theduran--2020-02-09--Russian diplomacy cracks as Erdogan challenges Russia in Syria & Ukraine (Video)

The Duran ’ s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss a military operation by Syrian government forces that killed eight Turkish military personnel in Syria ’ s northwest Idlib region .
The conflict between Syrian forces and Turkish troops has jeopardized the fragile Russian-Turkish truce in Idlib .
Turkish President Erdogan meanwhile was in Kiev , blasting Russia for its alleged “ annexation ” of Crimea , stating , “ we fully support and will support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine , including Crimea.
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Turkish President Recep Erdogan joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outside Kyiv ’ s 18th-century Mariyinsky Palace to review an honor guard of Ukrainian troops .
A band played the anthems of both countries .
Along the nearby streets , Turkish and Ukrainian flags hung side-by-side on light poles .
The Mariyinsky Palace was originally built as a residence for the Russian Czars .
Thus , it was a fittingly symbolic place for the two leaders to meet on the day Erdogan announced $ 36 million in Turkish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war against Russian forces in its southeastern Donbas region .
“ We fully support and will support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine , including Crimea , ” Erdogan told reporters Monday in Kyiv , referring to a Ukrainian peninsular territory that Russia invaded and illegally annexed in 2014 .
Erdogan ’ s visit to Ukraine on Monday came at a time of heightened tensions between Turkey and Russia .
On Feb. 2 , seven Turkish soldiers and one civilian were killed in Syria by forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad , Syria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened in Syria ’ s embattled Idlib region .
Turkish officials said they gave advanced notice of their troops ’ positions to the Russians .
Russian officials said the warning never came .
In turn , Erdogan reportedly told Russia “ to not stand in our way ” as Turkey retaliated against Syrian government forces with airstrikes and artillery .
“ Those who test Turkey ’ s determination with such vile attacks will understand their mistake , ” Erdogan said , adding : “ It is not possible for us to remain silent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amid the backdrop of Ankara ’ s latest row with Moscow , some saw Erdogan ’ s offer of military aid to Ukraine on Monday as a direct rebuke against Russia ’ s support of Assad .
Yet , according to Luke Coffey , director of The Heritage Foundation ’ s Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy , Turkey has had a “ complicated ” relationship with Russia for a long time—well before the current war in Syria .
“ For centuries Russia and Turkey have been competitors , and at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the South Caucasus , and in the Middle East , ” Coffey said .
Those historically fractious Russo-Turkish relations have certainly had their highs and lows in recent years .
In November 2015 , a Turkish F-16 fighter shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-24M attack aircraft near the Syria–Turkey border .
Less than four years later , however , Ankara took possession of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems it had purchased from Russia .
The move strained Ankara ’ s relations with the U.S. and other NATO allies .
The Turkish military went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S.-made F-16 fighter aircraft—the same type used to shoot down the Russian Sukhoi in 2015 .
After the S-400 deal , Turkey ’ s relations with Russia seemed to be on the mend .
For one , a new gas pipeline connecting Russia to Turkey under the Black Sea just recently went online , allowing Gazprom , Russia ’ s national gas conglomerate , to bypass Ukrainian transit pipelines , which have moved Russian gas to Europe since the Soviet era .
Known as TurkStream , the new Russian pipeline comprises two strings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to deliver 15.75 billion cubic meters annually .
According to information on Gazprom ’ s website , the first string is meant to deliver gas to Turkey , while the second string will directly deliver Russian gas to southeastern Europe .
Yet , tensions over the war in Syria have soured the budding bonhomie between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Erdogan .
So , too , has Russia ’ s systematic persecution of a Turkic ethnic group living in Crimea—the Tatars .
“ Turkey has been one of the most vocal supporters of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been one of the only Muslim-majority countries in the world to criticize Russia ’ s treatment of the Crimean Tatars , ” Heritage ’ s Coffey said .
“ This is why , when commentators and pundits say that Turkey has shifted its foreign policy to be more aligned with Russia , they fail to understand these old divisions that exist.
” Erdogan and Zelenskyy signed a sweeping bilateral agreement on Monday , pledging a tighter strategic partnership between their two countries with the goal of doubling bilateral trade to $ 10 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strengthen strategic partnership in the economic field , ” Zelenskyy told reporters .
“ We talked about everything : roads , housing , and enterprises.
” In January , the two countries struck a $ 600 million deal for Ukraine to supply Turkey with cruise missile engines .
On Monday , Ukrainian and Turkish officials agreed to more joint military-industrial projects .
Also , Ukrainian and Turkish defense officials pledged ramped-up joint security operations on the sea and in the air .
“ We are looking forward to developing cooperation to step up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the naval situation in the Black Sea region , as well as enhancing air defense capabilities , ” Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk told reporters .
New Kid on the Block Erdogan ’ s visit to Kyiv came only three days after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a long-awaited visit to the Ukrainian capital city .
The back-to-back visits by delegations from NATO ’ s two most powerful militaries underscore how Ukraine is playing an increasingly outsized role in counterbalancing Russia ’ s destabilizing influence across Eastern Europe .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States understands that Ukraine is an important country , ” Pompeo said in Kyiv on Jan. 31 .
“ It ’ s not just the geographic heart of Europe .
It ’ s a bulwark between freedom and authoritarianism in Eastern Europe.
” Ukraine has been locked in a stalemated , static trench war against Russian forces in its southeastern Donbas region since April of 2014 .
Over the course of the war , Ukraine has revamped its armed forces to meet the immediate needs of combat in the Donbas .
Yet , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aspirations extend further than the Donbas battlefields .
Overall , Kyiv ’ s strategic goal is to field a military capable of repelling a full-scale Russian invasion .
Also , Ukraine ’ s national security strategy calls for the country ’ s armed forces to adopt NATO operating standards with hopes of one day joining the Western alliance .
Ukraine now fields 250,000 active-duty soldiers—second only to Russia in terms manpower among European militaries .
Moreover , Ukraine ’ s troops are battle-hardened after more than six years of constant combat against Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
No NATO country rivals Ukraine in terms of combat experience against the modern Russian military .
“ For Ukraine , a sovereign state subjected to a multi-year campaign of ongoing Russian aggression , the stakes are high , ” said James Gilmore , U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe , during a Feb. 6 meeting in Vienna .
“ The United States fully supports Ukraine ’ s sovereignty , independence , and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders , including its territorial waters , ” Gilmore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nor will we ever , recognize Russia ’ s purported annexation of Crimea .
”

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
The Duran’s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss a military operation by Syrian government forces that killed eight Turkish military personnel in Syria’s northwest Idlib region. The conflict between Syrian forces and Turkish troops has jeopardized the fragile Russian-Turkish truce in Idlib.
Turkish President Erdogan meanwhile was in Kiev, blasting Russia for its alleged “annexation” of Crimea, stating, “we fully support and will support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, including Crimea.”
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Via The Daily Signal…
Turkish President Recep Erdogan joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outside Kyiv’s 18th-century Mariyinsky Palace to review an honor guard of Ukrainian troops. A band played the anthems of both countries. Along the nearby streets, Turkish and Ukrainian flags hung side-by-side on light poles.
The Mariyinsky Palace was originally built as a residence for the Russian Czars. Thus, it was a fittingly symbolic place for the two leaders to meet on the day Erdogan announced $36 million in Turkish military aid for Ukraine—a country currently at war against Russian forces in its southeastern Donbas region.
“We fully support and will support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, including Crimea,” Erdogan told reporters Monday in Kyiv, referring to a Ukrainian peninsular territory that Russia invaded and illegally annexed in 2014.
Erdogan’s visit to Ukraine on Monday came at a time of heightened tensions between Turkey and Russia. On Feb. 2, seven Turkish soldiers and one civilian were killed in Syria by forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s Russian-backed dictator.
The attack happened in Syria’s embattled Idlib region. Turkish officials said they gave advanced notice of their troops’ positions to the Russians. Russian officials said the warning never came.
In turn, Erdogan reportedly told Russia “to not stand in our way” as Turkey retaliated against Syrian government forces with airstrikes and artillery.
“Those who test Turkey’s determination with such vile attacks will understand their mistake,” Erdogan said, adding: “It is not possible for us to remain silent when our soldiers are being martyred.”
Tit for Tat
Amid the backdrop of Ankara’s latest row with Moscow, some saw Erdogan’s offer of military aid to Ukraine on Monday as a direct rebuke against Russia’s support of Assad.
Yet, according to Luke Coffey, director of The Heritage Foundation’s Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy, Turkey has had a “complicated” relationship with Russia for a long time—well before the current war in Syria.
“For centuries Russia and Turkey have been competitors, and at times enemies, in the Black Sea, the South Caucasus, and in the Middle East,” Coffey said.
Those historically fractious Russo-Turkish relations have certainly had their highs and lows in recent years.
In November 2015, a Turkish F-16 fighter shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-24M attack aircraft near the Syria–Turkey border. Less than four years later, however, Ankara took possession of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems it had purchased from Russia. The move strained Ankara’s relations with the U.S. and other NATO allies.
The Turkish military went on to test its Russian missiles against U.S.-made F-16 fighter aircraft—the same type used to shoot down the Russian Sukhoi in 2015.
After the S-400 deal, Turkey’s relations with Russia seemed to be on the mend. For one, a new gas pipeline connecting Russia to Turkey under the Black Sea just recently went online, allowing Gazprom, Russia’s national gas conglomerate, to bypass Ukrainian transit pipelines, which have moved Russian gas to Europe since the Soviet era.
Known as TurkStream, the new Russian pipeline comprises two strings, each of which has the capacity to deliver 15.75 billion cubic meters annually. According to information on Gazprom’s website, the first string is meant to deliver gas to Turkey, while the second string will directly deliver Russian gas to southeastern Europe.
