RT News - February 8th 2023

Ukrainian troops have reportedly resumed artillery shelling of civilian only areas of the city of Donetsk and destroyed a nearby gas pipeline.
An RT crew observes a Russian training camp where local Donbass forces are taught the skills of modern warfare. In freezing conditions, Roman Kosarev reports.
In Artyomovsk, Russian advances are cutting off the main supply routes for this strategically important territory. The Wagner Group are leading this operation, RT talks to some of them, they say the $1,500 a day mercenaries push the Ukraine conscripts to the front and run away themselves.
CBS and other media outlets continue to slur the Wagner Group whilst simultaneously showing Nazi emblems/symbols on Ukraine's uniforms. Daniel Lazare comments.
- Press "see more" to expand details and reports -
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Pres. Biden made comments about peace in his State of the Union address, having sent more than $110 billion of taxpayer-paid weapons to Ukraine from February 2022 to December 2022. More money is allocated for weapons and Abrams tanks have also been allocated, this whilst support for the funding has significantly decreased since Feb. last year.
Pres. Biden also spoke of China competition. Caleb Maupin reports and analyses. Commentator Steve Gill also gives some analysis. "Little of what Biden says reflects the truth"
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India's oil minister tells RT that his country will continue to buy Russian fuel as much as it wants. That is despite demands from Western countries to cut off imports from Russia. India's Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri says he's not interested or concerned with the pressure from the west. Runjun Sharma reports.
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Earthquakes: Update. Israel has recently felt a minor earthquake. The death toll from devastating earthquakes and aftershocks in Türkiye and Syria has surpassed seven thousand people, with many victims believed to still be trapped among the rubble of collapsed building. Russian emergency workers have been providing assistance in the search and rescue efforts. Kadir Gunes reports from Gaziantep. Threats of sanctions are hampering aid to Syria. Safaa Mkanna reports from Latakia, Syria. More than 1,000 people have died so far from the devastating aftershocks.
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Zimbabwe and Iran strengthen ties as pressure of sanctions impact both countries. Frederick Shava, Zimbabwe's minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade said "Our two countries are resolutely united against unilateralism, illegal sanctions and other unjust measures that have been imposed on us by some western countries". Iran and Zimbabwe have issued a Memorandum of Understanding during the meeting of their joint economic committee to include mining, tourism and trade. Foad Izadi discusses the attempts by the west to isolate countries.
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Syria/OPCW. The OPCW have made more allegations that Syria has used chemical weapons in southern Syria's Douma. Aleksandr Shuglin, the Russian representative to OPCW says normal rules of evidence collection have been bypassed. (QS: Please listen to this detailed report carefully.) Donald Courter reports. Robert Patillo, civil rights attorney also reports. (QS: NB USA is still literally stealing $billions of Syrian oil each month and has no mandate to even be in the country)
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QS: I couldn't get hold of the late video news report for 7th Feb 2022 but below please find lead news as reported below. Also find below (incomplete) usual headlines expanded for today - I apologise for so much reading in one post.
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Show more

============= From 7th Feb Late =================

Below via RT website A) --- Moscow provides update on Ukrainian losses
B) --- Kiev inching closer to conceding defeat – ex-Russian president
C) --- Russia warns of ‘unpredictable escalation’ in Ukraine
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1) --- Iran reveals underground air force base
2) --- Top seismologist warns Russian region may suffer similar quake as Türkiye
3) --- New York state hit by strongest earthquake in decades
4) --- 4,000+ killed in powerful Türkiye-Syria earthquakes
4a) --- The most devastating earthquakes of this century (List)
4a) --- Global impact of massive Türkiye earthquake
4b) --- Millions to be impacted by Türkiye-Syria earthquakes – WHO
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N1) --- Сhechen leader predicts end of Ukraine conflict
N2) --- Finnish president speaks on chances of NATO bid without Sweden
N3) --- Ban on Russian media protects ‘freedom of expression’ – Borrell
N4) --- US clarifies stance on talks with Assad amid devastating earthquake
N5) --- US Congress’ anti-socialism resolution is both meaningless and ironic (legislation) OP-ED
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5) --- Important) --- Musk doubts public awareness of WWIII risk
========from 8th Feb (incomplete)

6) --- West using chemical weapons watchdog to justify its aggression – Moscow
7) --- Biden heckled during State of the Union address
8) --- Zelensky burning down Ukraine for Western applause – exiled opposition leader
9) --- India will buy oil ‘from wherever is beneficial’ – energy minister
10) --- Nearly two-thirds of Americans say US headed wrong way – poll
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7 Feb, 2023 12:31

A) --- Moscow provides update on Ukrainian losses

More than 6,500 soldiers were killed in January, with hundreds of tanks and other military vehicles destroyed, according to the Russian MoD

The West’s unprecedented military aid to Ukraine has failed to prevent significant losses among Kiev’s forces, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Tuesday during a ministry conference call.

“In the first month of this year alone, their losses amounted to more than 6,500 military personnel, 26 aircraft, seven helicopters, 208 unmanned aerial vehicles, 341 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, and 40 combat vehicles with multiple launch rocket systems,” Shoigu reported.

With such losses, and realizing that they cannot militarily defeat Russia, Shoigu said Ukrainian authorities have continued to resort to criminal acts aimed at terrorizing the civilian population in Russia’s newly acquired territories, referring to the Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions.

“The Armed Forces of Ukraine strike at residential areas, hospitals, and places where civilians gather, and commit terrorist acts at state and social facilities," the defense minister continued, saying such acts were evidence of the Ukrainian authorities “barbaric nature.”

Shoigu also noted that the Ukrainian side had refused to agree on a temporary ceasefire during orthodox Christmas in early January, and continued to carry out intense shelling of civilian targets during the holiday. Kiev’s forces fired over 500 artillery shells during this period, he said.

He stated that Russian forces, meanwhile, had successfully liberated a number of villages in the Donetsk and Zaporozhye regions despite the US and its allies’ continued efforts at prolonging the conflict. The minister vowed that Moscow would continue to ensure the safety of all Russian citizens in the newly acquired territories as well as all Ukrainian citizens that are being subjected to genocide by the Kiev “regime.”

