Ukraine: US Lies, Provocation, Broken Promises, Fake News

[Anthea]

Meta permanently bans
Al Mayadeen English Instagram account

The crackdown on narratives countering mainstream and Western media continues, slamming the notion of the freedom of the press

Meta has disabled the account of Al Mayadeen English on Instagram for allegedly not following "our Community Guidelines."

All your information will be permanently deleted

"You cannot request another review of this decision," it asserted, meaning that no appeal can be made.

The move follows a similar one last October when the Al Mayadeen English account was shortly suspended on Instagram and later restored following an appeal.

At the time, neither a reason nor a prior notice was provided for the suspension.

It is worth noting that Al Mayadeen English's coverage follows journalistic standards and displays no graphic content that could have violated guidelines. It is also not the first time that Meta has taken such measures, as banning and blocking pro-Palestine and pro-Resistance accounts has become the norm for the multinational technology conglomerate.

Israel and its supporters have sought on numerous occasions to remove opposing voices from the airwaves or the internet. Former Israeli Minister Ayelet Shaked boasted about how she worked closely with Facebook to censor Palestinian voices, with the Silicon Valley company agreeing to remove around 95% of the information she requested.

Al Mayadeen English vows it will never be silenced

Follow our new Instagram account: @mayadeenenglish on the following link: https://www.instagram.com/mayadeenenglish/.

Al Mayadeen English unpublished by FB, asserting pro-'Israel' bias

Last month, Meta unpublished Al Mayadeen English's page following several previous attempts, citing alleged violations of community guidelines.

Facebook attempted to justify its decision by citing several posts that reported on the martyrs of an Israeli massacre in the Southern Suburb of Beirut, in which a number of Lebanese Resistance commanders were assassinated after Israel targeted a residential building, including commanders Ibrahim Aqil and Ahmad Wehbe, and dozens of civilians.

Al Mayadeen English's reporting follows strict journalistic guidelines and standards. It is possible that the decision could have been taken for the mere mentioning of the names of the martyred commanders.

Though Al Mayadeen English is a news website with a number of social media platforms, it has been repeatedly subjected to shadow bans and restrictions in an attempt to suppress its content, which is pro-Palestine and pro-Resistance, highlighting the duality of Meta's position on the freedom of the press.

Below are the posts cited by Meta as "violations" of its guidelines.

The Islamic Resistance in #Lebanon mourned the martyrdom of leader and military commander Hajj Ibrahim Aqil "Abdul Qader" in the Israeli aggression on Beirut's Southern Suburb, Lebanon, on Friday.

Born in the village of Bednayel, Baalbeck, in 1962, martyr Aqil led a life of… pic.twitter.com/X5qjrea4ha
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) September 21, 2024

The Israeli aggression on #Beirut's Southern Suburb on Friday led to the martyrdom of several citizens, including Hezbollah Commander Ahmad Mahmoud Wehbe "Hajj Abu Hussein Samir."

Martyr Wehbe worked closely with Commander Aqil, who was also martyred in the attack.

He led a… pic.twitter.com/4zDHcLb5TH
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) September 21, 2024

Most notably, one of the removed posts dealt with the Palestinian Resistance's 2005 liberation of Gaza. Although no Resistance movements were mentioned in the post, Facebook still cited this as a breach of its community guidelines, as did Instagram.

Today marks the 19th anniversary of the liberation of #Gaza after the Israeli forces withdrew from the Strip as a result of the cumulative efforts of the #Palestinian Resistance throughout the years.

As we remember the story of the liberation, we look forward to the victory of… pic.twitter.com/BNV9foDU96
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) September 12, 2024

Earlier in August, the Israeli occupation government approved a proposal by Minister of Communications Shlomo Karhi to renew the ban on the Al Mayadeen Media Network. The decision included the seizure of its equipment and the blocking of its websites.

Israeli media reported that the Minister of Communications pursued a new government decision after obtaining a "professional opinion" from security agencies and receiving approval from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In response, our media network condemned the decision and considered it further evidence of the occupation's "inherent antagonism to journalism and its efforts to obscure reality."

Al Mayadeen considered "the occupation's insistence on banning a media outlet that is not under its control or the control of some of its allies and promoters, whether through intimidation or enticement, as a sign of weakness and fragility."

"It shows how angered and stressed the occupation is due to Al Mayadeen's commitment to its professional, humanitarian, and strategic media approach."

The network emphasized that labeling its correspondents in Palestinian 1948 occupied territories and the occupied West Bank as "terrorists" is, in itself, a form of terrorism. Al Mayadeen warned against "inflicting any harm on its journalists and asserted that it would not yield to any form of extortion or pressure, regardless of its impact or extent."

In what can only be seen as a blatant attack on freedom of speech and an effort to conceal the truth, the Israeli government approved the Telecom Minister's proposal to ban #AlMayadeen, seize its equipment, and block its websites as reported by Israeli media.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... am-account

Al Mayadeen is the ONLY news media that tells the TRUTH about what is happening in the Ukraine and the TRUTH about Israels many years of terror attacks on Palestine and surrounding countries.

Perhaps the US is getting worried that people might start believing the TRUTH rather than Western lies and propaganda

[Anthea]

Dozens of UK-linked firms suspected of

busting Russian oil sanctions

The government is investigating 37 UK-linked businesses for potentially breaking Russian oil sanctions - but no fines have been handed out so far, the BBC can reveal

Financial sanctions on Russia were introduced by the UK and other Western countries following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Conservative shadow foreign office minister Dame Harriett Baldwin said sanctions were designed to “shut down the sources of finance for Russia's war machine” and “bring this illegal invasion to an end sooner”.

NOTE: it was NOT an illegal invasion, the 2014 military coup was ILLEGAL and the Donbass VOTED against following an ILLEGAL government, the Minsk agreements were meant to protect the Donbass and give it self-rule, but that agreement was ignored by the Kiev government who used the NAZI regiment to attack the Donbass for years, the Donbass begged the international community for help, strangely all the media proof of their appeals has vanished, finally the Donbass begged Russia for help

But critics have claimed they are ineffective after the latest figures showed the Russian economy was growing.

The Treasury said it would take action where appropriate, but pointed to the complexity of the cases as a reason they take considerable time.

The sanctions include a cap on the price of Russian oil, designed to ensure that oil can keep flowing without Russia making large profits.

The cap prohibits British businesses from facilitating the transportation of Russian oil sold above $60 a barrel.

Data obtained by the BBC using Freedom of Information laws shows the Treasury has opened investigations into 52 companies with a connection to the UK suspected of breaching the price cap since December 2022.

As of August, 37 of those investigations were live and 15 had concluded, but no fines had been handed out.

The identities of the businesses are unknown but it’s understood some are likely to be maritime insurance firms.

Dame Harriett told the BBC “there is probably more that could be done” by the government and the oil sector itself “because it does appear that UK importers are still bringing in oil that originated in Russia”.

The anti-corruption organisation Global Witness said it was “quite astonishing” that no fines have yet been handed out, and described the oil cap as “a sort of paper tiger” that is failing to crack down on rule breaking.

Louis Wilson, the head of fossil fuel investigations at Global Witness, called for “bold action” to be taken against companies breaching sanctions.

He said if the UK government “prevents British businesses from enabling Putin's profiteering, then I think you'll start to see others following that lead”.

Investigations into potential breaches of the oil cap and other financial sanctions are carried out by a Treasury unit called the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI).

OFSI received an extra £50m of funding in March to improve enforcement of the UK’s sanctions regime

But Mr Wilson said companies under investigation find it “pretty easy to come by” a document that gets them out of trouble.

He described the documents as “basically promises, voluntary bits of paper” and said they can be easily obtained even if the company was involved in transporting oil sold above the price cap.

“What's likely is either these businesses will find the paperwork that they need to get through this process, or we'll see the UK government drop these cases quietly,” he said.

He claimed the US were reluctant to make the Western sanctions regimes harder “because they're scared that if they do enforce the rules it will stop the Russian oil trade and that will send oil prices higher”.

Dame Harriett said it was important that when OFSI “find deliberate wrongdoing they are exacting financial penalties”.

A spokesperson for the Treasury said it would take enforcement action "where appropriate" and it was "putting sanction breachers on notice".

They added that the cap was reducing Russia's tax revenues from oil, adding that data from the country's own finance ministry showed a 30% drop last year compared to 2022.

The former chair of Parliament’s Treasury Select Committee launched an inquiry into the effectiveness of sanctions on Russia in February.

Dame Harriett said she “received evidence that the oil price cap is being evaded by refining Russian oil in refineries based in third countries and then the oil is being exported into the UK.”

Earlier this year the BBC reported on claims about how much oil this so-called “loophole” is allowing into the UK.

But parliamentary committees are disbanded once an election is called and the findings of the Treasury committee inquiry were never published.

It’s understood no decision has yet been made as to whether the new Treasury Select Committee will recommence the work.

OFSI issued its first Russia-related penalty last month, when it fined a concierge company £15,000 for having a sanctioned individual on its client list.

