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

[Anthea]

Kiev uses chemical weapons

Russian media is accusing Ukraine of using chemical weapons in Kharkov after videos surfaced showing Russian soldiers choking as a result of inhaling dangerous chemicals

The Ukrainian armed forces may have used chemical weapons against their Russian counterparts in the Kharkov direction, pro-Russian media reported on Sunday after a video surfaced showing one of Moscow's soldiers seemingly choking after he inhaled toxic chemicals.

Reportedly, the Russian infantrymen were hit by Ukrainian drones carrying chemical weapons components that exploded outside of where they were positioned.

Kiev's forces in Soledar were bragging in early January about using chemical weapons by assembling UAVs and attaching projectile cans to them

At the time, it was thought that the chemical weapons at hand were hydrogen cyanide capsules, as they were stored in the freezer in a video that was shared at the time.

The gas is dispersed over a large area when the shell on the copter breaks apart, leading to the imminent death of those who inhale the chemicals.

The gas in question, also known as hydrocyanic acid, saw combat for the first time during WWI before it was utilized by the Nazis in concentration camps in the 1930s.

This comes after Russia revealed in late January that Moscow started months into the war compiling data pertaining to the role and functions of US Biolabs in Ukraine based on the documents they secured.

Initially, Washington refused to admit the existence of US Biolabs in Ukraine, however, later in time undersecretary of state Victoria Nuland did.

According to Russian Radiological, Chemical, and Biological Defense Troops Chief Igor Kirillov, "Russian troops have secured over 20,000 documents, reference, and analytical materials, and interviewed eyewitnesses and participants in American military-biological programs," since the start of the Ukraine war.

Furthermore, Kirillov confirmed that the documents, which remain under review and in the process of being deciphered, without any doubt reinforced the existing analysis, which argued that the Pentagon had intended to test biological weapons on the populations of the Eastern European country and its neighbors, Russia included.

There have been warnings since the start of the war, notably from Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov, that Moscow considered the threat of chemical terrorism by Ukrainian nationalists and the military to be very real.

"We consider very real the threat of chemical terrorism by fascist nationalists, operating under the patronage of the current Kiev regime, and units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine under their control," Syromolotov said.

Furthermore, Kirillov said late last year that the US was planning on transferring its programs of biological research from Ukraine to post-Soviet republics, as well as Eastern European and Baltic states.

The Russian official underlined that Washington was working on putting its plans into high gear at the soonest time possible, noting that this would allow the US to develop and store components of biological weapons, which pose a threat to the security of Russia.

Russia and the United States have been undergoing major tensions for months, with Moscow accusing Washington of having biological laboratories in Ukraine and the latter denying it. Eventually, the US confirmed that it did have what Under Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland referred to as "biological research facilities".

Nuland refused to cooperate with the Russian parliamentary commission on the operations of US biological laboratories in Ukraine, Deputy Speaker of Russia's Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev said late last month.

Moscow had discovered new information proving the Pentagon's involvement in developing components for biological weapons in Ukraine.

Data on biological laboratories found in Ukraine does not help the case of the US against claims regarding its compliance with the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova had said.

Additionally, Moscow found that US President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, helped finance military research into dangerous pathogens at Biolabs in Ukraine is true, according to new emails from his infamous laptop.

Moscow also exhibited documents confirming the organization of military-biological work by the Pentagon represented by the US Department of Defense Threat Reduction Department.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... -direction

[Anthea]

CIA warned about Nord Stream blast

A new report emerged saying the CIA had knowledge about the explosion that hit Nord Stream in September, informing Germany of the matter months ahead

Reportedly, the CIA warned the German Federal Intelligence service, BND, about a potential attack that could hit the Nord Stream pipelines months ahead of the attack taking place in September 2022, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

Reportedly, anonymous intelligence officials told the newspaper that the CIA warned its German counterpart about the blasts in June and July 2022, at most two months before the explosions took place.

The BND was among numerous European intelligence agencies that were warned about the explosions beforehand.

The WSJ, citing intelligence sources familiar with the matter, reported that the CIA told Berlin that a "group" might have been preparing an attack on the pipeline.

In detail, the CIA gave information regarding three Ukrainian nationals trying to rent ships in countries bordering the Baltic Sea, such as Sweden, which is currently conducting its own investigation into the blast.

Furthermore, CIA director William Burns and national security adviser Jake Sullivan, among other senior US officials, were considering the possibility that Ukraine was behind the attack back in October. However, they did not declare what their assessment was based on.

After the report came out, senior Ukrainian officials tried to dismiss the issue and claimed that the government had nothing to do with the explosions.

"Although I enjoy collecting amusing conspiracy theories about [the Ukrainian] government, I have to say: [Ukraine] has nothing to do with the Baltic Sea mishap and has no information about "pro-[Ukraine] sabotage groups," said Mykhailo Podolyak, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's top adviser.

Podolyak in a later tweet reiterated Western claims about Russia being behind the attack by implying that Moscow benefitted from the pipelines blowing up.

"The September mishaps on [Nord Stream 2] occurred amid [the Russian Forces'] attempts to 'freeze Europe' and scare it on the eve of winter," the Ukrainian presidential advisor claimed. "Prior to that, [the Russian Forces] attempted to block the [Nord Stream 2 pipeline] with breakdowns that it allegedly couldn't fix for months. So who benefited from the mishap?"

