Another Big Win For Putin!!!
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88m3
Fast Money & Foreign Objects
Russian warships accused of 'chasing away' Swedish vessel to prevent Baltic States from achieving energy independence
Lithuania says it is being bullied by the Kremlin – and has already starting drawing up plans for what to do if Russia invades
ADAM WITHNALL
Sunday 03 May 2015
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Russia has been accused of using its warships to deliberately disrupt the construction of undersea power cables that would reduce the energy reliance of Baltic states on Moscow.
Lithuania’s foreign ministry said a naval vessel from Russia’s Northern Fleet had entered its waters for the fourth time in around a month and illegally forced a Sweden-owned ship to change course.
The ship was overseeing the construction of undersea cable that is to stretch some 400km (250 miles) from Lithuania to Sweden, but has been “chased away” from its work in separate incidents on 29 March, 10 April, 24 April and now 30 April.
READ MORE: NEW IRON CURTAINS GO UP ACROSS EUROPE
Lithuania has complained each time, and on this latest occasion summoned the Russian ambassador in protest. But the ministry said it was provided with no explanation, while Lithuanian media reported that a Russian naval commander had called on the vessel to stay away from the area because it had been chosen for “military exercises”.
“For the time being, the cable isn't covered with sand, and we have a special ship patrolling at the site to warn other vessels not to damage it with nets or anchors,” Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius told Lithuania's national radio. “This ship has repeatedly been chased away by Russian military vessels.”
Sweden’s foreign ministry said it backed Lithuania over the “unacceptable” behaviour of its navy, the Financial Timesreported, and has raised the issue with Russia.
The power cable between the two nations, from the Lithuanian port city of Klaipeda to Nybro, Sweden, is planned for launch in December.
Lithuania has been a key partner in recent Nato military exercises in the Baltic Sea, and has reintroduced conscription over fears of being outmuscled and even invaded by Russia’s far vaster army.
Which countries have nuclear weapons?
1 of 14
USA
Have nuclear weapons
The Baltic States fear that Kaliningrad, owned by Russia but sandwiched between Lithuania and Poland, is being heavily armed by the Kremlin.
In March, a Russian defence official said that the region will shortly be equipped with Iskander missiles – ballistic weapons which Lithuania’s president says could reach as far as Berlin.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...rom-achieving-energy-dependence-10222819.html
Lithuania says it is being bullied by the Kremlin – and has already starting drawing up plans for what to do if Russia invades
ADAM WITHNALL
Sunday 03 May 2015
A A A
Russia has been accused of using its warships to deliberately disrupt the construction of undersea power cables that would reduce the energy reliance of Baltic states on Moscow.
Lithuania’s foreign ministry said a naval vessel from Russia’s Northern Fleet had entered its waters for the fourth time in around a month and illegally forced a Sweden-owned ship to change course.
The ship was overseeing the construction of undersea cable that is to stretch some 400km (250 miles) from Lithuania to Sweden, but has been “chased away” from its work in separate incidents on 29 March, 10 April, 24 April and now 30 April.
READ MORE: NEW IRON CURTAINS GO UP ACROSS EUROPE
Lithuania has complained each time, and on this latest occasion summoned the Russian ambassador in protest. But the ministry said it was provided with no explanation, while Lithuanian media reported that a Russian naval commander had called on the vessel to stay away from the area because it had been chosen for “military exercises”.
“For the time being, the cable isn't covered with sand, and we have a special ship patrolling at the site to warn other vessels not to damage it with nets or anchors,” Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius told Lithuania's national radio. “This ship has repeatedly been chased away by Russian military vessels.”
The power cable between the two nations, from the Lithuanian port city of Klaipeda to Nybro, Sweden, is planned for launch in December.
Lithuania has been a key partner in recent Nato military exercises in the Baltic Sea, and has reintroduced conscription over fears of being outmuscled and even invaded by Russia’s far vaster army.
Which countries have nuclear weapons?