London-based firm Integral Concierge Services was found to have made or received 26 payments that involved a person whose assets have been frozen as part of the Russia sanctions.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y97k4w7llo

NOTE: the US still continue to trade with Russia while telling other countries not to, that is unjust especially as it is harming other countries economies

[Anthea]

Kiev's new victory plan

endless war and no peace

Just as day follows night, those who want to perpetuate today's war can only achieve this by usurping political power and suppressing any and all public protest and disagreement

Zelensky and the military hawks in the West who back him are claiming to speak on behalf of the Ukrainian people. But they do not and cannot know the peoples' views.

The continuation by Ukraine of its military operations against Russia is essential to Kiev's continued hold on power, but Ukraine is completely dependent financially and militarily on the United States and European Union.

Volodymyr Zelensky, whose five-year electoral mandate as president Ukraine expired in April 2024, is under increased pressure by US legislators to present some kind of coherent victory plan with dates, figures, and deadlines that can be sold to a largely uninformed but increasingly skeptical US electorate.

A plan is needed in order for the unconditional support that Zelensky has received to date from the Western powers may continue.

According to the Washington Post on September 13, Ukraine has prepared a new victory plan that is near-ready to present to its Western government sponsors.

A victory plan by Ukraine?

The Ukrainian public doesn't know much about the 'victory plan', previously termed a 'peace plan' by Zelensky in an earlier variant. But already the 'plan' is attracting a lot of criticism, both inside and outside the country.

Zelensky presented a vague outline of his proposal at the annual conference in Kiev on September 13, 14 of the Yalta European Strategy (YES) foundation, an agency created by wealthy Ukraine oligarch Viktor Pinchuk in 2004. It meets annually in Kiev.

There are a total of five points in Zelensky's 'plan', according to Ukrainian officials. "Four of these are what we need, and one addresses the post-war situation," Zelensky declared in early September, though he declined to disclose details.

Ukrainian media is reporting that the cornerstone of the 'victory plan' is a demand that the Western powers provide Ukraine with longer-range missiles that would allow it to strike deeper into Russian territory and, crucially, permission to use them.

The Ukrainian Telegram channel Rubicon writes that Kiev has been actively requesting permission for such strikes, not so much for military purposes but to gain advantages in information and psychological operations.

In particular, a strike on some crowded gathering in the center of Moscow would be considered a victory for Kiev because of the public panic it would sow, even if from a military point of view it would have zero value.

According to the writers at Rubicon, such blows by Kiev could be truly destructive to the morale of Russian society and would inevitably lower the level of trust of the Russian people in their political and military leaders. Or at least, that the writers and Kiev itself hope for.

Zelensky apparently believes in the military/political value of large-scale provocations against civilians in Russia, resembling, for example, the gruesome cyberattacks conducted by "Israel" in Lebanon on September 17 and 18. Those attacks killed dozens of people and injured thousands, including many children and many people losing one or both eyes.

The new 'victory plan' replaces the earlier, so-called peace formula which Kiev first promoted in late 2022. This project, which was essentially a proposal for Russia's surrender, rather predictably failed to find support in the countries of the Global South.

Zelensky's new 'victory plan' is in reality no plan at all. It consists largely of measures needed for the regime and its military to survive the current, steadily progressing offensive by Russia in the Donbass region.

That is, they are seeking to buy more time in order to forcibly conscript yet more foot soldiers into the Ukrainian army, Ukrainian political analyst Vadym Karasev told the Politnavigator news outlet on September 17.

And NATO membership?

One of the points of Zelensky's new 'victory plan' is for NATO to extend a formal invitation to Ukraine to join it. Outgoing NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg told a farewell event organized in his honor in Germany on September 19 that there will be no peace in Ukraine until and unless Kiev becomes a NATO member. But he added that NATO countries currently have no consensus on conditions and dates for such an invitation.

Former British Prime Minister and mass murderer Boris Johnson, once again stated his strong support for NATO membership for Ukraine

(Mass murderer because TWICEBoris Johnson personally prevented a peace deal from ending the fighting in Ukraine and this makes him responsible for ALL the deaths since then)

In early September, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for Euro-Atlantic Integration, Olha Stefanyshyna, boldly declared that Ukraine should only join NATO on the condition that its 1991 borders be recognized and enshrined. Many other Ukrainian officials still voice this forlorn hope.

This is highly provocative to Russian ears and also to the citizens of former Ukraine territories, notably Crimea and Donbass. There, the population has endured more than 10 years of military threats, attacks, economic sanctions and blockades by Ukraine following the violent, far-right coup in Kiev in February 2014.

In particular, the citizens of the Donbass region (which Russia recognizes as the Russian republics of Lugansk and Donetsk) have endured more than 10 years of a cruel civil war waged by post-2014-coup Kiev with the backing of the NATO countries.

Crimea also suffered greatly from economic and all other forms of sanctions beginning in 2014. It remains a declared target of Ukrainian military attacks, but the peninsula was spared the direct military intervention by Ukraine into Donbass.

No going back for the new citizens of the Russian Federation

As a result of the 2014 coup and its aftermath, the citizens of Crimea and Donbass have VOTED overwhelmingly to join the Russian Federation. The final, definitive vote in Donbass took place soon after Russia began its military intervention in Ukraine in February 2022.

Crimea's status was settled in the referendum vote of March 15, 2014. All polling since then, including polls conducted by Western and pro-Western polling agencies, have confirmed high rates of satisfaction with that vote by the residents of the peninsula

Three of the principal goals of Russian diplomacy and of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine are to:

end Kiev's civil war in Donbass,
end any challenges to Crimea's status
to guarantee the future security of the two territories

(These would also apply to the 'new territories' of the Russian Federation, as they are called in Russia, of Kherson and Zaporizhzhya - former Ukraine oblasts).

The votes in Crimea and Donbass to join the Russian Federation amounted to a 'rejoining' of Russia, considering that both entities were joined with Russia not so long ago some 70 years ago and never accepted separation from it in 1990-91.

A perpetual proxy war by the West

Ukraine continues to be driven into a vicious circle of perpetual, proxy war at the behest of the NATO countries. Zelensky's new 'plan' to 'win' that war consists of drawing the NATO countries more directly into the conflict with Russia, with weapons supplies and a future NATO membership for Kiev as leading edges.

But NATO membership for Ukraine is impossible to imagine without a military defeat of Russia, and the only way to achieve that, according to Kiev ideologues, is to escalate, using the advanced weaponry that the NATO countries would provide.

In other words, the 'peace plan' is a plan for military escalation whose outcome is entirely unpredictable and could spark further and unthinkable military escalation

Andriy Yermak, the head of the office of President Zelensky, emphasizes the necessity for the Western powers to participate more directly in the war against Russia. He told a September 9 report on the English-language website of that office, addressing the people and governments of the Western powers:

"It's not just about our freedom, independence and territorial integrity. This is also about you and your countries. Because this war is a test for the world. All of us – in Latin America, Africa, and Asia – want to live in a safe world, where rules and international law prevail, not one where whoever is strong, whoever is big, has all the rights."

Ukrainian economist Oleksiy Kushch often draws parallels between modern Ukraine and "Israel". Both are militarized, pro-Western states that must constantly be at war in order to avoid defeat and collapse at the hands of those whose territories they occupy illegally.

Kushch writes that Netanyahu goes to war even as he talks about 'peace' because his strategy is to drag the US into a major regional war, aiming to crush Iran, the only large country in the Middle East that is today able and prepared to stand up to "Israel" and its US and European backers.

"Netanyahu will not stop. He could be replaced through a political process, but as long as the war is going on, that is impossible. Any 'intermediate' resolution of "Israel's" conflict with the Palestinian people is, for him, akin to political death. Looking at him, one can even formulate the maxim of his policy, 'War is power. Power is life.

The end of war equals the loss of power. The loss of power equals the loss of political life, at a minimum,' the Ukrainian economist paraphrases.

The same formula of perpetual war with the prospect of escalating into a global war also applies in Ukraine. For Zelensky, it is exactly the same -- the end of the war will mean the loss of power and political death not only for him but also for the tens of thousands of corrupt, Ukrainian officials who have enriched themselves since 2014 thanks to Western aid and who wish this to continue

The Western, imperialist countries also benefit from the continuation of the war in Ukraine. The Financial Times reported on September 11 that according to a spending watchdog it cites, much of the military aid the UK has given to Ukraine has consisted of old equipment such as boots that would otherwise have to be thrown away.

Military gear that was "often due to be scrapped or replaced" has been prioritized by the UK Ministry of Defense because it is deemed to have "immediate military value" to Ukraine. But it so happens that sending such equipment to Kiev also "reduced waste or costs relating to disposal".

Other Western supporters have also given aging equipment to Kiev. In one recent US example, ten military transport vehicles ostensibly worth more than $7 million had a combined book value of zero. In other words, this trafficking of used military equipment can be extremely profitable for the West.

