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

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Future belongs to SCO and BRICS

Iranian Minister of Economic Affairs Ehsan Khandozi believes that SCO and BRICS will play a major role

Iranian Minister of Economic Affairs Ehsan Khandozi told Sputnik that Tehran appreciates the importance of developing cooperation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and BRICS, as the regional blocs will play a key role in the global economy in the coming decades.

Khandozi said that "regional agreements, specifically with such important regional partners as SCO and BRICS, are what the world economy will be promoting on the shoulders of these economic giants in the nearest decades."

Tehran signed a memorandum of commitment for full SCO membership in September 2022. The Iranian parliament voted to back the country's accession to the organization in November. in accordance with SCO procedures, for Iran to acquire a full membership, the memorandum needs to be approved by all SCO member states.

The SCO, founded in 2001, is an international organization whose full members include Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The SCO also has Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia as observer states, while Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey are partner countries.

On the other hand, BRICS unites the world's largest developing economies, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. A number of them plan to join the economic bloc, including Argentina, Iran, Indonesia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.

Last year, a spokesperson revealed that Iran has applied to join the group of five major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

BRICS members account for 30% of global gross output and 40% of the global population, according to the spokesperson. He expressed hope that Iran's BRICS membership would result in "added values" for both sides.
Iran hopes North-South Corridor completed before 2025

Iranian Minister of Economic Affairs Ehsan Khandozi told Sputnik that Tehran wants to see the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) completed and operational before 2025.

"We hope to witness the 'North-South' corridor project completed and railroads opened before the current Iranian government's terms in office are expired," Khandozi said.

The current Iranian government, led by President Ebrahim Raisi, has been in power since 2021. It is slated to conclude in 2025 after serving a four-year term, with the possibility of a second term.

The North-South Corridor is an international multi-mode network nearly 7,200 kilometers long connecting St. Petersburg, Russia, and Mumbai, India.

The corridor offers a different option than using the Suez Canal to connect the nations of Europe, the Gulf, and the Indian Ocean by water. Three ITC routes exist: the Trans-Caspian (utilizing ports and railroads), the Western, and the Eastern (land routes).

The Astara-Rasht section of the INSTC project, which was started in 2002 by a trilateral agreement between Russia, Iran, and India, is still unfinished. An intergovernmental agreement on the building of the final phase was in the works, it was revealed on March 17 by Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran.

This year should see the signing of the contract. The first shipment from Russia to India via the eastern arm of the corridor was successfully carried out, according to a July 2022 announcement from the Russian corporation RZD.

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China-Russia cooperation

Connectivity between China and Russia doesn’t just benefit the two countries. As a matter of fact, Russia plays a key role in the China-Europe cargo rail link

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Russia visit is closely watched by the international community. While much of the attention, especially for the West, is focused on China’s position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Xi’s primary mission is to further strengthen China’s ties with Russia. To China, this direction is likely to remain unchanged in the foreseeable future regardless of how the Ukraine crisis will be resolved.

A close China-Russia relationship, contrary to the Western perception, doesn’t mean that China supports Russia in the Ukraine war or that Beijing and Moscow are forming an anti-West alliance aimed at challenging the international order. Instead, it creates certainty for the international community.

Trade between China and Russia hit a record high level of $190 billion in 2022, a near 30% year-on-year rise. China’s trade with Primorsky Krai, the largest regional economy in the Russian Far East, surged by 43%. Globally, trade in goods only saw a growth of less than 5% last year, according to the World Trade Organization estimates. So, it’s hard to deny that the China-Russia trade has driven, rather than dragged, global trade.

The increased two-way trade tends to be seen by the West as a sign that China is deliberately providing an economic lifeline to help Russia navigate Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis. In reality, however, this scenario is a natural result of years of momentum building in economic cooperation that began long before the Ukraine war broke out.

For instance, China has always attached importance to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and the Eastern Economic Forum, two major business events held in Russia annually. Xi Jinping in person attended the former in 2019 and the latter in 2018.

