Priorities for the New Patriarch

While the Russian media have, generally, covered the election of Metropolitan Cyrill as Patriarch of all Russia positively, opinion in the Western press has been centered on two fronts.  Some are debating if the new Patriarch is “for” or “against” the Kremlin.  Others — if he is a “modernizer” or a “conservative”.
The Economist, for example, [...]

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The State of NATO – Russia Relations

In a recent article, The Economist lamented that Russia followed the West’s mistakes and not its way of life, “mistakes” referring to the West’s unilateral recognition of Kosovo. Yet Russia’s brief, victorious war in the Caucusus and the subsequent unilateral recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia have shown a much more measured foreign policy, with [...]

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More nonsense from OCANews

It is not surprising that an article alleging corruption in the Russian Orthodox Church would appear on the website of Garry Kimovich Weinstein, better known to the world as Garry Kasparov. The former chess grandmaster has long been an outspoken critic of the current “establishment” in Russia with the unfortunate Gorbachevian trait of having more [...]

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What a mess …

OK, so imagine the government tells you that you have to take $2000 of your money and invest it in a company that is going bankrupt. You lose everything.  Then, your grandchildren will have to pay that money in a few decades, with interest. Sounds ludicrous? Well guess what, that’s what the government is telling [...]

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Alia Jacta Est

Well, actually, the die was cast in February, when the West recognized the independence of Kosovo. It was then that we set the precedent of redrawing the boundaries of post-World War Two Europe. What happened today in Abkhazia and South Ossetia is only a natural continuation of the Kosovo case.
As in the instance of Kosovo, [...]

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Russia’s First Service to St John of San Francisco

On July 2 (June 19 o.s.), the day of the repose of St John, Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco, the first ever service to St John took place at Moscow’s Stauropeghial Monastery of the Meeting of the Vladimir Icon (Sretensky Monastery). Archimandrite Tikhon, the monastery’s superior, presided over the All-night Vigil and the Divine [...]

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O Kosovo, Kosovo

A beautiful song about Kosovo (in Serbian, my English translation follows). You may find a recording by the sisters of the Novo-Tikhvin Convent in Yekaterniburg here.
ОЈ КОСОВО, КОСОВО!
Са Косова зора свиће,
Свиће, свиће нови дан.
Грачаница сва у сјају
Дочекује Видовдан.
Ој Косово, Косово, земљо моја вољена,
Земљо славних витезова Лазара и Милоша!
Све делије од Србије,
Свако срце поносно,
Који љуби земљу [...]

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Super Tuesday Predictions

My predictions for Super Tuesday, based on exit polls, Monday polling, and some common sense.
Predicted States – Republicans

McCain Huckabee Romney Too close to call———– ———— ——— [...]

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Russia to put missile shield in Serbia

According to the Serbian daily Kurir, in response to US plans to put a missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic, Russia is considering putting such a system in Serbia, on the Drina river.  Kurir reports that Serbia has agreed to such a proposal.

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