Top Stories

Polls: Opinions of Current War Shifted

SYKTYVKAR With the twists and turns that the current war scenario has taken over the last week, 96% of Uralicans are no longer sure what side they support, or if they support any at all. However, 100% of Uralicans polled say they still support the work of the Emergency Relief and Human Development Corps, which is the only branch of the Uralican Armed Forces that has actually been deployed, since Uralica is under orders from TOOL to not declare war on anyone.

Jarkko Salomäki himself says this war has left a bad taste in his mouth.

"This war does indeed show that one needs to be careful who they trust," he said, gravely. "For the first time in Uralica's history, we are involved in a war, where there's no question that neither side is 100% right or wrong, as opposed to Karma where it was fuzzy, and our theatre of War of the Coalition where our alliance was in the wrong. It's not a pleasant feeling."

Miettinen - Economy Down, Uralica Making Efficient Use Of Surplus

SYKTYVKAR - If Dr. Esa Miettinen has anything to say about it, Uralica is making the best of a bad situation. Due to its non-involvement in the recent war situation, its economy has taken something of a downturn. The hardest-hit area is metallurgy, with no weapons being made in Uralica at this point in time. However, Uralica has used the surplus it has gained from taxes to continue to pay public service workers.

Bolak Corp. CEO and President Konstantin Tsymbalaryov remains optimistic that the worst is over, however he also pointed out that he enacted a universal pay cut which had been ratified both by the company board and the union board (made up of representatives from every union representing Bolak employees) two days ago. He was quick to note that the pay cut also applies to him directly.

"If the lowest people on the ladder have to take a cut, everyone has to take a cut," he made clear. "That includes me, that includes the members of the board, that includes district management, and that includes branch management. But I have to give the Uralican government credit for using their surplus wisely, to dampen the blow so to speak."

Uralican News

Kalikayeva, Koppinen Among February's Tribal Council Members

When elections finished on 1 February, Uralica once again had Tribal elections, even as TOOL went to war. Not surprisingly, all of the so-called "Founding Fathers And Mothers" not named Jarkko Salomäki - Vaido Kuik, Lasse Mäkelä, Ovdey Shlomov, Yevgeny Kolpakov, Matti Koppinen, Meri Vanhanen, Olga Guznishcheva, and Kennet Kjetilssen, were elected, although in the case of Koppinen, this was his first election in five months, as he had sat those elections out. The Headmaster of the Uralican Transdenominational Seminary (UTDS) and Head Pastor of Church of the Resurrection in Pazhga is one of the driving forces behind Christianity in Uralica, but he says not to worry about the separation of church and state, an issue that has only been brought up by foreigners.

In the meantime, voters loved the environmentalist policies of Yulya Kalikayeva enough that they voted her back in after she was appointed as the replacement of the late Vladimir Filipov, who passed away New Year's Day from complications of bacterial pneumonia. This is her first term as an elected Council member. There is another such person in the Council this term as well, Samoyedic Tribe member Georgi Prokofiyev. Although ethnic Russian, Prokofiyev speaks fluent Selkup and "is working on his Nganasan" according to some in the council, plus he has been an advocate for the rights of the ethnicity. His hometown is Lapyt-Nank, Yamalia, and according to Vaido Kuik, his specialties are ethnic rights and land management.

Sports

Qualifiers Face Rough Road After Exciting Day Of Football

VOJATSU - With the ring of Fedot Ferapontov's penalty shootout shot off the left post, Transit Vojatsu had accomplished the unthinkable, beating heavily the favoured reserve team of Amkar Perm' 10-9 in a marathon match, and had simultaneously brought to an end a day of thrilling football. Out of the 144 qualifying matches, thirty-five of them went past regulation, with six, including the Transit/Amkar-II match, going to penalties, and the other twenty-nine ending with a golden goal.