However, Xavier Moreau, an arms expert and geopolitical analyst from the French think tank Strapol told Russian news agency Sputnik that reports alleging the attacks were carried out by a group unaffiliated with any government were "ridiculous" and were designed to divert attention from accusations that the United States was behind the attack.

Similarly, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Sputnik that media reports about Nord Stream sabotage were part of a coordinated spread of disinformation and an attempt to push attention away from the real perpetrators.

He called for an investigation into the Nord Stream attacks; one where Russia would be a participant in the probe.

Moreover, the former Head of the French Military Mission at the United Nations, General Dominique Trinquand, said the fact that the pipeline belongs to a Russian company shows that Russia would not benefit from the explosion.

This comes after the Federal Prosecutor's Office of Germany confirmed Wednesday that searches had been carried out on a ship that was allegedly carrying explosives to blow up the Nord Stream gas pipelines, adding that there is no evidence yet that a certain state was managing the operation.

"From January 18 to January 20, 2023, federal prosecutors searched the ship in connection with its suspicious lease. There is a suspicion that the ship in question could be used to transport explosive devices that exploded on September 26, 2022, on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea," the prosecutor's office told Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

Furthermore, the New York Times reported that US officials said they saw new intel that a "pro-Ukrainian group" sabotaged Nord Stream last year.

The United States National Security Council (NSC) said on Wednesday that it is unable to confirm the NYT report.

In a report that did not identify the source of the intelligence or the group involved, NYT said the US officials had no evidence implicating Zelensky in the pipeline bombing.

American investigative journalist Seymour Hersh published a shocking article in February in which he claimed that the US and Norway were behind the bombing of the Nord Stream pipelines.

Western officials dismissed Hersh's reporting on the sabotage operation, while Russia vowed not to let the Nord Stream investigation go unnoticed.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... nths-ahead

[Anthea]

Russia launches large-scale op

Ukrainian agencies and mayors report explosions across multiple Ukrainian cities at 3:00 am

Russia launched a large-scale raid on Thursday morning, targeting the Black Sea port of Odessa, Kharkov, Kiev, and the Dnipro region, causing power cuts in several areas, according to Reuters.

Maksym Marchenko, governor of the Odessa region, wrote on Telegram that a mass missile attack targeted a power plant in the city, which resulted in power cuts, however, no casualties have been reported yet.

“As a result of a mass missile strike, an energy infrastructure site was hit in the region as well as residences,” Marchenko said on Telegram, as reported by The Guardian, adding that “Fortunately, there are no casualties. Electricity restrictions are in effect.”

Similarly, the governor of the Kharkov region, Oleh Synehubov claimed that approximately 15 strikes hit the region's infrastructure while other strikes were allegedly reported in Dnipro.

“Russia made about 15 strikes on the city and region,” Synehubov wrote on Telegram, adding “Infrastructure was again among the targets. Information on casualties is being clarified.”

The Kyiv Independent reported, at 4:12 am local time, that explosions were heard across Kiev, Poltava, Lvov, Vinnitsa, Ivano-Frankovsk, Ternopol, Kharkov, Odessa, and Kirovograd.

The UK ambassador in Ukraine, Melinda Simmons, also took to Twitter saying “This is nowhere near over.”

Through Twitter, Mayor Vitalii Klychko claimed, “Another explosion in the capital. Svyatoshyn district. All services go to the place. Cars are burning in the yard of one of the residential buildings. The air alert continues. Stay in shelters! Two victims in Sviatoshyn district. Medics provide assistance on the spot.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zeleksnky's spokesperson, Iuliia Mendel, confirmed that the "two victims" mentioned in the mayor's tweet were "wounded".

CEO of Ukrainian power company Yasno, Serhii Kovalenko, explained, at 7:20 am that "Emergency blackouts are used due to the enemy attack. This is a preventive step, as you all remember.”

It is also worth noting that the mayor of Zhitomir also reported explosions and currently, about 15% of Ukrainians are without electricity, according to The Guardian.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... nian-infra

Reminders:

US and NATO broke the agreement with Russia not to move any closer to Russian borders

Ukraine broke the the Minsk agreement that the UN had accepted into international LAW

The Nazis are celebrated in Ukraine

The legally elected opposition party has been banned

Most government officially are corrupt and several have been sacked

People of the Donbass have been under attack by the Kiev government 9 years

The Kiev government continues it's illegal attacks on the Donbass

As far as I am concerned Boris Johnson is responsible for all deaths that have taken place since he prevented the peace agreement being signed

[Anthea]

Threat from China

NATO is quietly ‘moving on’ from Ukraine -- towards Cold War with China while the US is cooking an ‘unprecedented’ sanctions-led Cold War on Beijing

In a recent interview, Nicholas Burns, the US Ambassador to China, after labelling China the ‘threat’, bluntly said: “We're the leader in this [Indo-Pacific] region. [And We’re] staying”. The interviewer, US Congressman Mike Gallagher, described America’s new Cold War as no polite tennis match, but an existential struggle for life in the 21st century.

President Xi’s earlier attempt to reach a ‘new détente’ with the US during the November G20 at Bali -- effectively an attempt to explore whether a minimum modus vivendi with US were possible -- is over.

