russian

view on international relations, about Russia’s participation in the economic and political life of the Asia-Pacific region and primarily about the future prospects of Russian-Thai relations. The ambassador, as in many of his previous public statements and interviews, once again confirmed that he supports the peaceful settlement of conflicts and democracy, and Russia respects the right of Thailand to solve its inter-

Ambassador Kirill Barsky at Thammasat University.

nal problems in accordance with their cultural and political traditions. He also stressed that bilateral intergovernmental contacts and cooperation have not been interrupted, and are on the rise today.

A 20-kilogram amber chandelier from the Stalin era discovered in the storerooms of the Kaliningrad Amber Factory has been unveiled to the public following extensive restoration work.

The chandelier was made by a group of artists who worked at the factory in the early 1950s. The staff of the combine believes it was part of a large set of furniture commissioned for the office of one of the Soviet leaders. However, Zoya Kostyashova, the Kaliningrad

Amber Museum’s leading researcher, doubts the existence of such an order.

“I have never come across the documents for such an order,” said Kostyashova.

“At that time there was nothing really being created in design, copying was typical. This chandelier is very similar to those that hung in the column hall of the House of the Unions in Moscow. Besides, amber is very fragile and demands special care. Perhaps it was made as spectacular gift for foreign guests.”

DEFENCE

SOCIETY

OPINION

Shoigu promotes military cooperation with Latin American

A year after the Olympics: What does Sochi look like now?

Bear ethics: Why today’s Russia and the West cannot understand each other

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TASS

The launch of Russia’s first Unified Space System satellite Tundra has been delayed until June 2015 for technical reasons. The satellite was due to enter orbit in 2013 and replace the outmoded OKO-1 satellites.

Tundra is designed to detect the launch of ballistic missiles and forms part of Russia’s missile early warning system.

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RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Politics

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03

UNITED NATIONS Lavrov’s warning

IN BRIEF

‘Some states pursuing global hegemony’

France flexible on sanctions

SPUTNIK NEWS AGENCY

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned against turning the United Nations Security Council into an arena for propagandistic confrontations and excluding it from the process of searching for solutions to key international problems.

“We believe that now is the time to answer the question: Do we really want to see the UN Security Council as an efficient and powerful instrument for maintaining peace and security – or are we ready to let it turn into an arena for propagandistic confrontation, that would result in

excluding the Council from the process of searching for the key international decisions,” Lavrov said at the Security Council open debate on international peace and security.

According to the Russian Foreign Minister,“in the latter case it will inevitably have a negative impact on other international and regional forums, weakening the chances of finding the solutions for today’s pressing issues even more.

Lavrov also warned that some states are trying to achieve illusory global hegemony by attempting to turn the United Nations Security Council into an organ that rubber-stamps their decisions.

“There have been persistent attempts to turn the [UN] Security Council into a body that rubber-stamps the decisions of a ‘leader’, and, as this is not turning

REUTERS

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says the world body could turn into an arena for propagandistic confrontation.

Sergey Lavrov addresses a meeting of the United Nations Security Council in New York.

THE QUOTE

Sergei Lavrov RUSSIAN FEDERATION FOREIGN MINISTER SINCE 2004

"

It is necessary to take strong measures on restoring justice and on getting rid of double standards in world politics, on giving back to the Security Council its role of a leading body for coordinating collective approaches based on respect of cultural diversity.

out this way – there are attempts to push the UN Security Council away from decision-making in the sphere of its main competence, the maintenance of international

peace and security,”Lavrov said.

“In pursuit of the illusion of global hegemony, a broad range of unsightly methods are being used, such as massive pressure on sovereign states, attempts to impose on them decisions and standards in political, economic and ideological spheres. For those who disobey, technologies of inspiring domestic disorder and operations for regime changes are ready. The open encouragement for the state turmoil in Ukraine is on this list,” added the Russian minister.

According to the Russian foreign minister, some states are attempting “to secure dominance in global affairs, to lead everyone and everywhere, to use military power unilaterally to pro-

PRESS REVIEW NEWS AND VIEWS FROM RUSSIAN MEDIA RBTH presents a selection of views from leading Russian media on international events, featuring analysis of the new Minsk agreement on resolving the conflict in Ukraine.

Prepared by Darya Lyubinskaya

MINSK PEACE AGREEMENTS VALUABLE BUT FRAGILE

EU IN NO HURRY TO NORMALISE RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA

WILL FRANCE DELIVER MISTRAL WARSHIPS TO RUSSIA?

Vedomosti

KOMMERSANT

MOSKOVSKY KOMSOMOLETS

“The most valuable thing about the Minsk Agreements is that they present a schedule of actions, rather than a collection of disjointed measures similar to the previous ones,” writes the newspaper.

Citing a source close to the Russian delegation, Vedomosti writes that the biggest difficulties in the talks are represented by the points concerning the elections on the territories that Kiev does not control, as well as the lifting of the Ukrainian transportation and financial blockade on the rebel territories.

The Kommersant business daily summarises the informal summit held in Brussels between leaders of the EU countries on February 12.

The participants welcomed the agreement signed in Minsk, but made it clear that it was not enough to normalise relations with Russia.

Moreover, in case the peaceful solution fails, the EU is ready to continue strengthening sanctions and even freeze relations with Moscow. Kommersant writes that the opinions of European politicians are divided.

The Moskovsky Komsomolets tabloid newspaper reports on French President Francois Hollande’s announcement that the conditions for supplying the Mistral warships “are still not right”. According to the French president, this will first of all depend on whether the ceasefire is followed and whether it will become effective. “In such a case the sanctions will gradually be removed,” Hollande said. He also suggested taking a best-case scenario approach: the EU may cancel a series of sanctions.

mote [one’s] own interests” – and such approaches clearly contradict the principles, upon which the United Nations organisation is based.

Lavrov also said, that the UN Security Council must be given back its role of a leading body for the coordination of the collective approaches toward maintaining peace and security.

The Security Council is one of the six main organs of the United Nations. Its primary responsibilities include maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations between world countries, guiding cooperation in solving international problems and promoting respect for human rights worldwide.

France may consider lifting sanctions against Russia if tensions subside in the southeast of Ukraine, Russian Ambassador to Paris Alexander Orlov told Interfax.

“Paris links the cancellation of sanctions with the de-escalation of tensions around Ukraine,”he said, adding that French businesses and citizens have also spoken in favour of lifting sanctions.

UNSC backs Minsk deal The United Nations Security Council unanimously backed the resolution supporting the Minsk deal for Ukraine on February 17, which was proposed by Russia. It said that every warring side in Ukraine should fully implement the Minsk agreements.The UN Security Council members expressed concern about the hostilities in eastern Ukraine and declared the need for observing the Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity. The resolution emphasised that the Ukraine conflict could have only a peaceful solution.

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Business

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Oil prices Economy could be severely affected because of dependence on revenue from energy

IN BRIEF

Russia’s GDP could contract 5%

Ready for a currency deal

Experts say that due to a six-year low in oil prices, Russia’s economy could contract by 5 per cent in 2015. The situation differs from the 2008-09 crisis.

Russia is ready to settle accounts with Egypt in national currencies and the relevant agencies are looking into this option, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.

“I should note that we already use national currencies for trade with a number of the CIS States, and China. This practice proves its worth; we are ready to adopt it in our relations with Egypt as well,” he said.

Oil price dynamic, $USD

ALEXEI LOSSAN RBTH EDITOR FOR BUSINESS

In the first quarter of 2015 Russia’s gross domestic product (GDP) will contract by more than one per cent.

However, if the cost of oil remains at the level of $40 a barrel, Russia’s economy will shrink by 5 per cent over the course of the year, according to the Ministry of Economic Development.

In the first week of 2015 alone the price of oil fell below $50 a barrel, losing more than 11 per cent of its value.

The price drop occurred after representatives from the United Arab Emirates announced that Opec does not intend to reduce production quotas. Consequently, on January 15, 2015 the price of a barrel of Brent fell to $47.65 during trading at London’s International Currency Exchange.

According to Alexander Prosviryakov, a fiscal and commodity consultant at PwC Russia, the magnitude of the Russian economy’s difficulties will directly depend on the dynamics of oil

Inflation ‘to peak in Q2’ prices. The principal part of Russia’s budget revenues comes from the sale of energy resources with the 2015 budget based on a preliminary estimate of oil prices of $100 a barrel. Alexei Kozlov, the chief analyst at UFS IC, believes that if oil prices remain at $50 a barrel in the long term, we can expect Russia’s economy to contract by 5 per cent.

“The dynamics of Russia’s GDP is greatly dependent on oil prices, but it is not the only factor,”says Sergei Khestanov, professor of finance and banking at the

Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration.