Last month, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley admitted that Ukraine was in a “very, very difficult fight” from a military standpoint and noted that it was unlikely that Russian forces would soon be pushed out of the territories Kiev claims as its own.
https://www.rt.com/russia/571103-shoigu-ukraine-losses-update/
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7 Feb, 2023 11:19

B) --- Kiev inching closer to conceding defeat – ex-Russian president

Dmitry Medvedev cited talks about a ‘Korean scenario’ in Ukraine as evidence of a growing acceptance of “reality”

Discussions of a “Korean scenario” in Ukraine are a sign that Kiev is on the way to recognizing the reality on the ground and accepting its losses, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said. The idea of a Korean-style division of Ukraine has been discussed by current and former officials in Kiev, who claim that this is what Russia is pursuing.

The idea that Ukraine could be divided up the way Korea was after the war in the 1950s is “for domestic consumption” and constitutes “wishful thinking,” Medvedev added, citing unnamed “propagandists” as peddling the notion.

What is notable is that “they coyly tested the statement that there can be no victory” and that “being split is the best-case scenario,” the former president said. The ‘Korean scenario’ means that a smaller, US-backed Ukraine could eventually develop to the level of South Korea while maintaining its claims over lost territories, Medvedev explained.

“In essence, this is the first step towards accepting the realities on the ground,” he said.

Korea was split into two parts after a three-year civil war, in which the opposing factions in the north and south were backed by the USSR and China, and the US respectively. Both Pyongyang and Seoul claim sovereignty over the entire Korean Peninsula, and each considers the other government to be unlawful.

Unlike South Korea, Donbass voted in a referendum to become part of Russia rather than forming a sovereign state, Medvedev said, arguing that a ‘Korean scenario’ is not feasible for Ukraine. The former president currently serves as the deputy chairman of the Russian National Security Council.

The idea was floated to the Ukrainian public last month by Medvedev’s counterpart in Kiev, Aleksey Danilov, who claimed that Russia is lobbying EU nations to accept a Korean-style split of his nation, and stated that Kiev would reject it. The Kremlin dismissed the report as a “hoax.”

This week, the Korean scenario was also brought up by Aleksey Arestovich, the former aide to the office of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky. Speaking at an expert panel discussion on Monday, he stated that Ukraine does not have enough manpower to beat Russia on the battlefield anytime soon, and claimed that a Korean scenario may become an acceptable off-ramp for the parties involved.

Like Danilov before him, Arestovich claimed that Russia is seeking this type of outcome, while noting that the Western nations which Kiev depends upon “think the same way.”
https://www.rt.com/russia/571094-medvedev-korean-scenario-ukraine/
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7 Feb, 2023 13:45

C) --- Russia warns of ‘unpredictable escalation’ in Ukraine

The defense minister has urged the US and its allies not to send heavy weaponry to Kiev

The US and its allies are actively trying to prolong the conflict between Moscow and Kiev for as long as possible, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu stated on Tuesday.

In order to ensure that the fighting continues, the West has begun delivering heavy weapons to Ukraine, while openly urging Kiev to capture Russian territories, Shoigu said, warning that “such moves are essentially dragging NATO countries into the conflict and could lead to an unpredictable escalation.”

Last month, the US, Germany, and a number of other NATO states announced that they will supply Ukraine’s forces with modern main battle tanks such as the Leopard 2 and the M1 Abrams. Washington also said it will supply Kiev with ground-launched small diameter bombs (GLSDB) with a range of up to 150km – which would allow Ukraine’s forces to strike targets deep within Russian territory.

Commenting on these deliveries, Shoigu stated on Tuesday that the Russian forces continue to “grind up” all the weapons and equipment being supplied to Kiev, noting that the equipment is being destroyed both on the routes of delivery and in combat positions.

Moscow has warned against providing increasingly advanced weapons to Ukraine, arguing that this will only lead to more bloodshed and will ultimately fail to change the outcome of the conflict.

Russia has also said that the West’s increasing involvement and Washington’s “reckless neo-colonialist expansionist policy” have put the world at risk of a devastating global war.

On Monday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned that the world is “sleepwalking” into a “wider war,” and called on all countries to recommit to the UN Charter and put human rights and dignity ahead of short-term thinking focused on economic interests and power
https://www.rt.com/russia/571104-shoigu-nato-ukraine-escalation/
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7 Feb, 2023 15:32

1) --- Iran reveals underground air force base

Built in an unknown location, the ‘Eagle 44’ site can launch fighter jets and drones

The Iranian Army unveiled a new underground air base on Tuesday. Constructed in an undisclosed mountainous location, the base is impervious to bombing and can service, fuel, arm, and launch fighter jets, bombers, and drones.

Video footage of the ‘Oqab 44’ (Eagle 44) facility was shown on Iranian state media. The footage shows what appears to be an F-4 Phantom fighter-bomber emerging from behind blast doors, before taxiing through a wide tunnel and taking off from an external runway.

The base is equipped with command posts, hangars, maintenance sites, fuel depots, and navigation equipment, Iran’s IRNA news agency reported. The Iranian military has constructed several such sites across the country, IRNA added, noting that while their locations remain a secret, all are built “under the mountains.”

https://twitter.com/IranIntl_En/status/1622915509049036802

Footage from one of these bases – a drone site named ‘Strategic UAV Base 313’ – was revealed by the Iranian military last year. However, ‘Eagle 44’ is the Islamic Republic’s first publicly-revealed underground base capable of hosting fighters and bombers.

Any attack on Iran from our enemies, including Israel, will see a response from our many air force bases including Eagle 44,” Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri told reporters during a visit to the base on Tuesday.

The unveiling of the base comes at a time of increased tension between Iran and Israel, with Tehran blaming the Israeli military for a drone strike on a military site in the city of Isfahan last month. While Israel neither confirmed or denied its involvement, media reports claimed the attack was masterminded in Tel Aviv, while Ukrainian officials cryptically suggested that the strike was somehow connected to Iran’s alleged supply of ‘kamikaze’ drones to Russia.