1 of 14
USA
Have nuclear weapons
The Baltic States fear that Kaliningrad, owned by Russia but sandwiched between Lithuania and Poland, is being heavily armed by the Kremlin.
In March, a Russian defence official said that the region will shortly be equipped with Iskander missiles – ballistic weapons which Lithuania’s president says could reach as far as Berlin.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...rom-achieving-energy-dependence-10222819.html
Russia must be stopped.
88m3
Fast Money & Foreign Objects
EUROPE
Pollution, Prisons, Sickness, and Raves: Inside Russia's 'City of the Colorful Sky'
By Alexandros Katsis and Maria Louka
April 22, 2015 | 12:40 pm
The locals call it "the city of the colorful sky." Welcome to Nizhni Tagil, Russia, one of the most polluted places in Europe.
Nestled in the depths of the rugged Ural mountain range about 1,100 miles from Moscow, Nizhni Tagil's 360,000 residents are paying a heavy price for living in a city that's become an industrial powerhouse of Russia. Dominating the landscape of Soviet architecture, rivers and forests, the chimneys of the metropolitan area's 606 factories — one for every 600 residents, more or less — chug out non-stop clouds of toxic smoke that poison the life of the city.
The effects of the toxic smoke chugged out by 606 factories have given Nizhny Tagil its nickname, "the city of the colorful sky." All photos by Alexandros Katsis.
Danny, a construction worker in Nizhny Tagil who organizes raves in his spare time, looks over the city from a surrounding hillside.
Nizhny Tagil's residents live secluded lives in vast expanses of land.
Nizhni Tagil is one of 400 Russian "monocities," cities designed exclusively for industry, founded on a trade in metal extraction that goes back hundreds of years. Explorers discovered rich mineral deposits in the soil in 1696 and the first factory was founded in 1833 by Yefim Cherepanov and Miron Yefimovich, renowned Russian industrialists and inventors who built the country's first steam locomotive. A monument to the men stands proud in the city center.
Legend has it that the Statue of Liberty's copper coating was extracted from the city's mines. Today, Nizhni Tagil is a Russian metallurgy hub and famous for production of military battle tanks which are exported all over the world.
Lacking in modern equipment, the quantity of waste produced by the factories is startling — an estimated 600,000 tons a year, about 1.6 tons per city resident. Nizhni Tagil has the highest rate of stomach and lung cancer in Russia, and the rate of respiratory problems in children is 50 percent higher than the national average. Mass environmental protests common in the 1980s have died away — while the factories may be killing Nizhni Tagil's population, they are also virtually the only option for them to make the money they need to live.
Winters in Nizhny Tagil are harsh, dropping to temperatures as low as -40 Fahrenheit.
A traditional Soviet-style building in the historical center of Nizhny Tagil.
Apart from factories the other thing Nizhni Tagil has in abundance is prisons. There are eight, including a special detention facility for policemen. Many inmates work unpaid in the arms industry, a tradition dating back to the Gulag days which makes Russia's weaponry some of the most competitively priced in the world. While a Russian T-90 tank costs $1.5 million, a similar American vehicle costs $3.5 million. "It is an honor for an inmate to work in this sector," Yivgeni, a 40-year-old resident who worked in an arms factory during a five-year incarceration, told VICE News. "It is a way for the Motherland to show that she trusts us and that we contribute to its economy."
Drug use is widespread throughout the city.
After the collapse of the Eastern bloc, crime skyrocketed in the area. According to police estimates one out of every two men was a member of the mafia during the 1990s. Today the statistics are lower, but the gaze of the mafia overshadows the everyday life of the city. A mafia member can be recognized in three ways: they grow a beard, have a ring, and, if they have been in jail, a tattoo.
An illegal poker club for mafia members, who across Russia wear signature large rings.
A rave at the old Soviet theater of Nizhny Tagil, where plaques of Lenin and Stalin overlook partygoers.
