#Russia violates Ukrainian sovereignty

[dontforgetukraine]

Today Ukraine commemorates the fallen defenders who fought for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, & territorial integrity. This day of remembrance was established in 2019 to mark the Ilovaisk tragedy. 10 years ago Russia violated an agreement and ambushed Ukrainian soldiers that were leaving through the "green corridor" near Ilovaisk.

366 Ukrainian soldiers were killed, 429 Ukrainian soldiers were wounded, 158 missing, 300 captured.

Photo credit: Arsen Petrov Sources: Euromaidan Press, Gyunduz Mamedov,

[mariacallous]

In his office in Tbilisi’s central Vake district, puffing cigarette after cigarette, Levan Sutidze, editor in chief of Tabula, was busy denouncing the Georgian government’s latest actions—something that’s become almost routine for independent journalists in the country. Tabula is among the many media outlets and civil society organizations that the government has attempted to label as “foreign agents” ahead of country’s crucial general elections in October.

Critics have called this an assault on privacy and freedom, dubbing it a “Russian law” in reference to similar legislation that the Kremlin relies on to suppress independent media and dissent, and warning of the government’s growing closeness to Moscow.

“We believe the foreign agent law undermines our dignity. And precisely because we have dignity, we will not comply with this law. We see it as a violation of our fundamental freedoms and rights, and an anti-Western move,” Sutidze said. His words are echoed across Georgia’s civil society, from media outlets to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

The legislation, officially called the “Transparency of Foreign Influence” Law, was passed in May 2024. The ruling Georgian Dream party moved forward with the legislation notwithstanding the criticism from the Western partners. The new law mandates that civil society and media organization receiving more than 20 percent of its funding from abroad must register as “representing foreign interests.” The law doesn’t stop at financial transparency. It requires its targets to disclose personal details, including political affiliations professional secrets and even sexual preferences, if the authorities demand it.

Since taking office in 2012, the government of Georgia—accused by the opposition of being controlled by oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili,—has cozied up to Moscow under the excuse of pragmatism. When Western partners have criticized the government for growing closer to Russia, Georgian Dream has responded by doubling down on anti-Western rhetoric

The Georgian government first proposed the law in March 2023, but after facing mass protests and fueled by fears that the bill threatened Georgia’s EU candidacy, the ruling party withdrew it. Despite ongoing concerns about democratic backsliding and anti-Western rhetoric, the European Union granted Georgia candidate status in December 2023. Yet, just three months later, Georgian Dream reintroduced the legislation, assuming there would be little resistance after securing the EU bid, and moved to break the opposition.

“They reintroduced the law exactly for the same reason [Russian President Vladimir] Putin invaded Ukraine. He saw the weakness of the West and thought he could get away with it. Just as Putin’s aggression was rewarded with a ‘reset,’ the attack on democracy by the Georgian Dream party was rewarded with candidate status,” Levan Ramishvili, a professor at Free University of Tbilisi, told Foreign Policy. “Like Putin, they were correct in their assessment of the West, but they misjudged the people. As Ukrainian people fight to defend their sovereignty, so do the Georgian people—to defend their democracy,” he said.

Massive protests followed this spring, reportedly attended by up to 200,000 people, mostly young people and notably members of Generation Z, filling the streets. The leaderless protests reflected fears of an authoritarian turn and the potential jeopardy of Georgia’s aspirations to join the EU and NATO—both of which enjoy widespread support.

One of the most memorable images from the protests was 21-year-old Ana Minadze applying lipstick in front of the riot police. “This is a direct war against Russia,” she told me in May, explaining her reasons for taking to the streets. “This is the final battle—if we don’t fight now, we might lose our sovereignty next year, or if we retain it, it will be purely symbolic. We must defend it all the way. If not now, when?”

As riot police deployed to break up protests, using tear gas and rubber bullets, demonstrators armed themselves with protective gas masks and goggles that they ordered online. As the protests persisted, the government escalated. Groups of hooligans beat activists nearly to death in the streets, while others were assaulted in police custody, leaving detention facilities with bruises covering their faces and bodies.

Gangs appeared at the homes of protest leaders, political commentators, and journalists in broad daylight, violently attacking those who opposed the so-called foreign agent law. Additionally, the offices of local NGOs were vandalized and threats were spray-painted on the façades of political parties and civil society organizations. Protesters, activists, and their family members, including minors received threatening phone calls filled with insults and threats of physical violence. People were left battered and terrified. Despite the overwhelming brutality, not a single act of violence was investigated by the authorities.

Tamar Kintsurashvili is the head of the Media Development Fund, one of the targeted organizations, which works on Russian disinformation efforts in Georgia. She told Foreign Policy, “You only need to look at how our office was vandalized and the threats against us to understand the aim of this legislation. It’s repressive,” she said.

The demonstrations started with protests about the “Russian law,” but soon turned into wider discontent toward the “Russian regime.” Minadze teared up as she vented her frustration over the ruling political elite’s corruption, nepotism, and disregard. “Why do their children get to fly in private jets while we are the ones working, studying, and protesting day and night? [They] travel the world, get top-tier education, and live comfortably, while we get bullets in return. It’s incredibly unfair.”

The law targets foreign aid that has traditionally supported democracy-building efforts in Georgia, much of it coming from Western partners such as Washington, which has made its dislike heard. The United States has suspended $95 million in aid; imposed visa bans on more than 90 unidentified Georgian government, parliament and affiliated figures; and sanctioned four people, including a high-level official at the Interior Ministry, in relation to the violence at the protests. U.S. officials say privately that they have sanctions ready for Ivanishvili if needed. The European Union has been more timid in its response, freezing some assistance but avoiding imposing sanctions.

“The episodic and sporadic sanctions are an example of misguided approach on the part of the West —they target marginal figures rather than the pillars of the regime. This approach to curbing authoritarianism has the same effect as the helmets Germany sent after Russia invaded Ukraine—virtue signaling,” Ramishvili said.

Despite international criticism, the threat of sanctions, and domestic opposition, the Georgian government has pushed forward with the law. Organizations had until Sept. 2 to register under the new system, but many, including Tabula, refused. To avoid the “foreign agent” label, Tabula is relocating its financial operations to Estonia.

“The Russian case shows how things could unfold. But like Tabula, an overwhelming number of civil society organizations and media are refusing to follow the path chartered by the government. We recognize the risks associated with this step, but we are here to defend our freedoms and serve the Georgian people,” Sutidze said.

As the registration deadline passed, only about 1 percent of Georgia’s 30,000 NGOs have complied. Most prominent organizations resisted, either relocating their financial operations or refusing to act at all. Those that plan to defy the law, such as the Media Development Fund , do so despite the risk of financial penalties. “We do not consider ourselves an organization in the service of a foreign country,” Kintsurashvili said.

The ruling Georgian Dream party claims that the law is designed to ensure transparency, arguing that it mirrors similar legislation in the West, such as the Foreign Agents Registration Act in the United States. But the Georgian law applies to far more groups and is designed not only to monitor, but also to control the activity, Kintsurashvili said.

The government dismisses critics in Washington, Brussels, and at home as part of a mythical “Global War Party,” accusing them of trying to drag Georgia into the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The ruling party insists that the law is to guarantee transparency. As the country approaches its October parliamentary elections, the message only got louder. Elections banners across the country feature images of war-ravaged Ukrainian cities, highlighting destroyed churches, buildings, and infrastructure, juxtaposed with tranquil Georgian landscapes. The accompanying slogans, “No to war” and “Choose peace,” have drawn criticism for what many see as Orwellian doublespeak. Critics says that the government is using these stark contrasts to instill fear in the population, manipulating the narrative to stay in power.

A group of 122 organizations has filed a lawsuit in the Georgian Constitutional Court to overturn the law, including the Media Development Fund. Giorgi Davituri, who presented the case in front of the court on Aug. 31, said the strategy relies on precedents from Russia and Hungary. “The law is not only politically Russian, but also legislatively,” he noted. “We couldn’t address all the constitutional rights this law violates, so we focused on the freedom of assembly and expression. … We are working to prevent the country from becoming autocratic, where everyone speaks in a single voice, like in Russia.”

Davituri contends that the law would be thrown out by any independent court. But in Georgia, the judiciary is widely perceived as controlled by the Georgian Dream government. Why bother, then? Davituri and Kintsurashvili say it’s to exhaust local legal options before turning to the European Court of Human Rights, where Georgia is a member through the Council of Europe.

“Naturally, there is a preconceived notion that the Constitutional Court will not be free from political influence, but we must exhaust the possibilities of local institutions, as this is crucial for taking the case to the European Court,” Kintsurashvili told Foreign Policy.

With elections nearing, concerns are growing that a victory for the ruling party could further solidify Georgia’s drift toward Russia and bring even more restrictions on freedoms. Whether the energy from the protests will translate into political support for an opposition that remains facile, feeble, and far from people is uncertain.

Back in May, when asked if she sees a preferable alternative in the opposition, Minadze shrugged. However, she said that she will vote: “I hope this anger, disappointment… lasts until the elections.”

Three weeks ahead of the vote, Sutidze was still hopeful. “This is an archetypal, classic tale of the temptations of power and control, but we all know how that tale ends,” he said.

[tomorrowusa]

Ukrainian sea drones are becoming faster, more accurate, and more powerful. With a range of over 1,000 km, they must keep commanders of Putin's Black Sea from getting much sleep.