The hysteria over the Chinese balloon; the increasing evidence that Ukraine is descending to a débacle for the Biden Administration in the Bakhmut area; and the coarse threats of ‘consequences’ for China were it to support Russia militarily (and at the very moment when Washington was promising more weapons for Taiwan), were too much for Beijing.

Far from its earlier tentative essay at US détente, China has since moved in the opposite direction. It has ‘re-calibrated’.

Suddenly, China has moved away from US détente into ‘high gear’ motion towards Russia (and Belarus). NATO meanwhile, quietly is ‘moving on’ from Ukraine -- towards Cold War with China. And Washington is cooking an ‘unprecedented’ sanctions-led Cold War on China as it too switches emphasis from Russia to China.

What does this mean for the Middle East? Simply put, belligerent Cold War tactics are coming your way.

Do not imagine simply staying aloof, and even offering to mediate in the Ukraine conflict, will provide any immunity to what is coming. President Modi similarly had thought to triangulate Indian influence with the Global South versus the West on the one hand, and the Russia-China axis, on the other.

What happened? Well, the result was been the building ‘war’ on Modi from firstly, the New York Times criticism; to a hostile BBC documentary; then followed by the Hindenburg Report on the Adani Group conglomerate, (whose head happens to be a friend and major financial backer to Modi), and finally, as this ‘thread’ runs, to George Soros at the Munich Security Conference saying that Modi’s days ‘were numbered’ and that ‘he’s no democrat’ -- concluding with the oblique threat: “I may be naïve, but I expect a democratic revival in India”.

So now it’s clear: A while ago, Modi seemed to be tilting towards the US. But recently, he became friends with Putin (with India making buckets of money from Russian oil products and with ordinary trade between the two states exploding higher).

And so, Modi has been duly punished by the West -- both the G20 finance ministers, as well as the Foreign Ministers’ G20 meetings, were burned to ashes by western demands that nothing would be allowed to pass until the final communiqués unequivocally indicted Russia on Ukraine. Modi’s G20 triangulation was humiliated.

Of course, Gulf States too have a special relationship with the US. The latter however, is already warning Europeans that it is preparing to call on allies to impose ‘unprecedented sanctions’ on China, should it provide military support to Russia.

This is a contingency, which if implemented, would hit Germany where it hurts most (on its strong trade relations with China).

Yet (Politico reports), some in Scholz’s own Social Democratic Party already are signalling their openness to the potential move:

“Should China indeed decide to provide direct military support for Russia’s war of aggression, which is contrary to international law, we will consult and decide on the necessary responses in close coordination with our allies in the EU and G7… In fact, this would put China on the same level as Iran, against which the EU recently imposed sanctions, as a supplier of weapons”.

The cost to Europe of sanctioning both Russia and China (with India to come?) would represent a catastrophic loss to Europe. Europe’s sanguinity in the face of such prospect seems truly inexplicable.

In an interview with a Swiss Weekly however, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that the most important realisation to emerge from the war in Ukraine is that:

“Europe has retired from the debate … In the decisions adopted in Brussels, I recognize American interests more frequently than European ones. In a war that is taking place in Europe, the Americans have the final word”.

The Middle East may look forward to hearing a lot more about China from its European colleagues in the near future. This Friday, Mrs von der Leyen will be in Washington for a meeting with Biden. A White House statement said Biden will discuss with von der Leyen, “our work together to address the challenges posed by the People’s Republic of China”.

No evidence of China supplying weapons? Will that count, when the war momentum gathers?

You are warned -- this is ‘no polite diplomatic ping pong’!

https://english.almayadeen.net/articles ... -addressin

As the truth behind the Ukrainian conflict is becoming more widely known, massive protests taking place in ALL European countries and the US. Many people are now calling for the end of NATO

[Anthea]

Saudi firm diverts to Russia, China

The Saudi defense firm Scopa has decided to favor a rapprochement between its parent company Ajlan & Bros, and Russian and Chinese firms instead of US firms

According to Intelligence Online, the US branch of Scopa Industries, which intended to build foreign military materiel on Saudi soil, shut down on February 26. The conglomerate's deputy chairman, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz al-Ajlan, began layoffs in the US team, which consists of former high-ranking military officers serving as consultants, and led by a US Central Command veteran, Nasr Alghrairi.

Ajlan & Bros's continued tie-building with Russian and Chinese defense firms amid sanctions has been building tensions instead.

In 2021, when Scopa was established, Al-Ajlan launched TAL, the sister company for the Chinese defense market. Al-Ajlan then built Sepha, a company focused on Russia this time, and in the hands of Eduard Kukharchuk, the former business development director of the Kremlin's electronic warfare contractor Concern Granit.

Scopa in France remains on a rocky road

Back in November, Ajlan & Bros launched a campaign to bring the three companies - TAL, Sepha, and Scopa - under one defense and intelligence group managed by the former strategy director at the Saudi defense ministry, Fawaz al-Aqeel.

This planned campaign, heavily supported by Al-Akeel, posed a concern to US stakeholders due to potential industrial espionage of NATO defense platforms and systems - a purchase target of Scopa.

Sepha and TAL were said to have dealt secret partnerships with companies from countries potentially under sanctions, after convincing several US executives to resign. OFAC, the US Office of Foreign Assets Control, and DDTC, the US Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, were informed afterward.

