RT News - December 22nd 2022

Pres. Zelensky arrived in Washington on Air Force One yesterday. He addressed the U.S. congress. Despite pledges of more aid, Pres. Zelensky insists that's still not enough. He urged US lawmakers to drop all their disagreements and unite behind Ukraine, while advocating for the passage of a $1.7 trillion spending bill that includes $45 billion in military and other aid earmarked for Kiev in 2023. He told congress "your money is not charity. It’s an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way." (QS US appropriations specifically states no money is to be given to the AZOV Battallion - section 8138 of this https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/JRQ121922.PDF but forgets that the Azov Battalion is spread throughout Ukraine military, is just one of other neo-Nazi factions such as the Right Sector, Patriot of Ukraine gang, the neo-Nazi Social National Assembly (SNA) and that AZOV Battalion unit was officially integrated into the National Guard of Ukraine on November 12, 2014. It is not just a gang of neo-Nazi extremist but it is also a political movement and street militia. How can OUR money, and never forget this is OUR money given, ever be separated out ? Every penny and cent, dollar, pound and euro is given (taken from us) by the citizens of NATO and the allies, to Ukraine, without choice or consultation. Also remember that the neo-Nazis were grown and groomed from at least 2008 to February 2014 in order to overthrow the democratically elected government in Ukraine, using OUR money)

(QS also recall in the United Nations General Assembly this week, every NATO country FAILED to denounce the glorification of Nazis https://twitter.com/DontDenyThe/status/1604139100914810880 and https://www.unmultimedia.org/avlibrary/asset/2995/2995593/#:~:text=General%20Assembly%20adopts%2051%20Third,protecting%20children%20from%20sexual%20exploitation.&text=Delegates%20Reject%20Country%2DSpecific%20Texts,Interfere%20in%20Nations'%20Internal%20Affairs. Nobody seems to care ! )

Russia's President Putin says Western powers have long been interfering in Ukraine's internal affairs in order to sabotage its relationship with Moscow. Please see yesterday's post on this channel for more details and transcript of the meeting of the Defence Ministry.

Twitter Files : Papers released show that the Pentagon was collaborating with Twitter for at least five years to push U.S. policy in the Middle East. In depth reports from Caleb Maupin and Miachael Rectenwald. A media investigation claims Twitter was working with the Pentagon for years to promote US policies abroad, despite the company assuring it was against state interference.

Its Done : Bizarrely the western press announce there is no connection between Russia and the terrorist destruction of the new Nord Stream pipelines (QS it would have been far more appropriate for them to call for a full investigation as it happened)

Activist Nasser Abu Hamid, a senior Palestinian militant who was jailed for life by Israel forces, died on Tuesday morning as a result of what his family says is medical negligence by prison authorities.

Iran: Washington has long carried out a destructive interference capaign against Iran. Exclusive interview with Nasser Kanaani, Iran's FM spokesman.
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Below 1) --- Zelensky's ‘Hollywood-style’ US visit a ‘proxy war’ promotion – Moscow
2) ---- Pentagon cites fraud risks with Ukraine aid – media
3) --- Zelensky urges Congress to ‘invest’ in Kiev’s war effort
4) ---- Russia is fighting West in Ukraine – Shoigu
5) --- US government links Alzheimer’s to racism
6) --- Ukraine threatens more explosions in Russia
7) --- NATO boss to lead IMF – media
8) --- Fewer Americans identify with religion than ever – polls
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via RT website 22 Dec, 2022 04:25

1) --- Zelensky's ‘Hollywood-style’ US visit a ‘proxy war’ promotion – Moscow

Washington is backing Kiev to pursue the “manic idea of defeating the Russians on the battlefield,” Ambassador Anatoly Antonov says

Russia’s ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, has accused Washington of waging a “proxy war” against Moscow, saying that all the statements and declarations made during Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s visit only further prove that the Biden administration is not interested in a peaceful settlement.

