RT News - February 15th 2023

False friends and allies: The President of the United States would rather let Germany freeze than let it stop supporting Ukraine. That's according to award-winning American journalist Seymour Hersh, who earlier revealed a US plot to blow up the Nord Stream gas pipelines. (QS for those of us living in Britain and Europe, the saying "When Germany sneezes we all get a cold" would seem very appropriate, as the U.S. charges Europe to deindustrialise, detrimentally impacting every country and citizen)

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The BBC in India is reportedly accused of tax evasion, as massive raids on the network's offices continue in New Delhi.

U.S. Congress is being urged to investigate a train derailment in Ohio which is feared to have caused an environmental disaster in the area for both wildlife and local residents. The chemical materials were burned, subsequently wildlife has been falling ill and dying. Residents are also concerned about the drinking water. The residents haven't been told the full story as to what was contained in the derailed carriages. Caleb Maupin reports. (also see i below for background)

An Israeli soldier has been jailed after assaulting a Palestinian activist during an interview with the New Yorker magazine. Issa Amro, another journalist involved, talks to RT. New provocations and tensions flare each day between Israel and Palestine. It's getting very complicated, as Israeli defence don't just beat up and kill men, but women and children too. 224 civilian Palestinians were killed by Israeli police or soldiers in 2022.

The White House urges citizens not to panic over recent UFO incidents as hysteria over the possible alien origin of the mysterious objects, spirals in the US. We take a closer look at what's really behind the story as US officials that they have shot down three such UFOs. Steve Sweeney reports on all strange things recently flying over America "Don't Look Up". Lionel also comments.

Donbass: Russian forces have caused an unruly retreat of Ukraine troops as they gain an extra three kms in their advance. Igor Zhdanov reports from (very, very close to) the front line.

South Africa, Johannesburg - cricket world cup. Will they host the Netherlands? (QS I have absolutely no idea about cricket) Karabo Letlhatlha reports.
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Below, via RT website A) --- Ukraine stepping up terror attacks – Moscow
B) --- US training terrorists to target Russia – Moscow
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2) --- Biden willing to let Germans freeze – Seymour Hersh
3) --- Swedish PM gives update on NATO prospects
4) --- Western diplomacy is immature and incapable of dialogue – Russian ambassador to India (interview readout)
5a) --- Western sanctions bring Russia and India closer – diplomat
6) --- Latvia invests in Nazi commander biopic
7) --- Two EU states refuse to send Leopard 2 tanks to Kiev – media
8) --- EU to force banks to reveal Russian assets – Bloomberg
9) --- Russia wants UN probe into Nord Stream blasts
10) --- Lithuanian politician quotes Hitler in mayoral debate
11) --- US wants to send ‘Iranian’ weapons to Ukraine – WSJ
i) --- Train carrying hazardous chemicals derails

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14 Feb, 2023 11:44

A) --- Ukraine stepping up terror attacks – Moscow

Additional safety measures have been taken at key transport, fuel and energy facilities, the head of the Russian security service says

The number of terrorist incursions by Ukrainian special services and nationalist formations, targeting key Russian civilian and military infrastructure as well as government bodies, has significantly increased, FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov has claimed.

Speaking at a meeting of the National Anti-Terrorism Committee on Tuesday, Bortnikov announced that additional safety measures had been taken at transport facilities as well as fuel and energy complexes. He also raised the issue of strengthening anti-terrorist protections and intensifying efforts to prevent the involvement of citizens in terrorist activities.

"The enemy is making efforts to launch a propaganda campaign aimed at radicalizing the population, involving young people in terrorist and extremist activities,” said Bortnikov.

“Under these conditions, the authorities and anti-terrorist commissions are taking additional measures aimed at ensuring reliable protection of facilities from terrorist attacks and intensifying preventive work in general,” he stated, also alleging that Kiev’s actions were being assisted by the “collective West.”

Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) reported on Monday that the US has turned to Islamist extremists to plan terrorist attacks in Russia and other ex-Soviet republics, claiming that one group was being trained for this purpose at a base in Syria.

According to Moscow, Washington has recruited some 60 terrorists who have already been active in the Middle East and is currently training them at the Al-Tanf American military base, where they are being taught how to manufacture and use improvised explosive devices.