“The exchange rate, fiscal pressure and capital flight also have significant influence.” Another factor, in Khestanov’s words, is the effect of sanctions, as well as the probable lowering of Russia’s and many Russian companies’ ratings by credit agencies. As a result, GDP could contract by up to 5.8 per cent in 2015.“The fall in oil prices will partially be compensated by the ruble’s devaluation,” adds Khestanov.

Russian experts believe that Russia experienced a similar crisis in 2008-09, when the price of oil fell from $120 to $40 a barrel.

However, Russia’s economic and political situation was different back then. “Our country was not under harsh economic sanctions and also today’s market is oversaturated with oil,”says Daniil Kirikov, a partner at the vvCube Group.

According to Khestanov, the Russian economy’s dependence on oil grew by following the so-called “Dutch Disease” Model,

EXPERT NOTE RUSSIA SEEMS EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL THROUGH AN IPAD DISPLAY

Thailand cashes in on sanctions, sends top quality pork to Russia Sourat Rakhimbabaev EXPERT

U

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nder sanctions by the West, Russia is seeking foodstuff supplies from Asia to fill the gap.

Russia became interested in importing pork from Thailand after banning the imports of all meat, fish, poultry, fruit and vegetables from the European Union as a result of the Ukraine conflict. In addi-

tion, the United States has also suffered an export ban to Russia as a result of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea virus.Thailand’s pork products will replace banned pork exports from the West, which are unlikely to win back their place in the Russian market even if the present ban is lifted, according to Russia’s meat products watchdog. In October this year, Russia’sVeterinary and Phyto-sanitary Surveillance Service (VPSS) announced approval of

which signifies a greater reliance on natural resources for economic development coupled with a decrease in other areas, such as manufacturing.

In Alexei Kozlov’s words, the Russian economy’s dependence on the cost of hydrocarbons is significant.

However, unlike the situation of 2008-09, there are additional factors today such as pressure from sanctions, inflation growth, a substantial increase in geopolitical risks and diminished expectations for economic recovery.

pork imports from two plants in Thailand: BangKla Slaughterhouse and Betagro Safety Meat Packing. Prior to this announcement,Thailand had only exported poultry to Russia.

Russia imported 619,200 metric tons of pork valued at $2.13 billion in 2013, with Denmark, Germany, Canada and Brazil as its main suppliers, according to data from Russia’s Federal Customs Service.

The country purchased 79,300 metric tons of Canadian pork for $246.3 million and $19 million worth of pork from the US last year.

On December 16, the Trucks-Releasing-Ceremony containing Frozen-Pork Export-Products to the Russia Federation took place in Bang-Khla slaughterhouse in Chachoengsao province, which brought together

Inflation will reach its peak in the second quarter of the year and then start going down, said Russia’s Central Bank chief Elvira Nabiullina.

“The Central Bank has been doing all it can to beat down inflation which was influenced by objective factors. Our current forecasts indicate that inflation will reach its peak somewhere in the second quarter. It will then start moving down and return to more habitual and clear levels as early as the beginning of the next year,” she said.

Peetipong Phuengbun na Ayutthaya, the Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Adirek Sripratak, president and CEO of CP Foods, Kirill Barsky, the Russian Ambassador and many other officials from Thailand and Russia.

This proves that business is not related to any political issues and that Thailand wants to keep and improve trade with Russia despite sanctions and internal Russian currency problems.

It was the first time Thai fresh pork was exported to Russia and is a good opportunity for both countries to increase trade for mutual benefits.

Prof Sourat Rakhimbabaev is executive director of the Thai-Russian Chamber of Commerce

RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Business

A global media project, sponsored by Rossiyskaya Gazeta (Russia) www.rbth.com

05

Inflation January saw the highest recorded since 1999

Oil price and ruble value hurt economy ALEXEI LOSSAN RBTH EDITOR FOR BUSINESS

In January, Russia’s consumer price inflation amounted to a massive 15 per cent in annual terms, according to statistical data published by the Ministry for Economic Development.

According to the ministry, prices rose by 3.9 per cent in January 2015, the highest level since February 1999, the peak of the last economic crisis in Russia.

“Usually, galloping inflation means a growth in prices by 10-100 per cent in annual terms, and Russia’s economy has been in such a state since late last year.

The growth in prices is being driven by food inflation,”said Timur Nigmatullin, a financial analyst at the Finam investment holding.

According to the Ministry for Economic Development, the weakening of the ruble as a result of the drop

in oil prices contributed to the acceleration of inflation.

The ministry predicts that inflation will peak at 1717.5 per cent at the end of the second quarter of 2015.

However, initially the ministry proceeded from the assumption that inflation would not exceed 14 per cent in January 2015. With the new data available, inflation in January in annual terms may be even higher.

According to the Ministry of Economy, in January 2015 the price of food increased most of all – by 3.2 per cent, while the prices for non-foods rose by 3.2 per cent and for services by 2.2 per cent.

“Such a high level of inflationary pressure has not been observed in recent years. Such a hike in consumer prices is easily explainable by the sharp decline in oil prices and the weakening of the Russian currency by almost half,” said Alexei Kozlov, chief analyst at UFS IC. According to him, the situation on the currency markets has gradually stabilised, while oil prices stand a good chance to res-

NUMBERS

15 per cent In January, Russia’s consumer price inflation amounted to a massive 15 per cent in annual terms

TASS

Russia’s consumer price inflation hit 15 per cent in annual terms in January on the back of the sharp decline in oil prices and the collapse of the ruble.

Prices rose by 3.9 per cent in January 2015, the highest level since February 1999.

$780 million The Kremlin will pour nearly about $780 million in 2015 into creating new jobs in the fight against unemployment

45 per cent Production of cars in Russia in January 2015 fell by 45 per cent in comparison with December 2014

Such a hike in consumer prices is easily explainable by the sharp decline in oil prices and the weakening of the Russian currency by almost half

tore some of the lost positions, which may have a positive impact on consumer prices.

As Kozlov points out, in any case “January is traditionally notorious for the high growth rate in consumer prices”,but this year it was “strongly affected by the weakening of the ruble”.

According to the analyst, the temptation to make farreaching conclusions based on the results of just one month should be resisted, because the inflation rate may decrease in the following months.

According to the forecasts of UFS IC, consumer price inflation for the current year will be about 10-12 per cent.

As Central Bank chief Elvira Nabiullina stated in an interview with Bloomberg,

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According to Nabiullina, there are no new foundations for a rapid growth in consumer prices.

According to Nabiullina, there are no new indications for a rapid growth in consumer prices.

Nabiullina’s forecast is echoed by Timur Nigmatullin, who says the shock of the two-fold devaluation of the ruble and the ban on many food imports from the EU introduced in August

2014 will not begin to subside until the end of the second quarter of 2015.

At the same time, various factors may lead to the growth of prices in the near future, said Gleb Zadoya, head of the Profit Group’s analysis department. These include another drop in oil prices and further devaluation of the ruble in the event of the imposition of the new round of sanctions that the West is threatening to impose on Russia if the conflict is not resolved in Ukraine.

According to a study by the Russian sociological organisation Public Opinion Foundation, Russians are worried most of all about the situation in the economy (23 per cent), high inflation and rising prices (22 per cent).

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following the unexpectedly strong surge in January, inflation will continue to accelerate for some time and reach a peak in the second quarter, but then begin to decline.

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RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Arms

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Tech Automatons with epaulettes

Business Arms production doubled

The new generation of military robots

Kalashnikov sees first net profit in seven years

The ‘universal soldier’ Wolf-2.

Russia’s iconic weapons manufacturer Kalashnikov Concern registered net profits of $45 million in 2014, up 28 per cent compared to 2013. © RIA NOVOSTI

TASS

The underwater Gnom robot was tested in 2005 in the Baltic sea.

Russia is continuing work on a range of innovative automated machines to optimise the performance of its armed forces in the field.

TATYANA RUSAKOVA RBTH EDITOR FOR DEFENCE

In November, the Russian Defence Ministry reiterated its intention to develop robotic systems and use them for military purposes. According to the ministry, the robots will begin actively “storming” the army in 2017-18, and by 2025 approximately 30 per cent of all military technology in the Russian Armed Forces will consist of robotic hardware. However, development work on many robots is virtually complete, and a number of

them are already in service, including these:

Missile guard: the Wolf2 system The Wolf-2 is a “universal soldier”. It has an off-road tracked chassis; therefore going over rough terrain does not affect its speed.

The machine does not have a crew - it is controlled via radio from a distance of three miles (about 5km).

Equipped with Kalashnikov machine guns and large-calibre Utes and Kord machine guns, the Wolf can fire while moving at a speed of 22mph in any weather and at any time of day.

RBTH

“Revenue was 700 million rubles higher than in 2013.