“The Hollywood-style trip to Washington by the head of the Kiev regime has confirmed that the administration’s conciliatory statements about the lack of intention to start a confrontation with Russia are just empty words,” Antonov said, according to a transcript of his response to a journalist published by the Russian Embassy in Washington on Wednesday night.

Washington is throwing all its colossal resources, weapons, and intelligence capabilities at Kiev in pursuit of the “manic idea of defeating the Russians on the battlefield,” Antonov said.

The ambassador specifically noted the US pledge to supply Kiev with Patriot air defense missiles, warning that such weapons and their crews would be legitimate targets for the Russian military. He also slammed the growing speculation about deliveries of ATACMS missiles and long-range attack drones.

“What was essentially announced to applause and sarcastic smirks, was the need to continue the ‘proxy war’ against our country. Until a complete victory over us,” he added.

Moscow has repeatedly tried to “appeal to common sense at all levels,” the diplomat said, stressing that shipments of increasingly modern and long-range weapons and other provocative actions by the US and its allies are leading to an escalation, with consequences “impossible to even imagine.”
https://www.rt.com/russia/568712-washington-zelensky-ambassador-antonov/
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21 Dec, 2022 21:14

2) ---- Pentagon cites fraud risks with Ukraine aid – media

A US Department of Defense agency is reportedly on the lookout for potential “black market diversion” of aid to Kiev

The massive scale of US military aid to Ukraine has reportedly put a Pentagon law enforcement agency on high alert for black market sales of Washington’s weaponry and other potential fraud.

With US aid approvals for Kiev on track to reach $100 billion this year, the Pentagon’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) is watching for signs of misconduct in the ways that weapons are being procured and used, Defense News reported on Wednesday. Fraud concerns stem partly from the Pentagon’s need to sign contracts on a fast-track basis.

“The risk is very real by virtue of the fact that we’re dealing with such an incredible volume of items, many that have warfighting capabilities, and we’re doing it very quickly,” DCIS deputy director James Ives told the media outlet. “Any time where you see accelerated efforts of this nature, there’s potential for all sorts of activities that should be of concern.”

While much of the military aid being sent to Ukraine has been drawn from the US stockpiles, the Pentagon has signed $2.7 billion in contracts for newly built weapons. An additional $6.6 billion in new purchases has been approved by Congress. The Pentagon also has earmarked $6.7 billion to replace supplies sent to Ukraine, half of which has already been spent.

A DCIS team of investigators traveled to Poland in September, where they viewed a key hub for the transfer of military aid to Ukraine, Defense News said. The visit was designed to encourage people involved in the weapons transfers to report possible cases of fraud or diversions.

“A good deal of our efforts right now are making sure we’re out and about, letting folks know that when these facts come to the government’s attention, investigative agencies need to get involved,” Ives said. “It’s an effort to remind folks that although we understand there’s a need to engage in this accelerated procurement that’s going on, there’s a need to bake oversight into the process.”

While some US lawmakers have pressed for stronger oversight, a proposal to audit Washington’s military and economic aid to Ukraine was rejected earlier this month in Congress. CBS News reported in August that only about 30% of the Western weapons sent to Kiev were actually making it to the front lines to help battle Russian forces. Getting weapons to Ukraine’s troops involves navigating a complex network of “power lords, oligarchs [and] political players,” the report said.
https://www.rt.com/news/568703-pentagon-tries-to-police-ukraine-aid/
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22 Dec, 2022 02:33

3) --- Zelensky urges Congress to ‘invest’ in Kiev’s war effort

The Ukrainian leader promised to handle American taxpayer dollars “in the most responsible way”

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky addressed a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday, urging US lawmakers to drop all their disagreements and unite behind Ukraine, while advocating for the passage of a $1.7 trillion spending bill that includes $45 billion in military and other aid earmarked for Kiev in 2023.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi asked all members to attend in person to hear the “historic” speech, which Zelensky delivered in English, repeatedly interrupted by standing ovations. After several minutes of applause, the former actor opened his speech by thanking “all those who value freedom and justice.”