There’s no doubt that such events have helped establish business ties. Data compiled by Russian authorities show that Chinese investors currently operate more than 1,000 manufacturing plants in Russia, which have created around 24,000 jobs for Russian workers.

Meanwhile, the two-way trade has also been facilitated by closer infrastructure connectivity. For instance, the first highway bridge connecting China and Russia, which can accommodate 630 freight trucks, 164 buses and 68 other vehicles daily, opened last year. This project’s construction began in 2016.

Connectivity between China and Russia doesn’t just benefit the two countries. As a matter of fact, Russia plays a key role in the China-Europe cargo rail link, as the majority of the existing rail routes run across Russia.

It takes 16 days for a freight train departing from the central Chinese city of Wuhan to cross Russia and arrive in Germany’s Duisburg. By comparison, maritime shipping from Asia to northern Europe can take twice that long.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, these rail routes served as a trade artery between China and Europe at a time when the virus caused serious disruptions to air freight and maritime shipping.

The overall trade between China and the EU rose just 2% in 2020, but the number of rail containers that ran between China and Europe via Russia saw a 34% surge in the same year. Europe might have seen more severe trade disruptions during the pandemic without China and Russia’s joint efforts in ensuring the stable operation of the rail routes.

Apart from trade, the China-Russia ties matter to regional peace and security as well. The two countries are arguably the most influential members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and coordination between Beijing and Moscow has played an essential role in ensuring the quality of the cooperation within the SCO’s framework.

Between 2013 and 2017 alone, more than 500 potential terror attacks were avoided and more than 2,000 terrorists were arrested thanks to the SCO-wide security cooperation. More recently, such cooperation has helped maintain a relatively secure environment in Central Asia in the wake of the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

That being said, the China-Russia security cooperation under the SCO or bilateral mechanisms doesn’t represent a military alliance, and there seems to be little sign that their security ties are directed at any third country. By comparison, although NATO has a security-focused nature, the military alliance’s existence has not necessarily led to more regional security, if we think about the root cause of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Over the past decade, certainty has probably been the most prominent feature in China-Russia relations. President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin have met each other in person or virtually for dozens of times, and the two-way trade has more than doubled.

In stark contrast, the past decade saw the US move from “engagement” to “containment” in its China policy. Closely following the US step, Britain has shifted from touting a “golden era” to describing China as an “epoch challenge”.

Such caprice, at least from China’s perspective, is the source of many uncertainties from which no one will benefit over the long term. In one example, Washington’s trade and tech war against China, which causes tremendous global supply chain disruptions, will certainly lead to a lose-lose situation.

It’s true that Beijing and Moscow sometimes join hands on the international stage. However, instead of trying to challenge the world order, they hope to jointly say no to the uncertainties born out of a mindset that find it difficult to accept a comparative decline of the West and the emergence of multipolarity.

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Peace protesters in US

During a hearing of the Foreign Relations Committee at the Senate on Wednesday, anti-war protesters caused disruption multiple times

Videos circulated online of Blinken being interrupted several times as he was speaking due to anti-war activists yelling at the diplomat to cease fueling the conflict in Ukraine.

They were seen holding banners reading the name of an organization called CODEPINK, an organization focused on peace and human rights.

"If you don’t like the Chinese proposal, where is your peace proposal? The American people want you to negotiate. Be a diplomat. Do your job now," CODEPINK co-founder Medea Benjamin said while being escorted out of the hearing by police

Another activist named Samantha was removed from the hearing as she was calling Blinken to lift sanctions on Cuba and that the country is not a state sponsor of terrorism.

As Benjamin was being escorted out of the Senate by the police, she told reporters that Blinken is not a diplomat, that he did nothing to end the conflict in Ukraine, that sending more weapons to Ukraine was not the right solution, and that the State Department’s budget may as well be part of the Pentagon’s.

Since last Saturday, protesters from over 200 organizations have been marching in the streets of Washington, demanding that the US cease its proxy war with Russia in Ukraine.

They were seen in the city center holding banners reading "Feed the People, Not the Pentagon," "Fund People's Needs, Not the War Machine," and "Disband NATO."