It was expected that the biggest blowout would come in the match between Dinamo-II Kirov and FK Pirogovo, and indeed it was a blowout, with the home side winning 6-1. However, the most lopsided match was that between Udmurtiya Izhevsk's reserve team and a rather incompetent Gornyak Polevskoy club, with the final score being 8-0 for UIFK's reserves.

There were a few upsets in the mix, though.

Some of these saw reserve teams of Bolakliiga and Ykkönen clubs lose. Khimik Saransk, for example, gutted out a 3-2 extra time victory over Spartak Kirov's reserves. Krylyja Uralikov's reserves lost 4-2 against a surprisingly good Torpedo Cherepovets. Energiya Sheksna stunned Bumazhnik Solikamsk's reserves, coming back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in extra time. And Allianssi Murmashi embarrassed FK Inta's reserves 3-1, with said reserves only getting a goal late after Allianssi had already pretty much won the match. Probably the biggest upset of this kind, though, was Torpedo Agryz's upset of Mordovia Saransk's reserves, 4-3 in extra time. Close behind was Zavod Ural Solikamsk's reserve team losing 3-2 against Dinamo Yekaterinburg.

There were some reserve teams that were expected to lose, and did. Lokomotiv Kotlas, Spartak Yoshkar-Ola, and Khimik Koryazhma all had their reserve teams bow out.

There were, however, other upsets that had nothing to do with reserve teams at all. Although highly rated, Spartak Khanto wasn't expected to defeat SK Karhumägi, and yet they did, with Matyas Csaba scoring late in the first overtime period to seal the deal. Dinamo Nizhny Tagil was frustrated all game long by the goalkeeping of Alexandr Kondratiyev of FK Kukarka, having outshot the Kirovski Rayon side 13-4, but a bad bounce on a free kick by Davyd Tursunenko gave the underdogs the win.

Then there was the feel-good story of the first round. The people of Khalmer-Yu, one of the most isolated settlements in Uralica, can hold their heads high with pride tonight. Their football club made FK Gubakha look like fools in a 3-1 victory, in a match attended by Jarkko Salomäki himself.

"It was pretty crazy," Jarkko said. "After the SiPS-Ural reserve battle in the morning [which SiPS reserves won 2-0], I hopped on a plane for Vorkuta, then rented a car and drove the remaining distance to Khalmer-Yu and got in just in time for the match. And let me tell you something. Those Komi-Greens play with heart! They didn't let up until maybe the last five minutes. I don't think FK Gubakha was betting on them to be so skilled!"

See below for scores.

Who's Hot, Who's Not

KHALMER-YU - Hello there, footy fans! This is Yordan Kirilenko back with the first edition of "Who's Hot, Who's Not" of the new season.

WHO'S HOT

1. Oleg Vodovozov, Goalkeeper, SiPS/SiPS-Reservit - this guy was the difference between SiPS and Ural in their reserve-team battle today, without question. Both goalkeepers faced ten shots in the match. Oleg stopped all ten. 'Nuff said.

2. Leonid Voloshenin, Attacking Midfielder, Khalmer-Yu Town - if there's any one player that really stuck out during the Khalmer-Yu vs. Gubakha match, it's this guy. He was in on all three goals thanks to his excellent distribution of the ball. That one-two-three play with Dmitry Kirov and Oleg Simutenkov that he finished was a work of footballing art.

3. Mark van Dyk, Striker, Peltinischer SpVgg - them Germans can play football! Seriously, this Mennonite tallied a hat-trick against a bewildered FK Kachkanar. As if that weren't enough, he also assisted Stefan Renzenbrink's highlight-reel goal as well.

4. Eduard Udmurtiyev, Right Back, Transit Votka - can this guy long-ball or can this guy long-ball? He didn't register a point and yet was still named man of the match in Transit's 4-1 win over FK Zvyozdny, with good reason. Not only was he a thorn in Zvyozdny's attack's side, but he can really pound the ball with both power and accuracy, leaving Zvyozdny scrambling to get back into position. He started the runs that led to three of his team's four goals.

