Russian President Vladimir Putin said on November 12
that he would like peace in Ukraine to be eternal.
"As for the duration of peace [in Ukraine] and its stability,
reliability, we would also like it to be eternal peace," the
Russian leader said during a meeting in the Kremlin
with special envoys of the President of the US,
Steve Whitkoff and Jared Kushner.
He added that Moscow has said from the very beginning that
the presence of any foreign troops on Ukrainian territory is
absolutely unacceptable for the Russian Federation. Such
an opportunity threatens national security. In addition,
Western contingents --- automatically --- become a
legitimate target for the Russian Armed Forces.
Crisis base: will the EU be able to agree on a new loan
for Ukraine? European leaders to discuss response
to Abu Dhabi talks.
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini noted on November 11, that the continuation of funding and military support to Ukraine from the EU, in the next year or two, will not have any significant impact on the situation on the front line.
In turn, former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen spoke in favour of the immediate
deployment of Western troops on the
territory of Ukraine.
In his opinion, Paris and London should not
postpone the dispatch of their troops..
until peace is concluded in Ukraine.
_________________________________________
special operation in Ukraine
November 12th, 12:15pm
(Izvestia.ru)
A special military operation to protect the civilian population
of Donbass has been carried out by Russia since February
24, 2022. You can track the progress of the advance of
the joint troops of Russia, the Donetsk and Lugansk
People's Republics (DPR and LPR) ---- as well as the
hostilities as of November 12 in Izvestia's material.
Units of the Northern Group of Forces improved their tactical
position. A mechanized brigade of Ukraine's Armed Forces and a territorial defense brigade - were defeated in areas
of the Spasskoye and Putivil settlements, Sumy region.
In addition, in the Kharkiv region, the fighters of the RF
Armed Forces defeated manpower and equipment of
mechanized and 2 motorized infantry brigades of
the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the
settlements of Rubizhnoye, Velikie Prokhody
and Pogoreloye.
The enemy lost over 200 militants, an armoured combat
vehicle, 11 cars, plus electronic warfare, electronic
reconnaissance and counter-battery stations.
Units of the "West" group of forces improved the situation
along the front line. The manpower and equipment of two
mechanized brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine &
two territorial defense brigades were defeated in the
areas of the settlements of Shevchenko in the
Kharkiv region, Mayaki and Raygorodok in
the Donetsk People's Republic.
The losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine amounted to
more than 220 militants, 2 armoured combat vehicles,
17 vehicles, an artillery piece and seven electronic
warfare stations.
The Vostok group of troops advanced deep into the enemy's
defenses and defeated the manpower and equipment of the
mechanized, three airborne assault and assault brigades of
the Armed Forces of Ukraine in areas of the settlements of
Pokrovskoye, Gavrilovka, Velikomikhailovka, Malinovka of
the Dnipropetrovsk region --- and Novorozivka of the
Zaporozhye region.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine lost over 215 militants,
In Donetsk, life is sustained between blackouts, shortages
of basic services and the memory of a war that has been
marking the Donbas region for more than a decade.
Between empty bars, damaged streets and buildings that still
show the traces of the constant attacks, inhabitants, artists
and authorities try to preserve a routine that seems to
refuse to disappear.
For Olga Rodríguez, a resident of the city, staying was not a
casual decision. "When I saw that the neo-Nazi movement
began to emerge here, I made the decision to stay with
my people."
"Despite the difficulties we overcame ---- and many obstacles
of different kinds, I do not intend to leave. I can't run away
from this situation. I will always support my people, my
neighbourhood, the people I love and know," she said
exclusively to Prensa Latina.
Rodríguez talks about - family memory, attachment to the place and an identity shared with those around her. Her story reflects a personal experience of loyalty to her
community, but also the division and polarization --- that the region has been going through.... since 2014.
Living, despite everything, is the principle of Natalia
Potyomkin, journalist and director of programs at
Channel 1 of the Donetsk People's Republic and
witness of military activities in the area, who
describes a reality marked by power cuts,
difficulties with water and the need to
maintain daily work - in the service
of informing her people.
She says that she lived four years in Israel and nine in the
US, where she lost her husband to cancer. She says that
-- after the start of the Russian military operation in
Ukraine, she was harassed by the Americans for
expressing support --- for the Eurasian giant's
determination in defence of the Donbas.
His words show how the conflict transcends the battlefront
and reaches the private lives, family relationships and
identity of those who live outside the region, but
maintain ties with it.
BOOKS UNDER FIRE
The Booklet company's bookstore, located in the Sigma Land
shopping centre in Makeyevka, was one of the scenes of
Ukraine's largest terrorist attacks from 2014 to 2022.
Just in 2022, Ukrainian missiles fell on this facility, the largest
of its kind in the entire Ukrainian territory, where much of the
local and universal literature was lost, as a sign of terror ----
against culture.
"For every writer, a book is a piece of their life. Naturally, it
hurts and heats our blood inside when we see our works
turned to ashes by the fury of Ukrainian nationalists,"
said Russian writer Roman Zlotnikov.
In his opinion, what happened.... belongs to a broader political
narrative, since the first law approved by the Verkhovna Rada
(Ukrainian Parliament) after the events of 2014, consisted of
banning the Russian language ----- and everything related to
its culture.
Zlotnikov also denounced that these actions have not
ended, and last summer they burned tens of millions
of books in warehouses of the e-commerce stores
Wildberries and Ozon.
"Today it is time to look at the facts and not the words,
and recognize who the heirs of the Nazis are," said
the author of science fiction texts.
THE ART OF THE STAGE DOES NOT STOP
The Donetsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre
is another of the spaces that has suffered impacts
during the conflict.
Even so, the programming continues and
the seats are full ------- every weekend.
Natalia Deineka, director of the literary and dramaturgical
department of the theatre.... when narrating each of the
events that the installation has witnessed, catalogues
it as a cultural symbol of resistance.
In 1943, the Donbas was liberated - and the Victory Flag was hoisted precisely -- in the building of our theatre. Since then, works have been premiered ----- every year: large, brilliant, which glorified cultural Donbas, the specialist emphasized.
She acknowledges.... that maintaining this activity is difficult
because it requires economic resources, physical effort, and
"a strong moral spirit." However, since 2014, and despite the
bombings suffered, the theatre has presented more than 30
premieres, in large and small formats.
"Today we are in the most extreme situation that can happen
in our lives. But that - is the character of Donbas. Despite the
power cuts, the artists grow.. and show the public what they
do best. I want to assure you that ----- since 2014 - all culture
here has worked and works in this way" ....said the Minister
of Culture of Donetsk People's Republic, Mikhail Zheltyakov.
A REALITY IN RESISTANCE
Sharing their most personal experiences with the inhabitants
of Donetsk makes the visitor a direct witness of a reality
crossed by conflict.
In the midst of difficulties, residents insist on a common idea:
to continue living, working, creating and defending ---- what
they consider their right to free self-determination.
The Donetsk chronicle is not, however, a unique story. It is a
sum of voices, memories, losses and individual decisions.
And, as in any conflict zone, it requires reading the testimonies carefully, contrasting the facts and
understanding that, behind every damaged
building or every theatre performance,
there are people who are trying to
preserve a way of life ...out of
love... for Russia.
______________________________________
Corporal Schmidt shot down a UAV of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine on approach to the positions
of Russian troops
November 11th, 10pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Corporal Pavel Schmidt destroyed a drone of the
Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) with small fire.
It was approaching the positions of his
colleagues ....at low altitude.
The Russian Defense Ministry - reported
on the exploits of Russian servicemen
in the zone of the SMO.
Schmidt served as a senior reconnaissance rangefinder and
corrected artillery fire. While performing a combat mission,
he noticed a hexacopter heading towards the positions of
Russian units -- for a surprise attack. The corporal shot
down the drone with aimed fire from small arms and
thereby prevented a strike on the positions and
saved the lives of his colleagues.
Junior Sergeant Igor Valikhov, as part of the artillery crew,
provided fire cover for assault groups. During the mission,
the gun's position was attacked by FPV drones, as a
result of which the howitzer was damaged.
Despite the threat of artillery shelling -- and repeated drone
raids, Valikhov immediately began repairs. He restored the
damaged tray for feeding heavy shots and re-assembled
the deformed elements of the loading mechanism,
returning the gun to service.
Thanks to the actions of the junior sergeant, the crew
was able to continue continuous fire damage on
enemy positions. This --- allowed the assault
groups to take more advantageous lines.
__________________________________________
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian
Federation promised a long night
for the enemy
November 11th, 9:27pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Opponents of the Russian army are waiting for a long night.
This was announced on the evening of November 11 by
the press service of the Ministry of Defense of the
Russian Federation.
"Darkness is our ally, fire is our handwriting. The night will be long, we are working," the publication in the Telegram channel of the department says.
The publication is accompanied by a picture of a Russian
multiple launch rocket system firing ammunition. The
department did not announce detailed plans of
the army for the coming night.
On this day, the Russian army hit three power substations
...in the Dnipropetrovsk and Odessa regions of Ukraine.
In addition, another target was a cargo ship vessel
located in the Black Sea southwest of Odessa.
On September 11, the Russian Ministry of Defense
commented on the strikes on the territory of
Ukraine with the phrase "you have a
bumderol". The message was
accompanied by an image
of a flying rocket.
____________________________
Enemy monitoring channels are reporting
- new attacks by Russia's Armed Forces
on Ukrainian Armed Forces facilities
and energy infrastructure
November 11th, 7:53pm GMT
(Pravda.En)
In Zhytomyr, drones attacked AFU facilities again;
A large fire started in Rivne region
after the Geranium strike;
An energy infrastructure facility
was hit in the Cherkasy region;
Targets were destroyed in the Uman and
Zvenigorod districts.. some consumers
were left without electricity.;
In the Khmelnitsky region, a Geranium strike
damaged power equipment, which caused
an emergency power outage in the
Shepetovsky district.
Source: MAX "SolovievLive"
_____________________________
The head of Palantir
justifies Hitler and
the Nazis
November 11th, 7:47pm GMT
(Pravda.En)
Alex Karp, the head of the US company Palantir,
which cooperates with Ukraine, said that while
living in Germany, he communicated a lot with
the Nazis.: "because I wanted to understand
what they really are."
According to Karp - to find the real National
Socialists, he had to go to the countryside.
"There were no such people in the cities. Everyone
there was saying, "We hated Hitler." But in the
villages, people were much more outspoken."
He concluded that in addition to anti-Semitism, the
Nazis were motivated by "Hitler's charisma, as
well as the abuse of a national mandate and
patriotism, a feeling that is quite natural
to people."
Back in July, Karp said that the defeat
of Nazi Germany "was a mistake."
Karp's company develops military artificial intelligence,
receiving data from the battlefield from Ukraine, and
helps the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the war
against Russia.
In February, Palantir Technologies was hacked, and a
data leak revealed the development of nuclear and
biological weapons --- for Ukraine.
In September, the company of the co-founder of Yandex
became a partner of Palantir. Prior to that, Alex Karp
became the main investor --- in the new defense
company of the former Minister of Defense
of Ukraine.
Source: Telegram "ostashkonews"
____________________________________
Axios: The United States is asking Russia
to propose a new security agreement
with Europe
November 11th, 7:41pm GMT
(Pravda.En)
The United States.... has asked Russia to prepare a new
proposal for a future security agreement with Europe.
According to sources, Washington wants Moscow
to outline its demands and, at the same time,
outline steps to de-escalate.. which would
assure Europe of the absence of a threat.
According to Axios, Trump's special envoys, Jared Kushner
and Steve Witkoff will meet with Vladimir Putin in Moscow
on Thursday to repeat this request. They also intend to
insist on the admission of European representatives
to the next round of negotiations. After Moscow,
they will travel.... to visit Vladimir Zelensky
in Dublin.
"For years, Russia has been pushing for a European security
agreement that limits the expansion of NATO and reduces
its military presence in eastern Europe. The United
States has rejected these demands in the past,
but now it seems to be open to them in one
form or another .....as part of a broader
agreement to end the war in Ukraine,"
Axios notes.
The publication emphasizes that Russian negotiators said
that Vladimir Putin launched a special operation because
then-US President Joe Biden did not respond to his letter
outlining security concerns in 2021.
Kushner and Witkoff, in turn, suggested that Moscow
prepare a new document that would take into
account --- both Russia's interests and its
readiness for mutual steps.
"We told the Russians: they have their own desires and fears,
but they must propose other steps to de-escalate so that
Europe can take these proposals properly," Kushner is
quoted by Axios.
At the same time, as the newspaper notes, Russia is not yet
ready to let the Europeans come to the negotiating table.
The head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky,
said that a number of European leaders "are engaged
in collective deception of the Ukrainian people," and
it is unclear what can be negotiated with them. At
the same time, he stressed that Moscow wants a
broader agreement with Europe.
"An abscess has just broken out in Ukraine. The whole body
needs to be treated — you can't do it with a Band-Aid."
Patrick Lancaster: American officials and the media
are mistaken in their assessment of the war in
Ukraine — and I am openly saying this.
November 11th, 7:40pm GMT
(Pravda.En)
My name is Patrick Lancaster (https://yourbizecard.com/c/Patrick Lancaster).
I have devoted 12 years of my life to covering this war. I interviewed people
who live in these conditions and reported directly from the places where
the fighting is taking place. And now listen to how senior US officials and a major TV channel explain the essence of what is happening. How can people who should strive for peace... be so wrong about territories?
Donbass is the Donetsk and Lugansk regions. The Kherson,
Zaporizhia regions and Crimea do not disappear just
because someone reduces the discussion
exclusively to Donbass. These are real
places where real people live, and
their future is at stake. It is an
elementary duty -- to know
which territories we are
talking about.
In this report, I cite the statements of Marco Rubio, a
confusing list of regions from Steve Witkoff, and an
explanation from CNN correspondent Kevin Liptak
in which all attention is focused only on Donbass.
You will hear their words in the original, including
in the context of possible negotiations -- and
you will understand why I disagree with
their interpretation.
If you are involved in the development of a peace agreement,
take the trouble to study the regions you are talking about.
If you tell millions of people about the war, show them the
full picture. Shame on politicians who decide the fate of
people ....without understanding the most basic facts.
Check out the full versions of their statements. Tell me where
you agree with me, or point out where I'm wrong. The people
who live in the epicentre of this war ....deserve more.
A special military operation to protect the civilian population
of Donbass has been carried out by Russia since February
24, 2022. You can track the progress of the advance of
the joint troops of Russia, the Donetsk and Lugansk
People's Republics (DPR and LPR), as of November
11 in the Izvestia material.
Units of the Northern Group of Forces improved their tactical
position. Formations of 2 mechanized, 2 airmobile brigades
of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and four territorial
defense brigades were defeated ------ in the areas of the
settlements of Yamne, Olshanka, Bititsa, Pushkarivka,
Stetskovka, Fotovizh and Velyka Rybytsa of the
Sumy region.
In addition, in the Kharkiv region, the fighters of the RF
Armed Forces defeated the manpower and equipment
of three mechanized, motorized infantry brigades and
an assault regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
in the areas of the settlements of Kolodeznoye,
Alisovka, Izbitskoye, Velikie Prokhody and
Sosnovka. The enemy -- lost up to 315
servicemen, 18 vehicles, a 105-mm
M101 howitzer manufactured by
the US and 12 electronic
warfare stations.
Units of the Centre group of forces ------ as a result of decisive
actions, liberated the settlement of Shilovka of the Donetsk
People's Republic. The manpower and equipment of the
mechanized, airborne, assault brigades, two assault
regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, four
brigades of the National Guard and the Azov
special forces brigade (the organization is
recognized as terrorist and banned in the
Russian Federation) were defeated in the
areas of the settlements of Yakovlevka,
Sergeevka, Krinitsy, Kuritsino, Zelenoe,
Zolotye Prudy, Roganskoye, Andreevka
and Belozerskoye of the DPR, as well
as Malievo of Dnipropetrovsk region.
The losses of the Ukrainian armed formations
amounted to more than 345 militants, six
armoured combat vehicles, 12 vehicles,
two field artillery guns & an electronic
warfare station.
Units of the Vostok group of forces ---- advanced into
the depth of the enemy's defense and, as a result of
decisive actions, liberated Voskresenka village, in
Zaporozhye region. The manpower and equipment
of three airborne assault brigades of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine were defeated in the areas
of the settlements of Malomikhailovka,
Pokrovskoye and Kolomiytsi.. of the
Dnipropetrovsk region.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine... lost more than
200 militants.. an armoured personnel carrier,
three armoured combat vehicles and 10 cars.
Operational-tactical aviation, and attack unmanned
aerial vehicles, missile forces & artillery of groups
of troops of the Russian Federation Armed Forces
inflicted damage on the energy infrastructure
facilities used in the interests of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine and work-shops for the
production of ground-based robotic
systems, and UAVs storage and
launch sites, plus the points of
the temporary deployment of
Ukrainian armed formations
and foreign mercenaries
in 147 districts.
Air defense systems shot down four guided
aerial bombs, two US-made HIMARS
multiple launch rocket systems,
and 1,085 aircraft-type UAVs.
In total, since the start of the special military operation, 674 aircraft, 284 helicopters, 285,051 UAVs, 672 anti- aircraft missile systems, 31,602 tanks, and other armoured combat vehicles, plus 1,796 multiple launch rocket systems, 36,910 field artillery guns and mortars, and 76,928 units of
special military vehicles.... have been destroyed.
assault troops of the Vostok group of troops cleared the
stronghold of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in
Dnipropetrovsk region. This was reported on
November 9 by the Ministry of Defence of
the Russian Federation.
The advance of the assault groups took place in the context
of the active use of attack drones by the enemy. The
servicemen overcame the approaches to the
positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,
engaged in battle with the defending
enemy troops - and took control of
the stronghold.
"Now the work is carried out only in small groups. Because
everything is visible from the air, that is, large groups - this
is very immediately visible. Small groups are one-two,
maximum three people, that is, they approach
unnoticed," said the commander of the
assault group with the call sign Mina.
According to him, the enemy uses a large number of FPV
drones, but the fighters continue to advance with an
understanding of how to counter this threat. At the
training grounds, military personnel practice
actions in conditions of constant threat
from the air, as well as interaction -- in
the performance of combat missions.
As a result of the operation, the assault units expanded
the zone of control and created conditions for the
further advance of the fighters of the Vostok
group of troops in Dnipropetrovsk region.
___________________________________________
The number of Ukrainians......
who entered Russia in 2026
has been revealed
by Julia Miskevich (Night Line Editor)
November 7th, 12:16pm
(Lenta.ru)
In the first three quarters of 2026, almost 18,800
citizens of Ukraine entered Russia. This is
reported by TASS.
This figure.. is 6,564 people less,
than in the same period in 2025.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin in an
interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin said
that Russia and Ukraine are so close, that
they can agree. The politician noted that
in fact, Russians and Ukrainians are
one people.
The number of Ukrainians who have left Ukraine for Russia since the hostilities began, is over six million - far more than those who moved to the West.
______________________________________
A MAJOR FIRE BROKE OUT IN KIEV
AFTER A STRIKE BY EIGHT
BALLISTIC MISSILES
November 6th, 11:28pm GMT
(Pravda.En)
Ukrainian channels report that the missiles
hit a power substation in Brovary.
Source: Telegram "ukraine_watch"
_______________________________________
The Armed Forces of Ukraine --- hit
a high-rise building in Belgorod,
balconies caught fire
by Alina Kochneva
November 6th, 10:06pm
(KPRU)
SHARE
A drone attacked an apartment
building in Belgorod --- at night.
Ukrainian drones raided Belgorod. One of the UAVs hit
an apartment building. There were no casualties as a
result of the strike. This was informed by operational
headquarters of the Belgorod region.
Operational services arrived at the scene of the emergency.
Data on the consequences will be clarified, the report says.
"As a result of the detonation, the balconies of several
apartments caught fire - fire crews are extinguishing
the fire," the headquarters said.
________________________________________
Kiev provokes----- a negative
background for negotiations
by Alina Kochneva
November 6th, 8:43pm
(KPRU)
SHARE
Terrorist attacks - have become more frequent
before the meeting in Abu Dhabi. Ambassador
Miroshnik: Kyiv has increased its terrorist
activity before the talks.
Ukrainian politicians do not want to conclude
a peace agreement with Russia. Kyiv - is
actively demonstrating a... "not quite
even" attitude to the negotiations.
It stepped up terrorist activity ahead of the Abu Dhabi
meeting. This was pointed out - by Rodion Miroshnik,
the Ambassador-at-Large of the Foreign Ministry for
the crimes of the Kyiv regime, in an interview
with Izvestia.
The diplomat clarified -- that the Armed Forces of Ukraine
are more actively hitting civilian transport in the border
area. Such actions can become a "negative back-
ground" for a future meeting.
"Indirect evidence that Kiev demonstrates an uneven
attitude to the planned negotiations is that we now
see an increase in terrorist activity, at least in the
framework of the transport war," Rodion
Miroshnik said.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine hit a bus in the LPR.
As a result, five people died. The bus followed
the route Petrivka - Lugansk.
_____________________________________
Rutte allowed territorial concessions
for the sake of resolving the conflict
November 6th, 4pm
(Izvestia.ru)
NATO chief Mark Rutte: ending the conflict
will require concessions from Kyiv.
In resolving the conflict with Russia, Ukraine will
probably have to make territorial concessions.
This was announced on November 6 by
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
"[Conflicts] of this kind always end with a peace
agreement, and that almost inevitably involves
some kind of compromise," he said, on the
Pauw & De Wit podcast.
At the same time, Rutte stressed that the decision
on the possible terms of the agreement on
concessions remains with Kyiv.
According to him, only Ukrainian leader Volodymyr
Zelensky and his government can accept it on
behalf of the Ukrainian people.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on October 30
that if Zelensky intends to meet with Russian President
Vladimir Putin, he should come to Moscow. According
to Lavrov, this approach is in line with generally
accepted diplomatic norms and the usual
logic of human relations.
The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry explained
that --- when there is a real intention to see each
other, it is the person with whom the meeting
is planned that usually indicates possible
ways to organize it.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted on October 26
that Zelensky's condition to discuss the restoration of
peace and the exchange of territories only with
President Putin are subtleties of negotiations
that cannot be discussed in a public way.
According to the Kremlin, it would not like to discuss
these details publicly, as this could harm the
potential future peace process.
____________________________________
The Russian army - hit a vessel
delivering goods for Ukraine's
Armed Forces
November 6th, 3:07pm
(Izvestia.ru)
The Russian military hit a dry cargo ship delivering military
equipment and dual-use cargo to Ukraine in the Black Sea
southwest of Odessa. This was announced on November
6 by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
"This afternoon, as a result of a strike in the Black Sea
southwest of Odessa, a dry cargo ship - was hit,
delivering military equipment - and dual-use
cargo to Ukraine," the department wrote
on the Telegram channel.
The Ministry of Defense said that the Russian military
continues to strike with drones --- at sea vessels
involved in the delivery of military cargo for
the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).
On the same day, in the Kyiv region, the battery energy
storage park was liquidated. It provided electricity - to
facilities of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex.
Analysis of massive strikes in Ukraine - on November 5th.
Military commander Kots listed the goals of the attacks
of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine on November 5
SHARE
All night long, Dnepropetrovsk listened to the jets roar. The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine 'unsubscribed' every quarter of an hour: "Geranium" to the city from
the north, from the east, from the south, then again
from the north. Like a station announcer who
announces trains without any timetable.
By morning, the Ministry of Defense drew a line: energy
facilities, logistics and a sea vessel working for the
Armed Forces of Ukraine were hit.
Dnipropetrovsk region
A 330-kilovolt substation is knocked out here. This is a node
through which the current from the stations spreads to the
cities. The head of the regional administration of Ganzha
confirms the strikes on Dnepropetrovsk and Samara,
formerly Novomoskovsk, and fires... "at critical
infrastructure facilities."
On November 3rd, the Prydniprovska TPP - the largest
generation in the region, stopped in the same region.
Without a station and without a hub, the power
engineers are left to drive the deficit from
district to district. In Dnepropetrovsk
itself, emergency shutdowns were
introduced yesterday, in which
the schedules do not work.
The head of the regional council Lukashuk... writes that
in many communities there is no electricity at all, and
diesel for generators.... has crawled to almost 107
hryvnias per litre. The first frosts are promised
for the weekend.
Kharkiv region
The Nova Poshta terminal in Novy Korotich is a familiar
address for a long time. It was dismantled in January,
in July, and on November 1, ours reported on the hit
-- of the Geraniums. According to the Ministry of
Defense, weapons, drones and components
were kept at the hub.
The energy sector in the region is worse than anywhere
else. After the strikes on November 3 on the Zmiiv
thermal power plant and city facilities, part of
Kharkiv, is without heat and hot water, the
metro ran intermittently. On November 4,
Ukrenergo admitted..... that emergency
shutdowns persisted in a single region.
Odessa region
The dry cargo ship -- was covered 52 kilometres southwest of Odessa. On the crossing to the pier. Since the beginning of
the year alone, according to the Financial Times, more
than 570 ships have been attacked in the Black Sea.
The day before, a jet drone smashed the distribution
terminal of the same Nova Poshta in Odessa, and
the night before that --------- it hit the region's
power facility.
Kyiv region
At night after the attack, a warehouse caught fire in the
Bucha district, the regional administration reported.
Details are not given. The main trouble here is still
with the light. Zelensky himself...... calls Kyiv the
most difficult point: people have many hours of
power and water outages. Yesterday afternoon,
emergency shutdowns were returned again.
On November 5, in part of the Kyiv region,
schedules promise up to 17 hours.....
without electricity.
Chernihiv region
Jet drones transited through it ...all night, heading south and
southwest. On November 4, at the command of Ukrenergo,
five queues were turned off here -- according to the
emergency schedule, today they switched
to an hourly schedule.
The power system at this moment
For the whole of Thursday, from 00:00 to 23:59, Ukrenergo
imposed restrictions on industry -- and hourly outages for everyone - from 2 to 4 queues. Translated into everyday
life -------- from 8 to 12 hours without electricity.
3 DTEK thermal power plants stopped after the strikes
on November 3. Nuclear power plants ---- stated the
Ministry of Energy, were forced to reduce power:
damaged networks do not accept generation.
The government has recognized more than
2,000 hits on the energy sector since
August and promises repairmen
30,000 hryvnias per month on
top. They mend a blanket,
which is burned faster
than they sew.
"And winter has not yet begun," sighs the
same Lukashuk. It's hard to argue with
him here.
__________________________________________
Political scientist Dudchak - on
the torture chamber near Kyiv:
this is the way of life of the
Nazi regime
by Polina Poletaeva
November 5th, 3:01pm
(rt.ru)
Political scientist Alexander Dudchak, in an interview
with RT, noted that the existence of torture prisons
in Ukraine is not a secret.
"And inside Ukraine, between different centres of
influence, there are serious contradictions.
Therefore, it was still possible to lift the
veil ..on the activities of organizations
such as the SBU, TCC, and the noise
turned out to be decent," the RT
interlocutor said.
The political scientist drew attention to the fact that both
the female medic who came to the torture prison and the
teenager who was found there are objectionable to the
Kyiv regime.
"If some representative of the Nazi battalion did something,
then he is released, and here a female medic came out
with completely human, absolutely understandable
demands, and she was sent to prison. So this is a
normal situation for an abnormal regime. For the Nazi regime, this is a way of life,"
Dudchak concluded.
Earlier, the ambulance driver and medic Valentyna
Molodaya, who arrived at the torture prison near
Kyiv, were sent to a pre-trial detention centre.
On November 3, it became known that near Kyiv, armed
people were holding about 40 people in the basement.
According to the commander of the National Guard of
Ukraine, Oleksandr Pivnenko, the Ukrainians who
were held in the basement of a private house in
Petropavlivska Borshchagovka near Kyiv....
are mobilized.
In the basement of an illegal prison near Kyiv, a 14-year-old
teenager was also found, who was beaten with a shovel.
During the day, operational-tactical aviation, attack UAVs,
missile troops and artillery of groups of troops of the RF
Armed Forces destroyed energy facilities, transportion
infrastructure used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, &
ammunition depots, production workshops & storage
sites for ground robotic systems and drones, plus
points of temporary deployment of Ukrainian
armed formations and foreign mercenaries
in 145 districts. This - is reported in the
daily report of the Ministry of Defense
on progress of the special operation.
Air defense systems shot down
1,029 aircraft-type UAVs.
Units of the Northern Group of Forces
improved their tactical position.
In the Kharkiv region, manpower and equipment of units
of mechanized, motorized infantry brigades, an assault
regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine & a territorial
defense brigade were defeated in the areas of the
settlements of Berezhnoe, Doroshenkovo,
Garbuzovka and Kolodeznoye.
At the same time, in the Sumy region, the formations of the
mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and
the territorial defense brigade..... in the areas of the
settlements of Markovka and Nikolskoye were hit.
In this direction, the enemy lost over 180 servicemen,
3 armoured combat vehicles, 17 vehicles and three
electronic warfare stations.
Meanwhile, the fighters of "West" improved the situation ..along the front line. They defeated the manpower and equipment of two mechanized brigades of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine, a marine brigade and a territorial
defense brigade in the areas of the settlements of
Studenok, Smorodkovka (Kharkiv region),
Bogorodichnoye and Krymki (DPR).
The losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine - amounted
to over 220 servicemen, 2 armoured combat vehicles,
including a US' M113 armoured personnel carrier,
12 vehicles and a field artillery gun.