Ukrainian naval drones Sea Baby have been modernized and can now carry almost a ton of explosives to hit a target over 1,000 kilometers away, Artem Dekhtiarenko, the spokesperson of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), said on April 14. "This means that the SBU can reach a target almost anywhere in the Black Sea," added Dekhtiarenko. In recent months, Ukraine has intensified its attacks on occupied Crimea, targeting Russian military assets in and around the Black Sea with domestically-produced sea drones and long-range missiles. Russia has illegally occupied the peninsula since 2014. As of early February 2024, 33% of the Russian Black Sea fleet's warships had been disabled by Ukraine, the Strategic Communications Center of Ukraine's Armed Forces recently reported. The SBU currently uses two types of sea drones — Sea Baby and Mamai, Dekhtiarenko said on national television.

"These are already new generations of drones, on the improvement of which the team of SBU specialists worked and continues to work together with other members of the Security and Defense Forces."

Ukraine continues to develop and upgrade its sea drone forces. When Russian missile launching vessels are forced to cower in distant ports, they are unable to launch attacks on Ukrainian maternity hospitals and schools.

Ukraine's ability to rule the waves of the Black Sea, despite having no real navy, is another example of its determination to fight off Russian invaders.

The only way to end the war is to make Ukraine safe from Russian aggression. Putin is already in violation of several treaties and other international agreements regarding Ukrainian sovereignty. Only a fool or MAGA supporter (basically the same thing) would expect Putin to respect any new agreement. Appeasement of Hitler did not stop World War II – it accelerated it.

If you're in the US, look up your member of the House of Representatives and demand that Russophile Speaker "MAGA Mike" Johnson quit blocking US aid to Ukraine which has already passed the Senate. And I'm talking to you – not the neighbor with the broken porch light.

Find Your Representative

If you have a MAGA zombie as a Representative, ask: Why do you hate freedom?

[taqato-alim]

Analysis of: Interview of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with CBS News' Charlie D'Agata, 28. March 2024

In the following text "document" refers to the subtitles to this video.

Here is a summary of the key points discussed:

Ukraine is facing a difficult military situation in the east due to lack of weapons/ammunition and risk of large Russian counteroffensives soon.

Russia shows no willingness to end the war and uses incidents to justify continuing attacks to control more territory.

Ukraine urgently needs air defense systems and long-range artillery from allies to stabilize the frontlines and deter Russia.

Shifting attention away from Ukraine reduces global aid and diplomatic support at a crucial time.

Linking Ukrainian aid to other issues unfairly dilutes resources it critically requires for self-defense.

Prolonging the conflict worsens human suffering from violence and instability.

Russia's actions violate ethics of sovereignty, proportionality and care for civilian lives.

Key stakeholders include Ukrainian people, government, allies like US/NATO, and adversaries such as Russia.

Zelenskyy leads Ukraine's defense under immense pressure while Putin escalates threats.

Ukraine's situation in the east remains precarious militarily and unstable without enhanced support against Russia.

Immediate military/political aid is needed from allies to improve Ukraine's risk of further losses and help end hostilities.

Summary of the key points from the document

The situation in eastern Ukraine is stabilized as much as possible, though the country lacks adequate weapons and ammunition. Brigades are being prepared for necessary actions.

Russia will likely launch counteroffensive actions in late May or June. Ukraine must prepare and stabilize the situation, as allies are happy with stabilization but Ukraine needs more help.

Ukraine shares information with partners and warns that Russia will launch counteroffensives soon. Ukraine needs help now to train brigades to fight for Ukrainian land.

The war is changing technologically but the main question is what is needed now to not lose territory, like air defense systems and artillery projectiles of various characteristics. Ukraine's artillery is outgunned by Russia's missiles that can hit from 20+ km away.

To protect, stabilize and hold the situation, Ukraine needs parity with Russia. To attack, Ukraine needs greater strength than Russia. Ukraine is fighting diplomatically for parity.

Attention shifting away from Ukraine to other conflicts has unfocused Russia's view and reduced global focus and aid to Ukraine. Divided opinions in the US Congress also affect support.

Ukraine feels the effects of reduced supplies and divided opinions. Financial support for Ukraine is now linked to other countries, diluting needed aid.

Ukraine will have difficulties because the discussed issues are completely different wars requiring different responses. Ukraine has a real war against democracy and values.

Preservation of Ukraine has become politicized in the US. There is injustice in linking Ukraine to other issues and inadequate response to Russia's full-scale war.

Russia uses any incidents like terrorism to unite society and motivate troops, who have low morale in occupied territories. It justifies continued offensive actions.

Ukraine hopes US Congress aid will continue before US elections, as Ukraine must survive until November and be stronger than Russia. Victory is Ukraine's only alternative.

Evaluation of the situation

Based on the information provided in the document, here is my evaluation of the situation:

Ukraine is in a difficult military position, lacking adequate weapons and ammunition to effectively defend against Russian counteroffensives planned for late May/June. This puts Ukraine at a severe disadvantage if attacks materialize.

Russia appears intent on continuing offensive operations, aiming to fully occupy and control Ukrainian territory. Moscow will likely use any events to prop up support for what seems to be a war of attrition against Ukraine.

Ukraine's calls for additional aid, particularly air defense and longer-range artillery, suggest the situation is precarious and it faces an acute threat from Russia's better armed forces. Achieving parity is critical for stabilizing the frontlines.

Shifting global attention away from Ukraine risks reducing international support and pressure on Russia at a vulnerable time for Kyiv. Divided politics in the US similarly threatens to limit much-needed military and financial backing.

Linking Ukrainian aid to other issues unfairly dilutes resources Ukraine desperately needs to defend itself against Russian aggression. Comparisons to other conflicts diminish Ukraine's unique circumstances facing a full-scale invasion.

Ukraine makes a compelling case that sustaining Western resolve is a matter of its survival in the face of Russia's unwillingness to end hostilities. Ensuring aid continues is crucial over the next few months.

Overall, the military and political situation described indicates Ukraine is under severe duress and requires urgent assistance to bolster its defenses against growing Russian threats to its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Failure to help could have dire humanitarian and strategic consequences.

Situation in eastern Ukraine

Based on the information provided in the document, here is an evaluation of the situation in eastern Ukraine:

Military Situation:

The frontlines have been stabilized as much as possible, but Ukraine lacks adequate weapons/ammunition to effectively defend itself.

Russia is preparing large-scale counteroffensives in late May/June, putting further pressure on Ukraine's defenses.

Ukraine's artillery is significantly outranged by Russia, making defense difficult against long-range shelling.

Humanitarian Impact:

Continued fighting endangers civilian lives and infrastructure in the region.

Prolonged conflict prolongs human suffering from violence and displacement.

An unstable frontline inhibits economic/social recovery in occupied/contested areas.

Political Implications:

Failure to assist Ukraine risks further territorial losses and weakens its sovereignty.

This could embolden further Russian aggression against Ukraine and potentially its allies.

Shifting attention away risks reducing international focus and pressure on Russia.

Strategic Concerns:

The threat to eastern Ukraine impacts European security due to its strategic location.

Escalation potential rises as Ukraine tries defending itself against a more powerful foe.

Russia appears intent on maintaining political/military leverage through continued combat.

In summary, the situation in eastern Ukraine remains precarious militarily, unstable politically, and endangers innocent lives due to an ongoing conflict Ukraine struggles to stabilize without sufficient international support in balancing Russia's threat. Urgent aid is needed to improve this dire evaluation.

Ethics of the situation

Based on the information provided, here is an analysis of the ethics of the situation:

Russia's actions constitute an unprovoked invasion and ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, violating basic ethical principles of national sovereignty and self-determination. starting an offensive war for the purposes of territorial conquest is widely considered illegally and unethically under international law and norms.

Killing and harming civilians through indiscriminate or deliberate attacks violates ethical standards of distinction and proportionality in war. Prolonging the conflict also prolongs human suffering, going against ethical duties to minimize harm.

Using incidents like terrorism to manipulate public support and military motivation manipulates facts and emotions in an unethical manner for political gain during conflict.

Failing to provide military aid and stabilize the frontlines against a better-armed aggressor puts innocent Ukrainian lives at risk needlessly. Ally countries have an ethical duty to support defending sovereignty and human rights against illegal war and oppression.

Politicizing or diluting support for Ukraine's self-defense diverts focus from an active warzone and threatens more death and destruction - prioritizing other issues over an existing humanitarian crisis raises ethical concerns.

Disregarding assessments from intelligence allies who aim to prevent terrorist threats indicates a lack of concern for innocent lives that could have been saved through appropriate precautions.

Overall, Russia's war on Ukraine disregards core ethical principles of autonomy, non-violence, compassion and justice. Key allies also have an ethical duty to support Ukraine's fundamental rights, especially given its relative military weakness necessitating outside material assistance.

Affected stakeholders

Here are the key stakeholders affected by the situation described in the document, along with an evaluation of how they are impacted:

Ukrainian civilians and military - Bearing the heaviest humanitarian and strategic costs of ongoing war and potential counteroffensives. Lives are at risk without adequate support.

Ukrainian government - Facing an existential threat to sovereignty and state survival if military situation cannot be stabilized or improved. Under immense pressure.

Russian government - Continuing offensive operations helps military and domestic political goals but prolongs conflict, sanctions, and international condemnation.

NATO member states - Increased risk of conflict escalation on the alliance's Eastern flank. Stakes rise as Ukraine seeks Western help. Offering aid supports security interests but could escalate tensions.

