I have been brushing up on my Russian since the sinister death of Alexander Litvinenko, who is being buried at a private ceremony in London today, and have composed a message to President Putin urging him to help bring the killers to justice.
What will be repercussions be if the Russians fail to co-operate? Putin needs to prove his hands are clean. I’m hoping our police won’t give up
on this, that despite all the major obstacles they face, justice must be done.
Here is my message:
Сегодн, тело лекандра Litvinenko будет похоронено в приватной церемонии ?емьи в London. ?аши граждане ?отр??тины изуверкой дорогой в он был убит. Отуттвие омнени, котор убийца не предпологала мы было франтовк дотаточно дл того чтобы обнаружить отравление радиации тело медленно и agonisingly разрушенного Litvineko’s.
Президент Путин, мы знали вы не находилоь на хороших терминах Litvinenko. Только веь мир наблюдает как вы отвечаете, вы не имеет никакой выбор но кооперировать, хотзнаки что то не идет наилучшим образом. Ðто как было ообщено в временах:
“Yuri Chaika, генералитет обвинител, управлемый из вех интервью руководителми FSB, агентвом екретной лужбы заподозренным в Whitehall masterminding убийтво га-н Литвиненко радиоактивной отравой polonium-210.
“г-н Чюаика также натол что рукие иледователи дирижируют ве интервью при потенциальные подозреваемые и заверители, уменьша великобританких ыщиков к немного больше чем наблюдатели.
“мы делаем опрашивать и они [рд Шотландии ] приуттвуют на рапрашивании, rather than их прашива люди в нашем приутвии,”
г-н казанное Чюаика. “он делал но что, во врем интервью, великобританкие ыщики” могут учатвовать нашим оглаием и мы могли также задержать наше оглаие “.
Должнотные лица перва уточюнили бы юридичекийа тату любого, котор хочет длпрашивать рд Шотландии прежде чем интервью принли мето.” Ели убийтво было поручено в Великобритании, то проба убийтва должна ететвенно быть дирижирована в такой же тране и мы ве заверители теперь онованные в Роии дл того чтобы возвратить и помочь тим.
Может быть никакое обънение длвашего неоказани. Делать так только приведет к в политичеких напрженнотх между нашими транами могли escalate и оздать много затруднени.
Ð’Ñ‹ предказывали как то могло повредить вашей транев будущих летах ? Ваше отрудничетво, и то из ваших граждан, необходимы в помогать захватить убийцу Litvineko’s и принети к он правоудию.
Я надеюь наши великобританкие полиции не передадут вверх на том, немотрна любые главные препоны, котор они мотрт на.
Do you feel our police will succeed in finding the killer, and will Russia’s unwillingness to co-operate create considerable political tensions that could prove difficult to resolve?
Here’s a comment of russian website ‘vladimir.vladimirovich.ru’ Look please also comment of 26.11. on this web. It would be naivety hope that murders of assinations Politkovkaya and Litvinenko may be never discovered. Remember Munic 1938 and don’t let leave you in the lurch again!
Суббота, 7 октÑ?брÑ? 2006 г. 10:38:45
Однажды Владимир Владимирович™ Путин Ñ?идел в Ñ?воем Ñ?емейном кругу и отмечал день Ñ?воего президентÑ?кого рождениÑ?. За большим круглым Ñ?толом Ñ?идели Ñ?упруга Владимира Владимировича™, его дочери КатÑ? и Маша, Ñ?обака Кони и карликоваÑ? лошадь Вадик. Ð’ центре Ñ?тола Ñ?тоÑ?л большой праздничный торт, в который было воткнуто пÑ?тьдеÑ?Ñ?Ñ‚ четыре горÑ?щие Ñ?вечи.
– СпаÑ?ибо вам, – говорил Владимир Владимирович™, поднимаÑ? бокал шампанÑ?кого Cristall, – Я вÑ?ех ваÑ? очень люблю.