On Saturday, over 200 organizations rallied nationwide to demand: "Money for people's needs not the war machine!"

The actions were anchored by a national demonstration attended by thousands in front of White House in Washington, D.C.

Organizers said that the peace demonstration aims to warn people of a "global war," while also raising public awareness of "the human and financial toll of US militarism at home and abroad."

The rally further coincided with the 20th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq, organizers noted, which Blinken made no mention of during his hearing at the Senate.

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Why NATO needs disbanded:
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NATO's 1999 bombing of Yugoslavia

President Aleksandar Vucic said that the illegal campaign had resulted in the death of over 2,500 people, including 87 children

Speaking at the mourning event dedicated to the 24th anniversary of NATO aggression against Yugoslavia, the Serbian head of State, President Aleksandar Vucic, said on Friday that Serbs will forget the atrocities committed by the alliance "only when all Serbs disappear."

He recalled that the illegal campaign had resulted in the death of over 2,500 people, including 87 children, as well as abnormally high cases of cancer and birth defects as a result of the depleted uranium shells that were used to bomb the then-Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

"It has been 24 years since you ripped away part of our country, killing children and civilians, military and police. Where did you get the right to kill our military and police, who gave you that right?" Vucic said, noting that NATO's illegal campaign had caused $100 billion worth of damage.

"You have not prevented any humanitarian catastrophe, you have armed rebel groups in a free and sovereign country, which has crossed to the territory of another state even a single inch, not even one toe," Vucic added.

Nation-wide memorials kicked off on Friday evening in the city of Sombor, where the first NATO air bomb fell on March 24, 1999.

Among the millions of attendees who had gathered for the memorial included the Serbian President, Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, Serb co-president of Bosnia and Herzegovina Milorad Dodik, and other government officials.

During his address, Vucic also condemned NATO for fabricating false pretexts of alleged humanitarian disaster to launch its attack on Yugoslavia.

He said that when NATO understood it could not earn formal legal approval from the UN Security Council to launch the attack, they had decided to carry it out without UN approval.

NATO waged brutal aggression in the former Yugoslavia in 1999 for 78 days, which led to the disincorporation of the former republic and killed between 3,500-4,000, and injured some 10,000 others, two-thirds of which were civilians. The alliance's aggression cost Belgrade around $100 billion in material damages.

Over the period of the aggression, the alliance dropped an estimated 15 tonnes of depleted uranium in bombs and shells, after which the country's cancer rates spiked, ranking it the first in terms of cancer in Europe. In the first ten years following the heavy shelling, about 30,000 developed cancer, and estimations say that between 10,000-18,000 of them died.

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Anti-war protests in Deutschland

For a continent and a country that has already borne the brunt of fascism, providing arms to Ukraine lacks wisdom and hints at strategic implosion

Protests across Germany against weapons supplies to the Kiev regime reveal an important and strategically significant point that should not sidelined by those who continue to hold Russia solely responsible.

Scenes of close to 13,000 anti-war protestors gathering at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin as well as across Germany also symbolize an acute understanding that exists in the German public that only dialogue and diplomacy, instead of camp politics and hegemony can resolve the Ukraine war. There is definitely a need to change course on Kiev.

These protests unfolded as the impasse in Ukraine is becoming unbearable. The war continues to fester in the absence of de-escalation calls and is further solidified as countries such as Germany sign off on € 8.9 million in arms exports in 2022, with a quarter of that amount heading straight to the Zelensky regime.

The transnational nature of the conflict and various actors stepping in to prolong it, has resulted in the United States approving sales to countries such as Poland worth $10 Bn for interoperability. These hard facts continue to alarm pacifists and those vouching for negotiations with the Kremlin. Such state-sponsored war machineries remain unacceptable and the fact that this is coming from Berlin, which has historically adopted a nuanced foreign policy, is a cause for concern.