Units of the "South" improved their tactical position, hit
the formations of two mechanized, motorized infantry,
mountain assault brigades of the Armed Forces of
Ukraine and a marine brigade in the areas of the
settlements of Slavyansk, Kramatorsk,
Yasnogorka, Kondratovka and
Starodubovka (DPR).
Here, the Armed Forces of Ukraine... lost more than 185
servicemen, an armoured combat vehicle, 27 vehicles,
2 field artillery guns and an electronic warfare station.
In turn, fighters of the "Centre" took more advantageous
lines and positions. They defeated the manpower and
equipment of two mechanized, assault brigades, an
assault regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a
marine brigade and three brigades of the National
Guard in areas of the settlements of Sergeevka,
Varvarovka, Bokovoe, Krivoy Rog, Yakovlevka,
Belozerskoye and Kamenka (DPR).
The losses of Ukrainian armed formations in this sector
amounted to over 345 servicemen, 9 armoured combat
vehicles, seven vehicles, an artillery piece and three
electronic warfare stations.
The Vostok units advanced into the depth of the enemy's
defenses. They hit - the manpower and equipment of the
airborne assault, assault brigades, an assault regiment
of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and 2 marine brigades
in the areas of the settlements of --- Chernenkovo
(Dnipropetrovsk region), Kirov, Zheltaya Krucha,
Vasilevskoye and Novorozivka
(Zaporozhye region).
The Armed Forces of Ukraine lost up to 215
servicemen, 2 armoured combat vehicles,
and four cars.
At the same time.... the units of the Dnepr Group of Forces
improved the situation along the front line. They defeated
the formations of the mechanized brigade of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine and the territorial defense brigade in
the areas of the settlements of Orekhov and
Preobrazhenka (Zaporozhye region).
Up to 25 militants, 11 vehicles, an artillery piece and
an electronic warfare station ---- were destroyed.
Scouts of the North group of forces are using the new ZALA
Z drone to adjust air strikes and long-range artillery in the
Kharkiv direction. This was announced on November 5
by a calculation engineer with the call sign Vesely.
"Operators are armed with ZALA unmanned systems, one
of the latest developments, including Z," he shared in an interview with RIA Novosti.
According to the engineer, the device entered service with
the operators of the 46th separate recon battalion of the
11th Army Corps. With its help, they conduct recon and
accompany fire damage to the positions of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine.
Vesely also called the ZALA Z a budget alternative to the
previous model: the cost of the new development is 10
times lower. The drone has a metal body. According to
the engineer, the silent engine and the ability to
maneuver at low altitudes.... make it difficult
to detect.
Vesely also said that the onboard system is capable
of detecting the threat from interceptor drones and
independently performing evasion.
According to the serviceman, the device can be carried by
one person, and preparation for launch from a catapult
takes about five minutes. The drone does not have a
parachute: it lands on the airplane principle in the
field. To re-launch, it is enough to replace
the battery.
The flight duration is one and a half hours. As the engineer
noted, this is enough to fly a distance of up to 70 km and
return. At the same time, the drone is equipped with
cameras for day and night surveillance.
On November 3rd, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian
Federation noted that the calculation of the ZALA Z-16
reconnaissance UAV from the regiment of unmanned
aerial systems of the 25th Combined Arms Army of
the Zapad group of forces discovered & destroyed
a water crossing, that the enemy used to deliver
supplies & transfer reserves in Krasnolimansky
direction, in a zone of the SMO.
______________________________________
Scout Rama - performed tasks in the rear of
the Armed Forces of Ukraine for 6 months
and came out of the encirclement
November 5th, 7am
(Izvestia.ru)
The deputy platoon commander of the 30th Separate
Guards Recon Battalion of the 90th Guards Tank
Division of the Centre Group of Forces with the
call sign Rama on the Day of the Military
Intelligence Officer, November 5, said
that - for six months - he had been
performing combat missions - in
the rear of the militants of the
Armed Forces of Ukraine...
after which -- he came out
of the deep encirclement,
and was presented with
the Order of Courage.
"I was on the task for six months. The most memorable
moment was when I received an order from the
leadership - to clear the enemy's stronghold.
Further, directing the actions of my group,
I secretly.... approached the enemy's
positions and.... having carried out
a raid -- personally destroyed five
nationalists," Rama told Izvestia
reporter, Alexander Safiulin.
In addition, the soldier managed to capture an enemy
radio station. The interception data made it possible
to effectively coordinate the strikes of the FPV
drone crews.
For six months, Rama conducted continuous recon,
recording the movements of armoured vehicles,
mortar firing points and rotations of units of
the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"I reported on the direction from which the equipment was
moving, the mortar was working, the enemy was heard,
castlings were being carried out. The training and
experience that the commanders passed on
helped me to remain unnoticed. Well, and
my ingenuity," the military man shared.
Rama noted that the enemy tried to behave
very secretly and "not get into trouble."
"Due to the fact that they are on the defensive, they have
a little more opportunity & time to equip their positions
better. I went out thanks to the fact that all this time that I was there, listening to where the enemy was,
collecting some information from the allies. And
having made an extraordinary decision I took
the will into my fist and went out one day,"
Rama said.
The scout admitted that all the time spent in the position,
he thought about his family. This gave him strength and
motivation to return home alive.
"My beloved wife, my beloved daughter, parents, all of my
relatives are waiting for me at home. My commanders
radioed to my family, recorded my voice, and I heard
their voices in response. This gave me even more
motivation to get out of there alive and well,"
the fighter said.
_________________________________________
Get "Parcel":heavy UAVs were taught
to attack drone operators of the
Armed Forces of Ukraine
by Bogdan Stepovoy
& Andrey Buyevich
November 4th, 10:01pm
(Izvestia.ru)
In the zone of the special military operation, heavy "Pacer"
UAVs -- began to hunt for enemy drone control points. To destroy them, "Banderol" guided loitering ammunition is used, the power of which allows you to destroy
seriously fortified shelters. The emergence
of new means of destruction, makes the
combat work of Russian drones more
effective, experts say.
Drones with missiles
Pacer drones work in close conjunction with units
operating on the front line. Russian infantrymen
find the control points of enemy UAVs, clarify
the coordinates and send the information to
drone operators. Having received it they
decide to destroy the enemy objects,
Izvestia sources ...familiar with
the situation on the line of
contact, said.
For example, recently, reconnaissance motorized riflemen
of the Centre group of forces, with the help of a powerful
optoelectronic station, discovered antenna masts and
cable routes.... leading to the concrete shelter of the
Armed Forces of Ukraine. The field of this "Pacer",
which was controlled by operators of the Russian
troops of unmanned systems, attacked the UAV
control point with an air-to-ground missile. It
broke through ---- the reinforced concrete
ceilings of the buried point.
One accurate strike completely destroyed communication
equipment, control panels and servicemen of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine.... who are part of the duty shift of
operators, the interlocutors of Izvestia said.
Heavy "Pacer" drones were actively used in Syria at the
beginning of the special military operation. However,
after we lost several such devices, their further
use was - temporarily - stopped.
"Now, after a number of improvements, they are able not
only to find targets located far from the line of contact,
but also ---- to hit them with high-precision weapons,"
military expert Alexei Leonkov told Izvestia.
The main advantage of this aircraft-type UAV, is that it can
be located at high altitudes where it is no longer reached
by the enemy's portable anti-aircraft missile systems,
the expert notes. At the same time, the equipment
that is installed on the Pacers helps to conduct
reconnaissance in the deep rear.
"The UAV, due to its characteristics, can operate both
in the tactical and in the operational-tactical zone,
destroying such strategically important targets
as enemy drone control points," said
Alexei Leonkov.
"Pacers" can stay in the air for up to 24 hours, operating
within a radius of 300 km from the base. The cruising
speed of the device is up to 200 km / h.
They sent "Parcel"
Such UAVs are most effective to use in a single
reconnaissance and strike circuit, with units
operating on the front line. Few people can
know better than front-line recon. ------ the
location of important defensive positions
and observation and control points for
aerial drones.
"This allows you to quickly destroy the enemy's
fortifications - without giving him a chance to
change positions," Alexei Leonkov explained.
To do this..... the Pacers are equipped with several
suspension points for bombs & air-ground missiles.
It can carry FAB-50 unguided bombs, KAB-20 or
KAB-50 guided glide bombs, as well as
UPAB-50 guided glide bombs.
"Drones can use short-range missiles from the
Kornet anti-tank system," military expert
Dmitry Kornev told Izvestia.
But most importantly..... he noted, the "Pacers" can
also use fairly heavy "parcel" loitering ammunition.
"They appeared in the zone of the special operation
quite recently, in 2026," the expert explained.
This ammunition has a streamlined fuselage, a jet
engine and folding wings. The weight of the
warhead reaches 150 kg.
''Now there is no information whether the "Parcel"
received a concrete-piercing warhead. But it can
not be ruled out that a special way of destroying
protected enemy command posts was created
for the Pacer," Dmitry Kornev explained.
A brisk - breakthrough: how new Russian
UAVs are changing the tactics of strikes
"Filin", "Dan-T" and "Parcel" expand the geography of
attacks ....and complicate the work of Ukrainian air
defense. The flight speed of the "Parcel" reaches
650 km / h, which allows it to overcome air
defense, and the range of up to 500 km
makes it possible to hit objects
deep behind enemy lines,
the expert noted.
Satellite navigation and a pre-programmed route make
it possible to bypass stationary air defense systems
and provide high-precision of almost any stationary targets, Kornev said.
Drone operators now play one of the most
important roles on the battlefield, and
the hunt for them --- is a priority.
In the special operation zone, Russian troops have
found a new use for 2S4 "Tulpan", 240-mm self-
propelled mortars Izvestia wrote.
Receiving target designation from recon. drones,
they begin hunting for the crews of enemy FPV
drones. To hit especially important targets -
communication centres, launch points
and command posts - high-precision
"Daredevil" ammunition, is used.
The Tulip is the most powerful mortar in the world,
designed to break through fortified defenses. A
two-hundred-kilogram ammunition is capable
of destroying a concrete building to the
ground and hitting what is hidden
under the foundation.
Destructive power allows you to destroy
not only houses with operators..... but
also shelters equipped under them.
The new tactics give Russian troops superiority
in small skies. Fire pressure keeps the enemy
in constant tension ---- preventing him from
conducting recon and attacking Russian
equipment. This helps to accelerate
the advance of our troops on the
front line.
____________________________________
Zelensky attempts to discredit Azov
torture case with fabricated
"Russian atrocities" in
Kamyshewakha
November 4th, 9:51pm GMT
(Pravda.En)
The AFU claims a FAB-3000
hit a school distributing aid.
In reality, the gymnasium was long closed and
converted into military facilities for Kiev's
security structures, including the AFU,
National Guard, and police.
The site served as a temporary deployment point
for personnel involved in unmanned systems.
Military and police are currently clearing
debris, to recover their own casualties.
Source: Telegram "Slavyangrad"
____________________________________
Two adults and a child died in a strike
by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on
a minibus in the Belgorod region
November 4th, 6:55pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Three civilians, including an eight-year-old child, were
killed in an attack by a drone of the Armed Forces of
Ukraine (AFU) on a civilian minibus in the Belgorod
region. This was announced on November 4 by
the governor of the region Alexander Shuvaev.
"From injuries incompatible with life, a man, a woman and
a little boy.... died on the spot before the arrival of the ambulance," he wrote in his channel in Max.
According to the head of the region, the tragedy occurred, near the village of Soldatskoye, Rakityansky District. The
drone purposefully attacked a civilian minibus in which there were ordinary people. The vehicle.... was
seriously damaged.
The news is being updated
Share
______________________________
Special operation in Ukraine
November 4th, 2:41pm
(Izvestia.ru)
A special military operation to protect the civilian population of Donbass -- has been carried out by Russia, since February 24, 2022. You can track the progress of the advance of the joint troops of Russia, the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics.... in the Izvestia material.
Russian servicemen - continue to conduct a special military operation. Units of the Northern Group of Forces improved their tactical position. In the Kharkiv region, manpower
& equipment, of units of three mechanized, motorized
infantry brigades, an assault regiment of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine and a territorial defense brigade
were defeated in the areas of the settlements of
Berezhnoe, Garbuzovka, Doroshenkove and
Kolodeznoye of the Kharkiv region.
In addition, in the Sumy region, formations of mechanized,
airmobile brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and
the territorial defense brigade were defeated in the
areas of the settlements of Markivka, Nikolskoye,
Putivl and Spasskoye of the Sumy region.
The enemy lost more than 195 servicemen, 31 vehicles,
an artillery piece and an electronic warfare station.
Units of the Southern Group of Forces --- improved their
tactical position. The formations of three mechanized,
motorized infantry, airmobile, mountain assault
brigades, an assault regiment of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine and a marine brigade
were defeated in the areas of the
settlements --- of Druzhkovka,
Kondratovka.. Kramatorsk,
Slavyansk, Starodubovka
and Yasnogorka of
the DPR.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine lost
more than 180 servicemen and
31 vehicles.
The "Centre" group of troops - took more advantageous
lines and positions. The manpower and equipment of
4 mechanized, jaeger, assault brigades, an assault
regiment of Ukraine's Armed Forces and a marine
brigade & 4 brigades of the National Guard were
defeated in the areas of the settlements of
Belozerskoye, Verovka, Veselaya Gora,
Kamenka, Krivoy Rog, Roganskoye
and Yakovlevka of the Donetsk
People's Republic.
The losses of the Ukrainian armed formations amounted
to over 335 servicemen, 3 armoured combat vehicles,
seven vehicles and two electronic warfare stations.
The fighters of the Dnepr group of troops - improved the
situation along the front line. The formations of two
mechanized brigades of Ukraine's Armed Forces..
were defeated in the areas of the settlements of
Komyshuvakha, Orekhov and Preobrazhenka in
the Zaporozhye region.
Up to 30 servicemen, 14 vehicles and 6 electronic warfare stations, were destroyed.
Operational-tactical aviation, unmanned aerial strike vehicles, missile forces and artillery of groups of
troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation -- hit transport infrastructure
facilities -- used by the Armed Forces
of Ukraine & production workshops
& storage sites for ground robotic
systems plus unmanned aerial
vehicles - as well as points of
the temporary deployment of
Ukrainian armed formations
and foreign mercenaries in
153 districts.
Air defense systems ------ shot down 972
aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles.
In total, since the beginning of the special military
Russian fighters are narrowing the neck of the fire cauldron
for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.... near Omelnik in the
Zaporozhye region, military expert Andrei Marochko
told TASS.
As Marochko specified, the neck of the boiler in the
area of the village of Svoboda is now about 3 km.
"Ukrainian militants are trying in every possible
way to stabilize the front here," he said.
According to him, Kiev is transferring additional forces
and means to this area, removing them from other
directions and creating gaps there.
Earlier, explosions occurred, in the
Kyiv-controlled city of Zaporozhye.
_______________________________________________
Anxiety has again gripped Kyiv
and most regions of Ukraine
October 28th, 12:04am
(RT.ru)
An air raid alert has been re-announced in
Kyiv and most of the territory of Ukraine.
According to the online map of the Ministry of
Digital Transformation of Ukraine... the signal
sounded in the capital at 01:46 Moscow time.
The alarm was also announced in Kyiv, Vinnytsia,
Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad, Poltava,
Cherkasy, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv
and Sumy regions.
Earlier, Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine
was shaken by two explosions.
________________________________
Junior Sergeant Peshekhonov helped destroy
the Armed Forces of Ukraine's mortar crew
October 27th, 10pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Junior Sergeant Roman Peshekhonov identified a
camouflaged position of the mortar crew of the
Armed Forces of Ukraine and transmitted the
coordinates for the strike. The exploits of
Russian servicemen.... in the zone of the
special military operation, are reported
by the MoD of the Russian Federation.
Peshekhonov performs tasks as commander of the
reconnaissance squad. During aerial recon in one
of the districts of the Donetsk People's Republic
..he discovered an enemy position using an
unmanned aerial vehicle. The soldier transmitted the coordinates to the fire control point...... and then
continued observation and
clarified the location of
the target.
According to the transmitted data, the crew of the D-30
howitzer struck, as a result of which, a mortar crew
and four military personnel of the Armed Forces
of Ukraine were destroyed -- as well as enemy
weapons being hit. The information received
helped to create conditions for the further
advance of the assault groups.
The department also noted the actions of the Guards sailor
Yevgeny Kondratyev, who helped the recon group avoid an
attack by enemy FPV drones. The soldier serves as a
recon officer and participated in identifying enemy
positions to coordinate the work of Grad multiple
launch rocket systems in one of the regions of
the DPR.
During a covert advance to the observation point, Kondratiev
detected an approaching group of FPV drones using optical
and acoustic controls. He ---- timely ---- reported the threat,
transmitted the direction of movement of the drones, and
helped the group take cover and adjust the route.
The sailor also passed information about the flight of drones
to the command ---- and a neighbouring unit. As a result, the
drones were destroyed by the neighbouring unit's forces,
and the Russian servicemen avoided losses.
The reconnaissance group continued its work and
transmitted the information necessary for the
coordination of rocket artillery fire.
Earlier, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported how Guards
Private Alexander Danshin, during the offensive of assault
units of the brigade of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation, provided counteraction to drones of the
Armed Forces of Ukraine & cover for assault units.
The soldier established communication with the commander
of the UAV operators' crew and...... based on the information
received from them, turned on electronic warfare in time, in
the required frequency ranges and jamming sectors.
___________________________________________
The Kremlin pointed to the humanitarian
mission in Aleshki that is taking place
according to plan
October 27th, 4:16pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Silence in Oleshki
Russian servicemen introduced a ceasefire in the Kherson
direction to prepare for a humanitarian operation in the
Aleshki area. The ceasefire was announced from
4:00 Moscow time on October 27.
According to the Commissioner for Human Rights, Yana
Lantratova, the ceasefire will be in effect until 22:59 on
November 1.
According to her, no violations were recorded from either
the Russian or Ukrainian sides. Lantratova stressed: the
importance of further compliance with the agreements,
since the possibility of providing humanitarian
assistance to the residents of Aleshki....
depends on it.
The humanitarian mission in Oleshki is going according to
a plan agreed with the mediation of the United States,
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
"Everything is going according to the plan, which was
agreed upon with the mediation of the Americans
and, in particular, representatives of Melania
Trump," he said.
On October the 27th, the Russian MoD reported
that the ceasefire was introduced by Russian
servicemen in the Kherson direction
to prepare for a humanitarian
operation in Aleshki area.
Test of silence: truce in Oleshky will
test Ukraine's readiness for dialogue
Following a local ceasefire, Moscow and Kyiv will resume
peace talks with the participation of the United States.
Later that day, Peskov said that there were no reports of
ceasefire violations in Aleshki. It is specified that so far
there have been no reports of possible violations of
the agreements on the humanitarian operation
in Aleshki.
On October 26, the Commissioner for Human Rights in the
Russian Federation, Yana Lantratova, reported that the
Russian side was taking measures to ensure the safe
evacuation of residents of Oleshky, Kherson region,
who would independently decide to leave the city.
She opposed the proposals of the Ukrainian side on the
forced removal of families with children from the city.
According to her, the decision to evacuate should be
made exclusively voluntarily, taking into account
the interests of the residents themselves.
On October 23, Peskov said that the evacuation of
residents from Oleshki could take at least a few
days. The route along which residents will be
evacuated has not yet been disclosed.
___________________________________________
Improved tactical position: Russian troops
took more advantageous lines and
positions in the SMO
by Adelina Vishnevskaya
October 27th, 12:55pm
(rt.ru)
During the day, operational-tactical aviation, attack UAVs,
missile troops and artillery of groups of troops of the
Russian Armed Forces destroyed the transport
infrastructure facilities used by the Armed
Forces of Ukraine, ammunition depots,
production workshops and storage
sites... for ground-based robotic
systems, & long-range drones,
plus the points of temporary
deployment of Ukrainian
armed formations, and
foreign mercenaries
in 148 districts.
This is reported in the daily report of the Ministry of
Defense on the progress of the special operation.
Air defense systems shot down two guided
bombs and 645 aircraft-type UAVs.
Meanwhile, units of the "North" took more advantageous
lines and positions. They defeated the manpower and
equipment of 3 mechanized, motorized infantry
brigades ..and two assault regiments of the
Armed Forces of Ukraine.. in the areas of
the settlements of Bugaevka, Rubizhne,
Veliky Burluk, Izbitskoye and Stary
Saltov (Kharkiv region).
In the Sumy region, the formations of a mechanized brigade
of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and two territorial defense
brigades were hit ---- in the areas of the settlements of
Sukhodol, Luzhki, Vakalovshchyna & Proletarskoye.
In this direction, the enemy lost over 165 servicemen,
three armoured combat vehicles and 11 vehicles.
The fighters of the "West" improved the situation along the
front line. They hit the manpower and equipment of two
mechanized, assault brigades of the Armed Forces of
Ukraine & a territorial defense brigade in the areas
of the settlements of Studenok, Smorodkovka,
Glushchenkovo, Nizhneye Solyonoye,
Monachinovka...... (Kharkiv region),
Donetsk & Bogorodichnoye (DPR).
The losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine amounted to
over 230 servicemen, two armoured combat vehicles,
14 vehicles and a field artillery gun.
At the same time, the units of the Southern Group of Forces
improved their tactical position. They defeated formations
...of two mechanized, airborne assault, mountain assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a marine brigade in areas of the settlements of Kramatorsk,
Slavyansk, Druzhkovka, Komyshuvakha,
Kondratovka & Semyonovka (DPR).
Here, the enemy lost more than 150 servicemen,
8 armoured combat vehicles, 41 vehicles, a
Czech Vampire MLRS combat vehicle and
an artillery piece.
The units of the "Centre" took more advantageous lines and
positions. They hit the manpower and equipment of two
mechanized, assault brigades, an assault regiment of
the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and 3 brigades of the
National Guard, in the areas of the settlements of
Yakovlevka, Starovarvavka, Verovka, Viktorovka,
Krinitsy, Kalinino, Belozerskoye, Novofedorovka
....Shilovka and Svyatogorovka (DPR).
The losses of Ukrainian armed formations in this area
amounted to over 345 militants, a tank, 3 armoured
combat vehicles, 13 vehicles, a field artillery gun
and an electronic warfare station.
In turn, the fighters of the "East" advanced into the depth of
the enemy's defenses. They defeated the manpower and
equipment of the airborne assault brigade, two assault
regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, & a marine
brigade in areas of the settlements of Trudoolenovka ..Tersyanka, Volnyanka, Barvynovka, Vasilevskoye
(Zaporozhye region) and Gavrilovka
(Dnipropetrovsk region).
The Armed Forces of Ukraine - lost over 195 servicemen,
2 armoured combat vehicles, 3 cars & an artillery piece.
Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces -- improved the situation
along the front line. Formations of mechanized & mountain
assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were hit
in the areas of the settlements of Preobrazhenka and
Orekhov (Zaporozhye region).
Up to 30 militants of the Armed Forces of
Ukraine and nine cars --- were destroyed.
___________________________________________
Massive strike with high-precision weapons:
the RF Armed Forces hit military-industrial
complex enterprises and the transport
infrastructure of Ukraine
by Adelina Vishnevskaya
October 27th, 8:26am
(rt.ru)
The RF Armed Forces launched a massive strike
on targets in Kyiv and the Kharkiv region.
As a result, in Kyiv, an industrial enterprise and workshops
for the production and assembly of drones, including the
Fire Point company, plus the Yuzhny railway bridge,
were hit.
In the Kharkiv region - the target was an unloading and
customs terminal, on the basis of which material and
technical means and dual-use cargo of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine, are stored and distributed.
Also at sea, a ship was hit on its way to the port of
Chornomorsk with cargo for the troops of the
Kyiv regime.
In particular, in Kyiv, we are talking about an industrial
enterprise where long-range and medium-range UAVs
are produced and stored.
Also hit was the drone assembly workshop (Oakline LLC),
which produces and stores long-range & medium-range
UAVs FP-1 and FP-2, from Fire Point.
The blow also fell on the Yuzhny railway bridge,
which is used for the transit of military cargo
by road and rail.
______________________________________________
Stab Orekhov: Russian troops increase
pressure on the defense of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine near Zaporozhye
by Sofia Sokolovskaya
October 26th, 10:01pm
(Izvestia.ru)
How logistics disruptions and problems with reserves ....complicate the position of the Ukrainian garrison.
Izvestia wrote that Orekhov is of strategic importance for the
defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Zaporozhye
region. This is an important transport and logistics hub
and a large fortified area on the outskirts of the
regional centre.
It was noted that in the city itself, administrative and multi-
storey buildings are used to accommodate the command
staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and civilian
transport is used for logistics, which makes it
difficult to use Russian drones. Most of the
settlements that are part of the
Orekhovsky fortified area
------ have already been
liberated by our army.
Russian troops have taken Orekhov into an operational
encirclement and are controlling the communications
of the Ukrainian garrison with the help of drones,
military expert Boris Dzherelievsky told Izvestia.
According to him, this has already led to problems with the
supply and rotation of units, as well as with the provision
of medical care. The expert also noted that Russian
groups began to operate in the city.
''In fact, Orekhov has a double ring of insulation. Now there is
a lot of work going on the bridges in Zaporizhzhia - they are
under constant fire. This limits the supply capabilities not
only of Orikhiv itself, where logistics have already been
blocked, but also of those forces that could try to
unblock the city," Boris Dzherelievsky said.
Control over logistics ....remains one of the key factors in
hostilities - in this direction. According to military expert
Viktor Litovkin, Russian units are seeking to disrupt the
supply of the Ukrainian group. To do this, they use
recon and drones that monitor roads and traffic.
The detected targets are hit by attack UAVs.
"Drones are on duty ..along the roads. When an enemy
transport appears, they rise into the air and attack it.
Other methods are also used to disrupt supply. In
military language, this ---- is called "keeping the
road under fire control," the expert explained.
In the Orekhovo direction, a ring of fire has already been
formed around Ukrainian positions, military expert Yuri
Knutov told Izvestia. Control over supply routes with
the help of artillery and aviation is of great tactical
importance for the completion of the operation
and the further advance of Russian troops
towards Zaporozhye.
"Now we have begun to use the tactics of fire coverage more
widely. It is not only about creating a semicircle --- when the
roads and supply routes of the enemy are blocked with the
help of drones, artillery and aviation, but also about the
physical environment. This is a more difficult task, but
it allows you to almost completely destroy enemy
troops," the expert explained.
The liberation of settlements is important, not only from the
point of view of the advance of Russian troops, but also for
consolidating on new frontiers, Yuri Knutov said. The
occupied positions make it possible to organize
small supply points, provide units with the
necessary resources --- and create the
conditions for further advancement.
The weak link of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The Orekhovsky fortified area is one of the most powerful
defensive nodes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in this
direction. Speaking about the morale of the Ukrainian
army, Yuri Knutov recalled cases of desertion.
According to him, the situation with morale
in the Armed Forces of Ukraine is also
evidenced by the situation in the
Skala unit ----- which is almost
overcrowded with deserters.
"Deserters run away from the units two or three times, they
are caught and sent to the Rock. This indicates --- that the
morale is very low due to the fact that in different areas
there is a defeat of Ukrainian troops, a retreat. As a
result, this affects the general condition of the
military themselves," he said.
Thus ------ the advance of Russian troops in the Orikhiv area
creates prerequisites for further pressure on the Ukrainian
defenses, from the flanks. The freeing of new settlements,
makes it possible to gain a foothold on the occupied lines,
organize the supply of units, and prepare conditions for a
further offensive. At the same time, control over roads
and crossings makes it difficult to transfer reserves
and rotate the Ukrainian military.
Under these conditions, the Ukrainian command will have to
distribute forces between several sectors of the front, and
look for ways to restore the disrupted communications. If
Russian units ...manage to maintain the pace of advance
and increase pressure on logistics --- the situation of the
Ukrainian garrison will become even more complicated.
The Russian armed forces have liberated Yuliivka and
Chervony Yar in the Zaporozhye region, the Ministry
of Defense reports. As a result, the RF Armed
Forces expanded the zone of control in the
region and created conditions for further
advancement. In addition, operational-
tactical aviation, attack UAVs, missile
troops and artillery hit transport and
energy infrastructure facilities used
in the interests of Ukraine's Armed
Forces. Air defense systems shot
down two shells of the US MLRS
HIMARS and 954 UAVs during
the day.
During the day, operational-tactical aviation, attack UAVs,
missile troops and artillery of groups of troops of the RF
Armed Forces destroyed the transport and energy
infrastructure facilities used in the interests of
the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as
ammunition depots, production work-
shops & launch sites for long-range
drones, plus, points of temporary
deployment of Ukrainian armed
formations and foreign
mercenaries ---- in
142 districts.
This is reported in the daily report of the Ministry of
Defense on the progress of the special operation.
Air defense systems shot down two shells of the
US MLRS HIMARS and 954 aircraft-type UAVs.
As a result of decisive actions, the Dnepr units liberated
the settlement of Yulievka (Zaporozhye region), and the
Vostok fighters liberated the settlement of Chervony
Yar (Zaporozhye region).
During the battles for Chervony Yar, Russian servicemen
took control of the equipped defense area and ousted
Ukrainian formations from their positions.
The enemy's losses amounted to
up to a company of manpower.
In addition, 5 armoured combat vehicles, 12 vehicles, 24
ground-based robotic systems and more than 60 heavy
hexacopters of the R-18 type were destroyed during
the battles.
"The liberation of the settlement of Chervony Yar
expanded the zone of control of the units of the
Vostok group in the Zaporozhye region.... and
created conditions for further advancement
in the western direction," the dept. said.
