Posted on 08/09/2010 1:37:54 PM PDT by TaraP
A hasty evacuation of diplomatic staff from foreign embassies, like a stampede, began in Moscow. Many embassies are trying to hide the evacuation for political reasons. Mass evacuation of the embassies of Canada and Poland was officially reported at night on August 7.
Western media meanwhile reported that the Canadian embassy in Moscow was closed. Dutch embassy is urgently evacuating its diplomatic staff from Russia.
High level of air pollution (see photo), as one of the consequences of forest fires, has become an official ground for evacuating embassy staff and their family members.
Unofficially, they speak about plague in Russia, but first of all, about sharply elevated radioactive background in the city, caused by destruction of atomic bombs in fires at nuclear weapons arsenals outside Moscow. According to unofficial information, warehouses of chemical and bacteriological weapons were also burnt down.
The final decision on immediate evacuation of foreign diplomats from Russia was made after the ringleader of the Russian terrorist gang Disaster Ministry, Shoigu, said that "the level of radiation may increase in Bryansk region because of fires" (the soil there is still very strongly contaminated by Chernobyl).
Sophisticated diplomats immediately understood the diplomatic slang, familiar to them, and rushed to pack baggage, Russian media reported.
Early in the morning of 7 August, the escape of foreign diplomats from Russia took epidemic proportions. It is possible that the diplomats, through the intelligence services of their countries, know something that is not yet known to the general public.
Germany officially closed its embassy and evacuated the entire staff from the doomed Russian Empire, media outlets reported. Austria, along with Poland and Canada, is evacuating almost all its staff from Russia. Foreign embassies addressed to their citizens got stuck in the country to leave Russia as soon as possible.
A Hamburg newspaper, Die Welt, reported in a clear text format that the urgent flee of German diplomats from Russia was caused by radiation approaching Moscow.
The radiation, according to the newspaper, comes from facilities for the production of atomic bombs (400 km east of Moscow) burning in Sarov. Emission of radiation in the environment continues.
On the territory "of the atomic research center," as this plant is officially called, two fires are still raging, the newspaper writes. Russians cannot conceal facts, since fires are perfectly visible from satellites.
Naturally, the evacuation affected all, without exception, embassies in Moscow, but most of them reported nothing for political reasons. The case is very serious, and certainly it is not related to the smog and fumes.
Meanwhile, governments of civilized countries warned their citizens not to go in any case to Russia gripped by a full set of traditional natural and unnatural calamities.
The Austrian Embassy in Moscow appealed to all Austrian citizens in Russia to leave the country immediately. All Austrian diplomats are urgently leaving Russia. Only minor staff without diplomatic status will remain at the embassy. Naturally, there will be no one issuing visas to Russians.
The US State Department warned Americans that a trip and staying in Russia is a mortal threat to their life. The corresponding notification was circulated on Friday by the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the US State Department. The statement reads:
"The US State Department warns American citizens about the risks involved in traveling to Russia due to wildfires there and their impact on safety, air quality, and transportation".
The statement noted that fires and "high temperatures" in the central part of Russia produced "hazardous levels of air pollution and numerous flight delays and cancellations in Moscow".
Americans traveling to these areas of Russia are advised to cancel the trip. US citizens with heart or lung disease who are already inside the giant area of natural disasters, which now represents the whole Russia, are advised to avoid unnecessary outdoor staying and strenuous physical loads.
The current alert warning will remain in force until September 5, when the situation in Russia, as the US stipulates, relaxes as far as fires are concerned, because there'll be left nothing to burn. The situation would remain unpredictable regarding plague and radiation.
Foreign Ministries of Germany, Bulgaria: France, Italy and other countries also appealed to their citizens not to travel to Russia.
Kavkaz Centre (www.kavkazcenter.com) is a Chechen internet agency which is independent, international and Islamic. Our agency was founded in March 1999 in Jokhar (Grozny) by the CRI National Centre for Strategic Research and Political Technology, registered with the CRI Ministry of Justice in October 1998 (N 1377/б-17).
The internet agency Kavkaz Centre provides reporting of events in the Islamic world, the Caucasus, and Russia. One of Kavkaz Centre's chief objectives is to report events in the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria connected to the Russian military aggression against the CRI. Besides we also provide international news agencies with news-letters, background information and assistance in making independent journalistic work in Caucasus.
Kavkaz Centre is a privately run, independent agency and does not represent the viewpoint of any state structures or the CRI government. The Kavkaz Centre agency makes it its mission to report real events in Ichkeria under conditions of a total information embargo and to disseminate to the world community the truth about the war, the war crimes, the evidence of genocide on the part of the state aggressor against the entire population and the positions of the side defending against aggression -- the Chechen mujahedeen.
The agency has plans to widen its activity in creating a complete international information corporation and organization of additional information structures.
Clearly this warrants close monitoring. Embassy staff evacuations may be exaggerated but they can't be concealed if true.
Do you trust this site?
I just came upon it doing a search about the fires in Russia.
Bulgaria evacuates families of embassy staff in Moscow - Bulgaria ...