The protests are being spearheaded by figureheads such as Sahra Wagenknecht and veteran feminist campaigner, Alice Schwarzer, who are sending a clear signal that peace, amity, absence of hostilities and eschewing Cold War mentalities needs to take hold for a stable continent and world order. In a speech at the protest,

Wagenknecht stated that a citizen’s initiative was the need of the hour as well as a new, strong and impactful peace movement across Germany. She also pointed out how demonstrators were united over grievances such as isolation and lack of representation by the Olaf Scholz administration. On the foreign policy front, the German public is also disillusioned by Foreign Minister Anna Baerbock’s doctrine of providing unfettered access to weapons.

The truth is that if Germany wants to ensure that its social contract with the people is not eroded, but kept intact, the flawed policy-making of its government cannot bypass public sentiment which is geared against confrontation and cooperation. One should note that the messaging from the protestors indicates that there is a clear aversion to the entire orientation towards Ukraine by German policymakers.

Messages such as ‘Diplomats instead of Grenades’, ‘Stop the Killing’, ‘ Not My War, Not My Government’, and ‘ Helmets Today, Tanks Tomorrow, The Day After Tomorrow Your Sons’ reveal a clear disconnect between the official and societal stances to war. It is clear that taking sides in a conflict that has been the worst the world has seen since World War II is not the right strategy.

Interestingly but perhaps not surprisingly, the powers which are perpetuating this conflict have also been castigated by the German protestors. According to Nobert, a former soldier of the German Army, ‘the real enemy sits in the city of London and New York’ which is a direct reference to two global financial centers in the United States and the United Kingdom which have remained at the forefront of perpetuating the conflict.

Nobert further states that, Germany had no right to participate in another conflict and that too, after the Second World War. Such castigation from public spearheads in Germany comes amid the promotion of figures such as John Lennon and Mahatma Gandhi as symbols of peace.

The protests also underline public discontent over the possibility of a nuclear conflict in the post-Cold War/ World War II era. This becomes more likely with the Ukraine regime’s adamancy in accessing weapons ranging from HIMARS to Leopard Tanks from Germany and Poland which threatens to upend the nuclear threshold.

Deterrence stability which has been the hallmark of Europe in the post-World War scenario now remains increasingly vulnerable where the decision by either side to seek battlefield advantages that could involve nuclear weapons could result in catastrophic consequences for both the globe and the entire continent. For a continent and a country that has already borne the brunt of fascism, providing arms to Ukraine lacks wisdom and hints at strategic implosion.

To offset the crisis, Wagenknecht further said that the solution lies in offering Russia table talks where a never-ending war of attrition with the latest weaponry offers nothing but prolonged humanitarian suffering.

The German public’s commitment to the humanitarian cause is reflected in the publication of ‘Manifest for Peace’ by Wagenknecht and Schwarzer, which urges Chancellor Olaf Scholz to change course on Kiev and prevent an escalation in weapons deliveries. 650,000 Germans including intellectuals and political figures signed the publication which is another example of the public’s rejection of war.

It also shows that Russia is a sovereign state should be considered a party to peace talks which goes against Kiev’s vitriolic propaganda against Moscow.

The protests in Germany are a reminder that the Scholz administration must work towards peace instead of resorting to confrontation. As a great power in Europe with significant clout in international affairs, translating domestic sentiment into foreign policy will work well for Germany and aid the peacemaking process. It is high time to shelve nefarious policies, strategies and tactics for good.

https://english.almayadeen.net/articles ... hange-cour

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UK Depleted Uranium Shells

Britain's decision to provide Ukraine with armor-piercing ammunition containing depleted uranium has elicited a strong reaction from Russia, spurring fears that the current crisis in Ukraine might escalate and spiral out of control

Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said that Western countries led by the United States have decided to bring humankind to the brink of a nuclear Armageddon.

He made the remarks while responding to statements by U.S. officials that depleted uranium munitions are a standard type of weapon used for decades and don't pose any risk.

"Commenting on this kind of nonsense is really hard. U.S. officials have reached a new low with their irresponsible statements. There is a continuous flow of lethal weapons to Ukraine, which are used to annihilate civilians, residential areas, schools, hospitals, kindergartens," Antonov said.