Back in December, SVR Director Sergey Naryshkin claimed that the White House was pursuing policies to create an “instability belt along Russia’s external perimeter” and that the security services in Russia and CIS countries had a common goal of “counteracting” the West’s “destructive actions.”
https://www.rt.com/russia/571452-fsb-ukraine-terrorist-attacks/
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13 Feb, 2023 09:24

B) --- US training terrorists to target Russia – Moscow

60 militants at a base in Syria are being prepared for attacks on officials and security personnel, the Foreign Intelligence Service claimed

The US has turned to Islamist extremists to plan terrorist attacks in Russia and other ex-Soviet republics, Moscow’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) said on Monday. A group is being trained at a base in Syria for the purpose, the agency claimed.

“The US military is actively recruiting militants from jihadist groups affiliated with Islamic State [IS, formerly ISIS] and Al-Qaeda to commit terrorist attacks in Russia and members of the Commonwealth of Independent States [CIS],” the SVR stated, citing “credible reports.”

Established after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the CIS incorporates some of its former republics, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

According to the SVR, the US has enlisted 60 terrorists who have already been active in the Middle East. They are undergoing training at the Al-Tanf American military base in Syria, where they are learning how to manufacture and use improvised explosive devices, it added.

“Particular attention is paid to planning attacks on well-protected facilities, including foreign diplomatic missions,” the agency stated. It added that Washington is aiming to “deploy the militants as part of small groups to the territory of Russia and the CIS states in near future.” They will then target “diplomats, public officials, law enforcement officers, and military personnel,” the SVR claimed.

“We see that US security agencies have lost all moral principles... Obsessed with the crazy idea of ‘bleeding Russia dry’, Washington strategists presume it is acceptable to directly use terrorists for their dirty purposes,” the agency said. It asserted that “such actions put Washington on a par with the largest international terrorist groups.”

In December, SVR Director Sergey Naryshkin claimed that the White House was pursuing policies to create an “instability belt along Russia’s external perimeter.” Naryshkin had previously stated that the security services in Russia and CIS countries have the common goal of “counteracting Western countries’ destructive actions on the territory of our states.”
https://www.rt.com/russia/571391-us-recruits-terrorists-target-russia/
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15 Feb, 2023 09:52

1) Hungary clarifies split with EU over Ukraine

Budapest seeks to end the conflict without delay, while the bloc wants Kiev to hold out for more favorable terms, the foreign minister has said

Hungary stands out among other European states for not believing that Kiev should wait for battlefield successes to start peace negotiations with Moscow, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Tuesday.

Speaking after a meeting with his French counterpart Catherine Colonna in Paris, Szijjarto noted that both France and Hungary aspire to peace in Ukraine. However, the two countries disagree about how and when such an outcome could be achieved.

“The French position differs from ours, just as the position of almost all other European countries,” he said, adding that some nations expect “that maybe there will be a better war situation from the Ukrainian point of view, when it will be better to conduct negotiations.”

“We don’t believe in this, we think that people’s suffering must end now,” the foreign minister stressed.

Hungarian officials have repeatedly urged Moscow and Kiev to strike an immediate ceasefire and start peace negotiations. On Sunday, Szijjarto told local media that “Hungary, as a country neighboring Ukraine, has faced all the immediate consequences of the war in the last year,” which include “more than one million refugees, skyrocketing inflation” and soaring energy costs.

However, he also noted that recent developments in the conflict signal that “the war will drag on,” which is “the worst possible news we can receive” in the current situation.

Since the start of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Hungary has opposed the sanctions the West has imposed on Moscow, claiming that they have damaged the EU’s economy more than Russia’s while failing to stop the hostilities. Budapest has also spoken out against sending arms to Ukraine, warning that it could lead to an escalation or prolongation of the hostilities.

Moscow has repeatedly stated that it is open to talks with Kiev, if it “recognizes the reality on the ground,” including the new status of the regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye, which overwhelmingly voted to become part of Russia – as Crimea did in 2014. However, last year Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky signed a decree prohibiting talks with the current Russian leadership.
https://www.rt.com/news/571509-hungary-ukraine-peace-eu/
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15 Feb, 2023 08:03

2) --- Biden willing to let Germans freeze – Seymour Hersh

The US blew up Nord Stream fearing that Berlin would lift sanctions on Russia during a cold winter, the journalist claims

The US conducted a covert operation to destroy the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines based on doubts that Germany would stick to a hard line on Russia, renowned American investigative journalist Seymour Hersh has alleged. Last week, he published a bombshell report laying blame on Washington for several blasts that severely damaged the energy conduits in September 2022.