United States government - Large provider of aid but divided politics endanger reliable long-term support needed by Ukraine. Failure to help emboldens adversaries.

European governments - Regional security heavily impacted. Must balance support for Ukraine with energy/trade relations with Russia despite latter's unethical aggression.

Global community - Norms of sovereignty and territorial integrity are undermined by appeasing Russia. Human costs of prolonged war affect humanitarian responsibilities.

Future US administrations - Inherit complex geopolitical fallout of today's policy choices on Ukraine and Russia relations. Stability hinges on near-term decisions.

Overall, this is a complex situation involving stakeholders with both principled and strategic interests at play. Ukraine's welfare, however, appears the most precarious requiring urgent, collective international assistance and resolve against Russian belligerence.

Key individuals

Here are the key individuals mentioned in the document and an evaluation of their roles:

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine - Bearing immense responsibility for wartime leadership and advocating strongly for international support. Facing enormous challenges defending his country against Russian aggression.

Vladimir Putin, President of Russia - Primary leader and instigator of the unprovoked war and occupation of parts of Ukraine. Appears intent on continuing hostilities to achieve political goals with little regard for human costs. Rhetoric suggests escalating threats to others.

American politicians/Congress - Key Western decisionmakers who can authorize or deny vital military/economic aid to Ukraine. Divisions risk undermining reliable backing but Ukraine emphasizes their support is still needed.

Intelligence from US, UK, etc. - Warned Russia over specific terrorist threats to encourage precautions but threats were left unaddressed, suggesting disregard for innocent lives. Information may undermine Russian denials of involvement.

Russian soldiers in occupied areas - Facing growing pressures on the frontlines from lower morale as the human toll rises, with their leaders showing little mercy even to their own troops to achieve political aims.

Overall, Zelenskyy leads Ukraine's self-defense under extraordinarily difficult conditions, while Putin's actions as the primary aggressor have ethical and strategic implications. Vital decisions by US politicians will also strongly impact outcomes.

[adrl-pt]

Citizens claim that Putin is a foreign spy. Is €50 billion for Ukraine a lot?

You are watching news from the weekly rally at the Russian embassy in Lisbon. Today is February 10th, 14:30.

On February 8th, brave female citizens of Russia and supporters of the public figure Svetlana Lada-Rus filed a statement against Vladimir Putin to the FSB, the State Duma, and the Federation Council. They demand an investigation of his actions for state treason, espionage, and foreign influence. In their statement, they used everything that Russian propaganda says, but shown that it is Putin himself who is a threat to Russia's sovereignty and security with his decisions and laws. They claim that "in the country, by force … a constitutional order not declared by the Constitution of the Russian Federation was established — totalitarianism." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t6c3gUtzYg

They not only sent the appeal themselves but also called on supporters to send this statement to the same institutions, as well as to protect human rights defenders and unite. Since the recording of this appeal, their Telegram channel "People's Tribune" has almost doubled in size. https://t.me/narodnaya_tri_buna

On January 30th, the "Committee-2024" Facebook group published a response from the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Russia to the collective statement of citizens. Based on 320 complaints about violations in the collection of signatures by Putin for his nomination, it proves the invalidity of more than 75,000 signatures. This is more than 23%, but instead of disqualifying Putin as was done with Boris Nadezhdin, the CEC started threatening the applicants. https://www.facebook.com/100093266363900/posts/pfbid02qXRoghN5TZ6YhrhMHfVNxSeJhJSDkAmmhhjPf9LurXe5LGCBJGqH17K983G4PcaLl

Such appeals are useful because they help gather evidence of power usurpation in Russia and also show the presence of citizens dissatisfied with the government, thereby motivating new people to resist the regime.

The united democratic forces continue the campaign to delegitimize Putin. Sign the "Usurper" petition and help ensure that when Putin is no longer spoken to or traded with, he ceases to be useful to his surroundings. Then he can be handed over to the International Criminal Court. Link in the description. https://www.change.org/illegitimate

In Ukraine, Russian troops continue to kill civilians and destroy residential buildings, hotels, cafes. Recent shelling of Kyiv and Kharkiv, fires, casualties. On January 22nd, actor Vladimir Fedinchuk was killed in battle. https://vikna.tv/ru/dlia-tebe/vijna-v-ukrayini/vladimir-fedinchuk-umer-chto-izvestno-o-smerti-aktera/

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Alexey Reznikov said that the war costs Ukraine $100 million a day. https://forbes.ua/ru/news/viyna-koshtue-ukraini-100-mln-na-den-reznikov-04092023-15789

On February 1st, leaders of all EU member states agreed on a €50 billion aid package for Ukraine for 4 years. Of this, €33 billion are loans and €17 billion are grants. The money is intended to cover current expenses, including salaries, pensions, and infrastructure reconstruction. https://www.dw.com/ru/strany-evrosouza-soglasovali-vydelenie-50-milliardov-evro-pomosi-ukraine/a-68143057

Military aid from the USA is delayed.

The total amount of donations collected in 2 years of full-scale invasion on the official website of the Ukrainian fundraising platform United 24 recently exceeded $600 million. Your donations Ukraine will not need to repay after the war ends. https://u24.gov.ua/

Help activists and help Ukraine!

[taiwantalk]

Who the fuck is coming up with all these fucked up pro Russian invasion questions???!

me not being an ukrainian can still tell how bias the questions are in favor of russia.

there’s no sane world view of rewarding russian invasions of ukraine by giving what russia had already violated.

russia was already using crimean ports already before 2014. russia already invaded donbas before invading the rest of ukraine last year. russia had already committed genocide since 2014 before committing more genocide since 2022. russia had already infiltrated ukraine to murder ukrainians by the time that euromaidan went on. russians had already looted ukraine in the last 30 years. russians had already punished ukrainians for want to use their own language as official language.

you know, ukraine has a right to ukraine’s sphere of influence. no country in the world has the obligation to condone another national to undermine its sovereignty. no country has the obligation to promote the language of its neighboring country to keep peace. no country can be nationalistic when it is being invaded.

if you’re being invaded, you have to be one stupid demented mother fucking country to be favoring your invaders.

[rosszulorzott]

Joint statement by the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Parliament

Today marks a tragic anniversary: that of Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine in manifest violation of international law and the UN Charter. Two years of violence, brutality, terror and destruction. We shall never forget the initial shock of the attack, the horror of the events in Borodianka, Bucha, Mariupol.

Yet, in spite of all the continuing atrocities and suffering inflicted upon it across the country, Ukraine is standing firm. The heroic Ukrainian people are demonstrating fortitude and determination in defending their homeland and fighting for their freedom and our shared European values.

The European Union will always support Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. The illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol 10 years ago marks the beginning of Russia’s sustained aggression against Ukraine.

Russia and its leadership bear sole responsibility for this war and its global consequences, as well as for the serious crimes committed. We remain determined to hold them to account, including for the crime of aggression.

Every day, Ukraine is facing the constant brutal and indiscriminate attacks of its aggressor. More than ever, we remain united and true to our promise to support Ukraine for as long as it takes. For the people of Ukraine, for peace and security in Europe and for the rules-based international order to prevail.

The European Union will continue its strong and unwavering political, military, financial, economic, diplomatic and humanitarian support to help Ukraine defend itself, protect its people, its cities and its critical infrastructure, restore its territorial integrity, bring back the thousands of deported children, and bring the war to an end.

The European Union has decided to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and will help it on its path towards EU membership. The future of Ukraine lies in the European Union. The European Union will continue to provide Ukraine with regular and predictable financial support. The 50 billion euro financial assistance package for 2024-2027 will help Ukraine meet its immediate needs, rebuild its economy and society, modernise its institutions and consolidate democracy and the rule of law.

We will continue to address Ukraine’s pressing military and defence needs, including deliveries of urgently needed ammunition and missiles. We have taken unprecedented actions at the EU level to ramp up European defence industry production, and we will continue to increase the capacity, which will allow us to step up our military support and cooperation with Ukraine while simultaneously strengthening our defence readiness and European sovereignty. We are also working on future security commitments which will help Ukraine defend itself, resist destabilisation efforts and deter acts of aggression in the future.

Russia and its leaders will pay a growing price for their actions. Together with partners, we have imposed unprecedented sanctions against Russia and those complicit in the war and remain ready to increase the pressure on Russia to limit its ability to wage war. We have also taken the first concrete steps towards directing extraordinary revenues stemming from Russian immobilised assets to support Ukraine. We will continue our targeted actions to further isolate Russia in international fora.

We support Ukraine’s Peace Formula for a just, comprehensive and lasting peace based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law as well as all efforts towards a Global Peace Summit with the widest possible international support.

Today, our flags will be flying side by side as a symbol of our solidarity, commitment and resolve.

Az Európai Tanács elnöke, az Európai Bizottság elnöke, illetve az Európai Parlament elnöke által tett együttes nyilatkozat

A mai napon egy tragédia évfordulójára emlékezünk: arra, hogy Oroszország teljes körű agressziós háborút indított Ukrajna ellen, nyilvánvalóan megsértve a nemzetközi jogot és az ENSZ Alapokmányát. Két év erőszak, brutalitás, terror és pusztítás. Soha nem fogjuk elfelejteni a támadás által okozott első sokkot, a Borogyankában, Bucsában és Mariupolban bekövetkezett borzalmas eseményeket.