Yet, tensions over the war in Syria have soured the budding bonhomie between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Erdogan. So, too, has Russia’s systematic persecution of a Turkic ethnic group living in Crimea—the Tatars.
“Turkey has been one of the most vocal supporters of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and has been one of the only Muslim-majority countries in the world to criticize Russia’s treatment of the Crimean Tatars,” Heritage’s Coffey said. “This is why, when commentators and pundits say that Turkey has shifted its foreign policy to be more aligned with Russia, they fail to understand these old divisions that exist.”
Erdogan and Zelenskyy signed a sweeping bilateral agreement on Monday, pledging a tighter strategic partnership between their two countries with the goal of doubling bilateral trade to $10 billion by 2023.
“We need to strengthen strategic partnership in the economic field,” Zelenskyy told reporters. “We talked about everything: roads, housing, and enterprises.”
In January, the two countries struck a $600 million deal for Ukraine to supply Turkey with cruise missile engines. On Monday, Ukrainian and Turkish officials agreed to more joint military-industrial projects. Also, Ukrainian and Turkish defense officials pledged ramped-up joint security operations on the sea and in the air.
“We are looking forward to developing cooperation to step up security in the region by exchanging information on the naval situation in the Black Sea region, as well as enhancing air defense capabilities,” Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk told reporters.
New Kid on the Block
Erdogan’s visit to Kyiv came only three days after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a long-awaited visit to the Ukrainian capital city.
The back-to-back visits by delegations from NATO’s two most powerful militaries underscore how Ukraine is playing an increasingly outsized role in counterbalancing Russia’s destabilizing influence across Eastern Europe.
“The Ukrainian people should know the United States understands that Ukraine is an important country,” Pompeo said in Kyiv on Jan. 31. “It’s not just the geographic heart of Europe. It’s a bulwark between freedom and authoritarianism in Eastern Europe.”
Pompeo pledged America’s continued support for Ukraine’s armed forces.
Ukraine has been locked in a stalemated, static trench war against Russian forces in its southeastern Donbas region since April of 2014. Over the course of the war, Ukraine has revamped its armed forces to meet the immediate needs of combat in the Donbas. Yet, looking forward, Ukraine’s military aspirations extend further than the Donbas battlefields.
Overall, Kyiv’s strategic goal is to field a military capable of repelling a full-scale Russian invasion. Also, Ukraine’s national security strategy calls for the country’s armed forces to adopt NATO operating standards with hopes of one day joining the Western alliance.
Ukraine now fields 250,000 active-duty soldiers—second only to Russia in terms manpower among European militaries. Moreover, Ukraine’s troops are battle-hardened after more than six years of constant combat against Russian forces in both conventional and hybrid warfare. No NATO country rivals Ukraine in terms of combat experience against the modern Russian military.
“For Ukraine, a sovereign state subjected to a multi-year campaign of ongoing Russian aggression, the stakes are high,” said James Gilmore, U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, during a Feb. 6 meeting in Vienna.
“The United States fully supports Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, including its territorial waters,” Gilmore said. “We do not, nor will we ever, recognize Russia’s purported annexation of Crimea.”
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theduran--2020-02-09--Pentagon cites 873 software flaws in Lockheed Martin’s $428 billion F-35 program (Video)

The Duran ’ s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss the F-35 ’ s many operational flaws and software issues including a gun that can not shoot straight .
Annual Pentagon testing of the F-35 has found 873 software issues and 13 ‘ must-fix ’ items .
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The Duran Audio Podcast : Follow on Soundcloud – Subscribe on iTunes .
Add a gun that can ’ t shoot straight to the problems that dog Lockheed Martin Corp. ’ s $ 428 billion F-35 program , including more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gun on Air Force models of the Joint Strike Fighter has “ unacceptable ” accuracy in hitting ground targets and is mounted in housing that ’ s cracking , the Pentagon ’ s test office said in its latest assessment of the costliest U.S. weapons system .
The annual assessment by Robert Behler , the Defense Department ’ s director of operational test and evaluation , doesn ’ t disclose any major new failings in the plane ’ s flying capabilities .
But it flags a long list of issues that his office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ described as Category 1 “ must-fix ” items that affect safety or combat capability — before the F-35 ’ s upcoming $ 22 billion Block 4 phase .
The number of software deficiencies totaled 873 as of November , according to the report obtained by Bloomberg News in advance of its release as soon as Friday .
That ’ s down from 917 in September 2018 , when the jet entered the intense combat testing required before full production , including 15 Category 1 items .
What was to be a year of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until at least October .
“ Although the program office is working to fix deficiencies , new discoveries are still being made , resulting in only a minor decrease in the overall number ” and leaving “ many significant ‘ ’ ones to address , the assessment said .
In addition , the test office said cybersecurity “ vulnerabilities ” that it identified in previous reports haven ’ t been resolved .
The report also cites issues with reliability , aircraft availability and maintenance systems .
The assessment doesn ’ t deal with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ round of combat testing , which will include 64 exercises in a high-fidelity simulator designed to replicate the most challenging Russian , Chinese , North Korean and Iranian air defenses .
Despite the incomplete testing and unresolved flaws , Congress continues to accelerate F-35 purchases , adding 11 to the Pentagon ’ s request in 2016 and in 2017 , 20 in fiscal 2018 , 15 last year and 20 this year .
The F-35 continues to attract new international customers such as Poland and Singapore .
Japan is the biggest foreign customer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ By late September , 490 F-35s had been delivered and will require extensive retrofitting .
The testing office said those planes were equipped with six different versions of software , with another on the way by the time that about 1,000 planes will be in the hands of the U.S. and foreign militaries .
A spokesmen for the Pentagon ’ s F-35 program office had no immediate comment on the testing office ’ s report .
Brett Ashworth , a spokesman for Bethesda , Maryland-based Lockheed , said that “ although we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continues to mature and is the most lethal , survivable and connected fighter in the world.
” He said “ reliability continues to improve , with the global fleet averaging greater than 65 % mission capable rates and operational units consistently performing near 75 % .
” The Mattis Test Still , the testing office said “ no significant portion ” of the U.S. ’ s F-35 fleet “ was able to achieve and sustain ” a September 2019 goal mandated by then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis : that the aircraft be capable 80 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least one type of combat mission .
That target is known as the “ Mission Capable ” rate .
“ However , individual units were able to achieve the 80 % target for short periods during deployed operations , ” the report said .
All the aircraft models lagged “ by a large margin ” behind the more demanding goal of “ Full Mission Capability.
” The Air Force ’ s F-35 model had the best rate at being fully mission capable , while the Navy ’ s fleet “ suffered from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test office said .
The Marine Corps version was “ roughly midway ” between the other two .
The Air Force and Navy versions are also continuing to have cracks in structural components , according to the report , saying , “ The effect on F-35 service life and the need for additional inspection requirements are still being determined.
” The three F-35 models are all equipped with 25mm guns .
The Navy and Marine versions are mounted externally and have acceptable accuracy .
But the Air Force model ’ s gun is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test office “ considers the accuracy , as installed , unacceptable ” due to “ misalignments ” in the gun ’ s mount that didn ’ t meet specifications .
The mounts are also cracking , forcing the Air Force to restrict the gun ’ s use .
The program office has “ made progress with changes to gun installation ” to improve accuracy but they haven ’ t been tested yet , according to the report .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
The Duran’s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss the F-35’s many operational flaws and software issues including a gun that cannot shoot straight.
Annual Pentagon testing of the F-35 has found 873 software issues and 13 ‘must-fix’ items.
Support Free Speech:
Subscribe to The Duran on YouTube – Find us on BitChute.
The Duran Audio Podcast:
Follow on Soundcloud – Subscribe on iTunes.
Via Bloomberg…
F-35 Jet Can’t Shoot Straight.
Add a gun that can’t shoot straight to the problems that dog Lockheed Martin Corp.’s $428 billion F-35 program, including more than 800 software flaws.
The 25mm gun on Air Force models of the Joint Strike Fighter has “unacceptable” accuracy in hitting ground targets and is mounted in housing that’s cracking, the Pentagon’s test office said in its latest assessment of the costliest U.S. weapons system.
The annual assessment by Robert Behler, the Defense Department’s director of operational test and evaluation, doesn’t disclose any major new failings in the plane’s flying capabilities. But it flags a long list of issues that his office said should be resolved — including 13 described as Category 1 “must-fix” items that affect safety or combat capability — before the F-35’s upcoming $22 billion Block 4 phase.
The number of software deficiencies totaled 873 as of November, according to the report obtained by Bloomberg News in advance of its release as soon as Friday. That’s down from 917 in September 2018, when the jet entered the intense combat testing required before full production, including 15 Category 1 items. What was to be a year of testing has now been extended another year until at least October.
“Although the program office is working to fix deficiencies, new discoveries are still being made, resulting in only a minor decrease in the overall number” and leaving “many significant‘’ ones to address, the assessment said.
Cybersecurity ‘Vulnerabilities’
In addition, the test office said cybersecurity “vulnerabilities” that it identified in previous reports haven’t been resolved. The report also cites issues with reliability, aircraft availability and maintenance systems.
The assessment doesn’t deal with findings that are emerging in the current round of combat testing, which will include 64 exercises in a high-fidelity simulator designed to replicate the most challenging Russian, Chinese, North Korean and Iranian air defenses.
Despite the incomplete testing and unresolved flaws, Congress continues to accelerate F-35 purchases, adding 11 to the Pentagon’s request in 2016 and in 2017, 20 in fiscal 2018, 15 last year and 20 this year. The F-35 continues to attract new international customers such as Poland and Singapore. Japan is the biggest foreign customer, followed by Australia and the U.K.
By late September, 490 F-35s had been delivered and will require extensive retrofitting. The testing office said those planes were equipped with six different versions of software, with another on the way by the time that about 1,000 planes will be in the hands of the U.S. and foreign militaries.
A spokesmen for the Pentagon’s F-35 program office had no immediate comment on the testing office’s report.