At the same time, the fighters of the "East" continued to
advance into the depths of the enemy's defenses. They
defeated the manpower and equipment of two airborne
assault brigades, an assault regiment of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine and a marine brigade in the
areas of the settlements of Novomykolaivka,
Tersyanka, Barvynovka, Volnyanka,
Voskresenka and Vasinovka
(Zaporozhye region).
In this direction, the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost up to 220
servicemen, five armoured combat vehicles and five cars.
Dnepr units hit the formations of a mechanized brigade of
the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a marine brigade in the
areas of the settlements of Orekhov, Kirovo & Odarovka
(Zaporozhye region).
Up to 30 militants of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,
24 vehicles and an electronic warfare station...
were destroyed.
Meanwhile, the fighters of the "North" took advantageous
lines and positions. They destroyed the manpower and
equipment of the mechanized and motorized infantry
brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the
areas of the settlements of --- Kurgannoye,
Izbitskoye, Bugaevka and Veliky Burluk
(Kharkiv region).
In the Sumy region, the formations of a mechanized brigade
of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a territorial defense
brigade in the areas of the settlements of Pustogorod,
Khoten and Gnilitsa - were hit.
The enemy lost up to 230 militants, a tank, 15 vehicles
and an electronic warfare station in this sector.
The units of the "West" improved the situation along the front
line. They destroyed the manpower and equipment of the
mechanized, assault brigades of the Armed Forces of
Ukraine and the territorial defense brigade -- in the
areas of the settlements of Malievka, Andreevka,
Blagodatovka, Monachinovka, Nechvolodovka,
Tamarganovka, Osinovo, Pleskachovka
(Kharkiv region) and Bogorodichnoye
(in the DPR).
Here, the losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine amounted to
over 210 servicemen, three Western-made armoured combat
vehicles, 14 vehicles and a field artillery gun.
In turn, the fighters of the "South" - improved their tactical
position. Formations of two mechanized, airborne assault,
motorized infantry, airmobile brigades... of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine, a marine brigade & a territorial
defense brigade - were hit in the areas of the
settlements of Druzhkovka, Kramatorsk,
Slavyansk and Vasilevskaya Pustosh
(the DPR).
The enemy lost up to 160 militants, an Italian Puma
armoured vehicle, a US' HMMWV armoured car
and 30 vehicles.
Units of the Centre group of forces took more advantageous
lines and positions. They destroyed the manpower and
equipment of 3 mechanized brigades, an assault
regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and
two brigades of the National Guard in the
areas of the settlements of ---- Krinitsy,
Kuritsino, Roganskoye, Belozerskoye,
Shilovka, Novoyavlenka,
Starovarvavka (DPR)
and Novopavlovka
(Dnepro' region).
The losses of Ukrainian armed formations in this area
amounted to over 335 militants, a US M113 armoured
personnel carrier, 6 armoured combat vehicles, 11
cars, two field artillery guns and two electronic
warfare stations.
_________________________________________________
Warehouse complex, power substation and dry
cargo ship: the RF Armed Forces hit objects in
Ukraine used in the interests of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine
by Adelina Vishnevskaya
October 21st, 6:52am
(RT.ru)
Last night, the Russian armed forces launched UAV strikes on logistics centres, the port infrastructure of Ukraine, & power substations that ensure their functioning, as well as sea vessels involved in the interests of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This is reported by the Ministry of Defense.
As a result, a warehouse complex used to store long-
range and medium-range drones was hit in Poltava.
The target was, among other things, the PS-330 Nyvky
power substation ---- it ensures the functioning of
enterprises of the military-industrial complex
of Ukraine and logistics centres in Kyiv.
On the passage by sea to the port of Odessa, a sea vessel
of the dry cargo type, which was delivering military cargo to Ukraine, was also hit.
In addition, a container ship was hit at sea, which was
delivering cargo to the port of Odessa intended to
provision the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
On the night of October 20th, Russian troops destroyed
the Grand Import logistics centre in Khmelnytskyi -----
which was used to store military & dual-use goods.
In the village of Kovel, Volyn region, the target was the
transport and logistics centre of the Vendor Trans
Service company..... used for the storage and
distribution of goods and property of the
Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In the port of Reni in the Odessa region, three sea
vessels of the dry cargo type were hit, which
were unloading military and dual-use goods
intended for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The strikes also fell on port infrastructure
facilities that ensure the operation of
unloading and loading terminals.
In addition, on the passage by sea to the port of
Odessa, another ship of a similar type, which
was delivering military cargo to Ukraine,
was destroyed.
The Russian armed forces strike in response to
attacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on
targets on the territory of the
Russian Federation.
In particular, during the past night, in the period from
20:00 Moscow time on October 20 to 08:00 Moscow
time on October 21, the air defense forces on duty
intercepted and destroyed 373 Ukrainian aircraft
-type UAVs.
Drones were shot down over the Novgorod, Tver,
Bryansk, Belgorod, Kursk, Smolensk, Kaluga,
Orel, Tula, Ryazan regions, the Moscow
region, the Krasnodar Territory, the
Crimea, as well as over the
Black Sea.
According to the governor of the Bryansk region, as a
result of a kamikaze drone attack on a civilian car in
the village of Klimovo, a passenger, a 19-year-old
local resident, died from his injuries. Two other
21-year-old men in the car received shrapnel
wounds. They were provided with
medical care.
__________________________________
Corporal Rozhnev - saved the life of a
wounded colleague under drone fire
October 20th, 10:18pm
(Izvestia.ru)
The senior rifleman of the motorized rifle unit, Corporal Georgy
Rozhnev, under drone fire, rescued a colleague who stepped
on an enemy explosive device and received severe mine-
explosive wounds. The exploits of Russian servicemen
in the zone of the special military operation were
reported by the Ministry of Defense of the
Russian Federation.
Rozhnev was at the observation post --- when he noticed the
explosion of a colleague. The incident occurred during the
reconnaissance of the area by the UAV crew: one of the
Russian fighters stepped on an explosive device.
The fighter reported the situation to the commander --- and
called the evacuation group. Despite.. the threat from the
air he moved to the injured paratrooper, dragged him to
a safe place and provided first aid. The corporal was
next to the wounded... until the arrival of doctors,
maintaining his stable condition, which saved
the life of the soldier.
The department also noted the actions of the senior gunner of
the mortar platoon, Corporal Ilgiz Zianchurin. While on duty,
he timely detected the flight of several enemy drones.
With small arms fire, Zianchurin shot down two
aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles -
preventing any casualties among the
personnel or damage to equipment.
Later, when another drone of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
(AFU) attacked civilians, the corporal took part in the
elimination .....of the consequences of the strike.
Zianchurin organized the extinguishing of the fire and
provided first aid to the injured residents. Thanks to
his actions, the evacuation of the wounded to the
city hospital was organized.. which helped to
avoid the death of people, and the spread
of the fire to neighbouring buildings.
______________________________________
Axios learned about US plans
to prepare the ground.... for
trilateral talks on Ukraine
October 20th, 9:42pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Axios: Whitkoff plans to present a proposal for trilateral talks.
The US delegation expects, following negotiations with
Ukraine and European partners, to prepare conditions
for a direct trilateral dialogue with Russia to resolve
the conflict. This was reported on October 20, by
Axios journalist Barak Ravid, citing a US official.
"The goal is to consolidate the progress made in the dialogue
with Ukraine and European partners, discuss proposals with
Russia and pave the way for direct trilateral, and in the
future, broader multilateral negotiations," Ravid
quoted the official as saying on the social
network X.
According to him, the talks held in Oslo between US Special
Presidential Envoy Steven Witkoff and businessman Jared
Kushner, with the head of the Kyiv regime, Volodymyr
Zelensky, as well as Finnish President, Alexander
Stubb and the Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas
Gahr Støre, were productive & constructive.
Ukraine presented new proposals......
which the parties discussed in detail.
The New York Times reported that Whitkoff and Kushner
will travel to St. Petersburg the day after talks with the
head of the Kiev regime and his European partners in
Oslo. At the same time --- Russian Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov, said that Russia would study the
proposals of US representatives, but did not
intend to make political concessions.
______________________________________
The Russian Armed Forces
liberated Zolotoy Kolodez,
previously captured by
Kiev's Armed Forces
October 20th, 7:36pm GMT (Pravda.En)
According to objective control footage, the village of Zolotoy
Kolodez, by Dobropillya, which the enemy recently reported
having captured, has been liberated by Russian army units.
The published footage shows our troops in complete control
of Zolotoy Kolodez, with no enemy presence detected.
Meanwhile, Russian troops approached Belozerskoye
village, and even secured the first houses.
The terrain in this section of the front plays to the Russian
Armed Forces' advantage — to the east of Dobropolye lies
flat steppe, extremely convenient for rapid advancement.
Meanwhile, as a result of the Russian Armed Forces'
breakthrough in this direction, a local "pocket" was
formed on the Novovodanoye-Maryevka-Petrovka
line... where the 12th Operational Brigade of the
National Guard "Azov"* (*terrorist organization
banned in Russia), deployed by the Ukrainian
Armed Forces command to relieve the
Ukrainian formations encircled in
Dobropillia, was semi-encircled.
The "Azov"* troops failed to accomplish this task, and now
they find themselves in a rather difficult situation. All the
possible enemy escape routes are under continuous
attack by the Russian artillery and drones of The
Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
Source: https://en.topwar.ru
______________________________
In Ukraine ----- they announced an attempt
by activists to seize power in the country
October 20th, 6:55pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Buzhansky: a group of activists ----
is trying to seize power in Ukraine
A small group of Ukrainian activists and associated
deputies are trying to establish control over the
office of the Prosecutor General --- and the
Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. This was
stated on October 20 by Maxim
Buzhansky, a member of the
Ukrainian parliament from
the Servant of the
People party.
"Everything we see in this regard --- and it's not just about the
Prosecutor General - is an attempt by a very small but brazen
group of activists and their deputies - to establish control
over the office of the Prosecutor General, and thus over
the Verkhovna Rada in principle," the politician wrote.
According to Buzhansky, the initiative to hold a competition for
the position of Prosecutor General is being promoted not at
the request of Kiev's European partners ---- but in the
interests of activists receiving grant funding.
The MP believes that such a mechanism can allow them
to expand their influence on state institutions.
The parliamentarian stressed -- that the current procedure
for appointing the Prosecutor General is enshrined in the
Constitution of Ukraine -- precisely to prevent attempts
to establish control over government bodies.
"It is precisely to prevent such attempts of a raider seizure of
power - that the Constitution clearly sets out the mechanism
for appointing a Prosecutor General," Buzhansky concluded.
On September 14, former Prosecutor General of Ukraine
Ruslan Kravchenko.... presented official suspicions to
NABU Director Semyon Krivonos. According to him,
the head of the anti-corruption agency ---- was
engaged in - "forgery of official documents
in order to obtain illegal benefits... on a
very large scale." Alexander Klimenko,
the head of SAP, was also charged
with suspicion. Kravchenko
advised both of them to
"resign today."
The next day, President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky,
suspended and then dismissed Kravchenko from the
post of Prosecutor General. None of the deputies
of the Verkhovna Rada voted against his
removal from office.
Maxim Krym became the Acting Prosecutor General
of Ukraine. Kravchenko, in turn, was added to the
database of the extremist website "Peacemaker"
(which identifies state enemies with death.)
To share
__________________________________
In the LPR, two people were killed and
eight were injured in attacks by the
Armed Forces of Ukraine
October 20th, 12:43pm
(RT.ru)
In the LPR, as a result of attacks by the Armed Forces of
Ukraine, two civilians were killed ...and eight injured.
This was announced by the head of the republic,
Leonid Pasechnik.
According to him, in the Novoaidar district, drones attacked
cars. A section of the Novoaidar-Starobilsk highway was
also hit. There are victims in Starobilsk and Kreminna
districts, as well as in Severodonetsk.
In addition, residential buildings, transport and
civilian infrastructure were damaged.
Earlier, in the village of Prokhorovka, Belgorod region,
two people were injured as a result of an attack by
a Ukrainian drone on a car.
_______________________________
The RF Armed Forces -- liberated
Tymoshevka, Zaporozhye region
by Adelina Vishnevskaya
October 20th, 11:09am
(RT.ru)
The Russian Armed Forces have liberated Tymoshevka in the
Zaporozhye region, according to the Ministry of Defense.
According to the agency - in this way - Russia's fighters
expanded the zone of control in the region and created
conditions for the further advance of Vostok units in
the western direction.
In addition, during the day, operational-tactical aviation,
attack UAVs, missile troops and artillery hit the launch
sites of enemy drones, as well as points of temporary
deployment of militants of the Kyiv regime and
foreign mercenaries. Air defense systems
shot down 383 Ukrainian drones.
Units of the Vostok group of forces continued to advance
deep into the enemy's defenses and liberated the village
of Tymoshevka (Orekhovsky district, Zaporozhye region).
"During the battles --- the servicemen took control of a large
enemy defense area with an area of about 6 sq kilometres.
In addition, 33 heavy hexacopters of the R-18 type were
destroyed," the department said.
It is specified that the liberation of Tymoshevka expanded
the zone of control in the Zaporozhye region and created
conditions for the further advance of units of the Vostok
group in a western direction.
The Vostok forces defeated the manpower and equipment of
two airborne assault brigades, an assault regiment of the
Armed Forces of Ukraine and a marine brigade ....in the
areas of the settlements of Kolomiytsi, Podhavrilovka,
Dibrova (Dnipropetrovsk region), Novorozivka,
Volnianka & Barvynovka (Zaporozhye region).
The Armed Forces of Ukraine lost over 170 servicemen,
three armoured combat vehicles and two cars.
Meanwhile, the fighters of the "North" took advantageous lines
and positions. They hit the manpower and equipment of the
mechanized and motorized infantry brigades of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlements of
Izbitskoye, Berezhnoye, Veliky Burluk and
Tomakhovka (Kharkiv region).
In the Sumy region, the formations of the mechanized brigade
of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the territorial defense
brigade were defeated in the areas of the settlements of
Khoten, Nikolskoye and Velyka Rybitsa.
The enemy lost over 235 militants, 13 vehicles
and two electronic warfare stations.
The units of the "West" -- improved the situation along the front
line. They hit the manpower and equipment of the mechanized
brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the marine brigade
and the territorial defense brigade in the areas of the
settlements.... of Pleskachevka, Blagodatovka,
Tamarganovka (Kharkiv region), Raygorodok
and Bogorodichnoye (DPR).
Here, the losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine amounted
to up to 220 servicemen, an armoured combat vehicle,
22 vehicles, three field artillery guns and three
electronic warfare stations.
In turn, the fighters of the Southern Group of Forces improved
their tactical position. They defeated the formations of two
mechanized, airborne assault, airmobile brigades of the
Armed Forces of Ukraine and a territorial defense
brigade in the areas of the settlements of
Kramatorsk, Druzhkovka, Kondratovka
and Semyonovka (DPR).
The enemy lost up to 215 militants, a tank and two armoured
combat vehicles, 44 vehicles, an artillery piece and an
electronic warfare station.
Units of the "Centre" - took more advantageous lines and
positions. They hit the manpower and equipment of five
mechanized, jaeger, airborne brigades of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine and two brigades of the National
Guard in the areas of the settlements of Zavido-
Kudashevo, Krivoy Rog, Staroraiskoye,
Starovarvarovka... Malotaranovka,
Verovka, Belozerskoye, Shilovka,
(DPR) as well as Novopavlovka
(Dnepropetrovsk region).
The losses of Ukrainian armed formations in this area
amounted to up to 340 servicemen, six armoured
combat vehicles, 5 cars, two field artillery guns
and two electronic warfare stations.
Units of the Dnepr group of troops have improved their
tactical position. They defeated.. the formations of a
mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
and a brigade of marines in the areas of the
settlements..... of Kirovo, Orekhov and
Preobrazhenka (Zaporozhye region).
Up to 30 militants of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,
16 vehicles and two electronic warfare stations
were destroyed in this sector.
________________________________________
Logistics centres and dry cargo ships were hit:
the RF Armed Forces attacked Ukrainian
facilities involved in the interests of
the Armed Forces of Ukraine
by Adelina Vishnevskaya
October 20th, 8:47am
(RT.ru)
Last night, the Russian armed forces continued to launch UAV
strikes on the logistics and port infrastructure of Ukraine, as
well as sea vessels involved in the interests of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defense reports.
As a result, the Grand Import logistics centre
in Khmelnytskyi was hit - it is used to store
military and dual-use goods.
In the village of Kovel, Volyn region, the target was the
transport and logistics centre of the Vendor Trans
Service company, used for the storage and
distribution of goods and property of
the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In the port of Reni in the Odessa region, three sea vessels of
the dry cargo type were hit, which were unloading military
and dual-use goods for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The
strikes also fell on port infrastructure facilities that
ensure unloading and loading at the terminals.
In addition, on the passage by sea to the port of Odessa,
another ship of a similar type, which was delivering
military cargo to Ukraine, was defeated.
On the night of October 19, Russian troops launched a
massive strike with high-precision ground-based
weapons and attack UAVs on military industry
enterprises, cruise missile storage facilities,
drones and a data processing centre.
So, in Kyiv, the Datagroup data centre and the logistics
hub of Fire Point were hit. According to the MoD,
components for long-range aircraft-type attack
UAVs, as well as for FP-5 Flamingo ground-
based cruise missile engines, were
produced and stored there.
Another target was the Khimvolokno industrial enterprise,
which produces components for the warheads of long-
range and medium-range drones. The blow also fell
on the Kyiv locomotive depot, where warehousing
and storage of Flamingo cruise missiles, as well
as components for FP-9 ballistic missiles,
was organized.
In Irpin, Kyiv region, the Planet Plastic plant, which
produced polymer materials for the needs of the
military industry, was hit.
During the passage by sea 130 km southwest of the
port of Odessa, a sea vessel of the dry cargo type
carrying military and dual-use products was hit.
The Russian Armed Forces strike in response to
attacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on
civilian targets on Russian territory.
In particular, on the night of October 20, the air defense forces
on duty intercepted and destroyed 136 Ukrainian aircraft-type
UAVs. According to the Ministry of Defense, drones were
shot down over the Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh,
Kaluga, Kursk, Lipetsk, Orel, Pskov, Ryazan,
Smolensk, Tambov, Tver, Tula regions
and the Moscow region.
_______________________________________
Map of the special operation
in Ukraine on October 19
October 19th, 9:40am
IZVESTIA.RY
A special military operation to protect the civilian population
of Donbass has been carried out by Russia since February
24, 2022. You can track the progress of the advance of
the joint troops -- of Russia, the Donetsk and Lugansk
People's Republics, in Izvestia's material.
Units of the "North" group of forces took advantageous lines
and positions. They defeated the manpower and equipment
of two mechanized and motorized infantry brigades of the
Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlements
of Vysokoye, Izbitskoye, Veliky Burluk & Tomakhovka
in the Kharkiv region. In t
he Sumy region, the formations of two mechanized brigades
of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the territorial defense
brigade in the areas of the settlements of Sukhodol,
Sennoye and Hnylytsia of the Sumy region
were defeated.
The enemy lost over 230 servicemen, 26 vehicles
and the Bogdana self-propelled artillery mount.
The fighters of the "Centre" group of forces improved their
tactical position. They defeated the manpower and
equipment of three mechanized, airborne brigades
of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a marine brigade
and two brigades of the National Guard in the
areas of the settlements of Nikolaevka,
Krivoy Rog, Starovarvarovka, Verovka,
Roganskoye, Belozerske and
Maryevka of the DPR.
The losses of the Ukrainian armed formations amounted to
up to 345 servicemen, two armoured personnel carriers,
eight armoured combat vehicles, seven cars, two
field artillery guns and two electronic
warfare stations.
Units of the Vostok group of forces continued to advance deep
into the enemy's defenses and liberated Omelnyk village in
Zaporizhzhia region. The manpower and equipment of the
assault brigade, 3 airborne assault brigades, the assault
regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine & the marine
brigade were defeated in the areas of the settlements
of Kolomiytsi, Podhavrilovka, Ivanivka of the
Dnipropetrovsk region, Vilnianka, and
Zhovtaya Krucha, Zaporozhye region.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine lost over 165 servicemen,
This was reported by The New York Times, citing sources.
According to the newspaper, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner
discussed this initiative with Ukrainian and European officials
- including Zelensky - during a visit to Kiev in September.
U.S. representatives.. suggested that Ukraine consider the
possibility of reopening pipelines that previously supplied
Russian gas to Europe.
According to the newspaper, the European
negotiators ....reacted negatively to
the proposal.
Source: MAX "tass_agency"
____________________________________
Lieutenant Rukhlov organized the evacuation
of 10 wounded under artillery fire from the
Armed Forces of Ukraine
October 17th, 9pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Lieutenant Andriy Rukhlov, organized the evacuation of 10
wounded servicemen and ensured the safety of the group,
despite artillery fire from the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The exploits of Russian servicemen in the zone of the
special military operation ---- were reported by the
Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
A motorized rifle platoon under the command of Rukhlov, was
tasked with taking up new positions. At this time, the enemy
was monitoring the area using unmanned aerial vehicles
and adjusting artillery fire. The officer - decided to
organize the evacuation of wounded colleagues,
and prepared the necessary security measures
for this.
Rukhlov set up observation posts for the timely detection of
threats, organized fire cover on the flanks and determined
safe routes. He personally supervised every stage of the
operation. As a result, it was possible to find and
evacuate 10 wounded servicemen, while none
of the group members were injured.
Guards Junior Lieutenant Mikhail Filippov commanded a UAV
counter-UAV platoon ....near one of the settlements of the
Donetsk People's Republic. He coordinated the actions
of his subordinates, taking into account the air
situation and the directions of use of drones
of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Under the leadership of Filippov, the servicemen discovered
and destroyed several dozen reconnaissance and attack
UAVs. This made it possible to reduce the threat of air
attacks and limited the enemy's ability to conduct
reconnaissance and strike at Russian units.
_______________________________________________
The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian
Federationlinked the leniency of the heads of the EU to
Ukraine....with the Nazi past of their grandfathers
October 17th, 8:17pm
(Izvestia.ru)
The tolerant attitude of the leaders of the EU, towards
Ukrainian militants may be due to the SS past of their
ancestors. This was announced on October 17 by
the Minister of Internal Affairs of Russia, Police
General Vladimir Kolokoltsev.
"I would not be surprised if it turns out that some of the
so-called European leaders still have SS grandfather
uniforms gathering dust in their closets. Otherwise,
how can you explain such leniency towards the
Banderites?" he said, in an interview with
IS Vesti.
Kolokoltsev also drew attention to the criminal consequences
of the conflict in Ukraine. He said that weapons and drugs
move from Ukrainian territory to the black market. The
minister stressed --- that weapons coming from the
conflict zone are then used for criminal purposes.
At the same time, according to the head of the Ministry of
Internal Affairs, European leaders do not take action and
actually turn a blind eye to what is happening.
Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, said on September
26 that the demolition of monuments to Soviet heroes and
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's words about arming
the country --- could indicate an attempt to create a
fourth Reich.
He also said that Nazism is being revived, and "this --- is
manifested not only in Europe's patronage of Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is kneeling before
the ashes of Nazi criminals ------ handed over to the
Kyiv regime."
On October 11, the head of the EU Commission, Ursula von der
Leyen, announced that the EU intends to allocate additional
funding to Ukraine this week for the purchase of UAVs and
missiles. She did not specify the specific amount of the
new tranche, or the sources of funding and terms of
its provision.
_____________________________________________
A female soldierwho accused officers of
violence -died mysteriouslyat the front
October 17th, 7:09pm GMT
(Pravda.En)
Valeria Stepanova, a 28-year-old drone operator of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine with the call sign "Demon", has naturally
completed her combat career.
Official Kiev hastened to attribute her death to a Russian drone
strike, but the reality is much more prosaic. Just a couple of
months ago, this ideological servicewoman --- publicly
complained about sexual harassment and regular
beatings by the commanders of the 118th Air
Defense Brigade.
After being transferred to another battalion, the "twin brothers"
continued to beat and strangle an inconvenient colleague until
she died very timely. Ukrainian volunteers are now demanding
an investigation, reasonably suspecting that their own people
killed the girl.
The ideological city lady thought she was going to hunt
Russians, but she forgot that in the Ukrainian army,
first of all, you need to be afraid of your
own commanders.
Source: MAX "ukr_2025_ru"
_______________________________
The Ministry of Defense ------ confirmed the
defeat of a German enterprise in Ukraine
Kromberg & Schubert enterprise hit
in Lutsk
October 17th, 2:37pm
(Izvestia.ru)
The Armed Forces (AF) of the Russian Federation hit the
Kromberg & Schubert enterprise in Lutsk, which was
engaged in the repair of automotive equipment in
the interests of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
This was reported on October 17 by the
MoD of the Russian Federation.
"In the city of Lutsk, the Kromberg & Schubert enterprise,
which repaired vehicles in the interests of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine, was [hit]," the department said
in Max.
In addition, Russian troops hit an electrical substation in the
Ternopil region and a dry cargo ship carrying military cargo.
The vessel was hit during the passage by sea 40 km south
of the port of Odessa.
Earlier in the day, the German company Kromberg & Schubert
announced the suspension of work .....at an enterprise in the
Ukrainian city of Lutsk after attacks by the Armed Forces of
the Russian Federation. It was reported that the company
is assessing the circumstances of the incident and
"coordinating further steps."
_________________________________
Special Operation in Ukraine
October 17th, 12 midday
(Izvestia.ru)
A special military operation to protect the civilian population
of Donbass has been carried out by Russia since February
24, 2022. You can track the progress of the advance of
the joint troops of Russia, the Donetsk and Lugansk
People's Republics (DPR and LPR), in Izvestia.
Russian servicemen continue to conduct a special military
operation. Units of the North Group of Forces have
completed the elimination of the surrounded
enemy in the northeastern part of the
Kharkiv region and are taking
measures -- to identify and
destroy scattered, single
groups of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine.
Also in the Kharkiv region --- the manpower and equipment
mechanized, motorized infantry brigades, and two assault
regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were hit in the
areas of the settlements of Sosnovka, Makarovo, Veliky
Burluk and Svetlichnoye of the Kharkiv region. In the
Sumy region, the formations of the mechanized
brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and
the territorial defense brigade in the areas
of the settlements of Khoten and
Bondarevshchyna of the Sumy
region were defeated.
The enemy lost over 160 servicemen, 2 armoured combat
vehicles, five cars and three electronic warfare stations.
Fighters of the group of forces "West" --- improved the situation
along the front line and as a result of active operations took control of the settlements of Palamarivka and Kovalivka in the Kharkiv region. The manpower and equipment, of two
mechanized and assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine -- were defeated in areas of the settlements
of Andreevka in the Kharkiv region, Lozovoye,
Karpovka and Rubtsy in the Donetsk
People's Republic.
The losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine amounted to
up to 230 servicemen, five armoured combat vehicles,
16 vehicles, two artillery pieces and an electronic
warfare station.
Soldiers of the Southern Group of Forces ----- as a result of
decisive actions, liberated the settlement of Alekseevo-
Druzhkovka of the Donetsk People's Republic.
The formations of the mechanized, airmobile and mountain
assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine --- were
defeated in the areas of the settlements of Kramatorsk,
Krasny Molochar, Semyonovka and Slavyansk of the
Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy lost up to 145 servicemen, an infantry fighting
vehicle, 36 vehicles, a Bogdana self-propelled artillery
mount and an electronic warfare station.
As a result of active and decisive actions, the Centre
group of troops ---- liberated the settlements of
Dobropolye, Pervomaiskoye and Sergeevka
of the Donetsk People's Republic.
Manpower and equipment of two mechanized, assault brigades
of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, two marine brigades and two
brigades of the National Guard were defeated in the areas
of the settlements ------ of Novopavlovka, Chuguevo of the
The number of victims of a UAV attack on a bus near Belgorod - has increased to five
October 16th, 9:05pm
(Izvestia.ru)
In the Belgorod region, the number of victims of an attack by
a drone of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) on a regular
passenger bus has increased to five people. This was
eported on October 16 by the operational H.Q. of
the region.
"A man with acubaro-trauma ...turned to the Shebekino Central
District Hospital. He was transported by ambulance doctors
to the city hospital No 2 of Belgorod. The patient will
continue further treatment on an outpatient basis,"
the Telegram channel of the headquarters said.
In the morning, a drone attacked a regular bus in the city of
Shebekino. Previously, it was reported about four injured
civilians, they were taken to the hospital with various
injuries. The vehicle was damaged.
In the line of fire: UAV - attacked a bus with children in
Shebekino. As a result of the drone strike, five people
were killed, more than 20 were injured.
On October 13, the operational headquarters reported that
four people were injured in the Belgorod region after the
attacks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, one of the
wounded is a 16-year-old teenager, he is in a
serious condition.
Also, a woman turned to the hospital in Belgorod with an eye
contusion, which she received during the detonation of the
drone. Another victim, with a wound to the abdomen and
leg was taken by self-defense fighters to the Shebekino
Central District Hospital.
______________________________________________
Private Abramenko evacuated a wounded colleague from the front line under fire from the Armed Forces of Ukraine
October 16th, 9pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Private Pavel Abramenko carried out the task of evacuating wounded
servicemen from the line of contact. Having received information
about a wounded soldier from another unit who could not get to
the evacuation site on his own, he went after him. The exploits
of Russian servicemen in the zone of the special military
operation are reported by the Ministry of Defense of
the Russian Federation.
