2022 March 7

Daily news wrap-up

News - Mar/7/2022: Russian migrants cause rent spike in Armenia; Long-term arrivals; Interviews __ 10km pedestrian promenade on Sevan shores __ NSS busts espionage __ Industrial output stats __ Triple jumper wins gold __ Ceasefire violation __ Ukraine vs Russia; Impact on Armenia __ ex-MP charged
by ar_david_hh

---

Your 19-minute Monday digest in 4716 words.

VIDEO: 10km pedestrian promenade & revamped public beaches in Lake Sevan

[In April 2020](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/g392jx/apr172020_todays_news_tourist_avenue_near_lake/?) we learned that the government is working on a new 10km [pedestrian boulevard on Lake Sevan shores](https://youtu.be/IXqP99YYO0k?t=21) to attract tourists. Pashinyan formed a taskforce to examine suitable lands and legal issues associated with the lands. The media also investigated the landlords. Some of the structures in this area were built illegally close to the lake. Nature Ministry sent notice to thousands of property owners and urged them to remove the structures.

The Urban Development Committee and MPs discussed the project later. It's supposed to be in the Lchashen-Sevan area. Hotels, bike lanes, leisure areas, etc. Dozens of landlords expressed their opposition at the time.

The proposed promenade and public beaches were discussed again during a government meeting on Saturday.

Deputy Premier Matevosyan: We created 8 public beaches to make recreation accessible to everyone, but at present only 3 of them are furnished and operational. Private firms are tasked with maintaining these 3 beaches.

We plan to build a pedestrian alley [they discussed issues and solutions], a parking lot, pavilions and canopies, and take care of garbage collection.

Additionally, 4 more public beaches will open in Lchap, Shorzha, Noratus, and Martuni. We need to improve the beach standards. //

[0](https://youtu.be/IXqP99YYO0k?t=21) [1](https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/185902) [2](https://hetq.am/hy/article/121171) [3](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077174.html) [4](https://hetq.am/hy/article/123907)

VIDEO: this crazy cozy cruise ship is 5 times bigger than Titanic

Wonder of the Seas has 19 swimming pools, 20 restaurants, 11 bars, an ice rink, and a casino. It's 362 meters and can host almost 7,000 guests.

[VIDEO](https://youtu.be/ISZ_ZQ9XKCQ)

[PHOTOS](https://nypost.com/2022/03/06/wonder-of-the-seas-cruise-ship-sets-sail-for-first-time/)

government invited more international construction firms to build North-South roads

Last week they invited officials from European states to demo a video presentation about the planned North-South road project. The ambassadors were asked to get in touch with large construction firms in their home states.

A similar meeting was held between the government and Iran's Minister of Industry on Saturday.

Minister Fatemi-Amin: We have an agreement around infrastructure projects in Armenia and the participation of Iranian construction firms. Our firms will take part in the tender. We already have an agreement around Kajaran-Sisian North-South road.

... Armenia and Iran will produce and export medicine and household appliances

Minister Fatemi-Amin: We signed agreements with Armenian officials about Armenian and Iranian private firms jointly producing medicine and appliances in Armenia, meant for export. There will be investments.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077231.html

Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire on borders with Artsakh and Armenia

Artsakh gov't: In recent days, the Azeri army has been carrying out provocations in positions near the Khramort community in the Artsakh Republic. They are trying to hinder agricultural work and daily life. On Sunday morning they opened intense fire. The situation was resolved with the help of Russian peacekeepers. //

Armenia's MOD: Azeri MOD once again spread misinformation claiming Armenians opened fire on the eastern AM-AZ border. //

The Armenian side later reported that Azeri troops opened fire at Armenian positions on the Nakhijevan border. One contractor died, another was wounded.

Armenia's MFA: The regular ceasefire violations further substantiate the need to withdraw troops in a mirrored fashion and deploy an observation mission. It is also important for the provocative actions of Azerbaijan to be properly addressed by the international community. //

[1](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077244.html) [2](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077281.html) [3](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077296.html) [4](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077330.html) [5](https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/232517)

VIDEO: NSS counter-intelligence has busted another espionage group

NSS reports: The group included active and former servicemen in Armenia and Artsakh, as well as state officials from Artsakh.

The recruiters placed fake online ads for high-paying jobs. The applicants had to install an app and submit personal information.

