Leaders Discuss Upcoming G-8 Summit, Trade and Investment
President Obama called Russian President-elect and Prime Minister Putin to congratulate him on his recent victory in the Russian Presidential election.
President Obama highlighted achievements in U.S.-Russia relations over the past three years with President Medvedev, including cooperation on Afghanistan, the conclusion and ratification of the START agreement, Russia’s recent invitation to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) and cooperation on Iran.
President Obama and President-Elect Putin agreed that the successful reset in relations should be built upon during the coming years.
The President said that he looked forward to hosting President-Elect Putin at the G-8 Summit in May at Camp David.
The two leaders outlined areas for future cooperation, including strengthening trade and investment relations arising out of Russia’s pending accession to the WTO.
President Obama and President-Elect Putin agreed to continue discussions on areas where the United States and Russia have differed, including Syria and missile defense.
President Obama and President-Elect Putin agreed to continue their efforts to find common ground and remove obstacles to better relations.
Statement by NSC Spokesman Tommy Vietor on Russian Government Harassment of Golos
The Obama administration is concerned with today’s decision by a Moscow court regarding the election monitoring NGO Golos, as well as what appears to be a pattern of harassment directed against this organization. We have communicated our concerns to the Russian government in Moscow and to the Russian Embassy in Washington.
Golos is a well-known and well-regarded Russian independent election monitoring organization that has operated in Russia for over a decade. The data Golos publishes is from Russian observers and Russian citizens around the country. International and domestic observation is a normal part of the democratic process and allowing observers to conduct their work unfettered is critical to electoral transparency. As a participating State of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Russia has agreed that foreign and domestic election observers can enhance the electoral process.
We are proud of our support of Golos, which is intended to strengthen democratic institutions and processes – not influence elections – and we believe that citizens everywhere should have a right to report concerns about their electoral processes. The United States has supported and will continue to support those citizens and non-governmental organizations working for free and fair elections in Russia, as we do globally.
Statement by the Press Secretary on the African Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty and the South Pacific Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty
Today the President submitted the Protocols to the African Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty and the South Pacific Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty to the U.S. Senate for its advice and consent to ratification. This step advances the President’s commitment to nuclear non-proliferation and to the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.
Regional nuclear weapon free zone agreements reinforce both the commitment of nations not to pursue nuclear weapons and the nearly 65-year record of their non-use. The protocols to the treaties, once ratified, will extend the policy of the United States not to use or threaten use of nuclear weapons against regional zone parties that are members of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and in good standing with their non-proliferation obligations.
As a next step, the United States will engage parties to the two other regional agreements in force, in Southeast Asia and Central Asia, so that we can sign the protocols to those treaties as soon as possible.
Statement by National Security Council Spokesman Tommy Vietor on Strategy 31 Protests in Russia
"The United States is concerned by reports of the detention on March 31 of many Russian citizens who were participating in peaceful rallies throughout Russia to demonstrate their support for Article 31 of the Russian Constitution, which guarantees Russian citizens the right to peaceful assembly. The United States reiterates the importance of embracing and protecting universal values, including freedoms of expression and assembly, enshrined in the Russian Constitution as well as in international agreements Russia has signed. Freedom of assembly and freedom of expression are not only vital ingredients of sound political systems, they are essential for economic modernization and broad-based prosperity. Without freedom of assembly, it will be impossible to foster genuine competition during Russia’s upcoming parliamentary elections in December."
Chystyakov, whose face has been concealed to protect his identity, is literally risking his life to make the world aware of the “ethnic cleansing” that is taking place and the Russian government’s failure to respond. He has also provided “From The G-Man” with video footage to support his statements.
St. Petersburg Native Risks Life By Speaking Out
and Providing Graphic Footage
A WORLD EXCLUSIVE
Grisha Chystyakov and his family migrated to the United States, as refugees, after Russia became what Chystyakov calls “a shit-hole”, both politically and socially. He still has many family members back in Russia, the Ukraine, and other Eastern European countries.
Since migrating to the U.S., Chystyakov and his family have faced a number of economic and social challenges, but a strong family bond and Russian pride allowed them to adapt and overcome.
The St. Petersburg native is on the verge of obtaining a degree in electrical engineering. Initially, Chystyakov was solely interested in obtaining an international studies degree and pursuing a career in homeland security and anti-terrorism. Realizing he has a greater purpose in life, he now intends to pursue a career as a U.S. Navy SEAL after graduation.
Chystyakov traveled back to Russia in 2004. He remained for quite some time and was able to get a real sense of how life had changed in his native homeland. He now feels that Russia and Russian nationalism have changed significantly…and not for the better.
In 2009, Chystyakov came across brutal execution videos of Russian neo-Nazis beheading non-Russians or “foreigners”, as well as footage of immigrants being savagely beaten or killed on the street. After an exhausting series of Internet searches, he discovered these groups were proudly posting a significant number of these horrific and gut-wrenching videos on a daily basis.
Chystyakov, who noted he is a loyal “G-Fan”, contacted me and said the number of attacks and murders are steadily increasing. He then requested my help in exposing what was happening to thousands of immigrants and his beloved Russia.
The following interview took place on August 13th of this year. Chystyakov, whose face has been concealed to protect his identity, is literally risking his life to make the world aware of the “ethnic cleansing” that is taking place and the Russian government’s failure to respond. He has also provided “From The G-Man” with video footage to support his statements.
Be warned!! Viewer discretion is strongly advised!! The footage contains detailed news reports, in English, but it also includes extreme and gruesome violence. Three of the videos contain actual murders – including the graphic and uncensored beheading of an innocent Muslim immigrant by Russian neo-Nazis.