Moscow and Tehran have both denied that Iranian drones are being used in Ukraine, with the Kremlin stating that it uses domestically-made UAVs to target Ukrainian military and infrastructure targets.
https://www.rt.com/news/571121-iran-underground-air-base/

(recall post of 31st Jan Late post 11 “War logic is inexorable and murderous. It bills the authors and accomplices strictly … Explosive night in Iran – drone and missile production, oil refineries. Ukraine did warn you,” Podoliak tweeted on Sunday, commenting on the blast at the military facility in Isfahan )
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7 Feb, 2023 16:43

2) --- Top seismologist warns Russian region may suffer similar quake as Türkiye

The Russian Academy of Sciences’ Aleksandr Gorshkov predicted Crimea may one day face a disaster akin to Monday’s earthquake

The Crimean Peninsula in southwestern Russia could one day see an earthquake comparable to the natural disaster that struck Türkiye and Syria on Monday, a scientist has warned. The last time the region was struck by a major quake was nearly 100 years ago.

In an interview with Russian news outlet RIA Novosti published on Tuesday, Aleksandr Gorshkov from the Russian Academy of Sciences explained that “Crimea belongs to the Alpine-Himalayan belt, the same structure as Türkiye,” and “a repeat of such an event is possible in Crimea in principle.”

The most powerful series of earthquakes recorded on the peninsula in recent history took place in 1927. And while the death toll was nowhere near as high as that seen this week in Türkiye and Syria, multiple buildings were leveled.

Since then, there have been several minor quakes in Crimea which have not caused significant damage, including two in January 2021 of less than magnitude 3.

According to the Turkish authorities, more than 3,500 people have been confirmed dead so far, with 22,100 more injured.

In neighboring Syria, the Health Ministry said that more than 800 have perished and around 1,500 sustained injuries in government-controlled areas.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the earthquake as the strongest the country has seen since 1939.

The World Health Organization has warned that as many as 23 million people could end up being affected by the quake.
https://www.rt.com/russia/571126-seismologist-predicts-crimea-earthquake/
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7 Feb, 2023 09:15

3) --- New York state hit by strongest earthquake in decades

The 3.8-magnitude tremor occurred near Buffalo on Monday

Buffalo, the second-largest city in the US state of New York, was shaken by a 3.8-magnitude earthquake on Monday. The tremor was the most powerful in the area for four decades but did not cause any material damage, local authorities said.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), nearly 3,000 local residents felt the quake, which occurred at about 6:15am. It struck 1.24 miles (2km) east-northeast of West Seneca, a suburb of Buffalo, with a depth of 1.86 miles (3km).

Governor Kathy Hochul posted a tweet confirming the tremor, writing that “no damage has been reported at this time.”

The deputy commissioner of Erie County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, Gregory J. Butcher, said shockwaves were felt as far north as Niagara Falls, and in Orchard Park to the south.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz described the quake as feeling “like a car hit my house in Buffalo,” adding that he had “jumped out of bed.”

https://twitter.com/CWaley/status/1622562105147772928

Yaareb Altaweel, a seismologist at the National Earthquake Information Center, was quoted by NBC News as saying that earthquakes “happen all the time” in the US Northeast.

https://twitter.com/WBEN/status/1622725643686273025

Since 1983, seismologists have recorded 24 tremors above a magnitude of 2.5 in the West Seneca region, with Monday’s being the most powerful.

Also on Monday, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake wreaked havoc thousands of kilometers away as it hit southeast Türkiye and northern Syria. Less than 12 hours later, a 7.5-magnitude aftershock struck in the same area.

According to the latest reports, the natural disaster has claimed more than 4,000 lives, with the death toll expected to rise further as rescuers clear the rubble.

https://twitter.com/luis_insausti/status/1622681430240202753
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7 Feb, 2023 08:26

4) --- 4,000+ killed in powerful Türkiye-Syria earthquakes

Rescue teams continue to look for survivors among leveled buildings
The death toll from catastrophic earthquakes in southern Türkiye and northwestern Syria surpassed 4,000 on Tuesday morning.

According to Turkish authorities, over 3,500 people were killed and over 22,100 were injured.

The country’s disaster management officials said that almost 6,000 buildings were destroyed.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a seven-day period of national mourning for the victims of the disaster, which he called the strongest the country has seen since the 1939 Erzincan earthquake.

Anadolu news agency reported on Tuesday that a woman and her three children were rescued after spending around 28 hours under the rubble in Gaziantep.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said the Armed Forces established an air corridor to deliver rescue teams and aid to the disaster zone. “We have maximized the readiness of our aircraft to provide the necessary transportation service,” Akar told reporters.

A 7.7 magnitude quake struck Kahramanmaras Province shortly after 4am local time on Monday, with the epicenter in the Pazarcik district. It was then followed by two earthquakes in Gaziantep Province, recorded at 6.4 and 6.5 magnitude, respectively.

In neighboring Syria, the Health Ministry said more than 800 were killed and roughly 1,500 injured in government-controlled areas. Massive destruction and hundreds of casualties were separately reported in Idlib Province, which is not controlled by the government.

Syrian Assistant Health Minister Ahmad Dumeira said additional ambulances and mobile clinics had been dispatched to the affected regions. The Syrian government has appealed for help to UN members and international organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Many countries have offered assistance to Ankara and Damascus and sent teams to help with the rescue efforts. Russia has sent over a hundred emergency response specialists, who will work around the clock in the affected areas.

https://rumble.com/v28mes0-apartments-crumbling-in-trkiye-and-syria-after-earthquake.html?mref=6zof&mrefc=2
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https://www.rt.com/news/571085-turkiye-syria-earthquake-disaster/
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6 Feb, 2023 16:58

4a) --- The most devastating earthquakes of this century (List)

In light of the tragedy that has wrought devastation in Türkiye and Syria, RT looks at the most powerful seismic events of recent years
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The earthquake that hit Türkiye on Monday has killed thousands of people and left over thousands more injured, prompting Ankara to describe it as the most destructive the nation had seen in decades. The disaster was not confined to Türkiye, however, as Syria has confirmed hundreds dead and many injured.

RT looks at the most tragic earthquakes seen so far this century.
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1] 2004: Indian Ocean horror
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The early 2000s saw a spate of devastating earthquakes. In December 2004, a quake with a magnitude of 9.3, the third most powerful one ever recorded, struck with an epicenter just off the western coast of Indonesia.

The jolt provoked a giant 30-meter-high tsunami that devastated communities along the coasts of the Indian Ocean, killing a total of 227,898 people in 14 countries, thus making it the deadliest natural disaster recorded in history. In addition to the massive death toll, infrastructure was destroyed and economic activity was disrupted throughout coastal regions such as Indonesia’s Aceh and India’s Tamil Nadu provinces. The earthquake was so powerful that it even triggered smaller seismic events as far away as Alaska.