The recruiters, who were foreign intel agents, offered money in exchange for information about strategically important objects, military equipment, military stations, armament, servicemen, their numbers and locations, positions, and other classified information.

In some instances, the recruits met the agents in a third country to sign agreements, receive codenames, and computers with special software.

Some of the members were informed about the planned 2020 attack on Artsakh. They knew the exact date. Ahead of the attack, they actively gathered and sent information about individuals staying in Artsakh hotels; types, quantities, and location of air defense systems in Artsakh; information about senior command staff. The information allowed the enemy to conduct more targeted attacks on air defense and storage facilities.

16 people were arrested for high treason, and some have already confessed. Some of them were caught during a mission.

According to Article 299, if you've committed this crime, you can avoid prison if you come forward and help prevent further damage to the state. //

[Video](https://youtu.be/YwGWRfEBvbE?t=24), [Article](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077320.html)

two Armenian soldiers sentenced to 18 and 19 years in prison in Azerbaijan on made-up charges

After the May 2021 border incursion, Azerbaijan detained 6 Armenian soldiers who were conducting engineering works on a territory belonging to Armenia. 4 of them were later released.

2 of them were jailed. The Azeri prosecutors accused them of "installing landmines on Azeri supply roads" and "attempting to blow up the Baku-Tbilisi-Jeychan pipeline" [how about the International Space Station, with the use of fireworks?]

https://www.panarmenian.net/arm/news/298867/

Armenia and Syria marked the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations

Kind words were exchanged by foreign ministers.

MFA Mirzoyan: Armenian-Syrian relations are anchored on a solid foundation of respect and trust for each other, which has been repeatedly expressed by the humanitarian support of the two peoples and states in difficult situations.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077253.html

Foreign Minister Mirzoayan has accepted the invitation to participate in Antalya Diplomacy Forum

Turkey had invited MFA Mirzoyan as part of the efforts to normalize the relations. The forum will open on Friday.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077299.html

triple jumper Levon Aghasyan wins gold medal in Balkans Championships held in Turkey

Balkan Championships tournaments are held throughout the year in several countries. The "Senior Indoor Championship" was held in Istanbul on Saturday.

Armenia's Levon Aghasyan scored 16.26 meters and won the gold. Yervand Mkartchyan won a silver medal after running 1,500 meters in 3:46.05

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/232523

anti-corruption: former HHK MP is charged with large-scale tax evasion and failure to declare wealth

ACC investigated the businessman ex-MP Arkadiy Hambardzumyan, nicknamed "Derjavayi Arkad".

ACC reports: During 2017-2018, Hambardzumyan imported luxury furniture worth €800,000 from Italy and Spain. He forged customs documents to claim the items were worth only €105,000, causing ֏211M in total damages to the state.

In addition to that, as an MP from 2003 to 2019, he was required to submit a wealth declaration upon leaving the Parliament. He concealed ֏350M worth of property including the aforementioned furniture.

Criminal charges are pressed. The state has recovered ֏200M. Hambardzumyan is instructed not to leave the country. //

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077332.html

Yerevan State Medical University will provide free consultations and surgery discounts

YSMU has been around for over 100 years. Starting tomorrow, for the next 100 days, they will provide free medical consultations and medical references with a 50% surgery discount.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077291.html

the lands near Hamalir and Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Memorial are being cleaned as part of the greenification project

160 workers began clearing rocks, trash, and wood debris near Hamalir. The city plans to greenify 8.5 hectares this spring. They will hire workers to maintain the trees.

A new irrigation network is planned for the area. It will be tested this year. A few kilometers were built recently, with more planned to be built soon.

[VIDEO](https://youtu.be/Xtjpzs-IgUU)

Yerevan has greenification plans for several parts of the city

Official: This year we will plant 4k trees and 75k bushes in several zones.

Hamalir's 8.5-hectare project will be done in phases. This year we will greenify 3.5 hectares with 2.3k trees and 3k bushes. To expedite the process, we organized a tender to purchase trees with փակ արմատային համակարգ. There will be ornamental and fruit (apricot, plum, etc.) trees. To make it look good, we will pick trees that blossom and provide colors from early spring to late autumn. This is semi-desert soil, not good for trees, so we're seeking help from Kotayk province.