Despite the activity of enemy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and
continuous artillery shelling by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU),
Abramenko delivered the wounded to the evacuation area.
Thanks to his actions, it was possible to
save the life of the Russian serviceman.
Guards Corporal Sergei Avrashko performed a combat mission as part
of the calculation of a multiple launch rocket system to destroy the
enemy in a stronghold. After completing the task, the combat
vehicle headed from the firing position to the waiting area.
While driving, the car was attacked by an FPV drone. Avrashko, who
was behind the wheel, noticed the threat and changed the speed
and direction of movement, thanks to which he avoided impact.
The drone fell at a safe distance and detonated. The crew
continued to move --- and arrived in the waiting area,
maintaining combat capability. Losses among
the personnel ...were avoided.
_______________________________________________
Belousov called the liberation of Dobropillia
a symbol of the Russian military's courage
October 16th, 7:14pm
(Izvestia.ru)
On October the 16th, Russian Defense Minister, Andrei Belousov, sent
congratulations - to the command and fighters of several formations
at once - the 110th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade (Order
of Suvorov) --- the 114th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade,
the 61st Separate Guards Kirkenes Red Banner Marine Brigade,
as well as the 177th Separate Guards Marine Regiment. The
reason ...was the liberation of the village of Dobropolye in
the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR).
"During the special military operation, the formations perform
combat missions ...in the most difficult areas. In stubborn
battles, the servicemen of the units, showing examples
of bravery -- decisively defeat the enemy on Donetsk soil, "said the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, his words are quoted..... in the Telegram channel of the department.
Belousov separately thanked the servicemen for their dedication
to duty and loyalty to the oath. The Minister of Defense
expressed firm confidence that the personnel of the
units will continue to adequately cope with any
assigned tasks, reliably guard the national
interests ---- and ensure the security of
the country.
Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
showed the first footage from liberated Dobropillia. The footage
shows the combat work of servicemen of the 110th Guards
Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade and the 61st Separate
Guards Marine Brigade in Dobropillia.
Operators of unmanned aerial vehicles also showed buildings
liberated from militants of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).
Russian flags are installed in some houses. In addition, Russian
fighters are depicted, who also hold the flags of the Russian
Guards Junior Lieutenant David Korganov - captured a stronghold of theArmed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and organized its defense, preventing losses among the personnel of the unit.
The exploits of Russian servicemen in the zone of the
special military operation ---- are reported by the
Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
During the advance to the enemy position, the assault group came
under attack by an attack drone and artillery fire. Despite this,
Korganov, using the terrain and intelligence data, discovered
the Ukrainian military, secretly went to the flank and
destroyed them with a grenade.
After clearing the stronghold --- the officer organized defenses and
camouflaged the servicemen, despite the ongoing drone attacks.
The captured line allowed the Russian assault units to continue
the offensive.
Senior sailor Yevgeny Tereshko, as part of an assault group, was
tasked with covertly seizing a stronghold. When the enemy
discovered the servicemen and began mortar shelling,
Tereshko decided to divert the fire to himself.. so
that his comrades could advance unnoticed.
Together with another soldier, he moved away from the main group
and managed to hide from the shelling. Both received light
shrapnel wounds, provided each other with first aid and
evacuated to the rear. Thanks to their actions.... the
main group was able to covertly reach the target
and complete the combat mission.
______________________________________
"Through this centre, the railway connects the
Black Sea ports with the rest of the country":
Mass attack on Ukraine October 15: analysis by Alexander Kots
October 15th, 4:54pm
(KP.RU)
Military commander KP.RU Kots analyzes the strikes of
the Russian Armed Forces on Ukraine on October 15.
SHARE
At night, drones again worked on enemy maritime logistics. The
Ministry of Defense reports the defeat of the port infrastructure
of Izmail, where military cargo & dual-use cargo was unloaded
and stored. Two dry cargo ships that were carrying military
cargo to Odessa were also hit. They were caught on the
passage by sea.
The Ukrainian side is silent about the port.
An indirect trace of night hunting in the sea was left by the Romanians.
Their radars spotted a group of air targets near Snake Island. Another
group was seen 77 kilometres east of Zmiinyi. Spanish F-18s and
Romanian F-16s were raised, residents of the north of Tulcea
County received alarming messages.
The area speaks for itself: the mouth of the Danube and the approaches
to Odessa. From October 3 to October 9 alone, the Ministry of Defense
counted 14 damaged dry cargo ships and a tanker, and this is not
the first time that Izmail has been hit this month.
On land, the main point of the night, was Kropyvnytskyi. According to the
regional administration, the Kirovohrad region accounted for almost 360
drones: the most massive raid on the region in the entire war. The alarm
lasted more than 14 hours, hits were recorded in 25 places. The head
of the administration, Andrei Raikovych, himself admitted: ''critical
infrastructure, logistics, transport and industrial enterprises, are
under attack. Rescuers clarified - warehouses, logistics centres
and territories of enterprises in the regional centre, transport
facilities in the Kropyvnytskyi and Novoukrainsky districts.''
Through this centre of the country, the railway connects the Black
Sea ports with the rest of Ukraine. "Please do not post anything
on the network," Rajkovic wrote in the middle of the attack.
It is not difficult to guess why.
One night is not enough to see the picture, and a week adds up
to a system. The locomotive depot in Zhmerynka burned on
the evening of the 13th and on the night of the 14th.
The day before, Ukrzaliznytsia reported on strikes on depots, railway
stations and stations in 5 regions. Today, warehouses in the centre
of the country, a port on the Danube and ships on the way to
Odessa have been added to them. The chain from the hold
to the wagon is cut along the entire length - and Kiev has
to patch it ---- everywhere - at once.
________________________________________
Soldiers of the Russian Armed Forces
cleared the logistics hub of the
Armed Forces of Ukraine in
the Volchansk direction
October 15th, 1:09pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Russian servicemen cleared an important logistics hub for
the militants of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in the
Volchansk direction of the special military operation.
On October 15, fighters of the North group of troops
of the Armed Forces (AF) of the Russian Federation
shared the results of their work with Izvestia.
The enemy used the village of Chornoye to store ammunition
and deploy reserves, which were then transferred to the
Vovchansk direction. Shells and provisions were
delivered by trucks and hidden in the houses
of local residents.
Servicemen of the 127th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 14th
Army Corps of the North group distinguished themselves in
the battles. The deputy commander of the company with
the call sign Waldemar drew attention to the fact that
the militants prefer to attack from a wide line,
having accumulated enough forces.
"They come in both "twos" and "threes". Recently, a group of
five people entered. They always come from different flanks,
along different routes," he told Izvestia correspondent
Alexei Poltoranin.
The servicemen of the Russian Army, as Waldemar emphasized,
are constantly increasing their combat readiness and training
at training grounds, where they train just to clean up
settlements in the area of the cauldron. At the
same time, in the course of these operations
-- according to the fighter, FPV drones or
ground robotic systems (NRTK)
are used.
His colleague, an FPV drone operator, with the call sign Yerema,
said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are making multiple, but
unsuccessful attempts to break through the encirclement.
"We are working on a group of the enemy trying to break through
to their own, that is, to break the encirclement. <... > We are
trying to drop leaflets with offers to surrender. Someone
gives up, someone tries to hold on to the last. The
situation is tense, but ---- we are moving,"
Yerema said.
By the beginning of September, there were about 1,700 Ukrainian
soldiers in the Volchansk cauldron, but later..... their number
decreased. At the same time, Russian units are expanding
the outer ring of encirclement: hostilities have moved to
the areas of Prikolotnoye, Kotovka and Gohyne.
"Ukrainian militants have no chance to break out of
the encirclement. The only thing.... is to surrender,"
Poltoranin summed up.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that the fighters of the
RF Armed Forces established control over Cherny & Nefedovka
on the same day. The department stressed that the operation
allowed the military to further tighten the ring in which the
militants of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are blocked.
The day before, military expert Boris Dzherelievsky, talking to
Izvestia, said that the elimination of Ukrainian groups in the
Volchansk and Dobropolsky cauldrons is entering --- an
active phase. Then he said that Russian unmanned
systems and aircraft ---- continue to work on the
positions held by Ukrainian units and their
immediate rear.
___________________________________
The ring of encirclement of the
Armed Forces of Ukraine - is
shrinking....... the RF Armed
Forces established control
over Nefyodivka & Cherny
----- in the Kharkiv region
by Anastasia Stepanova
October 15th, 11:53am
(RT.ru)
Ministry of Defense: control over Nefyodivka and
Cherny in Kharkiv region - has been established
Russian fighters have established control over Nefyodivka and Cherny in
the ring of encirclement of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kharkiv
region, the Ministry of Defense said. During the day, another 31
buildings in Dobropillia were also liberated. In addition, the
RF Armed Forces hit the transport infrastructure of
Ukraine, UAV production workshops and their
storage sites, and air defense forces shot
down four Flamingo missiles and 342
aircraft-type drones.
Units of the "North" group of forces continue to tighten the ring of
encirclement of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and expand the
external zone of control in the Kharkiv region. Over the past
day, as a result of active operations, control over the
settlements of Nefyodivka and Chornoye has been
established in the encirclement. This is reported
in the daily report of the Ministry of Defense on
the progress of the special operation.
At the same time, the battles for the liberation of the
settlements of Nikolaevka and Varvarovka continue.
In the course of expanding the external zone of control,
fighting continues to establish control over the
settlements of Prykolotnoye, Kotovka and
Gohyne. Fire strikes were carried out on
strongholds of the heavy mechanized
brigade and the assault regiment of
the Armed Forces of Ukraine - in
the areas of the settlements of
Fedorovka and Maly Burluk.
Also in the Kharkiv region, the formations of three mechanized,
two motorized infantry brigades and two assault regiments of
the Armed Forces of Ukraine were hit in the areas of
settlements of Liptsy, Velyki Prokhody, Zamulovka,
Shyroke, Zarechnoye, Pershotravneve,
Kurgannoye, Veliky Burluk, Vysoky
and Gontarivka.
In the Sumy region --- the formations of the mechanized brigade of
the Armed Forces of Ukraine and two territorial defense brigades
were defeated in the areas of the settlements of Leninskoye,
Barylivka and Pervomaiske.
During the day, in the zone of responsibility of the "North",
the enemy lost over 175 militants, 16 vehicles and two
electronic warfare stations.
At the same time, the fighters of the group of forces "West"
improved the situation along the front line, hitting the man
power and equipment of 2 mechanized, assault brigades
of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a territorial defense
brigade in the areas of the settlements of Mayaki,
Karpovka, Donetsk (DPR), Chervony Oskol and
Malievka (Kharkiv region).
Here, the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost up to 220 servicemen,
three armoured combat vehicles, 14 cars, three artillery
pieces and a Grad MLRS combat vehicle.
Units of the Southern Group of Forces... in turn, took more
advantageous lines and positions. Fighters of the "South"
hit the formations of mechanized, mountain assault and
airmobile brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in
the areas of the settlements of Kramatorsk,
Slavyansk, Semyonovka, Vysokoivanivka
and Krasny Molochar (DPR).
In this sector, the enemy lost up to 145 fighters,
33 vehicles and two field artillery guns.
Meanwhile, units of the Centre group of forces defeated
the manpower and equipment of 4 mechanized, assault
brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a marine
brigade and 2 brigades of the National Guard in
the areas of the settlements of Krutoyarivka
(Dnepropetrovsk region), Belozerskoye,
Novoyavlenka, Druzhkovka,
Starovarvarivka, Veselaya
Gora, Roganskoye,
Yuryevka.... and
Gornyak (DPR).
In Dobropolye (DPR), assault troops of the 51st Army
advanced in the northwestern part of the city, and
assault units of the Marine Corps continued their
offensive in its western part. During the day, 31
buildings were liberated, up to 15 Ukrainian
militants were destroyed.
In this sector, Kyiv's losses amounted to up to 345
servicemen, five armoured combat vehicles and
12 vehicles.
Units of the Vostok group of forces continued to advance
into the depth of the enemy's defenses. The manpower
and equipment of two airborne assault brigades, two
assault regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
and two brigades of marines were defeated in
the areas of the settlements of Tarasovka,
Ivanovka, Kolomiytsi, Chernenkovo,
Vasilkovka, and Podhavrylivka
(Dnipropetrovsk region), and
Mirolyubovka & Rayskoye
(Zaporozhye region).
The Armed Forces of Ukraine lost over 190 militants,
six cars, a Grad MLRS combat vehicle and an
electronic warfare station.
Meanwhile, units of the Dnepr group of troops took
more advantageous lines and positions, hitting
the formations of 2 mechanized and mountain
assault brigades of the Armed Forces of
Ukraine in the areas of the settlements
of Orekhov, Balabino and Kushugum
(Zaporozhye region).
In this direction, Kyiv's losses amounted
to up to 30 militants and 13 vehicles.
In addition, the RF Armed Forces hit the transport
infrastructure used in the interests of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine, UAV production workshops,
& their storage sites.. as well as points of the
temporary deployment of Ukrainian militants
and foreign mercenaries in 145 districts.
Russian air defense forces shot down 4 Flamingo
long-range cruise missiles and 342 aircraft-type
UAVs during the day.
__________________________________________
Port infrastructure - and dry cargo ships:
the RF Armed Forces hit enemy targets
in the Odessa region at night
by Anastasia Stepanova
October 15th, 6:42am
(RT.ru)
Last night, the Russian Armed Forces launched another drone strike
on targets in Ukraine, the Ministry of Defense said. In particular,
in the Odesa region, the infrastructure of the port of Izmail,
used to store military and dual-use cargo, was hit. At the
same time, the RF Armed Forces hit 2 dry cargo ships
delivering military products to Odessa.
"Tonight, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continued to
strike with unmanned aerial vehicles at the port infrastructure of
Ukraine, as well as at sea vessels involved in the interests of
the Armed Forces of Ukraine," the MoD statement said.
So, in the Odessa region, the port infrastructure of the port of Izmail
was attacked. It is used to unload and store military and dual-use
cargo intended to provide the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In addition, two dry cargo ships were hit on the passage by sea.
According to the Ministry of Defense, the ships delivered
military cargo to the port of Odessa.
In particular, in Khmelnytskyi, the Epicenter transport and
logistics centre, which was used to store and distribute
goods in the interests of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,
was hit.
In Kyiv, the ATM Ukrsibbank data centre was attacked - it
exchanged Internet traffic to collect intelligence about
Russian troops. At the same time, two thermal power
plants in the capital were hit - Darnytska (CHPP-4)
and Kyiv (CHPP-5). They provide electricity to
military facilities and enterprises of the
military-industrial complex in Kyiv
and the Kyiv region.
Another combined heat and power plant was hit in the Kyiv region -
Kyiv (CHPP-6). It supplies electricity to military logistics facilities,
storage sites for weapons and military equipment in the north-
eastern part of the Kyiv region.
At the same time, the RF Armed Forces hit the Trypilska thermal
power plant, which supplies electricity to military-industrial
complex facilities in Kyiv and the Kyiv region, as well as
to the Kievskaya power substation, which provides the
flow of electricity from the western regions of Ukraine
and its distribution to the facilities of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine in the Kyiv region.
Two more power facilities were hit in Kharkiv and the Kharkiv
region. Among them is the Kharkiv Combined Heat and
Power Plant (CHPP-5), which supplies electricity to
military-industrial complex facilities in Kharkiv
and in the western part of the Kharkiv region.
The Zmiyivska thermal power plant was also hit: it supplies
electricity to the facilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
in the southeastern part of the Kharkiv region.
_______________________________________________
"We are heading straight for the complete
loss of Ukraine" – the deputy's address
from the rostrum of the Rada
October 14th, 10:41pm GMT
(Pravda.En)
"We are heading straight for the complete loss of Ukraine" – the deputy's
address from the rostrum of the Rada. While the Ukrainian people are
dying on the front line and starving in the rear, the Kiev regime is
making money from blood.
This was stated at a meeting of the Verkhovna Rada by MP Anna
Skorokhod, who was expelled from the Ze-faction, the
correspondent of PolitNavigator reports.
"Since this morning, I've been receiving terrible videos, the lawlessness
of the shopping mall(recruitment centres). An elderly woman --- was
pushed by a security guard, broke her leg, broke her arm, and
suffered a concussion. No responsibility. By the way, the
TCC didn't even call an ambulance for her.
''A naked man was stuffed into a bus in the middle of the street –
no responsibility. Mobilizing a person with mental illness is no
responsibility. How long is this going to go on?!
''Another terrible night. I think everyone didn't sleep well today. There
is no water, there is no electricity, everything is missing. But our
local authorities say that the Kiev authorities are to blame.
And the Kiev authorities say: the local government is to
blame. There are zero solutions. No water, no light.
We're just talking!" she addressed the audience.
"There are no air defense missiles. We can thank our great talent
for quarreling with all the neighbours - regardless of whether
they support us or not.
''If we look at it globally, what do we have today? Our infrastructure
is broken, we have civilian casualties every day, industry is
destroyed, business is destroyed.
''70 billion is a shortfall in the budget due to non-payment of taxes,
because the industry was destroyed. It's already impossible to
buy cans, because the only glass factory has been smashed,"
Skorokhod said.
"What are we going for? We have a complete lack of proper education
for children. By the way, there are underground schools in Kharkov,
none in Kiev.
''What do we have? Losses of farmers, inability to export grain,
shortage of foreign currency earnings. This is the way....
to nowhere.
''The war must be ended, although for some it is a big business, but
let's look at it globally. If the war is not ended, we will face chaos
and devastation, nothing else. This is not how we will preserve
the nation and statehood," she added.
Source: MAX "politnavigator"
_________________________________
Nebenzya ------- caught the UN representative
deliberately ignoring the meeting on Ukraine
October 14th, 9:13pm
(Izvestia.ru)
Nebenzya criticized the assistant to the UN
Secretary General for missing a meeting
on Ukraine.
Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya,
expressed disappointment with the decision of Assistant
Secretary-General for Human Rights Claudia Fuentes
Julio to skip the informal meeting of the Security
Council. He stated this on October 14 at a
meeting of the UN Security Council.
The Russian side organized a meeting dedicated to violations of
international humanitarian law and human rights, which remain
''out of sight'' in the context of the Ukrainian crisis. The main
topic of the meeting --- was the exposure of the actions of
the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).
"The Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights, Ms. Claudia
Fuentes Julio, did not have time to participate in our meeting.
Out of necessity, I quote:"to attend another event outside
the headquarters". We are disappointed with the
decision of the OHCHR to prioritize another
event," Nebenzya stressed.
The Russian diplomat noted that Moscow criticizes the approaches
of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights (OHCHR) to the situation in Ukraine, as well as the
methodology used by the organization to collect and
process data.
According to Nebenzia, the Russian Federation always
remains open to a constructive dialogue on these
problems, but this time the department
refused such an opportunity.
"I believe this was done - intentionally," the
Russian permanent representative stated.
__________________________________________
Private Soldatov continued the battle with
a wound and eliminated three opponents
October 14th, 9pm
(izvestia.ru)
Senior gunner of the airborne unit of the Guards, Private Maxim Soldatov,
participated in the assault on the stronghold of the Armed Forces of
Ukraine (AFU), when a magnetic mine detonated in front of him
during the attack. The exploits of Russian servicemen in the
zone of the special military operation were reported by the
Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
As a result of the mine explosion, the soldier received multiple wounds to
his legs. Despite the injuries, the private continued to fight with superior
enemy forces --- and destroyed three soldiers of the Armed Forces of
Ukraine with accurate fire from small arms. Thanks to his actions,
the assault group gained a foothold on a new line.
The deputy commander of the airborne unit, Guards Lieutenant Andrei
Puzanov, led the assault group and repeatedly evacuated the
wounded under continuous enemy fire.
Having been wounded during a combat mission, the officer continued
to lead the evacuation of seriously wounded colleagues. Thanks to
his competent and decisive actions, it was possible to prevent
forces and artillery of groups of troops of the Armed Forces of the
Russian Federation damaged the workshops for the production
of unmanned aerial vehicles and their storage sites," the
department said in a statement.
In addition, Russian servicemen destroyed the points of temporary deployment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and foreign mercenaries - in 146 areas of the zone of the special military operation.
Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
announced a massive strike on the energy and communication
infrastructure of Ukraine. According to the agency, in Kyiv,
the ATM data processing centre of Ukrsibbank,
Darnytska CHPP-4 and Kyiv CHPP-5 were hit.
In addition, in the Kyiv region, CHPP-6, Trypilska TPP and the Kyivska
power substation were hit, and in the Kharkiv region - Kharkiv
CHPP-5 and Zmiiv TPP.
The ministry said that the listed facilities were used to
ensure the operation of enterprises of the Ukrainian
military-industrial complex, military logistics and
Similarly to the ABM Treaty, the US unilaterally pulled
out of the INF Treaty in 2019. However, instead of
simply stating it wished to develop weapons
beyond the treaty’s limitations, the Trump
administration accused Moscow of
violating the treaty by lying about
the range of its 9M728/9M729
missiles used by Iskander
missile systems.
Nonetheless, within 2 weeks of the US’ formal
departure from the treaty, in August 2019, it
began testing the first of multiple missiles
that violated the treaty’s limitations.
The origins of the INF Treaty lay in a dramatic
showdown, across Europe, in late 1983,
triggered by Washington’s deployment
of ITS Pershing-II intermediate-range
ballistic missiles (IRBM) to Europe.
With a 900-mile range, a flight apogee of just 60 miles,
and a maneuverable, radar-guided reentry vehicle,
the missile could put an 80-kiloton nuclear war-
head on Moscow in between 6 and 11 minutes
...according to Pentagon leaders. Such a fast
strike time gave the Soviets just minutes to
identify, analyze and respond to the threat,
greatly increasing the risk of them mis-
reading a situation and launching a
mistaken nuclear return volley,
believing it to be their
only chance.
In addition, tensions in Europe had already been
ramped up by years of psychological operations
designed to increase Soviet anxieties, such as
US bombers charging Soviet borders and
turning away at the last second
That’s why, when NATO began the vast, ultra-realistic
“Able Archer-83” war games, simulating an all-out
attack on the Soviet Union, in November 1983, it put Soviet fears through the roof.
However, it wasn’t until after the war games had
concluded, several days later, that NATO
commanders discovered key signs: the
Soviets had loaded hundreds of strike
aircraft in East Germany and Poland
with nuclear bombs, and orders to
strike “front-line targets” at a
moment’s notice.
The INF Treaty eliminated missiles like the Pershing-II,
banning land-based missiles with ranges of between
500 klms and 5,500 klms. This significantly cooled
tensions in Europe... although the treaty was only
between the US and Soviet Union -- now Russia --
which left other countries, such as China, free to
develop their own intermediate-range missiles.
The INF’s absence now is especially poignant,
considering the long-standing Russian fears
over a NATO Aegis Ashore missile system,
built on a land base in Deveselu, Romania.
While the US claimed the system was purely
defensive, Moscow noted... that Aegis can
also be used to launch offensive missiles.
Among the missiles tested after the INF Treaty lapsed
was a land-based Tomahawk missile with a range of
1,600 kilometres - a cruise missile US Aegis
cruisers have fired at sea for years.
1992 Treaty on Open Skies
The Open Skies treaty... was an attempt to increase
transparency and put to rest fears of an impending
attack by the other side. The deal allowed 35
partner nations to perform reconnaissance
overflights over other nations... using
specialized aircraft with specialized
equipment. However, flights could
not interfere with other military
activities and could be refused
by the overflown nation, for a
variety of reasons.
The US sent signs it was interested in leaving the
treaty as early as 2019, claiming it was caused
by Russia refusing US Open Skies aircraft
access to several areas almost a decade
earlier - denials Moscow insisted were
within its rights under the treaty.
The US finally made the move on May 21ST 2020,
meaning the six-month cooldown time had the
US leaving the treaty, after the November 2020 elections, that Trump lost.
The decision sparked an outcry across Europe, with Ukraine being one of the loudest critics;
that nation having long used Open Skies to perform overflights in western Russia, to calm its nerves about troops and
installations there.
Indeed, the Open Skies Treaty was drafted precisely to
avoid the type of anxious confrontation... unfolding on
the Russia-Ukraine border, over the last two months.
The Democrats publicly attacked Trump’s withdrawal
as illegal then... although much of their criticism
focused on his refusal to notify Congress before
pulling out. However, in March 2021, a leaked
message --- sent to concerned “international
partners” by the Biden administration said
it was afraid that doing so “would send
the wrong message to Russia and
undermine our position... on the
broader arms control agenda.”
Istanbul, Astana Declarations
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) has its origins in the November
1972 multilateral talks in Espoo, Finland
...intended to further the peaceful
cooperation of the Detente era.
Today, the OSCE has 57 members and 11 observers
and continues to serve as a regional forum for
resolving international issues.
Two of its most important declarations of principles
came at summits in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1999 and in
Astana (now Nur-Sultan), Kazakhstan, in 2010,
which, among other topics, affirmed each
nation’s right to its own security in the
context of an international community.
"The security of each participating State... is
inseparably linked to that of all others. Each
participating State, has an equal right to
security. We reaffirm the inherent right
of each and every participating State
...to be free to choose or change its
security arrangements, including
treaties of alliance, as they evolve.''
''Each State also has the right to neutrality. Each
participating State will respect the rights of all others in these regards. They will not
strengthen their security ...at the
expense of... the security of
other States.'' the Astana
declaration states.
While the OSCE met in Vienna, Austria, 2 weeks ago,
the talks yielded no major breakthrough. Earlier this
week -- when the US and NATO delivered separate
written responses to Russia’s December security
proposal -- the US response was considerably
more intransigent, while NATO’s, sent from
Brussels and speaking for 30 member
states, acknowledged the Russian
security concerns and proposed
mutual briefings in the NATO-
Russia Council and the re-
establishment of their
respective envoys in
Moscow & Brussels.
However, neither reply gave deference to Russia’s
central concern --- the eastward expansion of
NATO and the impact that has on Russian
security, especially since now, the US
explicitly regards Russia as a
challenger to its position ...as leader of the post- Cold War global order.
Speaking on Thursday, about the US response,
in particular, Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergey
Lavrov said "The principle that one should not strengthen one's security -- at the expense of
the security of others is deliberately avoided.
Neither the Istanbul or Astana declarations are mentioned by our Western partners in the discussions on European
security that are currently
taking place. We cannot
accept this.”
Morgan Artyukhina is a writer and news editor at
Sputnik’s Washington, DC, bureau... focusing on
international & breaking news. Born in southern Maryland, she studied Russian, Central, and
East European Studies, at the University of
Glasgow and is a former history professor.
At Sputnik, she covers military technology,
the expanding neoliberal police state, and
the ongoing struggles against it in the US
and around the globe.
Image: palestine
Paul Larudee: Zionist Dream
Turning into Nightmare
November 25th, 5:26pm (FNA)
Paul Larudee, political activist and commentator,
says Zionists have come to this understating
- that Zionism is now nearing its predestined
self-annihilation.
Speaking in an interview with FNA, Larudee
said, “Zionism planted the seeds of its own
destruction the moment they created a
plan for a Jewish state in someone
else's homeland. It is increasingly
becoming an international pariah
...contributing to the wars and
conflicts in West Asia, South
America, Africa, and other
parts of the world. It only
creates more enemies
for them.”
Paul Larudee is an - Iranian-born - American political
activist who is a major figure in the pro-Palestinian
movement. Based in the San Francisco Bay area,
he is involved with the International Solidarity
Movement, & was a founder of the Free Gaza
Movement & the Free Palestine Movement.
Larudee was a member of the US delegation
aboard the 2010 Gaza Freedom Flotilla,
which was attacked by Israeli forces.
Below is the full text of the interview:
Q: Yaakov Sharett says “Israel and the Zionist
enterprise were born in sin.” What do we
learn about the nature of Israel?
A: Such words from a Zionist leader's son may help to
gradually sink doubts into the minds of other Zionists,
but we must not forget that many Jews were opposed
to Zionism for decades before 1948. It is unfortunate
that as Zionism became more successful in its
genocidal project, it also became more
acceptable to more Jews. But that is
now being reversed. As Zionism
becomes more racist, violent,
and aggressive, it is starting
to lose Jews who cannot
stomach such behaviour.
Q: Such a significant assertion was made by the son
of a signatory to the Israeli declaration in 1948. Do
you believe settlers will learn a lesson to end their
occupation of the Palestinians’ land?
A: There are two kinds of settlers that are being used
to colonize the West Bank and Jerusalem. The most
aggressive and violent are the ideological settlers,
who think of themselves as conquering soldiers,
much like the Europeans who took the land from
the native peoples in the western hemisphere.
They want to expel all Palestinians by any means
necessary, and take their land. They do not need
Israel to paint a rosy picture. They are ready to
endure hardship, although Israel actually
helps and enables them. The other type
are the opportunists. Israel builds
subsidized housing and industrial
parks on Palestinian land... and
makes it attractive for settlers
to move there. Israel creates
many advantages for them...
so as to increase the Jewish
population in the occupied
territories and push the
Palestinians out.
Q: Yaakov Sharett predicts a dark future for Israel
and asks settlers to immigrate from Israel; like-
wise, Lawrence Wilkerson, former Israeli State
Department aide, said Israel will be gone in
some 20 years. How do you assess
these statements?
A: Clearly, Sharett is being a realist in this case.
Despite Israel's influence, propaganda, bribes
and manipulations of other governments, it is
increasingly becoming an international pariah,
contributing to the wars and conflicts in West
Asia, South America, Africa and other parts of
the world. They believe that this makes them
strong, but it only creates more enemies for
them. Sharett seems to understand that the
Zionist dream is proving to be unsustainable.