És mégis, bár az egész országban folytatódnak az atrocitások és nem szűnik a szenvedés, Ukrajna szilárdan kitart. A hős ukrán nép, tanúbizonyságot téve bátorságáról és eltökéltségéről, védi hazáját, és küzd szabadságáért és a közös európai értékeinkért.

Az Európai Unió mindig támogatni fogja Ukrajna függetlenségét, valamint a nemzetközileg elismert határain belüli szuverenitását és területi integritását. Oroszország Ukrajnával szembeni tartós agressziója 10 évvel ezel��tt, a Krím és Szevasztopol jogellenes annektálásával kezdődött.

Kizárólag Oroszország és vezetése tartozik felelősséggel ezért a háborúért, a világméretű következményekért és az elkövetett súlyos bűncselekményekért. Továbbra is eltökélt szándékunk, hogy elszámoltassuk őket, az agresszió bűntette miatt is.

Ukrajna nap mint nap elszenvedi agresszorának folyamatos, brutális és megkülönböztetés nélküli támadásait. Minden eddiginél egységesebben lépünk fel, és hívek maradunk azon ígéretünkhöz, hogy mindaddig támogatni fogjuk Ukrajnát, amíg csak szükséges. Tesszük ezt Ukrajna népéért, az európai békéért és biztonságért, valamint a szabályokon alapuló nemzetközi rend győzedelmeskedéséért.

Az Európai Unió továbbra is határozott és töretlen politikai, katonai, pénzügyi, gazdasági, diplomáciai és humanitárius támogatást nyújt Ukrajnának, hogy az ország meg tudja védeni magát, népét, városait és kritikus infrastruktúráját, helyre tudja állítani területi integritását, vissza tudja hozni az elhurcolt gyermekek ezreit, és véget tudjon vetni a háborúnak.

Az Európai Unió úgy határozott, hogy megindítja a csatlakozási tárgyalásokat Ukrajnával, és segíteni fogja az országot az uniós tagság felé vezető úton. Ukrajna jövője az Európai Unióban van. Az Európai Unió továbbra is rendszeres és kiszámítható pénzügyi támogatást fog nyújtani Ukrajnának. A 2024–2027-es időszakra szóló, 50 milliárd eurós pénzügyi támogatási csomag segíteni fogja Ukrajnát azonnali szükségleteinek kielégítésében, gazdaságának és társadalmának újjáépítésében, intézményeinek korszerűsítésében, valamint a demokrácia és a jogállamiság megszilárdításában.

Továbbra is hozzá fogunk járulni Ukrajna sürgető katonai és védelmi igényeinek kielégítéséhez, beleértve a sürgetően szükséges lőszerek és rakéták szállítását is. Uniós szinten példa nélküli intézkedéseket hoztunk az európai védelmi ipari termelés felfuttatása érdekében, és még tovább fogjuk növelni a kapacitást, ami lehetővé teszi majd számunkra, hogy fokozzuk az Ukrajnának nyújtott katonai támogatást és az országgal folytatott együttműködést, ugyanakkor ezzel egyidejűleg megerősítsük védelmi készültségünket és európai szuverenitásunkat. Olyan jövőbeli biztonsági kötelezettségvállalásokon is dolgozunk, amelyek segítségével Ukrajna meg tudja védeni magát, ellen tud állni a destabilizációjára irányuló erőfeszítéseknek és a jövőben el tud rettenteni az agressziós cselekményektől.

Oroszország és vezetői egyre nagyobb árat fognak fizetni a cselekedeteikért. Partnereinkkel együtt példa nélkül álló szankciókat vezettünk be Oroszországgal és a háborúban bűnrészességet vállalókkal szemben, és továbbra is készen állunk arra, hogy fokozzuk az Oroszországra nehezedő nyomást, és ezáltal korlátozzuk a hadviselési képességét. Emellett megtettük az első konkrét lépéseket annak érdekében, hogy az immobilizált orosz vagyoni eszközökből származó rendkívüli bevételeket Ukrajna támogatására irányítsuk át. Újabb célirányos intézkedéseket hozunk majd abból a célból, hogy Oroszországot még jobban elszigeteljük a nemzetközi fórumokon.

Támogatjuk Ukrajna békeformuláját az ENSZ Alapokmányában foglalt elveken és a nemzetközi jogon alapuló igazságos, átfogó és tartós béke megteremtése érdekében, valamint minden olyan erőfeszítést, amely a Globális Béke-csúcstalálkozónak a lehető legszélesebb körű nemzetközi támogatás mellett történő megrendezését szolgálja.

Lobogóinkat ma egymás mellett vonjuk fel szolidaritásunk, elkötelezettségünk és elszántságunk szimbólumaként.

[workersolidarity]

Declassified files expose British role in NATO’s Gladio terror armies - The Grayzone

The British Government recently released a trove of declassified documents relating to UK involvement with the CIA on Operation Gladio, a Fascist stay-behind proxy-Army formed and organized by the CIA in Italy during US occupation in the late 1940's using Fascist Partisans.

More than just an ordinary proxy-Army, Operation Gladio connected right-wing political figures, diplomats, bureaucrats, and high-ranking military figures with Fascist Partisans and willing dupes to form a network of spies, saboteurs, assassins, terrorist cells, and armies skilled in guerilla warfare.

Some of the members and their network of spies, assassins and saboteurs went on to serve in major positions of power for decades to come, enacting Far Right-wing policy, serving and supporting the interests of the United States, EU, NATO and Wall Street.

Operation Gladio became the framework for covert operations by which the US covertly controlled political outcomes in key European and Asian Nations post-WWII.

This network could both manipulate key political outcomes, as well as form a defensive network against any potential invasion and occupation by the USSR.

And Gladio was no joke. These Fascists were responsible for dozens of acts of terrorism in Italy against Leftists as well as ordinary civilians in False Flag attacks aimed at turning the Public against the Italian Left. They would literally pose as Communists, Socialists and Anarchists before committing terrorist attacks against civilians. In this way they could shape public perceptions of the Communist Party and its leadership.

In light of Operation Gladio becoming public knowledge in the early 1990's, even the European Parliament had to condemn the actions of the US, UK and NATO for its human rights violations, political interference, terrorist and false flag attacks.

All of this raises the questions around Western countries activities in Ukraine going back to 2014 and the Euromaidan coup. We know, for instance, the CIA very much continued to support, arm and train secretly the OUN and other Banderite Nationalist and Nazi organizations after WWII.

Did that support turn into a Gadio-style operation that succeeded in overturning the democratically elected Government of Ukraine for being too pro-Russia in 2014? The evidence suggests it did.

That's according to Kit Klarenberg's exceptional reporting in The Grayzone in November of last year in which he obtained documents from a UK Private Military contractor named Prevail Partners that was recruited and tasked with organizing a Gladio-inspired Operation.

Operation Gladio clearly lives on in modern (mostly Privatized) Operations handed off to Military Contractors by the CIA.

No country with this kind of operation occurring in its borders by a foreign Imperialist power, whether organized by the CIA or a Private Military contractor, can be said to have sovereignty. And without sovereignty, everything else is meaningless. You have no control over your government or its policies, you are no more than a proxy for Imperialism.

[partisan-by-default]

Speaking to Kristen Welker on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” the Congressional Progressive Caucus chair highlighted how the White House has publicly given unconditional support to Israel this month in its efforts to effectively annihilate Gaza, after Hamas militants launched a massive attack on Oct. 7 that killed about 1,400 people and resulted in hundreds of hostages.

As of Sunday morning, Israel’s bombardment of Gaza — which human rights groups warn amounts to ethnic cleansing — has killed more than 8,000 Palestinians, thousands of whom are children. Israel has also shut off access to food, water, fuel and medicine, and until Sunday communications were cut off over the weekend during what Gaza residents said were some of the most intense attacks on the territory.

President Joe Biden received intense backlash last week after publicly questioning the Palestinian death toll while reiterating the American government’s unwavering support for Israel’s attacks. The White House’s unconditional support for Israel is vastly different from its approach to Russia, a global superpower that, like Israel, has been relentless in its attacks on civilians next door and its attempt to take away their sovereignty.

“Kristen, I just think we have to recognize that this is a double standard,” Jayapal said. “The United States rightly called out Russia for its siege of Ukraine. Rightly called out the attacks on the power infrastructure, the refusal to provide food and water and fuel to the Ukrainians.”

“And we have to recognize that our credibility and our authority on the moral stage is greatly diminished if we do not also call out this siege that Israel is launching on Gaza as violations of international law,” she continued. “We are losing credibility and frankly, we’re being isolated in the rest of the world.”

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

February 24, 2023

Heather Cox Richardson

“One year and one week ago—on February 17th, 2022—I warned this council that Russia was planning to invade Ukraine,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the United Nations Security Council Ministerial Meeting on Ukraine Sovereignty and Russian Accountability today.

“I said that Russia would manufacture a pretext, and then use missiles, tanks, soldiers, cyber attacks to strike pre-identified targets, including Kyiv,” Blinken continued, “with the aim of toppling Ukraine’s democratically elected government. Russia’s representative—the same representative who will speak today—called these, and I quote, ‘groundless accusations.’

“Seven days later, on February 24th, 2022, Russia launched its full-scale invasion.”

When Putin’s initial attack failed to give him control of Ukraine, Blinken continued, “he called snap referenda in four occupied parts of Ukraine, deported Ukrainians, bussed in Russians, held sham votes at gunpoint, and then manipulated the results to claim near unanimous support for joining the Russian Federation.”