Владимир Владимирович™ набрал в Ñ?вою президентÑ?кую грудь воздух и приготовилÑ?Ñ? задуть Ñ?вечи, как вдруг в дверь поÑ?тучали. Владимир Владимирович™ недоуменно поднÑ?л брови, выдохнул воздух, поÑ?тавил бокал на Ñ?тол, прошел в прихожую и открыл дверь.
Ð?а мраморной площадке перед дверью резиденции Владимира Владимировича™ лежала еще теплаÑ? Ñ?трелÑ?наÑ? гильза от пиÑ?толета Макарова и небольшаÑ? открытка Ñ? надпиÑ?ью: “С днем рождениÑ?, брателло. Б. Л. Ð .â€?
What the State Prosecutor Youry Chaika has said, is exactly what was done by British in case of murderers, thieves and terrorists Zakaev and Berezovsky. But somehow you don’t like it when it applied to British officials – strange isn’t it?
First of all – you are too quick again. THERE IS NO INDICATION that polonium came from Russia. And three Russians, whom Scotland Yard would like to ask questions – they are witnesses, not suspects yet.
Secondly – very intensive investigations is going on in Italy at the moment. That Mario Salmonella is rather sleazy character – don’t you think? Why you are not writing the letter to an Italian President then? At the end of the day Italy is notorious for corruption and political murders no less, than Russia.
What you are going to do, if your ‘saint Sasha’ was an illegal dealer of radioactive materials? That is possible – he needed money and he was very ambitious. Not clever though.
Highly impressive, Ellee. Very well written.
Ellee,
Am i missing something here?!
Tom
Very impressive, Ellee. (I have no clue as to translation, though.)
I don’t see how Scotland Yard can go to a sovereign nation and expect that country to throw open their doors and allow them to interview whomever they wished. Can you imagine if Russian police arrived here, wanting to speak to someone? I would like to believe that they won’t be given free rein to do so. The Russian prosecutor is right to insist that they (Russia) lead the way in any investigation. True, that may lead to the culprits not being brought to book, but we must not forget that Russia is not a British colony.
Ants, I think we went to the same language school, and you make a good points too. I wonder how Anna’s murder inquiry is progressing.
nfb, we will both have to wait and see the outcome of this, it is good to have the opportunity to openly debate it.
Tom, you have obviously been away too long!
Bel, It doesn’t matter so much who takes the lead, as long as there is co-operation between both sides, that does not seem to be the case.
OK, Ellee – intrigued. How do you know ‘руководитель’? You write ‘при потенциальные подозреваемые и заверители’ which suggests you either learnt Russian or you have access to a Russian speaker. Even if you lifted it from an article, the points where you break into English are in context. Against that is the error: котор. So, intrigued.
As a linguist, I’m intrigued too, Ellee. Do tell! nfb has a point about Italy, by the way, though it is a democracy and its government does not go about murdering people merely because they dissent. Again, I think there’s a lot more to all this than we will ever know.
Welshcakes L, UKDP has an interesting take on it.
2 Welshcakes Limoncello
But nobody said officially: ‘I’m sorry, Ladies and Gentlemen, but we have solid prove that Russian government did kill Mr Litvinenko.’ So, at the moment – anyone could be a murderer.
As for Italy – yes, maybe the Government don’t kill opponents. But in Italy there is another government – Mafia. Perhaps, nowadays not as powerful as used to be, but still very dangerous and merciless.
Sadly, after collapse of USSR, Russia developed her own Mafia. All these wealthy Russians, whom Litvinenko met in London look and act like Mafia. Maybe it was a murder – the second man is in critical condition in Moscow. Or – and it seems more likely, it was illegal trade of radioactive materials went wrong.
Two things, Ellee. Firstly, I checked out nfb, who appears to be a Russian girl or a guy posing as one but it’s not possible to leave a comment – he/she has shut off all but members and there’s no way to sign up. Also, when I came back to your comments section, it would not click back to English language – I was locked into Russian on the keyboard so be careful, people – it could be a spamblog. Secondly, the comment: “Sadly, after collapse of USSR, Russia developed her own Mafia.� This is cobblers because there was a black market all the way along over here, especially in my town.