5. Valentin Serebrennikov, Striker, FK Novy Urengoy - this talented Khant scored the equalising and winning goals in a gutsy battle against Torpedo Petroskoi.

WHO'S NOT

1. The entire roster of Gornyak Polevskoy - the players didn't know where they were half the time. Seriously, if they played SiPS, they'd be conceding way more than just eight goals.

2. Varfolomey Yovov, Centre Back, Rezh Town - ahead 2-0, and what does this guy do? He two-foots Olli Nykänen and gets sent off. For a team like Rezh whose best formation is 3-5-2, that is about the stupidest thing he could possibly have done.

3. Matti Riihijärvi, Manager, Transit Veliski - the Veliskin Vapalehdistö caught him saying, "we will win this match." How much you willing to bet he gets the sack after his all-out-attack orders cost his team a 2-0 loss to FK Sentervorri?

4. Kaupo Rask, Centre Midfield, Spartak Yoshkar-Ola Reserves - not one, but two giveaways leading to breakaway goals. Yeah, that'll get you moving real fast... to the transfer list!

5. Szöreny Kocsis, Striker, Turbo Karpinsk - he sure had a howler of a match against Onega Kondupohju. He had 7 verifiable chances and didn't put a single one on net or even into the upright. Shocking stuff really.

Scores From Kanslerinkilpi Preliminary Round

(Home team first, AET = added extra time)

Sortavalan Palloklubi 4 Gornyak Nyandoma 2

FK Muravlenko 2 Polaris Zapadnaya Revda 3

Torpedo Saransk 1 Sapmi Murmansk 2

Dinamo Petroskoi 3 Energiya Nizhny Tagil 1

IPK-Reservit 2 UJK-Reservit 3 (AET)

Ural Alapayevsk 2 Dinamo Cherepovets 1 (AET)

Dinamo Emva 0 Rapid Konosha 2

Sokol Izhevsk 2 FK Okhansk 3

Stal Ulator 3 Dinamo Orichi 0

Mashinostroitel-II Aleksandrovsk 3 Apatiittin Palloseura 1

FK Chaykovsky 0 Metallurg Yoshkar-Ola 2

Lesnik Uva 3 Spartak Kizel 2

FK Kukarka 1 Dinamo Nizhny Tagil 0

FK Pirogovo 1 Dinamo-II Kirov 6

FK Berezniki-II 3 CSKA-II Syktyvkar 1

FK Asbest 2 FK Glazov 0

FK Sharkan 2 Metallurg Kamensk 3 (AET)

FK Vilgort 2 Spartak Vologda 1 (AET)

Ural Pervouralsk 2 Torpedo Purga 2 (Torpedo Purga wins 7-6 in penalties)

Spartak Glazov 3 Torpedo Malmyzh 0

Jaivan Pallokerho 4 FK Adzherom 1

Jupiter Yarkosky 4 Gornyak Pechora 2

Zheleznik Olenegorsk 1 FK Vereshchagino 3

Spartak-II Kirov 2 Khimik Saransk 3 (AET)

FK Nizhnaya Tura 0 FK Kirov-II 2

Zheleznik Arkhangel'sk 1 FK Tsykmä 2

Peltinischer FC 5 FK Kachkanar 1

Lokomotiv Lysva 0 Dinamo-II Vologda 3

UralTek Pechora 3 FK Aleksandrovsk 1

FK Snezhogorsk 0 Retrofitnik Asbest 2

SK Karhumägi 3 Spartak Khanto 4 (AET)

UralMash Punaturjin 3 CSFK Petroskoi 1

Dinamo Urengoy 2 Spartak Pazhga 1 (AET)