“Over the last year,” Blinken said, “Russia has killed tens of thousands of Ukrainian men, women, and children; uprooted more than 13 million people from their homes; destroyed more than half of the country’s energy grid; bombed more than 700 hospitals, 2,600 schools; and abducted at least 6,000 Ukrainian children—some as young as four months old—and relocated them to Russia.

“And yet, the spirit of the Ukrainians remains unbroken; if anything, it’s stronger than ever.”

Blinken’s remarkable speech told the history of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, then highlighted that the world community has come together to stand behind Ukraine and the principles of the United Nations Charter that make all countries safer and more secure: “No seizing land by force. No erasing another country’s borders. No targeting civilians in war. No wars of aggression.”

He noted that the war had caused hardship around the globe, but the “vast majority” of states in the United Nations have condemned Russia’s violations of the U.N. Charter, including 141 who voted for a resolution along those lines just yesterday.

When Putin tried to use hunger as a weapon to end sanctions, more than 100 countries stepped up to bring down world grain prices; when Putin tried to use energy as a weapon, the rest of the world redirected national gas supplies so that the countries he was targeting could keep their people warm, and Europe worked hard to end its dependence on Russian energy.

Blinken said that if we do not defend the basic principles of the U.N. Charter, “we invite a world in which might makes right, the strong dominate the weak. That’s the world this body was created to end.”

While everyone—especially Ukraine—wants peace, he said, that peace must be durable, not simply an excuse to let Russia rest, rearm, and relaunch the war. As Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky has outlined, any peace must honor Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty. Putin has rejected this condition out of the box, saying that Ukraine must accept his “annexation” of Ukraine’s territories.

Blinken reminded his listeners that not everything in the world has two sides. “In this war, there is an aggressor and there is a victim,” he said. “If Russia stops fighting and leaves Ukraine, the war ends.  If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine ends. The fact remains: One man—Vladimir Putin—started this war; one man can end it.”

When Russia and its defenders say the ongoing war is diverting resources from others in need, Blinken said, “look at Moscow’s actions” and look at the numbers. Last year, the U.S. contributed $13.5 billion in food aid and funded more than 40% of the World Food Program’s budget. Russia pays less than 1% of that budget.

Blinken went on: “Based on the latest UN figures, the United States donates over nine times as much as Russia to UN peacekeeping.  We donate 390 times as much as Russia to UNICEF.  We give nearly a thousand times as much as Russia to the UN Refugee Agency.”

Blinken reminded his listeners that the atrocities we are seeing Russians commit in Ukraine are not normal. “Bucha is not normal,” he said. “Mariupol is not normal. Irpin is not normal. Bombing schools and hospitals and apartment buildings to rubble is not normal. Stealing Ukrainian children from their families and giving them to people in Russia is not normal.

“We must not let President Putin’s callous indifference to human life become our own.”

Today, the leaders of the international Group of Seven, known as the G7, met virtually with Zelensky. The G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the European Union.

The statement they issued echoed Blinken’s speech, then went on to pledge to continue food and humanitarian aid as countries suffer from the war, and to continue to design sanctions to make sure those countries continue to have access to food and fertilizers. The G7 leaders expressed “profound sympathy” for those affected by the “horrifying earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria” and pledged continued support.

“Above all,” they said, “our solidarity will never waver in standing with Ukraine, in supporting countries and people in need, and in upholding the international order based on the rule of law.”

The Biden administration today announced $2 billion in military aid to Ukraine, including drones, communications equipment, HIMARS rockets, and 155-millimeter artillery ammunition, while the G7 has increased its 2023 support for Ukraine to $39 billion, and both Germany and Sweden committed to sending more Leopard 2 tanks.

The deputy chair of Russia’s security council, former president Dmitry Medvedev, said today that Russia planned to “push the borders of threats to our country as far as possible, even if these are the borders of Poland.” Poland is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), meaning an attack on it would be an attack on the rest of NATO, including the United States.

At a press conference in Kyiv today, Zelensky said: “Victory will be inevitable. I am certain there will be victory.”

“We have everything for it. We have the motivation, certainty, the friends, the diplomacy. You have all come together for this. If we all do our important homework, victory will be inevitable.”

—

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[From comments]

FERN MCBRIDE (NYC)

From historian, Timothy Snyder:

Why the world needs Ukrainian victory

1. To halt atrocity.

2. To preserve the international legal order.

3. To end an era of empire.

4. To defend the peace project of the European Union.

5. To give the rule of law a chance in Russia.

6. To weaken the prestige of tyrants.

7. To remind us that democracy is the better system.

8. To lift the threat of major war in Europe.

9. To lift the threat of major war in Asia.

For more reasons the world needs the Ukrainian victory, see link below.

https://snyder.substack.com/p/why-the-world-needs-ukrainian-victory-c90

PS What can you do personally? Keep in touch with your elected representatives. Support military and humanitarian assistance. Make your views known. Write a letter to the editor. Share this post widely. Fly a Ukrainian flag. Put a sticker on your computer.

Buy and wear Ukrainian merch. In great causes, small gestures matter. If you want to keep Ukrainian soldiers alive; here is a way to keep Ukrainians warm during winter; documenting Ukraine, a project that supports those in Ukraine who are chronicling the war-- To reach links to donate, first go to Snyder's newsletter and scroll down to his PS, where you will find the links underlined.

https://snyder.substack.com/p/why-the-world-needs-ukrainian-victory

Thank you for reading Letters from an American and this post, which came from Timothy Snyder's newsletter called, 'Thinking about..."

[alcestas-sloboda]

Dear President Widodo!

Dear colleagues! The world’s majority, which stands with us!

I address you in Ukrainian, but in front of each of you on the table you will find our proposals. In your language. In demonstration of respect for you.

I have just returned to our capital. Returned from the city of Kherson.

Kherson is one of the key cities in the south of our country and the only regional centre that Russia managed to occupy after February 24.

And now Kherson is already liberated.

What does it mean? For Ukraine, this liberation operation of our Defence Forces is reminiscent of many battles of the past, which became turning points in the wars of the past.

Those battles symbolized such changes, after which people already knew who will be victorious even though the ultimate victory still had to be fought for.

It is like, for example, D-Day - the landing of the Allies in Normandy. It was not yet a final point in the fight against evil, but it already determined the entire further course of events. This is exactly what we are feeling now.

Now - when Kherson is free.

To liberate our entire land from the Russists, we still will have to fight for a while longer... To fight! However, if the victory will be ours in any case, and we are sure of it, then shouldn't we try to implement our formula for peace to save thousands of lives and protect the world from further destabilizations?

That is why I want to present our vision of the path to peace - how to actually achieve it. And not only for us, but also for all of you, your allies and partners.

In my statement in September of this year at UN General Assembly, I presented Ukraine’s formula for peace. A formula of peace for the world.

Just when the world was hoping to recover from the blows of the pandemic, the Russian war provoked a whole series of new global challenges. This must be stopped!

There is a set of solutions that need to be implemented. And I want the conversation about it to be public, not behind the scenes. I want it to be discussed in specific terms, and not in broad strokes.

Maybe I'll go over the allotted time limit.

But the issue of peace is worth it.

I want this aggressive Russian war to end justly and on the basis of the UN Charter and international law. Not "somehow" - according to the apt formulation of the UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

Ukraine should not be offered to conclude compromises with its conscience, sovereignty, territory and independence. We respect the rules and we are people of our word.

Ukraine has always been a leader in peacekeeping efforts, and the world has witnessed it. And if Russia says that it supposedly wants to end this war, let it prove it with actions.

Apparently, one cannot trust Russia's words, and there will be no Minsks-3, which Russia would violate immediately after signing.

If there are no concrete actions to restore peace, it means that Russia simply wants to deceive all of you again, deceive the world and freeze the war just when its defeats have become particularly notable.

We will not allow Russia to wait it out, build up its forces, and then start a new series of terror and global destabilization.

I am convinced now is the time when the Russian destructive war must and can be stopped.

So, here are the proposals of Ukraine:

The first is radiation and nuclear safety.

No one has the right to blackmail the world with a radioactive disaster. This is an axiom.

However, in front of the eyes of the whole world, Russia has turned our Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant into a radioactive bomb that can explode at any moment. Where will the radiation cloud go? Perhaps towards the territory of the EU. Maybe to Türkiye. Maybe to the Middle East. I consider as criminal even a hypothetical possibility of such a scenario!

Radiation safety must be restored. The IAEA has already provided respective recommendations, confirming all the risks that we have repeatedly raised. Therefore, Russia must immediately withdraw all its militants from the territory of the Zaporizhzhia NPP. The station must be immediately transferred to the control of the IAEA and the Ukrainian personnel. The normal connection of the station to the power grid must be restored immediately so that nothing threatens the stability of the reactors.

We proposed that IAEA missions are sent to all Ukrainian nuclear plants - four of them, 15 nuclear units in total. Plus the Chornobyl plant, which has been shut down and is under conservation. Such missions can verify that any hostile activity against Ukrainian nuclear facilities has indeed ceased.

How long does it take to implement it? Russia can begin the demilitarization of the Zaporizhzhia NPP as early as tomorrow if it is really ready to restore the radioactive safety it violated.

The same goes for the crazy threats of nuclear weapons that Russian officials resort to. There are and cannot be any excuses for nuclear blackmail. And I thank you, dear G-19, for making this clear.