Brett Ashworth, a spokesman for Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed, said that “although we have not seen the report, the F-35 continues to mature and is the most lethal, survivable and connected fighter in the world.” He said “reliability continues to improve, with the global fleet averaging greater than 65% mission capable rates and operational units consistently performing near 75%.”
The Mattis Test
Still, the testing office said “no significant portion” of the U.S.’s F-35 fleet “was able to achieve and sustain” a September 2019 goal mandated by then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis: that the aircraft be capable 80% of the time needed to perform at least one type of combat mission. That target is known as the “Mission Capable” rate.
“However, individual units were able to achieve the 80% target for short periods during deployed operations,” the report said. All the aircraft models lagged “by a large margin” behind the more demanding goal of “Full Mission Capability.”
The Air Force’s F-35 model had the best rate at being fully mission capable, while the Navy’s fleet “suffered from a particularly poor” rate, the test office said. The Marine Corps version was “roughly midway” between the other two.
The Air Force and Navy versions are also continuing to have cracks in structural components, according to the report, saying, “The effect on F-35 service life and the need for additional inspection requirements are still being determined.”
Gun Woes
The three F-35 models are all equipped with 25mm guns. The Navy and Marine versions are mounted externally and have acceptable accuracy. But the Air Force model’s gun is mounted inside the plane, and the test office “considers the accuracy, as installed, unacceptable” due to “misalignments” in the gun’s mount that didn’t meet specifications.
The mounts are also cracking, forcing the Air Force to restrict the gun’s use. The program office has “made progress with changes to gun installation” to improve accuracy but they haven’t been tested yet, according to the report.
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theduran--2020-02-09--Challenges to the US Unipolar Moment

Challenges to the US Unipolar Moment

Only near-universal acceptance of the dollar keeps the United States dominant as global hegemon .
Fear of US military power is one thing , but shutting off the flow of dollars to a real or imagined US adversary is quite another .
How dollar dominance will progress is a matter for continual debate .
So long as the United States owns the bank accounts of just about everyone then significant resistance to US foreign policy and Washington ’ s hegemonic hubris will be limited .
Now , a unique trajectory in time and events has been attained where no complex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global debacle even if it were somehow transposed into the realm of political science .
Noting that there is no science to politics , other than what politically entrenched madmen submit who are somehow considered sane , but only when at University .
Even if the polity of science or science of politics is illusory , real history is not .
Dr Ian Barnes from Classical World Mapping History on the Greek Tyrannies 7th-6th Centuries BC wrote : Three thousand years on from the founding of “ democracy ” how and where is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today ?
One form of tyranny – Colonialism — has not really gone away .
In fact Neo-colonialism is resurgent .
Whether France in West Africa ; or the US with its many military bases ; to Turkey in North Africa or Israel seizing Palestinian land and bombing Iraq and Syria… the tyranny of government is based on the fallacy that might makes right and is as prevalent today as it was in the time of Thebans vs Spartans .
Now in 2020 we are at a unique point in the evolution of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been full-tilt in favor of US hegemony since 1948 .
Since commandeering most of the world ’ s gold by hook or crook – or by default – along with its by-decree ability to create as many dollars as desired to vaporize on its many battlegrounds , the United States has been allowed by the rest of the world to pursue damaging interventionist policies for seventy years .
* US-State endless wars are desirable since many battlefields fuel military-industrial Corporate earnings .
Lockheed-Martin , General Dynamics , General Atomic and Raytheon are guaranteed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And the battlefield provides a place where inflationary dollars can be comprehensively extinguished .
That is the militarist view and vacuum in which US-State operates , as enhanced by increased weaponization of the dollar through sanctions since 2014 .
Now consider that the US-State unipolar New World Order has existed from 1991 until now… what possible scenario will render it obsolete ?
The US-State stand-down after Iran fired ballistic missiles at two US bases in Iraq is quite telling .
By standing-down Washington signaled that it is not prepared for a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US Treasury announced it hopes to wage war financially and economically instead of militarily .
Not a new concept , but not historic overt US policy either .
Syria appears to be lost to the west but Israel ’ s stated intent to annex at least one-third of the West Bank ( Israel annexed the Golan in 1981 ) and its continued attacks in Syria prove that Israeli IASPS ambitions in the Middle East remain alive one quarter of a century later .
Kushner ’ s Third Temple plan reinforces the Trump agenda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his re-election campaign .
Somewhat surprisingly Trump did not mention the 51st state in his recent State address but did mention the US assassination of Suleimani .
What Trump said about Suleimani and did not say about Israel implies a much greater role for Israeli influence in his next term .
Turkey ’ s militarist adventure in Syria and Libya – one to stop Syrian emigration to Turkey and the other to maintain a cheap source of oil in Libya – is ongoing and complicates closer alignment to the east for Turkey .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Italy , Egypt , Greece and the United Arab Emirates all have vested economic interests to exploit in Libya and the Sahel in general .
Next is US pressure on Venezuela .
Iran , Syria , Afghanistan , Hong Kong , Iraq , Cuba , North Korea and Africa still rotate on the back burner for now .
China is impacted by the outbreak of disease which has created complications for its agenda and also for North Korea .
To cap off , the US is increasingly isolating itself by immigration policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the US dollar there is still no viable threat to dollar hegemony – there are just too many dollars afloat with only western big money debt instruments for them to go into .
Fed/ Primary Dealer /Treasury gaming ; derivatives and repos ; bogus foreign aid ; rigged markets ; or dollars blown up in the form of weaponry on Washington ’ s many battle grounds guarantees the dollar for now .
Wall Street is so rigged and gamed ( besides the occasional down day to provide plausible deniability ) the idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or fall at all , seems a statistical impossibility .
China and Russia are the only real outlier challengers to Washington ’ s rigged game , which becomes ever more dangerous as it becomes ever more rigged and gamed .
China will temporarily be restrained until a vaccine for the circulating viral disease can be manufactured , assuming the virus does not mutate .
Russia must pursue pragmatic policies and is somewhat constrained by its involvement in Syria , a delicate balancing act that Washington wishes to continue to exploit .
Meanwhile Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ignoring all else .
He will campaign on a domestic ideological theme particularly against socialism and immigration .
His attack on socialism is partly based on his opposition , and partly based on American antipathy to government hand-outs despite a large proportion of the US populace receiving them .
Mr Trump is essentially guaranteed a second term .
If re-elected , look for dramatic attacks on domestic social programs .
Foreign policy will align more closely with Israel and Saudi Arabia where Saudi Arabia will pursue expansionist goals in Africa ( particularly Libya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rein to engage in whatever havoc it so pleases .
That havoc will continue in Gaza and in the Occupied Territories and in Syria , while Israel presses the US to wipe Iran off the map .
And Washington ’ s Argumentum ad Baculum will give free reign to the US military where war with Iran may be virtually guaranteed by a new Trump regime .
All above looks very bleak .
Just as the Tyrants ruled civilization nearly three thousand years ago , they still rule today and not just in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is apparently becoming more disorderly by the day .
*1950 : Korea .
1953 : Operation Ajax , deposing Iran ’ s only democratically elected leader Mossadegh .
1954 : Operation PBSUCCESS , Guatemala CIA coup .
1961 : Cuba , Bay of Pigs .
1964 : Vietnam .
1967 : US/ Israeli aggression versus Palestine .
1973 : US coup and assassination of Allende .
1973 : US intervention in the Yom Kippur war .
1979 : Operation Cyclone , Afghanistan .
1981 : US atrocities in El Salvador .
1981 : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
1990 : Operation Just Cause .
1999 : Kosovo .
2001 : 911 blowback , 2003 Iraq , Syria , Yemen , Libya , Afghanistan … etc .
Steve Brown is the author of “ Iraq : the Road to War ” ( Sourcewatch ) editor of “ Bush Administration War Crimes in Iraq ” ( Sourcewatch ) “ Trump ’ s Limited Hangout ” and “ Federal Reserve : Out-sourcing the Monetary System to the Money Trust Oligarchs Since 1913 ” ; Steve is an antiwar activist , a published scholar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has appeared as guest contributor to The Duran , Fort Russ News , Herland Report , and Strategika51 .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Submitted by Steve Brown…
Only near-universal acceptance of the dollar keeps the United States dominant as global hegemon. Fear of US military power is one thing, but shutting off the flow of dollars to a real or imagined US adversary is quite another. How dollar dominance will progress is a matter for continual debate. So long as the United States owns the bank accounts of just about everyone then significant resistance to US foreign policy and Washington’s hegemonic hubris will be limited.
Now, a unique trajectory in time and events has been attained where no complex math equation could ever describe the present global debacle even if it were somehow transposed into the realm of political science. Noting that there is no science to politics, other than what politically entrenched madmen submit who are somehow considered sane, but only when at University.
Even if the polity of science or science of politics is illusory, real history is not. Dr Ian Barnes from Classical World Mapping History on the Greek Tyrannies 7th-6th Centuries BC wrote:
In ancient Greece the Tyrannies were cities and states ruled by Tyrants, influential opportunists who seized executive power by securing the support of different factions in order to engage in autocratic government. The Greek Tyrannies grew out of a struggle of the popular classes against the aristocracy and priest-kings, whose archaic traditions and mythology sanctioned hereditary rights to rule. Tyrants were generally installed by coups, and often became or remained popular rulers, at least in the early parts of their reign. While they had no legal right to rule, people generally preferred them to kings or aristocrats.
Three thousand years on from the founding of “democracy” how and where is the above not true in the West today? One form of tyranny – Colonialism — has not really gone away. In fact Neo-colonialism is resurgent. Whether France in West Africa; or the US with its many military bases; to Turkey in North Africa or Israel seizing Palestinian land and bombing Iraq and Syria… the tyranny of government is based on the fallacy that might makes right and is as prevalent today as it was in the time of Thebans vs Spartans.