2] 2010: Catastrophe in the Caribbean
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In January 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the Caribbean island nation of Haiti. The epicenter was located near the town of Leogane, just 25km away from the capital of Port-au-Prince.

Aftershocks caused by the quake continued for almost two weeks and included at least 52 smaller tremors measuring 4.5 or greater. The disaster affected some 3 million people. The Haitian government also said that the calamity claimed around 220,000 lives. About 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings were destroyed, while major damage was caused to Port-au-Prince and several other cities.

3] 2011: Worst disaster since Chernobyl
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In March 2011, an undersea megathrust earthquake struck with an epicenter in the Pacific Ocean, some 72km east of Japan. Having a magnitude of 9.1, it was the second most powerful earthquake of the 21st century and the fourth biggest ever recorded since modern record-keeping practices were established in 1900.

The earthquake claimed the lives of more than 19,700 people and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes. A tsunami caused by the quake led to the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster, which has been described as the worst nuclear catastrophe since Chernobyl in 1986. Three of the Japanese facility’s reactors melted down, leading to a discharge of radioactive water in the area surrounding the plant. Residents within a 20km radius of the Fukushima plant were evacuated. The estimated economic damage from the event amounted to $235 billion, according to the World Bank, making it the costliest disaster in history.

4] 2008: ‘Great Sichuan earthquake’
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In May 2008, a powerful earthquake struck the province of Sichuan in southwestern China. Having a magnitude of 8.0, the quake caused the largest number of geohazards ever recorded, including some 200,000 landslides. It was felt as far away as Beijing and Shanghai, as well as in Thailand and Vietnam.

The disaster claimed over 80,000 lives and left almost 5 million people homeless, making it the deadliest earthquake in China since 1976.

5] 2005: Kashmir earthquake
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In October 2005, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the western part of the Kashmir region administered by Pakistan, as well as some areas of the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir territories. The disaster claimed the lives of 86,000 people and left just as many injured, while millions were displaced. The catastrophe is considered the deadliest in South Asia.
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https://www.rt.com/news/571058-most-devastating-earthquake-century/
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6 Feb, 2023 14:12

4a) --- Global impact of massive Türkiye earthquake

The quake was felt in Greenland and triggered a tsunami warning in Italy, while causing shaking in Egypt, Israel and Lebanon

The earthquake that caused widespread devastation in Türkiye and Syria on Monday was felt as far away as Greenland, a Danish seismologist said. The quake, which was followed hours later by a second tremor, was the most powerful to hit Türkiye this century.

"The large earthquakes in Türkiye were clearly registered on the seismographs in Denmark and Greenland," Tine Larsen, a seismologist at the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, told France’s AFP news agency.

Seismic waves from the first quake reached the Danish island of Bornholm “approximately five minutes after the shaking started,” Larsen said, adding that the waves then reached the east coast of Greenland three minutes later.

Greenland is more than 5,700 kilometers from the Turkish city of Gaziantep, close to the epicenter of the first quake. The 7.8 magnitude tremor struck shortly after 4am local time, destroying thousands of buildings as their occupants slept inside. At least 912 people were killed and more than 5,300 wounded, according to preliminary figures announced by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday morning.

More than 300 people were killed and 1,000 wounded in neighboring Syria, according to government figures. The quake was followed by a magnitude 7.5 tremor in the early afternoon, which authorities said was not an aftershock.

The first quake triggered a tsunami warning in Italy, as authorities worried that it could send enormous waves across the Mediterranean Sea toward Italy’s Adriatic coast. However, the warning was lifted several hours later.

Its effects were felt in Israel and Lebanon, with residents of Tel Aviv being “jostled awake,” according to the Times of Israel. Residents of Cairo in Egypt – located nearly 1,000 kilometers from Gaziantep – also felt the quake, the Associated Press reported. No casualties were reported in any of these countries.

Pres. Erdogan said that the earthquake is Türkiye’s “biggest disaster” since a 7.8 magnitude quake that killed more than 30,000 people in 1939.
https://www.rt.com/news/571042-turkiye-earthquake-felt-greenland/
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7 Feb, 2023 12:44

4b) --- Millions to be impacted by Türkiye-Syria earthquakes – WHO

The UN’s health body has warned of the challenges of providing aid to vulnerable people

The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that up to 23 million people could be affected by the earthquakes that struck Türkiye and Syria. the death toll has already reached 5,000 and may cause harm to many more in the long run, including five million people who are already vulnerable, a senior official warned.

The tremors caused significant damage to civilian and health infrastructure in the affected region, Dr. Adelheid Marschang, the WHO’s senior emergency officer, reported during a meeting of the international body’s executive committee on Tuesday.

The organization believes that Syria may suffer most from “unmet needs” in the immediate and mid-term, Marschang told the meeting in Geneva, as cited by AFP.

WHO Secretary General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pledged that the agency will “work closely with all partners to support authorities in both countries in the critical hours and days ahead, and in the months and years to come as both countries recover and rebuild.”

A 7.8-magnitude earthquake wreaked havoc across southern Türkiye and northern Syria on Monday, and was followed by dozens of aftershocks and a second quake on a nearby fault, which caused further destruction. Many buildings collapsed, killing thousands of people and trapping many others under the rubble.

The rescue effort in Syria has been hampered by the damage that the nation’s civilian infrastructure has suffered during a decade of foreign-influenced conflict.

Washington has economic sanctions in place against the government in Damascus, which it sought to replace during the hostilities. The measures have been blamed for hindering aid, recovery and reconstruction efforts in areas under the government’s control. Many critics, including UN officials, have said the restrictions violate Syrians’ human rights.

It is estimated that troops from the US and its allies hold roughly one third of Syrian territory, including parts that are rich in oil and fertile land.
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7 Feb, 2023 14:39

N1) --- Сhechen leader predicts end of Ukraine conflict

The hostilities will subside by the end of the year, Ramzan Kadyrov has said

The Russian military operation against Ukraine will be wrapped up by the end of the year, according to the head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov. He also predicted that the West would be forced to admit its mistakes regarding relations with Russia.