I hope that Google/Blogspot.com will stand in support of the First Amendment, namely freedom of speech and the press, and allow the comments and “death video” links to remain posted on this blog…. no matter how much they may anger the Russian government or threaten U.S.-Russian relations.
Now, here is my exclusive interview with Grisha Chystyakov.
G-Man: Were you surprised to learn that your country elected its first Black politician?
Chystyakov: No, it was eventually going to happen. In general, most people think there are few Blacks in Russia or in Eastern Europe. The fact is that many Africans travel to these regions to study and live. Today, it is not uncommon to see a Black person on the streets of Moscow or St. Petersburg. The country is extremely diverse and its regional officials have various backgrounds. Having said that, Russia currently has an enormous problem with ultra nationalism, and it’s running rampant. There’s a lot of hate toward outsiders and many foreigners are being violently beaten or killed.
G-Man: Are you familiar with the region where the historic election took place? If so, what can you tell me about it, as far as race relations go?
Chystyakov: I am not familiar with this region, but I searched the city where Jean Gregoire Sagbo was elected and found that it is a small town of roughly 10,000. In interviews, Sagbo describes his town as rundown and in need of help. He also mentions that he feels comfortable, at home, and doesn’t see any racism in his town.
G-Man: What prompted this interview was the fact that you said Blacks are not and have not been treated well in your country on any level. How long has this been the case and why?
Chystyakov: It’s not only Black people, but it’s foreigners in general. Anyone who is not ethnically Russian is in danger. Many ultra-nationalists see them as ruining their country and taking their jobs. They see foreigners as the ones who bring in drugs and take Russian jobs. This ideology has been prevalent for a long time and seems to be deeply rooted in Russian society. The first glimpse of this violence began after the fall of the Soviet Union in the 1990’s. Unemployment and other social problems ultimately led to this crisis. Young people had no jobs and older workers had no pensions. Given these conditions, you can easily figure out how bored and pissed off people are going to react.
G-Man: It’s truly frightening to hear you say this because the similarities are striking. As you know, the U.S. is in the midst of an economic and social crisis, and attacks on Mexican and Muslim immigrants are on the rise. Did you or your family members witness acts of brutality against people of color while living in Russia?
Chystyakov: No, we haven’t seen anything personally. Our access to that world is solely through the media.
G-Man: Are the Russian government and law enforcement doing enough to combat racism and racist attacks?
Chystyakov: They have organized groups to monitor hate group activities and created task forces to combat the violence. There are also many anti-racism activists; some of which have been brutally murdered. Just recently, I think around April of this year, a judge was murdered for sentencing ultra-nationalists. Russia is not like the United States, where local police forces will use groundbreaking technology to find killers. This is a poor country with limited resources, and it would be hard to imagine Russian law enforcement officials dedicating resources, time and effort to deal with this growing problem. From articles I’ve read, it seems that the government and law enforcement officials blame the murders and beating on hooligans and turn a blind eye to what’s really going on.
G-Man: Has the Russian media made an effort to expose the brutality shown in the videos you've provided?
Chystyakov: The Russian and international media do a fine job of exposing what these groups have done and continue to do. Most official media outlets won’t show the violent videos completely, but online bloggers and death video sites will. Just searching online I’ve found plenty of stories and underground videos detailing incidents of murder, torture, and brutal beatings by Russian neo-Nazis and other ultra-nationalist groups.
G-Man: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) have battled racism in the U.S. for many, many years. Do similar groups exist in Russia and are they making progress?
Chystyakov: Again, there are groups that have been established to protect the rights of the people. Have they been successful? I don’t really think so. As I understand it, there has been a 30 percent increase in attacks and murders since last year.
G-Man: Consider the following: The American media picks up this article and broadcasts its video footage. A few weeks later, Reverend Al Sharpton and a coalition of civil rights activists request a meeting with the President of the Russian Federation, Dimitry Medvedev, to address this crisis. Would the Russian government be likely to comply, or would it tell Sharpton and others to stay in America and mind their own damn business?
Chystyakov: I doubt that anything would happen if civil rights activists went to speak with Russian leaders. I’m sure they would be delighted to entertain their guests with a nod or two, but I could imagine them thinking, “Who the fuck are you coming into my house and telling me what to do?” I look at it this way. If a Middle-Eastern, anti-war activist came to the White House and asked….“Can you stop invading our countries and killing our people?”… I’m pretty sure President Obama would console him with a well-placed“yes” or “I understand” at certain points of the exchange. However, at the end of the day, I suspect he would look at the activist and think, “Who the fuck are you?”
G-Man: Do you believe racism is far worse in your homeland or here in the United States? Why?
Chystyakov: It’s much, much worse in Russia. Deep down inside, I know that Russian ultra nationalists, neo-Nazis and Skinheads are far more dangerous in Russia than their U.S. counterpart. The ones in Russia truly don’t give a fuck about the value of life. From the videos I’ve seen, they have killed people in some really brutal ways. It’s a very different culture. What’s really frightening is that membership is rapidly increasing.
G-Man: Finally, do you have any concerns that the Russian government and law enforcement officials will be upset by what you've shared, verbally and visually, in this interview?
Chystyakov: At first, I didn’t see this as a problem. But after thinking about it for a while, I can see it becoming a problem. I plan to return to Russia in the future, and if they find out about this article, or discover my identity, they’ll probably want to ask me a few questions when I land. I know that for a fact. Not knowing how deep the level of racism extends in Russia, how do I know it’s not lurking within law enforcement or government offices? Will I be a marked man after this article? Perhaps. Plenty of activists, reporters, and even judges have been killed back home, so why not me?
The following video shows Russian neo-Nazis brutally murdering two Muslim immigrants. One man is killed in the most horrific and gruesome fashion! Viewer discretion is strongly cautioned!!