James,
Я Ñ?делал его вÑ?е на моих, Ñ? буду очень ухищренной девушкой, вы видите. Как Ñ?казанное I, Ñ? чиÑ?тил щеткой вверх на Ñ?зыке.
WL, I have my hidden linguistic skills too!
Thanks, James. I have read ukdp’s take. Curiouser and curiouser… nfb, that’s what I mean. We just don’t know who did it. The mafia here is still dangerous, agreed.
WL, If you started talking about the mafia and Sicily, we would be on dangerous ground!
2 james higham
Well, it is the Livejournal, you know. I will open it for anonymous comments – I recently had a lot of spam and swearing in my journal, that is why it is closed for outside comments. Just indicate that it is you, when you will write in my journal. And yes, I’m a woman, so you can call me ‘Madam’! )))
I did not said that there was no black market in USSR. Of course it was. But so is in UK -if you want to buy cheap cigarets you know the places. Not to mention narcotics.
But such organised, extremely wealthy and well armed organisations such as i.e. ‘Solncevskie’ or Chechen Mafia in USSR did not exist. To sell something like polonium was unthinkable. But since early 90 Russia is a real mess and EVERYTHING is possible. I heard even about subs made by Russian engineers on the order of Colombian narcocartels for delivering cocaine to USA.
Ellee, I know you did. One of my Russian friends today checked your text.
nfb, еще раз, поÑ?тараюÑ?ÑŒ.
Ellee, in Russian we don’t translate English names literally. That means ‘Scotland Yard’ should be transliterated, not translated as ‘Ñ?рд Шотландии’. The right translation would be ‘Скотланд Ярд’. Same as with names of people, even if we have Russian equivalent: ‘Patrick’ will be ‘Патрик’ not ‘Патрикей’, ‘Martha’ is ‘Марта’, not ‘Марфа’.
The only exclusion is reserved for monarchs – the Queen’s name in Russian is ‘Елизавета’, not ‘Ðлизабет’. Any other woman with that name in Russian would be ‘Ðлизабет’.
Don’t ask why – it started centuries ago. Just the way it is.
УважаемаÑ? тетенька! ПожалуйÑ?та, учите руÑ?Ñ?кий Ñ?зык или не пишите на нем Ñ? таким количеÑ?твом грамматичеÑ?ких, орфографичеÑ?ких и прочих ошибок. Ð?апомню вам, что руÑ?Ñ?каÑ? нациÑ? не еÑ?Ñ‚ÑŒ Ñ?борище уродов и КГБшников, которых вы до Ñ?их пор боитеÑ?ÑŒ, а Ñ?то люди, которые Ñ?оздали клаÑ?Ñ?ичеÑ?кие произведениÑ? мировой литературы и культуры. Ð’ Ñ?вÑ?зи Ñ? Ñ?тим хотелоÑ?ÑŒ бы знать, в Ñ?уд какой инÑ?транции Ñ? лично могу подать за личное менÑ? оÑ?корбление путем иÑ?пользованиÑ? руÑ?Ñ?кого Ñ?зыка не по назначению? СпаÑ?ибо
Maybe this is the moment I should confess that I did have a little help with my Russian translation:http://babelfish.altavista.com/tr
Here is a transcript of the above message.
Terrible Russian is the bear
Respected aunty! If you please, you teach the Russian language or do not write on it with this quantity of grammatical, orthographical and other errors. I will resemble to you that the Russian nation is not assemblage of freaks and KGBshnikov, which you, until now, fear, but these are people, which created the classical works of world literature and culture. In connection with this it would be desirable to know, into the law court of what instrantsii I personally can tax for the personal me insult by using the Russian language not according to the designation? Thanks
It is wonderful to think that we can all communicate in Russian if we wish, language is no longer a barrier.
I would recommend you translate.ru services. It transates more correctly.