“European nations will acknowledge that their actions were wrong. The West will kneel. And, as usual, European states will have to cooperate with Russia in all spheres. There can be and will be no other outcome,” Kadyrov said in an interview on Tuesday.

Units of ethnic Chechens have been on the frontline in Ukraine since the start of the campaign. Russian President Vladimir Putin praised them in September for showing “valor and exceptional courage,” noting the tradition of military service alongside other peoples from their nation.

Kadyrov regularly posts videos showcasing Chechen troops in action and reports on their progress on the ground. On occasion, he has publicly questioned some of the decisions taken by the Russian military leadership, including the withdrawal of troops from Kharkov Region in September.

At the time, the Chechen leader urged the Russian Defense Ministry to adopt a bolder offensive strategy. The ministry explained the partial pullout as helping to minimize Russian battlefield losses.

Moscow deployed troops against Ukraine in late February 2022, citing the creeping expansion of NATO and Kiev’s failure to implement the Minsk Agreements of 2014-15, which were intended to form a roadmap for peace in Donbass.

Russian officials have argued that the military operation preempted an attempt by Kiev to retake by force the territories that broke away from Ukraine after the 2014 armed coup in the capital.
https://www.rt.com/russia/571116-kadyrov-ukraine-operation-end/
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7 Feb, 2023 14:55

N2) --- Finnish president speaks on chances of NATO bid without Sweden

The idea of separate bids reportedly came up due to a diplomatic spat with Türkiye

Helsinki is still determined to join NATO alongside Stockholm, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto has said. The two Nordic countries applied in tandem, but due to the differences in their relationships with alliance member Türkiye, their bids may be viewed separately by Ankara.

“We have received different signals from Türkiye. Our stance is clear: We will join NATO with Sweden. Our goal is that both Finland and Sweden move forward together,” Sauli Niinisto said on Tuesday, during a joint press conference with Canadian Governor General Mary Simon.

Finland and Sweden both announced their bid for NATO membership after Russia began the military operation in Ukraine in February of last year. Türkiye, along with Hungary, are the last two NATO member states who have yet to ratify the applications of Sweden and Finland to join the alliance. Problems arose after Danish far-right politician Rasmus Paludan, who also holds Swedish citizenship, led a protest in Stockholm and burned the Koran in front of the Turkish embassy last month. The rally was officially approved by Swedish officials, despite Türkiye’s repeated warnings. Due to this, Ankara is putting the brakes on Stockholm’s NATO bid, with Finland caught in the crossfire.

Citing insider sources, Daily Iltalehti wrote on Monday that the Finnish government was ready to join the military alliance without Stockholm.

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in late January: “We may respond differently to Finland if necessary. Sweden will be shocked when we give a different response for Finland.” Erdogan added that Helsinki should not “make the same mistakes” as their neighbor.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Tuesday that Stockholm was prepared to talk to Ankara when it is ready.
https://www.rt.com/news/571119-finlands-president-speaks-nato-bid-sweden/
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7 Feb, 2023 14:11

N3) --- Ban on Russian media protects ‘freedom of expression’ – Borrell

Moscow is using “manipulation and interference as a crucial instrument” during the Ukraine conflict, the EU’s top diplomat claims

The EU’s crusade against Russian media does not seek to curb free speech but in fact pursues the opposite goal, the bloc’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said on Tuesday. His remarks triggered criticism from Moscow, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova saying that Russia has viewed the media crackdown as a sign of a dictatorship.

Speaking at a conference dedicated to the EU’s response to foreign disinformation, Borrell said that the sanctions on Russian media “effectively banned them from operating” within the bloc.

“In doing that, we are not attacking the freedom of expression, we are just protecting the freedom of expression,” he argued.

Borrell also noted that the EU is trying to support those media organizations that Russia has classified as ‘foreign agents’, a designation meaning that an entity is either funded from abroad or is under “foreign influence.”

“What I’m saying is not just rhetoric. I cannot go into detail, but believe me, we try to support them in practical terms,” he said, adding that he would not say how in order not to do them “a bad favor.”

In an attempt to defend the EU’s media policies, Borrell claimed that Russia is using “manipulation and interference as a crucial instrument” in the Ukraine conflict. In light of this, the diplomat said that the EU would launch a platform called the Information Sharing and Analysis Center to combat falsehoods.

“We need to understand how these disinformation campaigns are organized ... to identify the actors of the manipulation,” he stressed.

Commenting on Borrell’s remarks, Zakharova stated that in the past Moscow regarded the media crackdown as “a manifestation of liberal dictatorship.” But the way the diplomat described these policies in his latest speech made them “sparkle with fresh colors with a shade of delusion,” she added.

In recent years, the EU has unleashed a campaign against Russian media which only intensified when Moscow launched its military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. In March, the EU suspended the broadcasting activities of Sputnik and RT, with the number of blacklisted channels only growing in the following months as the bloc introduced new sanctions against Russia.
https://www.rt.com/news/571111-russian-media-ban-free-speech/
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7 Feb, 2023 14:21

N4) --- US clarifies stance on talks with Assad amid devastating earthquake

The State Department claims it would be counterproductive to reach out to the leadership of the country amid relief efforts

The US has ruled out contacting the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad despite this week’s devastating earthquake. Türkiye and Syria have been offered aid from numerous other countries around the world after the natural disaster caused widespread destruction.

US State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters on Monday that Washington is “a partner to the people of Syria” but claimed it would be “ironic, if not even counterproductive, for us to reach out to a government that has brutalized its people over the course of a dozen years now.”

Instead, Price insisted that the US has “humanitarian partners on the ground who can provide the type of assistance in the aftermath of these tragic earthquakes.” He also argued that Washington has provided “more humanitarian assistance to the people of Syria than any other country going forward.”

Southern Türkiye and northwestern Syria were hit by a series of catastrophic earthquakes on Monday that have so far resulted in over 4,000 deaths and left tens of thousands of people injured. A number of countries have offered assistance to Ankara and Damascus, including sending teams to help with rescue efforts. Russia has already sent over a hundred emergency response specialists to both countries.

Rescue efforts in Syria, however, have been hampered by damage that the country’s civilian infrastructure has sustained over the course of a decade-long war, as well as economic sanctions imposed by Washington.

