Contents tagged with USSR

  • Putin: former Soviet republics left USSR with ‘Russian lands'

    The republics that were part of the USSR "took with them gifts from the Russian people" during the collapse of the Soviet Union, said Russian President Vladimir Putin in a televised interview.

    Putin noted that the Union Treaty stipulated the right of the republics to leave the Union, but the procedure was not regulated.

    Putin did not specify what kind of gifts were taken. The Russian president also did not specify which republics of the former Soviet Union "took Russia’s lands."

    In the same …

  • Putin lays claim to offshore assets of former Soviet states

    The former republics of the Soviet Union breached their agreements to give Russia their assets abroad, said Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday while meeting with the work group for drafting amendments to the constitution.

    According to Putin, when the Soviet Union collapsed, Moscow undertook to repay the debts of all the former Soviet republics, in exchange for which they agreed to give Moscow their foreign property.

    “The whole world was very happy” when Russia undertook to pay …

  • Poland’s parliament declares Germany and Soviet Union equally responsible for start of WWII

    The lower house of Poland’s parliament has adopted a resolution which condemns the false and provocative statements by Russian senior government officials regarding Poland’s responsibility for unleashing World War II.

    The Polish parliamentarians believe that such statements are designed to discredit Poland and to damage Russian-Polish relations.

    “Relations between the countries cannot be built on lies and the falsification of history,” the document states.

    The resolution points out that …

  • Polish Prime Minister: USSR was an ally of Nazi Germany

    Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that the Molotov—Ribbentrop Pact was initially a Union agreement between the USSR and Nazi Germany.

    Morawiecki also accused the Russian authorities of supporting Stalinism.

    "Russian citizens are the main victims of Stalin, one of the greatest criminals in world history, and therefore they deserve the truth. I believe that the Russians are a nation of free people, and they reject Stalinism, even if Putin's government is trying to justify it," wrote …

  • Lithuania to reopen 1991 ‘Soviet aggression’ case

    The Lithuanian Prosecutor General’s Office decided to continue the investigation into the events of January 1991, TASS reports.

    “The lead prosecutor’s decision to stop the investigation on April 30 has been overruled by the higher ranked prosecutor,” said Public Relations Spokeswoman Elena Martinonene.

    As Martinonene explained, this decision was made because a number of legal procedural actions need to be carried out in the case. What exact actions the prosecutor's office was required to take …

  • Lithuanian parliamentarians urge to recognize the deportation of the Crimean Tatars in 1944 as genocide

     “Crimes” against the Crimean Tatars committed in the USSR should be recognized as a genocide, according to a draft of the resolution registered by Conservatives Audronius Ažubalis and Laurynas Kasčiūnas in the Lithuanian Seimas, as reported by DELFI.

    “There is no statute of limitations for crimes committed during the communist regime,” said Ažubalis. Also, according to the parliamentarians, “oppression, discrimination and violence against the Crimean Tatars began again, five years ago,” when …

  • Putin promises to increase Russia's military potential

    President Vladimir Putin, in his Victory Day speech, promised to ensure Russia's military potential. The Russian president’s statement was made on the public holiday, the significance of which has grown substantially over the twenty years of his leadership.

    Putin gave a speech in Red Square in front of thousands of soldiers and veterans at the beginning of the annual parade, which displayed hundreds of units of military equipment.

    “The lessons of the past war are still relevant. We have done …

  • Putin congratulates Gorbachev on his birthday

    Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated former USSR president Mikhail Gorbachev on his birthday. Putin’s message was published on the Kremlin website. On March 2nd, Gorbachev turned 88.

    Putin noted that in Russia and abroad Gorbachev is known as an authoritative government and public figure with great experience. According to the Russian President, Gorbachev is currently actively involved in expert discussions and contributes significantly to dialogue on the most critical problems of …

  • Russia’s biggest American investor placed under 2 month arrest in Moscow

    Russia’s legal system continues to dampen the country’s already troubled investment climate.

    Michael Calvey, founder of Baring Vostok, the largest direct investment fund in Russia with more than 80 projects and $3 billion in capital invested in the Russian economy, was arrested by the Basmanny District Court of Moscow on Saturday and sent to a pre-trial detention center for two months.

    A graduate of the University of Oklahoma and the London School of Economics and Political Science, Calvey …

  • Estonia demands compensation from Russia for occupation by the USSR

    Estonia has reminded Russia of the times of Soviet occupation once again and pointed to the violation of the Tartu peace treaty from 1920. Estonian Minister of Justice Urmas Reinsalu claimed that the USSR violated the treaty on Estonia’s independence and that Russia must be held accountable for it. 

    According to him, Russia is the successor of the USSR and should pay damages to Estonia in accordance with international law. 

    “The Soviet Union occupied Estonia, violating the Treaty of Tartu, …