In 2007 a dog discovered a mass grave in the forest containing the bodies of 30 dead women. An investigation and trial found a group of criminals had been luring women to an apartment to rape them and force them into prostitution. Those that refused were murdered. Eight people were convicted but many believe the investigation did not far enough, leaving many disappearances unsolved. "This is not a place to live, especially if you are a woman. It makes me feel afraid and depressed every time I return," Yianna, a tourism student who works in Turkey during the summer, told VICE News.
Nizhni Tagil's youth population, facing the equally grim prospects of unemployment or employment in the factories, seems lost. A documentary by the Russian producer Maria Morina claimed that as many as 30,000 people were addicted to drugs in this frozen corner of the Urals. Parties offer a break from reality and the bitterly cold nights, where temperatures can drop to -31 Fahrenheit (-35 Celsius).
A man leaves his son's stroller outside his apartment in a Soviet accommodation block.
Entertainment in Nizhny Tagil is limited.
Foreign house DJs are invited to play all-night raves in spaces that can host up to 3,000 people, a welcome change from the usual daily routine which starts with the Orthodox Church and ends with a a trudge back from the factory, coated in muck. Danny, a 36-year-old father who works in construction, organizes parties on the side. "There is nothing else to do if you want to escape the everyday routine," he told VICE News. "Who knows for how long we will be alive? There are days when even the snow is red from the dirt."
The city's few nightclubs offer young people a chance to escape the drudgery of their daily lives.
The fumes from Nizhny Tagil's smokestacks never stop coming.
https://news.vice.com/article/pollu...ity-of-the-colorful-sky?utm_source=vicenewsfb
Pollution, Prisons, Sickness, and Raves: Inside Russia's 'City of the Colorful Sky'
By Alexandros Katsis and Maria Louka
April 22, 2015 | 12:40 pm
The locals call it "the city of the colorful sky." Welcome to Nizhni Tagil, Russia, one of the most polluted places in Europe.
Nestled in the depths of the rugged Ural mountain range about 1,100 miles from Moscow, Nizhni Tagil's 360,000 residents are paying a heavy price for living in a city that's become an industrial powerhouse of Russia. Dominating the landscape of Soviet architecture, rivers and forests, the chimneys of the metropolitan area's 606 factories — one for every 600 residents, more or less — chug out non-stop clouds of toxic smoke that poison the life of the city.
The effects of the toxic smoke chugged out by 606 factories have given Nizhny Tagil its nickname, "the city of the colorful sky." All photos by Alexandros Katsis.
Danny, a construction worker in Nizhny Tagil who organizes raves in his spare time, looks over the city from a surrounding hillside.
Nizhny Tagil's residents live secluded lives in vast expanses of land.
Nizhni Tagil is one of 400 Russian "monocities," cities designed exclusively for industry, founded on a trade in metal extraction that goes back hundreds of years. Explorers discovered rich mineral deposits in the soil in 1696 and the first factory was founded in 1833 by Yefim Cherepanov and Miron Yefimovich, renowned Russian industrialists and inventors who built the country's first steam locomotive. A monument to the men stands proud in the city center.
Legend has it that the Statue of Liberty's copper coating was extracted from the city's mines. Today, Nizhni Tagil is a Russian metallurgy hub and famous for production of military battle tanks which are exported all over the world.
Lacking in modern equipment, the quantity of waste produced by the factories is startling — an estimated 600,000 tons a year, about 1.6 tons per city resident. Nizhni Tagil has the highest rate of stomach and lung cancer in Russia, and the rate of respiratory problems in children is 50 percent higher than the national average. Mass environmental protests common in the 1980s have died away — while the factories may be killing Nizhni Tagil's population, they are also virtually the only option for them to make the money they need to live.
Winters in Nizhny Tagil are harsh, dropping to temperatures as low as -40 Fahrenheit.
A traditional Soviet-style building in the historical center of Nizhny Tagil.