Scopa's fate in Europe and especially France remains foggy. However, Faisal Bin Dos, the firm's French-Saudi technology director, is still in his position. Scopa was in the middle of positioning consultants for the area and just hired retired French Navy Vice Admiral Bernard Velly, right before the war in Ukraine.

The firm's negotiations with US manufacturers, like Raytheon and L3 Harris, as a result, remain dead deals

Deals with France's Airbus, Nexter, and a reluctant Thales, Italian arms manufacturer Beretta and British drone manufacturer U-TacS may well go the same way.

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

[Anthea]

Click Image to Enlarge:

Kiev to expel monks from monastery

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow on Sunday slammed Ukraine's National Kiev-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Preserve's order to expel the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) clergy from the Kiev Pechersk Lavra monastery

The Patriarch called on heads of local orthodox churches, Pope Francis, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and other religious leaders and representatives of international organizations to "exert all possible effort" to prevent the expulsion.

On Friday, Ukraine's National Kiev-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Preserve announced that it had ordered monks of the UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate to leave the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, one of the most important Orthodox Christian monasteries by March 29, claiming a breach of contract.

"The Reserve warns of the avoidance of the contract on March 29, 2023. In order to conduct the procedure of receiving and transferring the state property, the Monastery must vacate buildings and facilities that are state property and on the balance sheet of the Reserve," a statement read.

Ukraine's inter-institutional working group on religious organizations has allegedly registered a breach of contract on using state property by the Monastery, the Preserve claimed.
Ukrainian Ministry of Culture to audit Kiev Pechersk Lavra after evicting monks

In the same context, the Ukrainian Minister of Culture Alexander Tkachenko also confirmed that the Ministry will organize an audit of museum exhibits, including holy relics, in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra following the departure of representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

"I would like to stress for the record that further to real property, museum exhibits are also there - over 800 pieces, including holy relics that were transferred to monks for the use, so to say. There will be an audit in respect of them, to see how they are preserved," Tkachenko indicated.

The Russian Foreign Ministry warned in early February that Ukraine's persecution of the UOC could result in the largest intra-confessional conflict in modern European history.

It is noteworthy that in early January 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree stripping 13 priests of the UOC of their Ukrainian citizenship.

On November 24, 2022, the Russian news agency Interfax reported that the Ukrainian Parliament registered a bill calling for the imposition of a nationwide ban on the UOC.

According to the European Solidarity Party, the bill would ban any institutions or organizations which are in part or totally affiliated to the Russian Orthodox faith from carrying out religious activities "in canonical, organizational and other issues."

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... monks-from

[Anthea]

Trade Iran, SCO $39 bn

In the first 11 months of Iran's fiscal year of 1401, trade in goods with member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) amounted to almost $39 billion

The data excludes crude oil exports that had reached $38.8 billion in the first 11 months of the Iranian calendar.

Between March 21, 2022, and February 19, 2023, over 50.6 million tons of goods worth $38.8 billion were traded between Iran and members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

According to Rouhollah Latifi, Member of the International Relations and Trade Development Commission of Iran Industry, Mine and Trade House, more than 41.7 million tons of goods worth $19.6 billion were exported to SCO's member states in the past 11 months of the Iranian calendar, corresponding to an increase by 2% in weight and 6.4% in value in comparison to the previous year.

Latifi added that the import turnout from SCO member states is recorded at 8.9 million tons of goods, valued at $19.2 billion, showing a 7.7% and 33.4% increase in weight and value respectively.

Overall, the trade volume between Iran and the SCO has increased by 18.3% compared to the last year’s corresponding period.

Among top traders include China with a trade turnover of $13.5 billion, followed by India with $1.9 billion, Afghanistan with $1.4 billion, Pakistan with $1.3 billion, and Russia with $673 million. These are the first five export destinations for Iranian goods during the specified period, Latifi noted.

Iran has managed to grow its economy despite Western-led sanctions for the past 44 years. It has become self-sufficient and increased its GDP by turning to the East. It's a member of SCO, the EAEC, and is also part of the North/South transit corridor.

In March 2022, Iran and the organization started a formal process for Tehran's accession to the block. A few months later in September, Iran signed a memorandum of commitment to join the SCO. The Iranian parliament then approved the country's accession to the organization.

Iran's membership is expected to be completed during the SCO's next summit, which is scheduled to take place in New Delhi, India in April.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/eco ... hes-nearly

[Anthea]

Click Image to Enlarge:

Over 2,000 rally against NATO

More than 2,000 people took to the streets of the northern Spanish city of Bilbao as part of a march in support of Russia, a representative of an anti-NATO movement told RIA Novosti

"Russia has been striving for peace since 2014. But the West leaves Russia no other choice. For this reason, we express our solidarity with Moscow," the representative said

The protest was held on Saturday, with the demonstrators marching to the Bilbao mayoral building, holding flags of Russia and the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics (DPR and LPR).

Rally today in Bilbao (Basque Country-Spain) in solidarity with the Donbass people and against the NATO agression that started in 2014 with the NATO backed Maidan coup against the Ukrainian Constitution and the Ukrainian democratically elected government https://t.co/qdFbRsK6Lf

The protesters underlined that they were against NATO’s strategy, military support for Kiev, and the increase of EU countries’ military budgets. They also called for the redistribution of these resources for social spending and support for the population due to rising prices for electricity, basic products, and services.