“It gives me great pleasure to share our first joint victory: We defeated Russia in the minds of the world,” the Ukrainian leader claimed. He thanked US lawmakers for supporting Kiev financially and militarily against Moscow, but reiterated that more arms are needed to defeat Russia on the battlefield.

“We have artillery, yes, thank you… Is it enough? Honestly, not really,” he said, interrupted by a burst of laughter. “More cannons and shells are needed.”

Zelensky called for unity ahead of a power transition that will put Republicans in charge of the House next year. US congressional support for Ukraine aid has been largely bipartisan, but Republicans have been increasingly critical of the scale of the spending and the lack of oversight to prevent fraud.

“Your money is not charity. It’s an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way,” Zelensky told the audience, to another standing ovation.

Earlier this month, the House of Representatives narrowly rejected a bill that called for an audit of Washington’s economic and military assistance to Kiev. The massive scale of US military aid to Ukraine even reportedly put the Pentagon’s own law enforcement agency on high alert for black market sales of weaponry and other potential fraud.

Welcoming Zelensky to the Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Pelosi said the mammoth $1.7 trillion spending bill, which contains $45 billion in new aid for Kiev, will “hopefully” be passed within the next 48 hours.

Earlier in the day, Zelensky met with President Joe Biden, who promised him that the American people will continue to support Kiev “as long as it takes.” However, when pressed by a reporter at a joint press conference on why the US cannot simply give Ukraine “all capabilities it needs” right away, Biden said the West wants to avoid a direct war with Russia.

Moscow has repeatedly warned the US and its allies that shipments of increasingly modern and long-range weapons could lead to a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO, and accused the West of prolonging the conflict and causing needless deaths in Ukraine.
https://www.rt.com/news/568710-zelensky-congress-responsible-investment/
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21 Dec, 2022 17:54

4) ---- Russia is fighting West in Ukraine – Shoigu

The Russian defense minister says the US-led military bloc has sent personnel to front lines

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has pointed to the presence of NATO staff officers and other specialists on the front lines in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, on top of almost $100 billion worth of pledged weapons and supplies from the bloc's members.

“Russia’s armed forces are presently facing allied forces of the West,” Shoigu said on Wednesday at a meeting of the top military commanders in Moscow. “The US and its allies supply the Kiev regime with weapons, train its soldiers, provide intelligence, dispatch advisers and mercenaries, and wage an information and sanctions war against us.”

Shoigu said NATO countries have so far expended more than $97 billion on weapons deliveries, in order to make up for what he described as “considerable losses” inflicted on the Ukrainian military by Russian forces. NATO “staff officers, artillery personnel and other specialists are present in the zone of combat operations,” the defense minister added.

More than 500 satellites are working to provide intelligence to the Ukrainian military, of which only 70 are purely military and the rest are dual-purpose, according to Shoigu.

Multiple Western officials, from US President Joe Biden and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on down, have said that they are backing Ukraine in order to weaken Russia and that Moscow must not be allowed to win – while insisting they are not a party to the conflict. The US military alone has committed $20 billion in “security assistance” to Kiev since February.

While the initial weapons shipments included small arms and portable anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles, NATO countries have since sent Ukraine tanks, fighter jets, drones, rocket and tube artillery, as well as more complex air defenses. Russia has repeatedly warned the US and its allies that such shipments could lead to a direct confrontation between Moscow and NATO, and accused the West of prolonging the conflict and causing needless deaths in Ukraine.
https://www.rt.com/russia/568690-russian-defense-minister-nato-troops-ukraine/
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21 Dec, 2022 19:10

5) --- US government links Alzheimer’s to racism

“Inequities” put non-white Americans at higher risk of dementia-related diseases, health ministry claims

Non-white Americans have relatively high rates of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia partly because of racism, President Joe Biden’s administration now says.

“Entrenched systemic racism” must be addressed and prioritized, rather than focusing on individual behaviors, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said this week in its annual report on dealing with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra called for “interventions” to reduce disparities in Alzheimer’s rates, tailoring the government’s efforts “with cultural competence and equity as the primary focuses.”