Apart from factories the other thing Nizhni Tagil has in abundance is prisons. There are eight, including a special detention facility for policemen. Many inmates work unpaid in the arms industry, a tradition dating back to the Gulag days which makes Russia's weaponry some of the most competitively priced in the world. While a Russian T-90 tank costs $1.5 million, a similar American vehicle costs $3.5 million. "It is an honor for an inmate to work in this sector," Yivgeni, a 40-year-old resident who worked in an arms factory during a five-year incarceration, told VICE News. "It is a way for the Motherland to show that she trusts us and that we contribute to its economy."
Drug use is widespread throughout the city.
After the collapse of the Eastern bloc, crime skyrocketed in the area. According to police estimates one out of every two men was a member of the mafia during the 1990s. Today the statistics are lower, but the gaze of the mafia overshadows the everyday life of the city. A mafia member can be recognized in three ways: they grow a beard, have a ring, and, if they have been in jail, a tattoo.
An illegal poker club for mafia members, who across Russia wear signature large rings.
A rave at the old Soviet theater of Nizhny Tagil, where plaques of Lenin and Stalin overlook partygoers.
In 2007 a dog discovered a mass grave in the forest containing the bodies of 30 dead women. An investigation and trial found a group of criminals had been luring women to an apartment to rape them and force them into prostitution. Those that refused were murdered. Eight people were convicted but many believe the investigation did not far enough, leaving many disappearances unsolved. "This is not a place to live, especially if you are a woman. It makes me feel afraid and depressed every time I return," Yianna, a tourism student who works in Turkey during the summer, told VICE News.
Nizhni Tagil's youth population, facing the equally grim prospects of unemployment or employment in the factories, seems lost. A documentary by the Russian producer Maria Morina claimed that as many as 30,000 people were addicted to drugs in this frozen corner of the Urals. Parties offer a break from reality and the bitterly cold nights, where temperatures can drop to -31 Fahrenheit (-35 Celsius).
A man leaves his son's stroller outside his apartment in a Soviet accommodation block.
Entertainment in Nizhny Tagil is limited.
Foreign house DJs are invited to play all-night raves in spaces that can host up to 3,000 people, a welcome change from the usual daily routine which starts with the Orthodox Church and ends with a a trudge back from the factory, coated in muck. Danny, a 36-year-old father who works in construction, organizes parties on the side. "There is nothing else to do if you want to escape the everyday routine," he told VICE News. "Who knows for how long we will be alive? There are days when even the snow is red from the dirt."
The city's few nightclubs offer young people a chance to escape the drudgery of their daily lives.
The fumes from Nizhny Tagil's smokestacks never stop coming.
https://news.vice.com/article/pollu...ity-of-the-colorful-sky?utm_source=vicenewsfb
88m3
Fast Money & Foreign Objects
EUROPE
NATO Conducts Anti-Submarine Exercises in North Sea as Russian Activity Increases
By Ben Makuch
May 6, 2015 | 2:45 pm
In a massive show of force in the North Sea, NATO and non-NATO forces have met for anti-submarine warfare exercises in the face of increasing Russian military activity in the region.
The annual exercise, dubbed "Dynamic Mongoose," off the coast of Norway, involves 12 warships, four submarines, and military representatives from Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the US.
Exercises will include detecting and targeting live submarines in disputed northern waters that are increasingly the site of Russian military assets lurking under the sea.
Tensions between Russia and NATO nations have run high in recent years since the annexation of Crimea and Russian President Vladimir Putin's continued covert support for rebels in eastern Ukraine.
Related: The Canadian Military Is Playing War Games Aimed at Russia
"Exercise Dynamic Mongoose is a great training opportunity," said Rear Admiral Brad Williamson, the US commander overseeing the exercises, in a press release this week.
According to Williamson, the exercises "allow us to further integrate with other NATO forces to enhance our interoperability and ability to effectively respond to potential submarine threats to our NATO allies."
Sweden, a regional ally of NATO and first-time participant in the exercises, detected suspected Russian submarines in its waters last summer, while Canada and other Arctic nations have intercepted Russian bombers flying too close to sovereign air space. And in April, the Finnish Navy dropped "low yield depth charges" into the waters near Helsinki after sensor nets detected a "possible underwater object."
