Vladimir Rozanskij

The maneuvers deploy 26 warships and aircraft carriers, including two submarines; 34 transport and jet aircraft, strategic missile carriers. Attempt to counter the possible maneuvers of the coalition led by the US against the positions of the war in Syria and to avoid the creation of a no-fly zone.

The ecumenical patriarch and the patriarch of Moscow met in Constantinople. No final declaration, but appreciation for the climate of "dialogue" and "satisfaction" for the meeting. For the Ukrainian media, Bartholomew placed Kirill in front of the fait accompli: the autonomy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, but headed by Onufrij and not Filaret (of Kiev).

The subject is the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and that of Macedonia. But uncertainties remain that the meeting will take place after contradictory signals from the Moscow Patriarchate.

Patriarch Kirill speaks at the third edition of annual meeting. Youth initiatives in the agricultural sector, in architecture, design and high technology, but also in crafts and art, education, culture and sport. The importance of volunteering. Vladimir Putin sends message of good wishes.

The initiative, now in its fourth session, is part of a series of study exchanges that in May saw an Orthodox delegation in Rome. The program also includes a visit to the most significant places of Russian Orthodoxy.

Yesterday greetings to young Ukrainians. On August 8th a meeting with other young Ukrainians and Foreign Minister Pavel Klimkin. The ideal of peace and the search for support on the Crimea and on the fate of the director Oleg Sentsov, who has been on hunger strike for about 80 days. The solidarity of the Greek Catholics in Ukraine, USA and Canada.

The 18th century building was an example of a wooden Orthodox church. Between 50 and 100 thousand people claim to be Satanists in Russia. Under the Soviet Union Satanism was repressed, a symbol of dissidence and criticism of the "collaborative" Church of Bolshevism. Now in Moscow there is an officially registered Satanic Church. Their leader calls himself "Oleg Sataninov".

The July meeting between Putin and Trump in Helsinki did not put an end to the "war of sanctions", but it seems to have channeled it into a symbolic route, progressively dissipating the real threat.

The Patriarch of Moscow will travel to Constantinople on the 31st of August. The theme of autocephaly (independence) of the Orthodox Church of Kiev is on the agenda. The request came only from the Ukrainian president, but is also supported by Orthodox in Ukraine and by the Greek-Catholics. Predictions of victory for Bartholomew I, who has a "primacy of honor" among the Orthodox.

In Yerevan the former pro-Russian president, Robert Kocharian, is accused of "reversal of the constitutional order and usurpation of power", together with Gen. Jurij Khachaturov, pupil of Moscow. In 2008 they stifled the street demonstrations with violence. Moldova seeks to detach itself from submission to Russia, to move towards the European Union.

At least 800 militants or more are taking positions in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Tajikistan is protected by Russian soldiers; Uzbekistan has the best and most experienced army in the region; Turkmenistan is the weakest state. Most of the fighters in Syria came from Central Asia, particularly from Kyrgyzstan.

Patriarch Kirill says the baptism of Prince Vladimir in 988 is "the founding event of all Russian history". In the capital, the celebration took place on the Kremlin's Cathedral Square, in the presence of Vladimir Putin. In Kiev the celebrations were presided over by Metropolitan Onufrij. Tensions between Moscow and Kiev continue due to the conflict with Ukraine and the attempts by Ukrainian Orthodox to obtain autocephaly. Separate ceremonies for the Orthodox of Filaret and for the Greek Catholics of Svjatoslav Shevchuk.