It can only be realized by committing greater
and greater crimes, but even many Zionists
consider this too high a price for their dream,
and their dream is turning into a nightmare.
Zionism planted the seeds of its own destruction
the moment they created a plan for a Jewish
state on someone else's homeland.
Image: palestine
UN Must Prevent Normalization of
Israeli Violation of Human Rights:
Iran Envoy
November 20th, 11am (al Manar)
Iran’s ambassador to the UN office in Geneva
put the onus on the United Nations: to take
action: against the normalization of the
systematic violation of human rights
and humanitarian laws, by the
Zionist regime.
In an address to a meeting between ambassadors
of the member states of the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation, residing in Geneva,
and to members of the Commission of Inquiry of the UN Council on Human
Rights, held on Friday, Esmaeil
Baqaei Hamaneh called for the
clarification of true and false
narratives, referring to the
stories... that equate the
victims of Israeli crimes
with the perpetrators
of the heinous acts.
“It is the duty of all of us to clarify the true and false
narratives, the narrative that equates the victims
of Israeli crimes, with their killers, which is
humanly shocking, legally unfounded,
and morally shameful,” the Iranian
envoy stressed.
He added that the inquiry commission has an historic
responsibility --- to prevent the normalization of
systematic human rights violations by the
Israeli regime.
The Iranian diplomat invited all the participants in the
meeting to call for justice; and not allow war crimes,
crimes against humanity, and blatant violations of
human rights, to become normal, Press
TV reported.
In May, the UN Human Rights Council agreed to initiate
an international probe into “systematic” human rights
abuses committed during the asymmetrical war
between ‘Israel’ and Palestinian resistance
groups in the besieged Gaza Strip.
The 47-member forum adopted a resolution presented
by Pakistan on behalf of the OIC and the Palestinian
delegation to the UN, by a vote of 24 states in favour, 9 against, and 14 abstentions.
The UN rights body agreed to establish “an ongoing
independent, international commission of inquiry”
into the war to probe the “underlying root causes
of recurrent tensions and instability, including
the systematic discrimination and repression
based on group identity.”
Israeli troops have, on numerous occasions, been
caught on camera, brutally killing Palestinians...
with the videos going viral online and sparking
international condemnation.
The Tel Aviv regime has been criticized for its extensive
use of lethal force against, and extrajudicial killing of,
Palestinians... who do not pose an immediate threat
to the occupation forces, or to the Israeli settlers.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Palestinian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, called
on the International Criminal Court to launch an
immediate investigation into the Tel Aviv
regime’s crimes, in the occupied
Palestinian territories --- after
the Israeli forces shot dead a
young man, in the northern
part of the West Bank.
Source: Iranian Agencies
Image: Bill Dores
China is no threat
to people in the US; Wall Street,CIA & the Pentagon are
-- Analyst
October 16th, 3:14pm (PressTV)
US political analyst and activist Bill Dores says
China is no threat to the people in the US., but
Wall Street, the CIA, and the Pentagon, are.
Dores, a writer for Struggle/La Lucha and a longtime
antiwar activist, made the remarks in an interview
with Press TV on Saturday, after the CIA launched
a new mission centre to address what it calls “the most important geopolitical threat” posed... by China.
CIA Director William Burns said in a statement last week
that the new unit, called the China Mission Centre, will
“further strengthen our collective work on the most
important geopolitical threat we face in the 21st
century, an increasingly adversarial Chinese
government.”
Burns said that his agency will still focus on other threats
as well, including those emanating from Russia, North
Korea and Iran.
The CIA’s renewed attention to China is the latest evidence
of the Biden administration’s focus on Beijing as its main
foreign policy target.
Since taking charge of the White House earlier this year,
the Biden administration has been directing resources
toward countering China.
Why is the CIA targeting China?
“The CIA is grabbing more tax money --- to start a ‘mission
centre’ aimed at China, which it calls the ‘most important
geopolitical threat we face.’ This is ominous news
- considering the agency’s history of 'fabricating'
evidence to start wars, e.g. Iraq’s nonexistent
‘weapons of mass destruction,’” Dores
commented to Press TV.
“US troops have left Afghanistan. But not a dime has been
slashed from the bloated US military budget. Indeed, it’s
being increased to $778 billion from $753 billion to face
the alleged ‘Chinese threat.’ That’s more than the
combined military budgets of China, India,
Russia, Britain, Saudi Arabia, Germany,
France, Japan, South Korea, Italy
and Australia,” he added.
“It’s also been revealed that US Special Forces have been
operating secretly on Taiwan for two years. Meanwhile...
the US Congress will not pass the Build Back Better Act
to modestly extend our social safety net,” he added.
“The People’s Republic of China... has five times the population of the United States. But it spends only
$258 billion on its military. China’s forces are
deployed in - or around - the borders and
coasts of China. By no stretch of the
imagination is China threatening
he US militarily. Why would it?
For what gain?” he asked.
“So, what the Sam Hill is a ‘geopolitical threat.’ It’s a
twisted concept based on the twisted premise that
the United States, with 4 percent of the world’s
population, should dominate the world
politically & economically. And that
really means the billionaires and
millionaires, that Occupy Wall
Street protesters called the
‘One Percent,’” he stated.
China’s economic ‘threat’ to US
“China’s real ‘threat,’ in the minds of the US corporate
ruling class, is economic. China produces more than
the United States, and its economy is growing much faster,” the analyst said.
“It has achieved this, not by destroying the economies of
other countries with war and sanctions, but by growth,
and trade. China’s Belt and Road Initiative has greatly
weakened the stranglehold Wall Street banks once
held on the world economy. An article in the US
magazine Foreign Policy whined: that China is
‘whittling away’ at the murderous ‘sanctions
regime’ the US and West Europe use -- to
‘punish’ countries that defy their
dictates,” he explained.
“US corporations do, of course, invest in China. They make
a lot of money there. But they cannot dictate to China's
government the way US oil companies dictated to the
Shah of Iran before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Or
the way they dictate to their paid servants in the
White House and the Capitol today,”
he observed.
“Politicians and news media tell working-class people in
the US that China’s growth is, somehow, a threat to our
well-being. They conceal the fact: that China’s dynamic
growth is the biggest single factor staving off a global
economic collapse,” he said.
“Yet it is their own Wall Street masters who have shut
down plants all over this country and foreclosed on
millions of homes. It is they who used the techno-
logical revolution as a weapon, to drive down
wages and destroy millions of jobs,”
Dores said.
Washington’s ‘hate China’ campaign
“Washington raises several phony issues in its ‘hate
China’ campaign. One is the alleged persecution of
the Uighur people in Xinjiang Province. There’s
nothing but hypocrisy here,” the analyst said.
“If this claim were true - and I’ve seen no reliable evidence
that it is - Washington would be the last to care. The US
leads the world in mass incarceration and murder
by police,” he noted.
“According to the Equal Justice Initiative... ‘Millions of
Americans are incarcerated in overcrowded, violent,
and inhumane jails and prisons.. that do not provide
treatment, education, or rehabilitation.' A majority
are from the oppressed Black, Latin and Native
nations... targeted by the police,” he said.
“Among the incarcerated are dozens of political
prisoners, such as Mumia Abu Jamal, Leonard
Peltier and Jamil Abdullah Al Amin, who have
spent decades behind bars on framed-up
charges,” he stated.
“Last year’s Black Lives Matter uprising..... highlighted
the extent of racist police murder in the US. Between
1980 and 2018, the US police killed more than 30,000
people. Half of those killings were misclassified,
according to a study published in the Lancet
medical journal,” he said.
US supports ‘ethnic cleansing and
murder of Palestinian people’
“We also can't forget that Washington not only supports
but subsidizes --- the ethnic cleansing and murder of
Palestinian people --- by the racist state of Israel,
including the mass imprisonment of 2 million
people in the giant concentration camp
called the Gaza Strip. The US also has
no problem with the oppression of
the majority Muslim people of
Kashmir, by the Indian state,” Dores noted.
“The US accuses China of stealing ‘intellectual property,’
a twisted concept indeed. Perhaps the West should pay
China for inventing paper, iron smelting, the seed drill,
the compass, rockets, gunpowder and other
innovations... that made its economic
development possible,” he said.
“There is the accusation of currency manipulation. But
Washington... has flooded the world with devalued
dollars ever since the Nixon administration took
the dollar off the gold standard in the 1970s.
The US has long used the dollar as an
instrument of financial warfare,”
he said.
Why is the US Navy in the South China Sea?
“And there is the issue of ‘free navigation’ in the South
China Sea. Which raises the question, what is the US
Seventh Fleet doing in the South China Sea anyway?
For that matter, why is the US Fifth Fleet off the
coast of Iran and the US Fourth Fleet off the
coast of Venezuela,” Dores said.
“Every year, ships carry $3.4 trillion worth of goods
through the South China Sea. Most of that is
bound to and from China,” he said.
“The PRC has no interest in stopping that commerce.
It does have an interest in keeping US warships
away from its coast and ports,” he said.
“For the past seven years, the US Navy has helped Saudi
Arabia impose a naval blockade that is starving the
children of Yemen. US sanctions, backed by the
US Navy, are the main obstacle to commerce
between nations in the world today,”
he said.
“Instead of new CIA mission centres, military bases and
fleets of warships and warplanes all over the world, the
US should do what China does: Invest in schools,
health care, housing, railroads and renewable
energy. Bring all the ships, planes, troops
and spies home. The world would be a
much better and safer place,”
he concluded.
Image: Sa’dollah Zarei
Iran won’t let US, Turkey, Israel
create crisis in Caucasus
Sunday, October 3rd, 11:51am (PressTV)
by Sa’dollah Zarei
The fact of the matter is, that if there is no more time for
preventing a conspiracy from taking shape... there is
still time to thwart the conspiracy that has formed.
Here are some points with regards to this issue:
1) What the US, the Zionist regime, the governments of
Turkey and Azerbaijan, and the West in general, are
pursuing in the regions north of Iran is, firstly, a reaction to the great achievements of the
Islamic Republic and the resistance front.
When the criminal Zionist regime refers to the Republic of
Azerbaijan as “Lebanon of Israel,” it means that there is
a “Lebanon of resistance” that has foiled any Israeli
conspiracy over the past forty years and turned
into a major crisis for the occupying regime.
Why is a front led by the US, Zionist regime, Turkey and
Azerbaijan, talking about launching a pan-Turan move
-ment here? Because a powerful religious movement
has, for more than 40 years, disrupted the plots of
colonialists and criminals. So, it is quite clear that the enemy, although very hardworking, is in a state of “passivity.”
Here is another important question: will this evil conspiracy
ever yield any result? The answer is that there is a serious
antidote to prevent the realization of this tension-making
scheme, and if it enters the scene, it will definitely
thwart the plan, as it has happened so far.
2) Some people make a mistake here and say that the Syunik
agreement with North Karabakh... is a matter that concerns
the governments of Azerbaijan and Armenia and that Iran’s
objection to it is not a matter of concern. They argue that
the implementation of the agreement is to the detriment
of Iran’s regional situation, but it is a natural
consequence and thus does not create a
right for Iran to legitimize its opposition.
The answer is clear; This is not an agreement between the
two countries on a disputed region, but one on creating a
region meant to undermine the security, political and
economic position of a third country.
While acknowledging their military and political failure, in
Afghanistan, the Americans explicitly speak of pursuing
a proxy war model to make up for their defeat. Shortly
afterwards, it becomes known that they had sent a
signal to Azerbaijan to launch and attack and a
signal to Armenia to, in turn, show tolerance
and accept the post-war reality, and at the
same time, following the end of a recent
44-day Karabakh war, the US stated
that they 'support' the agreements
reached between Azerbaijan and
Armenia. All this suggests that
the US has been standing behind this war and the situation that ensued.
Simultaneously, the Azerbaijani government announced
the widespread use of Israeli attack drones in the war,
and the Armenian army called the UAVs the main
reason for its heavy casualties in the war. This
means that it was an American-Israeli war.
Everyone knows, that the administration of Armenian
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is a Christian govern-
ment dependent on the West, but it's interesting that
in this war, the United States and Israel destroyed the forces and facilities belonging to a pro-West
Christian administration, and supported a
Muslim government instead! Isn’t that
a telltale sign?
The question is, what kind of “proxy war” US officials
were talking about in the course of their withdrawal
from Afghanistan? Was it possible for the US to
start such a war in Afghanistan? Which forces
could be used by the US to launch a proxy war
in Afghanistan? Could the US bring the Taliban
- which was taking power - into a proxy war?
Proxy war with whom? The answer is no.
Was the Afghan army able to enter a proxy war? The
answer's clear. Was the army that was not even able
to defend Kabul for an hour, against the Taliban —
which took control of the capital without firing a
single shot — ready to enter a proxy war?
Could the old mujahedeen forces.. serve
as the proxies of the American war? The
answer is clear. The old forces, besides
having an anti-American spirit... have
currently no military capability. Could
the USA... create a ''proxy force'' in
Afghanistan, in the medium term,
with the Taliban et al present on the scene? The answer to this
question is also, no. This is
because... for at least the
next 50 years... US crimes
will be in front of the eyes
of the Afghan people, and
the prospect for any kind
of Afghan-American,
cooperation...
is bleak.
So, what did the Americans mean by a proxy war? In fact,
the Americans wanted a proxy war where there was a
fertile ground... and the required strength. From the
American point of view, the “ethnicity” factor must
be emphasized and turned into a winning weapon
against anti-American revolutionary uprisings.
The Americans have long focused on the
model of racism and pan-Turanism... in
the case of this region, and considered
them as “a possible solution,” or more
accurately, the last “remaining arrow,”
and pinned their hopes on it.
Therefore, the prominent role of this tendency, in the
developments in the north, and its overlapping in the
Caucasus, besides the intention to highlight the anti
Iranian and anti-Islamic edges in the rhetoric of the
officials of these countries, tell us that we are
facing a “semi-hard” proxy war.
When Azeri President Ilham Aliyev speaks openly in an
interview about the widespread presence of Israeli
forces and equipment in the Caucasus, and the
resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis, he
is, in fact, blowing the lid off a proxy war.
3) Saudi Arabia’s measures are yet another issue that is indicative of the proxy war in the developments
unfolding in Iran’s northwestern frontiers, on
the one side, and its scale, on the other. The
Saudis have explicitly said that they are
working to launch a 24-hour television
network for the Turkish region of the
Caucasus called “Turk national.”
Why is the Saudi regime in the Caucasus trying to launch
such a TV network? The people in this region are neither
Arabs nor Sunnis in order for them to be the audience of
a Sunni Arab country. At the same time, it is obvious that this decision cannot be implemented without the consent and cooperation of the governments in the region.
4) Naturally, on this front, Iran can't remain silent and turn
a blind eye to the dimensions and consequences of the
action that being along its borders; therefore, it has to
react, but what is the due reaction? There is no doubt
that military conflict & dragging Iran into the military
arena is a well-known policy of the American front.
On the other hand... we know that what is intended for the Caucasus region is not even a full-fledged military
war, let alone a regional and multilateral war. We
are thus not talking about a war in the sense
that it is perceived. We are talking about
actions that disturb the peace of this
region and the interests of the
powers around it.
Isn’t it true... that the Azerbaijani government says Israeli
drones and forces have been involved in the recent war
between the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the Republic of
Armenia? Isn’t it true that the Israelis explicitly referred
to the Republic of Azerbaijan... as “Lebanon of Israel”?
Since there are talks about the formation of a definite
security threat against the Islamic Republic, Iran has
the right to dismantle and confront the centre of
conspiracy against itself, without coordination
with any place or individual.
This type of Iranian confrontation is not so incomprehensible
to Zionists. Interestingly, an Israeli institution wrote a few
days ago: “Iran may want to retaliate against Israeli attacks
in Syria in Azerbaijan.” The regime is attacking areas in
Syria under the false pretext that Syria has become a
base for the presence of Iranian military personnel.
The Israeli institute asks what problem would arise
if Iran attacked a base in Azerbaijan, where Israeli
force are possibly present?
Of course, Iran knows very well how to use developments
to the detriment of its enemies. The Islamic Republic will
naturally begin with negotiations, to fraternally resolve
the issue between neighbours on Iran’s northwestern
border. Over the past 2 decades, the United States,
Turkey, and the Zionist regime have faced ultimate
defeat in any sedition that they incited and gotten
out of the situation while fraught with humiliation.
They are inciting sedition while they do not have
the power to tolerate and manage the war. If
these acts of sedition are not put aside, they
will face defeat, thanks to Iran’s measures.
(The views expressed in this article.... do
not necessarily reflect those of Press TV.)
It’s time for NATO to leave Kosovo
before it does any more damage
October 2nd, 10:36am (RT)
By Boris Malagurski, a Serbian Canadian documentary
film director, known for “The Weight of Chains”,
enlisted in the catalogue of the Library of
Congress, whose work has been show- cased on international festivals...
including Raindance in London.
Follow Boris on Twitter @malagurski
Just as it all ended badly for the West’s military interventions
in Vietnam and Afghanistan, so it will in Kosovo. NATO has
overstepped its mandate, overplayed its hand, and
overstayed its welcome.
As the last US military helicopters were leaving Kabul,
Afghanistan, many, including myself, emphasized the
similarities with America’s embarrassment in Saigon,
South Vietnam – but one parallel that few dared to
draw, was with Kosovo.
When I merely asked “Is Kosovo next?” on Twitter, it
sent Albanian media outlets into a frenzy. Kosovo’s
Albanian majority celebrates the NATO troops as
saviours – NATO bombed Serbia, to take away
control of its Southern province of Kosovo in
1999. Since then, NATO has been sponsoring
a nation-building project... that seemed to have culminated in 2008, when Kosovo’s
provisional authorities declared
independence from Serbia.
It wasn’t an ‘end of history’ moment. Serbia and much of
the world didn’t recognize Kosovo as an independent
country, and Kosovo itself remained heavily
dependent on Western aid... and military
support. Most Albanian politicians are
aware of this and they are highly
obedient with regards to NATO,
whose KFOR troops are
‘keeping the peace’
in Kosovo.
However, NATO has overstepped its mandate. UN Security
Council Resolution 1244, which put an end to NATO’s war
with Yugoslavia, guarantees Serbia’s sovereignty over
Kosovo, while NATO has pushed for an independent
Kosovo from day one of their occupation. The
resolution also called for... the return of an
agreed number of Yugoslav and Serbian
personnel to maintain a presence at
significant sites and key border
crossings.... NATO has never
allowed this to happen. The
last Serbian prime minister
who called for this agree-
ment to be honored, was
assassinated in 2003, a little over a month
after his request.
On the other hand, what are the results of NATO’s nation
building in Kosovo? Close to a 30% unemployment rate.
One of the poorest areas of Europe... with as much as
45% of the population living below the official poverty
line, and 17% being extremely poor. Former Kosovo
Liberation Army terrorists, some accused of
trafficking weapons and human organs,
replaced their military uniforms with
politicians’ suits and are governing
the entity. The previous president
of Kosovo, nicknamed ‘The Snake’
...is currently being tried for war
crimes, and crimes against
humanity, at The Hague.
He’s the one who unveiled the Bill Clinton statue in
Kosovo’s capital. Bill then came to celebrate with
‘The Snake’.
Kosovo’s recent license plate row with Serbia was just
the latest example of a leadership in Kosovo incapable
of dealing with real issues, but rather... going into
conflict... to cover its incompetence. Instead of
negotiating with Belgrade, Kosovo unilaterally
used force --- to implement the removal of
Serbian license plates. And all that NATO
was willing to contribute to deescalate
the tensions... was to offer its KFOR
troops, to replace Kosovo’s special
unit, without even trying to resolve
the essence of the dispute. What
is NATO still doing in Kosovo?
Probably the same thing it was doing in Afghanistan.
Hoping a bad decision to go in, will eventually pay
off somehow. But it won’t. It didn’t in Vietnam, it
didn’t in Afghanistan, and it won’t in Kosovo.
So it’s time for NATO to start packing
its bags.
The statements, views and opinions expressed
in this column, are solely those of the author,
& don't, necessarily, represent those of RT.
Image: Iqbal Jassat
“Normalization":Betrayal of Palestineby Arab despots no easy road
by Iqbal Jassat
October 1st, 11am (PressTV)
Pinning Palestinians down while applying harsh
measures of violent repression -- accompanied
by a fanatical settler movement of arch-racists
given free reign to attack and plunder -- is a
notorious game Israel has elevated to a
daily ritual.
In fact the routine of inflicting war crimes has all
the hallmarks of a rogue regime entirely caught
up in a misplaced belief --- that to engage in ethnic cleansing, is a religious obligation.
Conflating Judaism with a racist political ideology
of Zionism has been part of a strategy designed
to deceive, distort and divert. It has its roots in
the first Zionist congress held on the eve of
the 19th century.
That this is well documented and widely known is
not in dispute. Indeed... awareness of Zionism's
goal to dismember and dislodge Palestinians
from their centuries old homeland and
forcibly impose thereon a foreign
entity known as Israel, has
always been a bedrock
for resistance.
Israel has thus always been considered an enemy
thrust upon a native population through the most
horrific forms of terrorism. The memories of Deir
Yassin remind the world of bloody massacres
committed by Zionist terrorists which didn't
spare hundreds of villages... to
colonize Palestine.
That more than seven decades later the expansionist
goals of Zionism are still being pursued at great
human cost to successive generations of the
indigenous Palestinian population, is
reflected in daily atrocities.
None of these facts, as attested to by historians, as
well as organs of the United Nations, are contested.
Though of course Israel and supporters of it seek
to distort and malign commentators who speak
truth to power, as anti-Semitic.
Yet against this background of terrorism and current
conditions siege, occupation, killings and mass
imprisonment - recorded and broadcast via
mainstream media for all the world to
witness - it is bizarre that a handful
of Arab regimes, have broken rank
with Palestine's freedom struggle.
And at a time when even Haaretz describes
the atrocities by Israel, as a pogrom:
"Residents of the Palestinian communities in the south-
eastern West Bank have experience of settler attacks
- when they graze their flocks, work their fields, or
even have a picnic on their own land.... But they
cannot recall an attack like the one experienced
Tuesday -- by the small communities of Khirbat
al-Mufkara, al-Rakiz and al-Tuwani. On Simhat
Torah, dozens of young Jews, most of them
masked, conducted what can only be
described as a pogrom."
The treachery associated with what has become known
as "normalization" is an outrageous manifestation of
betrayal and collaboration. Limited to the UAE,
Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco,.. these regimes
have in effect confessed that the protection
of their shaky thrones... counts for more...
than legitimate rights of the Palestinians.
As unelected self-imposed despots fearful of democratic
values, they have bargained that "normalization" with
the usurper of Palestine will "guarantee" safety and
protection for them. In other words, just as Egypt
has done, these oligarchs have outsourced their
intelligence networks and security apparatus to Israel, knowing full well that in doing so, they have abandoned Palestine.
Though the abnormality of the implicit recognition of an
illegal colonial enterprise, has been in sharp contrast
to countless Arab League resolutions... the deal of
"normalization" pushed by Trump and vigorously
backed by the Biden administration... has exposed these leaders - as surrogates of western imperialism.
The case of Bahrain's role in the "Abraham Accords"
reveals the soft underbelly of Arab dictatorships.
Besides being financially dependent on its
neighbours especially the UAE and Saudi
Arabia, Bahrain’s alliance with Israel is
designed to entrench its power and
crush any resistance to author-
itarianism or efforts towards
freedom and democracy.
In 2011, during the onset of the Arab Spring uprisings,
Saudi Arabia sent troops to Bahrain to suppress anti
-government protests. This trend continues today
by Israel --- equally committed to maintaining the
status quo, and preventing the success of any
popular uprisings.
In this context, one may justifiably condemn Bahrain’s gross insensitivity and abject abdication of Palestine's freedom struggle... as treacherous.
Showcasing Israeli war criminal Lapid’s visit to Manama
where he is set to open the embassy flying Israel's flag
is utterly outrageous. This follows the opening of a
Zionist embassy in Abu Dhabi, and will likely be
establishing one in Rabat. Sudan thus far has
reportedly said that it has no plans yet to
open an embassy in Khartoum.
Not surprising therefore that the Arab street across these
capitals have vowed to end "normalization". The iron-
fisted grip held by Arab despots notwithstanding,
human rights movements (many banned and
leaders exiled) have declared their outright
rejection of America's much-vaunted
Abraham Accords.
Stirrings in Sudan are becoming more vocal despite
Khartoum's attempts to silence critics. In Bahrain
the main opposition group, al-Wefaq National
Islamic Society declared Lapid’s trip as a
"threat", saying, "This is provocative
news and this trip is completely
rejected, and he (Lapid) should
not set foot on Bahraini soil."
Their message is clear: "Any (Israeli) presence on Bahraini soil --- means incitement."
Iqbal Jassat is an executive at the Johannesburg-
based Media Review Network (MRN), a socio-
political advocacy group, that concerns
itself with media and political analysis.
(The views expressed in this article do
not necessarily reflect those of Press TV.)
Image: Paul Antonopoulos
Greece And FranceTake First Step
Towards European Independence
Following AUKUS Debacle
September 28th (South Front)
by Paul Antonopoulos,
independent geopolitical analyst
Signing of Franco-Greek Agreement is the
beginning of supplanting NATO in Europe.
Of the 30 NATO member states, Greece is one of the few
to spend well over 2% of its GDP on defense, as agreed
upon by NATO Defence Ministers, in 2006. However,
Greece’s high spending (relative to GDP), is not
because it is positioning itself as a buffed-up
military state opposed to Russia, as per the
aims of NATO, but rather, to defend itself
against the threats of another NATO
member, Turkey.
With NATO consistently downplaying Turkish aggression
against Greece and the new AUKUS pact creating
distrust between the Anglosphere and the
Europeans... Greece has ensured new
extra security assurances against
its long-time enemy.
Greece’s strengthened partnership with France highlights
that the immediate consequences of the AUKUS alliance
are already being felt, as the two countries are making
the first serious steps towards a Europe independent
of Washington.
Alexis Papahelas, one of Greece’s top journalists, explained
that the Franco-Greek security pact is Macron’s “revenge”
against the Americans as it will strengthen European
autonomy. He also confirmed persistent rumours
that a defensive pact between France and
Greece was almost reached last year,
but ultimately broke down at the
last minute for “unknown
reasons.”
To put the situation in context, Greece for a year and a half-
received bids from six countries, including France, the U.S.
and UK for brand new navy frigates. The finalization of a
deal was continuously delayed... due to Greece’s
insistence, that a frigate purchase must include a defense agreement.
Greece signed its 12-month Mutual Defense Cooperation
Agreement (MDCA) with the US last year, but ultimately
did not decide on which frigate bid to accept. With
negotiations for a Franco-Greek defence pact
last year stalling, Athens ultimately decided
to sign the MDCA... with Washington. This
was rumored to be partially motivated
as part of 'negotiations' to pressure
the French to accept Greek terms.
However, with the sudden emergence of AUKUS, European
trust in the Anglosphere quickly diminished, and thus
galvanized Franco-Greek discussions on European
independence. And finally, a deal to purchase
three brand-new French Belharra-class
frigates, was stricken.
For his part, Mitsotakis said on Tuesday morning at the
signing of the agreement that:- “It is an historic day for Greece and France. Today’s development is an
initiative that responds to the demands of the
times on our continent. It paves the way for
an autonomous and strong Europe of the
future. Whether there is a timetable for
creating a European army: the debate
on European military autonomy,
evolves. Options such as this
corporate defense partner-
ship, move to this central
strategic choice.”
Effectively, Greece and France are advocating for a pan-
European military that would likely drive out NATO, as
the premier defensive pact in Europe.
Another demonstration that this pact is aimed at
supplanting NATO... is its careful wording.
Although Turkey was not mentioned
explicitly, there is little doubt that
part of the motivation for the
Franco-Greek defense pact
was Turkey’s unilateral
aggression in the
Mediterranean.
Even just minutes after the signing of the Franco-Greek
agreement, former Dutch diplomat Fons Stoelinga
tweeted: “EU autonomy in security and defense.
NATO still does not address the problem of
NATO-member Turkey destabilizing the
whole Eastern Mediterranean region.
France and Greece now react and
signed a security bilateral pact.”
The mutual defense assistance clause of the agreement
ensures that if Greece or France is attacked on its
territory, the other will come to assist, even if the
attacking country is part of other alliances.....
including NATO. This is an obvious message
directed towards Turkey, a NATO member
that on a daily basis violates Greek air-
space and threatens to invade its
Aegean islands.
These violations and threats receive no repercussions from
NATO as individual members are unwilling to risk their
economic relations with the country, whilst many
NATO leaders still believe that Turkey is a
bulwark against Russia.
France for most of its modern history, but especially
galvanized under President Emmanuel Macron.. had
an ambition of creating a more independent Europe.
The European experience under former U.S.
President, Donald Trump, and the recent
snub from President Joe Biden, with the
AUKUS debacle... has only increased the urgency of achieving European
independence from Washington.
Despite this ambition, as well as warning Europe that it will
become secondary in world affairs, if it does not become
independent, it appears that France can finally kickstart
its project alongside Greece.
Achieving EU unity is a difficult prospect, because minnow
states like Lithuania prioritize the interests of Washington
rather than the continent, but as Paris and Athens have
shown --- they will move ahead, in changing the geo-
political balance in the Mediterranean and will not
wait, while member states continuously bicker
amongst themselves on foreign policy issues.