Much of that traffic consists of selling on credit to Ukraine what amounts to scrap metal that would otherwise cost the United States and Great Britain considerable funds for disposal

Former Ukrainian MP and ultra-nationalist Igor Mosiychuk says that Ukrainians are simply being thrown into the cauldron of war similar to coal being shoveled into a furnace.

"We are given aid and we are given weapons so that we can continue effective defense, but not enough to stop the enemy or win the war. Our nation is being used like coal or charcoal to fry the Russian Federation."

Ukraine billionaire, a great friend of Western leaders, presses for an expanded war

In late September, Ukrainian billionaire Viktor Pinchuk, son-in-law of Ukraine's second president Leonid Kuchma, hosted the aforementioned YES forum in Kiev. Pinchuk is known for funding Western politicians, including donating to the Clinton Foundation, maintaining friendly relations with former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and organizing parties for the Western elites when they gather each year in Davos, Switzerland

At the September forum, Pinchuk said the West should provide Kiev with as many weapons and money as it wants and cater to its requests, since Western countries are unwilling to sacrifice the lives of their own soldiers in fighting Russia.

He also wants military aid to be provided without any conditions or reservations, saying that Western fears about the risks of escalation of the conflict with Russia were merely a result of "Kremlin propaganda". There is nothing to fear, he asserts.

Most of Pinchuk's family relatives live in London in luxury real estate acquired by him over the years

Without Russia's defeat, Pinchuk says, war could break out in other regions. "If Russia succeeds in Ukraine, then China, North Korea, and Iran are likely to turn against Taiwan, South Korea, and Israel. The whole world will be drawn into war.

The more military support there is for Ukraine, the less risk there will be of escalation, of war between NATO and Russia, and of a global domino effect with the emergence of more and more wars against democracy," Pinchuk told the forum gathering.

According to him, Ukrainians are the chosen people to show the triumph of freedom and democracy. But he would like Europeans to personally participate in the war with the Russian Federation as well. "When I call Ukrainians the chosen people, many important parallels arise in my mind. I will cite only one: The Pharaoh [Vladimir Putin] must lose, and to achieve this, we must defeat him," the billionaire concluded.

According to ABC News, former Trump administration official Kellyanne Conway has registered in the United States as a foreign agent representing Victor Pinchuk's foundation. The same news reports explain, "Pinchuk has also been a prolific donor to the Clinton Foundation, giving tens of millions of dollars to the group over the years."

'To win or not to be'

At the YES forum, Pinchuk summarized in Shakespearean language his recommended strategy for Ukraine in its war with Russia: 'To win or not to be'.

Ukraine legislator Oleksandr Dubinsky, a former ally of Zelensky, commented to his followers on Telegram: "The phrase 'To win or not to be' voiced by Pinchuk at the YES gathering is all about eternal war, in which the Ukrainian nation has no right to accept defeat.

Although Pinchuk wanted to mix Shakespeare and Churchill in his wording, it sounded more like Hitler in 1945: 'If the German nation cannot win this war, it must disappear.' This is exactly the choice Pinchuk and Zelensky are putting before Ukrainians today," Dubinsky wrote.

In other words, the workers and farmers of Ukraine, who have become the main targets of forced military mobilization, should sacrifice their lives for the preservation of the global world order and the fortunes of Ukraine's class of billionaires

A de facto demilitarization of Ukraine

In reality, Ukrainian political scientist Vadym Karasev argues, Ukraine is effectively demilitarizing, both militarily and psychologically. "Firstly, we risk demilitarization from the fighting because we are losing people and equipment. We cannot restore equipment in sufficient quantity because we simply do not have our own capacity to do so, and as for losing people (our soldiers), neither can these be replaced.

"Secondly, there is a demilitarization of consciousness taking place. We see what is happening with the military mobilization [conscription]. There are forced kidnappings taking place because so many citizens do not want to fight. They are not yet militarized and they feel that little can be achieved in this way," he says.

Moreover, according to estimates from the World Health Organization, nearly 10 million people in Ukraine are suffering severe mental disorders due to the war, or are at risk of doing so.

For Kiev journalism professor Nikita Vasilenko, a simple preservation of the country of Ukraine in some form should be considered a victory. "To preserve the country, we must go for even the most despicable, bastardized peace plan. That is for one simple reason -- one more offensive such as the recent one into Kursk, Russia will cost us the remaining elite of the nation.

At Kursk, by our count, about 10,000 have already fallen. The Russians' count of our losses is a much higher number, an immense one as should be expected. Whatever the exact count, these losses were professional troops, consisting of young men who can no longer regenerate and revive the population."

In response to the requests for peace being increasingly sounded in Ukraine, the editors of the Washington Post are turning to scaring Ukrainians with the specter of a new coup d'état in the event of any peace agreement involving the loss of territory. They cite several Ukrainian military officials to this effect.

Oleksandr Dubinskyy writes that it was Zelensky's lobbyists who relayed to Western media the thesis voiced by Pinchuk at the YES conference, which was, in turn, drawn from the invited, Ukrainian military leaders in attendance, namely:

'Peace in exchange for territory in Ukraine will lead to civil war'. Dubinsky writes, "This is nothing more than fear-mongering directed by Zelensky at the Western governments and populations. He is saying, effectively:

'If you force me to go for a peace settlement, you will get a coup.' However, a coup is only possible if Zelensky, who has done everything against the interests of Ukraine, remains in power without elections."

Zelensky and the military hawks in the West who back him are claiming to speak on behalf of the Ukrainian people.

But they do not and cannot know the peoples' views

In the current conditions of martial law, tight media censorship, and ultra-right terror in Ukraine to suppress any expressions of political protest, no accurate survey of Ukrainians' opinions on social, political, and military matters is possible or even permitted.

Moreover, politically savvy people in Ukraine know that speaking one's mind to sociologists conducting surveys is not a safe thing to do in the country today. It can be done only at considerable risk to one's personal safety and security.

Elections in Ukraine have been postponed indefinitely, until the end of martial law, whenever that may arrive. Zelensky and the Western hawks are seeking all-out to perpetuate the war against Russia.

Just as day follows night, those who want to perpetuate today's war can only achieve this by usurping political power and suppressing any and all public protest and disagreement.

https://english.almayadeen.net/articles ... sting-of-e

[Anthea]

US Navy was at scene of

Nord Stream blasts

According to Politiken, US warships were operating in the region with their transponders turned off

Prior to the explosions that destroyed the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea, US Navy ships were present at the location, according to a local harbormaster quoted in the Danish newspaper Politiken.

The Nord Stream 2 pipelines, a major infrastructure project aimed at delivering natural gas from Russia to Europe, were targeted in an act of sabotage in September 2022, with Moscow pointing fingers at the West or Ukraine.

In August, The Wall Street Journal reported that Ukrainian businessmen had funded the attack on the project, although Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had ordered to halt the attack at the CIA's request.

Russia, however, insisted that the reports shared by WSJ were a mere tactic to divert attention from the actual perpetrators, saying its findings were improbable. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov affirmed that Russian Intelligence is certain that major states were involved in the sabotage.

Despite being published on September 26, Politiken's article received little attention. But on Tuesday, it reappeared on X when Glenn Greenwald and other well-known independent journalists repeated the claims.

According to the story, American warships were operating in the region east of the Danish island of Bornholm with their transponders turned off.

The article included statements from John Anker Nielsen, the harbormaster of the Danish port of Christianso, which lies near Bornholm. He stated that he had opted to publish information on the September 2022 events, despite originally being "not allowed to say a thing" about them.

According to Nielsen, he initiated a rescue mission in the region four or five days before the Nord Stream blasts after noticing ships with their transponders turned off and presuming an emergency.

However, once Danish rescuers neared the site, they discovered that the warships in issue were US Navy ships, according to Nielsen. According to the harbormaster, the Naval Command then instructed Nielsen and his colleagues to turn back.

Nord Stream investigators misleading probe

Russian Ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, stated on Friday that those responsible for sabotaging the Nord Stream pipelines may be attempting to mislead investigators to conceal their involvement.

During a UN Security Council meeting, he stated, "There is another explanation as to why, of late, we’ve seen more and more far-fetched versions of what happened, and that’s simply that those who ordered and executed this crime are trying to cover their tracks and to point the investigation in the wrong direction."

Nebenzia also remarked that until the investigations are complete, these parties may continue to hinder the UN Security Council's efforts to take action.

He further urged the resumption of investigations to keep the world free from energy threats, saying, "If we want this infrastructure to be free from danger, the terrorist attack targeting the Nord Stream pipeline should be investigated."

However, a US diplomat was quick to claim that no evidence exists to prove the United States' involvement in the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage.

"There is no shred of evidence of US involvement and there never will be, because the United States was not involved."

He further deflected from the topic, saying it was not an urgent matter for the council.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... nish-media

[Anthea]

Russia denies BRICS military union

stresses global cooperation

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that BRICS is not and has no plans to become a military union, despite claims to the contrary

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated on Saturday that BRICS has never been, nor is it planning to become, a military union, despite any allegations to the contrary.

"BRICS is not, has never been and is not going to become a military union. BRICS is not even an international organization or an integration structure, but a multinational union of equal members," the ministry said, commenting on the article.