However, please use all your power to make Russia abandon nuclear threats. The basis for such efforts can be the Budapest Memorandum and respective capabilities of the signatory states.

The second challenge is food security.

Thanks to the strong participation of the UN, Türkiye and other partners, we have demonstrated how the cooperation of a few can restore food security for the many.

I believe our export grain initiative deserves an indefinite extension - no matter when the war ends.

The right to food is a fundamental right of every person in the world.

Since July, Ukraine has exported over 10 million tons of food by sea. We can increase exports by several million tons per month. Thus for this I propose to expand the grain export initiative to our other ports - in particular, to the ports of Mykolaiv and "Olvia" in the Mykolaiv region.

I also call on all countries – and in particular your countries, dear G-19 leaders – to join our initiative to help the poorest with food.

We have already launched the initiative – "Grain From Ukraine". And the first vessel - Nord Vind - leaves for Ethiopia with 27 thousand tons of wheat on board. This is the amount that can feed almost 100,000 people per year. There can be many such ships from Ukraine, and therefore there will be many people in poor countries who are saved from starvation.

Ukraine can export 45 million tons of food this year. And let a significant part of it be directed to those who suffer the most.

What do we propose exactly? Each country can join with a specific contribution and become a co-creator of the victory over hunger and the food crisis.

The third is energy security.

All of you can witness what the Russian terror is aimed at now. This is an attempt to turn the cold into a weapon. A weapon against millions of people.

About 40% of our energy infrastructure were destroyed by the strikes of Russian missiles and Iranian drones used by the occupiers. Every week, Russia blows up our power plants, transformers, and electricity supply lines.

A related goal of this terror is to prevent the export of our electricity to neighbouring countries, which could significantly help them stabilize the energy situation and reduce prices for consumers.

Russia is interested in the energy crisis. And we should all be interested in ending terror.

I thank all our partners who have already helped Ukraine with the supply of air defence and missile defence systems. This allows us to shoot down some of the Russian missiles and Iranian drones. But we must fully protect our sky. I ask you to increase respective assistance!

We have already proposed that a mission of UN experts is sent to the objects of critical energy infrastructure of Ukraine to assess the scope of damage and the needs for restoration, as well as to prevent their further destruction. We need to speed up the dispatch of this mission!

This will be a specific contribution of the international community to the stabilization of the energy situation in Ukraine and Europe, and therefore in the global energy market.

However, regardless of the decisions of the world, any day Russia on its own can simply abandon strikes on Ukrainian energy generation and water and heat supply facilities. Let Russia prove by its rejection of terror that it is really interested in the restoration of peace.

We must also take a fundamental step so that energy resources are no longer used as weapons. Price restrictions on Russian energy resources should be introduced.

If Russia is trying to deprive Ukraine, Europe and all energy consumers in the world of predictability and price stability, the answer to this should be a forced limitation of export prices for Russia. So that the export price was not higher than the production cost. That's fair. If you take something away, the world has the right to take from you.

The fourth challenge is the release of all prisoners and deportees.

Thousands of our people - military and civilians - are in the Russian captivity. They are subjected to brutal torture - this is mass abuse!

In addition, we know by name 11 thousand children who were forcibly deported to Russia. They are separated from their parents in full knowledge that they have families.

Apart from the children, whose data we know, there are tens of thousands of those who were forcibly deported and about whom we know only indirectly. Among them are many, whose parents were killed by Russian strikes, and now they are being held in the state that murdered them.

Add to that hundreds of thousands of deported adults, and you will see what a humanitarian catastrophe the Russian war has caused.

Add political prisoners - Ukrainian citizens who are held in Russia and in the temporarily occupied territory, in particular in Crimea.

We must release all these people!

I want to point out that we did not find support from the International Committee of the Red Cross. We do not see that they are fully fighting to gain access to the camps, where Ukrainian prisoners of war and political prisoners are held. Neither they are helping to find deported Ukrainians. This self-withdrawal is the self-destruction of the Red Cross as an organization that was once respected.

We cannot wait.

Therefore, we must unite for the sake of the only realistic model of the release of prisoners - "all for all".

And also for the release of all children and adults who were deported to Russia.

I thank the partners for their efforts, which allowed the release of many Ukrainians and foreign citizens, who were captured by the Russians. And let your leadership and the sincere heart of other leaders, who are present now, help free other Ukrainians as well.

The fifth – implementation of the UN Charter and restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the world order.

Article 2 of the UN Charter defines everything very clearly. Everything that Russia violated by this war.

Therefore, we must restore the validity of international law - and without any compromises with the aggressor. Because the UN Charter cannot be applied partially, selectively or "at will".

Russia must reaffirm the territorial integrity of Ukraine within the framework of the relevant resolutions of the UN General Assembly and the applicable international legally binding documents.

It is not up to negotiations.

The sixth challenge is withdrawal of Russian troops and cessation of hostilities.

There is a clear understanding of how to achieve this.

Russia must withdraw all its troops and armed formations from the territory of Ukraine. Ukraine's control over all sections of our state border with Russia must be restored.

This will result in a real and complete cessation of hostilities.

Every day of delay means new deaths of Ukrainians, new threats to the world, and an insane increase in losses due to continuation of the Russian aggression – losses for everyone in the world.

The seventh – justice.

This is what stokes the greatest emotions.

Everywhere, when we liberate our land, we see one thing - Russia leaves behind torture chambers and mass burials of murdered people.

This was the case in Bucha and other cities in the north of the country after the occupation. This was the case in the Kharkiv region. The same we observe now in the Kherson region.

As of today, we have a full information about four hundred and thirty children killed by Russian strikes. Only children! And only those about whom we know everything for sure.

And how many mass graves are there in the territory that still remains under the control of Russia? What will we see in Mariupol?

That is why the world should endorse establishment of the Special Tribunal regarding the crime of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the creation of an international mechanism to compensate for all the damages caused by this war. Compensation at the expense of Russian assets, because it is the aggressor who must do everything to restore the justice violated by it.

We have already proposed a resolution of the UN General Assembly regarding an international compensation mechanism for damages caused by the Russian war. It is endorsed. We ask you to implement it.

We are also preparing the second resolution - on the Special Tribunal. Please join and support it.

Because there is no such nation in the world that does not appreciate justice.

The eighth challenge is ecocide, the need for immediate protection of environment.

Millions of hectares of forest were burned by shelling. Almost two hundred thousand hectares of our land are contaminated with unexploded mines and shells. Dozens of coal mines are flooded, including the mine in which an underground nuclear test explosion was carried out in 1979...

This is the “Yunkom” mine in the Donetsk region. It is located on the territory occupied by Russia. It has been flooded for several years - precisely because of the occupiers. Everyone in Moscow knows what a threat it poses not only to the rivers in the Donetsk region, but also to the Black Sea basin. Only the de-occupation of our territory can provide the conditions for the elimination of this threat.

It is impossible to accurately calculate the amount of atmospheric pollution from burnt oil depots and other fires... As well as from blown up sewage facilities, burned chemical plants, innumerable burial sites of slayed animals.

Just imagine this – due to the Russian aggression, 6 million domestic animals died. 6 million! These are official numbers. At least 50,000 dolphins were killed in the Black Sea. Thousands of hectares of soil are contaminated with harmful substances - most of them are fertile soils. Were fertile soils.

During the last week’s Climate Summit in Egypt, I proposed a platform to assess the environmental damage of war. We have to implement it.

We must also find common responses to all environmental threats created by the war. Without this, there will be no return to a normal, stable life, and the reverberations of the war will remain for a long time - in the explosions of mines that will take the lives of children and adults, in the pollution of water, soil and atmosphere.

I thank all the countries that are already helping us with demining. There is an urgent need for an increased number of equipment and experts for these operations.

Funds and technologies are also needed for the restoration of water treatment facilities.

This is not just a Ukrainian problem. This is a challenge for the whole world.

The next - the ninth – is the prevention of escalation.

A risk that still exists and will remain until our security is properly ensured.

Ukraine is not a member of any of the alliances. And Russia was able to start this war precisely because Ukraine remained in the grey zone - between the Euro-Atlantic world and the Russian imperialism. Now we do not have any security assurances either. So, how can we prevent repetition of Russia’s such aggression against us?

We need effective security assurances. That is why we prepared a draft agreement – the Kyiv Security Compact, and have already presented it to partners.

Thus, we should hold an international conference to cement the key elements of the post-war security architecture in the Euro-Atlantic space, including guarantees for Ukraine.

The main outcome of the conference should be the signing of the Kyiv Security Compact.

We can do it any time - even this year. And we must do it.

And the tenth – confirmation of the end of the war.

When all the antiwar measures are implemented, when security and justice begin to be restored, a document confirming the end of the war should be signed by the parties.

I would like to emphasize that none of the steps above can take long. A month for one step at the most. For some steps, a couple of days are enough.

We already have a positive experience with the grain export initiative. How does it work?

There is the UN - and two other parties to the agreements: on one side Ukraine, Türkiye and the UN, and on the other side Russia, Türkiye and the UN.

Implementation of each of the points I have just presented can be worked out in a similar fashion. States ready to take the lead in this or that decision can become parties to the arrangement.

Once again:

radiation and nuclear safety; food security; energy security; release of all prisoners and deported persons; implementation of the UN Charter and restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the world order; withdrawal of Russian troops and cessation of hostilities; restoration of justice; countering ecocide; preventing escalation; and finally - confirmation of the end of the war.

Dear leaders!