By The Sofia Echo Staff, published 08/08/2010 13:42:00 ... adults who want to leave, from the country’s embassy in Moscow ... 40 deaths, 2,000 burned homes and about 100,000 evacuations
www.sofiaecho.com/2010/08/08/943842_bulgaria-evacuates-families-of-embassy-staff-in-moscow · Cached page
All of these things indicate approaching famine conditions with the added danger of widespread radioactive contamination.
The site could be sketchy....
I’d look for more reputable sources, though....
Actually, I’m going to look a bit myself.
Kavkaz Centre is questionable. My source in Moscow and the Bulgarian report are solid. Something is happening, something bad!
From someone just old enough to remember the bad old days, and educated enough to know what happens in famine stricken Russia.. I’m worried.
Can you post there links?
If they find a way to blame any of this on Putin and get rid of him it’s a win for everybody!
From the State Department
Travel Advisory
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_1162.html
Russian Federation
August 06, 2010
“The State Department alerts U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to the Russian Federation due to fires in Russia and their impact on safety, air quality, and transportation. This Travel Alert expires on September 5, 2010.
Forest fires and extreme high temperatures in the Moscow region and surrounding areas of central Russia have produced hazardous levels of air pollution and caused numerous flight delays and cancellations in Moscow.
Persons contemplating travel to Moscow and surrounding areas should carefully consider their plans in light of these developments. The hazardous air quality means that persons with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should remain indoors and keep activity levels low. Everyone should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors.
The situation has prompted the Russian government to declare a state of emergency in Moscow, Vladimir, Ryazan, Voronezh, Novgorod, the Republic of Mordovia, and the Republic of Marii-El.
Fire related conditions can change quickly, due to changes in wind direction and weather conditions. Persons planning travel to the Moscow area should monitor weather conditions and stay in touch with their airline.
We recommend U.S. citizens register their travel plans with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy through the State Department’s travel registration website.”
That was just an advisory. Here is the definition of a warning:
“Travel Warnings are issued when long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable lead the State Department to recommend that Americans avoid or consider the risk of travel to that country. A Travel Warning is also issued when the U.S. Government’s ability to assist American citizens is constrained due to the closure of an embassy or consulate or because of a drawdown of its staff. The countries listed below meet those criteria.”
The Russian Federation is not on that list. The embassies did can cancel appointments for 08/09/10, however.
Russia Agrees To Allow Some Previously Scheduled Wheat Exports
"Russia is caving after reports that a wheat ban would cause food riots in Egypt and South Africa. Another reason for wheat prices to keep sliding."
MOSCOW: Russian authorities on Monday declared a state of emergency in Ozersk, home to major nuclear reprocessing plant Mayak, due to wildfires burning around the Urals town, officials said.
“A state of emergency has been introduced in forests and parks on the territory of the Ozersk city district due to a complicated fire hazard situation,” said a statement posted on the district’s website.
The emergency was the latest concern to hit a major Russian strategic site due to the wildfires which have already badly damaged military depots and threatened other atomic facilities.
Read more: Russia declares state of emergency at Urals nuclear town - Europe - World - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/Russia-declares-state-of-emergency-at-Urals-nuclear-town/articleshow/6282384.cms#ixzz0w9fGR0sa
They have a zombie breakout.
The full health impact of the heatwave nationwide has not been reported...
Moscow’s health chief has confirmed the mortality rate has doubled as a heatwave and wildfire smog continue to grip the Russian capital.
There were twice the usual number of bodies in the city’s morgues, Andrei Seltsovsky told reporters.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-10912658
Meanwhile, a state of emergency has been declared around a nuclear reprocessing plant in the southern Urals because of nearby wildfires.
Continue reading the main story
Related stories
Moscow smog and heat: Your experiences
Russia reduces harvest forecast
And there was a new warning over shortfalls in Russia’s grain harvest.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said this year’s harvest, hit by fire and drought, would be worse than previously forecast.
Currently expected to be 65m tonnes, it could be as low as 60 million tonnes, Mr Putin said.
Mr Putin also said that a ban on grain exports could be extended beyond the end of 2010 because of shortages for domestic markets.
Russia is the world’s third largest wheat exporter. Its biggest customers include Egypt, Turkey and Syria
Pinging our Polish Freepers to find out if they know anything about this.
Russia has recently seen the longest unprecedented heat wave for at least one thousand years, the head of the Russian Meteorological Center said on Monday.
Wildfires continue to rage across much of the central part of European Russia as the country experiences a heat wave, with temperatures of up to and above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
“We have an ‘archive’ of abnormal weather situations stretching over a thousand years. It is possible to say there was nothing similar to this on the territory of Russia during the last one thousand years in regard to the heat,” Alexander Frolov said.
He said scientists received information on ancient weather conditions by exploring lake deposits.
Frolov also said Russia’s grain crop may decrease by at least 30% compared to last year.
On Thursday, Russia imposed a ban on the export of grain and grain products that will last from August 15 to December 31, though First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov said the ban may be changed after the harvest is calculated in October.
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20100809/160128496.html
(lots of pics at link)
Wildfires turn Russia red: 700 die a day in Moscow as deadly smog doubles mortality rate
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