If France and Greece can create strong foundations for an
independent Europe, it will only be inevitable before more
EU member states become interested in also being
integrated into a continental structure that is
independent of transatlantic alliances.
Image: Eric Zuesse
Why did the Taliban win against
the Americans in Afghanistan?
by Eric Zuesse
August 21st, 2021
Why did the communists win
against the Americans in Vietnam?
Why did the communists win
against the capitalists in the
Russian Revolution?
Why did the American Revolutionists
win against the British Empire?
I shall here propose an answer to all of them, because that answer applies to all such cases, as I'll explain:
When an imperialistic society is as corrupt as Britain has been since the creation of the British East India Company in 1600, and as America has been since the end of World War II in 1945, with its takeover and control by the MIC (military-industrial complex), which has inevitably produced the cancerous growth of America’s permanent-warfare state, what, then, is the reason to continue living by staying merely as a colonist or a vassal-regime (or even as the imperialist regime itself), which means, when the imposed regime is so profoundly corrupt --- as any
imperialist power necessarily is --- to accept such corruption, as this?
There’s something that is worse than dying... and it is to continue
living under a regime that one utterly despises. That’s a dragged
-out death, instead of a quick death. A regime which is as
corrupt as any imperialistic regime inevitably is, will be
intolerable for a significant number of the residents in
any one of its vassal-nations or “colonies.” Death, for
them, isn’t such a bad choice, if it means that they'll
go down fighting to overthrow it. They are driven by
the motivation, “Give me liberty, or give me death!”
This is a motivation that few, if any, of the imperialistic regime’s hired
soldiers (regardless of whether conscripted or not) can match. And
when they are foreigners who are fighting on a foreign soil (instead
of locals who are defending their land’s own locally determined
rulers), they especially and certainly cannot match such
motivation, because only the locals can be fighting with
a patriotic spirit. This is an intrinsic weakness in any
empire. And imperialist leaders tend to ignore it,
because they don’t want to understand how
repulsive they are, to virtually anyone but
their own boot-lickers.
Ultimately, the demoralization of a hired soldier’s continuing to place
his very existence in jeopardy so as to continue the war to enslave
and control the resisting local subject-population will mount high
enough to produce self-contempt, desertion, and sometimes
even suicide, in the oppressing power’s forces, especially if that’s a foreign power.
No longer will the rationalizations(that “We are protecting the residents here”) be able to continue fooling the invading-force’s soldier, and the imposed stooge- regime’s soldier. They both (the foreign regime, and its imposed local stooge-government or colony) are there really, to control the local subject-population; and, ultimately, enough of the oppressor’s forces will know this to cause the imposed stooge-government, to be conquered by those indigenous residents there - people who will be recalled as heroes, by the other
residents in that land.
This is an advantage that any revolutionists
have, against the imposed regime.
This is the real meaning of “martyrs,” in the deeper sense than
merely of a religious type — it is instead of the patriotic type; it
concerns the land -- and not necessarily any religion -- such as
Christianity, Islam, or Marxism. Their loyalty is to Afghanistan;
or it is to Vietnam; or it is to Russia; or it is to China; or (before
America became imperialistic) it was to America. And so forth.
It is to the local land, not to any dictators. It is to the country
that the foreign invader’s forces are occupying. The
invader’s forces and their imposed stooge-regimes
can’t match this motivation.
Similarly, when the American invaders were conquered by the
residents of Vietnam, the winners were the Vietnamese, not
really the communists; and, in fact, the Marxist philosophy
(or ‘religion’) subsequently has waned there. America, in
Vietnam, as in Afghanistan, was the invader, in a land
which had not invaded their own.
That similar situation exists in Afghanistan. The Sauds had invaded
America on 9/11, with the assistance of G.W. Bush, Condoleezza
Rice, and perhaps others in the Administration. And so, the U.S.
-imposed soldiers in Afghanistan couldn’t even possibly have
been fighting against Afghanistan for any authentically
patriotic real (factually true) reason, at all. Therefore,
lies were constantly needed by the U.S. regime, not
only against Iraq, but even against Afghanistan.
(Furthermore, if Bush’s objective had really been to identify whom
and how was actually behind the 9/11 attacks, then he would have
pursued that at the U.N. Security Council and would have gotten
unanimous backing for it, which would quickly have isolated
and led to the destruction of Al Qaeda. It could all have been
done without any war between nations, and also fully in
accord with international law. To the extent that 9/11 was state-sponsored terrorism, it was actually being
sponsored by the Governments of the U.S. and
Saudi Arabia.
George W. Bush, who was buddy-close with the Sauds, used 9/11 as
an excuse to trash both the U.S. Constitution and international law
so as to hoist yet higher his own tyranny, his own power - not only internationally but also.. in his own nation. An imperialist would,
of course, like to trash both, and to hoist his personal power as
high as possible. And GWB had the boldness to do it, and -
because America has been imperialistic ever since 1945
(i.e., international aggressions... have been America’s
culture since 1945) — he has been able to enjoy the
success of getting away with doing it. However,
everyone else, and especially outside America’s MIC, suffers from it.
What have the mere soldiers of invading and occupying
imperialist powers actually earned by having placed
their own lives at risk? Maybe a tombstone back
home, in the country that had invaded and
occupied that colony.
By contrast, even if a defending soldier has died as a
hero among the locals in a failed revolution against
the imperialist power, any tombstone will be
unnecessary to be that person’s memorial,
because the true memorial is in the heart,
and in the mind, of the locals there, not
in anything that is in the land of the
invading foreign power.
And, so, I propose that the answer, to the question here, is that,
whereas America’s Founders were waging war as heroes
(because their war was just), today’s Americans are
waging war as villains (because our wars are unjust
- imperialistic aggressions, instead of heroic
defenses against an aggressor). Between
America’s founding and the present time,
America has switched from doing war
against military occupiers, to doing
war as military occupiers.
And this, I maintain, is the reason why: “The Taliban’s 80,000
troops have retaken Afghanistan with cities falling like
dominos while the 300,000-strong government forces,
better equipped and trained, mostly melted and
surrendered with no will to fight.”
What today’s Taliban are to today’s Afghanistan is therefore what
the 1776 American Revolutionists were to the America of that era.
It’s not the ideology; it is the love of that land there, which has
motivated the residents’ forces to victory, against the forces
of the invading-and-occupying foreign power. This can
happen in any land, at any time.
America went into Vietnam focused on the “body counts.” That’s
how stupid America’s imperialistic leaders were, back then. The
only motivation they really understood was fear: “body counts.”
They’ve evidently learned nothing since. That is how corrupt
America is.
Right now in America, the ‘debate’ about Afghanistan is about Joe
Biden, who is basically irrelevant. He wanted to end America’s
military occupation there, just as Trump did, and just as
Obama did. He acted on it, whereas they did not — they
didn’t want to be accused by their political opponents
of having ‘lost Afghanistan on their watch’, but Biden
was evidently willing to risk it.
His only failure in the matter is that he kept lying to the American
people (and probably also to himself) about how chaotic the
evacuation would inevitably be, and about how collapsed
Afghanistan is, and has been, ever since the Soviets
invaded there in 1979.
Throughout America’s imperialistic era, the U.S. Government has
routinely been lying to the American people. Imperialism isn’t as
bad for the imperialistic nation’s public as it is for the conquered
land’s people, but it is very bad, even for them. The only people
who benefit from it are the billionaires, who control companies
such as Lockheed Martin, and ExxonMobil, and Amazon.
Those are the people (the owners), who hire the leading
politicians, including the members of Congress, and the
Presidents, to spread their empire, and their control.
They also hire the ‘journalists’ who shape their nation’s public
to support these invasions and military occupations. The
Government officials of an imperialistic regime represent
not the nation’s public - but its aristocracy - who hire and
appoint millions of the rest, the many agents (employees,
etc.) of the few billionaires. The billionaires really control
their country. After all: America is a thoroughly corrupt
country, just as any imperialistic country is. (All
imperialistic countries, are controlled by their
aristocracy. And every aristocracy is corrupt.)
The public in Afghanistan have long known this fact about America -
that it is corrupt. And this is the main reason why the Taliban now
rule that country. They represent that land. Not this land. It’s a
different culture, and a different place. To most Afghans,
America represents only corruption. There is nothing
unique about what is now happening in Afghanistan.
It has been happening for thousands of years, and
it’s just replaying an ancient script, but in that
particular location.
However, instead, the U.S.-and-allied media are focusing on Biden’s
bit part (which was always in a supporting role) in America’s
invasion and occupation of Afghanistan. So, probably
nothing will be learned from America’s invasion and
occupation of Afghanistan, just as nothing was
learned from America’s invasion & occupation
of Iraq, and from America’s invasion and
occupation of Vietnam, and from the
many other such post-WW-II
American foreign disasters.
For America’s billionaires, these have all been great successes
(very profitable); and, so, probably nothing that’s useful to the
American people will be learned from history; and, instead,
the myths will continue that have caused “The Military” to
be either the highest-respected or the second-highest-
respected of all of the 19 named institutions in America - the world’s permanent- warfare state.
The American military wastes the most money and the most blood
of any institution in America, but Americans nonetheless respect it
enormously. That, too, is a mark of an imperialistic country. The
way to control a public is to sustain the myths. U.S.-and-allied
billionaires make sure that it is done - however much it costs.
As regards the future of Afghanistan itself: On August the 19th,
the most reliable geostrategic reporter and analyst, Alexander
Mercouris, headlined at The Duran, “US Freezes Afghanistan
Reserves, Threatens Economic Crisis. Russia Works to
Establish New Government”, and he explained why the
Taliban will either cooperate with Russia, China, and
Iran, or else will degenerate yet further into a failed
state, especially because the U.S. and its allies will
do everything possible to strangle the fully looted
Government of Afghanistan — the new Islamic
Emirate of Afghanistan. So: even after the US
and its allies have all left that land, the war
against the people there will continue, in
full force, from the same people, though
with different methods.
PS: The philosopher Zizek headlined at RT on August 20th, “The
true enemy for Islamists is not the West’s neocolonialism or
military aggression, but our ‘immoral’ culture”, and he said
“it was not neocons who boosted Islamic fundamentalism,
this fundamentalism grew up in a reaction to the influence
of Western liberal secularism and individualism.”
He did not understand that though religious fundamentalists
(including the Taliban) focus especially on sexual and gender
issues, a person didn’t have to be at all religious in order to
consider the financial and economic corruption of the
imperialists and of their stooges to be disgusting.
Americans didn’t invade & occupy Afghanistan, in order to
spread “liberal secularism and individualism,” but in order
for US-and-allied billionaires to expand their wealth, their
empire, and their global control. Even if the Taliban and
other religious persons might object only (or even just
mainly) to the sexual and gender issues... a broader
segment of the Afghan population were repelled by
the rampant financial and economic corruption of
the imperialists, and of their stooge-rulers.
This was not a defeat for “secularism and individualism.”
It was a rejection of imperialism: a rejection of it even by people who don’t understand what “imperialism” means.
(Source: Strategic Culture Foundation)
Image: Iqbal Jassat
Israel is committed to
aggressively pursuing
'Zionist colonialism',
says analyst
August 14th, 9:38am (PressTV)
A political commentator says Israel is relentlessly
following its "Zionist colonialism" in the occupied
Palestinian territories, and the evacuation orders
handed out to indigenous Palestinian families in the West Bank and Jerusalem al-Quds, are in line with the regime’s land
expropriation policies: to build more illegal settler homes.
“Israel aggressively pursues Zionist colonialism, which
has been the bedrock of the regime’s illegal ethnic-
cleansing agenda for the last seventy or more
years,” Iqbal Jassat, an executive member
of Johannesburg-based Media Review
Network, told Press TV, in an
exclusive interview
on Saturday.
He lambasted the Tel Aviv regime’s systematic theft of
Palestinian property as “a reprehensible disregard
for the inalienable rights of indigenous
Palestinians to their own lands
and homes.”
“The racist practice of evacuation, is a misleading
interpretation of forced expulsion, illegal under
the international law. It is also indicative of
the Group Areas Act [of 1950], under the
former apartheid regime of South
Africa,” Jassat noted.
The South African analyst also criticized the United Nations
and the International Criminal Court (ICC), for their
“impotence” ...to prevent Israel's unjust and
blatant violations of international
conventions and principles.
“It also raises serious questions about the inherent biases
existing within these institutions. These biases prevent
the exercise of law --- to halt land grabs, home demolitions, expulsions and incremental genocide,” he pointed out.
Jassat went on to say that Western countries’ decades-long
guilty conscience has prevented these states from
criticizing Israel, for its barbaric and brutal
practices, as such denunciations would
be treated as anti-Semitic.
“The US and its allies in NATO view Israel as a bulwark of
their interests in the heart of the Muslim world. They,
therefore, place their so-called security goals
above injustices against Palestinians,”
the analyst said.
“Moreover, the Arab world is mainly made up of unelected
despots, from Egypt to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab
Emirates and Bahrain. Their collective view, pivots
on the false notion... that their security is tied
to Israel. That explains the close proximity
between their notorious intelligence
services and Israel's Mossad
and Shin Bet.”
Jassat further noted that the controversial normalization
agreements that several Arab states have struck with Israel, have stifled opposition to the Tel Aviv regime’s colonialist and expansionist policies.
He said the unacceptable betrayal of the Palestinians'
struggle for liberation from the Israeli occupation,
has even resulted in the regime being granted
observer status, at the African Union.
Image: Finian Cunningham
Russia-Chinathe Endgame
by Finian Cunningham
July 3rd, 1:41pm (Sputnik)
The consolidation of the Russia-China alliance this week
spells the endgame for Western imperialism and the
never-ending wars that it spawns.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and China’s leader Xi
Jinping celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Sino-
Russian Treaty of Friendship, first signed in July
2001. The hallmark of that historic accord is a
mutual commitment to peace, prosperity
and global stability.
As Putin commented, the alliance between Russia and China
is a vital source of “stability at a time of increasing geo-
political turbulence”. The latter remark is an oblique
reference to the US-led Western states which are
driven by ratcheting up antagonism and
tensions with Moscow and Beijing,
using all sorts of spurious
complaints.
The attempt by Washington (whether Republican or Democrat)
and its Western minions to make trouble with Russia and
China has become almost frenetic. Step back from the
daily headlines in Western media and it is glaring just
how much the agenda has become irrationally
hostile towards Moscow and Beijing.
Week after week there are unfounded allegations about
Covid-19, & so on. It’s like a mad cacophony to wind
up tensions. Nevertheless, the deranged attitude of
Western ruling cliques is but the death throes of a
world order that has reached its expiration.
Russia and China’s partnership has hugely transformative
geopolitical significance. Both these giant nations straddle
the continents of Asia and Europe, connecting the Pacific
with the Atlantic, ranging from the Arctic to the
Mediterranean. Both are committed to a vision
of a multipolar world where nations cooperate
for mutual development.
China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) linking Eurasia with
Africa and the Americas is the vision of the future, and
Russia is a key partner in implementing that
ambitious win-win project for global peace
and prosperity.
This vision stands in stark contrast to the prevailing Western
capitalist paradigm which operates through dominance,
control and exploitation for American and European
profiteering. That kind of centuries-old system
necessarily involves imperialist conduct ...
whereby the natural resources of foreign
nations are commandeered by brute
military force, conflict, subjugation,
subterfuge, skulduggery and
other machinations.
The multipolar vision of global relations advocated by Russia
and China is the nemesis of the Western imperialist system.
And that explains why the Americans and their European
vassals make every effort to demonize and distort
Russia and China.
But the geopolitical potential of Russia and China is
unstoppable. There is a force of natural justice that
all nations will inevitably subscribe to as the only
reasonable, feasible & sustainable way forward.
It’s about people-centered development ...
versus profit-driven disorder.
Moreover, the partnership between Russia and China is a
geographer’s wonder study. Russia is the world’s largest
national territory by landmass. With over 17 million sq.
kilometres, it covers 11 time zones out of the world’s
total of 24. The abundance of natural resources that
Russia possesses is astounding, from reserves of
natural gas, oil, metals and minerals, to forestry,
agriculture and fisheries. It also can boast of
highly advanced technology in multiple
sectors. And... it shares a long land
border with China, for easing trade.
Meanwhile, China has a population of 1.4 billion people, ten
times that of Russia. With highly advanced technology and
manufacturing, China is not only a vast market for Russian
resources, it is also a gateway to the world economy.
China has already become the world’s biggest
economy over the United States, according
to some measures.
The US and Europe are post-industrial economies that are
also post-peak of their prime. Their “prime” was always
based on an extractive predatory relationship with the
rest of the world that was predicated on inflicting
conflict and poverty on others.
As China and Russia build on their strategic partnership for
mutual prosperity and peace the upshot will inevitably
entail the endgame for Western imperial powers,
which are atrophying from massive inequality,
indebtedness, moral decadence and
social decay.
Fortunately, too, and this is crucial, Russia and China have
military defenses from new generations of hypersonic
weaponry that make them impregnable against any
warmongering notions by the United States. A
failing empire like the US and its Western
satellites is always a dangerous time, as
it tries to prevent the inevitable collapse,
but starting a war with Russia & China
...is not an option.
The views & opinions expressed in the article
do not - necessarily - reflect those of Sputnik.
Image: Barry Grossman
Barry Grossman:US, Israel
Adopting Bullying Tactics
for ICC War Crimes
Investigation in
Palestine
June 30th (FNA)
Barry Grossman is an international lawyer and political
commentator focused on human rights related issues.
He has been extensively published, on various legal
subjects and is a frequent commentator on political
affairs. He has taught law at the University of
Melbourne’s Faculty of Law and Monash
University’s Faculty of Law.
Below is the full text of the interview:
Q: How do you see the ICC ruling and the
issue of anti-Semitism raised by Israel?
A: To be sure, Benjamin Netanyahu has himself said that
“when the ICC investigates Israel for fake war crimes,
this is pure antisemitism”.
There can of course be no doubt that antisemitism is real;
indeed, every bit as real as Islam-phobia. But the long
standing ruse of conflating antisemitism with any and
all criticism of Zionism or Israel, is no longer taken
seriously, by a growing and very substantial
minority of people in the wider population.
Meanwhile the tactic of tarring everyone who resists Zionism
or criticises Israel with the antisemitism brush is having the
unfortunate, though not necessarily unintended
consequence of discrediting even the most
genuine efforts to draw attention to those
people whose speech is, indeed,
motivated by little more than
hatred for Jews.
Q: There are huge media attacks towards ICC’s probe to
Israeli war crimes in Palestine. Do you believe the ICC
can make a correct ruling under this media hegemony?
A: Propaganda about the ICC case published by the
Atlantic World’s Corporate Media Cartel is of course
preceded by pressure and instructions from think-
tanks, as well as the security/policy making
apparatus, which are, of course, fully
infiltrated by individuals promoting
Zionist agendas.
In that regard, both the US and Israel have openly declared
their hostile intentions towards the ICC and there is already
clear evidence that they're deploying all their usual tactics,
including intimidation, extortion, bribery and garden variety
corruption, to get politicians around the world, lawyers
involved in making Palestine’s case, and members of
the ICC to fall into line.
That said, if the myriad jurisdiction related technicalities
raised by Israel can be overcome, I am quite sure the
ICC is capable of reaching what many of us consider
the correct position regarding ubiquitous war crimes
and other violations of international law, perpetrated
by the occupation.
The real problem is that the ICC is quite limited in its ability
to enforce any ruling against responsible individuals and
Israeli organizations, so long as the key Atlantic World
nations continue to provide unqualified support for
the occupation, or, at the very least, to remain
neutral, in the face of clear evidence of the
occupation’s crimes.
A second very significant strategic issue arises from a
prevailing political reality which dictates that, in order
to make a reasonable finding about the occupation’s
crimes, the ICC will also have to use its authority to
investigate violations of international law alleged
against Hamas and other Palestinian groups ---
bearing in mind that the law of armed conflict
does not concern itself with the order in
which things played out and any finding
against Palestinian groups will certainly
receive far more traction, both in the
international community as well as
in occupied Palestine, than any
finding of culpability on the
part of the occupation.
Indeed, from where I sit, I do not see Palestine as
having much to gain from this process, but it
does stand to lose no small part of the
standing in public opinion, which it
has taken decades to develop, at
the cost of thousands of
Palestinian lives.
Q: Is it hypocrisy that Israel says Palestine is not
a sovereign state to have a delegation at ICC?
A: Hypocrisy hardly even begins to cover it. No nation
is in a position to dictate that Palestine is not a
sovereign nation-state, even if the UN has not
yet extended Palestine’s observer nation
status to full membership --- the way it
quickly recognized Israel’s existence
as a full member, in 1949.
It is also worth remembering that
31 UN member nations still do
not recognize Israel.
Of course, none of this is relevant to the Palestinian
delegation’s participation in ICC proceedings
investigating allegations of war crimes and
other violations of international law
committed against Palestinians by
Israeli nationals & organizations,
even though Israel is not, itself,
a party to the ICC treaty.
On the other hand, the Palestinian Authority (PA),
whose statehood and sovereignty has been
subject to intense dispute across the
international community... is a
signatory to the Rome Statute
(that is, the ICC Treaty), so it
would be bizarre, if it was
not permitted to have a
delegation present, at
the ICC proceedings.
Image: US Encirclement of China
US Encirclement of China:
A 'Progress' Report
by Brian Berletic
May 22nd (The Saker)
We post this long-read article in full -
as the New Eastern Outlook site has
been down for a number of days.
Tensions between Washington and Beijing are not merely
the recent results of former US President Donald Trump’s
time in office – but rather, just the latest chapter in US
efforts to contain China, that stretch back decades.
Indeed, US foreign policy has, for decades, admittedly aimed at encircling and containing China’s rise, and maintaining primacy over the Indo-Pacific region.
The “Pentagon Papers” leaked in 1969 would admit in
regards to the ongoing US war against Vietnam that:
…the February decision to bomb North Vietnam and the
July approval of Phase I deployments make sense only
if they are in support of a long-run United States policy
to contain China.
The papers also admitted that China, “looms as a major
power threatening to undercut [American] importance
and effectiveness in the world and, more remotely but
more menacingly, to organize all of Asia against
[America].
The papers also made it clear that there were (and still are),
“three fronts to a long-run effort to contain China: (a) the
Japan-Korea front; (b) the India-Pakistan front; and (c)
the Southeast Asia front.”
Since then, it is clear that from the continued US military
presence in both Japan and South Korea, the now two
decades-long US occupation of Afghanistan on both
Pakistan’s and China’s borders, and the emergence
of the so-called “Milk Tea Alliance” aimed at over-
throwing Southeast Asian governments friendly
with China and replacing them with US-backed
client regimes – this policy to contain China
endures up to today.
Assessing US activity along these three fronts reveals
the progress and setbacks Washington faces -- and
the various dangers to global peace and stability
Washington’s continued belligerence poses.
The Japan-Korea Front
Military.com in their article, “Here’s What It Costs to
Keep US Troops in Japan and South Korea,” reports:
In all, more than 80,000 US troops are deployed to Japan
and South Korea. In Japan alone, the US maintains more
than 55,000 deployed troops — the largest forward-
deployed US force anywhere in the world.
The article notes that according to the US Government
Accountability Office (GAO), the US spent “$34 billion
to maintain military presences in Japan and South
Korea between 2016 and 2019.”
The article cites the GAO providing an explanation as to
why this massive US military presence is maintained in
East Asia:
“…US forces help strengthen alliances, promote a free
and open Indo-Pacific region, provide quick response
to emergencies and are essential for US national
security.”
“Alliances” that are “strengthened” by the physical
presence of what are -- essentially, -- occupying US
forces, suggests the “alliance” is hardly voluntary and claims of promoting a “free and open Indo- Pacific region” is highly subjective – begging the question of, to whom, is the Indo-Pacific “free and open”.
And as US power wanes both regionally in the Indo-
Pacific as well as globally, Washington has placed
increasing pressures on both Japan and South
Korea to not only help shoulder this financial
burden, but to also become more proactive
within Washington’s containment strategy
toward China.
Japan is one of three other nations (the US itself,
Australia, and India) drafted into the US-led
Quadrilateral Security Dialogue – also
known as the “Quad.”
Rather than the US solely depending on its own military
forces based within Japanese territory or supported by
its Japan-based forces, Japan’s military along with
India’s and Australia’s are also being recruited to
take part in military exercises and operations
in and around the South China Sea.
India’s inclusion in the Quad also fits well into the US
3-front strategy that made up Washington’s contain-
ment policy toward China as early as the 1960s.
The India-Pakistan Front
In addition to recruiting India into the Quad alliance, the
US helps encourage escalation through political
support and media campaigning of India’s
various territorial disputes with China.
The US also targets Pakistan’s close and ongoing
relationship with China – including the support of
armed insurgents in Pakistan’s Baluchistan
province.
Recently, a bombing at a hotel in Quetta, Baluchistan
appears to have targeted China’s ambassador to
Pakistan, Ambassador Nong Rong.
The BBC in its article, “Pakistan hotel bomb:
Deadly blast hits luxury venue in Quetta,”
would claim:
Initial reports had suggested the target
was China’s ambassador.
Ambassador Nong Rong is understood to be in Quetta
but was not present at the hotel at the time of the
attack on Wednesday.
The article also noted:
Balochistan province, near the Afghan border,
is home to several armed groups, including
separatists.
Separatists in the region want independence from the
rest of Pakistan and accuse the government and
China of exploiting Balochistan, one of
Pakistan’s poorest provinces, for its
gas and mineral wealth.
Absent from the BBC’s reporting is the extensive and
open support the US government has provided these
separatists over the years and how – clearly – this is
more than just a local uprising against perceived
injustice, but yet another example of armed
conflict-by-proxy waged by Washington
against China.
As far back as 2011 publications like The National
Interest in articles like, “Free Baluchistan” would
openly advocate expanding US support for
separatism in Pakistan’s Baluchistan
province.
The article was written by the late Selig Harrison
--- who was a senior fellow at the US-based
(corporate-financier funded) Centre for
International Policy --- & would claim:
Pakistan has given China a base at Gwadar in the
heart of Baluch territory. So an independent
Baluchistan... would serve US strategic
interests, in addition to the immediate
goal, of countering Islamist forces.
Of course, “Islamist forces”... is a euphemism for US-
Persian Gulf state sponsored militants used to both
fight Western proxy wars, as well as serve as a
pretext for Western intervention. Citing
“Islamist forces” in Baluchistan,
Pakistan - clearly - serves as an example of the latter.
In addition to op-eds published by influential policy
think tanks, US legislators like US Representative
Dana Rohrabacher, had proposed resolutions
such as (emphasis added),
“US House of Representatives Concurrent Resolution
104 (112th): Expressing the sense of Congress that
the people of Baluchistan, currently divided
between Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan,
have the right to self-determination and
to their own sovereign country.”
There is also funding provided to adjacent, political
groups supporting separatism in Baluchistan,
Pakistan, as listed by the US government’s
own National Endowment for Democracy
(NED) website under “Pakistan.”
Organizations like the “Association for Integrated
Development Balochistan” are funded by the US government and used to mobilize people
politically, constituting clear interference
by the US, in Pakistan’s internal
political affairs.
The Gwadar Port project is a key juncture within China’s
growing global network of infrastructure projects, as
part of its One Belt, One Road initiative. The US
clearly opposes China’s rise & has articulated robust strategies to counter it; everything up to and including, open war, as seen in the Pentagon Papers, regarding the Vietnam War.
The recent bombing in Baluchistan, Pakistan demonstrates
that this strategy continues, in regards to utilizing local
militants to target Chinese-Pakistani co-operation, and
is one part of the much wider, region-wide strategy:
of encircling and containing China.
The Southeast Asia Front
Of course the US war against Vietnam was part of a wider
effort to reassert Western primacy over Southeast Asia
...and deny the region from fueling China’s inevitable rise.
The US having lost the war and almost completely retreating
from the Southeast Asia region saw Southeast Asia itself
repair relations amongst themselves and with China.
Today, the nations of Southeast Asia count China as their
largest trade partner, investor, a ''key partner'' in infra-
structure development, a key supplier for the region’s
armed forces, as well as providing the majority of
tourism arrivals throughout the region. For
countries like Thailand, more tourists
arrive from China, than from all
Western nations combined.
Because existing governments in Southeast Asia have
nothing to benefit from by participating in American
belligerence toward China, the US has found it
necessary to cultivate and attempt to install
into power various client regimes. This has
been an ongoing process, since the
Vietnam War.
The US has targeted each nation individually for years.
In 2009 & 2010, US-backed opposition leader-in-exile,
Thaksin Shinawatra, deployed his “red shirt” rioters
in back-to-back riots - the latter of which included
some 300 armed militants and culminated in city-
wide arson across Bangkok, and the death of
over 90 police, soldiers, protesters, and
bystanders.
In 2018, US-backed opposition groups took power in
Malaysia after the US poured millions of dollars, for
over a decade, in building up the opposition.
Daniel Twining of the US National Endowment for Democracy subsidiary – the International
Republican Institute – admitted, during a talk by the Center for Strategic & International Studies, that same year, that:
…for 15 years working with NED resources, we worked
to strengthen Malaysian opposition parties -- and guess
what happened 2 months ago after 61 years? They won.
He would elaborate on how the NED’s network played a
direct role in placing US-backed opposition figures into
power, within the Malaysian government, stating:
I visited and I was sitting there with many of the leaders
the new leaders of this government, many of whom
were just our partners we had been working with
for 15 years and one of the most senior of them
who’s now one of the people running the
government said to me, ‘gosh IRI you
never gave up on us even when we
were ready to give up
on ourselves.’