"We strongly suspect that there has been underwater activity that does not belong there," Finnish Defense Minister Carl Haglund told told Finnish news agency STT. "Of course it is always serious if our territorial waters have been violated."
Exercise Dynamic Mongoose comes days after the ceremonial unveiling of the Russian navy's latest "undetectable" submarine, dubbed the "Krasnador." It is the fourth in a series of six upgraded diesel-electric Varshavyanka-class mammoth subs, which state media agencies in Russia have dubbed the "quietest in the world." Each member of the fleet, named after cities that have earned the honorary grade of "city of military glory," is armed with 18 torpedoes and eight surface-to-air Club missiles and are intended mainly for anti-shipping and anti-submarine missions, according to Russia Today.
While Reuters reports that American officials have said the latest exercises in the North Sea are not sabre-rattling military movements aimed at nearby Russia, a release from the Canadian Department of National Defense says it's part of "Canada's response to Russia's military aggression toward Ukraine."
Related: UK and US to Play Transatlantic Cyber War Games in Preparation for Future Attacks
Aboard the USS Vicksburg, the lead vessel in the exercise, US commander of the operation Rear Admiral Williamson told Reuters that the exercise is not a response to Russian action, but does bring "relevance" to the operation.
"Russia has a right to be at sea, just as we do," he said. "But the incidents we have seen are not in line with international regulations...and that's been the cause of concern."
The Arctic and northern seas continue to be a point of interest and dispute between Russia and its NATO rivals.
Vladimir Putin has thrown billions into military infrastructure in the Far North, while Canada, the US and other NATO countries bolster their Arctic warfare capabilities, evendeploying military exercises to match Russian movements in the region.
Follow Ben Makuch on Twitter:@bmakuch
https://news.vice.com/article/nato-...sian-activity-increases?utm_source=vicenewsfb
88m3
Fast Money & Foreign Objects
REPORT
The Short Life and Speedy Death of Russia’s Silicon Valley
In 2009, Moscow unveiled an ambitious plan to build a world-class technology incubator. Then corruption, brain drain, and Putin killed it.
http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/05/06...s-silicon-valley-medvedev-go-russia-skolkovo/
The Short Life and Speedy Death of Russia’s Silicon Valley
In 2009, Moscow unveiled an ambitious plan to build a world-class technology incubator. Then corruption, brain drain, and Putin killed it.
http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/05/06...s-silicon-valley-medvedev-go-russia-skolkovo/
88m3
Fast Money & Foreign Objects
Russia's new high-tech Armata tank just broke down in the middle of a rehearsal parade
Here's how it looked:
RT Ruptly, Youtube
The rest of the parade continued while the Armata sat motionless. It appeared to be attached to a vehicle in front by a cord. Here it is from a little farther out:
RT Ruptly, Youtube
The tank has been touted as one of the most impressive pieces of military hardware ever produced by Russia, with technical specifications that suggest it could survive an attack from an Apache attack helicopter.
Some analysts even think the Armata will surpass all existing Western models — at least when it is fully functioning.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/russ...wn-in-a-rehearsal-parade-2015-5#ixzz3ZTCJJ4rn
- MAY 7, 2015, 5:38 AM
- 9,229
- 14
Here's how it looked:
The rest of the parade continued while the Armata sat motionless. It appeared to be attached to a vehicle in front by a cord. Here it is from a little farther out:
The tank has been touted as one of the most impressive pieces of military hardware ever produced by Russia, with technical specifications that suggest it could survive an attack from an Apache attack helicopter.
Some analysts even think the Armata will surpass all existing Western models — at least when it is fully functioning.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/russ...wn-in-a-rehearsal-parade-2015-5#ixzz3ZTCJJ4rn
88m3
Fast Money & Foreign Objects
Russian spacecraft Progress comes crashing back to Earth and burns up on re-entry, agency says
Russia's space agency said the craft came down on Thursday night
ADAM WITHNALL
Friday 08 May 2015
PRINT
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A Russian spacecraft that started spiralling out of control after a failed attempt to resupply the International Space Station has come crashing back to Earth.