I have outlined the paths each of you can choose for yourself - how to become a co-creator of peace.

Please choose your path for leadership - and together we will surely implement the peace formula.

What will it do?

It will save thousands of lives. It will restore the validity of international law. It will revitalize the security architecture. It will return the global stability, without which the whole world is suffering. In essence – this is what the honest countries of the world are cooperating for.

Peace is a global value. That, which is important for every person in the world.

I am confident that it is likewise for each of you, leaders of G-19.

I have outlined specific, practical solutions. They can be implemented. Quickly. They are effective.

And if Russia opposes our peace formula, you will see that it only wants war.

Ukraine is grateful to everyone in the world who helps us to protect freedom and to restore peace.

Let our joint efforts be crowned with success as soon as possible and be reflected in the outcomes of this summit.

Thank you for the invitation!

Glory to Ukraine!

- President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy

[dontforgetukraine]

A memorial service was held in Lviv for 7-year-old Emilia, 18-year-old Daria, 21-year-old Yaryna, and their mother Yevhenia, all killed in the Russian strike on September 4.

Meanwhile, Russian propaganda was at a film festival in Venice. The film "Russians at War" had funding from Canadian tax dollars. Unless something changes, it will also be shown at a film festival in Toronto on September 10th. It received $340,000 from the Canada Media Fund, which receives funding from the Government of Canada (Source). It also had support from France’s Centre National de Cinéma.

This is some of what the Ukrainian Canadian Congress had to say about it. You can find more of their statements on their website. They encourage everyone to contact the Canada Media Fund to share views on the funding and that the screening of the film should be cancelled. Contact information is in the link.

The Canadian Government says it is very concerned about the influence of Russian propaganda. Then why is the Canada Media Fund using taxpayer money to fund: —A movie – Russians at War – made by a filmmaker whose previous movies used to be broadcast by Russia Today, a Russian propaganda outlet sanctioned by the Government of Canada? —A filmmaker who entered sovereign Ukrainian territory together with invading Russian armies, thus violating Ukrainian law, Ukrainian sovereignty and possibly breaching Canadian sanctions? —Why did this film receive $340,000 from the Canada Media Fund, which is funded by the Government of Canada? —Why is the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) screening a movie that seeks to explain away Russia’s genocidal war of aggression against Ukraine? Why is TIFF showcasing a film which blames “propaganda” or “the fog of war” for the Russian armies who invaded Ukraine and who rape, torture, murder and dehumanize Ukrainians?

The TVO (Ontario's public educational media organization) had this to say on the matter of the film.

Russians at War is at its core an anti-war film. It is unauthorized by Russian officials and was made at great personal risk to the filmmaker, who was under constant threat of arrest and incarceration for trying to tell an unofficial story. This film shows the increasing disillusionment of Russian soldiers as their experience at the front doesn’t jive with the media lies their families are being told at home. The film was produced by an Academy Award nominee with the support of cultural agencies in France and Canada because it is a documentary made in the tradition of independent war correspondence. We encourage people to see the documentary for themselves when it is available. It will be screening at the Toronto International Film Festival next week and will be airing on TVO in the coming months. TVO is an education and public affairs-focused organization. Our priority is to provide our viewers with important stories from across Ontario and around the world. TVO remains firmly committed to delivering high-quality and ethical content. We value transparency and integrity in our work and continue to uphold these principles in all our operations.” – TVO Media Education Group

This is naivety at best. No matter what, it's being complicit to white washing Russian war crimes.

Anastasia Trofimova, the documentary's filmmaker, has at least 11 films funded by RT. And as the DOJ in America has shown us recently, RT has direct ties to the Kremlin. To think she could get access and just film anything without the approval of the FSB is laughable. Nothing happens without their approval, and at the very least it would be a breach of OpSec.

And what she says gets even worse.

Trofimova was asked at the Venice press conference on whether it was “ethical” to humanize Russian soldiers, in light of war crimes committed by Russia’s army during its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.   “I find it a little bit of a strange question, if we can humanize or not humanize someone. So, are there lists of people who we can humanize and people who we can’t? Of course, we have to humanize everyone. This is a huge tragedy for our region, first of all, and for the entire world,” replied Trofimova.  “If we don’t see each other as people…  these black and white stereotypes about each other, this will only make the war continue. This will only make the hatred grow… unfortunately, that’s sort of the route taken by politicians, but I don’t think that this is the route that regular people should take.”

Of course she frames it as a great tragedy for Russia. "Russia is always the victim and should never be held accountable" is the common narrative and attitude. She didn't mention Bucha, or Irpin, or any of the other cities that have been wiped off the map. She doesn't acknowledge the ethnic cleansing being done by her country or why Russians are being regarded as something other than human due to their actions and behavior. She keeps talking about seeing people as people, but doesn't acknowledge the perverse racism and dehumanization her fellow Russians do to Ukrainians and the ethnic minorities within Russia. The soldiers in the Russian army carry this attitude to the battlefield. It's not hard to find this behavior in all the videos on Telegram.

To that point and in answer to a second question by the same journalist on whether she had seen the Ukrainian films in Venice, Trofimova voiced her disquiet at the ending of Olha Zhurba’s documentary Songs of Slow Burning Earth which is also playing Out of Competition. The audiovisual diary captures the impact on Ukrainian people and society in the first two years of the ongoing Russian invasion, which began in February 2022. “I found it to be really good, especially the first 15, 20 minutes… when people just started to find out that the war is beginning… I found it to be really strong,” said Trofimova. “The ending, though, I wasn’t that much of a fan of because it sort of contrasted Ukrainian kids and Russian kids, with Ukrainian kids thinking about what they can do to build a better Ukraine for the future, and Russian kids were just shown as marching and singing war songs. “I found this to be playing into that whole narrative that Russians, by definition, are these aggressive and awful people… you know that it’s in their blood to be to be this way."

Look, if she has a problem with how Russian children are being portrayed in the ending of that other film, then maybe she should look around and wonder why the portrayal is there. Ukrainians aren't the ones filling Russian children's heads with propaganda and revanchism. Your fellow Russians are sending their kids to school with backpacks with the fucking Z on them, or making them wear tank costumes in parades. I've read articles of Russians sending their kids to some form of military camp. It's Russian society that creates and reinforces standards to be awful people, not Ukrainians. Examine your damn society first. Look at the war crimes Russian soldiers willingly commit and record to post on Telegram. Listen to what your fellow Russians say about Ukrainians. It's not hard.

This is all grotesque manipulation and propaganda.

If you want to read this article these excerpts are from, here. I'm so disgusted I'm getting a headache.

[mariacallous]

North Korea has reportedly mobilized 1.4 million citizens in what state media calls a “sacred war” against South Korea.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) stated that young people, including students and youth league officials, voluntarily signed petitions to join or return to military service between October 14-15. According to KCNA, these individuals expressed determination to “eliminate every confrontational maniac and criminal,” aiming their rhetoric at South Korea.

On October 15, North Korea destroyed roads connecting it to South Korea, marking the first step in severing all physical ties with its southern neighbor. KCNA referred to South Korea as “Korean trash” and accused it of violating the sovereignty and security of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea DPRK.

South Korean officials have not commented on these latest claims. However, Seoul’s defense ministry previously warned that any harm inflicted on South Korean citizens would result in the end of the North Korean regime.

Last year, North Korean state media reported that 800,000 citizens volunteered to fight the United States.

Earlier reports indicated that Russia is forming a special battalion of approximately 3,000 North Korean citizens, designated as the “Buryat” battalion, to participate in combat operations against Ukraine.

However, recent information has emerged that 18 North Korean soldiers have fled from their positions near the border between the Bryansk and Kursk regions, just 7 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The motives for their escape remain unclear, and the Russian military has initiated searches while attempting to keep this information from higher command.

On October 14, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has referenced intelligence reports indicating North Korea’s de facto involvement in the ongoing war, after reports have emerged indicating that more than 20 soldiers were killed near Donetsk due to a missile strike on October 3, including six North Korean officers.

[autolenaphilia]

The whole NATO ascension process of my country Sweden makes me sick. The sheer hypocrisy on display. Sending arms to Ukraine while apologizing for non-existent aid to kurdish forces. The Swedish government applies heavy sanctions on Russia, while removing the mildest possible sanctions on Turkey (of not literally selling them weapons to genocide the kurds).

The right of national self-determination apply to ukrainians but not kurds, apparently. Or Armenians. I suspect part of why Finland got in first is because its government never recognized the Armenian genocide, while Sweden's parliament did about a decade ago.

Turkey is a good empire because it's useful to western interests, Russia is a bad one. And the US is also an imperialist power, which violates national sovereignty whenever it wants, while it is growing ever more repressive domestically. "To the shores of Tripoli/ But not to Mississippoli/ What do we do? we send the Marines!"

And of course, this is how foreign policy has always worked. Especially since the current era in which "every bloody emperor claims that freedom is his cause."

We should all remember that Portugal under the Salazar dictatorship was a founding member of NATO. During the cold war, the western position was that the Soviet Union's invasion of Hungary and Czechoslovakia were bad, while the US internvention in Vietnam and the Indonesian invasion and genocide of East Timor were okay. "And the double standards of propaganda still all our righteous rage"

Of course, the position of the "anti-imperialist" marxist-leninists were just the reverse of this, and equally hypocritical. They are practically irrelevant at this point though, like reduced in the west to small political sects and posters online. In comparison, I have the pro-western, pro-NATO position ruling my country.

