Gorbachev over east west relations: “The loss of confidence is catastrophic”

With sharp words Michail Gorbatschow evaluates current world politics. In the discussion with the MIRROR the Nobel peace prize carrier before a large war in Europe warns - and raises heavy reproaches against Germany.

Michail Gorbatschow warns of a large war in Europe because of Ukraine. “Such a war would flow today probably inevitably into a nuclear war. If in view of this heated up tendency loses the nerves, we will not survive, explained the next years” the Nobel peace prize carrier to the MIRROR. “I do not say something like that thoughtlessly. I worry myself really all-largest.”

In view of a “catastrophic loss of confidence” between Russia and the west he requested which “defrost” relations. Besides Gorbachev turned against attempts to isolate Russia as well as against western economic sanctions. “It was also wrong to exclude Russia from the G8. Reminded of blood revenge and leads into the nothing”, said Gorbatschow.

America and NATO accused Gorbachev the European security structure by the extension of the western defensive alliance to have destroyed. “No head of the Kremlin can ignore something like that”, said he, America unfortunately began to establish a megaempire.

Gorbachev defended of Putin annexation of Crimea, criticized however of Putin authoritarian style of leadership. “We need free elections and the participation of humans at the political process”, said it. “It is simply not correct, if someone is placed like the anti-corruption blogger and politician Alexej Nawalny under house arrest, only because he the mouth opened.”

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New military doctrines: NATO and Ukraine are now of Putin largest enemies

Moscow - Russia has new military doctrines: Head of state Wladimir Putin signed the document on Friday, as Russian media announced. The valid doctrines designated in particular extremism and terrorism as dangers for the country, external threats played against it so far no large role.

Thus Russia classifies the conflict in Ukraine and the NATO extension to the East as danger for own security. The North Atlantic alliance strengthened and installs its “attack capacities” at the borders to Russia a “global system of the anti-missile defense”, is called it in the document.

The national security council published a report to the changes on its web page on Friday. Therein it, the again-calm doctrines means also a reaction to the situation is in the north of Africa, in Syria, in Iraq and in Afghanistan. “Prominent states” of the world - meant are probably all in front the USA - see themselves to the reproach suspended to threaten independent states with a variety at instruments in order to implement own interests. Thus private military services were used, the protest potential of the population was heated up or radical and extremist organizations were promoted, in order to implement own goals to other states.

Part the Russian military doctrines remains further the “atomic deterrence”. Moscow reserves itself the right to begin with an attack on the own territory or on allied one as well as with a threat for “continuing the State of” nuclear weapons. As largest internal risks the paper calls among other things the activities of terrorists.

Still the day before the Russian minister of foreign affairs had again accused Sergej Lawrow of Ukraine to endanger with their effort around a NATO membership security in Europe. The west again uses the steps of the government in Kiev, in order to heat the conflict up between Russia and Ukraine, said Lawrow.

The president had already outlined on 10 September at a meeting of the military military commissionmilitary commission in the Kremlin, on which basic idea the new doctrines were based. , Putin said the USA, on one side of the agreement about an anti-missile defense stepped out and worked on a new defense system in space. NATO strengthens its forces in Eastern Europe. The “crisis in the Ukraine, provokes and production of some our western partners”, requires an answer “for the security of our country”, so the head of state.

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Ukraine crisis: Kiev corrects message over cessation of hostilities

First the government announced it in Kiev, a permanent cessation of hostilities with Russia agreed upon. Now only the speech is from a fire break. Moscow disclaims anyway: It gave only an approach.

Kiev - the Ukrainian presidential administration reduced a report clearly to the cessation of hostilities in the conflict area Donbass with a correction. The authority painted the additive “permanently” and informed only from an agreed upon “regime of the fire break”, as was to be seen on Wednesday on the web page of the presidential office.

Before from a permanent weapon peace the speech had been. A Kremlin spokesman disclaimed this message a scarce hour later. Russia cannot make such agreements, because it is not a conflict party, said Dmitrij Peskow of the state State of Ria Nowosti. He said at the same time however, Putin and Ukrainian president Petro Poroschenko would have discussed the necessary steps, so that there could be a cessation of hostilities. Before the spokesman had explained, those presidents of both sides would have telephoned and were itself over the possible ways out of the crisis “to a large extent united”. In their discussion they would have advised over necessary first steps for the completion of the bloodshed in the southeast. The message Poroschenkos surprised, because Russia had always stressed so far that it concerns with the crisis in east Ukraine a domestic conflict of the ex-Soviet republic. If Putin should have actually agreed upon a cessation of hostilities with Poroschenko, this would be the first official confession of a Russian participation in the fighting. The conflict had still intensified in the past days. The Ukrainian government accuses Moscow, more and more to soldiers into the region fancy, in order to support the per-Russian separatists. Also NATO sees this in such a way - and assumes Kiev loses the fights in east Ukraine. Moscow rejects the reproaches. A meeting of Putin with Poroschenko in the Byelorussian capital Minsk in the past week had brought first no break-through.