Käkisalmen Palloseura 4 FK Zavyalovo 1

Torpedo Vologda 3 Polyarny Naryan-Mar 2

Transit-II Sosnogorsk 4 Tsementnik Berezniki 0

Mashinostroitel Nizhnaya Salda 4 FK Karakulino 2

Severomineralnik Apatity 2 Dinamo Shumerlya 0

Viipuri Kickers 0 Transit Kamyshlov 1

Krylyja Uralikov-II 2 Torpedo Cherepovets 4

TvinkiZavod Chaykovsky 1 Spartak Nizhny Tagil 1 (TvinkiZavod wins 5-3 on penalties)

Gruzchiky Arkhangel'sk 2 FK Emva 0

FK Eterne 3 MotorMash Dobryanka 0

Dynamo Öskölömi 1 FK Ordjanbuje 2

FK Urom 1 Mashinostroitel Krasnokamsk 3

Dinamo Yoshkar-Ola 0 Murman Severomorsk 2

Punaturjimen Palloseura 3 Tekstilshchik Igra 4

Torpedo Solikamsk 2 FK Zuyevka 3 (AET)

Telekom-B Pazhga 5 FK Kirovgrad 0

Start Zheshart 2 FK Sernur 1 (AET)

Spartak Cheboksary 3 Metallurg Kirovo-Chepetsk 1

Vogvozdino Town 1 FK Yukamenskoye 0

Dinamo Yarkosky 1 Inta Kickers 2

FK Kizner 3 Spartak Irbit 1

FK Yulskoye 1 Chŏvash Ulatŏr 4

FK Kogalym 2 Transit Kungur 2 (Transit Kungur wins 6-5 on penalties)

Metallurg Ust'-Shonosha 3 Torpedo Sarapul 2 (AET)

Turbo Karpinsk 1 Onega Kondupohju 3

Bumazhnik-II Solikamsk 2 Energiya Sheksna 3 (AET)

Uralica Kotlas 2 FK Revda 3

Dinamo Monche 2 FK Raduzhnyy 1

Spartak Lysva 0 CSKA Viipuri 3

Pechorski SK-II 3 Spartak Gadzhiyevo 2 (AET)

Karjalan JK Kondupohju 3 Mashinostroitel Saransk 1

Spartak Yekaterinburg 3 Spartak Yugorsk 4 (AET)

Allianssi Murmashi 3 FK Inta-II 1

MTK Juganvar 1 FK Provoi 2

Serebrennik Koryazhma 3 Finnsky Klub Kolosjoki 2

FK Kuloy 0 Progress Vorkuta 4

FK Kirovo-Chepetsk 4 Usovuori Lesniki 2

Fortuna-II Nizhny Tagil 3 Spartak Cherepovets 0

Mordovia Orozai 1 Torpedo Pudozh 3

FK Kambarka 2 Promyshlennik Kamensk 1 (AET)

Torpedo Krasnokamsk 3 FK Yurkino 1

Gornyak Kungur 0 FK Vorkuta-II 2

Gornyak Slobodskoy 2 Yamal Nyaidem 3 (AET)

FK Novodvinsk 1 Torpedo Berezniki 0 (AET)

Muujärven PK 0 Vychegda Yazel' 2

Spartak Sarapul 3 Turan-II Ukhta 2

Energiya Kez 2 Spartak Murmansk 0

FK Juganvar 1 Zheleznik Votka 2

Gornyak Polevskoy 0 Gazovik-II Izhevsk 8

FK Syumsi 1 Spartak Nyagan 3

Traktor Chusovoi 0 FK Sindor 2

Dinamo Kotlas 3 Trátyi TK-B 3 (Trátyi TK-B wins 4-2 in penalties)

FK Alnashi 1 FK Ochyor 0

Olimpia-II Kirovo-Chepetsk 2 FK Nyaidem 0

Avtodor Yekaterinburg 2 Lokomotiv-II Kotlas 0

FK Khanto 1 Trud Orlov 3

FK Yugrakar 4 Dinamo Verkhnaya Salda 1

FK Kilemary 2 FK Yoshkar-Ola 3

Khalmer-Yu Town 3 FK Gubakha 1

FK Murashi 2 Spartak Saransk 1 (AET)

