From the BBC (London)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid%5F271000/271600.stm Thursday, February 4, 1999 Published at 01:08 GMT

World: Europe

Russia to receive Y2K support

It could be a bleak midwinter in Russia if computers fail

The United States is to send a group of computer experts to Russia to help the authorities there update their computers in time for the year 2000.

Russia appealed for western help after warning that its computer systems could fail catastrophically because they have not been prepared for the new millennium.

Computer experts say the millenium bug, or Y2K problem, will affect obsolete computer systems which fail to recognise the change from the year 1999 to the year 2000.

Equipment vital for everyday life such as water and communications is at risk of breaking down, and there is concern among American officials about the safety of Russia's nuclear missiles.

China has also warned that it has reached a critical point in trying to resolve its computer problems before the turn of the century.

Time running out

The head of Russia's Telecommunications Commission, Alexander Krupnov, said he could not guarantee that the country would be ready in time.

Mr Krupnov said the government had set up a special commission headed by the Deputy Prime Minister, Vladimir Bulgak, to prevent any disruption to computer systems caused by the bug.

"Now every Russian state organisation will have to submit quarterly reports to the government commission on its preparedness for the year 2000," Krupnov said.

Our Moscow Correspondent, Andrew Harding, says Russia is finally waking up to the dangers of the millennium bug having previously played down the risks and the cost.

Situation critical

But Mr Krupnov said it would cost Russia $3bn to fix the problem, money he said the government did not have.

He painted a bleak picture of water, heating and communication systems breaking down in the middle of the harsh Russian winter. He refused to say whether it would be safe to fly by plane.

Russia's Defence Ministry continues to insist that its weapons systems will not be put at risk.

Some analysts say Russia is less exposed to the millenium bug because it has fewer computers and is a less computerised society. However, it also has less money to fix the problem.

Cut and pasted by

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), February 13, 1999

Answers

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. As a an over-taxed payer, I don't like seeing $$$ leave the country, but Russia is getting aggressive again. They are getting pretty rough on Jews there ("Yids" in Russia) and talking expansion again. They are allied with Iran and France against most US interests. Russia has reminded me of pre-WWII Germany for some time.

On a related note, I read recently that in China's upcoming military exercises, they will be fighting "mock" US soldiers. Taiwan related, I guess.

Interesting times...

-- Anonymous99 (Anonymous99@Anonymous.com), February 13, 1999.

The ironic thing is that our money is being used to maintain the weapons which will be used to destroy us!

-- (@@@.@), February 13, 1999.

Another related link:

http://cnn.com/TECH/computing/9902/03/russia.y2k.nukes.ap/index.html

-- (@@@.@), February 13, 1999.