Now in 2020 we are at a unique point in the evolution of pre-apocalypse Empire where the pinball game has been full-tilt in favor of US hegemony since 1948. Since commandeering most of the world’s gold by hook or crook – or by default – along with its by-decree ability to create as many dollars as desired to vaporize on its many battlegrounds, the United States has been allowed by the rest of the world to pursue damaging interventionist policies for seventy years.*
US-State endless wars are desirable since many battlefields fuel military-industrial Corporate earnings. Lockheed-Martin, General Dynamics, General Atomic and Raytheon are guaranteed a good day on the share markets. And the battlefield provides a place where inflationary dollars can be comprehensively extinguished. That is the militarist view and vacuum in which US-State operates, as enhanced by increased weaponization of the dollar through sanctions since 2014. Now consider that the US-State unipolar New World Order has existed from 1991 until now… what possible scenario will render it obsolete?
The US-State stand-down after Iran fired ballistic missiles at two US bases in Iraq is quite telling. By standing-down Washington signaled that it is not prepared for a new war. At the same time the US Treasury announced it hopes to wage war financially and economically instead of militarily. Not a new concept, but not historic overt US policy either.
Syria appears to be lost to the west but Israel’s stated intent to annex at least one-third of the West Bank (Israel annexed the Golan in 1981) and its continued attacks in Syria prove that Israeli IASPS ambitions in the Middle East remain alive one quarter of a century later. Kushner’s Third Temple plan reinforces the Trump agenda to get all available Lobby funding for his re-election campaign. Somewhat surprisingly Trump did not mention the 51st state in his recent State address but did mention the US assassination of Suleimani. What Trump said about Suleimani and did not say about Israel implies a much greater role for Israeli influence in his next term.
Turkey’s militarist adventure in Syria and Libya – one to stop Syrian emigration to Turkey and the other to maintain a cheap source of oil in Libya – is ongoing and complicates closer alignment to the east for Turkey. Libya poses the African question where France, Italy, Egypt, Greece and the United Arab Emirates all have vested economic interests to exploit in Libya and the Sahel in general.
Next is US pressure on Venezuela. Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Iraq, Cuba, North Korea and Africa still rotate on the back burner for now. China is impacted by the outbreak of disease which has created complications for its agenda and also for North Korea. To cap off, the US is increasingly isolating itself by immigration policy and by weaponized economic policy.
Back to the US dollar there is still no viable threat to dollar hegemony – there are just too many dollars afloat with only western big money debt instruments for them to go into. Fed/ Primary Dealer /Treasury gaming; derivatives and repos; bogus foreign aid; rigged markets; or dollars blown up in the form of weaponry on Washington’s many battle grounds guarantees the dollar for now. Wall Street is so rigged and gamed (besides the occasional down day to provide plausible deniability) the idea that US share markets could significantly decline or fall at all, seems a statistical impossibility.
China and Russia are the only real outlier challengers to Washington’s rigged game, which becomes ever more dangerous as it becomes ever more rigged and gamed. China will temporarily be restrained until a vaccine for the circulating viral disease can be manufactured, assuming the virus does not mutate. Russia must pursue pragmatic policies and is somewhat constrained by its involvement in Syria, a delicate balancing act that Washington wishes to continue to exploit.
Meanwhile Donald Trump looks set to campaign vigorously while ignoring all else. He will campaign on a domestic ideological theme particularly against socialism and immigration. His attack on socialism is partly based on his opposition, and partly based on American antipathy to government hand-outs despite a large proportion of the US populace receiving them.
Mr Trump is essentially guaranteed a second term. If re-elected, look for dramatic attacks on domestic social programs. Foreign policy will align more closely with Israel and Saudi Arabia where Saudi Arabia will pursue expansionist goals in Africa (particularly Libya) and Israel will be given free rein to engage in whatever havoc it so pleases. That havoc will continue in Gaza and in the Occupied Territories and in Syria, while Israel presses the US to wipe Iran off the map. And Washington’s Argumentum ad Baculum will give free reign to the US military where war with Iran may be virtually guaranteed by a new Trump regime.
All above looks very bleak. Just as the Tyrants ruled civilization nearly three thousand years ago, they still rule today and not just in the United States. The New World Disorder is apparently becoming more disorderly by the day.
*1950: Korea. 1953: Operation Ajax, deposing Iran’s only democratically elected leader Mossadegh. 1954: Operation PBSUCCESS, Guatemala CIA coup. 1961: Cuba, Bay of Pigs. 1964: Vietnam. 1967: US/ Israeli aggression versus Palestine. 1973: US coup and assassination of Allende. 1973: US intervention in the Yom Kippur war. 1979: Operation Cyclone, Afghanistan. 1981: US atrocities in El Salvador. 1981: Iran Contra. 1990: Desert Storm. 1990: Operation Just Cause. 1999: Kosovo. 2001: 911 blowback, 2003 Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Afghanistan … etc.
Steve Brown is the author of “Iraq: the Road to War” (Sourcewatch) editor of “Bush Administration War Crimes in Iraq” (Sourcewatch) “Trump’s Limited Hangout” and “Federal Reserve: Out-sourcing the Monetary System to the Money Trust Oligarchs Since 1913”; Steve is an antiwar activist, a published scholar on the US monetary system, and has appeared as guest contributor to The Duran, Fort Russ News, Herland Report, and Strategika51.
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theduran--2020-02-09--Russian truckmaker KAMAZ in the spotlight

Russian truckmaker KAMAZ in the spotlight : In January 2020 , two Russian KAMAZ master teams won the first and second place in this year ’ s Dakar Rally , which took place in Saudia Arabia .
KAMAZ has one more time won this rally in the category of trucks , as it did already many times before , showing that KAMAZ trucks are very sturdy and reliable vehicles in all kinds of surroundings and climate .
KAMAZ is the largest automobile corporation in Russia and one of the world ’ s 20 leading manufacturers .
The company produces trucks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engines , power units , and different tools .
Its main shareholders are the state-owned Rostec corporation ( 47.1 % ) and Avtoinvest ( 23.54 % ) .
On the 50th anniversary of the enterprise , President Putin visited the KAMAZ factory in Naberezhnye Chelny , Tatarstan , He spoke with the workers , lauding them for their excellent work .
The 42nd Dakar Rally started from Jeddah on the Red Sea , on January 5 , and ended in the town of Al Quiddiya , on January 17 .
Saudi Arabia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was an especially interesting challenge for the Russian drivers .
They drove through a wide range of landscapes , including canyons , dunes , mountains and wadi , the Arabic name for dry riverbeds .
They also got to know a new culture and new people .
In the vast mountain region of Hijaaz , on the border with Jordan , they saw Saudi Arabia ’ s highest point , Jabal al-Lawz Mountain ( the Mountain of Almonds ) , 2.500 metres above sea level .
Here , in this labyrinth of mountain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solve difficult navigation tasks .
However , the most interesting and intense part of the competition took place in the Nefud and Rub ’ al Khali deserts ( literally the Empty Quarter ) , where sandy landscapes extend as far as the eye can see and the height of dunes reaches 250 metres .
Four Russian teams with KAMAZ-43509 sports trucks took part .
In this relatively new truck , which saw the light in 2018 , an in-line six-cylinder engine was used , due to changes in the Dakar regulations , restricting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the truck classification .
The preparation of the race trucks for the Dakar Rally 2020 was mainly aimed at improving the performance of various systems , increasing the reliability of units and parts , as well as reducing the weight of some components .
Two of the Russian teams were victorious in Saudi Arabia .
Driver Andrei Karginov , co-driver Andrei Mokeev and mechanic Igor Leonov won the first place in the category of trucks ( 46H 33′ 36 ” ) .
Driver Anton Shibalov with co-driver Dmitri Nikitin and mechanic Ivan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 16′ 02 ” ) .
Andrei Olegovich Karginov ( Андрей Олегович Каргинов ) was born in Naberezhnye Chelny ( Набережные Челны ) on the 23rd of February , 1976 .
This is the second largest city in Russia ’ s Republic of Tatarstan .
A major industrial centre , Naberezhnye Chelny stands on the Kama River , 225 kilometres east of Kazan .
Andrei Karginov is an Honoured Master of Sports of Russia , winner of the 2014 Dakar Rally and currently head of the KAMAZ-master team .
His father , Oleg Karginov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buggy racing in Naberezhnye Chelny .
His first step on the road to the world of big motorsport was karting , at the age of nine .
This hobby turned out to be very successful for Andrei .
He became the karting champion of Tatarstan several times .
While studying in high school and later at university , Andrei practiced at the KAMAZ Centre of Science and Technology , where the KAMAZ-master team is based .
Here he got acquainted with the activities of the team and was able to join it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Order of Friendship ( Орден Дружбы ) for his achievements , in 2015 .
On the 13th of December 2019 , President Vladimir Putin visited the KAMAZ plant in Tatarstan for the 50th anniversary of its existence .
He greeted the employees with the following words : “ Today is a great day , a jubilee – KAMAZ is 50 years old .
Congratulations !
We bow to those who laid the foundation for this enterprise and put their heart into it .
I mean the workers , builders , engineers and scientists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project .
People came here from all over the Soviet Union , they formed a unique workforce in terms of composition.
” The President lauded the workers : “ Of course all of you love your native city , your Republic of Tatarstan .
Your hearts and souls are with our greater common Homeland , Russia .
People of various ethnic origins , religions and different ages have worked and are working here today .
We have a good mix here – very energetic and forward-thinking .
Wonderful young people .
We have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are thinking about the future .
And what cutting-edge , remarkable products you make , great machines !
” President Putin pointed out that KAMAZ has become internationally well-known : “ Naturally , we are proud of our brand in this country , but KAMAZ has become an international brand too , partly due to your and our rally drivers who achieve impressive results every year and never spare themselves at these prestigious international competitions .
Let ’ s congratulate them on their victories once again .
