New member from Russia

[simon_me 38]

Hello, everyone! My name is Ilnur, Chelsea fan from St.Petersburg. Didn't used forums for a long time, but I'm a bit nervous about today's game, so I entered here to read some comments.

You're welcome to ask me anything about Russia, if you're interested in it (think there are a lot of stereotypes – i drink vodka very rarely and don't have bear in my apartment).

Hope my english is okay! =)

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Hello, everyone! My name is Ilnur, Chelsea fan from St.Petersburg. Didn't used forums for a long time, but I'm a bit nervous about today's game, so I entered here to read some comments.

You're welcome to ask me anything about Russia, if you're interested in it (think there are a lot of stereotypes i drink vodka very rarely and don't have bear in my apartment).

Hope my english is okay! =)

Welcome. Your English is okay.

I'm asking a lot of questions I hope it won't be too much.

I wanted a Russian's view on the situation in Russia, because I've only heard from the USA /Ukrainian side.

Is the economy really terrible now in Russia or is the western media exaggerating the situation?? The western media say people are suffering and even losing their homes because of the sanctions. But I know people who make money from selling imported goods have been hit the most by the sanctions. What is the real situation going on there??

What is Putin doing to fight back the sanctions? The only one I know was him reducing imports from Usa, trying to abandon the dollar by exchanging only in euros, the multibillion dollar deal with China, making gas deals with turkey, weapons deals with India and supposedly is meeting Hungary today for a gas and trading deal. He is rumored to be saving a lot of Russian foreign reserves in Gold(I'm not sure of this) Did I leave anything else out of this??

What does Crimea have that makes it significant to Putin? Is it because there are Russians living there?? or is it because the Russian battleship is there so they took it at all cost to prevent Nato to get closer to Russian territory /war ships??? Could it be true that Russia gave Ukraine that land as a sign of alliance decades ago but because Ukraine has betrayed Russia by siding with EU and USA they just took it back???? Is there oil in Crimea that is making it an important money making zone??

Does Putin have a hand in what the rebels are doing???

If you say Putin has a hand in the rebels, then what does he gain from trying to seize land in Donetsk and other eastern parts of Ukraine?? Is he trying to destabilize Ukraine long enough to prevent them from joining NATO as long as possible??

If you say the rebels are on their own, then how do they have those sophisticated weapons?? Or are they supplied by the former president that was removed by US backing Ukraine.

[dUMB 189]

Welcome! I drink vodka instead of you!

[simon_me 38]

Welcome! I drink vodka instead of you!

Thanks! Drink vine instead of vodka, because it's really awful, if you do it too much

[simon_me 38]

Welcome. Your English is okay.

I'm asking a lot of questions I hope it won't be too much.

I wanted a Russian's view on the situation in Russia, because I've only heard from the USA /Ukrainian side.

Hello, Thanks! Will try to answer to all of your questions. It's not too much, when I was writing "ask me about Russia", I already knew that there would be questions about Ukraine, Crimea and Donbass.

1. Is the economy really terrible now in Russia or is the western media exaggerating the situation?? If you ask me about myself – I don't feel much worse than last year. Of course, prices raised (I think it's 40-50%), and many business companies, especially related with tourism, or importing goods from abroad are really in trouble now. When first sanctions were launched and oil prices went down, many experts said that Putin regime will fall fastly, because economics will be just ruined. But now it's obvoius that it won't. By the way, if you want to read russian not-propaganda newspaper – i suggest you to go to meduza.io/en, I think it's most professionally made media (and they translate all the texts to english).

2. What is Putin doing to fight back the sanctions? Most of your information is right – Russia launched their own sanctions and banned import of some products from EU, US, Canada, Australia. Politics said that sanctions are not bad for Russia, because we can establish our production (now it's clear that these words for just trick for fools). Another thing - Putin is searching for the partners in Asia (China, India), South America (Brazil), Africa (Egypt) but it's not a new. A few years ago Russia organised and entered Eurasian Custom Union, for example. There are two main opposite ideas now in Russia - that country most be a part of Europe (which I agree), people on the opposite side think that Russia must search partners in Asia. It's becoming more and more clear that Putin is for the second option.

3. What does Crimea have that makes it significant to Putin? First of all, historically Сrimea is very important territory for Russia (not economically, just mentally). In 1954 it was transferred to Ukrainian SSR (Ukraine). And now Putin intervented it and took back. Most of the people don't care how it was made (I mean, anonymous russian soldiers coming to the territory of foreign country and so on), they only feel very proud that Putin took Crimea back without single gunshot (about 84% of russians support Putin, year ago it was 49%). Another thing which you mentioned, and Putin said about it 2-3 times - he don't want to NATO get close to russian borders (maybe that's why he wanted to take Eastern Ukraine too, but then realised that it would be much harder?). In my opinion, it's not a point, in 21st century we've atom bombs which can be automatically directed from USA to Russia or another way, is it really important to not led NATO get close to Russia? Very much doubt it, but i'm not an expert in geopolitics.

Crimea is not territory with oil, it always was a touristic place, but now it's in terrible condition.