Racism-rooted “structural inequities,” such as underinvestment in education, unwalkable communities and subpar access to nutritious foods, are an “important cause” of the disparities in dementia cases, HHS said. Black people are about twice as likely as whites to develop Alzheimer’s or dementia, while Hispanics are about 1.5 times as likely.

The Chicago-based Alzheimer’s Association lists age, family history and genetics as the top risk factors for developing a dementia-related disease. Suffering head injuries or poor heart health also can increase the odds. Elderly people who eat a healthy diet, exercise, stay socially active and avoid smoking and alcohol abuse may be able to reduce their Alzheimer’s risks.

However, unlike the Biden administration, the not-for-profit group hasn’t found a link between Alzheimer’s and racism. “The reason for these differences is not well understood, but researchers believe that higher rates of vascular disease in these groups may also put them at greater risk for developing Alzheimer’s,” the association said.

The HHS document argued that disparities in risk factors are “grounded in generations of structural racism and inequality.” Making matters worse, the department said, non-white people suffering from Alzheimer’s also have subpar access to medical care and resources and are less likely than whites to receive proper diagnosis and treatment.

“It is therefore of critical importance that research, interventions and infrastructure to address modifiable risk factors…are culturally responsive and grounded in improving equity by addressing the social determinants of health,” the report said.

More than 6 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s, and that total is forecast to jump to 13 million by 2060 in view of the country’s aging population, according to HHS. The disease slowly destroys brain function, leading to cognitive decline, as well as behavioral and psychiatric disorders.
https://www.rt.com/news/568699-biden-admin-links-racism-to-alzheimers/
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21 Dec, 2022 22:40

6) --- Ukraine threatens more explosions in Russia

Kiev’s top security official has hinted at who is behind the attacks on the country’s infrastructure

Alexey Danilov, the head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, predicted on Wednesday that there will be many more explosions across Russia as long as the conflict between the countries continues. While he did not directly take responsibility for any attacks on Russian infrastructure, Ukrainian media insinuated that blasts as far away as Siberia were Kiev’s doing.

“I warned that ‘cotton blooms’ in Russia would grow more and more each day,” Danilov said in an appearance on state TV, using a slang term for explosion. “That’s not surprising, Russia is Russia. One needs to be polite in dealing with civilized societies, and everything will be fine. But if you continue the policy you chose today, then believe me, there will be blasts, not just there but in many other cities,” he added.

Danilov did not explain which explosions he was referring to. The Ukrainian outlet Izvestia listed a series of blasts that happened in Russia over the past week. Two were in Belgorod Region, close to the the Ukrainian border, which local officials blamed on Ukrainian artillery.

The third was a blast and a fire at an oil refinery in Angarsk, in eastern Siberia’s Irkutsk Region, thousands of kilometers from Ukraine. Two plant employees were killed and five were injured. Russian authorities, however, did not blame sabotage.

Ukrainian officials have not claimed responsibility for acts such as the August car-bomb assassination of journalist Darya Dugina, or the October truck-bombing of the Crimean Bridge, though some publicly joked about both incidents.

Danilov himself posted a meme wishing Russian President Vladimir Putin a “happy birthday” after the Crimean Bridge attack. Later that month, Danilov urged the eradication of the Russian language in Ukraine, saying his compatriots ought to study English instead.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said last month that missile attacks on the Ukrainian power grid were a response to terrorist strikes against Russian infrastructure. Ukrainian drones used to attack the regions of Kursk, Belgorod, Voronezh, and the Crimean peninsula were supplied by a US company, according to Russian media.

American forces also had a hand in the drone strikes targeting Russian strategic bomber bases in Ryazan and Saratov Regions, according to Denis Pushilin, the acting head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).