Earlier in March, Belgian media reported that the EU had developed a plan to stimulate the supply of NATO standard ammunition to Ukraine both in the short and long term and had prepared proposals to replenish the arsenals of the European armies through increased production and joint procurement.

The first part of the plan to increase military supplies to Kiev involves an urgent dispatch of ammunition that is already in stockpiles. The second part envisages efforts to replenish the empty warehouses of the European armies. The plan could be approved at the upcoming EU summit at the end of March.

It is noteworthy that similar rallies were also witnessed in several European countries such as Germany, France, Belgium, and the UK

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... support-of

[Anthea]

Was Black Sea incident intentional

Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley revealed that the United States still does not know if the downing of a US drone over the Black Sea was intentional

Earlier today, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price speculated the downing of the US drone in the Black Sea near Crimea was likely an unintentional incident.

The Russian Defense Ministry denied US allegations and said its fighter jets did not come into contact with the US MQ-9 drone that crashed into the Black Sea earlier, pointing out that the drone crashed due to the poor operators and "sharp maneuvering".

Mark Milley also added that recovering the US MQ-9 Reaper drone may be difficult to conduct because of the depth at which the aircraft may have sunk to.

"So any recovery operation is very difficult at that depth by anyone," Milley said. "We don't have any ships there, but we do have a lot of allies and friends in the area that will work through recovery operations, that's US property, and we'll leave it at that at this point, but it probably broke up, there's probably not a lot to recover, frankly, as far as the loss of anything of sensitive intelligence, etc."

CNN reported that the US military remotely erased sensitive software from the drone before it was intercepted. The sensitive intelligence was reportedly erased to prevent Russia from accessing them from the drone remnants.

“Clearly, we do not seek armed conflict with Russia, and I believe that at this point we should investigate this incident and move on from there, but we will continue to exercise our rights in international airspace,” Milley said

He then added that he plans to talk with his Russian counterpart in this regard. “I do plan to talk to my counterpart General Gerasimov. We have a scheduled call. We'll see if that works out,” Milley said.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... ncident-in

[Anthea]

US opposes ceasefire in Ukraine

NSCSC John Kirby raised reporters' attention to the possibility that the Russian pilots who damaged the US MQ-9 drone two days ago did not intentionally do so purposefully

National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said on Thursday that the US does not support an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine under a China-proposed peace strategy.

The reason is that proceeding with China's peace plan would constitute a violation of the UN charter by Russia, Kirby said.

"While [a ceasefire] sounds perfectly reasonable, and it sounds like a good thing, a ceasefire right now would basically ratify Russia's conquest. It would, in effect, recognize Russia's gains and all of its attempts to conquer its neighbors territory by force. So a ceasefire, right now, in our view, would constitute another continued violation of the UN charter by Russia," Kirby said during a press briefing.

On February 24, China issued a 12-point position paper on Ukraine that highlighted all the steps required to reach a "political settlement"

These include respecting the sovereignty of all countries, abandoning the Cold War mentality, ceasing hostilities, resuming peace talks, resolving the humanitarian crisis, protecting civilians and POWs.

Very importantly, keeping nuclear power plants safe, reducing strategic risks, facilitating grain exports, stopping unilateral sanctions, keeping industrial and supply chains stable, and promoting post-conflict reconstruction.

Because the plan did not specify that Russia must withdraw its troops from Ukraine, the West accused China of an attempt to undermine Ukraine's sovereignty at the expense of Russia's.

Beijing has already dismissed these claims as false, with top diplomat Wang Yi saying China will continue to stand firmly on the side of dialogue and peace, and will not seek to fuel escalations nor remain a bystander.

"Dialogue and negotiation are the only viable solution to the Ukraine crisis," the document reads, adding that China will play a "constructive role," without offering details.

Russian pilot may not have intended to destroy MQ-9 drone

On another note, Kirby raised reporters' attention to the possibility that the Russian pilots who damaged the US MQ-9 drone two days ago did not intentionally do so purposefully.

"It is entirely possible that the pilot did not mean to destroy the drone," Kirby said.

On March 14, the US European Command claimed that a Russian fighter jet dumped fuel on an American drone over the Black Sea and then collided with it, causing the drone to crash. The White House called the crash a result of "reckless" behavior by Russia.

The Russian Defense Ministry denied US allegations and said its fighter jets did not come into contact with the US MQ-9 drone that crashed into the Black Sea earlier, pointing out that the drone crashed due to "sharp maneuvering".

On March 15, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley said that the US still unsure if the downing of a US drone over the Black Sea was intentional.

"So, was it intentional or not? Don't know yet. We know that the intercept was intentional. We know that the aggressive behavior was intentional. We also know it was very unprofessional and very unsafe," Milley said during a press briefing.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... hite-house

[Anthea]

US needs minerals from China and Russia for weapons

to use in fight against China and Russia

The United States and its allies do not produce nearly enough minerals to maintain a military technological edge for decades to come

Allied forces across Europe faced fuel shortages back in 1944, leading to George Patton's famous words, “My men can eat their belts, but my tanks have gotta have gas;" a quote that highlights the significance of fuel in military operations.