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Russia in the Ukraine crisis: Of Putin lies

For Wladimir Putin the case is clear: The Ukrainian army encircles cities in the east of the country, kills aimed civilians and devastates the infrastructure. The problem: Of Russia president rotates consistently the facts.

The Donbass seemed for of Russia presidents last far away. Wladimir Putin had traveled deeply to Siberia, to Jakutsk stood among other things the visit of the giant museum on the program. Nevertheless the Ukraine conflict was completely close. With its visit in the Far East Putin explained, wherein the goal of the “present military operation lies in the east (Ukraine)” and why the so-called people resistance went into the offensive.

As so often lately has Putin thereby statements set up, which do not correspond to the reality, yes, which the facts rotate every now and then even into their opposite. Its statements are often unchecked transferred also to Germany. What is poetry and which truth? Spiegel online examines some the most current Russian statements. Putin and the alleged bombardment by the Ukrainian army: “Regular ones Ukrainian units have large cities encircle and to cover residential areas with purposeful fire”, Putin on Monday to a BBC correspondent explained. Few days before it had compared the action of the Ukrainians already with that of the fascist German troops before Leningrad: “Large cities were encircled and destroyed by purposeful bombardment, including inhabitants.” There is no purposeful bombardment of eastUkrainian cities and also not the attempt, the population, as it says, with “sharp fire” to kill. I spent the last weeks in Donezk and to me the damage in the city exactly viewed. Yes, daily there are impacts of artillery, it gives destruction and human victims there. The hits however essentially concentrate on two areas: the area in the north around the main station and on the Petrowski urban district in the southwest. (Empties) the school No. 33 for example, which was met on Wednesday past week, is because of the Lenin brochure in just this southwest Rayon. Were met recently also (for a long time vacated) the market before the main station and a small shop, which have around the clock on - there there were indeed at night dead.

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Crisis simulation: Germany would get along five months without gas from Russia

If the Ukraine crisis should escalate, Germany up to five could get along months without Russian gas. That comes out from a new crisis simulation, which is present Spiegel online. Other EU countries would get fast problems.


Hamburg - in the autumn 2014 the controversy over east Ukraine is intensified appreciably, the European Union and Russia fights each other with ever harder sanctions, finally, in November, seizes the Russian president to the extreme one: Wladimir Putin closes the gas tap for Europe. A cold winter threatens the whole continent. It is the ultimative crisis scenario, with which energy-industry Institut at the university was long concerned to Cologne (EWI) several weeks. A so far completely theoretical study. Completely wrong are it in addition, no more, since Russian troops creep in into east Ukraine and with the building of a gas pipeline to China began Russia. Nevertheless: If the case of a Russian gas embargo should arise, then Germany could withstand it obviously for a long time. Only after six months a stop of Russian natural gas deliveries would lead to supply disruptions in Germany, is called it in the EWI simulation, which is present Spiegel online. Well 3.4 billion cubic meter gas to be missing, have the energy experts around directors of studies Harald Hecking were then calculated. In the entire past year in Germany approximately 84 billion cubic meter were used. The EWI study calls two conditions, so that Germany could get over the winter to a large extent without deliveries from Russia: As reconciliation for the missing pipeline gas Europe would have altogether well 45 billion cubic meter more liquid gas to import than last year. The raw material is cooled thereby on minus 164 degrees and exported by tankers into all world. Owing to the additional raw materials of the ship would have to be passed fewer gases from Germany into other European Union member states. Since the liquid gas would have to come to a large extent from Asia, the gas prices might rise, are called it in the study. If only additional 25 billion cubic meter were imported, it would already come with a three-month gas embargo to delivery bottlenecks into Germany. The Federal Republic would have to empty their gas memory the winter over nearly completely. They did not let themselves fill up then up to the winter after the next again completely. Supply security would be lower thereby also from October 2015 until March 2016 than normal, is called it in the study. Also technically the supply of the Federal Republic from alternative sources would be probably possible problem-free. “The German gas nets are so modern that the rivers could be up to date rerouted”, communicate a spokesman of the Ontras gas transport GmbH. “Effects on the transportability in of Germany pipelines would not be to be feared therefore.”

Crisis scenario: Follow a Russian gas boycott

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President Of Poland warns of “reestablishment of the Russian empire”

Europe must show courage and strength, demands Bronisław Komorowski. The head of state compares the political constellation in Europe with before the Second World War.

