The deal to extend Russia’s lease on the naval base in Sevastapol was ratified by Ukraine’s Rada today, but not without a fight… literally.

Opposition MPs, largely from Yulia Tymoshenko’s bloc, pelted the Speaker with eggs, forcing his aides to shelter him with a pair of (fortunately well placed) umbrellas. MPs also set of smoke bombs and brawled, with one MP reportedly taken to hospital with concussion.

All in all, it sounds like Ukraine’s lawmakers had a high old time, and they certainly gave everyone outside of Ukraine a good laugh. But, leaving aside the damage done to Ukraine’s image as boring farmers, did their lawmakers make the right decision in extending Russia’s lease for another 25 years?

Well, actually, I think that today’s been a pretty good day for Ukraine. By extending the lease until 2042 in exchange for a 30% reduction in gas bills, Ukraine’s pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych has negotiated a cracking deal.

In real terms, 30% translates to around $4 billion per year – and over $120 billion over the lifetime of the deal. And all for a naval base that (a) Ukraine probably doesn’t really mind Russia having and (b) if Russia left, Ukraine would have to pay to decommission.

The Financial Times disagree – they think that this deal is a bad one for Ukraine. Politically, the FT mainly seem worried that Russian operatives will destabilize the Crimea, but I can’t see why they wouldn’t be able to do that anyway from just across the Russo-Ukrainian border. And, additionally, deferring the Russian pull-out for another 25 years means that, in a decade’s time, the Ukrainian government won’t have to deal with tensions caused by the pullout. Much better to leave the Russian Navy in place, and take their cash.

(Alexander Golts, of the Yezhednevny Zhurnal, writing in the Moscow Times, by the way, is speculating that Ukraine might have pulled off a stunning coup – because they can take the 30% discount over the next 10 years, and then turn around and kick Russia out of their Crimean naval base anyway. I’m not sure that stealing the Russian bear’s honey, then turning around and kicking it in the nuts is a particularly sensible long term strategy, but it’s a fun idea!)

The FT is also worried that receiving the boost of a 30% discount will stop Ukraine from addressing its real problem – that it gobbles gas like there’s no tomorrow. Here I have more sympathy for their argument. Ukraine consumes three times as much gas as its similarly sized and more productive neighbour Poland. The real challenge for Ukraine’s government is going to be cutting down on gas usage, and lowering the cost isn’t going to help much there. But the problem is that high gas prices risk cutting gas usage by crippling production, leading to a vicious cycle of economic depression. The optimist in me wants to believe that at least a little bit of the savings will be invested in providing more efficient heat and industrial energy – we shall see…

What do you think? Has Ukraine negotiated its way into a good deal, or has the Russian Bear just wrapped Ukraine closer in its cozy embrace?

I'm singin' in Ukraine… is a post from: Siberian Light

Russia hosted the Eurovision a couple of years ago. They put on a fabulous (and very expensive) show, but it looks like they’ve decided it’s far too costly to ever take the chance of winning again – there surely can’t be any other reason that explains why they picked the truly dreadful Lost and Forgotten by Peter Nalitch, and the equally bad Get You by Alexej Vorobjov this year.

Anyway, what better way is there to celebrate Russia’s decision to never again host Europe’s premier singing contest than to take a run through the YouTube videos of every single Russian Eurovision Song Contest entry – ever! That’s nearly two decades’ worth of top notch Russian Europop – t.A.t.U, Mumy Troll, Alsou, Dima Bilan, Peter Nalitch and now Alexej Vorobjob – we’ve got them all!

No – there’s no need to thank me. Really. No need at all.

2010 – Alexey Vorobyov – Get You – (Place: TBC)

Alexey Vorobyov (also known by the English translation of his name as Alex Sparrow) has tried to win Eurovision Song Contest qualification for a few years now, and with Get You he’s finally made it. Sadly, I’m not sure if the ladies are going to swoon for his dashing good looks or in horror at hearing the song…

2010 – - Lost and Forgotten – (Place: 11th)

Peter Nalitch, some of you will remember is the Russian architect who had a massive viral hit in 2007 with his cheesy song Gitar. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Peter Nalitch Eurovision video ‘Lost and Forgotten’, possibly the dullest, sleepiest ballad to grace Eurovision since, well, since last year probably.

2009 – Anastasia Prikhodko – Mamo – (11th)

Mamo, Russia’s 2009 Eurovision song has already proved controversial. Sung partly in Ukrainian, by a Ukrainian singer who only entered after she had failed to win the Ukrainian Eurovision contest – what could there possibly be to complain about?