The next greenification project is in the Shengavit district. Aragats Park's 0.5 hectares will be revamped with similar trees and a leisure zone. Ready in autumn.

Another project is in Saralanj. Here the soil is also unfavorable for trees. It's rocky and lacks humus soil. We've solved the irrigation issue. Part of the area has new trees already. The results will be seen later this year when they blossom. This park will have Judas-tree, sophora, and pine. //

[Full video with maps](https://youtu.be/vxjpESUjPkA). [Article](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077292.html).

Yerevan will build a fountain complex in front of the St. Gregory Illuminator church

Next year. The area is currently in poor condition, complained Mayor Hrachya.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077301.html

work is underway to double the passenger flow in Yerevan subway

Metro spokeswoman: It's the 41st anniversary of Metro. It is the only fast, safe, reliable, and eco-friendly transport. It's 12.1km, 10 stations, 33 wagons (another 12 are broken). It serves 20 million riders annually. Everything is being done to double the flow.

Yerevan official: The issue of launching a new station in Ajapnyak district has been discussed for some time now. A Russian company Metrogiprotrans won the tender to design the project. The company has been carrying out purely technical work lately. No big updates. The new station will be near the Halabyan-Abelyan intersection [near TUMO]. The trains will need a new bridge on the Hrazdan gorge. //

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077306.html

time is running out to use a loophole to legalize your unauthorized structure in Yerevan

Last year the government threw a tantrum and decided to close a "loophole" that allowed structure owners to pay a legal bribe to legalize an illegal structure.

Cadastre Committee: Structures built before 2021 can be registered for legalization until 2023. Registration doesn't guarantee approval.

Structures built in 2021 can be registered by March 15. Structures built after January 2022 cannot be legalized. [The deadlines are more relaxed in provinces] //

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077314.html

don't let your grandma kill you with kindness

Several people got food poisoning after eating homemade canned food. If you're going to eat one, make sure to boil it for 20-25 minutes first, reminded the Healthcare Ministry.

The food with botulism toxin doesn't taste spoiled. Seek medical care ASAP if symptoms develop, which could arrive 2-240 hours after eating it.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077223.html

COVID stats

2.6k tested. 60 infected. 377 healed. 12 deaths. 4.6k active.

https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077264.html

Armenia's industrial production in January year-over-year

Industrial output +17%

Mining -1%

Manufacturing +25%

Food +18%

Alcohol +26%

Tobacco +2%

Other, non-metal +83%

Basic metals +32%

Metal products -20%

Clothing +9%

Knitting (Մանածագործական) -17%

Rubber & plastic items +46%

Chemicals -17%

Leather & leather products +87%

https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/232526

actor Armen Marutyan recalls an episode with legendary Frunzik Mkrtchyan:

Frunzik would come to a class, grab a piece of chalk, scribble something on the board, and ask us what we see there. He would then get upset after we couldn't come up with anything. His greatness was in his ability to come up with lots of things that others couldn't see. [tells a long story]

Modern theater lacks talented directors and actors. It doesn't matter what the "audience wants". If the theater constantly focuses on adjusting the script to sell more tickets, it will fail. //

Continue: https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077265.html

Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues

And so does Russia's global isolation. The list of companies that have suspended operations in Russia now includes the major video game makers, payment card providers (partially), Netflix, Adobe, education platform Coursera, Zara and Louis Vuitton fashion stores, Samsung, TikTok disabled upload feature, ...

Formula 1 team terminated the contact with Russian pilot Nikita Mazepin, the son of Uralkali fertilizer magnate.

Stolichnaya vodka will be rebranded as "Stoli". Its founder, Yuri Shefler, is a Russian-born billionaire who was exiled in 2000 for opposing Vladimir Putin. The vodka is produced in Latvia.

Boeing will stop purchasing titanium from Russia. "Our inventory and diversity of titanium sources provide sufficient supply for airplane production."