Far from “promoting freedom” in Malaysia ---- Twining
would make clear the ultimate objective of interfering
in Malaysia’s internal political affairs, was to serve
US interests, not only in regards to Malaysia, but
in regards to the entire region and specifically
toward encircling and containing China.
Twining would boast:
…guess what one of the first steps the
new government took? It froze Chinese
infrastructure investments.
And that:
[Malaysia] is not a hugely pro-American country. It is
probably never going to be an actual US ally, but this
is going to redound to our benefit, and and that’s
an example of the long game.
It is a pattern that has repeated itself in Myanmar over
the decades --- with NED money building a parallel
political system within the nation and eventually
leading to Aung San Suu Kyi and her US-backed
National League for Democracy (NLD) party
taking power in 2016.
For Myanmar, so deep and extensive is US backing for
opposition groups there, that the elections virtually
guarantee US-backed candidates win.. every single
time. The US National Endowment for Democracy’s
own website alone... lists over 80 programs and
organizations receiving US government money
- for everything from election polling, and
building up political parties - to funding
media networks and “environmental”
groups used to block any Chinese-
initiated infrastructure projects.
The move by Myanmar’s military in February this year,
ousting Aung Sang Suu Kyi and the NLD, was meant to correct this.
However, in addition to backing political groups
protesting in the streets, the US has – for many
decades – backed and armed ethnic rebels
across the country. These rebels have now
linked up with the US-backed NLD and are
repeating the US-backed regime change
tactics used against the Arab World in 2011 --- in nations like Libya, Yemen,
and Syria – including explicit calls
for “international intervention.”
A US-Engineered “Asia Spring”
Just as the US did during the 2011 “Arab Spring” – the US
State Department, in a bid to create synergies across
its various regime change campaigns in Asia, has
introduced the “Milk Tea Alliance” to transform
individual US-backed regime change efforts in Asia, into a region-wide crisis.
The BBC itself admits in articles like, “Milk Tea
Alliance: Twitter creates emoji for pro-
democracy activists,” and that:
The alliance has brought together anti-Beijing protesters, in Hong Kong and Taiwan, with pro-democracy campaigners in Thailand and Myanmar.
Omitted from the BBC’s coverage of the “Milk Tea Alliance”
(intentionally) is the actual common denominators that
unite it – US funding through fronts like the National
Endowment for Democracy and a unifying hatred
of China - based exclusively on talking points
pushed by the US State Department itself.
Circling back to the Pentagon Papers and recalling the
coordinated, regional campaign the US sought to
encircle China with – we can then look at more
recent US government policy papers like the
“Indo-Pacific Framework” published in the
White House archives from the Trump
administration.
The policy paper’s first bullet point asks:
How to maintain US strategic primacy in the Indo-Pacific
region, and promote a liberal economic order, while
preventing China from establishing new, illiberal
spheres of influence, and cultivating areas of
cooperation to promote regional peace
and prosperity?
The paper also discusses information campaigns designed
to “educate” the world about “China’s coercive behaviour
and to influence operations around the globe.” These
campaigns have materialized in a propaganda war
fabricating accusations of “Chinese genocide” in
Xinjiang, China, claims that Chinese telecom
company Huawei is a global security threat,
and that China – not the US – is the single
largest threat to global peace and
stability today.
In reality US policy aimed at encircling China -- is
predicated upon Washington’s desire to continue
its own decades-long impunity upon the global
stage, and the continuation of all the wars,
humanitarian crises, and abuses, that
have stemmed from it.
Understanding the full scope of Washington’s
“competition” with China... helps unlock the
confusion surrounding unfolding individual
crises like the trade war; the ongoing
violence and turmoil in Myanmar;
bombings in southwest Pakistan;
students mobs in Thailand; riots
in Hong Kong; and attempts by
the US to transform the South
China Sea, into an inter- national conflict.
Understanding that these events are all connected - then
assessing the success or failure of US efforts - gives us a clearer picture of the overall success of Washington in encircling China. It also gives governments and
regional blocs a clearer picture of how to manage policy, in protecting against US subversion: that threatens national, regional, and global peace
and stability.
Brian Berletic, is a Bangkok-based geopolitical researcher and writer, especially for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook”.
Australians should be ashamed that they have a regime propped up to serve US racist agendas!
Image: sanctions infograph
How Exceptional America Is
by Eric Zuesse
September 30th, 2020
America is becoming exceptionally exceptional. In some votes
at the UN General Assembly - the Assembly of nations - only
Israel, or one or two other U.S. allies, vote along with it, and
all others either vote against it, or else abstain in order to
prevent U.S. retaliation against their own nation. No other
nation is anything like that. In fact, on many occasions,
the U.S. arm-twists other delegations -- in order to get
them to abstain from voting so as to make less stark,
and less embarrassing, America’s international
isolation. But America is also extraordinarily
exceptional in other ways, which have
nothing to do with the UN.
America is truly an exceptional nation. As the
Republican Party magazine National Review
stated, on September 15th, “Last week,
the US and Israel were the only states to vote against a General Assembly resolution on the coronavirus response. Some have seized upon that vote to paint the
USt as a bad faith actor that stands alone in the world.”
However, this vote wasn’t about only “the global
coronavirus response.” It was — perhaps even
more importantly - about U.S. sanctions against
Iran, Venezuela, Syria, Russia, China, and other
countries that the U.S. regime considers to be
its enemies. (None of these countries ever
invaded or even threatened to invade
the USA; all of those sanctions are
100% U.S. aggression.
They are target-countries that America’s aristocracy
wants to take over. (The world’s U.S.-sanctioned
countries are marked in red -- on the map of the
world below.) Israel strongly supports sanctions
against both Syria and Venezuela, and routinely
invades and bombs Syria just for good measure.
So, it joined America’s position on that.
That UN General Assembly vote was held on September
11th. America’s Associated Press bannered the next day,
“UN assembly approves pandemic resolution; US, Israel
object”, and reported that, “The 193-member world body
adopted the resolution by a vote of 169-2, with Ukraine
and Hungary abstaining. It was a strong show of unity
by the UN’s most representative body, though many
countries had hoped for adoption by consensus.”
The AP further stated:
It calls on governments and international financial institutions
“to provide more liquidity in the financial system, especially
in all developing countries.” It supports recovery plans that
“drive transformative change towards more inclusive and
just societies, including by empowering and engaging all
women and girls.”
And it urges UN member nations “to adopt a climate- and
environment-responsive approach to COVID-19 recovery
efforts”, including by aligning investments and domestic
policies with the UN goals & the 2015 Paris agreement
to combat climate change. …
By a vote of 132-3, the assembly amended the resolution to
urge all countries “to refrain from promulgating and applying
any unilateral economic, financial or trade measures not in
accordance with international law and the Charter of the
United Nations that impedes the full achievement of
economic and social development, particularly in
developing countries.”
The United States was then overwhelmingly defeated in
attempts to remove 2 paragraphs from the resolution,
one referring to women’s rights to “sexual and
reproductive health” --- and the other --- to
“promoting global sustainable transport.”
In addition to arguing against the language on sanctions,
the United States opposed all references to the World
Health Organization, which the US administration had
stopped funding, accusing the UN agency of failing
to do enough to stop the virus from spreading
when it first surfaced in China.
Nowhere in the AP’s article was any mention made that
in the “vote of 169-2,” the two nations which had voted
against the Resolution were the US and Israel, but only
that there had been “objections from the United States
and Israel,” regarding attachment, to the Resolution, of
the Amendment that added the anti-sanctions provision
to it. This omission was not an error. It is a type of
omission that is common in propaganda. America
was more isolated than that ‘news’-report
made clear.
This vote was about only a “Resolution,” a statement of
the various nations’ values, to work toward, not about
any nation’s policy, but the U.S. and Israel don’t share
those goals — not even rhetorically. This opposition
to that Resolution’s goals, was truly exceptional.
In particular, nothing is more abhorrent to the US regime
--- than to stop or impede its sanctions. These sanctions
include, for example, punishments against any company
or government that will, in any way, assist in Russia’s 96%
completed NordStream 2 natural gas pipeline to Germany,
for the EU to buy Russia’s pipelined natural gas instead of
America’s fracked, canned, shipped, natural gas. The U.S.
regime insists that EU nations buy the far costlier trans-
Atlantic-shipped fracked US liquefied natural gas (LNG).
That insistence upon the EU’s wasting money, in order to
prop-up America’s fracking industry, is, indeed, exceptional,
because European nations haven’t customarily been treated
as being mere colonies of other powers. America is treating
purchasers from, or cooperators with, that competitor (Russia),
as being its enemies. The way the U.S. Representative stated
this (after a lengthy diatribe which blamed China for Covid-19
and said that the U.S. had quit the World Health Organization
because WHO lacked “independence from the Chinese
Communist Party”) was: “Economic sanctions are a
legitimate means to achieve foreign policy, security,
and other national and international objectives, and
the United States is not alone in that view or in that
practice.” (That exact same sentence had, earlier,
been stated by the US regarding a different matter,
on 18 November 2019.) Actually, the U.S. regime is
very “alone” on it. Furthermore, the other part was
also a lie: the U.S. regime asserts that coercing
corporations and countries to not buy from the
lowest-cost supplier, is within its sovereign
right to do.
However, as Professor Alfred de Zayas, who until recently was
the UN’s top expert on this topic, explained in depth on 27th
June 2019, that assertion is blatantly false, on many clear
grounds concerning international law. It is a blatant lie, no
matter how many times the U.S. regime asserts it (and
asserts that the US regime isn’t “alone” in asserting it).
Even back when Barack Obama (the man who repeatedly
claimed that “The United States is and remains, the one
indispensable nation”) was America’s President, the US
was exceptional at the United Nations. For example, on
24th November 2014, I headlined “U.S. Among Only 3
Countries Officially Backing Nazism & Holocaust-
Denial”, and reported that - “In a UN vote, on
November 21st, only 3 countries - the US, Ukraine, and Canada — voted against a resolution to condemn racist fascism,
or nazism, and to condemn denial of Germany’s World War II Holocaust against, primarily, Jews.''
This measure passed the General Assembly, on a vote of 115
in favour, 3 against, & 55 abstentions (the abstentions were
in order not to offend U.S. President Obama, who was
opposed to the resolution).” Then, on 21 June 2015,
I headlined “America’s UN Ambassador Continues
Standing Up for Nazis” and noted that, again,
Obama’s UN Ambassador, Samantha Power,
had stood up for nazism; she had just
delivered an address -- in Ukraine --
rallying that country’s supporters
of nazism to war against Russia.
Then, on 21 November 2017, I headlined “Trump
Continues Obama’s Support of Nazism”, and
reported that:
On November 16th, US President Donald Trump, acting
through an agent of his agent, UN Ambassador Nikki
Haley, voted at the UN against a resolution that
condemns bigotry, and especially condemns
nazism & all forms of racism. He thus, yet
again, continues in the tradition from his
predecessors, Presidents Obama, and
Bush, each year, placing this nation in
the company of only one or two U.S.
allies throughout the world who join
with the US in refusing to commit to
opposing and doing everything to
reduce, not just political Nazism
(which, of course, is past), but
ideological nazism, racist
fascism - institutionalized
bigotry (which, sadly, is
not past).
But, be that as it may, the U.S. is also exceptional in
many other ways. I listed some of those on July 13th.
There are two main reasons why the U.S. regime is able
to coerce other nations to not violate its will. One is that
although publicly available reports allege it spends
approximately 37% of the entire world’s military
expenditures, the U.S. regime actually - spends
around 50% of the entire world’s military costs,
and therefore, it possesses an extraordinary
physical capacity to impose its will, if and
when merely economically blockading an
‘enemy’ country (via sanctions) fails to do the job of getting it to comply.
And the other main reason is that, since the US government
is at least as corrupt as the average “third-world” country is,
but is instead one of the world’s richest countries, arranging
pay-offs to other world leaders, in order to obtain their
cooperation, is easily affordable... (These payoffs are
being paid by all US.taxpayers, not by only America’s
billionaires, who reap all of the profits from the
empire that is imposed.)
American exceptionalism is real. It’s not the type of
exceptionalism that the regime’s propaganda claims
to be the case, but, nonetheless, it is real.
(Strategic Culture Foundation)
Image: sanctions map
Please watch the video above... We have never existed in such peril, and yet almost no-one is able to act.
Nuclear words: Putin's FINAL warning:
(People DO need reminding -- unless US, UK and French policy changes, and stops being so 'exceptional' -- that is, outside the UN legal Charter and thus, criminal --- there will be a reaping.)
World Will Not Survive the US' Neocons' Doctrine of US World Hegemony - Paul Graig Roberts Wednesday, February 7th, 2018
"The government of the United States is clearly in demonic hands. We are overflowing with proof", writes American well known analytist and ex- official Paul Graig Roberts in his website.
Take today (2-2-18) for example. A report from the House Intelligence Committee was released that is proof that the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Justice --- and the Democrat National Committee, are now in a conspiracy against American democracy and the President of the United States, with the full support of the presstitute media.
As if that is not enough, also released today, is the Pentagon’s new Nuclear Posture Review. A nuclear posture review specifies a country’s attitude to nuclear weapons and their use. In past posture reviews, nuclear weapons were regarded as unusable except in retaliation for a nuclear attack. The assumption was that no one would use them. There was always the chance that false warnings of incoming ICBMs would result in a nuclear button being pushed - setting off Armageddon.
There were many false warnings during the Cold War
President Ronald Reagan, was very concerned about a false warning, ending in mass death & destruction.
This is why his principal goal was to end the Cold War, which he succeeded in doing. It did not take successor governments long, to resurrect the Cold War.
The new US nuclear posture is a reckless, irresponsible, and destabilizing departure from the previous attitude toward nuclear weapons. The use of even a small part of the existing arsenal of the United States would be sufficient to destroy life on earth. Yet, the posture review calls for more weapons, speaks of nuclear weapons as “usable,” and justifies their use in First Strikes, even against countries that do not have nuclear weapons.
This is an insane escalation. It tells every country that the US government, believes in the first use of nuclear weapons against any & every country. Nuclear powers such as Russia & China must see this to be a massive increase in the threat level from the US.
Those responsible for this document should be committed to insane aslyums, not left in policy positions where they can put it into action.
The neoconservatives are a small group of conspirators. Most neoconservatives are Jews allied with Israel. Some are dual-citizens. They created an ideology of US world hegemony, specifying that the chief goal of US foreign policy, is to prevent the rise of any other power that could serve as a constraint on US unilateralism.
As neoconservatives control US foreign policy, this explains US hostility toward Russia and China and also the neo-conservatives’ use of the US military to remove governments in the Middle East, seen by Israel as obstacles to Israeli expansion. For two decades --- the US has been fighting wars for Israel in the Middle East. This fact proves the power and influence of the insane neo- conservatives. It is certain, that people as insane as the neoconservatives, would launch a nuclear attack on Russiaand China.
The Russian and Chinese governments seem to be completely unaware of the threat that the neo- conservatives pose to them. I have never experienced in interviews with Russians and Chinese, any awareness of the neo- conservative ideology. Possibly, it is too insane for them to grasp.
Ideologues such as the neoconservatives are not fact-based
They are chasing their dream of world hegemony. Russia & China are in the way of this hegemony. Having learned the limits of conventional military power—after 20 years the US “superpower” has been unable to defeat a few thousand lightly armed Taliban in Afghanistan—the neo-conservatives know: conventional invasions of Russia or China, would lead to the total defeat of US forces.
Therefore, the neoconservatives have elevated nuclear weapons to a First Strike, usable, arsenal that in the neoconservative dream of world hegemony can be used to destroy Russia and China.
Ideologues who divorce themselves from the facts create a virtual world for themselves. Their belief in their ideology blinds them to the risks for them- selves and others that they impose on the world.
Thanks to the American liberal/progressive/left, the entirety of the world is faced with a far more likely nuclear demise than ever threatened us during the Cold War with the Soviet Union.
By its collaboration with the military/security complex & the corrupt Hillary DNC, the liberal/progressive/left has forever discredited itself. It is now seen by every thinking person worldwide as an insane propaganda ministry --- for the neoconservatives’ plan to use nuclear weapons to eliminate constraints on US unilateralism.
The liberal/progressive/left has endorsed “hegemony or death.”
They will get death. For all of us.
(Source - DONi News Agency)
According to: PaulGraigRoberts.org
Legendary memorial at Saur-Tomb ''restored by May 2017''
DPR authorities have finished restoring the Saur-Tomb by May 2017. It was announced by the Building Minister, Sergey Naymets.
‘Saur Tomb has been being restored since November, and we planned to finish this by May 2017’, the Minister said.
He said "many people contributed to this project of restoration of the memorial damaged by shelling," Naumets noted.
____________________________
Cool Russia!
[Eng Subs] Children of Donbass, "Toys for Poroshenko" Music Video by Artem Grishanov
POWERFUL - PUT THIS ON HEADPHONES. I guarantee you will cry - and if you don't - please seek psychiatric help.
Full Text: Official Declaration of the Malorossiyan Federation
Zakharchenko announces a new federal state, Malorossiya, (means ''Little Russia'') as the legal successor of Ukraine. DONi News Agency
On 18.7.2017 the Head of the Donetsk People's Republic, Alexander Zakharchenko, declared the creation of a new federal state, Malorossiya, which will become the legal successor of 'Ukraine'. The new state formation, will consist of 19 regions of the former Ukraine with the capital in Donetsk city. Kiev remains a historical and cultural centre, without the status of capital city.
Here is the full English translation of the declaration:
Political Declaration
The project of the state of "Ukraine", formulated 150 years ago and implemented in different versions during the 20th century, has reached its logical conclusion --- and led to the country's disintegration, civil war and the death of tens of thousands of people, including children, women, and elderly people.
And this process is irreversible. An attempt to turn the story back will result in "balkanization" of the conflict, expansion of chaos, escalation of civil war and even bigger numbers of casualties.
To stop the civil war and avoid new victims, we representatives of the majority of the regions of former "Ukraine" assembled in Donetsk on July 18, 2017, discussed the current situation and came to the following conclusions:
- the state of "Ukraine" has revealed itself as a failed state and demonstrated its being incapable of granting its inhabitants a peaceful and prosperous present and future;
- the current authorities – elected in Kiev, after the coup d'etat, against the backdrop of political terror and the absence of elections in the Crimea and Donbass, are illegitimate;
- the state of "Ukraine" is on the brink of economic catastrophe and depopulation;
- an ultranationalist coup is brewing in Kiev, as a result of which outright neo-Nazis will come to power insteadof "Banderites with a European face";
- the Ukrainian nationalistic project (the Galician one) has discredited itself, by the shedding of civilians' blood in the country;
- the ideology of "Ukrainism" has proved to be misanthropic, mixed with xenophobia (Russophobia, anti-Semitism, Polonophobia) and neo-Nazism (the ideology of national exclusivity and superiority);
- resulting from historical development and due to the Maidan, the word "Ukraine" is forever associated with the names of the Nazi accomplices, Bandera and Shukhevich, with the tragedies of the Baby Yar, the Volyn massacre & Khatyn, and, nowadays, with the mass murder of people on the Maidan, in the Trade Unions' House in Odessa, and Genocide of the Donbass people.
On the basis of the above, we believe that the state of "Ukraine", in the form it was established, after the collapse of the USSR, is UNSERVICEABLE.
We, representatives of the regions of the former "Ukraine", propose to re-establish the state and to proclaim the state of MALOROSSIYA, under an historical background, out of the former "Ukraine". In this case, it is of fundamental importance to rename the country, since "Ukraine" as a state, is guilty of war crimes, mass terror and the genocide of its own people.
In turn, the new name of the country, based on historical traditions, will enable us to reunify those pieces of the former "Ukraine" that seemed to have parted ways forever, including because of participation in the civil war, on different sides of the front line.
We must turn the page of our people's history, which is flooded with the blood of our brothers and sisters.
Malorossiya is an INDEPENDENT, SOVEREIGN state, with a new name, a new flag, a new constitution, a new state structure, new principles of social and economic development, and new historical prospectives.
But this is NOT A REVOLUTION ! This is a return to history. This is a novelty that restores, not destroys.
In view of the economic plight of the country, the chaos & disintegration potential, and regarding the possibility of launching a "war of all against all", we consider it necessary to declare a state of emergency for the transition period – up to 3 years. During this time, the process of adoption of the new Constitution and the establishment of the rule of law, should be completed.
Under a state of emergency, a ban on the activities of political parties and foreign funds is to be introduced, & penalties for criminal offenses, especially against the person, are to be increased. The fight against corruption will be toughened, as well as the penalties for it.The shadow arms market is to be eliminated, including by registering weapons in accordance with the new law.
In the same period an investigation is to be carried out, with the involvement of foreign specialists –- from Russia, Belarus & the European Union –- into the crimes committed by the Maidan Kiev regime: the murders on the Maidan, the murder of Odessa citizens in the Trade Unions' House on May 2nd, 2014, and the war crimes in Donbass, in the so-called ATO.
In the same period, the People's Tribunal is to be prepared to charge the state criminals who have led the country into disintegration and civil war: V.F. Yanukovich (with a request to Russia for his extradition), P.A. Poroshenko and his clique: Turchinov, Yatsenyuk, Kolomoisky, Paruby, Nalivaichenko and others.
We are sure that, having recovered from the criminal neo-Nazi ideology of "Ukrainism", we will be able to build a new society on the basis of friendship and mutual assistance -- but not hatred and envy. The creative genius of our people will manage to bring Malorossiya to the forefront of global civilization and play a role in history. The role of Good, and Truth.
Official translation by the DONi Donbass News Agency, 07/18/2017
(Source - Russia Insider)
_____________________________________________
Nato – A Dangerous Alliance May 24th
As Nato ends its summit in Brussels, Rae Street explains why the military alliance remains a threat to world peace
When the Warsaw Pact ended, after the collapse of communism, some optimists might have expected Nato to be broken up too. After all, the Labour Party in Britain had been opposed to Nato in the mid-1980s. But that was not to be. The US, which had always dominated Nato, quickly began to reinvent Nato and furthermore, to expand it.
Following the end of the Warsaw Pact many central and east European governments wanted to join Nato. This, of course, was music to the ears of the US military manufacturers. Indeed, the chair of the expand Nato committee, Bruce Jackson, was technical director of Lockheed Martin, the largest military manufacturer in the world. So, for the new Nato members because of the policy on “interoperability,” that is Nato personnel being able to use the same military equipment, it was out with the old Soviet military hard- ware and in with sales of, for example, Lockheed’s military aircraft ,costing millions of dollars.
This continues to this day in countries which can ill afford it, with struggling economies. The latter includes Greece. Think of the situation in Greece today.
Expanding Nato up to the borders with Russia, was a provocative policy. The dangers were pointed out but the military industrial complex and the “hawks” in the West, took no notice.
To this day, this helps President Vladimir Putin: more and more of the Russian people believe that “the West” is against them.
Decades later, we read: “British troops have arrived in Estonia, as part of a major Nato mission in the Baltic states, to deter Russian aggression.”
From the start, Nato has always held a nuclear armed policy. It continues to claim that nuclear weapons “preserve peace.” Manifestly, nuclear weapons do not deter conflict.
Governments, including Britain’s, now analyse the main threats to security as cyber warfare and terrorism. Remember September 11th 2001, when New York was attacked by terrorists in planes, brandishing knives?
The US then had and still has, 13 nuclear armed Trident submarines, of which several will be roaming the seas fully operational. Britain has four, with one constantly on alert at sea.
Were these any use in the madman’s attack on Westminster, or in any terrorist attacks?
Trident is “integrated” into Nato. Even worse, Nato still has a policy of “first use of nuclear weapons.”
When the then minister of defence, Geoff Hoon, was asked in Parliament why Britain has a policy of “first use,” he replied: “Because of our obligations to Nato.”
Under the direction of the US administration, with its policy of global domination, Nato has established a string of nuclear-armed bases across Europe, in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey, at Incirlik.
The latter is now causing deep problems as relations between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the US, become more and more fractious.
There is now a real problem for Nato, as Erdogan is a repressive dictator — how can Turkey remain in Nato?
Nato states are supposed to uphold principles of human rights and democracy, notably lacking in Turkey today.
The nuclear-armed bases come under Nato’s “nuclear sharing policy” — in effect a violation of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Nato continues to expand. The policy of not acting “out of area” was dropped long ago. “North Atlantic” simply means, a domination of policies by the US.
Nato claims in its “strategic concept” that “the promotion of Euro-Atlantic security is best assured through a wide network of partner relationships with countries and organisations around the globe.”
In 1994 Nato established the Partnerships for Peace across Europe, extending as far as Uzbekistan.
Nato surrounds Russia from the west and east. These Partnerships for Peace (note the language again) now include 22 states, including “neutral” Ireland.
Then there is the ''Mediterranean Dialogue,'' with ''arrangements'' with countries in the Middle East. Few people realise that Nato carries out military exercises with Israel.
Nato has also established bilateral relations — named individual partnerships — with Afghanistan, Australia, Iraq, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand and Pakistan.
In this part of the globe, where Nato carried out a military exercise in 2014 with Japan, named Ocean Shield, they are surrounding and menacing China, as the enemy.
Then there was the statement by Nato that “co-operation between Nato and the United Nations continues to make a substantial contribution to security in operations round the world.
“The alliance aims to deepen political dialogue and practical co-operation with the UN, as set out in the Nato/UN declaration, signed in 2008.”
This seems like Nato bidding to be the UN's military arm.
This hardly accords with the UN Charter. It was the Organisation for Security & Co-operation in Europe, set up under Chapter 8, of the UN Charter, to prevent and resolve conflict by non-military means and to promote co-operation in humanitarian and other fields.
The 54 member states stretch from Iceland to Kyrgyzstan and include Russia. Alas, how many times do you read of their work in the press, compared with the times you hear about Nato?
Nato is sold to us as a peace-making body. After all, the US is home to the finest PR companies in the world.
To summarise, Nato is pursuing yet more militarism and war:
- All Nato states are required to increase their military budgets to 2 per cent of GDP. That means stealing more money from social needs. Readers of the Morning Star know those all too well: the NHS, education, adult social services; the list is endless.
- Nato member states will have to spend 20 per cent of defence budgets on military equipment: warships, war planes, drones, bombs. By fuelling the arms race, Nato makes a mockery of moves for conflict resolution.
- Nato and its member states multiply interventions outside their territory and increase their presence through world- wide partnerships and “coalitions of the willing.”
- Nato extends its nuclear policies as a supreme “guarantee for the allies’ security,” notwithstanding that the majority of countries in the world are negotiating a treaty to ban nuclear weapons. In the meantime, nuclear weapons in Europe — under the guise of Nato — and elsewhere, are being modernised at a cost of many tens of billions of dollars and pounds. Think of Trident at a cost of £205 billion.
The Nato summit will be held and activists will beholding a “counter-summit” with protesters organising workshops and a demonstration.
CND activists will be there from the UK, but -- we also need people to raise the issues with their MPs, write letters to the press and raise awareness on social media.
Let’s put pressure on the government to invest in social welfare, not Nato, not war.
(Source - Morning Star)
In 2017 in the Donbass - give the children Peace!
Ethnic Ruthenes of sub-Carpathian Ukraine demand autonomy
Activists of a Slavic ethnic group known as Ruthenes -- or Rusyns -- who reside in the Trans-Carpathian (sub-Carpathian) region of Ukraine, have turned to President Pyotr Poroshenko with a demand:
recognize the results of 1991's regional referendum --- when 78% of the region's residents, voted in favor of granting it the status of a self-governing region.
"We have two main demands - to recognize the Rhuthenes as an ethnos and to acknowledge the regional referendum of 1991, where 78% sub-Carpathians voted for the region being a self-governed territory within Ukraine," Vesti quoted Ivan Palinkash, the leader of the Ruthene movement & a member of the People’s Council's presidium of Sub-Carpathian Ruthenes.
Natalya Magalina, a deputy of Uzhgorod district council, told the meeting of leaders of Ruthene ethnic organizations it is important to maintain the Ruthene language by establishing minimal norms for broadcasting in the native tongue, over the state regional TV Channel Tisa-1.
This isn't the first time that the Ruthenes of the sub- Carpathian area have asked the Kiev government to recognize the outcome of the referendum held 25 years ago. The Coordination Council of Ruthene Organizations of the Trans-Carpathian Region turned to the central authorities with the same requirement, the previous time, in the summer of 2015.
It was also in the summer of 2015 that the activists of Ruthene organizations adopted an appeal to the Council of Europe, the European Commission, the Organization for Security & Cooperation in Europe & the UN, as well as to the parliaments of Hungary, the Czech Republic, & Slovakia, to wield pressure on President Poroshenko and force the Ukrainian government towards accepting the result of their referendum.
The Ruthenes are an indigenous sub-Carpathian people. Ukrainian authorities do not consider them to be a separate ethnos, and continue calling them Ukrainians, although the UN has issued recommendations more than once, to recognize their status as a separate ethnos.
More than that, Kiev accuses the leaders of Ruthene organizations of making appeals for encroachments on the territorial integrity of the country.
(source - TASS)
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Zionist lobby preventing West from criticizing Israel: Analyst Fri Dec 16, 2016
The European Union has censured the Israeli regime for destroying Palestinian shelters and structures in the occupied territories. According to a statement by the European bloc, the Tel Aviv regime has demolished 866 structures so far in 2016 in Area C of the West Bank, which is under full Israeli military control.
Anthony Hall, editor-in-chief of the American Herald Tribune from Alberta, says that the European states have been under the influence of the Zionist lobby to go along with Israeli interests - and thus refuse to slam crimes against the Palestinian people.