2008 – Dima Bilan – Believe (1st)

Russia’s first Eurovision victory came courtesy of Dima Bilan’s Belive. Already a successful pop star back home in Russia, Dima Bilan won the competition on his second attempt – beating his second place finish in Eurovision 2006.

2007 – Serebro – Song #1 (3rd)

Serebro – which means Silver in Russian – were a previously unknown three girl band. They’ve translated their third place finish in Eurovision 2007 into some limited success in Russia – although it’s taken them until April 2009 to release their first full album.

2006 – Dima Bilan – Never Let You Go (2nd)

Dima’s first stab at Eurovision glory was mostly memorable for his wearing of a white tank top. A true crime against fashion.

2005 – Natalia Podolskaya – Nobody Hurt No One (15th)

A rockin’ little anti-American anti war ditty (Hello sweet America / Where did our dream disappear? / Look at little Erica / All she learns today is the fear”). About the best that can be said is that it inspired Russia to take the contest seriously again the following year.

2004 – Yulia Savicheva – Belive Me (11th)

Possibly Russia’s dullest Eurovision entry. Nuff said.

2003 – t.A.t.U – Ne ver’, ne boisya, ne prosi (3rd – robbed!)

Russia’s most controversial (and best publicised) Eurovision effort by far. All you need to know is that controversy kicked off with a formal enquiry to the Eurovision board ahead of the contest that asked whether performers had to wear clothes, and finished with claims that the faux-lesbian duo, who were beaten by just three points, had been robbed by “unlikely low points” given by other countries.

2002 – Prime Minister – Northern Girl (10th)

Another one of those dull songs that Eurovision throws up from time to time. Take my advice, and don’t waste your time listening.

2001 – Mumiy Troll – Lady Alpine Blue (12th)

Russia took the brave decision in 2001 to send rock band Mumiy Troll to Europe’s premier pop song contest. The veteran rock band were formed back in 1983 (so far back into Soviet history that Gorbachev wasn’t even the boss) and, although I like the song, I don’t think it’s a moment they’ll consider their finest…

2000 – Alsou – Solo (2nd)

After the 1998-99 debacle (see ‘interlude’ below) Russia decided to get serious and send a real contender to the 2000 contest. Alsou’s Solo hit all the Eurovision buttons – sexy lady in skimpy costume, catchy tune, sung in English – and was unfortunate not to pull off Russia’s first victory. It had the misfortune to come up against that rarest of things – a decent ballad from Denmark that stormed to victory.

Alsou, by the way, will be hosting the 2009 Eurovision contest in Moscow.

Interlude: 1998-1999

Russia selected Tatyana Ovsienko as their entrant for the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest, only to be informed that, because they’d been so rubbish over the past few years – also called having a low average score – they weren’t eligible to actually send an entrant.

Naturally, Russian TV channel ORT decided – on the entirely sensible grounds that no-one in Russia would watch a four hour song contest if no-one from Russia was singing – not to show the contest live.

Fatal mistake.

Russia would have been able to send an entrant to the following contest, in 1999, but because they’d failed to televise the 1998 contest, under Eurovision’s rules, Russia was barred from sending an entry.

Lesson learned, Russia duly televised the 1999 contest, even though there wasn’t a Russian entrant.

1997 – Alla Pugachova – Primadonna (15th)

Alla Pugachova is one of the true survivors of Soviet music. An icon in Russia, she was the last artist to win the prized “People’s Artist of the USSR” award.

Unsurprisingly, the rest of Europe were not impressed by this hearty ballad.

1996 – Andrei Kosinskiy – I am what I am (did not qualify for final)

For the second time in three years, Russia failed to make it to the final. Here’s the video anyway – Michael Bolton eat your heart out.

1995 – Philip Kirkorov – Lullaby for a Volcano (17th)

Apparently, according to a Eurovision historian (yes, there are such things), Kikorov’s entry is most interesting because Russian TV implied that he had won by ending transmission after his performance and not bothering to show the voting. In reality, Lullaby for a Volcano finished a disappointing 17th out of 23.

1994 – Youdipph – Vechni Strannik (9th)

Russia’s first Eurovision entry also marked the first time that a Eurovision song had been sung in Russian.

A solid if unspectacular debut, Wikipedia regards it as being notable for the red cape worn by singer Maria Kats. I have to say, it is very cool – she looks like a kind of Soviet Batman…

Note: This post is a rewritten version of a post from 2007 – which is why you will see some very old comments below.

