Saturday - August 23, 2008

NaNews of the North

Just keeping an eye on what’ going on up Norway ... way. H/T again to the ever resourceful Barents Observer!

Cultural Indicator or worthless study?

Russians drink more (gosh, who’d a thunk it?)

Over the last seven months, alcohol consumption inn Russia increased with 2,5 percent. Of the alcohol consumed, 49,6 percent was hard alcohol, the National Alcohol Association reports.
In the course of the last seven months, a total of 840,7 million litres of pure alcohol (100%) was consumed in the country, the association figures show, RIA Novosti reports.

While the consumption of hard alcohols has dropped from 58,4 percent of the total in 2005 to 49,6 percent in 2008, the amount of consumed beer has increased strongly from 29,5 percent to 35,9 percent of consumption.

Also the consumption of wine is increasing. In the first seven months of the year, Russians wine consumption was 6,4 percent of the total, which is up from 5,3 percent in 2005.

If you can read it, the original article is here, translated into mostly English here.



Russia Invested 41 Billion Rubles in Murmansk port

Over the next few years, Russia will invest 41 billion RUB in the development of the Murmansk port and turn it into the country’s new Arctic hub.

In a recent meeting on the development of the Murmansk Transport Hub, regional industrial representatives said 41,4 billion RUB would be invested in the port by year 2020. Of that sum, 2.8 billion RUB will be invested before 2010, Murman.ru reports.

The port will become a northern Russian hub for container shipping, oil reloading and coal and fertilizers terminals.

Meanwhile, the Russian Railways will spend 8 billion RUB by 2010 on the upgrade of railways leading to Murmansk. This will help increase goods turnover of the Murmansk Port from today’s 16,5 million tons (2007) to 62,4 million tons by 2010, the representatives of the Murmansk Transport Hub, the management company responsible for regional infrastructure development, say.

President of the International Transport Academy Aleksandr Kondratev says to Murman.ru that the Murmansk Transport Hub will have major importance for the good transport network in Russia.

The Murmansk Transport Hub was established early 2008. It is headed by Transport Minister Igor Levitin. Stakeholders in the management company are the Murmansk Trade Port, the Russian Railways, Rosneft, Rosmorport and the Murmansk regional administration.

Wow, nearly 400% capacity increase in just 2 years! Guess the reds are betting the farmski on Global Warming keeping the ice away!


The Bear has more than one claw you know.

This week the Russian Ministry of Defence has informed the Norwegian Ministry of Defence that all planned military cooperation between Norway and Russia will be halted. The Norwegian Government hopes that all non-military cooperations will continue as planned.

In a letter to the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, Russia informs that as of this date all military cooperation with all member countries in NATO is suspended. State Secretary Espen Barht Eide in the Ministry of Defence, says to newspaper Aftenposten that the Norwegian-Russian relations is worsen even more by this letter.

The Ministry of Defence is now checking which consequences this will have for Norway. There are already planned a lot of visits and joint military exercises between Norway and Russia, which will be affected.

Norwegian Coast Guard has planned a rescue operation exercise together with Russians in Kirkenes on the 9th and 10th of September. Since this is not a military exercise, the ministry believes it will be carried through as planned. There is also planned an oil spill preparation exercise with Norwegian and Russian participant some weeks later, which could be affected.

In the Norwegian Parliament there is an all-party agreement that the Government should always welcome Russian authorities to discussions on the current situation, if they are ready for this.

Is Europe finally waking up?

South Ossetia war spurs defence debate in Scandinavia

Several Norwegian opposition politicians say Russia’s intervention in the South Ossetia crisis shows that the country has Great Power aspirations, which could eventually pose a threat against Norwegian positions in the High North. Also in Sweden, the Caucasus conflict now triggers a domestic defence policy debate.

Leader of the Norwegian Conservative Party, Ms. Erna Solberg, does not believe that a conflict like the one in Georgia could take place between Russian and Norway. She still believes that the South Ossetia events bear clear evidence of Russia’s great power aspirations.

-We can not defend ourselves alone, Norway needs a strong army, she says to newspaper Aftenposten.

Spitsbergen

Ms. Solberg illustrates her increasing fears with Russia’s reported violations of aircraft regulations at Spitsbergen and military training near the Norwegian border.

-It worries me that the Russians are showing disrespect for our right to govern the Spitsbergen archipelago, she says to the newspaper. She also accuses the Norwegian red-green government coalition of failing to nurse relations with the USA.

The Swedish debate

At the same time, a similar debate is unfolding in Sweden. An editorial in newspaper Dagens Nyheter today highlights the need for a revision of Swedish defence policies.

-For Sweden, the issue is now to adjust its defence policy to the hard realities, the editorial reads.

The newspaper writes that the South Ossetia crisis to certain extent resembles the Cold War.

-The perception that Sweden does not have external threats is an ill-informed stance, which although it lacks basis in reality has spread through the Swedish defence debate, the editors write.

The newspaper now calls on the Swedish government to stall cuts in the country’s defence in order to bolster national security.

New Sub Joins Russian Northern Fleet

The diesel-powered submarine ”B-90 Sarov” was today officially handed over to the Russian Northern Fleet. The vessel is built by the Sevmash yard in Severodvinsk, Arkhangelsk Oblast.
The sub was put on the water in December last year, and has since undergone testing, the Northern Fleet press service reports.

The B-90 Sarov is built for testing of new armament and military technology, Rosbaltnord.ru reports.

Present in the ceremony were representatives of the Russian Navy, the construction design firm “Rubin”, the management of the Sevmash yard, as well as representatives of the city of Sarov.

Well, that’s all the cool news from way up yonder. Try and stay warm.

Posted by Drew458     on 08/23/2008 at 09:42 PM   
Filed Under: • News-Briefs •  
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