As such, supply chains win wars and save lives. For the United States today, these materials include more resources than fuel for tanks. Minerals are important to build and maintain modern weapons systems. The United States and other major world powers are alarmingly dependent on other countries, mostly China, for these materials.

China's quick buildup of its sophisticated military made it America's most consequential strategic competitor.

The war in Ukraine demonstrated the importance of not relying on one country. The war created the most serious energy crisis since the 1970s, forcing Europe to spend billions of euros on seeking alternate suppliers amid the inflation and astronomical energy prices.

The importance of obtaining critical minerals

Lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, and many other minerals are critical when building electric car batteries, wind turbines, solar panels, and other clean energy technologies. The war in Ukraine shed the light on the availabilities of these minerals.

A steady and secure supply of critical minerals is essential for the US if it wishes to maintain its role as a military superpower. The fact remains that the United States and its allies do not produce nearly enough minerals to maintain a military technological edge for decades to come.

The field of science and advanced weaponry, a field that the US is a leader in, requires abundant minerals and metals.

Despite the fact that the US is not engaged in direct conflict, the war in Ukraine has depleted US stocks of some types of ammunition. The US Army asked Congress for $500 million a year to upgrade ammunition plants as developing advanced weaponry requires critical minerals and huge supply chains.

Semiconductors are crucial to building components of missile guidance systems, cyber warfare, and artificial intelligence capabilities, where gallium, arsenic, and neon are used; these materials are mostly produced in Russia, China, and Ukraine. Since the United States does not produce gallium, the war in Ukraine halved the world's supply of semiconductor-grade neon.

The US geological survey

The US Geological Survey keeps a list of minerals that are critical to the US national security, and economic, infrastructure, and energy needs. In 2020, the list grew to 50 minerals when it had been 35 back in 2018.

Some of these minerals include titanium for aeroscope components and high-temperature superalloys for turbines and hypersonic missiles, ceramic matrix composites, and hypersonic thermal protection systems.

Lanthanum, used for night vision goggles, was also on the list. So was Beryllium, which is used for targeting and surveillance systems for fighter jets.

Neodymium and samarium are used for powerful magnets which can handle very high temperatures. Germanium is used for infrared devices and military satellites' solar panels.

As for Niobium, it is used in the superalloy which makes up jet engines.

Other critical minerals used for the sonar, radar, and surveillance systems for the US military's first line of defense were found.

Sourced from China

Most of these minerals are sourced primarily from China. In addition to that, after being mined, these minerals require refining and processing along an international value chain. Even though China mined less than 20% of the world's total supply of lithium, it still controlled more than 60% of its refining and production capacity.

Graphite is another key mineral used in the production of electric vehicle batteries. China currently controls 100% of the refining and production of spherical graphite used for battery production.

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)

The DLA lists more than 50 materials on its website alongside their key military uses. It conducts strategic sales every year based on future needs, excluding the massive needs of the Pentagon's main defense contractors.

With a market value exceeding $1.5 billion, the DLA had an emergency stockpile of 47 commodities. This stockpile was founded following World War 1 when American scientists aimed at educating industrialists on the importance of having a national mineral plan.

Congress authorized $1 billion for the National Defense Stockpile last fall to acquire strategic and critical materials in order to create additional buffer stocks in case of a crisis. The appropriation for the fiscal year 2023 only included $93.5 million for the stockpile with almost $373 million for mineral purchases under the Defense Production Act.

The Pentagon pushed to strengthen domestic production of critical minerals over the past few years; a framework was pursued under the 2019 use of the Defense Production Act, which was expended under the Biden administration.

In order to overcome regulatory and legal hurdles, officials, regulators, and environmental groups are to work together.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... lled-miner

[Anthea]

Putin visits Crimea

Russians are protesting against countries they consider to be unfriendly on the ninth anniversary of the reunification of Crimea with Russia

Russians rallied in the country's capital on Saturday outside the embassies of countries that Moscow sees as unfriendly on the ninth anniversary of Crimea's accession to the Russian Federation, the Molodaya Gvardia youth movement said Saturday.

Over 5,000 people demonstrated outside the embassies of 20 "unfriendly" nations including the United States, France, Germany, and Poland, said Molodaya Gvardia, meaning The Young Guard.

According to the youth movement, the countries in question "support Ukraine... and also actively supply lethal weapons to the Ukrainian regime," they said.

Around 400 activists gathered outside the US embassy in Moscow holding up posters with messages such as "Crimea with Russia forever" or "The United States, you sow death", AFP reported, citing a correspondent.

Russian flags were raised on the Crimean mountains to mark the anniversary of the region's accession to Russia, Crimean emergency minister Sergey Shlyakov said"

The flag-raising in the Crimean mountains on March 18 has become a good tradition. Rescuers express their support by celebrating the date together with all Crimeans," Shlyakov said.

Molodaya Gvardia head Anton Demido told AFP that Crimea, with the help of the weapons being supplied by the West, "can be fired upon and already is."

On October 8, the Russian National Anti-Terrorist Committee reported an explosion on the Crimean Bridge, where a truck was blown up on the motorway section of the Crimean Bridge from the Taman Peninsula.

The attack caused seven fuel tanks of a train traveling to the Crimean peninsula to go up in flames. Two motorway sections of the bridge have partially collapsed.

"Those countries that supply lethal weapons, we consider them accomplices of this crime," Demido underlined.