[1](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/05/zara-owner-inditex-ceases-trading-in-russia-temporarily-ukraine-sanctions) [2](https://www.pcgamesn.com/activision-blizzard-russia-sales-ban) [3](https://www.reuters.com/business/paypal-shuts-down-its-services-russia-citing-ukraine-aggression-2022-03-05/) [4](https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2022/03/04/adobe-stops-all-new-sales-in-russia) [5](https://blog.coursera.org/coursera-response-to-the-humanitarian-crisis-in-ukraine/) [6](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2022/03/05/russian-f1-driver-nikita-mazepin-sacked-american-owned-haas/) [7](https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/visa-suspends-operations-russia-over-ukraine-invasion-2022-03-05/) [8](https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/05/business/stoli-vodka-rebrand-russia/index.html) [9](https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/4/22962282/samsung-suspending-shipments-russia-smartphones-chips) [10](https://www.woodtv.com/news/international/netflix-tiktok-suspend-services-in-russia/) [11](https://money.usnews.com/investing/news/articles/2022-03-07/boeing-halts-purchase-of-titanium-from-russia)

... Hollywood's Russia boycott will negatively affect Armenian theaters that display translated movies

Reporter: Russians can't watch the new Batman. It will be premiered in Armenia soon, but the theaters are facing problems. Armenia leases the translated movies from Russia. Most Hollywood movies, for example in Moskva theater, are in Russian.

Movie critic: We could either display them in English with Armenian subtitles, or dub them with Armenian voice. Either option requires large resources that cinemas lack.

Moskva Cinema official: Armenia doesn't have a local distributor. We've been leasing it from Russian distributors. Signing a direct contract with Hollywood is just a dream because of how difficult it is.

[1](https://youtu.be/7cV_g2oP6tI)

... Armenians in Ukraine continue to provide assistance to residents

Marat Hakobyan from Kyiv: The situation is calm in Kyiv, but tense in the suburbs. The residents are leaving the suburbs for Kyiv. We have water, electricity, internet, and items on store shelves. There were long queues in the first days but it has gotten better. That's partly because many residents have left. People have gotten accustomed to the state of war. My family hasn't moved to a bomb shelter yet but it is advised for condo residents.

The Union of Armenians of Ukraine organized humanitarian assistance for Ukrainian soldiers and residents from the first day. They're helping with food and essentials. It's done in every city, including Kyiv. The issue with the medicine shortage was also addressed. //

[PHOTOS](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077213.html)

... Artsakh Republic sent 14 tons of humanitarian aid to Ukraine

Artsakh government shipped the aid to Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia regions. The pallets were loaded with essential items.

[1](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077319.html)

... Armenian ambassador to Ukraine about the situation

Vladimir Karapetyan: The battles continue in the north, east, south, and outskirts of Kyiv. Some promising agreements were reached regarding the evacuation of civilians [might be an old interview]. Armenia has expressed its stance and hopes that the conflict will be resolved diplomatically.

The Armenian embassy was one of the very few, out of 100+, that remained in Kyiv until very recently when the situation worsened and we had to move the staff to Lviv. The embassy is providing advisory, documents, and assistance to Armenians round the clock.

Hundreds of thousands of Armenian citizens live in Ukraine. The embassy has been operating under an extraordinary workload. We are ready to help Armenians who want to move to Armenia. //

[1](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077222.html)

... expect a severe impact on the world economy: IMF

There will be a lot of damage to the global economy, inflation, a blow to economies recovering from the pandemic, said IMF.

[1](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/03/05/world/russia-ukraine/the-imf-warned-that-the-war-in-ukraine-would-have-a-severe-impact-on-the-global-economy)

... food prices reach record highs, skyrocket +21% across the globe

Crop conditions and reduced export availability are partly to blame, but the biggest reasons are energy, fertilizer, and feed prices.

[1](https://nypost.com/2022/03/05/food-prices-across-globe-skyrocket-by-20-7-percent-across-globe/) [2](https://www.reuters.com/world/food-prices-hit-record-high-february-un-agency-says-2022-03-04/)

... Russian government imposes price control, bans consumer hoarding

You can't buy an "excess" amount of food and other "socially important goods", amid reports that residents in some Russian regions were sweeping grocery stores clean. Meanwhile, retailers had agreed to limit markups on a number of items to 5%.

[1](https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/russia-ukraine-latest-news-2022-03-04/card/russia-imposes-antihoarding-price-control-measures-YRKE3kS4E3EeEk34cXAU)

... ruble is still falling

145 per dollar as of writing this. 80 before the invasion.

Dram has gone from 480 to 510.

[1](https://www.google.com/search?q=dollar+to+ruble)

... China seeks to unify the public in support of Russia

If Russia is destroyed, we will be next, the US wants to dominate the world, said one Beijing resident. The comment reflects the Communist Party's official stance that Putin is a major ally, and that all of this is America's fault.