The ministry added that BRICS is a comprehensive strategic partnership based on three key pillars: politics and security, economics and finance, and cultural and humanitarian cooperation.

"Relations between the BRICS partners are based on equality, mutual respect, openness, pragmatism, solidarity and, which is the most important of all, not opposing anyone," the statement read.

The ministry noted that one of BRICS' primary objectives is to establish a fair and multilateral global economic system, highlighting the bloc's consistent support for the peaceful resolution of international disputes based on international law and respect for state sovereignty.

The expansion of BRICS, it added, reflects shifts in the global economy and bolsters the influence of developing countries in international affairs.

BRICS, an intergovernmental association founded in 2006, saw Russia assume the chairmanship on January 1, 2024.

This year marked the accession of new members, expanding the group beyond its original members—Russia, Brazil, India, China, and South Africa—to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.

Russia's presidency aims to enhance multilateralism for equitable global development and security.

As part of its leadership, Russia is hosting over 200 political, economic, and social events throughout the year.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... s-global-c

[Anthea]

Zelensky's bid for more aid

fell on deaf ears

Zelensky has long sought German Taurus missiles, which have a range of up to 500 kilometers and could strike deep within Russian territory

German tabloid Bild reported on Sunday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's recent trip across Europe to secure military aid and NATO support has largely been unsuccessful.

According to the report, Zelensky's primary objectives during his meetings with Western leaders were obtaining German long-range Taurus missiles and fast-tracking Ukraine's NATO accession process.

However, both requests appear to have been met with little progress

During a key meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Zelensky's appeals "fell on deaf ears," according to Bild, which described the outcome of the discussions as "pretty poor."

While Scholz did not definitively reject Zelensky's requests, the chancellor avoided committing to providing long-range missiles or pushing Ukraine's NATO membership forward, leaving the Ukrainian leader without clear assurances.

Zelensky has long sought German Taurus missiles, which have a range of up to 500 kilometers and could strike deep within Russian territory.

However, Scholz has resisted these calls, citing concerns over escalation and suggesting that such deliveries would only be "tenable" if Germany could control the use of the missiles—an action that would involve Berlin directly in the conflict.

In another blow to Zelensky's diplomatic efforts, the Ukrainian president was unable to secure a meeting with US President Joe Biden, who remained in the US to monitor the response to Hurricane Milton in Florida.

An unnamed Ukrainian official quoted by Bild dismissed the hurricane as an "excuse," suggesting that Biden may have sought to avoid discussing the conflict as the US election season heats up.
Zelensky rejects territorial concessions as West mulls settlement

Recent reports suggest that the West is considering a possible settlement that would grant Russia de facto control over the recently acquired regions.

In response to these reports, Zelensky reaffirmed a week ago that Ukraine will not cede any territory to Russia.

Any peace must uphold Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Zelensky said. He also discussed his 'victory plan,' which includes NATO-like security guarantees, advanced weaponry, and international financial aid.

However, skepticism remains among some Western officials, who view the plan as mostly reiterating existing demands, including Russian troop withdrawal from territories Russia has annexed.

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US Raytheon making billions in blood money

US defense contractor Raytheon, the world's largest producer of guided missiles, has seen significant profits from military supplies to Ukraine since the war began in February 2022, reversing its previous sales struggles

Raytheon Missiles & Defense (RMD), a subsidiary of RTX Corporation focused on missile production, has delivered National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) directly to Ukraine.

Since the fourth quarter of 2022, Raytheon has reported five consecutive quarters of revenue growth after facing declines prior. The company’s backlog of signed but unfulfilled defense contracts has increased from $63 billion at the end of 2021 to $77 billion by the end of the second quarter of this year, demonstrating its ability to capitalize on the heightened demand driven by ongoing US military support for Ukraine.

Raytheon has had five consecutive quarters of revenue increase since the fourth quarter of 2022, after dealing with sales declines for four quarters prior, according to the company's most recent financial report.

RMD experienced a downturn in new orders starting in the fourth quarter of 2021, with an 8% year-on-year reduction. By the second quarter of 2022, RMD faced its third consecutive revenue decline, down 11% compared to the previous year. However, this quarter marked a shift as new orders began to reflect increased demand due to the escalating conflict in Ukraine, with $3.56 billion in new sales, including $662 million from Stinger missile replenishments for the US Army.

By the fourth quarter of 2022, RMD reported a 6% year-on-year sales growth, driven by the demand for missiles linked to Ukraine. A significant $698 million contract for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) accounted for 17% of its $4.1 billion in new sales for that quarter. As the US continued to supply missiles to Ukraine, RMD saw a steady stream of new orders in the following months.

In June 2023, RMD secured its largest AMRAAM deal to date, valued at $1.15 billion, to supply AIM-120 D-3 and C-8 missiles to 18 nations, including Ukraine. This contract contributed 28.8% to RMD's $4 billion in new sales during the second quarter of 2023.

Despite RTX's announcement to merge RMD with Raytheon Intelligence & Space, the revenue increase was driven by the demand for missile production due to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. In the fourth quarter of 2023, approximately 40% of the newly combined company's $6.9 billion in revenues stemmed from $2.8 billion in Guidance Enhanced Missiles (GEM-T), crucial for the Patriot air defense system.

Germany this year was forced to place orders at Raytheon after the transfer of its own Patriot systems to Ukraine. Germany originally placed a $1.2 billion purchase for a new Patriot system in March; during the first quarter of this year, Raytheon's revenues of $6.7 billion came from this transaction.

The US Army gave the Javelin Joint Venture, formed by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, a $1.3 billion manufacturing contract in August, in addition to further orders for the Patriot system.

The Javelin Joint Venture was entrusted with increasing production to refill the supply for the US Army after the US deployed hundreds of Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine. By late 2026, the venture hoped to produce 3,960 missiles annually.

As of August 8, the Pentagon estimated that US military aid to Ukraine had boosted the country's industrial base by $36.8 billion, with Arkansas and Pennsylvania receiving the most at $2.98 billion and $2.07 billion, respectively. Other states benefiting from over $1 billion included West Virginia, Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, and Texas.

A report from Vertical Research Partners predicted that by the end of 2026, the top five US defense contractors will generate $26 billion in cash flow.

Companies like Raytheon are expected to profit not only from the Ukraine war but also from consistent US support for Israel
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The big picture

In recent months, Western military aid packages have been shrinking as many of Ukraine’s major supporters find their own weapon stockpiles depleting. Delays in deliveries have also been exacerbated by internal disputes in the US Congress and bureaucratic obstacles.

Germany, one of Ukraine’s key backers in the EU, has run out of heavy weaponry to send, Bild reported, citing internal Defense Ministry documents.

Washington has encountered challenges in replenishing its own stockpiles after sending weapons to Ukraine. “That’s a fair assessment that our supplies are not endless,” Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh told reporters on Tuesday.

She added that the US must consider its own defense in light of numerous challenges, including aiding Israel and “keeping an eye on the Indo-Pacific.”

Ukrainian officials have consistently linked delays in weapon deliveries to setbacks on the battlefield, where Russia has been gradually advancing in Donbass and has recently initiated an offensive to reclaim parts of the Kursk region that Ukraine invaded in early August. In recent weeks, Russian forces have captured numerous cities, including the heavily fortified mining town of Ugledar.

Kiev has cautioned its Western partners against succumbing to “fatigue” and has urged further support for its war efforts. Ukrainian Presidential Advisor Mikhail Podoliak expressed disbelief in February, stating, “I just can’t believe that anyone after two years of war thinks ‘we’re tired, let’s lose the war.’”

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Trump blames Zelensky for

starting war with Russia

On Thursday's episode of the PBD Podcast with Patrick Bet-David, Trump claimed Zelensky was not only responsible for failing to end the war but also for instigating it

Former US President Donald Trump blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for instigating the war with Russia on Thursday, a remark that does not bode well for future US support for Ukraine if he is victorious.

The former Republican president has frequently criticized Zelensky during his campaign, calling him "the greatest salesman on Earth" for successfully soliciting billions in US military aid since the war began.

Trump has criticized the Ukrainian leader for not pursuing peace with Moscow, suggesting that Ukraine might need to give up some territory to reach a peace agreement—an idea Kiev views as unacceptable.

On Thursday's episode of the PBD Podcast with Patrick Bet-David, Trump claimed Zelensky was not only responsible for failing to end the war but also for instigating it.

He expressed that nevertheless he still feels "very badly for those people. But he should never have let that war start. The war's a loser."

Zelensky's 'victory plan'

Zelensky announced his long-awaited "victory plan" on Wednesday to end the war with Russia, rejecting any territorial compromises and seeking additional Western support, including an invitation to join NATO.

Trump's recent comments indicate he may aim to reduce aid to Ukraine if he wins against Vice President Kamala Harris, who has committed to continue support for Ukraine.

Trump has claimed he could resolve the conflict before taking office in January, but he hasn't specified how.

Zelensky has stressed that "Russia must lose the war against Ukraine. And this does not mean a freeze (in fighting) and it does not mean any trade in Ukraine's territory or sovereignty."