On Monday, British Defense Minister Annabel Goldie said some of the ammunition her country would send to Ukraine alongside Challenger 2 tanks contains depleted uranium.

"I would like to note in this regard that if all this happens, then Russia will be forced to react accordingly. I mean that the collective West is already starting to use weapons with a nuclear component," Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.

"It seems that the West really decided to fight Russia to the last Ukrainian, not in words, but in deeds," he added.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that there would be few red lines left uncrossed if Britain delivered on its promise to give Ukraine depleted uranium weapons. On Tuesday, the United Nations also expressed concerns over Britain's plan to send depleted uranium shells.

"You'll have seen the concerns we've expressed over the years about any use of depleted uranium given the consequences of such usage. And those would apply to anyone who provides such armaments. We have made clear... concerns about any use of depleted uranium anywhere," Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for the UN Secretary, said

Depleted uranium is the main by-product of uranium enrichment and is a chemically and radiologically toxic heavy metal, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.

This dense metal is used in munitions for its penetrating ability and as a protective material in armored vehicles, it said, noting that air, soil, water, and vegetation could potentially be contaminated and affected by its residues.

In a 2022 report, the United Nations said that depleted uranium was an environmental concern in Ukraine. "Depleted uranium and toxic substances in common explosives can cause skin irritation, kidney failure and increase the risks of cancer," said the report.

"The use of depleted uranium ammunition will dramatically reduce, or maybe even not preserve at all Ukraine's ability to produce high-quality uninfected food," Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov warned.

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/UK- ... -0005.html

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Kiev unable to launch attack

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky states that Ukraine is currently waiting for its allies to supply it with weaponry

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed that under present circumstances, Kiev is currently unable to launch a counteroffensive, blaming the situation on weapons shortage.

"We can't start yet. We can't send our brave soldiers to the front line without tanks, artillery and HIMARS [multiple launch rocket systems]," Zelensky said in an interview with Yomiuri Shimbun daily.

He continued, saying that the situation in the country's east is "unfavorable" and that Ukraine is currently waiting for its allies to supply it with weaponry.

This comes shortly after Zelensky beseeched European leaders to deliver lethal weapons at a faster rate than they are being delivered, as he addressed a gathering of his EU allies via video link from a Ukrainian train.

He further warned that any delays in sending fighter jets and long-range missiles could prolong the war.

It is worth noting that Ukraine has constantly pleaded with its Western allies to send modern warplanes and long-range missiles. However, most of Kiev's backers have so far refused to provide Western-made aircraft

Supplying Ukraine with Western jets or allowing the use of foreign airfields by Ukrainian jets to attack Russian targets would, according to Russia, be considered "the involvement of these states in armed conflict." So far, this consideration has driven the US and NATO decision-making on how they aid Ukraine, which is why it seems that the West may back down on supplying Ukraine with fighter jets, at least for the time being.

Commenting on Zelenzky's remarks on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron assured that EU leaders informed Zelensky that they would support Kiev.

EU leaders also backed on Thursday a plan to fasten the delivery of ammunition to Ukraine, the acquisition of artillery rounds in bulk, and the expansion of Europe's own military manufacturing capacity. The EU approved a $2.14 billion plan earlier this week to give Ukraine one million rounds of ammunition.

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Calls for Nord Stream probe

Back in February, Russia presented a draft UN Security Council resolution requesting that the UN Secretary-General establish an independent international commission to investigate into the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines

The draft resolution was sponsored by the Russian delegation in the security council in regard to establishing a commission for the purpose of investigating the bombing of the Nord Stream pipeline.

Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia contended that some parties are actively trying to cover up the bombing of the Nord Stream pipelines.

"Precious time is being wasted, and there are increasing suspicions that within these investigations, efforts are being made not to shed light on what happened with the acts of sabotage, but rather to hide evidence and to clean up the crime scene," Nebenzia said during a UN Security Council meeting.

Back in February, Russia presented a draft UN Security Council resolution requesting that the UN Secretary-General establish an independent international commission to investigate allegations made by US journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner Seymour Hersh that the explosions were executed by the US with the help of Norway.