Furthermore, the French agency added that a similar, smaller demonstration, comprising 200 people took place outside the British embassy.

This comes after it was reported in January that the United States was considering providing Ukraine with the weapons necessary to target the Crimean Peninsula, which is instrumental for Russia's operations during the war in Ukraine.

The administration believes that threatening Russia's control of Crimea could improve Kiev's position in future negotiations. However, this may increase the risk of escalating the conflict, the report said on Wednesday.

It is noteworthy that the Biden administration has so far been unwilling to provide Ukraine with the long-range missiles that Kiev would need to attack Crimea, out of fear that such a move could provoke Russia and widen the conflict, according to the report.

However, US State Secretary Antony Blinken said in February that his country was not actively encouraging Ukraine to retake control of Crimea, but the decision is Kiev’s alone.

After someone on the call asked if Washington was willing to assist Ukraine in seizing Russia's Crimea, Blinken considered that this would represent a red line for Russian President Vladimir Putin that could provoke a wider response from Moscow.

Putin visits Crimea

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Crimea on Saturday to mark the ninth anniversary of the region's incorporation into Russia, visiting during his trip newly opened historical and architectural sites on the peninsula, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"Today, on the anniversary of Crimea's reunification with Russia, [Russian President] Vladimir Putin has traveled to the region. In particular, he visited the Tauric Chersonese National Park and its new sites," Peskov said.

Furthermore, Peskov revealed that Putin was accompanied by Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Ravozhayev.

Crimea became part of Russia following a referendum held in March 2014, in which nearly 96% of Crimeans voted for accession to Russia

While Ukraine still considers the peninsula to be its own territory, Russia has repeatedly stressed that the decision made by the Crimean people was in full compliance with international law and the UN Charter.

According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Crimea issue is "closed".

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

[Anthea]

Click Image to Enlarge:


Peace rallies in Washington

The rally coincides with the 20th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq

Sources reported on Saturday that a peaceful demonstration is taking place in Washington DC to protest against military support for Ukraine and US militarism in general.

Protesters 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."

They were also seen carrying coffins wrapped in the flags of countries that were invaded by the US over the past 20 years.

Some of the demands brought forth by demonstrators included cutting funding and halting the delivery of weapons to Kiev's forces, as well as putting an end to "militarism and sanctions" in affected countries such as Syria, and avoiding escalations with China.

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 coincides with the 20th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq, organizers noted.

For several decades, the US has waged wars on several countries such as Vietnam, DPRK, the Persian Gulf, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria

Under the Bush administration, it is estimated that over 3 million Iraqi civilians died when the US invaded Iraq.

As for the Obama administration, an estimated 13,072 drone strikes were authorized just in Afghanistan alone, leading to thousands of deaths.

Despite all these war crimes carried out across the Middle East and Africa, the two former US Presidents, Bush, and Obama, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Former Prime Minister of the UK Tony Blair, got nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Since its inception, the ICC has always been biased as far as the investigation of crimes and the prosecution of individuals is concerned.

The West has orchestrated wars all across the Global South that have caused millions of children to go hungry, malnourished, displaced, and even killed, including in Yemen where the US-led blockade has caused over two million children to suffer from acute malnutrition.

Yet, these issues have never been taken into consideration at the Hague-based ICC.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... militarism

[Anthea]

Diplomatic settlement in Ukraine

Russia welcomes the Chinese initiative aimed at resolving the war in Ukraine, President Putin said in an article he had written for the Chinese Communist Party’s official paper People’s Daily

"We appreciate the well-balanced stance on the events in Ukraine adopted by the PRC [People's Republic of China], as well as its understanding of their historical background and root causes. We welcome China's readiness to make a meaningful contribution to the settlement of the crisis," Putin said.

China released a 12-point document titled "China's Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis" in late February emphasizing Beijing’s respect for the sovereignty of all countries, calling for the cessation of hostilities and resuming negotiations between Moscow and Kiev.

"Russia is open to the political and diplomatic resolution of the Ukraine crisis… The future of the peace process depends solely on the will to engage in a meaningful discussion taking into account current geopolitical realities," he explained.

The article was published prior to the scheduled three-day visit by President Xi to Moscow on Monday.

President Vladimir Putin commended the Sino-Russian friendship which he anticipated will only grow stronger over time, remarking that the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping will only contribute to that.

"I am convinced that our friendship and partnership based on the strategic choice of the peoples of the two countries will further grow and gain strength for the well-being and prosperity of Russia and China. This visit of the President of the PRC to Russia will undoubtedly contribute to that," Putin wrote.

In the same piece, Putin said trade between the two countries has doubled in 2022, reaching a record of $185 billion.

"Our priorities include trade and economic partnership. In 2022, our bilateral trade, which had already been considerable before [sic], doubled to reach USD 185 billion. This is a new record," Putin wrote.

He added that the two countries were on track to reach a trade target of $200 billion this year.

"What is more, we have every reason to believe that the USD 200 billion target, which was set by President Xi Jinping and myself, will be exceeded as early as this year instead of 2024," he projected.

Furthermore, Putin elaborated that bilateral cooperation in the field of energy has successfully developed since the construction of the Siberia gas pipeline, which became the “deal of the century” that prompted a rise in oil and gas exports from Russia to China.