I want to thank you all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the entire country is proud of your achievements .
My congratulations on the 50th anniversary of KAMAZ .
Good luck !
” The construction of the Kama automobile plant began in 1969 .
On December 13 the first bucket of soil was excavated at the production site of the future automobile giant .
Today , KAMAZ is a major automaker in Russia and a world leader in truck production .
The industrial group consists of 109 companies located in Russia , the CIS and other foreign countries and covers the entire production @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service .
During his visit to KAMAZ , President Vladimir Putin compared the Russian truck maker with phoenix rising from the ashes : “ I remember very well the state , in which the plant was in the late 1990s and early 2000s .
The fire , which took place in 1993 , dealt a serious blow to the enterprise .
You took control of it in a very difficult period .
In the years that followed , the plant rose from the ashes like a phoenix and gained an absolutely new shape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in essence , in quality.
” The engine-making facility of KAMAZ was completely destroyed by fire , on the 14th of April 1993 .
Its production was restored , by the end of that year .
Losses were estimated at about $ 150 million ( TASS , 13.12.2019 ) .
Naberezhnye Chelny ( Набережные Челны ) , where the KAMAZ plant is located , has a population of 514.000 inhabitants.It was granted town status in 1930 and was called Brezhnev , after Leonid Brezhnev , from 1982 to 1988 .
Naberezhnye Chelny is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Udmurt Jews , who speak Udmurtish Yiddish .
With more than five square kilometres dedicated to production , the KAMAZ plant is the largest vehicle factory in the world .
KAMAZ ( Камский Автомобильный Завод – КАМАЗ ) produces heavy trucks , which are exported to Europe , Asia , Africa and Latin America .
Today , the KAMAZ Company has more than 110 subsidiaries and affiliates .
It owns shares in the authorized capital of more than 50 different companies and businesses .
Together they form the KAMAZ Group .
Considered by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the world , KAMAZ not only carries cargo .
It is also an indispensable helper for the military and police .
The first ever KAMAZ appeared in 1974 .
It was the legendary KAMAZ-5320 , which stayed in production for almost 25 years .
Soviet designers were in a hurry to satisfy the needs of the Soviet industry at the time .
In the first year , 21 trucks were rolling off the assembly line each day .
The truck was also commissioned to service the Soviet troops in East Germany .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a more comfortable cabin compared with other trucks and performed well over rough terrain .
Sergei Anatolyevich Kogogin ( Сергей Анатольевич Когогин ) has served as Director General of KAMAZ , since April 2002 .
He was born in a small village of the Tatar SSR , on the 16th of November 1957 .
After eight years of high school , Sergei Kogogin entered the Kazan Aviation Technical College , where he graduated in 1977 .
After graduation , he worked at the Zelenodolsk Engineering Plant and continued studying physics at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he received his degree in radio physics .
He also studied at the Banking School and left with a PH.D. in economics .
From 1990 to 1994 , he was Director of the Zelenodolsk Engineering Plant .
In 1999 , he became a member of the Board of Directors of KAMAZ OJSC .
Since 2002 , he is Director General of KAMAZ OJSC and also Honorary Citizen of Naberezhnye Chelny .
In 2007 , Sergei Kogonin received the Order of Friendship ( Орден Дружбы ) of the Russian Federation .
The Order of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2016 , and the Order “ For Merit to the Fatherland ” ( Орден « За заслуги перед Отечеством » ) , in 2018 .
Since the 1st of November 2019 , Eugene Makarov is the new chief designer of KAMAZ .
He was born in Kazan , Tatarstan , in 1974 .
Eugene Makarov has a degree in automotive engineering from the Kama Polytechnic Institute and also studied at the Kazan State Technological University , where he graduated in 2000 .
Eugene Makarov began his career at KAMAZ in 1996 as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transmissions .
From 1998 to 2005 , he worked at small enterprises of the city .
In December 2005 , he returned to KAMAZ as deputy chief designer for automobile aggregates and special equipment .
He also managed the projects « Perspective KAMAZ cars » and « Reengineering of automobile production » ( KAMAZ WEBSITE , 05.11.2019 ) .
In the same month , Daimler Truck acquired 15 percent of KAMAZ .
The German company received 106.08 million shares .
Previously Daimler Truck ’ s parent company , Daimler AG , held that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
Already in May 2019 , Daimler had announced its cooperation with KAMAZ on the Daimler website : “ Today marks yet another milestone for DAIMLER KAMAZ RUS ( DK RUS ) , the Joint Venture between Daimler Trucks and its Russian partner KAMAZ .
Opening a brand new truck cabin production facility in Naberezhnye Chelny , Daimler Trucks and KAMAZ reach a new level in their technology partnership for the Russian market .
The new facility covering 59.600 m2 will be an integral part of the global production network of Mercedes-Benz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead plant in Wörth , Germany .
A major benefit of the new facility will be the further localization of truck cabins for both Mercedes-Benz and KAMAZ trucks , with more than 150 single components already localized at Russian suppliers ” ( DAIMLER WEBSITE , 27.05.2019 ) .
The Daimler website further informed : “ With an investment of 200 million € , the new state-of-the-art production facility creates up to 700 new jobs , bringing the local DK RUS work force to more than 1.000 employees .
Following best practices exchange among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new line serves as a lighthouse project to bring Daimler Trucks expertise to the Russian market.
” Stefan Buchner , Head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks worldwide , commented the joint venture with KAMAZ : “ We believe in the Russian market and its growth potential .
The new cabin facility is another key element in our strategy to be close to our customers and to continuously strengthen our market presence around the globe .
With it , we set a benchmark in the Russian market – to the benefit of both our customers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plant is one of the most innovative facilities in the Russian automotive sector and the latest proof of our longstanding commitment to our joint venture DAIMLER KAMAZ RUS ” ( DAIMER WEBSITE , 27.05.2019 ) .
November 2019 was a great month of new beginnings for KAMAZ because the company launched a new assembly line in Uzbekistan .
The KAMAZ website reported : “ KAMAZ PTC together with UzAuto TRAILER company officially launched a new KAMAZ vehicle chassis assembly line in Samarkand .
The ceremony was held within the framework of the working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minnikhanov to the Republic of Uzbekistan .
The assembly line is equipped with modern technological and auxiliary equipment , allowing to ensure the production capacity of more than 3.000 units of trucks per year .
There is also a section of assembly and installation of gas cylinder equipment on KAMAZ chassis .
The assembly line uses localized batteries , petrol , oil and lubricants , gas cylinders and other components of domestic production ” ( KAMAZ WEBSITE , 26.11.2019 ) .
Furthermore , 110 KAMAZ trucks were delivered to Turkmenistan within the scope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cars , dump trucks , concrete mixer trucks , fuel trucks and other special vehicles .
Turkmenistan will purchase a total number of approximately 2000 Kamaz vehicles of various modifications under the terms of the three-year contract .
The automobiles will be supplied in stages : Kamaz has already delivered more than 600 vehicles as part of the obligations of the contract .
All vehicles are delivered by ferry to the international seaport of Turkmenbashi .
The state departments of Turkmenistan are the main clients of KAMAZ vehicles : the Ministry of Agriculture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Construction and Architecture , the Ministry of Industry and Communication , the State Committee for Water Resources , the State Corporation “ Turkmengeologia ” , the State Concern “ Turkmenkhimia ” , Turkmenbashi Oil Refinery Complex , International Sea Port , etc .
A training and service centre of KAMAZ has been operating in the capital city of Ashgabat on an area of larger than 5.000 km2 , since 2008 .
Alongside the supply of vehicles and their complete technical service , including diagnostics and major repairs , Turkmen specialists are being trained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the equipment , the operation , maintenance and diagnostics of KAMAZ vehicles are being taught in the establishment .
In addition , the service network of KAMAZ has been established in the cities of Balkanabat , Mary , Tashauz and Turkmenabat ” ( RUS AUTO NEWS , 21.12.2019 ) .
KAMAZ is also firmly implanted in Southeast Asia .
In 2018 , KAMAZ opened a subsidiary in Indonesia to increase the sales of its products .
Headquartered in Jakarta , it has 100 % foreign authorized capital .
The Russian company plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indonesian islands of Java , Sumatra and Kalimantan ( TASS , 15.08.2018 ) .
Although business between Russia and Indonesia is good , it could be better : “ Bilateral trade between Russia and Indonesia is currently running at about US $ 50 million , with a similar amount of investment by Russia into the country being made in the past three years .
However , as Bambang Brodjenegoro , the Indonesian Minister for National Development and Planning , pointed out , both Indonesia and Russia are G20 nations and given the sizes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ought to be doing better .
He cited tariffs as being too high and called for a quick resolution to a Russia-Indonesia Free Trade Agreement , either bilaterally or multilaterally , in a reference to an agreement with the EAEU ” ( ASEAN BRIEFING , 06.09.2019 ) .
Furthermore KAMAZ is present in the Philippines : “ The first batch of KAMAZ vehicles was shipped to the Philippines under a memorandum of understanding signed between KAMAZ PTC and Lifetruck of Indonesia .
Eight vehicles of the models KAMAZ-6520 , KAMAZ-6460 , KAMAZ-5460 were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company Lifetruck International Inc .
In accordance with the memorandum of understanding signed in May 2017 , during a visit to Russia paid by the President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte , over 1.000 KAMAZ vehicles will be delivered to the Philippines until 2020 .
The Russian truck producer plans to deliver the next batches of vehicles in the near future .
The huge potential of KAMAZ as a manufacturer of a wide range of top-notch vehicles open up great opportunities for cooperation and promotion of KAMAZ products on the Philippine market , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ markets in Southeast Asia .
The memorandum provides for a new network to sell vehicles , spare parts , maintenance and assembly in the Philippines ” ( ROSTEC.RU , 24.01.2018 ) .
Besides the Asian continent , the African continent is a good market for KAMAZ , too .
