[Happening now] Russian Mariinsky theater holds concert in Palmyra in honor of victims of Syrian war

You can watch the concert live at RT channel: https://youtu.be/9b0hFIf4Zaw
Mariinsky theater symphonic orchestra with Russian conductor maestro Valery Gergiev held a concert in the historical amphitheater of Syrian Palmyra dedicated to the memory of the fallen defenders of Palmyra, including the head of antiquities of Palmyra Khaled al-Asaad executed by ISIL and Russian officer Aleksandr Prokhorenko. The latter called friendly fire, an airstrike, upon himself when he was surrounded by terrorists during the joint Russian-Syrian operation to liberate Palmyra.

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Escalation of the Global Gas War, Part II

The third route for the “Qatari pipeline” was proposed: along the coast of the Persian Gulf through the territory of Saudi Arabia, then through Jordan to Syria and after that, to Turkey. This option, which was actively discussed in 2009, suited the Saudis, as well as Jordan, and Turkey. All of them would get transit control and transit fees — the kind of advantages that is always nice to have.

However, the Alawite (Shiite and Pro-Iranian) minority holding key positions in Syria and its leader, President Bashar al-Assad, had the most serious reasons to see a threat to the political security of the country and its territorial integrity in this initiative.

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Letters from the frontline: Note and letter partizan Vera Porshneva wrote to her mother. 29-30.XI.1941

Editor’s note: Before the war Vera Porshneva was a librarian and wrote for the local newspaper. When fascists occupied many towns and villages of Kalininskaya oblast (currently – Tverskaya oblast) she completed machine gun training and was one of the first to join the local partizan squad. She was one of the best and bravest fighters of her unit. When Vera was assigned a task to infiltrate a German commandant’s office, she successfully completed her mission. During one of the missions behind enemy lines, in Borisovka village, Vera was surrendered to the Germans by a traitor. She was interrogated and tortured by Gestapo for twelve days. Having told the Germans nothing, she was released and taken prisoner once again two days later. The letter she wrote in captivity before her death is preserved by the local history museum of Tversakaya oblast.

“I will die tomorrow, mom. You lived 50 years, I only lived 24. I want to live. There’s so little I did!”

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