The Progress M-27M craft burned through the atmosphere in a fireball on Thursday night, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said.
It "ceased to exist" at 10.04pm ET on Thursday (2.04am UTC on Friday), the space agency said in a statement. It was moving over the centre of the Pacific at the time, and any fragments that didn't burn up were believed to have fallen into the ocean.
Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos) head Igor Komarov speaks during a press conference on the situation with the Progress M-27M cargo ship in Moscow on 29 April 2015.The unmanned spacecraft launched from Kazakhstan last Tuesday 28 April, but a communications failure occurred shortly after an attempt to dock and control of the craft was lost.
The unmanned cargo ship was supposed to deliver three tonnes of equipment, including food, water, fuel, oxygen and clothing to the six person crew on the International Space Station.
Although the Progress cargo ship has a good track record, this is the second loss of a robotic space freighter in the past six months. Last October, Orbital Sciences Corp suffered an explosion on launch of its cargo ship intended for the orbiting laboratory.
READ MORE:
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION ASTRONAUTS DRINK FIRST EVER 'SPACE COFFEE'
RUSSIA AND US ANNOUNCE PLANS TO BUILD SPACE STATION TOGETHER
WATCH: SUNRISE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, said: "Only a few small parts of elements of its construction could reach the surface of our planet."
There was not believed to be any risk to the astronauts on the International Space Station, who have enough supplies to keep them going until the next expected delivery on 19 June, by the US company SpaceX.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/s...burns-up-on-reentry-agency-says-10234369.html
second one in two months
Russia's space agency said the craft came down on Thursday night
ADAM WITHNALL
Friday 08 May 2015
A A A
A Russian spacecraft that started spiralling out of control after a failed attempt to resupply the International Space Station has come crashing back to Earth.
The Progress M-27M craft burned through the atmosphere in a fireball on Thursday night, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said.
It "ceased to exist" at 10.04pm ET on Thursday (2.04am UTC on Friday), the space agency said in a statement. It was moving over the centre of the Pacific at the time, and any fragments that didn't burn up were believed to have fallen into the ocean.
The unmanned cargo ship was supposed to deliver three tonnes of equipment, including food, water, fuel, oxygen and clothing to the six person crew on the International Space Station.
Although the Progress cargo ship has a good track record, this is the second loss of a robotic space freighter in the past six months. Last October, Orbital Sciences Corp suffered an explosion on launch of its cargo ship intended for the orbiting laboratory.
READ MORE:
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION ASTRONAUTS DRINK FIRST EVER 'SPACE COFFEE'
RUSSIA AND US ANNOUNCE PLANS TO BUILD SPACE STATION TOGETHER
WATCH: SUNRISE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, said: "Only a few small parts of elements of its construction could reach the surface of our planet."
There was not believed to be any risk to the astronauts on the International Space Station, who have enough supplies to keep them going until the next expected delivery on 19 June, by the US company SpaceX.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/s...burns-up-on-reentry-agency-says-10234369.html
second one in two months
88m3
Fast Money & Foreign Objects
I'm so confused... this story is way over my head
Comrade?
PUTIN BIRTHER HAS ‘PROOF’ OF FAKED PAST
http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2015/05/07/putin-birther-has-proof-of-faked-past.html
http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2015/05/07/putin-birther-has-proof-of-faked-past.html
Ukraine crisis: John Kerry meets Putin in Russia
- 24 minutes ago
- From the section Europe
John Kerry and Vladimir Putin have been holding their first talks on Russian soil in more than a year
Six questions on Ukraine's ceasefire
US Secretary of State John Kerry has been meeting President Vladimir Putin during his first visit to Russia since the Ukraine crisis began in early 2014.
Earlier Mr Putin's spokesman called the meeting in Sochi a "positive step" and said the Russian leader was prepared for "extensive" discussions.