The US severed relations with Damascus back in 2011 after nationwide protests escalated into a civil war that continues to be waged. Washington has sided with rebel factions in Syria, which include jihadists that have traveled to the country from elsewhere. The Syrian government has described Washington’s assistance to rebel groups as a military intervention. The US and its allies are estimated to be in control of roughly one third of Syrian territory, including parts that are rich in oil and fertile land.
https://www.rt.com/news/571113-us-syria-earthquake-talks/
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7 Feb, 2023 16:40

N5) --- US Congress’ anti-socialism resolution is both meaningless and ironic

The bipartisan denunciation of the ‘horrors of socialism’
exposes American imperialism - Bradley Blankenship

The newly minted 118th Congress just took office and they’ve hit the ground running on essential issues concerning the American people. Days ago, the House of Representatives passed H.Con.Res.9 - Denouncing the horrors of socialism, which was met with bipartisan support. https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-concurrent-resolution/9https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-concurrent-resolution/9

The resolution itself is totally symbolic. It doesn’t actually do anything to take action against “socialism.” What it probably is, underneath all the frills, is bait by Republicans for Democrats. Democrats that voted against it (and there were many) will probably face a slew of attack ads in the future from Republican challengers in their respective elections.

But the text of the resolution itself is a complete joke. It denounces the tens of godzillions of Chinese deaths that supposedly happened during Mao Zedong’s Great Leap Forward. It lists a host of communist leaders that committed similar atrocities. And it says that nations like Cuba and Venezuela were once prosperous before succumbing to communist ideology.

What’s ironic is that many of the nations listed, such as North Korea, Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela, have actually suffered far more from American imperialism than from “socialism.” For instance, the Americans slaughtered millions in their military campaign in Korea and leveled virtually every building in the North higher than a story. They committed atrocious war crimes and mulled over using tactical nuclear weapons to block Soviet and Chinese supply lines.

Looking at Cuba, the embargo alone is taking a massive toll on the local economy. It has been routinely denounced each and every year by most of the world’s countries at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), even with US allies joining. The US also runs a gulag for suspected terrorists, without due process, on the island of Cuba at Guantanamo Bay.

Nicaragua has been under a constant barrage of US-sponsored terrorism for decades. In the 1980s, the US-sponsored Contras committed unspeakable crimes against the Sandinista government of President Daniel Ortega, and they refused to participate in the democratic process. The US lost a case before the International Court of Justice during that time for sponsoring paramilitaries and planting mines in Nicaragua’s harbors. https://www.icj-cij.org/en/case/70/judgments

As for the Soviet Union and the deaths the resolution mentioned, the USSR was the most sanctioned nation on earth during its foundation and was a technologically backward country fraught with internal contradictions. Doubtless, millions of Soviet people lost their lives due to food insecurity during the early days of the USSR – but to say that this was artificially induced is contentious.

That is not to say, however, that communist ideology, mainly as it existed in the Eastern Bloc, was perfect. It was plagued by ever-growing contradictions that led to its eventual collapse. And indeed, just because the country was isolated by Western countries did not require it to transform into a virtual dungeon. Not all of socialism’s issues can be pinned on American intervention.

Yet despite this, the crimes of American imperialism cannot be ignored when deliberating the history of the socialist movement. If allowed to flourish without outside interference, likely, the oppressive institutions created to subjugate outside influence may not have existed in the first place. In the example of Nicaragua, the explicit goal of the US government was to impede the rate of social progress and force the Sandinistas to funnel money into its military thereby creating the conditions for social unrest.

In denouncing the horrors of socialism, the US Congress has only proven that the true horror that exists in today’s world is American imperialism and its unfettered inclination toward subjugation and domination. As stated before, these horrors are virtually denounced every year before the UNGA, e.g., a more representative body of the world’s total population. The US should be ashamed of its actions in and toward each of the example countries listed in the resolution.

And as for its concluding line about resisting all forms of socialist policies in the United States, this is horrible for the American people. While, of course, the resolution is meaningless, policies championed by the socialist movement – universal health care, universal education, universal parental leave and much more – are policies that the American people desperately need and yearn for.

" ... The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.... "

Bradley Blankenship is an American journalist, columnist and political commentator. He has a syndicated column at CGTN and is a freelance reporter for international news agencies including Xinhua News Agency.
https://www.rt.com/news/571115-us-congress-anti-socialism-resolution/
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7 Feb, 2023 17:57

N6) --- EU top diplomat can’t hide his racist worldview – Lavrov

While criticizing Moscow, the EU foreign policy chief predictably insulted Africa, Russia’s foreign minister has said

Calling African countries easy to manipulate is on brand for Josep Borrell, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday, responding to the EU foreign policy chief’s remarks that accused Moscow of “spreading misinformation.”

Borrell had addressed EU diplomats earlier in the day, accusing Russia of using “information manipulation and interference” as weapons of war. Noting that Lavrov was visiting Mali and Eritrea, Borrell called them “easy countries” for Moscow to “spread lies about who is guilty for what is happening” in Ukraine.

“So speaks a man who can’t hide the racist essence of his worldview,” Lavrov said when asked about his EU counterpart’s accusations. “Not so long ago he openly spoke about Europe being a garden surrounded by a jungle that threatens it, so the garden needs to be careful with the jungle. That says it all about who actually relates to the needs and interests of African countries, and how.”

“We have nothing to hide or to be ashamed of,” the Russian foreign minister added. “We were at the source of Africa’s liberation from the colonial yoke. The Soviet Union was one of the main initiators of the declaration to grant independence to colonized countries and peoples in 1960. And it was not an imitation, as [former UK PM] Boris Johnson recently called the Minsk agreements, but a real historical act that sealed the end of colonial rule.”

Speaking to EU diplomats, Borrell lamented that some African countries do not support the bloc’s position that Ukraine is fighting “for the values on which we are basing our understanding of the world.”

In his view, the current conflict is not only being fought on the battlefield with troops, but “in the information space, trying to win the hearts and minds of people.” For that purpose, the EU is “protecting the freedom of expression” by banning Russian media, while providing support to “independent” outlets that Moscow has designated as foreign agents, he added.