As a result, Kalashnikov generated its first operating net profit in seven years, amounting to 88 million rubles [$1.33 million),” the company representative told TASS news agency in February.

The spokesman noted that Kalashnikov had unveiled its new 2020 development strategy in 2014, aimed at improving its performance indicators, expanding its sales geography, and a growth in revenue.

The company has also developed an integrated investment programme up until 2017.

“The main priority is to maintain our role as the leading arms supplier for the Defence Ministry and other Russian law enforcement agencies and further strengthen our position as a glo-

The remote-controlled multirole Uran-6.

pers. It can carry out its task from afar: The operator controls Uran at a safe distance of up to 0.6 miles. The machine, equipped with bulldozer blades and trawls, moves across the dangerous

By 2025 30 per cent of all military technology in the Russian Army will consist of robots terrain, searches for mines and unexploded ordnance and neutralises them on the operator’s command.

A sapper: Uran-6

The amphibious robot: Gnom

The Uran-6 is a multifunctional demining system that can do the work of 20 sap-

The underwater Gnom robot does not carry any weapons and has the odd

SCIENCE AND TECH

ANNA SOROKINA

form of a video camera. The Gnom is controlled by an operator with the help of a joystick. Underwater the robot searches for and neutralises dangerous objects such as mines. It is equipped with an omnidirectional locator and sees at a distance of 110 yards (about 100 metres). This feature helps the robot perform search and rescue tasks, as well as underwater reconnaissance missions. It weighs only 24 lbs (about 11 grams) and its dimensions permit Gnom to be carried as hand luggage. The underwater robot was tested in 2005 in the Baltic and since then has been serving in the Russian Navy.

Read full version at rbth.com/43071

bal leader in the development and production of small arms. Investments are expected to total 5 billion rubles,” he said.

Earlier the company’s head, Alexei Krivoruchko, announced that Kalashnikov had doubled arms production in 2014 to 120,000 units despite the imposition of Western sanctions. The company plans to boost production in 2015 by 20-25 per cent.

In January, the US-based Russian Weapon Company (RWC, the exclusive distributor of Kalashnikov products in the United States) filed an application to register the Kalashnikov trademark in the US but has not yet received the right to manufacture branded products there, CNN reported. According to the news channel, weapons would bear the iconic AK-47 name alongside the marking “Made in USA.” Kalashnikov Concern is the managing company of a holding which carries out research and production of state-of-the-art munitions and arms for military, civilian and sports purposes.

Small arms Ratnik combat gear to be armed with AK-12 assault rifle

The latest assault rifle by Kalashikov company - the AK-12 - has apparently won the competition over the Degtyarev AEK-971 rifle, with production in 2015.

TATYANA RUSAKOVA RBTH EDITOR FOR DEFENCE

Economic crisis in Russia lowers prices for space tourism READ IN THE RBTH SCIENCE & TECH SECTION rbth.com/43095

The new Ratnik (“Warrior”) combat gear designed for use by the Russian armed forces will feature the AK-12 assault rifle as part of its standard issue, according to Deputy Defence Minister Yury Borisov.

On January 25, Borisov said in an interview with the Russian News Service

radio station that the military had finally given preference to the latest Kalashnikov AK-12 rifle.

“It is already decided, this will be an Izhmash AK-12 rifle. The price and quality were attractive to us,” said Borisov.

Tests of the new combat gear were completed in December 2014, but until it was unclear which rifle would accompany the outfit.

The two weapons proposed were the AK-12 and the AEK-971, a rifle manufactured by the VA Degtyarev Plant in the town of Kovrov (160 miles from Moscow).

PHOTOSHOT/VOSTOCK-PHOTO

Kalashnikov hits the bull’s eye

A military man wearing the combat uniform ‘Ratnik’.

The AEK-971 is considered more accurate and more sophisticated due to its beam design, which reduces recoil when shooting.

For the AK-12, which features a classical automated venting design, the designers also reduced its recoil and increased its shooting accuracy, while managing to maintain low production costs.

According to statements made to the TASS news agency by Oleg Martyanov, a member of the MilitaryIndustrial Commission, as recently as late 2014 it was planned to include both rifles as part of the Ratnik combat outfit.

The AK-12 assault rifle is scheduled to be produced in the first quarter of 2015.

RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Science&Tech

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Space Russia’s choice: the ISS or its own orbital station

Metals Siberia makes first beryllium

Will Russia quit the ISS project?

First sample of ‘metal of the future’ produced

In December 2014, the Russian Federal Space Agency announced that it is considering creating its own orbital station and quitting the ISS.

Russia is deciding whether it should quit the International Space Station project and build its own space station or stay. The ISS Russian modules can function independently.

GALIYA IBRAGIMOVA

According to Russian Federal Space Agency director Oleg Ostapenko, the new space station would help increase the overview of Russian territory and the Arctic by 90 per cent and become the foundation for future lunar expeditions.

However, experts believe that the station will be built only if Russia declines to extend its participation in the International Space Station project until 2024, as the US is proposing. Earlier it was reported that Russia had been planning to abandon the station after 2020 and redirect its resources to other projects.

The final decision about extending Russia’s participation in International Space Station (ISS) activity or constructing its own station will be made by May 2015.

Experts interviewed by RBTH see only a “war of words”between Russia and the U.S. regarding the building of a Russian orbital station.“Talk about the pos-

NASA

SPECIAL TO RBTH

sible construction of a Russian orbital station began circulating after the Americans threatened to stop space cooperation as a result of the sanctions against Russia,” said Alexei Arbatov, director of the Centre for International Security at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations. Arbatov is convinced that “in the conditions of Russia’s current economic crisis, the construction of its own orbital station would not be the most efficient way for the country to spend its resources.”

Russia started discussing the construction of its own space station back in the

1990s. It created the Mir-2 project - its own new-generation station. However, in the end Russia decided to fully concentrate on the ISS project.

Today, according to experts, Russia is not interested in the creation or implementation of a new project, but rather with using its existing power systems. Igor Afanasiev, editor of “Novosti Kosmonavtiki Magazine” (Cosmonaut News) believes that Russia’s own space-station project is actually the continuation of the development of the Russian segment in space.

“The new ISS modules are developed in such a way that in case of a disconnec-

Read full version at rbth.com/43047

tion, the Russian part of the station can function autonomously,” Afanasiev said.

“Perhaps this is what is meant by creating Russia’s own station.”

“The Energia missilespace corporation, Russia’s leading space enterprise, built two new modules for Russia’s segment of the ISS, but was not able to send them to the station by the 2010 deadline,” explains Pavel Luzin, an expert from the Foreign Policy Agency.

“It is very possible that by now the modules have been completed. Therefore, they must be used in some way.”

Telecom It’s popular and affordable

VICTORIA ZAVYALOVA RBTH EDITOR FOR SCIENCE&TECH

Russian company Alkotel has defended claims that its new TeXet iX-maxi smartphone is a rip-off of Apple’s iconic iPhone 6.The new smartphone, which bears more than a striking resemblance to the iPhone 6, went on sale in mid-February. The new device is much cheaper than Apple’s

popular product and costs around $179.

Alexei Ryazantsev, head of Alkotel’s GSM department, told RBTH that the company is not afraid of lawsuits. According to him, most smartphones“are similar to each other, including the hardware component”.

Admitting that the Alkotel model has elements that are similar to the iPhone 6, Ryazantsev said that “the main purpose was to create an i-style design for those who do not like iOS and the Apple policy”.However,

DARYA KEZINA RBTH

The new beryllium production technology will alleviate Russia’s need to import this rare and valuable metal, according to scientists from Tomsk Polytechnic University and the Siberian Chemical Plant. In late January 2015, they jointly produced the first laboratory sample of 100 grams.

The next step for scientists is to produce 1-2 kilograms of metal beryllium.

Industrial production of beryllium in Russia could start as early as 2020. Investments in the plant are estimated at $30 million, with expectations being that the project will be implemented over five years.

“Our proposed technology is characterised by the closed technological cycle technique and the ability to extract not only metallic

beryllium, but also accompanying commercial products - synthetic calcium fluoride and silicon oxide,” said Alexander Dyachenko, vice rector for Research and Innovation at Tomsk Polytechnic University.

New technology also helps to preserve other valuable minerals such as fluorite. “Substantial chemical enrichment and desiliconisation of fluorite occurs in the process,” Dyachenko said. Fluorite is used in optics, chemicals, metallurgy and other industries. Scientists propose using a bertrandite-phenacite-fluorite concentrate from industrialYermakovskoye mine deposits as a raw material.

Beryllium is one of the world’s most precious metals. Defence ministries across the globe treat it as a“strategic and critical material”, as it is used in the nuclear and aerospace industries.Without this ingredient it is impossible to create nuclear weapons, fly an airplane, perform an x-ray or explore space. It’s called a “space age metal”.