Earlier this month, US media outlets reported that Washington no longer advised Kiev against striking inside Russia. Germany also said Kiev’s right to “self-defense” did not end at Ukraine’s claimed borders.
https://www.rt.com/russia/568704-danilov-threatens-russia-explosions/
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21 Dec, 2022 22:19

7) --- NATO boss to lead IMF – media

Jens Stoltenberg is reportedly considered favorite for the role in Washington

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg may become the new head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Norwegian TV 2 broadcaster reported on Wednesday, citing ‘reliable’ sources within the US-led military bloc.

Moreover, the outgoing secretary general is the US favorite to lead the Washington-headquartered organization, the source added. Currently, the fund is led by Kristalina Georgieva, a veteran Bulgarian economist, whose tenure is scheduled to end in 2024.

Stoltenberg was set to leave NATO in September, but his term was extended into late 2023 amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. With no successor for the post in clear sight, Stoltenberg may end up having his tenure extended even beyond 2023 – potentially for another year – multiple media reports have suggested.

Several high-ranking politicians are reportedly being considered as the new chair of the military bloc. NATO allegedly aims to install a woman at its helm for the first time, with Slovakian President Zuzana Caputova, Estonian PM Kaja Kallas, and former Croatian president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic named among the contenders.

In early November, the New York Times reported that the “prime candidate” favored by Washington to replace the outgoing NATO secretary general was Chrystia Freeland, who is currently Canada’s finance minister and deputy prime minister.

The politician, known for her strong pro-Ukrainian – and anti-Russian – stance, is the granddaughter of Mikhail Chomiak, who published a pro-Nazi and anti-Semitic newspaper in the occupied Polish city of Krakow.

“Where any of the candidates come down on support for Ukraine in the war against Russia will be a critical factor,” the NYT wrote.

Freeland has been extremely ambiguous on her controversial ancestry, refusing to condemn her maternal grandparents and even describing them as “political exiles with a responsibility to keep alive the idea of an independent Ukraine” in her 2015 essay ‘My Ukraine’.
https://www.rt.com/news/568701-nato-chief-imf-candidate/
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21 Dec, 2022 20:52

8) --- Fewer Americans identify with religion than ever – polls

Church attendance and belief in God are at historic lows in the US, surveys show

Fewer Americans are attending church than ever, according to recent polls. The surveys referred to in several US media reports on Wednesday show that a combination of pandemic lockdowns and generational shifts in attitudes has the once solidly Christian nation questioning its relationship with organized religion.

More than four in five Americans (81%) believe in God, according to a Gallup poll conducted earlier this year. While that’s still a sizable majority, it’s also the lowest percentage since the pollster began asking the question back in 1944, when 98% of Americans espoused belief.

Similarly, the number of Americans who belong to a church, mosque, or synagogue is at an all-time low, comprising a minority of the population (47%) for the first time last year, according to Gallup. Driven by a rise in those claiming no religious affiliation, a group that has rivaled Catholics or evangelical Christians in size since before the Covid-19 pandemic, the decline is likely to continue, the pollster suggests.

Changing social attitudes aren’t solely responsible, however. Church attendance plunged 45% from 2020 to February 2022, according to an analysis by ABC News, as most state governments shut down in-person gatherings for Covid-19. While some churches attempted to hold virtual services, or even had the faithful assemble in their parked cars outside, their numbers haven’t quite recovered – only about one in five (22%) Protestant pastors told Lifeway that attendance at their services was close to the January 2020 numbers.

While younger people are more likely to identify as non-religious than their elders, Americans with a college education are more likely to be members of a church, synagogue, or mosque, according to research conducted last year by the Survey Center on American Life. This is part of a general trend toward social isolation among the less educated, who, the pollster found, have fewer close friends, less social support, and are less likely to be married.

Not all religious groups have seen their numbers decline recently, however. So-called non-denominational churches – Protestants who don’t belong to established groups such as Methodists or Southern Baptists – have grown by 9,000 in the last decade, according to the US Religion Census, and their adherents now number a respective five and six times as many as belong to the Presbyterian and Episcopalian churches.

https://www.rt.com/news/568700-americans-believe-god-church-decline/
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