Media outlets were told last week to post only pro-Russian content. A letter signed by five Chinese professors from prominent universities that criticized Russia appeared briefly on social media before being deleted. You can express sympathy for Ukraine, but not criticize Russia.

[1](https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-china-seeks-to-unify-public-support-1a0fbda7db0554ca40569470fa48db6c)

... support for NATO membership is growing in Sweden

Sweden has not been in a war since 1814 and has tried to remain neutral. However, the public opinion on joining NATO has changed since January:

Yes: 41% --> 51%

No: 37% --> 27%

The government said joining NATO would be a major change and cannot be done based on opinion polls. In a major boost to the pro-NATO wing, the Sweden Democrats party (3rd largest) said it was reviewing its stance, which could give a majority in parliament to those who wish to join. The largest party is still hesitant.

[1](https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/majority-swedes-favour-joining-nato-poll-2022-03-04/)

... demand for U.S. dollar increase as more investors dump their euros to switch: CNN

The dollar is the backbone of the global economy. Investors like to stock up every time someone screws the planet up. Investors don't want to hold euros because of its proximity to the Ukraine conflict. "US stocks have been doing way better than European shares since Russia's invasion because America's economy is more insulated from the war."

Other reasons: The US economy looks healthy and added tons of jobs recently despite inflation, the gas is still a major headache in Europe, ...

Continue: [1](https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/06/investing/stocks-week-ahead/index.html)

... more Russian airlines suspend international flights amid sanctions and threat of jet seizures

Foreign lessors seek to return jets worth billions of dollars. Aeroflot and Ural airlines have joined smaller ones and announced a decision to temporarily suspend international flights, including to Armenia.

Belarus is apparently part of Russia now. Aeroflot won't suspend the flights there.

[1](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077176.html), [2](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-05/russia-bans-some-foreign-flights-to-shield-aircraft-from-seizure), [3](https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1077228.html)

... passenger flow from Russia to Armenia remains high; rent skyrockets in Gyumri and Yerevan

40 flights per day. The passengers complained about €600 tickets. One Russian man said he managed to snatch one at a "discount" before it went to $1,100.

High demand, longer flights, more fuel due to closed air, jet insurance premium hike, etc.

Armenia Airlines: Russian airlines canceled 15 flights. We ran out of cheap tickets. The jets are packed. Only business class is left. //

A large number of Russian citizens, especially programmers, have been moving to Gyumri in recent days, said one hotel manager. They want to regain access to some Western services and obtain an Armenian bank card.

The daily and monthly rent is up by 2-3x in Gyumri. You can find apartments at $1,000/mo in the central district. "This has never happened in the history of Gyumri's housing market," said a hospitality industry worker, who believes the state should impose price control. "Krasnodar-Gyumri ticket costs $1,000. We need more flights."

Rent is going up in Yerevan, too. If a few hundred dollars was considered a lot, today it can cost a few thousand. For example, 1br in the Yerevan center can be $1,500 (up from $700). 4br on Mashtots Blvd is $4,500. 4br in Arabkir is $3,500. The sharp increase began a few years ago.

Reporter: Do you receive complaints from Russian citizens?

Real estate agent: No. They agree easily, without showing surprise. Russians often rent long-term. //

The Facebook groups where people advertise apartments for lease are more active nowadays. Many ads are in Russian.

[1](https://factor.am/484403.html) [2](https://youtu.be/xZ_tvS3aI8g) [3](https://factor.am/484393.html) [4](https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/232543)

... interview with more "Russian refugees" in Armenia | From "COVID" vaccine to "repressions"

Russian woman: I didn't want to leave. I had no plans. But sadly, the policies enacted by the president [Putin] and the law enforcement are scary. They torture in prison, arrest for saying "no to war". My friends have been arrested.

I was writing anti-war social media posts. I'm not even a journalist. I've racked up 50-years worth of prison time [Russian government recently approved a law to imprison for "discrediting" the army, reporting some war facts, etc.] Yes. It is a crime in Russia to call war a "war". You can get a 15.

Many are leaving out of fear that they will be drafted soon after a declaration of martial law. They don't want to choose between a felony charge and murdering a Ukrainian.