In an interview published by the Berliner Zeitung on Tuesday, Hersh suggested that Washington went ahead with the sabotage because the Ukraine conflict “was not going well for the West.” He added that Nord Stream 2 “was put on hold by Germany itself, not international sanctions, and the US was afraid Germany would lift sanctions because of a cold winter.”

The point is that Biden has decided to let the Germans freeze this winter. The President of the United States would rather see Germany freeze than [see] Germany possibly stop supporting Ukraine.

According to Hersh, the bombs were planted in June 2022 during NATO naval exercises in the Baltic Sea. “But at the last minute, the White House got nervous. The President said he was afraid to do it. He changed his mind and issued new orders to get an opportunity to remotely detonate the bombs at any time,” he noted.

Explaining possible motives for the attacks, Hersh suggested that some people in the US thought that the operation was going “to give the American economy a long-term boost,” while the White House was more focused on politics. “I think they've always been obsessed with re-election, and they wanted to win the war… they wanted Ukraine to somehow magically win,” he said.

Nord Stream 1 and 2, which connected Russia and Germany under the Baltic Sea, were damaged in a series of underwater explosions on September 26. On February 8, Hersh, a Pulitzer-prize winning journalist, released a report blaming the US for the attack. The White House dismissed the allegation as “utterly false and complete fiction.”

However, in early February 2022, some two weeks before the Ukraine conflict began, Biden stated at a press conference with Germany’s chancellor that “if Russia invades… we will bring an end” to Nord Stream 2.

In the aftermath of the report, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov called for “an open international investigation into this unprecedented attack,” saying that instead, Russia is witnessing “attempts to silently wind down” such probes.
https://www.rt.com/news/571502-biden-freeze-germany-nord-stream/
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15 Feb, 2023 09:53

3) --- Swedish PM gives update on NATO prospects

Stockholm has indicated it is willing to abandon its goal of synchronizing accession with Finland

Sweden may be forced to abandon its plan to join NATO alongside Finland and instead become part of the military alliance at a later date, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has admitted. The Swedish premier claimed that such a path would not constitute a failure.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Kristersson described the potential entry of his country to NATO separately from Finland as an “unfortunate” scenario, resulting mainly from “Türkiye making Turkish decisions.” However, this route into the alliance “would not be a failure,” he added.

Kristersson’s remarks came shortly after NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg insisted that the “main question is not whether Finland and Sweden are ratified together,” but “that they are both ratified as full members as soon as possible.”

Sweden and Finland tendered their official NATO applications in mid-May of 2022, citing Russia’s offensive against Ukraine. Until recently, the bloc had spoken in favor of both Nordic nations being admitted simultaneously.
Twenty-eight of the 30 NATO member states gave the green light to immediate enlargement. However, Hungary and Türkiye refused to grant their approval, stalling the process indefinitely as the unanimous consent of all nations in the alliance is required.

While Budapest is expected to give the go-ahead in the coming weeks, Ankara’s grievances have yet to be addressed in full, especially in the case of Sweden.

Türkiye has accused the Scandinavian country of harboring terrorists, and relations were further strained last month when a far-right politician publicly burned a copy of the Koran in front of the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm.

In late January, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicated that his country “may respond differently to Finland if necessary,” which could leave Sweden “shocked.”

Publicly, Helsinki has insisted on joining NATO together with its neighbor. However, Finland’s Iltalehti newspaper has cited sources as stating that the authorities would be prepared to proceed alone.

In a report last Monday, Iltalehti quoted one source as explaining that “we are Russia’s border neighbor,” with officials in Helsinki believing that Sweden’s geopolitical situation is different, and does not require such urgency.
https://www.rt.com/news/571504-sweden-premier-nato-membership-finland/
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15 Feb, 2023 07:19

4) --- Western diplomacy is immature and incapable of dialogue – Russian ambassador to India (interview readout)

'The epicenter of world politics and economic development has shifted eastwards, towards a more equal and balanced dispensation of power'

The Russian ambassador to India, Denis Alipov, assumed office early in 2022, having worked in the country in various diplomatic capacities for decades.