Mr Kerry also met his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.
The West accuses Russia of arming rebels in eastern Ukraine and sending troops there - charges Moscow denies.
More than 6,000 people have been killed since fighting began in April 2014 between Ukrainian government forces and Russian-backed rebels in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
The conflict followed Russia's annexation of the Crimean peninsula in southern Ukraine.
'Broader dialogue'
Mr Kerry and Mr Lavrov laid wreaths at a World War Two memorial earlier on Tuesday.
State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Mr Kerry's trip was "part of our ongoing effort to maintain direct lines of communication with senior Russian officials and to ensure US views are clearly conveyed".
After arriving in Sochi, John Kerry visited a World War Two memorial
Eastern Ukraine has been devastated by fighting
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov praised Mr Kerry's decision to travel to Russia, adding: "We are always open to showing a political will for a broader dialogue.
"Through dialogue, it is possible to look for paths to a certain normalisation, to a closer co-ordination in decisions."
He said Russia was prepared to discuss international "hot spots" as well as bilateral relations, and that the issue of Western sanctions against Russia would not be raised by the Russian side.
Analysis: Bridget Kendall, BBC News, Sochi
For President Obama to send his top envoy all the way to Sochi is significant. That the Kremlin has now called the visit positive and said President Putin is ready to discuss a wide range of issues with him is even more important.
John Kerry has not visited Russia since relations plunged into a deep freeze over Ukraine. It now looks as though both sides are hoping that Tuesday's talks are a chance to explore where they have common ground.
Mr Putin's spokesman said the Russian leader was prepared to discuss conflict zones - in other words, the wars in Ukraine and Syria - but said it was not up to Russia to raise the issue of Western sanctions.
There's an air of expectation on both sides about this meeting, but also realism. One Russian deputy foreign minister described the agenda as complicated and not improving - which suggests a long, hard slog.
The visit came on the same day that opposition activists published a report, originally compiled by murdered Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov, alleging that 220 Russian soldiers had died in two key battles in eastern Ukraine.
The Ukrainian government, Western leaders and Nato say there is clear evidence that Russia is helping the rebels with heavy weapons and soldiers - an accusation echoed by independent experts. Moscow insists that any Russians serving with the rebels are volunteers.
Earlier, Russia's foreign ministry issued a statement blaming the US for provoking the Ukraine crisis and attempting to "isolate Russia" while demanding its allies follow suit.
Mr Kerry last held talks with Mr Putin in Moscow in May 2013, a meeting for which the Russian leader was three hours late.
This visit comes two days after German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the annexation of Crimea had caused "a serious setback in our relations" during a joint press conference with Mr Putin in Moscow.
In the Kremlin's official translation of her comments, the word "criminal" was deleted from her description of the annexation.
The German leader has already said that the EU plans to extend sanctions against Russia, unless there is progress on implementing the Minsk peace deal for Ukraine in full.
The lull in the conflict in eastern Ukraine since February's ceasefire has been punctuated by frequent violations, and on Tuesday Ukraine said three of its soldiers had been killed in the past 24 hours.
Both Ukraine and Nato have warned of a risk of a return to widespread violence.
88m3
Fast Money & Foreign Objects
Old Allies Absent as Russia Parades Troops and Tanks at WWII Victory Celebration
https://news.vice.com/article/old-a...wii-victory-celebration?utm_source=vicenewsfb
Don’t Bring a Dove to a Polish Hawk Fight
https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/05/0...l&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer
https://news.vice.com/article/old-a...wii-victory-celebration?utm_source=vicenewsfb
Don’t Bring a Dove to a Polish Hawk Fight
https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/05/0...l&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer
88m3
Fast Money & Foreign Objects
https://news.vice.com/video/food-crisis-in-eastern-ukraine-russian-roulette-dispatch-103
I got a bit behind but there's up to 108 now if anyone wants to catch up
I got a bit behind but there's up to 108 now if anyone wants to catch up