SCIENCE AND TECH

Could it be an iPhone clone?

Alkotel company says their latest smartphone is not a rip-off of iPhone 6, but an “i-style” device for those who don’t like Apple.

Siberian scientists have produced Russia’s first sample of a strategically important metal – beryllium. RBTH managed to unearth a few details.

07

Dual-screenYotaPad under development

he was at pains to stress the differences between the TeXet iX-maxi and the iPhone 6.

“It is the third model in the series and, judging by the number of sales, it has found the target audience.

As for the claims that our smartphone looks like the iPhone 6, there are quite a lot of differences as well as similarities. All Android smartphone vendors could

file lawsuits against each other equally successfully with the claim that their products are copycats,”Ryazantsev said. The exterior design of the new phone is difficult to distinguish from Apple’s iPhone. For example, the Russian smartphone has a 4.7-inch screen, which is the same size as the iPhone 6, but with a resolution of only 960 x 540 pixels.

READ IN THE RBTH SCIENCE & TECH SECTION rbth.com/42937

08

RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Special

A global media project, sponsored by Rossiyskaya Gazeta (Russia) www.rbth.com

ARMY DAY THE MALE EQUIVALENT OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY IS TRADITIONALLY MARKED ON FEB 23 WITH CAMOUFLAGE AND SHAVING CREAM

CELEBRATING DEFENDERS OF FATHERLAND On February 23, the “stronger sex” in Russia enjoys the privilege of receiving congratulations and gifts from the fairer sex.

EKATERINA TURYSHEVA RBTH

This is Defenders of the Fatherland Day, but not only those who have served in the military are celebrated on this day. It has become in effect, the male equivalent of International Women’s Day, which is celebrated on March 8.

Although International Women’s Day was imported from the West, Defenders of the Fatherland Day is a completely Russian innovation. Why is this holi-

day celebrated on February 23? During the Soviet era, February 23 was celebrated as Red Army Day because on this day in 1918 the Red Army won its first victory against German forces at Pskov and Narva.

However, there is one small historic detail that must be noted here: On the evening of February 23, 1918, the German forces were 35 miles from Pskov and 105 miles from Narva and there is no evidence in either Russian or German archives that there was any fighting between them on that day. For 20 years, this myth persisted, but then during World War II, the idea of a day celebrating the first victory of the Red

ARMED BY RUSSIA

Navigate into Russian military history

Army over German forces took on a broader significance.

From 1949 until 1990, Feb ruary 23 was officially known as the Day of the Soviet Army and Navy.

Today, the date of this holiday remains the same – but the name has changed. In the 1990s, the day was known for some time as Russian Army Day and it was not an official holiday, but in 2002, it again became a public holiday and was given its current name: Defenders of the Fatherland Day. Although all men, not just those who have served in the armed forces, are celebrated on February 23, military themes dominate the day. Concerts of mili-

of small gifts. Although men say they prefer creative or useful gifts, the most common gifts are colognes and socks. Because of this, some Russian men have given the day the unofficial name of “The All-Russian Day of Shaving Cream”. Recently some of them have tried to organise a kind of protest, stocking up on shaving cream, cologne and aftershave just before the holiday.

At the office How the men and women celebrate

Holidays you can’t forget Most of the Russian holidays are celebrated at home. But Army Day has now acquired a tradition of office celebrations.

VLADIMIR ERKOVICH SPECIAL TO RBTH

READ RBTH ARMED BY RUSSIA SECTION AT rbth.com/armed_by_russia

tary music are given and many people dress up in military-style clothing or uniforms.

One interesting fact to further add to the confluence of February 23 and March 8 is that under the Julian calendar, which Russia used until 1918 and is 13 days off the Gregorian calendar in use today, March 8 was February 23.

Like March 8, February 23 is marked by the giving

Russia’s most significant holidays are celebrated at the workplace. Most often, a table will be laid with alcohol and various snacks, and work colleagues devise entertainment for their compatriots. There are two calendar dates in this annual round of celebrations that cannot be missed: Febrruary 23 and March 8.

On the eve of these holidays, offices divide by gen-

der and secretly plan how to celebrate the respective days. Since February 23 comes first, women raise the stakes so that men will not forget to celebrate them properly two weeks later.

RBTH asked several men how February 23 is celebrated in their offices. Here are some of the most... well ... creative answers.

Sergei, computer programmer: A couple of years ago on Feb 23, two girls appeared around lunchtime in our office, wearing short skirts.

They wheeled in a cart filled with the kind of food you would traditionally be

served in the army. Then we all got on a bus and“headed for the front” – a paintball range. For March 8, we got all the girls bouquets of flowers, and then sent them off to a spa.

Alexander, sales manager: Last year at the end of the work day on Feb 23, we had a celebration with beer, sausages, chips, crackers and pizza – guy food. Then we divided into teams and the girls gave all the guys really cheap shaving cream as a present, just for a laugh.

Then they gave us our real presents – everyone got a soccer ball. I don’t think an-

yone took the shaving cream home; the tubes were lying around in the office all year. On March 8, all the girls got flowers, and we made a space in the office to have some champagne.

RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Special

A global media project, sponsored by Rossiyskaya Gazeta (Russia) www.rbth.com

09

Travel Even if you are not in the capital on Feb 23, use your time to visit these fascinating places

Military tour guide to Moscow Moscow, with its many shooting ranges and nearby airfields, is an ideal place for the celebration of Defender of the Fatherland Day.

Walking tours around the Cold War bunker take an hour and a half.

Be ready for long walks.

ROMAN KISELEV RBTH

TASS

Fly to the stratosphere and witness MiG-29 aerobatics Fly to the stratosphere at an altitude of 12.4 to 13.6 miles in a MiG-29 jet fighter, and watch an aerobatics display after you descend to Earth.

The journey takes between three and four hours.

You will get the chance to look out at the curvature of the Earth, the impossibly bright sun and the unusually black sky as the aircraft ascends at supersonic speed.The flight in the stratosphere lasts between three and five minutes before the MiG-29 descends to showcase advanced aerobatic manoeuvres to the lucky tourist.

Price €15,750 ($21,000)

Tank safari

Kubinka, Odintsovo District, Moscow Region Price: €1,750 ($2,340)

Cold War bunker Walking tours around the Cold War bunker take an hour and a half. Be prepared to use your legs. The bunker is 196 feet below the surface, and the total area of the underground labyrinth is around 75,000 square feet.

During the tour, you can try on a splash suit or an operator’s uniform, learn how the staff of the bunker used to live and work, and observe the unique architecture of this construction.

The bunker remains protected against nuclear explosion.

11, 5th Kotelnichesky Lane, Price: €19 ($25)

Poklonnaya Hill and Victory Park

February 23 on Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow traditionally involves jousting battles, walking tours and stories about the heroes of World War II. From here, visitors can watch the most scenic of the 30 firework parades that take place in difference areas of Moscow on Defender of the Fatherland Day.

You will need a lot of energy to make it all the way around the world’s largest aviation museum. The exhibition halls alone are 59,000 square feet, and the outdoor exhibits cover another 49 acres.

The museum houses collections of planes, helicopters, arms and life-saving equipment dating all the

way back to 1909.There are numerous model aircraft around the halls, as well as unique photos and other documents. The museum is located inside a military base, so the best advice is to arrange a visit and get a pass for your vehicle beforehand.

Air Force Museum, Monino, Moscow Region

Free of charge

Central Museum of the Air Force How to get there: Take the train fromYaroslavl Station to Monino Station for €2.50 ($3.3).

Take bus № 322 Moscow– Noginsk from the Izmailovsky Park metro station to Gagarin Air Force Academy, or take Avtoline bus № 362 from the bus station (Shchelkovskaya metro station) to the terminal.

LORI/LEGION MEDIA

The picturesque village of Kubinka in Odintsovo District, just 39.7 miles outside of Moscow, is home to the unique Museum of Armoured Vehicles.

The museum has been amassing the country’s largest collection of armoured vehicles (with more than 300) since 1931.

It is here that the childhood dreams of so many men can come true, when they are given the chance to ride the legendary World War II T-34 tank.

A ride in the T-34 with a crew takes four hours, during which time you will be able to go through an obstacle course and even fire a few shots from the tank’s gun.

MIKHAIL FOMICHEV/TASS

February 23 is traditionally observed around Russia by men of all ages. The holiday, known as Defender of the Fatherland Day, commemorates the creation of the Soviet Army.

Foreigners can also join Russian men and celebrate it. Moscow, with its many shooting ranges and nearby airfields, is an ideal place for it.

A ride in the T-34 with a crew takes four hours.