Так вот. Ð?еужели вы на Ñ?амом деле уверены, что убийÑ?тво Литвиненко – дело рук Путина или подчиненных ему людей? Ð?еужели вы думаете, что даже еÑ?ли бы убийÑ?тво никому не нужного в РоÑ?Ñ?ии человека было задумано роÑ?Ñ?ийÑ?кой влаÑ?тью, то Ñ?то было бы Ñ?делано Ñ?толь неуклюже? Ð?еужели вы не понимаете, что Ñ?то вÑ?его лишь политичеÑ?каÑ? игра. Я не знаю реально Ñ?ейчаÑ? ни одного европейÑ?кого народа, который отноÑ?илÑ?Ñ? бы негативно к руÑ?Ñ?кому народу. ВлаÑ?ти, политика – да. Ð?о не народы. Однако такое отношение британÑ?кий влаÑ?тей к роÑ?Ñ?ийÑ?кой влаÑ?ти подÑ?пудно Ñ?мешивает Ñ? грÑ?зью и руÑ?Ñ?кий народ. Ð?арод, который первый покорил коÑ?моÑ?. Ð?арод, который (в том чиÑ?ле Ñ?овмеÑ?тно Ñ? британÑ?ким) выиграл во Второй мировой войне и победил фашизм. Ваша неприÑ?знь (не ваша лично, Ñ? говорю про Великобританию) руÑ?Ñ?кого наÑ?елениÑ?, в котором до Ñ?их пор видÑ?Ñ‚ угрозу Ñ?дерной атаки, докатилаÑ?ÑŒ до того, что Ñ? радоÑ?тью в ЕС принимаютÑ?Ñ? нациÑ?Ñ‚Ñ?кие Ñ?траны, как-то: Литва, ÐÑ?тониÑ?, ЛатвиÑ?, которые открыто поддерживают ветеранов СС и Ñ?ноÑ?Ñ?Ñ‚ роÑ?Ñ?ийÑ?кие памÑ?тники воинам-оÑ?вободителÑ?м Второй мировой войны. ПонÑ?тное дело, что лучше пиÑ?ать не об Ñ?том, но и не надо Ñ?толь Ñ?ильно верить тому, что пишут в вашей преÑ?Ñ?е про руÑ?Ñ?ких и РоÑ?Ñ?ию.
СпаÑ?ибо.
Do you Ellee really think that if former KGB organization wanted to kill someone abroad they would ask MI-6 to do so?
Or why Zakaev, Berezovsky still sitting around and British state government is hiding them behind the law? Ah? Do you know exactly how many people were killed in association with this fucking asshole Zakaev?
And I’m really disappointed that Zakaev and Berezovsky are too famous because in other way they will be killed in a few moments, as actually MI-6 or Israel Massaad do abroad if you’re not familiar with that.
Ellee, I knew that you used online translator. The ‘Scotland Yard’ thing is what robot would do, not a human been.
But anyway – looks like you were wrong about Putin? The ‘innocent victim Litvinenko’ is not so innocent, huh?
Shady, murky business of commercial espionage and illegal trade of dangerous materials – that was his environment. So much for ‘fierce critic of Putin’ and ‘human rights defender’. What is emerging now – is a person, who lied all his life – right to the end. And all of this, because of money.
Scotland Yard investigators were allowed to ask questions, by the way. So even that letter to Putin was unnecessary. Better write letter to Mr Tony Blair and ask him why his government is shielding hundreds of thieves, murderers, fraudsters etc. in UK. Once they run away from Russia, Russian authorities can do nothing about them. But your authorities can.
Dear nfb. Are you living in Russia? If you’re not, please stfu. Do not decide for citizens of other countries what’s good for them and what’s not.
ps. “Human being”, not “human been”.
nevermind about my previous replique (except postscriptum). sry.
Dear Akira,
I’m sorry that I have upset you with this ‘human being’ stuff. But this is not an excuse for been so rude. As a Russian citizen I do have a right to express myself on this particular subject. Ellee doesn’t live in Russia and she is not Russian citizen either, but I strongly believe that she has rights to say whatever she likes about this Litvinenko business. I do not agree with her, but she has rights, OK?