The top priority in the five-part plan, according to Zelensky, is "an invitation to NATO, now," alleging that Moscow has been compromising European security for decades due to Kiev's lack of membership.

He also urged Ukraine's Western allies to remove restrictions on the use of long-range missiles, enabling Kiev to strike Russian territory.

Zelensky's plan for direct Russia-NATO collision

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov pointed out on Thursday that the core of Zelensky's "peace plan" is to formalize NATO's direct involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.

"He kind of says -- yes, guys, you participated before, but like unofficially. Now let's make it official, let's have NATO here," said the Russian spokesperson.

It's short-sighted, reckless and illogical

Peskov described Zelensky's initiative a “plan for further escalation than peace" aimed at "bringing the situation to the edge of the Russia-NATO collision."

Commenting on the West's reaction to the Ukrainian President's plan, Peskov said it seemed clear Western countries were not pleased with the settlement plan.

Kiev is under immense pressure to create an exit strategy as Ukrainian forces suffer heavy casualties and Moscow increases its gains.

Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova revealed that the plan might cause further problems for Ukraine and that Zelensky "is pushing NATO members towards a direct conflict with our country."

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... ith-russia

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Unspeakable anger in US over Ukraine aid

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene voiced her frustration, stating, "There are billions for Ukraine but not for Americans," in light of the Biden administration's inadequate response to crises

According to Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, Americans are outraged by the present administration's decision to send billions of dollars to Ukraine while treating its citizens "worse than dirt."

Speaking at a campaign event in Atlanta on Wednesday evening, the Georgia Republican contrasted President Joe Biden's and Vice President Kamala Harris' responses to calamities hurting Americans with their desire to continue arming Kiev.

"Lahaina. East Palestine (US)." "Western North Carolina," Greene said, designating the places of devastating wildfires, a hazardous railroad disaster, and Hurricane Helene floods.

According to Greene, the rage in the country is "unspeakable," adding that the administration has treated Americans like their lives are meaningless, "As if their tax dollars never mattered. And treated them so that they’re only worth 750 measly bucks."

“Oh, but Congress will write that check for $60 billion over and over again for Ukraine. Won’t they?” Greene added. US lawmakers have approved almost $180 billion in Ukraine aid since 2022. Greene has repeatedly voted against these spending packages.

Hurricane Helene's damage

Hurricane Helene led to extensive flooding in western Georgia and the Carolinas, devastating many mountain communities. Entire towns have been swept away, essential utilities are still being restored in some areas, and nearly 100 people are still missing. In response, the federal government has promised $750 in aid to affected individuals, provided they complete the required paperwork.

“Let me tell you what is happening across this country. People are taking that anger, how fed up and disgusted they are with our stupid government, that treats Americans like Americans are nothing,” Greene told the crowd in Atlanta. “I hope you are as pissed off and fed up as I am. It’s about time. You should be.”

Although the US presidential and congressional elections are set for November 5, early voting has already started in Georgia and several other states. Greene encouraged voters to head to the polls and channel their anger and frustration by voting against the Democrats in office.

“This election is not white versus black, left versus right, man versus woman, or rich versus poor,” Greene told the crowd. “It is the federal government versus you.”

Additionally, she accused the legacy media outlets of being biased in favor of the current government and treating Americans "as if they were stupid"

“Don’t tell these people right here what they should think, what they should feel, and what they should do,” Greene said. “They’re sick and tired of you.”

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Ukraine's decision to refuse to cede territory

The battle for Ugledar, as well as the earlier battles for the cities of Bakhmut, Avdeevka, and Mariupol, show just the opposite of the claims by Zelensky and his political/military government, namely that for the AFU, buildings and even ruins are more important than human beings in uniform

In a truly independent state, military leaders such as those in Ukraine would face court martials for their reckless squandering of human resources

At the beginning of October, the development most discussed by the Ukraine government and its tightly controlled media was the defeat and withdrawal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) from the small city of Ugledar (called 'Vuhledar' in Ukraine) in the Donbass region.

The chaotic and costly withdrawal (for Ukraine) is the result of Kiev's refusal to withdraw as the city was being encircled by Russian forces. This is not the first time this has happened.

Russian troops waited for evacuations of the remaining 116 civilians in Ugledar before entering and retaking the city on October 2. These were civilians who had been living in basements under shelling for the past two and a half years, refusing to be evacuated. The small city had a pre-war population of 14,000.

Ugledar is a former coal mining city some 50 km southwest of Donetsk city. Since being seized and occupied by far-right Ukrainian paramilitaries in 2014, it has been used by the AFU to regularly shell Donetsk city and neighboring cities and towns, causing countless civilian deaths, injuries, and property damage.

Numerous towns and cities of the former Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk and Lugansk (which constitute the historic coal mining and steelmaking region of Donbass) were seized by the paramilitaries in 2014 and after, and have been used in this manner to terrorize the populations there.

They resisted the illegal coup of 2014 in Kiev. Today, Donetsk and Lugansk are constituent republics of the Russian Federation, following several referendum votes that have taken place there

The Russian army had attempted to storm Ugledar several times during the past two years, each time without success. The city is located on a hill and controls the surrounding steppes and towns for dozens of kilometers.

Ukraine heavily fortified the city as part of its betrayal of the February 2015 Minsk 2 peace agreement it signed with Russia, which was sabotaged in the years following. Fortifications included those built underground in the extensive network of coal mine tunnels that date back some six decades.

From Ugledar, Ukrainian artillery could reach an important railway line connecting the now-Russian cities of Donetsk and Mariupol (on the Black Sea coast) with Crimea. One of the measures by Russian forces to protect the railroad has been to deploy a KingTrain in places along the route on one of the two railway tracks. The train consists of some 2,100 railroad cars of different types, altogether strung out over some 40 kilometers.

Ukrainian military analysts note that the Russian Armed Forces' operation to capture this important, fortified area has given rise to a new tactic for opening up the echeloned (diagonal) defense lines of the AFU. It consists of first reducing such fortifications into rubble using bombs and artillery, then attacking with assault units from several directions, cutting through AFU positions along vectors converging on the center of the given fortified area and eventually bringing it under full control.

The 123rd Brigade of the AFU was sent from the city of Nikolaev (Mykolaiv), some 500 km to the west, to help those surrounded in Ugledar, but could not break through Russian defense lines.

On October 11, relatives of the surrounded troops staged a rally in Nikolaev, the capital city of the Nikolaev region, demanding that their sons and husbands be immediately withdrawn out of the hell the city had become. This was the second such rally in the city after authorities refused to act on a similar rally held four days earlier

One week earlier, around 100 members of the 187th Battalion of the 123rd Brigade staged a protest (and here) in the small city of Voznesensk, located 100 km northwest of Nikolaev. They had left their military unit in faraway Donbass to draw attention to the insufficient training and lack of weapons of typical Ukrainian soldiers for combat operations.

Platoon commander Sergei told reporters at the rally he had repeatedly asked his command to at least add machine guns to the brigade's arsenal but was refused.

Ukrainian conscript soldiers typically receive little training (one month, compared to the six months or more of a Russian soldier). Military units largely consist of working-class people seized off the streets, in accordance with the country's draconian conscription laws. The criminal code of Ukraine stipulates that a serviceman has three days to reverse any decision to quit (desert) his unit. On the fourth day, the action is considered a criminal offense.

The Verkhovna Rada (legislature) of Ukraine is considering a bill that would exempt from criminal liability the servicemen who desert their posts but then voluntarily return to duty. Rada deputy Fedir Venislavsky told TSN.ua news agency on October 2, "The current law works, but only applies to a soldier who has been formally notified and charged with desertion and a court decides to exonerate him. We want to avoid criminal proceedings altogether against a soldier who voluntarily returns to his unit."

Ukrainian analysts discuss the fall of Ugledar

Ukrainian military journalist Volodymyr Boyko blames the fall of Ugledar on increased desertions from AFU ranks. He believes that this has already led to the loss of dozens of other settlements. According to him, half of his own military unit deserted over the course of August and September of 2024. He says he had earlier warned his superiors of a threatened, chaotic retreat of the remnants of the 72nd Brigade from Ugledar if there was no order forthcoming from higher up the chain of command for an orderly withdrawal.

Boyko also predicts that more and worse can be expected along the entire front line of the AFU in Donetsk due to the poor quality of replacement troops, comprised in large part of recent recruits. In his opinion, the collapse of the army has reached such a scale that no measures, such as changing of commanders will help, as in his view, there are simply not enough personnel to hold the front lines. He gives an example, saying that out of 50 recruits sent to strengthen the defense of Ugledar, only four ended up in defense positions, and even they deserted during their first rotation out of the front lines.

He believes the draft law to ease the punishment of deserters will not help the military effort. "Since the deserters will be considered returned to military service, an illusion of the combat readiness of military units will be created on paper. As for the consequences of this madness, they are obvious: in October-November, several tens of thousands of soldiers can be expected to desert from the front. The next city to be targeted by Russia will become Pavlograd."