AFGANISTAN LONGREAD

Russia, the USSR and Afghanistan, yesterday and today

FIND THE MOST INTERESTING RBTH LONGREADS AT rbth.com/longreads

10

RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Opinion

A global media project, sponsored by Rossiyskaya Gazeta (Russia) www.rbth.com

THAI-RUSSIAN COOPERATION IS SET FOR NEW HEIGHTS Kirill Barsky AMBASSADOR

I

would like to continue our conversation from where we left off in the last issue of Russia Beyond The Headlines, on the subject of cooperation between Russia and Thailand.

Let’s talk about the trade and economic relations between the two countries.

It is curious that during a drop in growth in the global economy and a general fall in business activity on the markets, the volume of Russian-Thai trade is growing. And is growing quite rapidly. Based on the results of 2014, it increased by 18.7 per cent.What are Moscow’s and Bangkok’s economic interests?

Some time ago, I was invited to the head office of agriholding CP Group. We discussed the situation with Adirek Sripratak, the president of CP Foods, one of the subsidiaries of the group, and his colleagues.

“Our company has taken the decision to broaden its investments in the Russian economy,” said Sipratak.

“Now is the best time to invest in Russia and strengthen our position in the Russian market,” Adirek said.

CP Foods is the largest Thai investor in the Russian agriculture sector.

Over the last 10 years it has invested more than US$300 million for the construction of 11 piggeries in a whole range of regions: Moscow, Kaluga, Kursk, Lipetsk and Kaliningrad. Now work is going on for the construction of two more piggeries in Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod regions.

Furthermore, the largest feed production plant in the European part of Russia has been constructed near Moscow, with manufacturing capacity of 240,000 tonnes a year.

But CP Foods does not intend to rest on its laurels.

The company plans to diversify its business, taking into account areas such as meat processing, production of meat products and retail sales. And all of this is in

KONSTANTIN MALER

Russia. The company’s policy is not aimed at Russian customers only, but at the broader Eurasian Economic Union, which was established on January 1, 2015.

At the same time, CP Foods is increasing the supply of agricultural products

CP Foods is the largest investor from Thailand in Russian agriculture.

In the last 10 years, it has invested US$300 million for the construction of 11 piggeries to the Russian market.While European Union countries, US, Norway, Canada and Australia with their ludicrous sanctions are vainly trying to isolate Russia and Russian companies, Moscow has responded by“showing them the door”, and Asian business circles have started to actively cooperate.

The food embargo against the West is a great opportunity for food suppliers from Asia to win their share of our market. How can farsighted businessmen miss such an opportunity?

CP Foods saw its chance in the new situation. In just two or three months, they

have substantially increased the export of poultry to Russia.

The beginnings have been laid for a new, promising enterprise - supplying pork.

The ceremony for the first delivery occurred in midDecember 2014, in the presence of the Thai minister for agriculture.

In future, deliveries of large consignments of highquality Thai pork will be regular occurrences.

Cooperation between Russia and Thailand in the field of agriculture is not limited to meat but also fish, seafood and tropical fruit.

The biggest growth in 2014 was seen by Thai exports to Russia of rice, which more than doubled as compared to 2013.

A promising area is the purchase of natural rubber.

In Russia, there are a large number of enterprises that produce automobile and aviation tyres and are interested in direct deliveries of rubber from Thailand.

This is also advantageous to local exporters of rubber – after all Russia is a reliable partner and a huge market, which is extremely important given the rapid drop in prices and stagnation on the commodity markets.

Yet another example is the largest Thai manufacturer for complete plant

equipment for the sugar industry – Sutech Engineering group – which intends to built a sugar-processing plant in the Russian Far East. The suggested capacity of the new plant is 1,500 tonnes of processed sugar a day. As raw material sugar

A working group has been formed with Amata Corporation with the aim of discussing possible forms of scientific and technological cooperation cane will be used, delivered from Thailand. It is estimated that the investment will amount to $200 million.

At the same time, Moscow has something to offer its Thai partners. In 2014, we had a record grain harvest. It is not surprising that the wise management of CP Foods increased its import of Russian wheat to feed the needs of their businesses in Thailand and other Asian countries.

Today, Russia and Thailand are aiming to achieve a breakthrough in bilateral cooperation, and agriculture is just one of the sectors where such cooperation is

indeed beneficial. The Russian Federation’s Minister for Industry and Trade spoke about this, in particular with his Thai companions when he made an official visit to Thailand on January 9. At the meeting, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha confirmed that Thailand was interested in the full expansion of trade, investment and economic ties with Russia.

And the potential for joint work is huge. Even a hurried view of Russia and Thailand’s potential and the complementary nature of their economies enable one to unambiguously say that the current level and structure of bilateral trade is far from daydreaming, although, as a whole the trade between the two countries has developed over the past few years quite successfully.

Several figures illustrate the current situation in mutual trade. According to the Russian Federal Customs Service, from January to November 2014, trade was valued at $3.98 billion.Thailand has its own accounting methods for country of origin and according to their records trade volumes comprised $4.91 billion.

But despite the accounting methods, the trend is clear – Russia and Thailand are becoming more and more attractive to each other as trading partners.

Therefore, the task of bring trade up to the $10-billion mark should by no means be considered impossible.

Based on what? Only taking into account agricultural exports from Thailand?

Let us take a look. The past year was marked by a significant increase in deliveries from Russia to Thailand of crude oil, processed oil products and chemicals.

Even more promising are joint projects that are currently under development.

We are talking about such areas as energy, transportation, infrastructure construction, information and communication technologies.

For example, the Russian Railways, Uralvagonzavod

Scientific and Production Corporation, and KAMAZ are interested in the opportunity of participating in large infrastructure projects in Thailand in various forms – from contracts for the installation of ways to supply of freight rolling stock, track laying and road-building technology.

Sukhoi company is ready to sell medium-haul aircraft Sukhoi Superjet 100 to Thailand for the needs of local aviation companies.

Russian manufacturers are seeking to enter the Thai market for modern welding equipment, medical equipment and medicines.

Here, it is important to make an observation. The future of our collaboration with Thailand is not only mutual shipments, but also the organisation of joint manufacturing, transfer of technology in the form of advanced technological devices, their commercialisation and the placement on the market in other countries.

This work has already begun. Based on the initiative of the Russian Embassy in Thailand, a working group has been formed with the international manufacturing company, Amata Corporation, with the aim of discussing possible forms of scientific and technological cooperation. Contacts are being made between the Skolkovo Foundation and Thailand Science Park.

All these issues were discussed during a recent meeting of the Joint Russian-Thai Commission on Bilateral Cooperation. The Thai side was headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, General Tanasak Patimapragorn.

The next phase for cooperation between the governments of the two countries will occur in Russia during summer at the sixth meeting of the Joint Commission.

But before that, the parties have agreed to make mutual visits of large business missions, exchange commercial offers, prepare and sign mutually beneficial contracts, to negotiate between the relevant agencies of Russia and Thailand to expand the regulatory framework of trade, economic and investment cooperation.

Kirill Barsky is Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Kingdom of Thailand.

RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Opinion

A global media project, sponsored by Rossiyskaya Gazeta (Russia) www.rbth.com

NEED FOR A STRONG ASEAN Anton Tsvetov EXPERT

T

hough many complain about the vagueness of Russia’s shaping Asian policy, it is quite clear that Asean will be among the priorities. To be more specific, Moscow will most likely vest its interest in a strong and independent Asean, whose integrity is currently threatened by competing maritime claims in the South China Sea. There are only two things Russia may want from East Asia - peace and development.

With prospects of economic cooperation with the West murkier and a recession probably hitting the country very soon, hedging foreign trade and investment in Asia looks like a logical step. Moreover, Russia will have to tap into the Asian growth powerhouse if it wants the main statebuilding effort of the cen-

tury to be successful - a development leap for Siberia and the Far East is hardly achievable without a firm connection to the Asian markets.

And here’s where the kicker is. None of this will happen if East Asia slips into a full-on regional war.

Leaving other hotpoints like the Senkaku islands or the Korean peninsula for another time, deterioration of the South China Sea issue alone could have immense repercussions for Russia.

Firstly, even a minor clash in this maritime region may cause severe disruption of sea trade routes. More than half of the world’s oil exports travel through the South China Sea, supplying China, South Korea and Taiwan with the necessary resources for the vast production volumes. If global supply chains happen to

NIYAZKARIM.COM

There are only two things Russia may want from East Asia - peace and development

Without being able to consolidate, Asean will remain merely a forum for discussion

break at this point, the European economies, as well as Russia’s, may receive a crushing blow - a risk not worth taking.

Secondly, Russia’s own economic projects may be harmed (and are in fact harmed already) by interstate disputes in the South China Sea. As Russian companies attempt to enter the Southeast Asian energy markets, an important part of it - offshore oil and gas extraction - is at risk because of legal differences between the states.