Angola and Russia have close ties since Soviet times , and KAMAZ trucks are popular in Angola .
Angolan border police uses Russian KAMAZ troop carriers : “ Russia ’ s KAMAZ Trucks has delivered seven new Kamaz troop carriers to Angola for border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illegal immigration along the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo .
The trucks were commissioned into service by Lunda Norte Provincial Police Commander Gil Famoso Da Silva .
The police commander said the trucks would be distributed to the 6th and 7th border patrol units to preserve ‘ public tranquillity ’ and stem illegal Congolese immigration .
In addition to the vehicles , two mobile water treatment and storage systems with a capacity of 5.000 litres each were received .
According to the Russian manufacturer , KAMAZ offers standardised armoured military trucks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personnel , valuable cargoes and explosive material .
KAMAZ offers options such as run-flat tyres and can accommodate air conditioning systems , radio and communication equipment .
KAMAZ said that since 1976 it had delivered 230 KAMAZ vehicles to Angola .
Some models delivered to the African country include Kamaz-43108 ( 6×6 ) , Kamaz-43114 ( 6×6 ) , Kamaz-43118 ( 6×6 ) and Kamaz-4208 ( 6×6 ) vehicles ” ( DEFENCE WEB , 28.08.2016 ) .
Since 2018 , KAMAZ automotive equipment is available for South African buyers .
Sales of trucks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ construction machinery , building material machines , mining machines and construction vehicles , Bauma CONEXPO AFRICA , which took place in Johannesburg .
KAMAZ took part in the fair for the first time , in 2018 , in cooperation with the BELL Equipment Company , their official distributor in Africa .
Customers are offered three modifications of the right-hand drive dump truck with 400 h.p .
engines : KAMAZ-6520 ( 6×4 ) , KAMAZ-65201 ( 8×4 ) , KAMAZ-65222-63 ( 6×6 ) , and the 15-ton dump truck KAMAZ-65115-78 powered with a 285 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dump bodies are produced by NEFAZ , a KAMAZ subsidiary .
In association with BELL Equipment , KAMAZ offers an extended 2-year warranty for all of their dump trucks , together with full-service package .
Russian automotive equipment is available at BELL Equipment dealers in other African countries , including Botswana , Namibia , Swaziland , Zimbabwe , Zambia , Mauritius and Madagascar ( ROSTEC WEBSITE , 15.03.2018 ) .
KAMAZ is firmly implanted in Cuba as well .
A new KAMAZ centre opened in the special economic development zone « Mariel » @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the centre was carried out by Autocentro ZED S. A. , the official KAMAZ dealer in Cuba .
Moreover , during the visit to Cuba , the Russian delegation presented a KAMAZ-5490 NEO tractor unit with a container semi-trailer , a KAMAZ-581460 concrete mixer on 65115 chassis and an isothermal van on a KAMAZ-65117 chassis at the 37th FIHAV International Havana fair ( NAPINFO.RU , 27.11.2019 ) .
This is part of Russia ’ s effort to strengthen ties with Cuba , its old and trustworthy ally from Soviet times .
Konstantin Kosachev @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the upper house of the Russian Parliament , said about Cuba : “ They deserve more investments from Russia , both in terms of finances and equipment , of course , but also in terms of human resources .
We should definitely assist Cuba , we should help Cuba , we should support Cuba ” ( CSMONITOR , 29.10.2019 ) .
Meanwhile , KAMAZ is developing a new series of trucks for the future as part of its business plan for 2020 .
According to its website , Sergei Kogogin , Director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ main task that the company and its staff need to solve in 2020 : the launch of K5 generation mainline vehicles , which meet the world level in terms of technical characteristics and consumer properties .
« The most important thing is to bring K5 to the market .
This is probably the biggest challenge , how quickly we can start earning on it » .
In 2020 , KAMAZ plans to sell 35.700 cars , with 29.000 units delivered to the Russian market and 6.700 to foreign markets .
The share of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase up to 46 % .
According to this business plan , KAMAZ will invest 14.1 billion rubles in the development of production .
Net profit should reach 288 million rubles , planned revenue 204 billion rubles ( KAMAZ.RU , 30.12.2019 ) .
KAMAZ has reached a good position on the global market for trucks .
It is currently number 16 in production volumes of heavy-duty trucks with GVW exceeding 16 tonnes .
KAMAZ might rise further in the world listing during the next decade .
With a new line of modern vehicles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company is racing into the future with confidence and aplomb .
Olivia Kroth : The journalist and author of four books lives in Moscow .
Her blog : https : //olivia2010kroth.wordpress.com

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Submitted by Olivia Kroth…
Russian truckmaker KAMAZ in the spotlight: In January 2020, two Russian KAMAZ master teams won the first and second place in this year’s Dakar Rally, which took place in Saudia Arabia. KAMAZ has one more time won this rally in the category of trucks, as it did already many times before, showing that KAMAZ trucks are very sturdy and reliable vehicles in all kinds of surroundings and climate. KAMAZ is the largest automobile corporation in Russia and one of the world’s 20 leading manufacturers. The company produces trucks, trailers, buses, tractors, engines, power units, and different tools. Its main shareholders are the state-owned Rostec corporation (47.1%) and Avtoinvest (23.54%). On the 50th anniversary of the enterprise, President Putin visited the KAMAZ factory in Naberezhnye Chelny, Tatarstan, He spoke with the workers, lauding them for their excellent work.
The 42nd Dakar Rally started from Jeddah on the Red Sea, on January 5, and ended in the town of Al Quiddiya, on January 17. Saudi Arabia, the “Kingdom of Sand”, was an especially interesting challenge for the Russian drivers. They drove through a wide range of landscapes, including canyons, dunes, mountains and wadi, the Arabic name for dry riverbeds. They also got to know a new culture and new people.
In the vast mountain region of Hijaaz, on the border with Jordan, they saw Saudi Arabia’s highest point, Jabal al-Lawz Mountain (the Mountain of Almonds), 2.500 metres above sea level. Here, in this labyrinth of mountain valleys, the Russian co-drivers had to solve difficult navigation tasks. However, the most interesting and intense part of the competition took place in the Nefud and Rub’ al Khali deserts (literally the Empty Quarter), where sandy landscapes extend as far as the eye can see and the height of dunes reaches 250 metres.
Four Russian teams with KAMAZ-43509 sports trucks took part. In this relatively new truck, which saw the light in 2018, an in-line six-cylinder engine was used, due to changes in the Dakar regulations, restricting the maximum engine capacity to 13 litres in the truck classification. The preparation of the race trucks for the Dakar Rally 2020 was mainly aimed at improving the performance of various systems, increasing the reliability of units and parts, as well as reducing the weight of some components.
Two of the Russian teams were victorious in Saudi Arabia. Driver Andrei Karginov, co-driver Andrei Mokeev and mechanic Igor Leonov won the first place in the category of trucks (46H 33′ 36”). Driver Anton Shibalov with co-driver Dmitri Nikitin and mechanic Ivan Tatarinov reached the second place (47H 16′ 02”).
Andrei Olegovich Karginov (Андрей Олегович Каргинов) was born in Naberezhnye Chelny (Набережные Челны) on the 23rd of February, 1976. This is the second largest city in Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan. A major industrial centre, Naberezhnye Chelny stands on the Kama River, 225 kilometres east of Kazan. Andrei Karginov is an Honoured Master of Sports of Russia, winner of the 2014 Dakar Rally and currently head of the KAMAZ-master team. His father, Oleg Karginov, was one of the founders of buggy racing in Naberezhnye Chelny.
His first step on the road to the world of big motorsport was karting, at the age of nine. This hobby turned out to be very successful for Andrei. He became the karting champion of Tatarstan several times. While studying in high school and later at university, Andrei practiced at the KAMAZ Centre of Science and Technology, where the KAMAZ-master team is based. Here he got acquainted with the activities of the team and was able to join it, in 2005. Andrei Karginov received the Order of Friendship (Орден Дружбы) for his achievements, in 2015.
On the 13th of December 2019, President Vladimir Putin visited the KAMAZ plant in Tatarstan for the 50th anniversary of its existence. He greeted the employees with the following words: “Today is a great day, a jubilee – KAMAZ is 50 years old. Congratulations! We bow to those who laid the foundation for this enterprise and put their heart into it. I mean the workers, builders, engineers and scientists, who launched this outstanding and exciting project. People came here from all over the Soviet Union, they formed a unique workforce in terms of composition.”
The President lauded the workers: “Of course all of you love your native city, your Republic of Tatarstan. Your hearts and souls are with our greater common Homeland, Russia. People of various ethnic origins, religions and different ages have worked and are working here today. We have a good mix here – very energetic and forward-thinking. Wonderful young people. We have just visited the production shops – people are thinking about the future. And what cutting-edge, remarkable products you make, great machines!”
President Putin pointed out that KAMAZ has become internationally well-known: “Naturally, we are proud of our brand in this country, but KAMAZ has become an international brand too, partly due to your and our rally drivers who achieve impressive results every year and never spare themselves at these prestigious international competitions. Let’s congratulate them on their victories once again. I want to thank you all for your work. All of us, the entire country is proud of your achievements. My congratulations on the 50th anniversary of KAMAZ. Good luck!”
http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/62322
The construction of the Kama automobile plant began in 1969. On December 13 the first bucket of soil was excavated at the production site of the future automobile giant. Today, KAMAZ is a major automaker in Russia and a world leader in truck production. The industrial group consists of 109 companies located in Russia, the CIS and other foreign countries and covers the entire production cycle from product design to marketing and service.
During his visit to KAMAZ, President Vladimir Putin compared the Russian truck maker with phoenix rising from the ashes: “I remember very well the state, in which the plant was in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The fire, which took place in 1993, dealt a serious blow to the enterprise. You took control of it in a very difficult period. In the years that followed, the plant rose from the ashes like a phoenix and gained an absolutely new shape, not only in appearance but also in essence, in quality.” The engine-making facility of KAMAZ was completely destroyed by fire, on the 14th of April 1993. Its production was restored, by the end of that year. Losses were estimated at about $150 million (TASS, 13.12.2019).