Pavlograd is a vital rail and industrial city located nearly 200 km west of Ugledar, with a population of 100,000. It is located a mere 40 km east of Dnipro, the fourth largest city in Ukraine.

Assessing Boyko's statements, Ukrainian legislator Olexander Dubinsky believes that the AFU is on the verge of disaster due to desertions. "Boyko writes that the rate of desertion from the army is reaching 15,000 people per month. This is roughly the rate of monthly conscription recruits. If this is true, it is a disaster," the Rada member says.

Dubinsky also notes that many Ukrainian recruits do not live long on the battlefield, "I have gathered and examined the terrible math of war, relying on reports in the media, primarily foreign media, and also on postings to social media by military members.

The average duration of survival of a new recruit on the front lines is two to three months. To be more precise, one month is served in 'boot camp' (training), and then up to two months serving somewhere on the front lines. After that, 70 per cent of these recruits end up killed or wounded.

"The ‘law of old men’ is well known ever since the first world war, and this is how it works: When receiving new recruits, a commander puts them in the most dangerous areas in order to save experienced soldiers and those whom he knows personally," he wrote.

On October 3, Zelensky blatantly lied to the Ukrainian population by saying that he gave an order to withdraw from Ugledar because "people are more important than buildings". However, Ukrainian military officers and soldiers claim they received no orders to withdraw. Many of those able to do so ran away chaotically on their own

The battle for Ugledar, as well as the earlier battles for the cities of Bakhmut, Avdeevka, and Mariupol, show just the opposite of the claims by Zelensky and his political/military government, namely that for the AFU, buildings and even ruins are more important than human beings in uniform.

The loss of a square kilometer of ruins is negatively perceived by Western sponsors, while information about human losses is treated as "classified information" and withheld from the Ukrainian people and from the people of the world

Zelensky would never order a withdrawal from the Right Bank (western bank of the Dnieper River, which divides Ukraine in two) of the Kherson region as did Russian commanders in November 2022. They cited a high risk of heavy personnel losses due to logistical (transport) difficulties and their wish to prevent heavy damage to the city's buildings and physical infrastructure.

Eyewitnesses to the loss of Ugledar

Two soldiers of the 72nd Brigade of the AFU who survived the collapse in Ugledar were interviewed by the BBC for a story published on October 2. They said they withdrew from the city without waiting for an order to retreat because defense lines had become completely disorganized and communication was lost. "Without an organized withdrawal, the situation became chaotic," said a machine gunner named Roman. "You either die or retreat."

Further, writes the BBC, the withdrawal itself was "close to a suicide mission", particularly in daylight hours."I don’t know why [they didn’t give the order]," machine gunner Roman said angrily. "Maybe it is fear of personal consequences of an evacuation order at the hands of the military leadership, or maybe it was an order from the top to hold positions with our blood until the very end."

During the entire Russian special military operation, Ukrainian soldiers have never received an order to withdraw or retreat, even from the worst positions, such as encirclement or when holding onto ruins. This contrasts with the record of Russian military units, which constantly maneuver, advancing one day, retreating the next, and then advancing again.

Nikolai Voroshnov, an aerial scout of the 72nd Brigade (AFU), confirms that they did not receive an order to withdraw from Ugledar, notwithstanding Zelensky's claims to the contrary. "Ugledar was doomed, it was impossible to save it. However, the soldiers there could be saved.

However, the order to withdraw was never given. Everyone in the city and around it understood that the deadline for Russia to take the city was counting down in days, and then in hours, but the order to withdraw was not received," he said, voicing his indignation.

Another serviceman from the same 72nd Brigade, Viktor, who served at the headquarters of one of the brigade's battalions, told Slidstvo.info (as cited by Strana.ua) that he had only one platoon left, and out of 350 men, only some 30 were still standing. During two years of fighting, he said, the platoon was down to nearly zero; the replenishments that were sent were typically called 'grandfathers', meaning they were over 50 years old and poorly trained.

He says his unit was expected not so long ago to join a 'counteroffensive', but there were few men left to hold their positions, leave alone to advance and take new positions.

Strana wrote further, "When asked why it was not possible to hold the city, which stood on a rise, had a very favorable position for defense and which his brigade and other units had held for two years, Viktor answered as follows: 'What is the value of holding a dominant height if enemy drones hang over you 24 hours a day?

The enemy had an advantage in artillery, while we practically had none. It was not like it was in the winter of 2023. Also, Russian units began to remotely mine all access roads to the front. Yes, their infantry are bums, but they have an advantage in weaponry and in quantity. We simply had no one and nothing to fight with."

Ukrainian nationalist and journalist Yuriy Butusov claims that there was no order to retreat because of Zelensky's public relations machine, the cost of which is paid in the lives of soldiers. The 'public relations' refusal (to order a withdrawal from Ugledar) is an 'ostrich' policy, in which orders that would negatively affect the ratings of Zelensky's 'Servant of the People' [the name of Zelensky's electoral political machine] are not taken.

"Volodymyr Zelensky deliberately hinders the correct, necessary tactical decisions in the war, and because of this irresponsibility, many people die, as happened, unfortunately, during the withdrawal from Ugledar", wrote Butusov.

Ukrainian political analyst Andriy Zolotaryov said in a published interview (as reported by Politnavigator.ua on October 2) that the withdrawal order was not given so that Zelensky could claim during his visit to the United States at the end of September that Ugledar was still holding on. The result, says Zolotaryov, will be an increase in demoralization of Ukraine's soldiers and population.

"So far, we can only guess what the price of this retreat was and will be. Everything could have been done with much less blood, but it was important to show that the president of Ukraine is in the United States, Ugledar is still holding on, and so on. But at what cost? This is another example of political necessity prevailing over military expediency. The demoralizing effect of all this could be very serious," the analyst predicts.

In a truly independent state, military leaders such as those on display in Ukraine would face court martials for their reckless squandering of human resources. However, Ukraine is a proxy force for NATO, and Ukrainians are merely expendable pawns in the West's grand game of maintaining its global hegemony, whatever the human and societal costs.

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EU drowning in poverty

Over one in five EU citizens live in poverty, with no homes to shelter them, while the bloc continues pouring money into overseas conflicts and onslaughts

While the European Union continues pumping billions into Ukraine, record poverty rates and homelessness have spiked across its states, affecting more than 20 percent of their citizens.

More than one in five citizens within the EU are now homeless, applying for emergency accommodation and seeking charities for hot meals, while legislators warn that fundamental human rights are being blatantly disregarded.

German MEP Gabriele Bischoff urged the bloc to find and establish a strategy against poverty, saying, "We are talking about 100 million people who are affected by poverty and social exclusion here, on one of the richest continents in the world, more than one in five in the EU."

In the same context, Malika Sorel, the French MEP, blasted living conditions and crises within the bloc, revealing that 34% of EU citizens do not have healthcare benefits, while hospitals are unable to treat or look after patients. Meanwhile, poverty has struck every member state, risking transforming EU countries into "third world nations."

How Israel and Ukraine exacerbated the problem

The phenomenon has prevailed over the past few years, but the EU insisted on providing Ukraine with 118 billion euros in military aid and on sanctioning Russia, exponentially increasing energy rates and inflation.

Johann Weick, the EU policy consultant, said, "At some point, Zelensky and Vladimir Putin have to be together and figure out some kind of peace deal, because otherwise, the European Union will have more problems."

To further exacerbate the problem, Germany, considered the EU's economic powerhouse, opted to supply Israel with €94 million worth of military equipment. Other members of the bloc slammed the decision and called for sanctions instead.

"What more will it take for the EU to sanction Israel? Israel has turned Gaza into a sea of rubble. It is engaging in the indiscriminate bombing of Lebanon," Irish MEP Aodhan O Riordan said, adding that the occupation has also been deliberately targeting UNIFIL peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, a clear violation of international law that should encourage sanctions.

Is the EU digging its own grave?

Analysts warn that the EU's economy is at risk due to its leaders' blind adherence to US foreign policy.

Moreover, the expanding influence of BRICS could further weaken the euro. Currently, the lack of action to tackle rising inequality within the EU is leading to significant political fallout for the establishment.

Reuters reported on Wednesday that BRICS leaders are drafting plans to further expand the alliance amid concerns about the geopolitical and economic implications of rapid growth.

During the BRICS summit, chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kazan, discussions focused on how to manage the growing interest from countries in the Global South and East in joining the bloc.

BRICS, which originally consisted of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and later South Africa, now accounts for 45% of the global population and 35% of the world’s economy. More than 30 states have also expressed interest in becoming members

Anti-EU feelings are growing as frustration builds among those who feel neglected by the system.

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Ukraine to recruit another

160,000 into military

Speaking in parliament on Tuesday, Ukrainian MP Alexey Goncharenko revealed that 1.05 million citizens have been recruited since the war began in 2022

According to MPs and media reports, Kiev plans to enlist 160,000 additional troops within the next three months. More than a million men have already been enlisted, but significant casualties have left the Ukrainian Armed Forces with personnel difficulties.