Gazprom has already had an incident with an exploration block claimed bothVietnam and China. There have been other similar

cases with Indian companies, which means it a systemic issue that will loom over any joint offshore drilling project.

Finally and probably most importantly, the sixstate dispute over various areas and features of the South China Sea puts the integrity of Asean at risk.

And a rift in the central multilateral diplomacy institution of the region may have grave consequences for regional security even without a major armed conflict.

Let’s be honest - there is no such thing as Asean solidarity over the territorial disputes issue. Essentially, the grouping is divided into

11

claimants and non-claimants. The non-claimants Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia and Singapore - are not exactly eager to join the rest in their confrontation with China. None of them wishes to annoy Beijing when a great deal of their external trade and investment depends on Beijing’s good spirits.

Without being able to consolidate, Asean will essentially remain merely a forum for discussion, but not an alternative to great power politics that will most likely unravel in the region in the years to come.

Southeast Asian states should have an alternative to China and the US in their allegiance with the likes of a more post-modern institution like Asean. And that is exactly what Russia needs.When the time comes for Russian businesses to enter Southeast Asia on a full scale, Moscow should not have to be concerned with whether the ‘big guys’ approve of such cooperation. If there is a strong Asean, the lesser and middle powers of East Asia will enjoy greater autonomy from Beijing and Washington.

Anton Tsvetov is media and government relations manager at Russian International Affairs Council, a Moscow-based foreign policy think tank.

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RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Society

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Universities The top 15 Russian universities are launching a joint initiative to attract highly motivated students

New centre coming up to enrol foreigners GLEB FEDOROV RBTH EDITOR FOR EDUCATION

The 15 Russian universities that make up the Global Universities Association are creating a unified centre to enrol foreign applicants.

Maxim Khomyakov, the director of the centre and vice rector for international affairs at Ural Federal University inYekaterinburg, told RBTH that the centre would open soon.

However, “it will have only a minimal impact on the group [of foreign students] in 2015”,Khomyakov said. “We can expect serious results by September 2016, because in most countries applicants for 2015 have already decided

where they will matriculate in terms of both country and university.”

The centre’s primary function is to help universities attract highly motivated students to fulfill their budget quotas for foreigners. Quotas for foreign students – 20,000 were allocated to all of Russia’s universities in 2015 – are currently distributed by the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and the International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo). Therefore, the recruitment centre will not only attract students, but also enhance the appeal of the 15 universities that comprise it.

Yaroslav Kuzminov, rector of the Higher School of Economics, said that not all foreign students selected for the quotas are ca-

FIVE SECRET SIGHTS AT MOSCOW’S KREMLIN

YURI SMITYUK/TASS

The centre will open in early 2015 and simplify the admission process for foreign students looking to enter Russia’s leading universities.

Top Russian varsities

pable of mastering the curriculum at the best universities.“Many of them face problems with the language or are not able to master the material,”Kuzminov said.

The centre’s primary function is to help universities attract highly motivated students “Universities need to screen them out. In order to overcome that problem, the universities themselves need to participate in recruiting students.”

The members of the Global Universities Association stand to benefit the most from the new centre, but

Khomyakov says that comparing the various universities shows that they can all stand out on their own merits for different reasons. “With a cleverly constructed advertising campaign, there will be no competition between them,” he said.

Some state quotas are currently allocated directly to the best universities. However, Rossotrudnichestvo distributes the lion’s share of quotas in line with“Russia’s foreign policy priorities and agreements with foreign countries,” Khomyakov said.

“For example, if Russia is going to build several nuclear power plants in Vietnam, then it makes sense to promote Russian physics education in that country.”

How to state your preference To make the quota, candidates should contact the nearest Rossotrudnichestvo office (Indonesia), submit the necessary documents and indicate the universities where they would like to matriculate in order of preference.

EXPERT NOTE

More Thais interested in learning Russian language as ties deepen Kirill Barsky AMBASSADOR

I

Find out now at travel.rbth.com

Khomyakov says the goal is to promote“the brand of Russian higher education”.

Russia is not always considered as an educational option, and foreign students “only turn their attention to Russia at the very last minute”, he said.

The centre’s duty is to get the best applicants to go to the Rossotrudnichestvo office and apply to the universities that best meet their needs. According to Khomyakov, the centre will work“along the entire spectrum of educational fields at the leading Russian universities. They [members of the Global Universities Association] are all very different. The universities are located in different regions and offer very specific upsides.”

The Global Universities Association unites 15 of Russia’s top universities, which are participating in a programme called 5-100 that aims to make Russian universities more competitive. These include the Higher School of Economics, the Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Ural Federal University, Far Eastern Federal University, Kazan Federal University, the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, St Petersburg State Electrotechnical University, St Petersburg State University of Information Technologies, Mathematics and Optics, Novosibirsk State University, Nizhny Novgorod State University, Samara and Tomsk State universities.

nterest in learning the Russian language has always existed in Thailand, and today this interest is even stronger. The Thai Ministry of Education has now placed the Russian language on its priority list of foreign languages that will be taught.

The Russian Language Departments at Chulalongkorn and Thammasat universities are growing by about a hundred students annually. There is

even a programme in place to help recruit high-school students to study Russian, so that they have basic knowledge of the language by the time they start their studies at the university.

Today, about 200 students from Thailand are studying in Russia. For the academic year 2014-15, through the Russian Embassy, 40 places have been reserved for Thai students in Russian universities. In addition, 20 students were accepted by directly participating in entry competitions of various universities, within the quotas set by the Russian

government. Foreign students pay tuition and receive scholarship grants at the same level as Russian students, as well as being charged the same prices for rooms in hostels.

A recent poll in Thailand showed that the majority of young people in Thailand wish to become military officers, teachers and doctors.

We, on our part, are interested in giving students a good knowledge of the language, culture, politics, and economy of Russia, with which they can pursue degrees in journalism, philology, and political science.

Such faculties, providing excellent education, exist in many universities in Russia, and so the geography of student exchanges is wide. For example, Thammasat University and the Nizhny Novgorod State University have developed a cooperation programme, and contacts with other universities in Russia are being developed.

The main universities that educate Thai students are the Russian People’s Friendship University, Kazan Federal University, Ural Federal University in Yekaterinburg, Voronezh State University, St Petersburg State University, as well as individual students in Krasnodar, Kursk, Pskov, Rostov-on-Don, Veliky Novgorod, and Nizhny Novgorod.

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Jubilee Peoples’ Friendship University turned 55 this month

Moscow varsity still values cultural exchange On February 5, one of Russia’s biggest universities, the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN), marked its 55th anniversary.

ALEXEI STROGANOV SPECIAL TO RBTH

ARTYOM GEODAKYAN/TASS

RBTH spoke to the university’s rectorVladimir Fillipov about its origins, humanist principles and modern-day revival, as well as his personal reminiscences of life as a student at the institute in the late 1960s.

In late August 1968, 17-year-old Filippov, soon to become a first-year student at the Peoples’ Friendship University, arrived in Moscow on a late-night train from Uryupinsk, a small town in theVolgograd Region.

He reached the university dormitory close to midnight and spent his first night in the capital treating two fellow students, one from Madagascar and the other from Cameroon, to home-made jam he had brought with him. His new friends did not speak a word of Russian. Furthermore, they were believers.

“It turned out that the lady who was in charge of

laundry and bed linen had already gone home. As we were turning in, they saw that I did not have any bed linen. They then moved all the three beds together, put their two bed sheets on them and put me in the middle. That was how I spent my first night with foreign students. That was it, that was how peoples’ friendship started,” recalls Filippov, now rector of the RUDN and a former education and science minister of Russia.

Despite the official doctrine of atheism in the former USSR, the university treated foreign students’ religious beliefs with understanding.

“In the morning, I saw Jean-Paul, a Catholic, praying in one corner, and Abdul, a Muslim, praying in another, while I, a member of the Young Communist League, did not know where to look and what to do,” Filippov recalls.

He explains that then RUDN had already put into

practice its principle of bringing together students from different countries who speak different languages and belong to different cultures.

In the 1960s-70s, the USSR sought to spread its influence to the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America, by providing training and education to young people from there and supporting their fight for independence. Through the export of education, Moscow hoped to spread the Russian language and culture abroad. At the same time, Soviet leaders expected to promote communist values too.

It was with this aim in mind that the Peoples’ Friendship University was set up on February 5, 1960.

Until the early 1990s, it bore the name of the first prime minister of Congo, Patrice Lumumba.

Its staff included the most renowned professors and academics, both in sciences and humanities.

Upon leaving the university, RUDN graduates went back to different parts of the world. Many of them rose to very prominent positions in their home countries. These includeAbbas Yusuf Saleh, the prime minister of Chad until 2010; Abdramane Sylla, a minist e r i n M a l i ; A ch i e n g Ongong’a, the managing director of the Kenya Tourism Board, and many others.

