Friday, September 05, 2014

Bits and Pieces - September 5, 2014



Nuclear Diner is down right now, because we're working on upgrading the site. We hope to have it back in greatly improved form next week. Meanwhile, tabs are building up on my browser, and it's time to simplify. So these links will tilt more toward the nuclear and world conflict than usual.

This morning, it appears that Russia's FSB kidnapped an Estonian Security Service officer. The Estonian Security Service works on counterintelligence and organized crime. Here's more about Estonia's counterintelligence.

The photo above  (click to enlarge) is what the Estonian-Russian border looks like where the officer was taken.


Postimees, one of Estonia's two major newspapers, now has an English edition. They are following the kidnapping closely. I recommend their coverage as likely to be the most comprehensive and accurate. My one caveat is that the English looks to me like a machine translation polished by humans. There may be inaccuracies.

Vladimir Putin and others have been spouting a lot of blah blah blah on ethnic Russians outside Russia. Here are some ACTUAL FACTS about ethnic Russians in Estonia.

Reason #3794 why Russia's neighbors don't like Russia: It took three years after independence to persuade Russia to remove its troops from Estonia.

Thoughts on Ukraine from commentators worth reading: Robert Jervis, Mark Galeotti.

Finland's lesson for Ukraine, it seems to me, is to whack Russia hard and then back off a bit. I think that's close to what this former Finnish Ambassador to Russia is saying.

A peace plan for Ukraine and some serious objections to it.

Is Kazakhstan next in Putin's sights?

Radioactive source missing in Kazakhstan. Like most of the other missing-source stories, this one will probably end with minimal problems.

Another article trying to figure Putin out.

NATO Summit Declaration.

A way to provide a basis for negotiating with Iran that both sides might be able to accept.


3 comments:

The Blog Fodder said...

Thanks for these links. Things have really gone to hell in Ukraine. If we lose Mariupol too it will be very bad. Otherwise I would say give the Russian terrorists their captured area and tell them they are independent, then support the Ukrainian refugees that have to flee

Cheryl Rofer said...

Thanks for your comments. Are you back in Ukraine now? I'm hoping for the best for you and Ukraine, but afraid of the worst.

The Blog Fodder said...

I go home tomorrow. I am afraid Ukraine is finished as it appears Putin is determined to carry his vision of NovoRossiya to the fullest extent. Mariupol is under attack already.