Every Russian Eurovision video – ever is a post from: Siberian Light

Vladimir Putin – Putin on the Ritz

Two lame duck leaders and one classic song can only add up to one thing: DANCING!

Gorbachev – saving hot girls from Stalin Zombies.

This one’s in hi-def, so may take a bit longer than the other videos to buffer.

Dmitry Medvedev’s own Russian Obama Girl

Like Obama, Dmitry Medvedev is Russia’s new hope. And the chicks clearly love him.

Medvedi Nevedi

Just in case you’ve not had enough of Dmitry Medvedev.

I want a man like Putin – ?????? ??? ?????

Everyone likes a man like Putin… or do they?

I think, on balance, I prefer Dobby.

Someone still loves you Boris Yeltsin

OK, I admit it. I couldn’t find a song about Yeltsin. So here’s a band named after him instead.

And that’s it. The end of my brief collection of tribute songs to Russian leaders. Have I missed any?

A musical tribute to Russia's leaders is a post from: Siberian Light

Peter Nalitch’s cheesy pop video “Gitar” has taken the newly launched youtube.ru by storm, notching up more than 350,000 views already.

Seriously – who could resist the charming Nalitch as he croons “Gitarrr, Gitarrr, Gitarrr, jump to my yaguarrr, Gitarrr, Gitarrr Gitarrr, come to my boudoirrr” from the front seat of his cramped Soviet Kopeika car?

Filmed by a friend on a handheld camera at his family’s Dacha just outside of Moscow, Gitar (definitely not Guitar) sat relatively un-noticed on Youtube for several months until it spotted by Russia’s bloggers who couldn’t resist the catchy tune, cheesy lyrics and naked cartoon women scrawled across the screen.

Once they picked up the story Nalitch’s fame, and Gitar’s place in internet history, was assured.

Now Nalitch is becoming a star in the real world, too. The 26 year-old Muscovite played his first professional gig earlier this month in front of a packed house at the Apshu club in Moscow. He earned the princely sum of 30,000 roubles (about $1,200), his first ever professional fee.

But, true to his noble character, Nalitch was more concerned about the fans that couldn’t get into the club:

“I give it four stars, I was upset that it was so packed and not everyone was able to get in, but I think the people who were there had fun.”

So, what next for Nalich? Well, the former architecture student is following in the footsteps of his Bosnian grandfather – an opera singer – and is training as a singer at a Moscow music college. And with a number of other songs ready to go, international fame surely beckons.

Peter Nalitch's "Gitar" video – at last, Russia has its own Borat is a post from: Siberian Light

Well, it’s hit the mainstream – big time. A (rather deranged, it must be said) CNN presenter, has decided that the money came right from the top:

“I have a sneaking suspicion that this counterfeiting can be traced all the way up to Putin himself. From arms and oil deals with everyone from Venezuela to Iran, this guy is in bed with evil. [...] So, Putin, one way or another… could he be behind this counterfeiting?

Don’t believe me? Watch the video for yourself:

Bonkers. And, if this constitutes prime time US journalism, ever so slightly scary. I mean, I remember that US news seemed terrible when I lived over there a few years ago, but I hadn’t realised it had gotten quite this bad.

(Thanks to Robert Amsterdam for the tip).

CNN takes fake $100 bill story, and runs with it is a post from: Siberian Light

And now, you can see the speech in its entirety (plus some dodgy introductory music), courtesy of Russia Today:

I have to say, I was very impressed by the way in which Putin delivered his speech in English.

Although Putin is known for his excellent language skills, as far as I know, he’s never given a speech in English before on the world stage. On the evidence of this speech, he should use English more when speaking to the press. It would do the power of good to Russia’s international image.

Video of Putin's Olympic speech in English is a post from: Siberian Light

• An anti-Putin dissenters march, which drew about 2,000 demonstrators, including Garry Kasparov.  The were outnumbered four to one by 8,000 police, who earned their money by arresting around 50 of the protestors.
• A demonstration to remember killed Russian journalists, which drew about 250 demonstrators, and hundreds of police
• A demonstration by 70,000 (!) members of the pro-Putin youth group Nashi, to mark the 60th anniversary of the battle of Moscow.  Guess how many police turned up to supervise this rally. 

Global Voices Online has background informtion on the Dissenters March, and links to video of the demonstration can be found here.  (Which I sadly haven’t been able to view, as video isn’t enabled on the PC I’m working on today).   

Demonstrations in Moscow is a post from: Siberian Light