Russia considers the explosions that struck the two pipes an act of international terrorism. There have been no formal findings from the investigation, but US journalist Seymour Hersh has claimed that the US is behind the explosion, and has offered a number of insights into the subject. The US denies its involvement in the incident.

Back in September, The Nord Stream gas pipelines were damaged by two explosions each with a force of around 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms) of TNT.

Separate investigations were launched by Germany, Denmark, and Sweden into the suspected sabotage, with German media reporting trust issues among the three EU nations.

In mid-March, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said that Copenhagen expressly forbids Moscow from partaking in the investigation of the Nord Stream pipelines’ explosion.

The minister contended that Denmark, Sweden, and Germany are committed to the rule of law, so the investigations and consequent results should be trusted thus Russia needn’t be involved, according to the newspaper.

In response, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described Copenhagen's decision as a "fraud" and "scam".

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[Anthea]

Several world leaders going to China to discuss China's 12 point plan to end the fighting in Ukraine

Due to massive anti-war anti-NATO protests, many governments can no longer ignore the demands of the electorate as people learn the truth about the conflict

Also, as much as 60% of tax payers money supposedly being spent on weapons and aid for Ukraine, has disappeared without a trace, though it is thought many weapons ended up in the hands of jihadist groups

In US many people have opened go fund me pages to raise money so that the person can afford to go to the Ukraine and fight, needless to say people are making millions from such scams

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Grossi inspects ZNPP

During his visit to the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (ZNPP), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi saw that no offensive weapons are present at the site

Grossi reached the ZNPP, inspected the station with the plant's management and technical staff, and was shown the facilities that the Ukrainian shelling had damaged.

Rafael Grossi has made sure that there has never been, and that there are no plans to deploy any offensive weapons at the ZNPP,

The ZNPP should not be considered as a target during the present hostilities, Grossi said, commenting on Kiev's statement about capturing the plant by force

Grossi also noted, during his visit, the need to agree on not attacking the power plant or using it for attacks in the other direction.

The IAEA Chief said a new concept is currently being developed to keep the ZNPP safe.

It is worth noting that this is Grossi’s second visit to the ZNPP after the first visit that took place on September 1, 2022.

In January, when asked during a press conference about the possibility of an accident at a nuclear power plant in Ukraine, Grossi stated it could happen at any minute - if it wasn't surrounded by a safety zone.

Experts in the UN nuclear watchdog reported explosions erupting in the vicinity of the ZNPP later in January.

The ZNPP remains a tense point of focus in this regard as Ukrainian forces seem to keep targeting it even after it the region joined Russia this past fall in a referendum

It is the largest NPP in Europe with six power units and a capacity of 1 gigawatt each. It has been under Russian protection since March 2022, which was justified and validated by the Russian Foreign Ministry as a step to avoid nuclear and radioactive material leakage and spill.

Previous shelling by Ukrainian forces against the ZNPP has caused power outages and infrastructure damages.

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu stated in light of Ukraine's constant targeting that it is the latter's way of painting a mirage of a nuclear disaster threat. Following that, the IAEA repeatedly stressed the need for a safety zone around the ZNPP.

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Ammunition running out

Ukrainian forces are reportedly using 6000 artillery shells per day. The munition stocks in the arsenals of Western arms-supplier are being steadily depleted, according to the Week

The Associated Press reported that Polish and EU officials are negotiating a military rejuvenation program worth $2.2 billion for the sake of maintaining a steady supply of arms for Ukraine "and to replenish Europe's dwindling stocks".

The US is also reportedly suffering from a critical shortage in military supplies. Seth Jones of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) assesses the munition stockpiles that the US has been export-funneling to Ukraine have steadily decreased since the outbreak of the war.

The American military has lost a significant bulk of its artillery shells and other "sophisticated" weapons, the New York Times reported. " [Americans are] watching stocks of some key weapons dwindle "as a result of "industry consolidation, depleted manufacturing lines, and supply chain issues" a report by the Times reads.