While accusing Russia of spreading disinformation, Borrell apparently did so himself – by saying Eritrea was among the “easy” countries Lavrov was currently targeting. The Russian diplomat actually visited that country last month, along with Angola, Eswatini and South Africa. His current trip includes stops in Mali, Mauritania and Sudan.
https://www.rt.com/news/571125-lavrov-borrell-africa-racism/
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7 Feb, 2023 09:38

5) --- Important) --- Musk doubts public awareness of WWIII risk

Most people are “oblivious” to the fact that such a conflict could be imminent, the entrepreneur said

The majority of people are not even aware that a new world war may erupt soon, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has stated. The risk of a global catastrophe was highlighted this week by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The UN head said in a speech to the General Assembly on Monday that he feared that humanity was marching toward a “wider war” with its “eyes wide open” and urged preserving peace.

“Could we please not do WWIII,” pleaded conservative political commentator Luke Rudkowski, reacting to the speech. Musk responded: “Most are oblivious to the danger.”

The Twitter and SpaceX CEO previously warned against “relentless escalation” of the conflict in Ukraine, stating that it was dangerous for the country itself and the world.

Musk won praise for supplying SpaceX Starlink satellite internet systems to the Ukrainian government, with some experts assessing that they were a game-changer in the fight against Russia.

But he also suggested that Kiev would have to make concessions to Moscow in order to achieve peace, a notion that prompted some Ukrainian officials to harshly criticize and even insult the businessman.

Mikhail Podoliak, an aide to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, claimed last week that Musk was using his control of Twitter to reduce the reach of Ukrainian official accounts and help “Russian propaganda.”

“Maybe a regulator is needed to explain competition rules to the owner?” Podoliak mused. The Ukrainian official offered no evidence to support his claims or explanation of how his regulatory threat could be carried out.
https://www.rt.com/news/571091-musk-world-war-risk/
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7 Feb, 2023 21:06

6) --- West using chemical weapons watchdog to justify its aggression – Moscow

The US and its allies are trying to replace international law with their own “made-up rules” in the OPCW, Russia’s representative to the organization told RT

The latest report by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) accusing Damascus of carrying out a chemical attack in Douma in 2018, looks like a political hit piece meant to justify the West’s continued military aggression against the Syrian government, Alexander Shulgin, Russia’s permanent representative to the organization, has claimed.

Speaking to RT, Shulgin vehemently dismissed the report, which was released in late January by the so-called Investigation and Identification Team (IIT). Calling the IIT “completely illegitimate,” he claimed the group’s creation was pushed through by the US and its allies in order to undermine the core principles of the OPCW and international law and replace them with their own “made-up rules.”

The IIT’s report, according to Shulgin, is riddled with inconsistencies and factual gaps, and barely holds together. Furthermore, none of Russia’s or any other country’s “uncomfortable” questions regarding the details of the IIT’s findings were even remotely addressed during an OPCW briefing on the report, the ambassador added.

Shulgin also noted that the report highlighted the double standards currently present within the OPCW. When Russia presented evidence of a chemical attack in Aleppo back in 2016, every minute detail of Moscow’s findings was heavily scrutinized by the organization, he said. However, when it comes to the attack in Douma, OPCW officials seem to turn a blind eye to basic questions such as how and when the evidence was gathered and presented during the investigation.

“For instance, they referred to the fact that some new sample has appeared, provided by a third party. What is this third party? Nothing is said about it. They just say ‘trust us’,” said Shulgin, noting that the sample in question had never been reported on in previous investigations.

“So before, there was no sample, but now, suddenly, it has somehow appeared. Without any explanations,” the ambassador stressed, suggesting its sudden appearance can only be explained by the need for the US, France, and UK to escape international accountability for their aggression against Syria.

The three NATO states launched a series of airstrikes against civilian and military targets in Syria in April 2018 after the so-called ‘White Helmets’ – an NGO operating in rebel-controlled areas of Syria – published a series of videos supposedly showing the aftermath of a chlorine attack on the residents of Douma.

Syria has vehemently denied any responsibility for the incident, and both Damascus and Moscow have repeatedly pointed to evidence, including testimonies from alleged victims, that suggests the incident was staged in order to justify a Western attack.
https://www.rt.com/russia/571141-west-chemical-weapons-opcw-russia/
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8 Feb, 2023 04:58

7) --- Biden heckled during State of the Union address

The president was jeered by rival lawmakers after claiming some Republicans would like to take the US economy “hostage”

US President Joe Biden was interrupted by boos and shouting during his State of the Union address, with Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene calling him a “liar” after he criticized the GOP’s economic agenda.

Putting heavy emphasis on his domestic policies, Biden touted his administration’s efforts against inflation, unemployment, climate change, Covid-19, and a range of other issues during Tuesday’s speech, at one point accusing lawmakers across the aisle of conspiring to end welfare benefits for Americans.

“Some of my Republican friends want to take the economy hostage – I get it – unless I agree to their economic plans. All of you at home should know what those plans are,” he said. “Instead of making the wealthy pay their fair share, some Republicans want Medicare and Social Security to sunset.”

The comment immediately triggered an uproar, with Republicans loudly booing and hissing at the president, who attempted to appease the angry crowd.

https://twitter.com/DrewHLive/status/1623151755017224192

“I’m not saying it’s a majority of you,” he continued, going on to offer a copy of a GOP proposal on Medicare and Social Security benefits for “anybody who doubts it.”

Amid the heckling, Congresswoman Greene – known to critics and supporters alike as ‘MTG’ – was heard shouting “liar” toward the podium, also repeatedly giving Biden a thumbs-down. Other lawmakers joined in the display, though some, such as House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, refrained from open disruption and merely shook their heads in disapproval.

While largely focused on economic issues and problems at home, Biden’s speech also touched on foreign affairs, declaring that the US would continue to seek fierce “competition” with China.

“Before I came to office, the story was about how the People’s Republic of China was increasing its power and America was failing in the world. Not anymore,” he said, adding “Today, we’re in the strongest position in decades to compete with China or anyone else in the world.”

The president noted that his administration would cooperate with Beijing wherever possible, but insisted “if China threatens our sovereignty we will act to protect our country, and we did,” referring to the recent shooting-down of a Chinese high-altitude balloon which passed over the US. Washington has suggested the device may have been intended for surveillance, though Chinese officials have rejected the charge.