So would you be so kind, stfu yourself, please!
Here is the translation from Russian partizanen – lovely to hear from you:
So here. Really you in reality are assured that murder Litvinenko – affair of the hands of Putin or subordinated to him people? Really you do think that even if the murder no one not of necessary in Russia person was planned by Russian authority, then this would be done so clumsy? Really you do not understand, that this altogether only political game. 4 I know the actually now not one European people, which would relate negative to the Russian people. Authorities, policy – yes. But not peoples. However, this relation British of authorities to the Russian authority latent mixes up with mud Russian people. The people, which the first subjugated space. The people, which (including together with the British) won in World War II and conquered fascism. Your hostility (not your personally, I I speak about Great Britain) Russian population, in whom, until now, they see the threat of nuclear attack, reached to the fact that with happiness in THE EUROPEAN UNION start the Nazi countries, somehow: Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, which openly support veterans SS and carry Russian monuments to the soldier- liberators World War II. The intelligible matter, which is better to write not about this, but also it is not necessary to just as strongly believe so that they write in your press about Russians and Russia. Thanks.
nfb, thank you again, we can all express our views and share our thoughts, even if we disagree, our freedom of speech is to be highly valued. I like your word “stfu”, do you mean “stuff”?
Разговор интереÑ?ует менÑ? очень. Страшный руÑ?Ñ?кий мишка – он (она) проÑ?то наÑ?тоÑ?щий дурак, не боÑ?теÑ?ÑŒ, Ñ?лли. нфл – она хороший человек – думаю, что раньше Ñ? ошибÑ?Ñ?. Ð?о оÑ?торожно, Ñ?лли, когда же Ð’Ñ‹ оÑ?уждаете люди. И да,Срм, Ñ? здеÑ?ÑŒ запиÑ?ал много ошибок – а что? Более вежливы надо быть. С уважением, Джеймз (в наÑ?тоÑ?щее времÑ? – в роÑ?Ñ?ии). КÑ?тати, у ваÑ? нет Ñ?нега Ñ?ейчаÑ?? У наÑ? нет то.
The matter of my message is right mostly. So, what do you think, Ellee?
Dear james higham (small cases… hm… don’t you think about yourself like about small human? :), your russian isn’t with mistakes. It’s SO BAD, so let me right english.
Maybe, you think russian bear is fool. Maybe, you think, Zakaev and Berezovsky are good citizens of Russia. Let’s see. Zakaev is the “minister” of Chechnya terrorists goverment, non-legal goverment. How many people they killed through terrorists hands. Independence for Chechnya? Well, give independence for Northern Ireland. No? So, don’t tell us what to do with real offenders.
What do you think about it?
Russian partizanen, I started out thinking it was Putin, or his agents acting on his behalf. Now I am trying to step back and see the evidence. I would like to see Russia co-operate more with the murder investivation. We were all shocked by Alexander’s death in this country, particularly the cruel and agonising method of killing. We want to see the killer brought to justice, isn’t that fair?
Ellee, the British ambassador was satisfied by the level of co-operation wit Russian police. British side was present when Russian inspectors asked interrogated Mr Lugovoy and Mr Kovtun. If their guilt will be proven, they will go to a prison for life. But in Russia. That is what the Russian law says.
And the British will not extradite British citizens to Russia either. Fair enough! So, where is the problem?
RP: You wish to write in English? You ask what I think. 1] my Russian – your opinion is not shared by Russians I speak with every day, for example the guy I took a lift with just now to get home – so the comment is of no consequence 2] if you’d read my posts on the issue, you’d not make the statements you have. I’d prefer to deal with someone informed, if you don’t mind.
nfb, I guess we both hear different versions from our media, that’s why I’m going to step back from this and see what evidence comes up, though it is useful to have a non-confrontational dialogue.
mr. Putin knows English and you have very bad translation of original letter into Russian here
[…] most linguistically challenged post was written in Russian, my message to President Putin following the death of Alexander Litvinenko. I am now sure what happened to the text, but it […]