Naberezhnye Chelny (Набережные Челны), where the KAMAZ plant is located, has a population of 514.000 inhabitants.It was granted town status in 1930 and was called Brezhnev, after Leonid Brezhnev, from 1982 to 1988. Naberezhnye Chelny is one of the residence centres of the Udmurt Jews, who speak Udmurtish Yiddish.
With more than five square kilometres dedicated to production, the KAMAZ plant is the largest vehicle factory in the world. KAMAZ(Камский Автомобильный Завод – КАМАЗ) produces heavy trucks, which are exported to Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. Today, the KAMAZ Company has more than 110 subsidiaries and affiliates. It owns shares in the authorized capital of more than 50 different companies and businesses. Together they form the KAMAZ Group.
Considered by many as one of the strongest trucks in the world, KAMAZ not only carries cargo. It is also an indispensable helper for the military and police. The first ever KAMAZ appeared in 1974. It was the legendary KAMAZ-5320, which stayed in production for almost 25 years. Soviet designers were in a hurry to satisfy the needs of the Soviet industry at the time. In the first year, 21 trucks were rolling off the assembly line each day. The truck was also commissioned to service the Soviet troops in East Germany. The KAMAZ-5320 was easy to drive, had a more comfortable cabin compared with other trucks and performed well over rough terrain.
Sergei Anatolyevich Kogogin (Сергей Анатольевич Когогин) has served as Director General of KAMAZ, since April 2002. He was born in a small village of the Tatar SSR, on the 16th of November 1957. After eight years of high school, Sergei Kogogin entered the Kazan Aviation Technical College, where he graduated in 1977. After graduation, he worked at the Zelenodolsk Engineering Plant and continued studying physics at the Kazan State University. In 1982, he received his degree in radio physics. He also studied at the Banking School and left with a PH.D. in economics.
From 1990 to 1994, he was Director of the Zelenodolsk Engineering Plant. In 1999, he became a member of the Board of Directors of KAMAZ OJSC. Since 2002, he is Director General of KAMAZ OJSC and also Honorary Citizen of Naberezhnye Chelny. In 2007, Sergei Kogonin received the Order of Friendship (Орден Дружбы) of the Russian Federation. The Order of Honour (Oрден Почёта) followed, in 2016, and the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland” (Орден «За заслуги перед Отечеством»), in 2018.
Since the 1st of November 2019, Eugene Makarov is the new chief designer of KAMAZ. He was born in Kazan, Tatarstan, in 1974. Eugene Makarov has a degree in automotive engineering from the Kama Polytechnic Institute and also studied at the Kazan State Technological University, where he graduated in 2000.
Eugene Makarov began his career at KAMAZ in 1996 as a design engineer for driving axles and transmissions. From 1998 to 2005, he worked at small enterprises of the city. In December 2005, he returned to KAMAZ as deputy chief designer for automobile aggregates and special equipment. He also managed the projects «Perspective KAMAZ cars» and «Reengineering of automobile production» (KAMAZ WEBSITE, 05.11.2019).
In the same month, Daimler Truck acquired 15 percent of KAMAZ. The German company received 106.08 million shares. Previously Daimler Truck’s parent company, Daimler AG, held that share of stock (TASS, 25.11.2019). Already in May 2019, Daimler had announced its cooperation with KAMAZ on the Daimler website:
“Today marks yet another milestone for DAIMLER KAMAZ RUS (DK RUS), the Joint Venture between Daimler Trucks and its Russian partner KAMAZ. Opening a brand new truck cabin production facility in Naberezhnye Chelny, Daimler Trucks and KAMAZ reach a new level in their technology partnership for the Russian market.
The new facility covering 59.600 m2 will be an integral part of the global production network of Mercedes-Benz Trucks and will closely cooperate with the lead plant in Wörth, Germany. A major benefit of the new facility will be the further localization of truck cabins for both Mercedes-Benz and KAMAZ trucks, with more than 150 single components already localized at Russian suppliers” (DAIMLER WEBSITE, 27.05.2019).
The Daimler website further informed: “With an investment of 200 million €, the new state-of-the-art production facility creates up to 700 new jobs, bringing the local DK RUS work force to more than 1.000 employees. Following best practices exchange among Daimler Trucks global production experts, the new line serves as a lighthouse project to bring Daimler Trucks expertise to the Russian market.”
Stefan Buchner, Head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks worldwide, commented the joint venture with KAMAZ: “We believe in the Russian market and its growth potential. The new cabin facility is another key element in our strategy to be close to our customers and to continuously strengthen our market presence around the globe.
With it, we set a benchmark in the Russian market – to the benefit of both our customers and our joint venture partner KAMAZ. This plant is one of the most innovative facilities in the Russian automotive sector and the latest proof of our longstanding commitment to our joint venture DAIMLER KAMAZ RUS” (DAIMER WEBSITE, 27.05.2019).
November 2019 was a great month of new beginnings for KAMAZ because the company launched a new assembly line in Uzbekistan. The KAMAZ website reported: “KAMAZ PTC together with UzAuto TRAILER company officially launched a new KAMAZ vehicle chassis assembly line in Samarkand. The ceremony was held within the framework of the working visit of the President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov to the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The assembly line is equipped with modern technological and auxiliary equipment, allowing to ensure the production capacity of more than 3.000 units of trucks per year. There is also a section of assembly and installation of gas cylinder equipment on KAMAZ chassis. The assembly line uses localized batteries, petrol, oil and lubricants, gas cylinders and other components of domestic production” (KAMAZ WEBSITE, 26.11.2019).
Furthermore, 110 KAMAZ trucks were delivered to Turkmenistan within the scope of a three-year contract, including shift cars, dump trucks, concrete mixer trucks, fuel trucks and other special vehicles. Turkmenistan will purchase a total number of approximately 2000 Kamaz vehicles of various modifications under the terms of the three-year contract. The automobiles will be supplied in stages: Kamaz has already delivered more than 600 vehicles as part of the obligations of the contract. All vehicles are delivered by ferry to the international seaport of Turkmenbashi.
The state departments of Turkmenistan are the main clients of KAMAZ vehicles: the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Construction and Architecture, the Ministry of Industry and Communication, the State Committee for Water Resources, the State Corporation “Turkmengeologia”, the State Concern “Turkmenkhimia”, Turkmenbashi Oil Refinery Complex, International Sea Port, etc.
A training and service centre of KAMAZ has been operating in the capital city of Ashgabat on an area of larger than 5.000 km2, since 2008. Alongside the supply of vehicles and their complete technical service, including diagnostics and major repairs, Turkmen specialists are being trained in the centre. The features of the equipment, the operation, maintenance and diagnostics of KAMAZ vehicles are being taught in the establishment. In addition, the service network of KAMAZ has been established in the cities of Balkanabat, Mary, Tashauz and Turkmenabat” (RUS AUTO NEWS, 21.12.2019).
KAMAZ is also firmly implanted in Southeast Asia. In 2018, KAMAZ opened a subsidiary in Indonesia to increase the sales of its products. Headquartered in Jakarta, it has 100% foreign authorized capital. The Russian company plans to set up qualified service centres on the Indonesian islands of Java, Sumatra and Kalimantan (TASS, 15.08.2018).
Although business between Russia and Indonesia is good, it could be better: “Bilateral trade between Russia and Indonesia is currently running at about US$50 million, with a similar amount of investment by Russia into the country being made in the past three years. However, as Bambang Brodjenegoro, the Indonesian Minister for National Development and Planning, pointed out, both Indonesia and Russia are G20 nations and given the sizes of their respective economies, they really ought to be doing better.
He cited tariffs as being too high and called for a quick resolution to a Russia-Indonesia Free Trade Agreement, either bilaterally or multilaterally, in a reference to an agreement with the EAEU” (ASEAN BRIEFING, 06.09.2019).
Furthermore KAMAZ is present in the Philippines: “The first batch of KAMAZ vehicles was shipped to the Philippines under a memorandum of understanding signed between KAMAZ PTC and Lifetruck of Indonesia. Eight vehicles of the models KAMAZ-6520, KAMAZ-6460, KAMAZ-5460 were shipped to the vehicles sales and maintenance company Lifetruck International Inc. In accordance with the memorandum of understanding signed in May 2017, during a visit to Russia paid by the President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte, over 1.000 KAMAZ vehicles will be delivered to the Philippines until 2020.
The Russian truck producer plans to deliver the next batches of vehicles in the near future.
The huge potential of KAMAZ as a manufacturer of a wide range of top-notch vehicles open up great opportunities for cooperation and promotion of KAMAZ products on the Philippine market, which is one of the most promising markets in Southeast Asia. The memorandum provides for a new network to sell vehicles, spare parts, maintenance and assembly in the Philippines” (ROSTEC.RU, 24.01.2018).
Besides the Asian continent, the African continent is a good market for KAMAZ, too. Angola and Russia have close ties since Soviet times, and KAMAZ trucks are popular in Angola. Angolan border police uses Russian KAMAZ troop carriers: “Russia’s KAMAZ Trucks has delivered seven new Kamaz troop carriers to Angola for border security police units to prevent smuggling and illegal immigration along the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The trucks were commissioned into service by Lunda Norte Provincial Police Commander Gil Famoso Da Silva. The police commander said the trucks would be distributed to the 6th and 7th border patrol units to preserve ‘public tranquillity’ and stem illegal Congolese immigration. In addition to the vehicles, two mobile water treatment and storage systems with a capacity of 5.000 litres each were received.
According to the Russian manufacturer, KAMAZ offers standardised armoured military trucks which can be used for transportation of personnel, valuable cargoes and explosive material. KAMAZ offers options such as run-flat tyres and can accommodate air conditioning systems, radio and communication equipment.