I have zero doubts that Sweden will join NATO soon. My only hope is that it is done without weakening any democratic protections we do have. That our protections on free speech aren't weakened, that our laws around extractions aren't weakened to placate Turkey.

[silverfox66]

We the Defence Ministers of Estonia, the United Kingdom, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania; and the representatives of Denmark, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and Slovakia met today, 19 January, to reaffirm our continued determination and resolve to supporting Ukraine in their heroic resistance against the illegal and unprovoked Russian aggression. We condemn Russia’s attacks designed to terrorise Ukraine’s people, including intentional attacks against the civilian population and civilian infrastructure which may constitute war crimes. We reject Russia’s ongoing violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and its illegal claims to have annexed Ukrainian territory.

We recognise that equipping Ukraine to push Russia out of its territory is as important as equipping them to defend what they already have. Together we will continue supporting Ukraine to move from resisting to expelling Russian forces from Ukrainian soil. By bringing together Allies and partners, we are ensuring the surge of global military support is as strategic and coordinated as possible. The new level of required combat power is only achieved by combinations of main battle tank squadrons, beneath air and missile defence, operating alongside divisional artillery groups, and further deep precision fires enabling targeting of Russian logistics and command nodes in occupied territory.

Therefore, we commit to collectively pursuing delivery of an unprecedented set of donations including main battle tanks, heavy artillery, air defence, ammunition, and infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine’s defence. This substantial assistance to Ukraine comes from our own national stocks, and resources illustrating the mutual understanding of the severity of the situation and our commitment to urgently increase and accelerate support for Ukraine. Having made this “Tallinn Pledge”, we shall head to the Ukraine Defence Group meeting in Ramstein tomorrow 20 January and urge other Allies and partners to follow suit and contribute their own planned packages of support as soon as possible to ensure a Ukrainian battlefield victory in 2023.

Donations list per country

Denmark: Denmark is continuing military and civil support to Ukraine. Denmark will also continue to provide training of Ukrainian forces, including but not limited to the UK-led programme of training for Ukrainian recruits. Denmark has donated or financed military aid for close to 600 million euros. Weapons donations and military support will continue in close cooperation with allies, and in accordance with Ukrainian needs.

The Czech Republic: The Czech Republic will continue its support to Ukraine via delivery of military material, always in close cooperation with our partners and reflecting the Ukrainian needs. We are working with our defence industry to increase their production capacities in order to provide even more support, especially in terms of producing large calibre ammunition, howitzers and APCs. A key component of our contribution will be maintenance of the already delivered equipment and increased MRO capacity.

Estonia: The Estonian package consists of tens of 155mm FH-70 and 122mm D-30 howitzers, thousands of rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition, support vehicles for artillery units, hundreds of Carl-Gustaf M2 anti-tank grenade launchers with ammunition with the total replacement values of approx. 113 million euros. In addition, Estonia will continue to provide both basic and specialist training to hundreds of Ukrainian Armed Forces members in 2023.

Latvia: Latvia is preparing new donations with additional tens of man-portable air-defence systems (Stinger) and additional air-defence elements, two M-17 helicopters, tens of machine guns with ammunition, several tens of UAVs and spare parts for M109 howitzers. Latvia is also hugely investing in the training of Ukrainian soldiers. In 2023 Latvia is planning to train around 2000 Ukrainian soldiers in various programmes starting from basic infantry training to specialized courses.

Lithuania: the new Lithuanian lethal support package consists of dozens of L-70 anti-aircraft guns with tens of thousands of ammunition, and two Mi-8 helicopters with the total replacement value of approx. of 85 million euros. Still this year, we will invest 40 million euros for procurements in support of Ukrainian military. This will include anti-drones, optics, thermo-visual devices and drones. Also, 2 million euros will be transferred to the UK International Fund for financing the heavy weaponry acquisitions projects such as artillery systems and ammunition, direct fire platforms or armoured fighting vehicles. The total value of Lithuanian upcoming lethal support package is 125 million euros.

Poland: Poland will continue to provide military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine as long as necessary. The new Polish package consists of S-60 anti-aircraft guns with 70,000 pieces of ammunition. Poland already donated 42 Infantry Fighting Vehicles along with training packages for two mechanized battalions. In addition, Poland continues delivery of 155mm KRAB howitzers and supplying UKR with various types of ammunition. Medical and engineering training is also constantly provided. On top of that, Poland is ready to donate a company of Leopard 2 tanks with 1000 pieces of ammunition. Pending this, a wider coalition of Leopard 2 tanks donors will be established.

Slovakia: In addition to the heavy equipment already donated, Slovakia will continue intensive discussions with Allies on the possibilities of unlocking further equipment for donations to Ukraine. The effort currently focuses on possibilities related to main battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, air defence systems, but also increased production of howitzers, demining equipment and ammunition. Concrete details will be developed in due time based on continued exchanges with Allies and partners. Slovakia will continue to train Ukrainian soldiers and expand the training as required by Ukraine.

United Kingdom: The United Kingdom’s accelerated package consists of a squadron of Challenger 2 tanks with armoured recovery and repair vehicles; AS90 self-propelled 155mm guns, while preserving their commitment in Estonia; hundreds more armoured and protected vehicles; a manoeuvre support package, including minefield breaching and bridging capabilities; dozens more un-crewed aerial systems to support Ukrainian artillery; another 100,000 artillery rounds; hundreds more sophisticated missiles including GMLRS rockets, Starstreak air defence missiles, and medium range air defence missiles; 600 Brimstone anti-tank munitions; an equipment support package of spares to refurbish up to a hundred Ukrainian tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. The package is further augmented by continuing basic training and junior leadership training for the AFU in the UK with 9 International partners. With the aim of training around a further 20 000 AFU personnel in 2023. The UK is also coordinating the International Fund for Ukraine which has raised almost £600M with partners. The first package of support from the fund will be announced shortly.

[usafphantom2]

VIDEO: Chinese Navy commissions third helicopter carrier "Type 075 LHD"

Diego Alves By Diego Alves 11/19/2022 - 1:00 p.m. in Military, War Zones

China's third amphibious assault ship, a Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) known as "Type 075", was launched yesterday in Shanghai by the Hudong Zhonghua shipyard. The vessel is destined for the Navy of the People's Liberation Army (PLAN or Chinese Navy).

Anhui, PLAN's third amphibious assault ship, recently conducted combat-oriented training, the Chinese Navy announced on Thursday. This indicates that the vessel has entered active service, experts heard by the Global Times said.

With the hull number 33, Anhui performed the exercises in an undisclosed maritime region, PLAN announced on Thursday.

With the experience accumulated by the first two amphibious assault ships Type 075, the Hainan and the Guangxi, the Anhui could reach the initial operational capacity faster.

It is widely believed that the amphibious assault ship Type 075 is a vital instrument of PLAN in safeguarding China's national sovereignty, security, territorial integrity and its development interests in the Taiwan issue, as well as in the South China Sea issue, analysts said.

The amphibious assault ship Type 075 has a displacement of 40,000 tons, which is equivalent to that of the US Wasp class.

The ship has a deck with 6 helicopter landing points, which can accommodate 6 helicopters at the same time. The Type 075 is also equipped with two H/PJ-11 30 mm (1.2 in) Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) and two "ground-to-air" missiles (SAM) HQ-10.

SOURCE: Global Times, CAVOK edition

Tags: China NavyPLAN - People's Liberation Army Navy / People's Liberation Army NavyHelicopter CarrierWar Zones - China/Taiwan

Diego Alves

Diego Alves

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Home Military Weapons

Russian missile Kh-55 fired in Kiev had a fictitious nuclear warhead

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 11/19/2022 - 11:47 am in Armaments, Military, War Zones

The Ukrainian military analyzed the wreckage of the Russian Kh-55 missile fired at Kiev on November 17 and found that it was carrying a fictitious nuclear warhead.

The Strategic Communications Center of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (StratCom) was cited as having said by the Defense Express agency, based in Ukraine, that Russia de-defused the nuclear warhead of one of its Kh-55 missiles and replaced it with a piece that imitated the warhead. “Although we should not rule out that, as events unleed, at least some of these missiles will be seen,” StratCom added.

The Defense Express portal explained the main difference between these two types of missiles. Russia had already used Kh-555 missiles to attack Ukraine before - these are "common" rockets loaded with non-nuclear explosives. Meanwhile, the Kh-55 missile is the original model designed specifically to carry nuclear warheads.

Wreckage of a Kh-55 missile collected after attack in Kiev.

Simply put, Kh-55 and Kh-555 use basically the same rocket, but with a different payload. Their warheads are structurally different and can be identified by specialists with relative ease. This also means that it is possible to replace a nuclear warhead with a "conventional" alternative, which seems to be the case with today's attack on Ukraine.

This may occur because Russia is running out of conventional missiles of the Kh-555 modification, writes the website Technology.org. If a nuclear charge was removed, does this mean that Russian soldiers forgot to put a conventional warhead in their place? Or, if a nuclear warhead was removed, where is it now?" the publication wrote.

There is also a chance that the missile with a fictitious warhead existed in its current form and was simply used as a slightly less expensive bait with the aim of diverting Ukrainian air defense systems, according to the Ukrinform website.

As reported by Ukrinform, on November 17, four missiles and five Shahed drones were destroyed during an air strike alert on Kyiv.

Tags: armamentsMilitary AviationWar Zones - Russia/Ukraine

Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. It has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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