NYT points out that the US has consumed its military in a proxy conflict in Europe when many US officials warmonger in anticipation of a potential conflict with China. However, sustaining the conflict in Ukraine is still a priority for the West.

Back in December, researchers of the Foreign Policy Research Institute argued that "Ammunition availability might be the single most important factor that determines the course of the war in 2023, and that will depend on foreign stockpiles and production".

Furthermore, Maiya Clark of the Heritage Foundation has pointed out that "Once the stockpiles are expended, the Department of Defense cannot simply buy more munitions — manufacturing takes years; contractors need time to expand their production facilities, hire more workers, and obtain more components from their suppliers."

Earlier this week, a report published by the New York Times cited a US official saying that the US strategy in Ukraine will be growing more audacious while the White House grows restless to reclaim the lands lost to Russia since the start of the special military operation.

The US has been one of the most steadfast supporters of Kiev since the outbreak of the war with Russia. In May 2022, the US Senate approved a $40 billion Ukraine supplies package, including more than $20 billion in military funding. Additionally, back in February, the US announced its intentions to dedicate $9.9 billion of its budget in support of Ukraine. Now in light of the reported audacious change in the US strategy, the threshold for escalation will be raised significantly.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an interview with Russian media last Saturday, stressed that despite the West's multi-billion-dollar-worth campaigns supplying Ukraine with weapons to support their proxy war, the US and Europeans will not be able to outgun Russia.

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Flamethrowers for war in Ukraine

The Head of the Airborne NBC Protection Troops, Colonel Alexei Goncharov, noted that these systems "have no equal in the collective West's arsenals," so they "induce panic among our enemies."

The Defense Ministry revealed that during the war in Ukraine, the "Solntsepyok" systems proved to be incredibly successful at destroying heavily fortified enemy strongholds.

The most recent topographic and geodetic software systems are used to release its firepower. Even in the trenches, the minister continued, there is nowhere to flee from the TOS-1A.
Russia expands production of high-precision weapons

On a similar note, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu announced on April 1 that Russia has multiplied the production of conventional and high-precision weapons to be sent to Russian troops participating in the war in Ukraine.

During a meeting held earlier in the day, Shoigu said, "Thanks to the expanded production capacities and increased labor productivity, the number of products to support the troops has increased multiple times. These are both conventional and high-precision types of weapons," adding "All of the above allows to deliver the objectives set by Supreme Commander-in-Chief [President Vladimir Putin] in accordance with the plan for conducting the special military operation."

Moreover, the Defense Minister stated that "the supply volumes of the most demanded ammunition has been determined, and the necessary measures are being taken to increase them."

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US And NATO Responsible

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Thursday that the U.S. and NATO are responsible for the current conflict in Ukraine

Speaking at a press conference, the spokesman said, "The U.S. and the NATO military bloc bear inescapable responsibilities for the crisis in Ukraine. NATO is in no position to criticize or pressure China."

The Chinese diplomat was responding to a question about NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's comments that China supports the Russian special military operation in Ukraine.

In this regard, Mao Ning added that "on the Ukraine crisis, China maintains an objective and fair position. We have been advocating a political solution to the crisis and working for peace talks. This has been supported by the vast majority of countries in the world."

The NATO chief said on April 5 in Brussels after a meeting of the Alliance's foreign ministers that the Asian country was working increasingly closely with Russia.

Stoltenberg said Beijing is shoring up Russia's economy, so it is necessary for the U.S.-led military bloc to intensify partnership with Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, and Australia, he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently said that cooperation between the two nations is not focused on a "military alliance" but on "military-technical interaction."

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Ukrainians Kills Own Soldiers

The Russian defense ministry said on Thursday that Ukrainian artillery has fired at positions of 14 Ukrainian soldiers who had deliberately surrendered near Avdeevka, adding that all of them were killed in the fire

"The Kiev regime deliberately destroys its military personnel with artillery fire to suppress attempts to leave their positions and retreat under the attack of Russian troops," said the ministry in a statement.

The ministry also stated that, on Wednesday, Russian forces were involved in clashes near Avdeyevka. A Ukrainian brigade commander informed the Russian side of his intention to surrender during the clash.