KAMAZ said that since 1976 it had delivered 230 KAMAZ vehicles to Angola. Some models delivered to the African country include Kamaz-43108 (6×6), Kamaz-43114 (6×6), Kamaz-43118 (6×6) and Kamaz-4208 (6×6) vehicles” (DEFENCE WEB, 28.08.2016).
Since 2018, KAMAZ automotive equipment is available for South African buyers. Sales of trucks started at the International Trade Fair for construction machinery, building material machines, mining machines and construction vehicles, Bauma CONEXPO AFRICA, which took place in Johannesburg. KAMAZ took part in the fair for the first time, in 2018, in cooperation with the BELL Equipment Company, their official distributor in Africa.
Customers are offered three modifications of the right-hand drive dump truck with 400 h.p. engines: KAMAZ-6520 (6×4), KAMAZ-65201 (8×4), KAMAZ-65222-63 (6×6), and the 15-ton dump truck KAMAZ-65115-78 powered with a 285 h. p. engine. All trucks featuring dump bodies are produced by NEFAZ, a KAMAZ subsidiary.
In association with BELL Equipment, KAMAZ offers an extended 2-year warranty for all of their dump trucks, together with full-service package. Russian automotive equipment is available at BELL Equipment dealers in other African countries, including Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mauritius and Madagascar (ROSTEC WEBSITE, 15.03.2018).
KAMAZ is firmly implanted in Cuba as well. A new KAMAZ centre opened in the special economic development zone «Mariel», in 2019. The construction of the centre was carried out by Autocentro ZED S. A., the official KAMAZ dealer in Cuba. Moreover, during the visit to Cuba, the Russian delegation presented a KAMAZ-5490 NEO tractor unit with a container semi-trailer, a KAMAZ-581460 concrete mixer on 65115 chassis and an isothermal van on a KAMAZ-65117 chassis at the 37th FIHAV International Havana fair (NAPINFO.RU, 27.11.2019).
This is part of Russia’s effort to strengthen ties with Cuba, its old and trustworthy ally from Soviet times. Konstantin Kosachev, head of the foreign affairs committee in the upper house of the Russian Parliament, said about Cuba: “They deserve more investments from Russia, both in terms of finances and equipment, of course, but also in terms of human resources. We should definitely assist Cuba, we should help Cuba, we should support Cuba” (CSMONITOR, 29.10.2019).
Meanwhile, KAMAZ is developing a new series of trucks for the future as part of its business plan for 2020. According to its website, Sergei Kogogin, Director General of KAMAZ PTC, announced the main task that the company and its staff need to solve in 2020: the launch of K5 generation mainline vehicles, which meet the world level in terms of technical characteristics and consumer properties. «The most important thing is to bring K5 to the market. This is probably the biggest challenge, how quickly we can start earning on it».
In 2020, KAMAZ plans to sell 35.700 cars, with 29.000 units delivered to the Russian market and 6.700 to foreign markets. The share of KAMAZ in the Russian truck market will increase up to 46%. According to this business plan, KAMAZ will invest 14.1 billion rubles in the development of production. Net profit should reach 288 million rubles, planned revenue 204 billion rubles (KAMAZ.RU, 30.12.2019).
KAMAZ has reached a good position on the global market for trucks. It is currently number 16 in production volumes of heavy-duty trucks with GVW exceeding 16 tonnes. KAMAZ might rise further in the world listing during the next decade. With a new line of modern vehicles to be sold worldwide, this Russian company is racing into the future with confidence and aplomb.
Olivia Kroth: The journalist and author of four books lives in Moscow. Her blog: https://olivia2010kroth.wordpress.com
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theduran--2020-02-09--Greta Thunberg Is No Malala

Greta Thunberg Is No Malala

In 2013 , a teenager from Pakistan was all over the world media .
Malala Yousafzai was 15 years old when she was the victim of a shocking assassination attempt in her native Pakistan .
In October the previous year she was shot in the face by Taliban fanatics for the “ crime ” of writing a blog in Urdu for the BBC .
After being treated at a Pakistani hospital she was transferred to Birmingham , England for specialist treatment .
Fluent in English and obviously highly intelligent , she announced to the world her ambition of educating Pakistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taliban had outlawed , proving their total ignorance of the Qur ’ an and hadith .
Malala has a girl next door kind of charm ; she went on to become the youngest ever winner of the Nobel Prize and to set up a foundation that is working not only in Pakistan but throughout the world .
Recently , a girl of about Malala ’ s age at that time has been thrust onto the world stage , and she too has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize , although she didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For the only thing Greta Thunberg has in common with Malala is fluency in English .
Rather than being an almost saintly , inspirational figure , Greta is entirely the product of powerful lobbyists , including her parents , and a compliant media .
At the age of fifteen she is said to have begun “ striking ” , taking days out of school to protest outside the Swedish Parliament at the Government ’ s supposed inaction against climate change .
One would have thought Sweden would benefit from climate change as it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the year .
If a schoolgirl had done this in any other country , she would have been subjected to parental discipline , either that or her parents would have been taken to court for neglecting her education .
At the age of sixteen , Greta excoriated world leaders with the now classic phrase “ How dare you ?
” Apart from two well-known alpha males who dissented audibly , all the other world leaders fell in line .
After all , doesn ’ t every sixteen year old know better how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have been failing lamentably for decades ?
Greta has though been exposed as a puppet more than once .
She is said to suffer from Asperger ’ s syndrome , something that is usually regarded as a handicap rather than an “ gift ” as she claims .
Her sailing to America to highlight the carbon footprint of the usual method of passengers traversing the Atlantic was a gimmick people soon saw through when they realised her actual carbon footprint was much greater .
She travelled on a zero emissions yacht that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She refused to fly because of the carbon emissions , as though a slightly built girl and her luggage would add appreciably to the carbon footprint of any aircraft .
But , her two crew members flew back home , and two others took the boat back !
In September she was exposed as a “ scripted mouthpiece ” in the words of Steve Turley when she was unable to answer even a simple question from a friendly journalist at the United Nations .
Most controversially though , and not a little sinister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada ’ s Rebel Media .
The man behind this outfit , Ezra Levant , is often right on the money , no more so than last month when he sent two of his reporters to Sweden to try to interview Greta .
Although his team did manage to talk to her briefly , Keean Bexte was confronted by aggressive bodyguards who were clearly there not to protect Greta from physical assault but from inconvenient questions , in other words any questions that took her off-script .
There is now sufficient documentation in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone , to expose Greta not as a budding saint of the environmental movement but as a hapless pawn exploited by people and organisations that have political agendas far beyond saving the planet .
In short , Greta is an exploited child who if her parents really cared about her , would be sent to college to complete her education , preferably by studying STEM rather than liberal arts .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
In 2013, a teenager from Pakistan was all over the world media. Malala Yousafzai was 15 years old when she was the victim of a shocking assassination attempt in her native Pakistan. In October the previous year she was shot in the face by Taliban fanatics for the “crime” of writing a blog in Urdu for the BBC.
After being treated at a Pakistani hospital she was transferred to Birmingham, England for specialist treatment. Fluent in English and obviously highly intelligent, she announced to the world her ambition of educating Pakistan’s girls, something the so-religious Taliban had outlawed, proving their total ignorance of the Qur’an and hadith.
Malala has a girl next door kind of charm; she went on to become the youngest ever winner of the Nobel Prize and to set up a foundation that is working not only in Pakistan but throughout the world.
Recently, a girl of about Malala’s age at that time has been thrust onto the world stage, and she too has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, although she didn’t win it. Thankfully. For the only thing Greta Thunberg has in common with Malala is fluency in English.
Rather than being an almost saintly, inspirational figure, Greta is entirely the product of powerful lobbyists, including her parents, and a compliant media. At the age of fifteen she is said to have begun “striking”, taking days out of school to protest outside the Swedish Parliament at the Government’s supposed inaction against climate change. One would have thought Sweden would benefit from climate change as it is so damned cold for most of the year.
If a schoolgirl had done this in any other country, she would have been subjected to parental discipline, either that or her parents would have been taken to court for neglecting her education. At the age of sixteen, Greta excoriated world leaders with the now classic phrase “How dare you?” Apart from two well-known alpha males who dissented audibly, all the other world leaders fell in line. After all, doesn’t every sixteen year old know better how to run the world than those irresponsible adults who have been failing lamentably for decades?
Greta has though been exposed as a puppet more than once. She is said to suffer from Asperger’s syndrome, something that is usually regarded as a handicap rather than an “gift” as she claims.
Her sailing to America to highlight the carbon footprint of the usual method of passengers traversing the Atlantic was a gimmick people soon saw through when they realised her actual carbon footprint was much greater. She travelled on a zero emissions yacht that used underwater turbines and solar power. She refused to fly because of the carbon emissions, as though a slightly built girl and her luggage would add appreciably to the carbon footprint of any aircraft. But, her two crew members flew back home, and two others took the boat back!
In September she was exposed as a “scripted mouthpiece” in the words of Steve Turley when she was unable to answer even a simple question from a friendly journalist at the United Nations.
Most controversially though, and not a little sinister, was the video put out by Canada’s Rebel Media. The man behind this outfit, Ezra Levant, is often right on the money, no more so than last month when he sent two of his reporters to Sweden to try to interview Greta. Although his team did manage to talk to her briefly, Keean Bexte was confronted by aggressive bodyguards who were clearly there not to protect Greta from physical assault but from inconvenient questions, in other words any questions that took her off-script.
There is now sufficient documentation in the public domain, from YouTube videos alone, to expose Greta not as a budding saint of the environmental movement but as a hapless pawn exploited by people and organisations that have political agendas far beyond saving the planet. In short, Greta is an exploited child who if her parents really cared about her, would be sent to college to complete her education, preferably by studying STEM rather than liberal arts.
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