Speaking in parliament on Tuesday, Ukrainian MP Alexey Goncharenko revealed that 1.05 million Ukrainians have been recruited since the war began in 2022.

“We aim to call up 160,000 more individuals, which will allow us to staff military units with up to 85% personnel,” he added, citing information from Alexander Litvinenko, the secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council.

Shortly after, the AFP said that these troops would be called up within the next three months, citing an unidentified "security source." The Ukrainian Armed Forces had around 250,000 active-duty members at the start of 2022, a figure that quickly increased when Volodymyr Zelensky called up reservists and prohibited draft-age individuals from leaving the country.

In response to growing casualties, Kiev reduced the draft age from 27 to 25 and dramatically tightened mobilization standards, requiring potential recruits to go to conscription offices for "data validation." These examinations frequently result in persons being instantly drafted into the army and deployed to the front line.

Forced recruitment

Videos of recruiting officials seeking to apprehend eligible males in different public settings, which frequently resulted in violent conflicts, have recently emerged online.

Ukraine does not release fatality data, and Zelensky's allegation earlier this year that just 31,000 troops had been killed or injured battling Russia was widely mocked.

According to the most recent Russian Defense Ministry numbers, Ukraine's genuine casualty count exceeds half a million, accounting for over half of its pre- and post-mobilization personnel combined.

A stream of publications in Western media detailed how conscripted soldiers are frequently deployed to the front lines with no training and are deemed unsuitable for warfare by the more experienced soldiers.

A deputy commander told the Financial Times last month that "When the new guys get to the position, a lot of them run away at the first shell explosion," while another commander divulged that "Some guys freeze [because] they are too afraid to shoot the enemy, and then they are the ones who leave in body bags or severely wounded."

Corruption weakening Ukrainian military: General

A prominent general has warned that the Ukrainian armed forces are unable to respond quickly to changing battlefield conditions due to bureaucracy and corruption in their logistics.

General Dmitry Marchenko, who is involved in overseeing the port city of Nikolayev, said in an interview on Monday that adaptability is a crucial prerequisite for a modern military, and Kiev's force lacks it - but not because of the troops.

"Unfortunately, our bureaucracy, our corruption, do not allow us to adapt and quickly produce what we need," he remarked, referring to Ukraine's military sector.

He bemoaned the missed opportunity to increase output between 2014 and the onset of war with Russia in early 2022.

Marchenko asserted that some politicians and officials "skipped [that period] as if they were on recess," citing how the arms purchase efforts before 2022 "failed," but then-Defense Minister Andrey Taran was permitted to depart with accolades for his performance.

The minister dismissed as "mere speculation" suggestions that his department was unable to carry out its own plans to purchase military equipment.

Victory plan nothing on what Ukraine should do

According to Marchenko, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's 'victory plan', revealed earlier this month, calls for further Western backing and has no recommendations on what Ukrainians should do. It claims that "everyone must give us weapons, more and more," but in fact, "we are owed nothing."

A report by The Washington Post (WP) reported that as Zelensky promoted his “victory plan” aimed at resolving the war with Russia, Ukrainian forces encountered significant setbacks on the battlefield"

Analysts indicated that Russian forces may have been driven back in up to half of the territory that Kiev originally captured during its summer offensive into Russia’s Kursk region. According to WP, this concerning shift calls into question the effectiveness of Ukraine’s military strategy amid the ongoing conflict.

Public sector corruption has been a serious issue for Ukraine since its independence in the 1990s, and while Zelensky's government claims to have made significant progress in addressing the problem NBC reported the issue has strained Kiev's ties with US Ambassador Bridget Brink, who Ukrainian officials claim is making excessive demands in this regard.

According to a Time magazine piece published earlier this year, an alleged Zelensky assistant complained that people in Ukraine "are stealing like there's no tomorrow."

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... o-military

[Anthea]

Zelensky’s victory plan:

Sacrifice more human lives, sell off national patrimony, and stay in power

Zelensky's victory plan combines nuclear blackmail, false accusations of the Korean and Iranian militaries aiding Russia's combat operations, and talk of mobilizing women into combat support roles to defend Europe.

Zelensky's victory plan expresses the agony of a government that is chaotically seeking to involve other countries in salvaging the fading authority he leads.

In the second half of October, a victory plan announced by the government in Kiev for the proxy war being waged by the NATO powers against the Russian Federation dominated Ukrainian media.

Political leaders in Ukraine have actively discussed and promoted the idea, led by regime president Volodymyr Zelensky. Of note is the fact that Zelensky first presented his plan in Washington, London, Paris, and Brussels.

Only on October 16 was the plan presented to the Ukrainian legislature (Verkhovna Rada). Even then, many details were not disclosed. Those details are being treated as a secret before the Rada and the Ukrainian public.

Nevertheless, even the partial details showed the plan as unrealistic and evidence that Zelensky was ready to do anything to retain power. It shows that he is ready to gift Ukraine's natural and industrial resources to Western investors companies, and will continue sacrificing as many lives as needed.

Zelensky's government now operates without the slightest democratic legitimacy. His five-year electoral mandate expired six months ago, in mid-April 2024

The 'plan' contains five points:

1. Western powers would invite Ukraine to join NATO in some capacity.

2. Military operations would continue on Russian soil, and NATO countries would lift restrictions on Ukraine attacking Russian territory using long-range missile weaponry.

3. Long-range NATO armaments may be used to strike against Russian territory.

4. More Western economic aid to boost Ukraine's military capacity, including the manufacture of weapons and strengthening of anti-Russian sanctions.

5. Using the Armed Forces of Ukraine to assist the militaries of NATO countries, including in their foreign military interventions.

Zelensky has explained that the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th points of his plan contain secret annexes, for the eyes of the Western powers only.

On Telegram, the Strana.ua media outlet revealed that point #4 of the plan addresses the trillions of dollars worth of strategic mineral resources lying in the country's subsoil, including uranium, titanium, lithium and graphite (a metallic mineral composed of carbon).

Zelensky's proposal is that such valuable natural resources should receive joint protection with NATO powers.

Joint protection is an obvious reference to statements by US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who has repeatedly called for continued financial support for Ukraine, citing the trillions of dollars’ worth of minerals that could be extracted from the Ukrainian subsoil by US companies.

The victory plan has all the appearance of a list of demands by the Ukrainian side to the Western powers that they escalate their involvement in the war against the Russian Federation. In exchange, they are offered the opportunity to exploit the wealth of the Ukrainian subsoil.

Kiev spokespeople are also now openly declaring that a strengthened and ultimately 'victorious' Ukrainian Armed Forces would be at the disposal of the West in the name of 'defending Europe' against present and future threats.

Euronews reported on October 16 that in September, Zelensky gave his Western allies a deadline of three months to adopt the main provisions of his 'victory plan'.

Ukrainian political analyst Kostyantyn Bondarenko says that Zelensky is simply preparing to give away the Ukrainian subsoil for Western corporations to exploit. Bondarenko says this is the main point of the ‘victory plan; the rest is mere information noise.

Zelensky's reasoning about how many trillions of dollars the Ukrainian subsoil is worth suggests that it will be those very resources that will be used to pay to his Western partners for the cost of his artistry.

I do not believe that Ukraine will be accepted into NATO, or that we will be trusted to formally join the European Union and be accorded a major role in 'protecting' Europeans. But I do believe they will give away the subsoil.

Zelensky has no right to gift the subsoil, saying that according to the Ukraine constitution, the subsoil is part of Ukraine's patrimony and cannot be sold or gifted according to the political whims of whomever is in power

In another publication, Bondarenko claims that the essence of the plan is to offer up Ukraine as a Western colony. He writes, "Let us call things by their proper names: the essence of the deal is that you (the West) help us to stop Putin, and we agree to be your colony."

Nuclear weapons for Ukraine?

Since the announcement of the 'victory plan', Zelensky has openly mused that if Ukraine is not accepted into NATO membership, it may need to proceed to acquire nuclear weapons:

According to the Budapest Memorandum of 1994, post-Soviet Ukraine agreed to relinquish its nuclear weapons, and in exchange, it received billions of dollars of economic assistance from Russia and from the Western powers

This has all the appearance of naked blackmail of the Western governments. Strana.ua cites on Telegram on October 17 an anonymous European diplomat saying that such blackmail has gone so far as to irritate the Western sponsors and supporters of Kiev.

Another message by Strana on Telegram on October 17 cites its own journalist Denys Rafalsky who wrote, Kiev's attempts to push the EU and the U.S. into steps that could increase tensions between them and the Russian Federation, up to and including direct hostilities, are causing growing apprehension and even rejection in Western countries.

Statements by Zelensky such as those issued today about acquiring nuclear weapons only reinforce this trend. This is a potentially an extremely dangerous situation for Ukraine, as the country risks turning from a ‘defender of Europe’ stopping Russian troops on the continent's distant approaches into a reckless and dangerous source of threats and provocations risking nuclear war.

The well-known, anti-Russia German columnist Julian Röpcke has written in the German daily Bild, citing Ukrainian sources, that Ukraine is seriously discussing the development of a nuclear weapons program.