If things don't get better, we might stay here and open a small business and help develop Armenia. You might need the Russian IT specialists. It appears Russia only needs soldiers and siloviki.

My friend Yelena is a marketing specialist and I'm a painter. My colleagues have been deprived of the ability to accept international orders. People sit in Russia without the ability to do anything. They will either pray or leave.

Russian man: It's impossible to work with Europe today. You can't transfer funds from Europe. I haven't tried it in Armenia yet but it should be okay.

Russian woman: The economic situation is getting worse and will continue to get worse in the coming months and years. People have every reason to come here. If you can work remotely, it's probably best to leave Russia. It's wonderful here in Armenia. We haven't faced issues in the past week. We plan to leave soon.

Russian couple: We don't have long-term plans yet. We came here to see the wonderful Yerevan. We arrived a few hours ago.

Russian woman: This isn't our first trip to Armenia. We came to ski in Tsakhkadzor. There are many Russians there. The mountains are great there.

Elderly Russian couple: We came here to get vaccinated. We need the European vaccine [Russian gov't doesn't allow Pfizer and Moderna]. While preparing to leave, we learned about what was happening and decided to stay here, because we might not be able to return for the second shot.

Russian man: I was spending a wedding month in Georgia and have always dreamed to visit Armenia. We have many Armenians in Tomsk (Siberia). Arakelyan, Yevrumyan, etc. They've always advertised Armenia as a diamond [sounds very Armenian] so I wanted to touch that diamond. We've already managed to travel to the southern part with the family. We tried the zipline. Our visit is unrelated to the war. As for the war, I think Putin is unable to operate his gas pipe so he wants to annex entire Ukraine.

Russian couple: It's great in Armenia, bad in Russia. There was a risk that the internet could be cut off and we couldn't work and that our companies could leave Russia.

Russian family: We have relatives here. No plans to return for now.

Russian couple: Armenia is the most loyal and safe, I think. We arrived a few days ago. We don't know how long we'll stay.

Russian couple: This is the second day here. We don't have Schengen Visa and Armenia was the ideal emergency option. And it wasn't entirely about Schengen. We understand how difficult it is in Europe today, so many Ukrainian refugees, we don't want to take their spot. Armenian people have seen war and can have sympathy for us. We've been here only 2 days but have already felt that everyone is ready to help. We're grateful.

[1](https://youtu.be/aWufneTfcCA) [2](https://youtu.be/rUGLi2ar8NM?t=26)

... Putin met the aviation industry to provide reassurances amid reports that several Russian airlines ceased international flights because of sanctions

Russian airlines will have a problem leasing and servicing Western jets. They could even go bankrupt. [On Friday](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/t6so19/mar42022_gambling_ads_are_banned_russians_fly_to/), we learned that Russians are still working on MC-21 domestic jet and engine. An independent expert said they won't be ready until the second half of this decade.

Vladimir Putin met female pilots ahead of March 8 holidays. They took him to a flight simulator where pilots learn to fly. "It's so simple even a woman can do," said one female pilot while jiggling buttons.

Pilot: MC-21 is an excellent jet. It's not worse than then foreign models with technical parameters. Still, we can't replace all Boeings and Airbuses in the blink of an eye. [Putin is writing something on paper, probably to get her ass fired later.]

Putin: You said the MC-21 is not behind its foreign analogues. It's actually better in many parameters. No, it really is better [looks at attendees to make sure they are not laughing at him]. By the way, in the past few years, our American competitors behaved highly inappropriately. They placed sanctions against some of the components because their models were worse than MC-21. Our engineers achieved what Americans were struggling to do. We invented it ourselves, and they are better than the foreign ones. When the circumstances force us to do something, we do it. //

What is he referring to? The MC-21 manufacturer was using Western technology and Western components to produce a new type of prolonged wing that aims to make MC-21 more efficient than other jets.

In 2017-2019, the Trump administration imposed sanctions against Russia for "actions in Eastern Europe, Syria and the [meddling in] 2016 United States presidential election". The sanctions struck Russia's defense industry (several dozen companies) including the company behind MC-21.

The sanctions deprived the manufacturer of Western and Japanese components. The Chinese substitutes were too heavy and unsuitable, so the production was delayed. The manufacturer said they would use domestic components, the design of which began in 2014.

