Putin and Yanuk talk of 'planes, and more?

The British 'Guardian' newspaper reports:

"Vladimir Putin announced ambitious plans to revive Russia's military power and restore its role as the world's leading producer of military aircraft yesterday. Speaking at the opening of the largest airshow in Russia's post-Soviet history, the president said he was determined to make aircraft manufacture a national priority after decades of lagging behind the west.

The remarks follow his decision last week to resume long-range missions by strategic bomber aircraft capable of hitting the US with nuclear weapons. Patrols over the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic began last week for the first time since 1992.

Presidential aides hinted yesterday that Russia could shortly resume the production of Tu-160 and Tu-95 strategic nuclear bombers, now that the aircraft are again flying "combat missions". The bombers would be used as a "means of strategic deterrence", a presidential aide, Alexander Burutin, told Interfax.

Mr Putin said Russia would also resume the large-scale manufacture of civilian planes. "Russia has a very important goal which is to retain leadership in the production of military equipment," he said."

The only other government head attending the 'Maks-2007' airshow was Viktor Yanukovych. In total, delegations from 110 countries attended. Putin, Yanuk, and first vice- premier of the RF Sergey Ivanov who is being tipped as Putin's most likely successor, spent more than an hour together at a hurriedly arranged meeting. A planned meeting between Yanuk and RF PM Mikhail Fradkov on 20th August in Sochi, had been cancelled at short notice.

Major Ukrainian aircraft components manufacturers 'Motor-Sich' and 'Aviatsiya Ukrainy' were well represented at the airshow, and the leaders signed a memorandom of Russian-Ukrainian co-operation in aircraft manufacture.

Well, business is business..

Tymoshenko has been 'swinging her handbag' again today. She warned PM Yanukovych, minister of fuel and energy Yuriy Boyko, and chief executive of state company 'Naftohaz Ukrainy' Yevhen Bakulin that they could face criminal charges for betrayal of national interests. "I want to warn Yanukovych, Boyko and Bakulin, that the 111th article of the Criminal Codex envisages 10 to 12 years of imprisonment for betrayal of national interests of Ukraine. They will not receive any amnesty from me."

She said that they want to swap part of Ukraine's gas transport system for "undefined assets of the oil and gas complex of the Russian Federation."

Yuriy Boyko had accompanied Yanuk on yesterday's trip to see the air show..