Putin supports the idea of creating a single radio protocol

(via Twitter.Com)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has supported the idea of creating a single radio protocol used by departments. He stated this at a meeting with businessmen, members of club leaders, the correspondent of "Gazety.Ru".

As the president of one of the participants of the meeting, Russia buys various innovative radio equipment in all departments, "but no one will agree that they work in a single standard, a single protocol."

"I propose to create on the basis of the ASI (Agency for Strategic Initiatives), a working group to optimize the introduction of the single radio standard for the whole of Russia," he said.

Putin supported the idea. "There are good developments, and together with the special services and the concerned agencies to come to the result, I agree," said the head of state.
http://www.gazeta.ru/
(Anatoly Klepov/RUS_DX 858

Russia agrees to reopen Cuban spy base

Moscow (AFP) - Russia has provisionally agreed to reopen a major Cold War listening post on Cuba that was used to spy on the United States, a Russian daily reported Wednesday after President Vladimir Putin visited the island last week.

"The agreements were finalized while President Vladimir Putin visited Havana last Friday," the respected daily wrote.

Russia had closed the Lourdes spy base south of Havana on Putin's orders to save money and due to a rapprochement with the United States after the September 11 attacks.

But Moscow has since shown a new interest in Latin America and its Cold War ally Cuba and relations with the West have deteriorated amid the Ukraine crisis.

The base was set up in 1964 after the Cuban missile crisis to spy on the United States. Just 250 kilometres (155 miles) from the US coast, it was the Soviet Union's largest covert military outpost abroad with up to 3,000 staff.

A secret Russian listening station conducts it's activities October 18, 2001 in Lourdes some 18 mile …
It was used to listen in to radio signals including those from submarines and ships and satellite communications.

"All I can say is -- finally!" one Russian source told Kommersant of the reported reopening.

The defense ministry and military high command declined to comment on the report to Kommersant.

Ahead of Putin's visit to Cuba last week as part of a Latin American tour, Russia agreed to write off 90 percent of Cuba's debt dating back to the Soviet era, totaling around $32 billion.

Russia paid Cuba rent of $200 million per year to use the base in the last few years it was open.

A former head of Russia's foreign intelligence service, Vyacheslav Trubnikov, told the newspaper the base would strengthen Russia's international position.

"Lourdes gave the Soviet Union eyes in the whole of the western hemisphere," he said. "For Russia, which is fighting for its lawful rights and place in the international community, it would be no less valuable than for the USSR."

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov was not immediately available for comment on Wednesday.
(Yahoo! Nx)

Putin makes big changes

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has abolished the country's state-owned news agency RIA Novosti.

In a surprise decree published on the Kremlin's website on Monday, Mr Putin announced it would be replaced by a news agency called Russia Today.

The new agency will be headed by journalist and keen Kremlin supporter Dmitry Kiselev.

The state-owned Voice of Russia radio station has also been closed. The decree was effective immediately.

Additional story at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25299116

And from Voice of Russia

President Vladimir Putin has ordered the merger of the RIA Novosti news agency and the Voice of Russia broadcasting company to set up Rossia Segodnya (Russia Today) international news agency. The reorganization aims to ensure cost-effectiveness of the agencies, the head of the presidential administration Sergei Ivanov said.
The relevant decree, entitled "On certain measures to raise the operational effectiveness of state-owned mass media" is posted on the presidential website.
In line with the decree, as of the moment of the liquidation of RIA Novosti, the rights of its founder will be transferred to the "Rossia Segodnya" agency.
Pursuant to the decree, the news agency will manage the property, including foreign property, used by RIA Novosti for reporting Russian government policies and Russian public life abroad.
The "Rossia Segodnya" news agency will have its headquarters at 4 Zubovsky Boulevard in Moscow.
The core business of "Rossia Segodnya" will be "the coverage of Russian state policy and public life in the Russian Federation" for foreign audiences, the decree says.
The same decree liquidates the Voice of Russia state-owned broadcasting corporation. Its property will be placed under the management of "Rossia Segodnya" news agency.
Dmitry Kiselyov was appointed General Director of the new "Rossia Segodnya" news agency.
Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2013_12_09/President-Vladimir-Putin-issues-decree-to-reorgonize-Voice-of-Russia-RIA-Novosti-to-Rossia-Segodnya-news-wire-1689/