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INTERVIEW ALEXANDRE STROKANOV

Tensions will only spur interest in Russian language RBTH speaks to Alexandre Strokanov, the head of the Institute of Russian Language and Culture under the Lyndon State College in the US state of Vermont, about the complexities of the Russian language, politics and how it affects Russian language studies.

RBTH: What do Americans find to be most difficult in the Russian language?

Alexandre Strokanov: There is one letter in the alphabet that they find difficult to pronounce, ‘ы’. But it takes a week or two to master. Then, of course, the cases. Overall, I find all this talk of how difficult the Russian language is to be an exaggeration.

RBTH: How is the atmosphere, which is becoming increasingly tense, affecting interest in the Russian language?

A.S.: I think interest will grow. This is my forecast.

Here, there arises a very interesting situation. If we compare the Cold War with the 1990s, back then there was a much higher demand

for the Russian language, there was funding from the US government. Then came the 1990s and everything fell apart.

We noticed a rise in interest – the very beginning of it – in the Russian language some time in the early 2000s. The more confident Russia was becoming, the bigger that interest grew. Now this new confrontation will only spur more interest.Why? Because ordinary Americans do not necessarily think the same way as American politicians. Many people simply do not trust politicians.

Students Top Russian university HSE to open ‘single window’ for applications

Foreign students can seek transfer Starting this month, foreign students may apply for transfer to one of the leading universities of Russia – the Higher School of Economics.

GLEB FEDOROV RBTH EDITOR FOR EDUCATION

To take advantage of this opportunity, the student must send a letter to the email address transfer@hse. ru, including contact information, citizenship and name of university where he/she is currently enrolled, as well as the name of the current special education programme to which he/she wishes to transfer.

The letter must contain a copy of a document certifying student’s identity and citizenship, document on current education and a document confirming the fact that he/she is a student at a higher educational institution.

The enrolment will be approved after an academic expert evaluation.“We welcome everyone, but all universities are different, sometimes people may not have sufficient background to study here,” says Sergey Roshchin, vice rector of HSE. According to him, the expert evaluation does not

focus on the formal specification of the names of the courses and their quantities, but on substantial cor–

The HSE offers official administrative support to foreign students respondence of the previously studied material.

By the summer of 2015, the HSE promises to open a“single window”for receiving applications for the transfer from all students, including those from fo-

reign educational institutions.

The HSE offers official administrative support to foreign students and teachers, as well volunteer assistance services for foreigners.

HSE campuses offer more than 60 bachelor’s and over 100 master’s educational programmes. The languages of learning are Russian and English.

“The educational programmes offered by Russian universities, in terms of quality and content, are comparable with the best on the global education market,” said Roshchin.

RUSSIAN BOOKSHELF modern Russian literature BALALIKE IT contemporary Russian music

ALL THAT FOLK Russian folk music

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RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES

History

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Heritage A long-awaited opening

Education No expense was spared in grooming the future rulers

Who taught tsars of the 19th century?

RIA NOVOSTI

Alexander II was the emperor of Russia from March 2, 1855 until his assassination in 1881.

In the 19th century Russian emperors got the best education from the best teachers in the country to be able to deal with modern challenges.

OLGA DUDNIKOVA SPECIAL TO RBTH

The Napoleonic Wars, the Decembrist uprising, the Crimean War, the abolition of serfdom, and the conquest of Siberia and the Far East were just a few of the challenges and major developments faced by the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Each event required a competent and professional reaction by the tsar – a reaction that to a large degree depend-

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ed on the ruler’s education.

Starting with Catherine the Great, who reigned during almost the entire second half of the 18th century, training for Russia’s monarchs resembled gymnasium and university education, but it entailed fewer basic disciplines and more special courses, especially finance, government, and law, besides military affairs.

No expense was spared on teachers and tutors, but they were not bound by rigid conditions and could conduct their work as they saw fit. When she hired Swiss general Frederique Lagarde, a person who sympathised with the ideas behind the French revolution

GEMS: Kostroma: The home of Russia’s Snegurochka, the snow maiden Yakutia’s frozen heart: Mammoths, chilled vodka and the lord of cold Paris, Berlin, Leipzig and other Russian villages

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and instilled the views of Jean-Jacques Rousseau in the future Tsar Alexander I – Catherine the Great said: “Be a Jacobin or a Republican, whatever you want.

I see that you are an honest person, and that is enough for me. Stay with my grandchildren, enjoy my full confidence, and continue to care for them with the diligence that is characteristic of you.”

In the 19th century, the body of educators, which consisted of senior officers and officials as well as the best teachers of the time, was roughly equally divided into military and civilian. Nikolai Beketov, one of the founders of physical

chemistry and chemical dynamics, taught chemistry to Nicholas II. Login Kraft, a member of the St Petersburg Academy of Sciences, taught mathematics to Nic h o l a s I I ’s s o n a n d daughters. One of the first Russian fencing coaches Ivan Siverbrik, who organised a fencing school in Russia, taught Alexander II and Nicholas I. Some tutors taught multiple generations of tsars at once.

Konstantin Pobedonostsev – a censor and one of the most influential people in the Russian Empire for decades – was tutor to Alexander II’s eldest son, Alexander III and his brother Vladimir, and Nicholas II. Military affairs was a subject of particular importance for all tsars, and it was taught in a unique and particular way to each future tsar. For example, Nicholas I’s military affairs course was limited to special classes on engineering and cartography. Engineergeneral Karl Opperman used one of the most productive modern forms of education in his work with Nicholas I – he gave the future tsar topics for independent elaboration on a project basis, and then the two sat down together and analysed the results.

Home-schooling for future tsars throughout the entire 19th century was set apart by the high professional level of tutors, as well as its diverse and often innovative university forms (including special courses and project-based work), which not only outpaced traditional higher state education, but also paved the way for it.

CAPITALS:

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Russia’s Holy Land reopens its gates after renovations The monastery of New Jerusalem, near Moscow, was conceived as the Orthodox world’s equivalent to the Holy Land.

YEVGENY SMIRNOV SPECIAL TO RBTH

From Moscow, the pilgrimage to Jerusalem is not far – just 40 kilometres, in fact.

Just northwest of the city lies one of Russia’s historically most significant Orthodox shrines, the 17thcentury monastic complex of New Jerusalem. Abandoned for decades during Soviet rule, the monastery is now being restored and visitors are returning.

In November 2014, the monastery saw the opening of the largest museum complex in Moscow’s environs, the New Jerusalem Museum, containing 100,000 exhibits in total, including masterpieces of religious art and some of the oldest examples of Russian portrait painting. However, besides the museum, visitors should also see New Jerusalem itself - the monastery that represents four centuries of Russian history.

The construction of New Jerusalem was first planned by patriarch Nikon in 1656. Back then, Moscow was considered the centre of the Orthodox world, the third Rome, and the New Jerusalem monastery was

TOURS:

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supposed to support its claim to this title.

Nikon did everything possible so that the new centre of the Orthodox world would have its own Holy Land. All the villages and hills neighbouring New Jerusalem received biblical names, and the Istra River was renamed Jordan. The monastery’s principal cathedral was supposed to be built along the patterns of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. A monk was, therefore, sent to Palestine to measure and sketch the shrine. However, in 1658, just two years after beginning the construction of the monastery, Nikon quarreled with Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and went into self-imposed exile to New Jerusalem. Construction restarted in 1678 and continued during the reign of the new tsar, Fyodor Alexeyevich.

Today it seems that New Jerusalem has never been static or finished: Something is always being built or restored here. In 2014, a belfry and bells destroyed during the Soviet period were restored. The restorers intend to complete the renovation of the entire complex by 2016, bringing the resurrection of the monastery to completion.

Read full version at rbth.com/42717

DESTINATIONS:

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RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Culture

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Religion There are numerous churches in Thailand for Orthodox Christians

Catering to the faithful While people of many nationalities embrace Orthodox Christianity, it was the Russian Orthodox Church that decided to build churches in Thailand.

IN A WORLD OF CHANGE, SOME INSIGHTS ARE TIMELESS READ THE WORDS OF RUSSIAN WRITERS IN THE RBTH LITERATURE SECTION

IRINA VINOKUROVA RBTH

When in the second half of the 1990s, a large number of Orthodox Christians from Russia and the former Soviet Union began to arrive in Thailand to live there permanently, the lack of an Orthodox Church for these families became one of the most pressing concerns.

In response to their numerous requests, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), at its meeting on December 28, 1999, decided to open the St Nicholas Church in Bangkok.This decision also included the appointment of the first rector of the parish, the priest of the Diocese of Yaroslavl Oleg (Cherepanin), who later became the representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Thailand after conversion of the parish into a Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church in 2001. This was just the beginning, which was followed by years of hard work, the overcoming of numerous legal challenges, and the construction of the first church.