4. Does Putin have a hand in what the rebels are doing??? In May 2014 I met my college and friend, who was in Maidan, Eastern Ukraine and Crimea (we're both journalists) and asked him the same thing. He answered that Putin totally controlled it at the beginning, when there were more professionals (there are Russian soldiers, obviously). But now there are a lot of volunteers, who really believe that they have to go to Donbass and fight for Russians against the fascists (new Ukraine gov), because our propagandist media say them about it 24 hours a day. And question is does Putin control them now? If he today evening will say them to stop and go back to Russia - will they? I think they feel like heros now, because they're "fighting for russians", why they have to stop just because Putin said them to do so? Very hard question.

And I really don't know why Putin decided to make war in Eastern Ukraine. Maybe he thought that it can be intervented just like Crimea, maybe he wants to destablize Ukraine for political reasons, there are so many theories about it, but it can't be confirmed. Putin thinks that he's a most powerful president in the world, and you really can't say ecsactly what he has in his mind.

I hope it was useful, if you have some more questions - I'm glad to help you with it.

[manpe 10,861]

Thanks! Drink vine instead of vodka, because it's really awful, if you do it too much

Greetings neighbour! If you promise not to invade Estonia, I will send you a nice bottle of wine (if sanctions don't forbid it). I have an uncle from St. Petersburg, and I was born and lived 18 years 150 km away from St. Petersburg (Narva, the easternmost point of EU, a town with 97% Russian population), so we have a little in common.

Btw, favourite player Victor Moses, really? :carlo2:

[simon_me 38]

Greetings neighbour! If you promise not to invade Estonia, I will send you a nice bottle of wine (if sanctions don't forbid it). I have an uncle from St. Petersburg, and I was born and lived 18 years 150 km away from St. Petersburg (Narva, the easternmost point of EU, a town with 97% Russian population), so we have a little in common.

Btw, favourite player Victor Moses, really? :carlo2:

It will happen only if Putin will get cranky, so don't worry! Would be great, didn't drink Estonian wines for a long time! I'm thinking about travelling to a european cities nearby St.Petersburg, so maybe Narva will be on my way!

No, of course, it is a joke. Just couldn't choose the favourite player between the favourite players

[manpe 10,861]

It will happen only if Putin will get cranky, so don't worry! Would be great, didn't drink Estonian wines for a long time! I'm thinking about travelling to a european cities nearby St.Petersburg, so maybe Narva will be on my way!

No, of course, it is a joke. Just couldn't choose the favourite player between the favourite players

He is cranky already There have been signs with the kidnapping and illegal jailing of our police agent on the border and record-breaking increase in illegal warplane flights over the Baltic Sea, that NATO fighters have to constantly go to identify. They have had control over our capital city for many years now with a Kreml-minded party in charge, not to mention they also run most of the eastern counties with Russian population majority. April 2007 showed that they can organize mass riots very easily when they want to, because a lot of the people here are mindlessly pro-Russia.

Have you ever visited Estonia?

[simon_me 38]

He is cranky already There have been signs with the kidnapping and illegal jailing of our police agent on the border and record-breaking increase in illegal warplane flights over the Baltic Sea, that NATO fighters have to constantly go to identify. They have had control over our capital city for many years now with a Kreml-minded party in charge, not to mention they also run most of the eastern counties with Russian population majority. April 2007 showed that they can organize mass riots very easily when they want to, because a lot of the people here are mindlessly pro-Russia.

Have you ever visited Estonia?

Never. But I heard the same story about other countries with huge russian population (for example, Kazakhstan). What is the russian population in Estonia? Something like 25%, right? Can you give me a link to an information about April 2007, please?

The good news is – Putin is already 62, next votes are in 2018. But maybe he is preparing successor (as Yeltsin did), hope it won't happen.

[manpe 10,861]

Never. But I heard the same story about other countries with huge russian population (for example, Kazakhstan). What is the russian population in Estonia? Something like 25%, right? Can you give me a link to an information about April 2007, please?

The good news is – Putin is already 62, next votes are in 2018. But maybe he is preparing successor (as Yeltsin did), hope it won't happen.

Approx. 25% Russians yeah.

April 2007: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_Night(don't know how trustworthy wiki sources are, haven't read it myself).

And if you want to visit a close European city, then first come to Tallinn (there is a direct bus and train for that from St. Pete's) and then it's easy for example to visit Helsinki or Stockholm from here if you wish.

[lucio 5,418]

Is the mongol invasion and following events , widely commemorated?

[kobematabryant 400]

Hello, everyone! My name is Ilnur, Chelsea fan from St.Petersburg. Didn't used forums for a long time, but I'm a bit nervous about today's game, so I entered here to read some comments.

You're welcome to ask me anything about Russia, if you're interested in it (think there are a lot of stereotypes – i drink vodka very rarely and don't have bear in my apartment).

Hope my english is okay! =)

Welcome mate! Anyways I do actually have few questions about the Russian football team. My question is, why are Russia so average at football? 2014 was the first world cup Russia qualified for since 2002, and have never went through group stages. Even teams such as Ukraine have done better. I've never understood this as Russia have a huge population, even larger than Germany.

I see that Russia have brilliant teams in Volleyball, Basketball, Ice Hockey, Handball and even Rugby to an extent. I'm assuming it's the weather that Russians dislike in football.