The conflict in Ukraine was also briefly discussed, with Biden claiming to have “united NATO” and “built a global coalition” to oppose Russia, labeling the hostilities a “test for America.” The president introduced Ukraine’s ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, as a special guest, and reiterated vows to support Kiev with weapons and other aid for “as long as it takes,” having authorized some $30 billion in direct military assistance since last year.

please see https://rumble.com/v28qp8u-liar-biden-heckled-by-republicans-during-state-of-the-union-address.html?mref=6zof&mrefc=5
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https://www.rt.com/news/571145-biden-heckled-sotu-speech/
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8 Feb, 2023 08:34

8) --- Zelensky burning down Ukraine for Western applause – exiled opposition leader

Viktor Medvedchuk blames the president and his ego for the destruction of the country

President Vladimir Zelensky condemned Ukraine to destruction in the name of Western interests because he is too incompetent and ambitious to govern it properly, exiled opposition leader Viktor Medvedchuk believes.

Zelensky was elected in 2019 as a “peace candidate” who pledged to put an end to the warmongering policies of his predecessor, Pyotr Poroshenko, Medvedchuk, who was the leader of the banned Opposition Platform – For Life, wrote in an article published by RIA Novosti on Wednesday. But instead of becoming “a sentence” for Poroshenko, which was his campaign promise, Zelensky became a sentence for Ukraine, the politician said.

The new leader had a mandate to rebalance Ukraine’s political system and make the country neutral and peaceful, Medvedchuk wrote. But this required a boring routine and difficult work. Zelensky “failed to put the nation in order, and found that blaming Russia rather than his own incompetence for the problems” was easier, he said.

By the end of 2020, polls showed a decline in the popularity of Zelensky’s party, and likely defeat in the next presidential election by a candidate proposed by the party led by Medvedchuk, he noted. An escalation of tensions with Russia and later open hostilities saved Zelensky’s career, the politician said.

“The country was plunged into a fire for the inflated ego of this man,” Medvedchuk wrote.

"Today, the West flatters him at every opportunity. What luck! A ruler who would destroy his country for a photo op, boost his ratings on the blood and suffering of his citizens. Zelensky slaughtered law and stability for the sake of applause and posturing."

The actual role of the Ukrainian president is that of a “fifth columnist” for his own nation – and Europe, considering that it pays a lot for the Ukraine conflict, Medvedchuk stated.

Zelensky hopes that a military victory would wash away all the things he has done to crush his political opponents and to “lease his nation as a battlefield.” But Ukraine has “already lost,” and soon this reality will catch up with him, according to Medvedchuk.

The president “acts like a winner, speaks like a winner, poses like a winner. But victory is nowhere near,” he said. Continued conflict is the only thing that delays the reckoning for the president, the politician said.

Medvedchuk led the largest opposition political party in Ukraine before the Zelensky government cracked down on it and its senior figures for supposedly being pro-Russian. He now lives in exile, after being charged with treason at home.
https://www.rt.com/russia/571153-medvedchuk-zelensky-ego-ukraine/
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8 Feb, 2023 05:24

9) --- India will buy oil ‘from wherever is beneficial’ – energy minister

New Delhi has been criticized by the West over its reluctance to back anti-Russian sanctions

India will continue to import oil from suppliers it deems reliable, despite mounting pressure from the West to stop buying the commodity from Russia, according to the country’s energy minister, Hardeep Singh Puri.

In an interview with CNBC, Puri said New Delhi “didn’t allow the geopolitical turbulence or the pandemic or anything else to come in the way of our ability to supply to our consumer.” The minister added that India has no plans to change this approach.

“Today we feel confident that we’ll be able to use our market to source from wherever we have to, from wherever we get beneficial terms… Beneficial terms in this situation is: you have to be sure of your supplies,” Puri explained.

India significantly increased purchases of Russian oil last year, taking advantage of steep discounts that Moscow offered to attract new buyers amid Western sanctions. India recently became Russia’s top importer of crude, while Russia also outpaced India’s former largest suppliers, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, in terms of delivery volumes. New Delhi’s oil imports from Russia surged to a five-month high in December, and some 70% of January’s cargoes of Russian oil were also destined for India, according to Reuters.

Puri reiterated that India will not reject Russian oil, and cautioned that restrictions could disrupt the global oil market and cause a surge in prices.

“Can you imagine a situation, [where] Iran oil is sanctioned, Russia has problems, Venezuela cannot supply its oil. Then the oil price will not be $200 – it will be $480 [per barrel],” Puri warned.
https://www.rt.com/business/571082-india-oil-imports-russia/
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7 Feb, 2023 22:13

10) --- Nearly two-thirds of Americans say US headed wrong way – poll

President Joe Biden’s approval rating remains low, though up on last year's ratings

Nearly two out of three Americans – 65% – believe their country is on the wrong track, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll published on Tuesday ahead of President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address. It’s a marked increase over last year, when just 58% of respondents expressed similar misgivings.

With the president set to address Congress on Tuesday evening, Biden’s public approval rating remains underwater at 41% – not quite the low of 36% it repeatedly hit last spring and summer, but still problematic for a leader looking to convince voters to award him a second term.

Biden’s State of the Union speech touted his legislative efforts in infrastructure and inflation, the latter remaining (along with ‘the economy’ in general) at the top of the list of Americans’ concerns in recent polling. The White House had told reporters Biden would lay out a ‘unity agenda’ emphasizing bipartisan cooperation on cancer research, veterans’ health, mental health in general, and the opioid epidemic.

None of those issues made Reuters’ list of the five problems most concerning to Americans, however. After the economy – which includes unemployment and jobs – the pollsters’ most recent results rank crime/corruption, immigration, environment/climate, and inequality/discrimination as the most important issues concerning Americans. In a rare show of bipartisan unity, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents agreed the economy is the nation’s number-one challenge.

Just 37% of Democrats want Biden to run for a second term as president, according to an Associated Press poll published earlier this week. Respondents cited his age, his perceived mental decline, and what they viewed as his ineffectiveness at governing in their reasons for wanting new leadership, with just 13% saying they had a lot of confidence in the president’s ability to accomplish major policy goals.

Despite his low approval ratings, however, Biden’s party pulled off a surprisingly strong showing in the 2022 midterm elections. While Republicans gained control of the House, Democrats avoided being swamped by a ‘red wave’ and maintained control of the Senate.
https://www.rt.com/news/571143-americans-wrong-track-poll-biden/
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