"Long-term joint plans and programs [between Russia and China] are being successfully implemented. It will be no exaggeration to say that the Power of Siberia Russian-Chinese gas pipeline has become the ”deal of the century“ for its scale. The supplies of Russian oil and coal have increased significantly," Putin wrote.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... ls-china-r

[Anthea]

Russia, China strategic partnership

On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed two joint strategic documents aiming to boost the two global powers' economic and diplomatic partnership. Uphold international norms as per UN chart

During their formal summit in Moscow on Tuesday, both leaders discussed continuing to uphold the commitment to abiding by norms of international relations, as defined by the UN Charter.

"China and Russia, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, will continue standing firmly together with the international community to defend the basic norms of international relations based on the goals and principles of the UN Charter," Xi told a joint news conference alongside Putin.

Russia and China will boost cooperation to fight "color revolutions" and the so-called "three forces of evil," including the Islamic Movement of East Turkestan and organized crime.

NATO must comply with its defensive nature

According to the joint statement on developing comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation, Russia and China demand that NATO must uphold its own duties regarding the regional and defensive nature of the alliance.

'The parties are insisting that NATO must strictly comply with its obligations concerning the regional and defensive nature of the organization. [The parties are] calling on NATO to respect the sovereignty of other countries, their security and interests, civilized as well as historic and cultural diversity, to objectively and without bias deal with the peaceful development of other nations," the statement said.

The two countries expressed their opposition to attempts by separate countries to turn outer space into an arena of armed confrontation.

"Underlining the importance of the joint statement by the leaders of the five nuclear-weapon states on the prevention of nuclear war and the prevention of an arms race, sides reiterate that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be unleashed," the statement read.

Russia and China declared that a nuclear war cannot be won and should never be conducted.

"Underlining the importance of the joint statement by the leaders of the five nuclear-weapon states on the prevention of nuclear war and the prevention of an arms race, sides reiterate that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be unleashed," the statement read.

Additionally, Moscow and Beijing urged nuclear powers to uphold agreements made amongst nuclear states.

Cooperation in SCO, BRICS, and G20

After the talks were concluded, Xi said that both China and Russia vowed to increase cooperation and increase multilateralism through various existing multilateral mechanisms such as BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and G20 platforms.

"We will strengthen cooperation as part of multilateral mechanisms, including BRICS, SCO and G20, and promote real multilateralism," Chinese President Xi Jinping said after his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

"I hope to maintain close contacts with President Vladimir Putin in various forms to ensure dynamic and long-lasting development of the Chinese-Russian relations," he added.

In recent months, the BRICS bloc has expanded to include a number of new members, including Argentina, Iran, Indonesia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.

BRICS members currently account for 30% of global gross output and 40% of the global population.

Meanwhile, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), founded by China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan in 2001, forms the world's biggest regional market with eight official and four observer members.

The organization accounts for 40 percent of the world's population and 28 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP).

Russia and China stated their intention to intensify communication over the WTO's agenda, particularly its reform.

Russia and China declared their support for the African Union's admission to the G20 in order to provide poor nations and emerging market economies a "greater voice" on the global stage.

"The parties are determined to strengthen coordination within the G20 and other multilateral mechanisms ... to improve global economic governance in a fair and rational manner so that it better reflects the structure of the world economy, which includes increasing representation and giving greater voice to emerging market economies and developing countries. The parties support the accession of the African Union to the G20," a joint statement published by the Kremlin reads.

Russia, China importance of Iranian deal

In a joint statement released by the Kremlin on Tuesday, Russia and China stated their support for the full restoration of the Iranian nuclear accord.

"The parties reaffirm the importance of promptly resuming the full and effective implementation of the Agreement on the Iranian Nuclear Program and UN Security Council Resolution 2231, in connection with which they called on all parties concerned to take political decisions that would contribute to a positive outcome of negotiations on the resumption of the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," the statement read.

Settling the conflict in Ukraine

The joint statement also states Russia's positive reception to China's readiness to contribute to the peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

"Russia welcomes China's readiness to play a positive role in the political and diplomatic settlement of the Ukrainian crisis and the constructive notions set out in the document drawn up by the Chinese Side 'On China's position on the political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis," the statement said.

On February 24, China issued a 12-point position paper on Ukraine that highlighted all the steps required to reach a "political settlement".

These include respecting the sovereignty of all countries, abandoning the Cold War mentality, ceasing hostilities, resuming peace talks, resolving the humanitarian crisis, protecting civilians and POWs, keeping nuclear power plants safe, reducing strategic risks, facilitating grain exports, stopping unilateral sanctions, keeping industrial and supply chains stable, and promoting post-conflict reconstruction.

Because the plan did not specify that Russia must withdraw its troops from Ukraine, the West accused China of an attempt to undermine Ukraine's sovereignty at the expense of Russia's.

Beijing has already dismissed these claims as false, with top diplomat Wang Yi saying China will continue to stand firmly on the side of dialogue and peace, and will not seek to fuel escalations nor remain a bystander.

"Dialogue and negotiation are the only viable solution to the Ukraine crisis," a statement reads, adding that China will play a "constructive role," without offering details.

On March 16, White House NSCSC John Kirby said that the US does not support an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine under a China-proposed peace strategy as it would constitute a violation of the UN charter by Russia.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... ategic-par