LOOKING EAST FOR GUIDANCE: THE INFLUENCE OF BUDDHISM, HINDUISM AND TAOISM ON TOLSTOY’S LIFE rbth.com/40519 THE BEST OF RUSSIAN DYSTOPIA rbth.com/42037

On February 8, there was the consecration of the Cathedral of the Holy Royal Martyrs.

In early 2008, the Thai authorities, having reviewed the long-term activity of the Orthodox community in Thailand, recognised it as a beneficial force, corresponding to the interests of the Kingdom by reinforcing ethical and moral foundations of society. The public foundation Orthodox Christian Church in Thailand was officially registered.

Following the registration, the right to open additional Orthodox parishes was obtained for other regions, in addition to Bangkok. Thus the construction of new churches started.

Today, there are Orthodox churches in several provinces, and there is even a men’s monastery in Ratchaburi province. Moreover, the geography of Orthodox Church parishes in Thailand continues to expand.

At the moment, there are six of them: St Nicholas Church of Bangkok, Holy Life-Giving Trinity Church on Phuket island, All Saints Church in Pattaya, Protection of the Holy Virgin Church in Pattaya, Holy Dormition Monastery in Ratchaburi province, and the Holy Ascension Parish on Samui island.

In 2015, this list continued to expand.

This month, there was Great Blessing of two churches and the laying of the foundation stone of a new one in Thailand.

On February 8, there was the consecration of the Cathedral of the Holy Royal Martyrs in Hua Hin. This church was built in just one year and became the seventh Orthodox temple in Thailand. On February 12, during a solemn ceremony another temple was dedicated – the Church of St Sergius of Radonezh on Chang island.

Ballet The Russian ballet tradition is one of the most influential in the world

No shortcut to the top for little stars Parents enrol their children in ballet schools, hoping their child will shine on the stage of the Bolshoi.

MARIA FYODORISHINA SPECIAL TO RBTH

All Russians are proud of the ballet, even those who rarely watch it. During the Soviet period, for every place in a choreographic institute there were 100 people in competition. Today, ballet’s popularity still runs high. The Ilse Liepa Studio begins accepting children at the age of two and a half,

says the school’s co-founder Maria Subbotovskaya.

“Nothing trains the body like the ballet,”says Subbotovskaya. “Exercises with the concertmaster teach the child to appreciate classical music. All movements are beautiful and harmonious. They develop the body, especially its poise.”

In other countries, Russian classical ballet is often associated with the leading Russian theatres, the Bolshoi and the Mariinsky, where the dancers are mostly graduates of the

Moscow State Academy of Choreography and the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet. It is practically impossible to prepare for entrance to such institutions because natural attributes such as flexibility, being able to rise and jump, and a good ear for music play such a leading role. Students are subject to an intense screening process.

“About 98 per cent of children study ballet for themselves,”says Subbotovskaya. “Perhaps they would like to continue, but there are very few little stars. Raising such a child is tough work. Our school has been operating for eight years and in all this time only five of our students en-

tered the Moscow State Academy of Choreography.”

However, world-famous Russian ballet dancers such as Anna Pavlova, Galina Ulanova and Rudolph Nureyev had average physical characteristics. That is why experienced teachers of choreography say that physique is not the most important thing.

“If the child has the will and a dream, that is already a lot,”Subbotovskaya says.

“Methodology alone won’t yield any results. Character and discipline are fundamental, while physical fitness can be worked on.

When we see a child with character and discipline, we talk to their parents. If they agree, we put more effort.

BRINGING A TOUCH OF HOLLYWOOD SPARKLE TO RUSSIAN BOOKSTORES rbth.com/43097

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RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Cuisine

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Festival In 2015, the Maslenitsa spring carnival lasted from February 16-22

RECIPES

Penchant for pancakes

Here’s how you can get it right

RBTH takes a look at the Maslenitsa pancake tradition and shares a recipe for delicious Russian Beer Pancakes with our readers.

Dmitry Blinov SPECIAL TO RBTH

“Blini s pripiokom” pancakes with filling

DMITRY BLINOV SPECIAL TO RBTH

Ingredients:

Russia has a special kind of festival. To start with, it is not called a festival like many other festive seasons celebrated around the world right before Lent. Instead, Russia’s festival is called “Maslenitsa” or “Dairy Week”.

Instituted in the dim and distant past (like other selfrespecting carnivals) and dedicated to the cult of fertility and ancestor worship, Slavic Maslenitsa survived the Christianisation of the ancient state of Rus and entered the Orthodox calendar as the last week before Lent.

The main feature of Maslenitsa is pancakes, which Russians make with a hundred different recipes: using sour dough and without yeast; rich and without eggs; from wheat, rye and buckwheat flour.

Like their Western cousins — crêpes, British pancakes and Bulgarian palachinki — Russian pancakes have innumerable fillings, both sweet and savoury.

However, there is one thing the fillings always contain, and that is melted butter and sour cream (used as a sauce in most dishes in Russian cuisine, including soups). Finely crumbled hardboiled eggs are also preferable, but you can manage without them.

Beyond this, the composition of the filling depends on the imagination of the cook — but fish dishes are

- milk - 800ml - flour - 350gm - butter - 150gm - apples - 2 pcs - eggs - 2 pcs - smoked salmon

Preparation: PHOTOSHOT/VOSTOCK-PHOTO

1. Let’s start with the dough.

Take some eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. To the yolks we add melted margarine and about 500ml of warm milk. Keep stirring as you add flour.

2. To the egg whites we’ll add salt and sugar, and then beat them. Mix the two mixtures.

Russia’s festival is called “Maslenitsa” or “Dairy Week.”

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FACTS ABOUT MASLENITSA

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The main feature of Maslenitsa is pancakes, which are made with a hundred different recipes: using sour dough, without yeast; rich and without eggs; wheat, rye etc.

essential. First place goes to caviar, followed by herring in spicy brine, sturgeon, salmon, sterlet and, finally, sardines and sprats. Russian brine is different from the northern European version; there is none of the dill that Russians love so much, but there is ginger and coriander seeds.

The next candidates for fillings are mushrooms, cheese and crumbly buckwheat porridge. Some people also enjoy using boiled tongue and various cooked

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Russian pancakes have innumerable fillings, both sweet and savoury. However, there is one thing their fillings always contain, and that is melted butter and sour cream.

meats as fillings. Dessert means more pancakes, but served with jam and honey.

This Slavic festival is marked not only by eating pancakes but also by riding on troikas and parading around the Maslenitsa effigy, which symbolises the harsh winter. The most charming carnival tradition of Maslenitsa is the conquest of the snow town: One team builds a snow fortress and defends it, while the other tries to destroy it.

Fortunately, the tradition

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This Slavic festival is marked not only by eating pancakes but also by riding on troikas and parading around the Maslenitsa effigy, which symbolises the harsh winter.

of fist fights ended by the time the Soviet government came to power. In the old days, the young men and youths of various districts used to gather at an agreed upon place and test their strength in a showdown.

But let’s not talk about hooligans, let’s stick to pancakes. We can credit the Soviet period not only for putting a stop to fist fights but also for a pancake recipe that was nowhere to be found in cook books before the revolution.

LORI/LEGION MEDIA

3. Now let’s move to the filling. Peel and slice the apples for the sweet pancakes. Slice some smoked salmon for the savoury ones.

4. Before cooking, mix the dough once again. Oil the pan with butter. Pour some dough carefully, lay out the filling, and then pour some more dough.

Or, as we suggested above, just lay out the filling on the pan and cover it with dough.

Russian beer pancake recipe Ingredients: - 16 ounces milk and 16 ounces beer - 2 cups sifted wheat flour - 1 ½ cups of wheat flour, or ½ cup rye flour - 1-2 eggs - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter - 1 tablespoon sugar or white honey - 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon baking soda - ½ potato

Preparation: 1. Mix the milk, slightly warmed, together with the beer. Keep stirring and add flour.

2. Carefully mix the batter, adding the eggs, vegetable oil or melted butter, sugar or white honey, salt, and, just before you finish

mixing, baking soda. The more fluid the batter, the thinner the pancakes will be.

3. The pancakes must be cooked in a cast-iron frying pan: do NOT wash it; instead, warm it and wipe it with a napkin before using it.

4. Traditionally, the frying pan is greased with half of a raw potato on the end of a fork.

Cook the pancakes in a very small quantity of melted butter.

5. Put the finished product into a pile and pour melted butter over them.

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Discover more about the country’s cuisine and culinary traditions with:

MARCH useful tips from our authors workshops from Delicious TV and recipes from The Soviet Diet Cookbook

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