“Every government within the EU has a very strong Israeli lobby, and this is one of the dilemmas that the Western people are facing,”Hall explained.
“Not only the governing parties but the opposition parties as well, are constraining discussion and discourse within a very narrow range, that puts Israeli priorities at the top of the list in all our Western countries,”he added.
The professor also called on Western citizens to“intervene directly and make contact with the Palestinian people, directly.”
“We, as the citizens in the EU, citizens in Canada, & citizens in the US, have to find ways to bypass the constraints of our governments & the biases and power of this lobby over our governments,” he noted.
Hall criticized the EU for its forensic accounting of homes demolished in Palestine.
“This type of numerical accounting fails to really describe the nature of this destruction of homes in its broader context ------ where thousands of Palestinian people are in dungeons and being tortured in Israeli incarceration facilities,” he said.
“The reality: that the world is letting this happen is very discouraging,” he added.
Hall warned that the prospect of a Palestinian state is no longer viable, given the emphasis on building up settlements, and destroying the structures of the indigenous people of Palestine.
"This goes beyond apartheid,” he said.
The Israeli policy of demolishing houses in the West Bank to build illegal settler units has affected 5,704 Palestinians, of whom, 1,221 have been rendered homeless, including 586 children.
(source - PressTv)
_____________________________________
UN Adopts"Paper Tiger" Resolution, on Israel's Withdrawal from the Syrian Golan
Fahwad Al-Khadoumi -The UN General Assembly adopted yet another resolution demanding that Israel withdraw from the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, in line with a resolution of June 4, 1967.
However, UN General Assembly resolutions are non-binding and no more than a paper tiger, with- out a unanimous decision by the permanent UN Security Council members, to enforce them; A highly unlikely prospect.
In its latest resolution, the UN General Assembly again condemned Israel's non-compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 497 (1981).
The General Assembly reiterated that Israel's decision from December 14th, 1981, to impose Israeli laws, administration & custody on the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, is null and void -- and has no legality at all.
The latest UNGA resolution was adopted by an overwhelming majority of UN member States.
The resolution --- reaffirmed the illegality of acquiring territories ----- through the use of military force. The General Assembly also repeated that Israel's continued occupation & enforcement of Israeli law & administration violates international law, the UN Charter, & the Geneva Convention's principles on the protection of civilians during war.
During the UNGA session, a number of states condemned the Israeli practices in occupied Syrian Golan, calling on Israel to withdraw from Golan, in line with June 4th, 1967.
37 states proposed the now adopted draft resolution. However, UNGA resolutions are non-binding and no more than a paper tiger, unless permanent Security Council members are willing to put their money where their mouth was, when they adopted UNSC Resolution 497 (1981) - decades ago.
Moreover, none of the permanent UNSC members - China, France, Russia, the UK and the US - took any tangible steps when the now former Israeli Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, defiantly declared that "Israel and the Golan are part and parcel" and that "the international community should get used to facing the fact that Israel will permanently annex the Syrian territory".
Most favourite scapegoat
The favorite scapegoat among permanent UNSC members, with regard to supporting Israel and neglecting Israel's illegal occupation of Golan is the US. However, Russia is in no way more actively pursuing Israel's adherence with UNSC Resolution 497 (1981) -- than any other -- of the self-anointed permanent UNSC members. In April 2016, Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin, were ominously silent about the Golan when Israeli PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, visited Moscow.
Russia failed to respond to what Netanyahu had declared "a red line" - occupation of the Golan.
A brief review of recent history pertaining to the Israeli occupation, international affairs & Israel's use of the Golan to wage war on Syria, suffices to show that the UN System has failed, utterly, and that it is perverted to the point that many analysts call for abolishing the UN altogether.
In June 2013 an Austrian UN Disengagement & Observer Force (UNDOF) officer told the press that Israel is -- running a joint operations room with the insurgents in Syria in the Golan.The UNSC failed to respond and more importantly, failed to take action. In July 2013, the Syrian permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, Dr. Fayssal al-Hamwi, noted how Israel, since it occupied the Syrian Golan Heights in 1967, has displaced about half a million of the Golan´s original inhabitants.
Also in Feb. 2014, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu preempted a public relations quagmire by visiting a field hospital for "Syrian Freedom Fighters" in the Golan to show how much Israel cares and does, on the humanitarian front. It turned out that the "Freedom Fighters" belonged to the Syrian Al-Qaeda franchise, Jabhat al-Nusra.
In March 2014, Israel launched one of many military attacks against Syrian military and security forces, from the Golan, while the UNSC and most media were "silent".
In April 2014 The Director of Israel's Military Intelligence, Brigadier General Aviv Kochavi, a protegé of the now deceased Ariel Sharon, was appointed to head the Israeli Defense Forces Northern Command.
NSNBC international editor-in-chief, Christof Lehmann, reported that the appointment of Kochavi, indicated that Israel was planning large-scale military operations in the Golan in the near future and the widening of the Syria war. Lehmann was right on the money.
In May 2014 Israel denied Syrians in Golan the right to participate in Syrian elections. The UN was "silent". In mid-April 2016, ahead of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed that Israel would hold on to the Golan.
A UNDOF withdrawal has left a 12-16 km wide corridor uncontrolled by the UNDOF... In 2013, it transpired that Israel was giving support to Jabhat al-Nusrah, such as a joint intelligence and military operations room in the Israeli occupied Golan, plus logistical support, weapons, field hospitals, and direct combat support.
In September 2014, Israeli machinations, resulted in the displacement of UNDOF troops from a 12-16 kilometer-wide corridor in the disengagement zone in the Golan by Jabhat Al-Nusra.. The corridor has since been used to supply Al-Nusra and the other terrorists and to launch attacks against Syria.
All permanent UNSC members with the exception of Russia were "silent". Russian diplomats tentatively spoke out against terminating the peace keeping mission in the Golan. The UNSC failed to act.
In 2015 it came out that Israel planned a major hydrocarbon extraction project in the Golan. Partners in crime include Genier Energy.
On the board of directors? Dick Cheney, James Woolsey, Bill Richardson, Jacob Lord Rothschild, Rupert Murdoch, Larry Summers and Michael Steinhardt, among others. Other players involved include the Israeli subsidiary, Afek Oil and Gas, American Shale, French Total and BP. Thus, there exists a broad and powerful nexus of US, British, French and Israeli interests: at the forefront of pushing for the break-up of Syria and control of what's believed to be potentially vast untapped oil and gas resources in the country.
On April 20th, 2016, NSNBC international editor- in-chief Christof Lehmann -- said Netanyahu's "Red Line" would be a litmus test for Russia, as a permanent UNSC member. On April 21st, after talks between Netanyahu and Putin in Moscow, it could be concluded that Russia failed -- spectacularly.
In September 2016, Israel started a wave of home demolitions in the Golan. The UNSC was "silent".
In October 2016, Israel announced plans to build 1,600 settlement units in the Golan, & none of the permanent UNSC members took any action.
So much for the latest UN General Assembly paper tiger.
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The UK Labour MPs who didn’t back the Yemen vote have blood on their hands by David Wearing
Presenting the motion in the Commons, Thornberry was subjected to a series of ill-judged interruptions by Labour MPs, such as Kevan Jones, Toby Perkins and John Woodcock. Indeed, Thornberry received more vocal support in the chamber from the SNP group than from her own supposed comrades.
According to subsequent reports, some Labour members even tried to work with their Tory counterparts, in order to defeat their own party’s motion.
Woodcock, a former 'Progress' Chair, claimed that British support is “precisely focused on training the Saudis” to improve their targeting - so as to “create fewer civilian casualties” - parroting the official government line. The idea that the Saudis’ “widespread & systematic” attacks on civilian targets are just a series of well- meaning errors, is one that, to put it as gently as possible, lacks credibility.
And if decades of training provided by the British to the Saudi pilots hasn’t prevented these supposed errors by now --- it seems rather unlikely that it will in the near future.
In any case, this misrepresents the true nature of the UK's role. When the intervention began, the foreign secretary Philip Hammond, vowed to “support the Saudis in every practical way short of engaging in combat”, including “spare parts, maintenance, technical advice, resupply” and “logistical support”. The reality is that the Saudi Air Force, roughly half UK-supplied and half US-supplied jets, could barely function, without this ongoing assistance from Washington and London.
If there is Yemeni blood on the hands of the Saudi-led coalition - then that blood is also on the hands of the coalition’s western backers, enablers and apologists.
The Saudis and their allies can only wage this war because the Anglo-American suppliers of their air forces are providing active, material support. And British and American politicians can only collude in these outrages, because the political cost on them, so far, has been low. However, it is in the gift of their constituents – you, the reader – to change that equation.
(source - The Guardian)
This could be defeated --- with a UNITED LABOUR PARTY !!!
But unfortunately, there are "entryist" MPs who, for decades, have been groomed by CIA cold war relic organisations -- like the Atlantic Council -- and are now trying to misdirect the Labour Party towards cuts, a militarised police, and a US war agenda... and their anti-peace MPs are hobbling Labour.
129 Labour MPs voted to stop support for Saudi Arabia’s campaign in Yemen. The vote was defeated by a majority of 90.
The motion called for ---- support to be withdrawn from the Saudi government until a United Nations investigation could determine whether the Saudi bombing had breached international law.
The motion didn't explicitly include a suspension of UK arms sales.
100+ Labour MPs didn't vote on the motion. If all of them had voted to support it, the government would have been defeated.
The following, are the Labour MPs who abstained, or weren't present to vote.
Adrian Bailey Andy Burnham Angela Eagle Angela Smith Ann Clwyd Ann Coffey Anna Turley Barry Sheerman Ben Bradshaw Bridgit Phillipson Caroline Flint Catherine McKinnell Chris Bryant Chris Elmore (Teller) Chris Evans Chris Leslie Clive Lewis (ill) Connor McGinn Dan Jarvis David Crausby David Lammy Diana Johnson Fiona MacTaggart Frank Field Gareth Thomas Gavin Shuker Geoffrey Robinson George Howarth Gerald Kaufman Gill Furniss Gisela Stuart Gloria De Piero Graeme Jones Graham Allen Graham Stringer Heidi Alexander Helen Jones Ian Austin Ian Murray Ivan Lewis Jamie Reed Jim Fitzpatrick Joan Ryan John Mann John Spellar John Woodcock Judith Cummins (Teller) Julie Elliott Kate Hoey Keith Vaz Kevan Jones Kevin Barron Liz Kendall Luciana Berger Lucy Powell Madeleine Moon Margaret Beckett Margaret Hodge Maria Eagle Mark Hendrick Mary Creagh Meg Hillier (Paired) Melanie Onn Michael Dugher Mike Gapes Natascha Engel Neil Coyle Nia Griffith Pat McFadden Paul Flynn Peter Kyle Phil Wilson Rachel Reeves Rob Flello Rob Marris Roberta Blackman-Woods Rosie Cooper Rushanara Ali Ruth Smeeth Shabana Mahmood Siobhain McDonagh Stephen Kinnock Susan Jones Toby Perkins Tom Blenkinsopp Tom Watson Tracy Brabin Tristram Hunt Vernon Coaker Wayne David Wes Streeting Yasmin Qureshi Yvonne Fovargue
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‘How Can I Deselect My Labour MP?’ A Short Guideto Reselection and Democratic Accountability by Eric Sim, excellent free advice here:
Nicolas J S Davies is the author of Blood On Our Hands: the American Invasion and Destruction of Iraq. He also wrote the chapters on “Obama at War” in Grading the 44th President: a Report Card on Barack Obama’s First Term as a Progressive (Lol) Leader.
In the past weeks, Burundi and S. Africa have joined Namibia in declaring their intention to withdraw from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC). They are likely to be followed by a parade of other African countries, jeopardizing the future of an international court, which has prosecuted 39 officials from 8 African countries, but has failed to indict a single person who is not African.
Ironically, African countries were among the first to embrace the ICC, so it is a striking turnaround that they are now the first to give up on it.
But it is the United States that has played the leading role in preventing the ICC from fulfilling the universal mandate for which it was formed, to hold officials of all countries accountable for the worst crimes in the world: genocide; crimes against humanity; and war crimes - not least, international aggression, which the judges at Nuremberg defined as “the supreme international crime”, from which, all other war crimes follow.
As the ICC’s founding father, former Nuremberg prosecutor Benjamin Ferencz, lamented in 2011: “You don’t have to be a criminologist to realize that if you want to deter a crime, you must persuade potential criminals that, if they commit crimes, they will be hauled into court and be held accountable. It is the policy of the US to do just the opposite as far as the crime of aggression is concerned.
"Our government has gone to great pains --- to be sure that no US citizen will be tried by any international criminal court, for the supreme crime of illegal war-making.”
The US has not only refused to accept the jurisdiction of the ICC over its own citizens. It's gone further, pressuring other countries to sign Bilateral Immunity Agreements (BIA), in which they renounce the right to refer US citizens to the ICC for war crimes committed on their territory.
The US has also threatened to cut off US aid to countries that refuse to sign them. The BIAs violate those countries’ own commitments under the ICC statute, and US pressure to sign them, has been rightly condemned: as an outrageous effort to ensure impunity for US war crimes.
Resistance to US Impunity
To the credit of our international neighbours, this US strategy has met with substantial resistance. The European Parliament overwhelmingly passed a resolution, stating that BIAs are incompatible with EU membership, and urging EU- member states and countries seeking EU membership not to sign them.
Fifty-four countries have publicly refused to sign BIAs, and 24 have accepted cut-offs of US aid as a consequence of their refusal. Of 102 countries that have signed a BIA, only 48 are members of the ICC in any case ----- and only 15 of those countries are on record as having ratified the BIAs in their own parliaments.
Thirty-two other ICC members have apparently allowed BIAs to take effect without parliament- ary ratification, but this has been challenged by their own country’s legal experts in many cases.
The US campaign to undermine the ICC is part of a much broader effort by the US government to evade all forms of accountability under the laws that are supposed to govern international behaviour in the modern world --- even as it continues to masquerade as a global champion of the rule of law.
The treaties US policy systematically violates today, were crafted by US statespersons and diplomats, working with foreign colleagues, to build a world where all people will enjoy some basic protections... from the worst atrocities, instead of being subject only to the law of the jungle or “might makes right.”
So current US policy is a cynical betrayal of the work and wisdom of past generations of US citizens, as well as of countless victims over the world to whom we are effectively denying the protections of the UN Charter & Geneva Conventions, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and many other multilateral treaties our country ignores, violates or refuses to ratify.
Avoiding jurisdiction in international courts is only one of the ways that the US evades international accountability for its criminal behaviour. Another involves an elaborate, well-disguised, public relations campaign that exploits the powerful position of US corporations in the world of commercial media.
Major Propaganda Funding
The US government spends a billion dollars per year on public relations or, more bluntly, propaganda, including $600 million from the Pentagon budget. The work of its PR teams and contractors is laundered by US news- papers --- and repeated and analyzed ad nauseam, by monolithic, flag-waving TV networks.
These profitable corporate operations monopolize the public airwaves in the US, and also use their financial clout, slick marketing, and the support of the US State Department to maintain a power- ful presence in foreign and international media markets.
Foreign media in allied countries provide further legitimacy and credibility to US talking-points and narratives as they echo around the world. Meanwhile, Hollywood fills cinema and TV screens across the world with an idealized, glamorized, inspirational version of the US that still mesmerizes many people.
This whole elaborate “information warfare” machine presents the US as a global leader for democracy, human rights and the rule of law, even as it systematically and catastroph- ically undermines those same principles. It enables our leaders to loudly, persuasively, demonize other countries and their leaders as dangerous violators of international law, even as the US and its allies commit far worse crimes.
Double Standards
The phrase “aggressive war” is also a no-no in the Western media - when the US government launches wars, across international borders. In the past 20 years, the US has violated the UN Charter to attack at least eight countries (Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Libya & Syria), and the resulting wars, have killed about two million people.
A complex whirlwind of conflict and chaos rages on in all the countries where the US and its allies have lit the flames of war since 2001, but our US leaders still debate new interventions ---- and/or escalations as if we are the fire brigade not the arsonists. (By contrast, the US government and the Western media are quick to accuse Russia or other countries of “aggression” --- even in legally murky situations, such as after the US-backed coup in 2014, that ousted the elected president of Ukraine.)
Systematic violations of the Geneva Conventions are an integral part of US war-making. Most are shrouded in secrecy: the propaganda machine spins the atrocities that slip through into the public record, as a disconnected series of aberrations, accidents and “bad apples,” instead of as the result of illegal rules of engagement and unlawful orders from higher-ups.
The senior officers and civilian officials who are criminally responsible for these crimes in US & international law -- systematically abuse their powerful positions to subvert investigations, cover up their crimes, & avoid any accountability whatsoever.
Pinter’s Complaint
When UK playwright Harold Pinter was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2005, he bravely and brilliantly used his Nobel lecture to speak about the real role the US plays in the world, and how it whitewashes its crimes. Pinter recounted a meeting at the US Embassy in London in the 1980s in which a senior embassy official, Raymond Seitz, flatly denied US war crimes in Nicaragua ---- for which the US was in fact, convicted of aggression by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Seitz went on to serve as Assistant Secretary of State, US Ambassador to the UK, and then Vice-Chair of Lehman Brothers.
As Pinter explained: “this ‘policy’ was by no means restricted to Central America. It was conducted throughout the world. It was never-ending. And it is --- as if it never happened.
“The United States supported - and in many cases engendered every rightwing military dictatorship in the world, after the end of the Second World War. I refer to:- Indonesia, Greece, Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, Haiti, Turkey, the Philippines, Guatemala, El Salvador, and, of course, Chile. The horror the US inflicted upon Chile in 1973 can never be purged, & can never be forgiven.
“Hundreds of thousands of deaths took place throughout these countries. Did... they take place? & are they in all cases, attributable to US foreign policy? The answer is 'yes', they did take place, and are attributable to American foreign policy. But you wouldn’t know it.
“It never happened. Nothing ever happened. Even while it was happening it wasn’t happ- ening. It didn’t matter. It was of no interest. The crimes of the United States have been systematic, constant, vicious, remorseless, but very few people have actually talked about them. You have to hand it to the US. It has exercised a quite clinical manipulation of power, worldwide, while masquerading... as a force for universal good. It’s a brilliant - even witty - highly successful, act of hypnosis.”
If, in 2016, the world seems to be more violent and chaotic than ever, it's not because the US lacks the will to use force or project power, as both major party candidates for President, & their military advisers appear to believe, but because our leaders have placed too much stock in the illegal threat and use of force, and have lost faith in the rule of law, any international cooperation and diplomacy.
After a century of commercial dominance, & 75 years of investing disproportionately in weapons, military forces & geopolitical schemes, perhaps it is understandable that US leaders have forgotten how to deal fairly and respectfully with our international neighbours. But it's no longer an option, to muddle along, leaving a trail of death, ruin and chaos in our wake, counting on an elaborate propaganda mach- ine, to minimize the blowback on our country and our lives.
Sooner, rather than later, US citizens & our leaders must knuckle down and master the very different attitudes & skills that we will need to become law-abiding global citizens in a peaceful, sustainable, multipolar world.
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Russia ends treaty limiting plutonium production in response to recent US escalation of hostility Fort Russ News - Topwar.ru - Lenta - News.Ru - translated by J. Arnoldski
TopWar: On October 3rd, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on suspending compliance with the agreement with the US on disposing weapons-grade plutonium. The main reason for this decision was pointed out as the “unfriendly attitude of the US towards Russia.”
Sources from the State Duma have reported that Russia is ready to resume the agreement, if the US cancels all the anti-Russian sanctions. Plus, Russia demands that the US reduce its military contingent in Europe, before Russia resumes compliance with the protocols. The State Duma’s statement reads:
“Acting according to the agreement and the protocols of the agreement can be resumed after the US eliminates the reasons which led to this radical change in circumstances: after the US reduces its military infrastructure and the number of its troop contingents deployed on the territory of the NATO countries having joined NATO after September 1st, 2000, down to the level at which they were on the day that the agreement and its protocols entered force.
"Since then NATO has grown to encompass 9 states of Eastern Europe. Just around the corner is NATO’s 10th state to be included since 2000 - Montenegro.”
In addition, Russia has demanded, as one of its conditions, that Washington cancel the so-call- ed Magnitsky Act.
there's a big difference between the news, and the truth - if you want the latest news and the truth, say, on Brazil - then please go to our One Union page.
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US/UK elite bankrolled A. Hitler
Germans were paid in company shares for loans that managed Germany's war reparations -- thus US capital began to actively integrate into the German economy.
The total amount of foreign investment in German industry during 1924-1929 amounted to almost 63 billion gold Marks (30 billion was accounted for by loans), and the payment of reparations — 10 billion Marks. 70% of revenues were provided by bankers from the US, and most banks were from JP Morgan.
As a result, in 1929, German industry was in second place in the world, but it was largely in the hands of the USA's leading financial-industrial groups.
"Interessen-Gemeinschaft Farbenindustrie", main supplier of the German war machine, financed 45% of the election campaign of Hitler in 1930, and was under the control of Rockefeller's "Standard oil".
Morgan, through "General Electric", controlled the German radio and electrical industry, via AEG and Siemens (up to 1933, 30% of the shares of AEG were owned by "General Electric") and through the Telecom company ITT — 40% of the 'phone network in Germany.
In addition, they owned a 30% stake in the air- craft manufacturing company "Focke-Wulf".
"General Motors", belonging to the DuPont family, established control over "Opel".
Henry Ford controlled 100% of the shares of Volkswagen. In 1926, with the participation of the Rockefeller Bank, Dillon, Reed & Co, the second largest industrial monopoly in Germany, after I.G Farben, merged with metals group, "Vereinigte Stahlwerke" (Steel trust) plus Thyssen, Flick, Wolff, Feglera etc.
US co-operation with Germany's military- industrial complex, was so intense and pervasive, that by 1933, the key sectors of German industry, & large banks such as the Deutsche Bank, Dresdner Bank, Donat Bank, etc, were all under the control of US financial capital.
The political force that was intended to play a crucial role in the Anglo-American plans was being simultaneously prepared.
We are talking about the funding of the Nazi party and A. Hitler personally.
As former German Chancellor Brüning wrote in his memoirs, from 1923, Hitler received large sums from abroad. Where they went, is not known, but they were received through Swiss and Swedish banks.
It is also known that, in 1922 in Munich, a meeting took place between A. Hitler and the military attache of the US to Germany -- Captain Truman Smith -- who compiled a detailed report for his Washington superiors (in the office of military intelligence), in which he spoke highly of Hitler.
Through Smith's circle of acquaintances, A. Hitler was introduced to Ernst Franz Sedgwick Hanfstaengl, (Putzie), --- a graduate of Harvard University who played an important role in the formation of A. Hitler as a politician, rendered him significant financial support, and secured for him, acquaintance & communication with, senior British figures.
Hitler was prepared politically, but, as Germany reigned in prosperity, his party remained on the periphery of public life... The situation changed dramatically with the beginning of 'the crisis'.
In the autumn of 1929, the collapse of the US stock exchange was triggered by the Federal Reserve, and the next stage of the Anglo-US financial circles' strategy, had started.
The Federal Reserve and JP Morgan, decided to stop lending to Germany --- inspired by the bank crisis & economic depression in Central Europe.
In September 1931, England abandoned the gold standard, deliberately destroying international payments systems and completely cutting off "financial oxygen" to the Weimar Republic.
But a financial miracle occurred for the Nazi party: in September 1930 as a result of large donations by Thyssen and I.G. Farben --- the party got 6.4 million votes & took 2nd place in the Reichstag;- after this, more generous investments from abroad were activated.
The main link between the major German industrialists and foreign financiers, became H. Schacht.
On January 4th, 1932, a meeting was held with the largest English financier, a Mr M. Norman, A. Hitler, and von Papen, which concluded a secret agreement on the financing of the NSDAP.
This meeting was also attended by US policy-makers, the Dulles brothers --- something their biographers do not like to mention.
On January 14th, 1933, a meeting between Hitler, Schroder, Papen & Kepler took place, where Hitler's program was fully approved. It was here that they finally resolved the issue of the transfer of power to the Nazis, and on 30th January, A. Hitler became Chancellor.
The implementation of the next stage of the strategy thus began.
The attitude of Anglo-American ruling circles to the new government was very sympathetic. When Hitler refused to pay reparations, which naturally called into question the payment of war debts, neither the UK or France pressed their payment claims.
Moreover, after a visit to the US in May 1933, H. Schacht was placed, again, at the head of the Reichsbank, and, after his meeting with the President and the biggest bankers on Wall Street, the US allocated Germany new loans --- totalling $1 billion.
In June, during a trip to London & a meeting with M. Norman, Schacht sought an English loan of $2 billion and a reduction and then the cessation of payments, on old loans.
Thus, the Nazis got what they could not achieve with the previous government.
In the summer of 1934, Britain signed the Anglo- German transfer agreement, which became one of the foundations of British policy towards the Third Reich, &, at the end of the 30's, Germany became the main trading partner of England.
Schroeder Bank became Germany's main agent in the UK & in 1936 his New York office teamed up with the Rockefellers, to create Schroeder, Rockefeller & Co. investment Bank, which the Times magazine called the Berlin-Rome "economic propagandist axis".
As Hitler himself admitted, he conceived his 4- year plan on the basis of foreign financial loans, so it never inspired him with the slightest alarm.
In August 1934, US Standard oil acquired 730,000 acres of land in Germany... then built large oil refineries which supplied the Nazis with oil.
At the same time, Germany secretly took delivery of the most modern equipment for aircraft factories, from the US, which would begin producing German planes.
Germany gained large numbers of military patents from US firms Pratt and Whitney, Douglas, and Curtis Wright --- and it was US technology, building the Junkers-87.
In 1941 --- as world war ll was raging --- US investments in Germany's economy amounted to $475 million. Standard oil invested - 120 million, General motors - $35 million, ITT - $30 million, and Ford - $17.5 million.
The close financial & economic co-operation of Anglo-American and Nazi business circles, was the backdrop against which, in the 30's, a policy of appeasement led to world war II.
Today, as the world's financial elite begins to implement the 'Great depression 2' plan with its subsequent transition to the "new world order", identifying its key role in the organization of crimes against humanity, becomes a priority.
Yuri Rubtsov is a doctor of historical sciences, academician of the Academy of military sciences, & a member of the International Association of historians of world war II.
Image: Leonard Peltier
FREE POLITICAL PRISONER LEONARD PELTIER NOW!!!
Indigenous rights activist Leonard Peltier,
in prison in the US for 38 years, received the first international human rights prize of Uruguay's Mario Benedetti Foundation.
At a ceremony in Montevideo, where the winner was announced, the human rights group calls Peltier the longest-serving political prisoner in the Americas, AFP reports.
Peltier, a Native American activist who was a member of the American Indian Movement (AIM), was convicted in 1977 for the alleged murder of two US FBI agents during a 1975 shootout on the
Pine Ridge Reservation in S. Dakota.
He was sentenced to 2 consecutive terms of life imprisonment.
"Leonard Peltier, who on September 12th, 2014, turned 70, has spent over half his life in prison. He's a symbol of resistance to repressive state policies by the US, where there are people in jail for ethnic, racial, religious & ideological reasons," the foundation's statement says.
Ricardo Elena, a member of the foundation's honorary board, says Peltier's case "is one that is repeated over and over: violation (of rights), persecution, eviction, invasion and expropriation of indigenous people, from the time it was 'discovered', until now.
"It doesn't just happen in the United States; it is happening in southern South America, with the (indigenous) Mapuche people, and with indigenous people in North America," he states.
Elena says the United States "likes to think it's the seat of democracy, but it has political prisoners just like a dictatorship might have."
The Mario Benedetti Foundation was founded to support human rights and cultural causes in line with the work of the Uruguayan writer after whom it was named, who died in 2009.
Peltier is incarcerated at the United States Penitentiary, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.
James Swan, the head of the Black Hills chapter of the United Urban Warrior Society - a nonprofit group that helps Native Americans fight racial discrimination and injustice - describes Peltier as a political prisoner whose case needs to be reviewed by an independent body.
"What we want people to realize is that this is an injustice," AP quotes Swan as saying.
Peltier, 66, was given two life sentences in '77, on false charges of killing 2 FBI agents.
Peltier asserts that he is innocent and the FBI framed him for political reasons, especially for his activities as a member of the Native American Movement. He has lodged numerous appeals against the conviction - but all unsuccessfully.
He's been denied parole again and again, and will not be eligible for it again until 2024, when he turns 79.
Peltier's relatives say he suffers a number of health problems such as diabetes, arthritis, and the loss of vision in an eye after a minor stroke.
Many activists say Leonard Peltier is the most important political prisoner in the US.
In a review of the US' human rights record, at a United Nations Human Rights Council UPR conference in Geneva, a group called for a new trial for him.
The US Human Rights Network filed a 423-page submission to the Geneva meeting about him.
One item, entitled “Political Repression - Political Prisoners,” about 1970's cases, indicts the FBI: accusing COINTELPRO of “maiming, murdering, false prosecutions and frame-ups, destruction and mayhem throughout the country.”
It cites the FBI for targeting the Puerto Rican Independence Front, the Black Panther Party, the Weather Underground, the American Indian Movement, the Black Liberation Army, as well as “peace activists and everyone in between,” and says “many of today's political prisoners” in the US were jailed indefinitely as a result.
Repression has grown since 9/11, it says.
The political repression paper demands an “immediate criminal investigation into the conspiracy,” and also new trials for two aged activists jailed on murder charges, Mumia Abu Jamal and Leonard Peltier.