He writes that a senior Ukrainian official told him several months ago that Ukraine would not accept another Russian operation targeting Kiev and its surroundings. In such a case, Ukraine would be forced to acquire its nuclear arsenal. The unnamed official said that Ukraine has the materials and the knowledge for this, and that the first bomb, if ordered, could be manufactured in just a few weeks.

Scientists in Russia and elsewhere dismiss the claim that such a weapon could be quickly manufactured, but some do say that a missile or rocket could be used to deliver a 'dirty bomb', that is, a bomb loaded with nuclear waste contamination.

More conscripted bodies for war

Meanwhile, Zelensky stated on October 22 that his government's Western allies are demanding that Kiev step up military conscriptions, including by lowering the age of conscription from its present 25 years of age to 18.

According to an advisor to the Office of the President of Ukraine, Serhiy Leshchenko, writing on Telegram on October 15, U.S. politicians of both parties are among those calling for this. He writes, The partners' argument is as follows:

During the U.S. war in Vietnam, men were conscripted as of the age of 19. Today, the Americans are hinting that Western weapons supply alone is not enough [to fight and prevail over the Russian armed forces]. Conscription is needed as of the age of 18

Leshchenko concludes his message in writing that Zelensky has not lost hope that US politicians can be persuaded to continue providing weapons and funding without Ukraine lowering the age of conscription. For now, this is Zelensky's public stance before the Ukrainian population.

Women soldiers for the Ukraine army?

Former Ukrainian Armed Forces chief and current Ukrainian ambassador to London, General Valeriy Zaluzhny, has thrown his own two cents into the discussion. Previously, he has stated his support for lowering the age of conscription to 18 "only if absolutely necessary and when there is a direct threat to the existence of the state as such".

Now, a news report by Ukraine media outlet Hromadske [Public] on October 18 reported that in a speech to the pro-war 'Chatham House' think tank in London, Zaluzhny was asked if it was true that Ukraine may begin conscripting "half a million" women to fill the shortfall of armed forces personnel and replied "we will certainly do it" if this were needed. He said this would be done in the name of "defending Europe".

Zaluzhny has also said that for the time being, it is effectively impossible for Ukraine to get out of a protracted war with Russia because that would "play into Russia's hands". He explained, "We would end up in a state of protracted war, and a way out of such a war seems almost impossible [to imagine]."

The good general did not explain who would fight in such a protracted war, where it would obtain its weapons, and who would pay for it all. But his statement does say a lot about the man's mindset.

Simply put, the Ukrainian ambassador in London proposes to sacrifice Ukrainian men and women in a war that he recognizes cannot be won. He proposes to do that for the sake of ‘saving Europe’.

In plain English, he says such sacrifices are needed for the sake of preserving the hegemony of the Western powers in the world. Even colonial administrations in the earlier history of Europe, during the 19th and 20th centuries, did not typically voice such servility.

Oleksandr Dubinsky, a Ukrainian nationalist and legislator who earlier quit Zelensky's political party (electoral machine) commented wryly on Telegram on October 20 about the speech by Zaluzhny in London. Conscription of men, clearly this is needed. Of women, yes, in the name of saving Europe.

No objection there, either. But don't forget the youth! Officials in Berlin in 1945 acted much more decisively!, he mocked, referring to the mobilizations of Hitler youth groups during the last-ditch stand in the city of the dying Hitler regime.

At present, there are some 60,000 women in the armed forces of Ukraine. Most act as cooks, orderlies, and in other such support roles. Some act as snipers.

Sacrificing the youth of Ukraine for warfare

Tragically, Ukrainian society has already been forced into the military mobilization of youth. The leader of the fascist Brotherhood party, Dmytro Korchynsky, declared on October 22 that the age of military mobilization should be lowered to 14 should Ukraine find itself "on the verge of destruction".

He also referred to the experience of some African countries, where child soldiers are drawn into paramilitary forces. He suggested drawing on the experience of "the many progressive countries of the world, for example, in Central Africa", where youth are encouraged to join paramilitary units from the age of 12 and older.

There are several far-right and neo-Nazi paramilitary groups in Ukraine which already recruit and train children and youth. The neo-Nazi 'Azov' paramilitary force has for long run training camps (Azovets) for children.

Similar camps are run by the aforementioned Brotherhood and by the neo-Nazi 'Right Sector' force. Typically, they train children, orphans, and youth who then go on to volunteer for the armed forces at the age of 18.

Without waiting for such an alarming eventuality, growing numbers of Ukrainian mothers are choosing to flee Ukraine with their children. In mid-October, Ukrainian legislator Nina Yuzhanina stated that according to her best estimate, some 300,000 children left Ukraine with their mothers on the eve of the beginning of the new school year on September 1. Ukrainian law prohibits men of the age of military registration (18 to 55 years) from leaving the country, so the task of saving children and youth in this manner falls upon the mothers.

Stories of North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia

In mid-October, Ukrainian authorities began claiming that soldiers of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea ('North Korea') are joining combat operations on the side of the Russian Federation. Ukrainian political analyst Taras Semenyuk stated on October 15 that according to his best estimate, there are 8,000 Korean soldiers being trained in Russia's Rostov Region as assault troops. He also claimed that officers of the armed forces of Iran and China are present in Rostov to assist Russia in military training and planning.

Semenyuk acknowledges that claims about the presence of Korean soldiers and Chinese and Iranian officers are being made with Western audiences in mind. Such facts should force the West to be as fast and dynamic as possible in strengthening the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Kirill Budanov, head of the Defense Ministry's intelligence service, talks about 11,000 Korean soldiers being prepared to enter combat operations in the Kursk region of Russia. Alexander Syrsky, the head of the AFU, talks about Russia preparing two brigades of some 6,000 soldiers of the DPRK.

On October 16, Zelensky said that Ukraine was now waging a war against three countries--the Russian Federation, Iran, and the DPRK.

Ukrainian legislator Artem Dmytruk, who fled to London nearly two months ago, has recently written that the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine is under orders to issue false information about North Koreans

"The NSDC has published a list of new narratives to be issued from the basement of the SBU [Ukraine security service].

You are considered to be working for the enemy if you deny any direct participation of North Korean soldiers in the war, if you acknowledge that the Russian Federation is ready for peace talks, or if you say Kiev is issuing nuclear blackmail. My favorite accusation is that you are working for the enemy if you say anything to discredit the victory plan of Zelensky.

Oleksiy Arestovich, a former advisor to the Office of the President, has said recently that Zelensky's ‘victory plan’ is unrealistic, including because the Global South perceives Kiev as a tool of the West.

The Global South sees us as a clientele of the West and does not consider us to be independent. He, too, fled Ukraine in early 2024. He led Ukraine's hopeful peace talks with Russia in the spring of 2022, which were sabotaged by British intervention.

Ukrainian economist Oleksiy Kushch has also reminded recently that Kiev is losing the battle for support from the Global South.

There is no evidence of soldiers from the DPRK participating in combat against Ukrainian forces. NATO itself is acknowledging this.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was asked directly about the lurid stories during his October 24 press conference at the BRICS Summit meeting in Kazan, Russia. In reply, he simply reminded present journalists that the Russian Federation and the DPRK reached a mutual defense agreement during Putin's visit to the neighboring DPRK in April 2024. Informed observers are calling the stories a false flag operation.

On the whole, Zelensky's ‘victory plan’ combines nuclear blackmail, false accusations of the Korean and Iranian militaries aiding Russia's combat operations, and talk of mobilizing women into combat support roles to ‘defend Europe’.

It is all the expression of the agony of a government that is chaotically seeking to involve other countries in salvaging the fading authority led by Zelensky.

https://english.almayadeen.net/articles ... s--sell-of

[Anthea]

Putin congratulates Trump and says he's

'ready' to engage in dialogue

Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Donald Trump on his election victory, saying he is ready to engage with the United States

The Kremlin leader made the remarks during a policy forum in Sochi, Russia, on Thursday. Answering questions at the end of a lengthy speech, Putin said he wanted to "take this opportunity to congratulate [Trump] on his election as president of the United States."

When asked by a forum moderator if he was ready for discussions with Trump, Putin responded: "We are ready."

He claimed that "Russia didn't ruin relations with the U.S. and is open to reviving them, but the ball is in the Americans' court."

Putin said he did not know what might come of Trump’s promise to negotiate a quick end to the war in Ukraine, suggesting the president-elect's proposals are worth studying.

Trump has criticized the scale of U.S. aid to Ukraine — which has surpassed $100 billion since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — feeding fears in Kyiv and the European Union that Trump intends to impose peace largely on Moscow’s terms.

Putin cautioned that political forces in Washington had blocked Trump from his pledges to improve relations with Moscow during his previous term.

The Russian leader also praised Trump for the way he survived a shooting at a rally this summer. “His behavior at the moment of an attempt on his life left an impression on me. He turned out to be a brave man,” Putin said.

https://www.npr.org/2024/11/07/nx-s1-51 ... gage-trump