Metallurg Novouralsk 2 Nakkanin Pallokerho 0

Spartak Veliski 1 Spartak-II Ukhta 3

Mashinostroitel Megion 1 FK Kizel 2 (AET)

Mashinostroitel Cheboksary 2 FK Vytegra 3

Dinamo Osa 3 FK Sosnogorsk 0

FK Severomorsk 2 Dinamo Megion 2 (Dinamo Megion wins 5-4 on penalties)

Rapid Nizhny Tagil 3 FK Orshanka 1

FK Krasnogorskoye 0 Atlantis Pääjärvi 2

Velocitas Votka 2 FK Artyomovsky 4

Tsementnik Pitkäranta 2 FK Shenkursk 3

Promyshlennik Zakamsk 3 Zenit Lesnoy 1

FK Kotlas-II 4 Torpedo Zapolyarny 1

Dinamo Yekaterinburg 3 Zavod Ural-II Solikamsk 2

Dinamo-II Arkhangel'sk 3 FK Debyosi 0

FK Sigayev 1 Zenit Yekaterinburg 2

Apatitsky FK 1 Metallist Saransk 3

FK Solikamsk 2 Visinger SV 5

Volga Yulser-Ola 3 FK Kez 1

CSKVC-II Kirov 4 Kem Vienankemi 2

Traktor Vereshchagino 1 Salamat Kirssi 3

Dinamo Tavda 3 FK Yulser-Ola 2 (AET)

Patschker SpVgg 3 FK Yurino 1

FK Sentervorri 2 Transit Veliski 0

FK Nolinsk 2 Udmurt Balezino 3

FK Syktyvkar-II 2 FK Krasnoflotsky 1

FK Bolshaya Ucha 1 Neftekhimik Onega 3

Transit Gryazovets 3 Sokol Sarapul 2

Metallist Pervouralsk 1 Mashinist Chusovoi 3

Lokomotiv Tsivilsk 2 Suhona Isoustiuki 3 (AET)

FK Zvyozdny 1 Transit Votka 4

Polar Dawns Rovers 0 KJK Reservit 3

Viktoria Severomorsk 4 Rezh Town 3

Dinamo Igra 2 Jokerit Suojärvi 3 (AET)

Dinamo Krasnoufimsk 4 Spartak Berezniki 2

Transit Vojatsu 2 Amkar-II Perm' 2 (Transit Vojatsu wins 10-9 in penalties)

Zavod Oktyabrsky 1 Metallurg Serov 3

Lokomotiv Tsykmä 0 Luch Murmansk 2

FK Novy Urengoy 3 Torpedo Petroskoi 2 (AET)

Dinamo Koryazhma 2 Khimik Revda 1 (AET)

Torpedo Arkhangel'sk 0 YugraMash Kogalym 2

Transit Krasnoslobodsk 2 Spartak Plesetsk 3

Lesnik Vuktyl 2 Mashinostroitel-II Kirov 3

Mordovia-II Saransk 3 Torpedo Agryz 4 (AET)

Khimik-II Koryazhma 1 FK Nizhny Tagil 3

Inter Enso 4 FK Ozerki 0

Torpedo Yekaterinburg 3 Spartak-II Yoshkar-Ola 1

SiPS-Reservit 2 Ural-II Yekaterinburg 0

FK Kozlovka 2 Energiya Nytva 3

Lokomotiv Trakt 1 Torpedo Yar 2 (AET)

MetaFraks-II Gubakha 3 Torpedo Sernur 0

Spartak Arkhangel'sk 2 FK Pychas 3 (AET)

A randomizer is being used to assign each winner to its slot in the main draw, subject to the tournament rules.