Polish president Bronis ław Komorowski warns to make possible of Russia president Wladimir Putin by appeasement the expansion of his political sphere of influence. Russia accomplished an invasion in Ukraine, said Komorowski in Deutschlandradio culture and in Deutschlandfunk. “Only Crimea demanded, now goes it already around further areas of Ukraine. And all ask themselves, where ends.” Komorowski compared the action of the west opposite Putin with the Appeasement politics of Great Britain opposite Hitler into the 1930er years. Europe must learn the use of force of Germany from the errors from at that time, when the courage was missing to the democratic states of Europe, “to stop”. Appeasement politics lead Komorowski to nothing, thus.

Appeasement or Appeasementpolitik designates a policy, which tries at the expense of high concessions opposite an aggressor to avoid conflicts. Usually the term is used in connection with the flexible policy of Great Britain opposite Hitler. The British prime minister Neville Chamberlain had tolerated 1938 the annexation of Sudetes Germany and Czech Republic by Nazi Germany in hope to be able to turn so a war away in Europe. In view of the recent escalations in east Ukraine and the provocations from Moscow Komorowski demanded military consequences in form of a “stabilization of the east flank of the NATO alliance”. Strength deters an aggressive policy, said the Polish head of state. The collapse of the Soviet Union brought the unit and Poland the freedom to Germany. Today president says Putin completely openly that he wants to again develop this empire. Germany and Poland would have from there a special responsibility to draw teachings from history. He hope, “that sufficient Germans remember, what meant a Soviet empire in Europe”. The action of Europe decides on it, what from Europe it becomes Komorowski said. “Europe of the Kosaken or a democratic.” The entire interview sends Deutschlandradio culture in “straight talking” on Saturday, 30 August 2014, at 17.30 o'clock.

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Statement from Moscow: Russian soldiers entered Ukraine “by mistake”

Russian soldiers with Kamensk Schachtinski (archives picture): Border crossing was “inadvertent”, says the Russian Ministry of Defense

The Ukrainian military took according to their own statements ten Russian paratroopers imprisoned. The Muscovite the Ministry of Defense confirms the border crossing in the region Donezk - and speaks of a mistake.
Moscow - a Russian border patrol entered Ukrainian area. Interfax an employee of the Ministry of Defense in Moscow confirms according to the agency. The Russian soldiers were arrested by Ukraine. The border crossing happened however on a not marked place “by mistake”. The arrest ran without resistance.

This statement Kiev contradicts: The taken prisoner soldiers were not “inadvertent” in country, but on a “special mission”, a spokesman of the Ukrainian military explained. Before the Ukrainian military had announced, at the edge of the combat zone in the region Donezk ten Russian paratroopers had been imprisoned taken. They would have had, communicated Russian documents of identification with itself the security council in Kiev. “The repetitive Russian penetration into Ukraine is unacceptable, dangerous and riotously”, explained the national security advisor of the USA, Susan Rice, already on Monday evening on Twitter. Russia penetrated with “dozens tanks and soldiers” in the neighboring country, so the reproach. A “clear escalation” in the Ukraine crisis is that, like that Rice. It did not submit proofs.

 Poroschenko in Minsk landed
Meanwhile the fights in east Ukraine continue: The Ukrainian military destroyed twelve armed vehicles in Nowoasowsk. To it artillery and Air Force were involved, said military spokespersons Andrij Lysenko. Also the Russian separatists would continue their attacks in the city, would burn a hospital. According to Lysenko in the past 24 hours twelve humans died. Ukrainian president Petro Poroschenko and his Russian colleague Wladimir Putin are to meet on this Tuesday. With a crisis meeting in the Byelorussian Minsk they are to negotiate for the first time again about a solution in the conflict around east Ukraine. Poroschenko already arrived in Minsk. In the message of its country he wanted to speak first with the European Union-Außenbeauftragten Catherine Ashton - also about the fight of the Ukrainian army against per-Russian separatists. Poroschenko had dissolved the parliament on Monday and had set new elections for 26 October. “The preferred parliamentary elections are part of my peace plan”, communicated it.

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Visit in Kiev: Merkel promises Ukraine 500 million euro development aid

Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian president Petro Poroschenko in the presidential palace in Kiev


With their visit in Ukraine assured financial assistance for the reconstruction of the country to Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel. Before however a diplomatic solution in the conflict with Russia would have ago.

Kiev - the conflict in Ukraine needs a diplomatic solution, with which all parties agree. That said chancellor Angela Merkel with its visit in Kiev and demanded a “bilateral armistice”. After her meeting with the Ukrainian president Petro Poroschenko on Saturday said Merkel: “The territorial integrity and the welfare of Ukraine are a substantial goal of the German policy.”
With the meeting the CDU politician made also financial promises: Merkel announced a credit guarantee over 500 million euro for the energy and water supply. With additionally 25 million euros Germany wants the building of accommodation for refugees to make possible. Since beginning of the conflict in east Ukraine in April several hundred thousand humans their apartments had and houses read out. The UN proceeds from more than 400,000 refugees.

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