[1](https://youtu.be/Y-9b9aDYsjA) [2](https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/22239-mc-21-service-entry-threatened-by-us-sanctions) [3](https://www.defenseworld.net/news/29354/Russian_MC_21_Airliner_Deliveries_Postponed_due_to_Sanctions) [4](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/26/us/politics/trump-russia-sanctions.html) [5](https://www.ustrademonitor.com/2017/10/secondary-sanctions-targeting-russias-defense-and-intelligence-sectors-move-closer-to-implementation/)

... Russia's "Google" is in big trouble

Yandex handles 60% of search traffic in Russia and operates a ride-hailing business. It warned it may not be able to pay its debts.

>Investors who hold $1.25 billion in Yandex convertible notes have a right to demand repayment in full, plus interest, if trading in its shares are suspended on the Nasdaq for more than five days. The Moscow stock market will remain shut at least until Tuesday.

Yandex: We do not have sufficient resources to redeem the Notes in full. //

Yandex may also struggle to move money out of its major operating businesses in Russia to bail out the Dutch parent company because of sanctions. They are looking for sources of financing.

Grubhub ended the driverless robot delivery partnership with Yandex. The two had earlier agreed on connecting Yandex's autonomous delivery robots to Grubhub's platform.

Yandex lost 75% of its value within the past few months.

[1](https://www.reuters.com/technology/grubhub-ends-driverless-robot-delivery-partnership-with-russias-yandex-2022-03-04/) [2](https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/04/tech/yandex-russia-internet-warning/index.html) [3](https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/4/22962016/yandex-autonomous-vehicle-pause-ann-arbor-russia) [4](https://www.ft.com/content/5db2e1b0-ad8b-46f2-9c34-dc02af783cae)

... Florida man runs a stop sign, tells policeman he was in a hurry because he thought Putin was going to drop a nuke

[Video.](https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/lifestyle/russia-nuclear-war-florida-driver-b2028063.html)

... what to do in the event of nuclear attack 💥

The US residents would have up to 30 minutes to shelter. What you do immediately after the explosion could save your life. Forget about picking up your child from school, you won't have time.

Initial impact: Don't look at the explosion. It can temporarily blind you from 53 miles away on a clear night. Drop to the ground and protect yourself from flying debris or heat that could burn your skin. If you have a scarf or handkerchief, cover your nose and mouth. Keep your mouth open so your eardrums don't burst from the pressure.

Seek shelter. If you survived the blast, you could have several minutes before the nuclear fallout reached the ground. If you are in a car, find a building for shelter. Cars do not provide adequate protection but they are better than standing outside. If you must remain in a car, keep the windows and vents closed.

Take a shower with warm water immediately. Use only conventional soap, apply gently, don't damage your skin which is a natural protective layer.

Move to the basement or the center of the middle floors of a multi-story building. Exposure is reduced by 50% in a one-story building, and by 90% a level below ground.

Cover your mouth and nose with a mask (but, but, but... NO BUTS THIS TIME). Anything, even a scarf, is better than nothing to protect against a fallout cloud.

First 1 hour: Remain inside a shelter. The radiation exposure decreases 55% within 1 hour. After 1 hour has passed, if you are in a poor shelter and you know you can access a better one, very quickly move there. Stay there until instructed to leave. The radiation exposure decreases by 80% after 24 hours.

Your shelter doesn't have to be fully sealed and airtight to provide protection, but if you can seal it, do it. The key is to spend less time in the open air and to remain far away from the source, including the building's walls and roof.

Spend at least a day in a good shelter. Play cards.

This was partial information. Refer to sources for more: [1](https://www.co.monmouth.nj.us/documents/118/IMMEDIATE_ACTION_SHELTER_THEN_EVACUATE.pdf) [2](https://www.businessinsider.com/guide-to-protect-yourself-nuclear-attack-before-after-bomb-2022-3) [3](https://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/prep_nuclear_fact_sheet.pdf)

more

The news in русский (by Impossible-Ad-).

News archive: http://www.armeniapedia.org/wiki/Daily_Anti-Corruption_Reports Donations: soldiers' families, humanitarian aid, US tax-deductible donation.

The accused are innocent unless proven guilty in the court of law, even if they "appear" guilty.

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Link to original report and comments: https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/t91vo9/news_mar72022_russian_migrants_cause_rent_spike/