The ministry said that the Russian soldiers have completely totally stopped the offensive and allowed Ukrainian forces to pass through safely.

"Taking into account the fact that it was already dark, Ukrainian servicemen were placed in a dugout until the morning for subsequent transfer to the rear zone of the Russian group. At night, Ukrainian artillery deliberately opened heavy fire on the dugout where the surrendered Ukrainian servicemen were located … As a result of a deliberate artillery attack by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, all fourteen Ukrainian servicemen who laid down their arms were killed," the ministry said.

The Russian Defense Ministry also said that a sabotage and reconnaissance group by Ukrainian forces that tried to penetrate near the village of Sluchovsk in Russia's Bryansk region was defeated by artillery fire and dispersed.

Prior within the day, Gov. Alexander Bogomaz said the border division of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) avoided a break-in attempted near Sluchovsk by 20 members of a Ukrainian disrupt and surveillance group.

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Ukr ... -0008.html

[Anthea]

Ukraine slaughtered thousands

Ukraine's aggression killed at least 4,374 residents in Donbass region, claims DPR Ombudsman

An estimated 4,374 residents have lost lives from July 2014 to February 24, 2022, and 8,000 others have sustained various injuries due to "Ukraine's aggression in the contentious eastern Donbass region", Human Rights Ombudsman in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) Daria Morozova said, citing the data in a report to the UN Security Council on Friday. Morozova echoed Russia's President Vladimir Putin's justification for what Moscow calls a "special military operation" saying that the Ukrainian military aggression has wreaked devastation and led to the loss of human lives in Donbass where a fierce battle is ensuing between Russia's mercenaries group Wagner and Ukraine's armed forces and Foreign Legion volunteers.

"From the beginning of the conflict and as of February 24, 2022, as a result of armed aggression by Ukraine on the territory of the DPR, 4,374 people, including 91 children, have been killed," the document published on the Ombudsman’s website read, according to Russia's state-affiliated news agency Tass.

"Almost 8,000 civilians received injuries of various degrees of severity, including 323 children, at least 27 of them acquired a disability," the Human Rights Ombudsman in the Donetsk People's Republic stressed in Friday's report. UN Security Council, however, voted against the speech of the DPR Ombudsman at a meeting that was called to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine due to Russia's ongoing invasion. At least four countries including Russia, Brazil, Ghana, and China voiced their support for the report presented by Morozova during the procedural vote. Eight countries including Albania, the UK, Malta, the US, France, Switzerland, Ecuador, and Japan voted against the speech. Three countries Gabon, Mozambique, and UAE abstained from the voting.

Ombudsman slams violence used by 'Ukrainian regime installed via the coup d'etat'

Morozova during her speech argued that since 2014, the Ukrainian regime which she said was installed via the coup d'etat backed by the West, "sent an army to suppress peaceful rallies using aircraft, artillery and weapons of mass lethal action" in eastern Donbass for the genocide of the ethnic Russian speaking population. Ukraine's forces not only violated international law, but also breached the fundamental principles of humanism, said Morozova.

"Acting with particular cynicism, Ukraine not only violated all existing provisions and norms of international humanitarian law, but also demonstrated a disregard for the fundamental principles of humanity, humanism and mercy," the report published by Ombudsman summed up. "Moreover, both residents of the people's republics of Donbass and citizens who, before the start of the special military operation, lived on territories controlled by Kyiv, fell under the roller machine of neo-Nazi hatred," it continued.

The document further alleged that Ukraine, "by the beginning of the special operation," had damaged more than 23,000 private residential buildings and about 5,000 apartment buildings by means of fire. The Human Rights Ombudsman in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) accused the Ukrainian armed formations of wiping out the Russian-speaking population. They also destroyed "about 850 educational facilities, 350 healthcare facilities and 800 housing and communal services facilities that supply consumers of the republic with gas, water, heat and electricity," the report noted.

https://www.republicworld.com/world-new ... eshow.html

The aggression was in violation of the UN reckonised Minsk Agreements