On the occasion of Russian Diplomats’ Day, which was observed at the nation’s missions around the world on February 10, Alipov spoke with RT on a host of issues, ranging from the challenges faced by diplomats following the launch of Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine, to Indo-Russian defense deals and the journey towards a multipolar world, as well as the rise of the Global South.

RT: This year was certainly not easy for Russian diplomacy after the start of the military operation in Donbass. But did Russian diplomats in India and other Asian countries feel it? How did the operation affect your work personally?

Denis Alipov: Last year was indeed unusual. The intensity, the challenges, and the scope of work for the Russian foreign service have substantially increased.

In India, the Russian Embassy operates in a completely different environment as compared to Europe and the US, which chose to almost completely freeze the relationship with Russia. In my view, it reflects the immaturity of Western diplomacy, which is incapable of dialogue and compromise at the time of crisis, which it itself created – as is evident from the deceitful subversion of the negotiation process over Ukraine.

We have maintained close communication with the Indian government and continuously expand our engagement with the public. It is indicative of the friendly and strategic nature of our traditional partnership. In 2022, we have seen notable upward dynamics of various exchanges and an increase of interest to explore new avenues in trade. Our dialogue on political and strategic matters as well as in defense and other sensitive areas is extremely candid and intense.

RT - Do you have the feeling that a new world order is being formed? If so, what will it be like? And what place in this world will be occupied by BRICS, SCO, and other organizations in which Russia and India act as equal partners?

- Obviously, the progress towards the multipolar world order has accelerated. The clout of India, China, Brazil, South Africa in global decision-making has increased dramatically. There is no turning back to the Western-centric globalization model, which failed to ensure lasting stability and sustainable development. The US, on the contrary, seems unable to relinquish its hegemony and continues to promote a confrontational agenda, resorting to double standards and interference in domestic affairs. Acting a little more subtly by engaging with other countries on the notion of the so-called rules-based order, it doesn’t conceal the intention to set up a new international order on Western patterns. Needless to say, these actions undermine the existing system of international law which rests on the UN Charter, where all countries are deemed equal.

On the contrary, Russia and the majority of likeminded countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America stand for an equal multipolar world arrangement based on the central role of the UN and international law. BRICS [Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa] and the SCO [Shanghai Cooperation Organization] agenda is very much focused on that, as reflected by a growing number of new candidates aspiring to join these associations.

Importantly, the current Indian G20 presidency is a case in point. India is resisting the attempts to politicize this crucial forum and puts forward the role of developing countries, which are suffering the most from the energy and food crises and supply chain disruptions caused by the Western unilateral sanctions.

RT - India is already an important partner for Russia. Do you expect its role to increase in the coming years alongside Moscow’s renewed focus on the Global South?

- Throughout the 75 years of diplomatic relations, India retained a special focus in Russian foreign policy that is evident in proud landmarks in industry, science, defense, energy, nuclear power, space, and humanitarian ties. Our cooperation has always been mutually beneficial and complementary. We have no political differences but a common desire to further deepen and diversify our partnership, which got special and privileged status in 2010.

Obviously, India’s role in regional and global affairs is on the rise as Russia has put emphasis on its partners in the East and Global South. The epicenter of world politics and economic development has clearly shifted eastwards and this will facilitate a more equal and balanced dispensation of power. Russia, being itself a nation of the East and the Pacific, is set together with India to take a major part in that process.

RT - What’s the latest update on the production of T-90 tanks, Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter jets, AK-203 assault rifles, and other weapons under New Delhi’s “Make in India” initiative? What’s the status of the joint project on the creation of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and the supply of S-400 missile systems?

- Russia-India defense cooperation is the strongest pillar of the bilateral special and privileged strategic partnership. It has a decades-long and time-tested background and remains unprecedented. It reflects a unique and deep-rooted trust between our countries and dedication to go ahead. Unlike other countries, Russia offers the maximum level of transfer of advanced defense technologies.

We are indeed proud of our achievements, which go far beyond traditional buyer-seller relations. Among them are very successful licensed production in India of T-90 tanks, Su-30 MKI fighters, and other armaments and components, as well as joint ventures of BrahMos missiles and AK-203 assault rifles production. Importantly, this cooperation significantly contributes to the Indian defense capabilities and fully complies with the requirements under “Make in India” and “Self-reliant India” (“Atmanirbhar Bharat”) initiatives.

We are committed to implement all our deals in a timely manner, including S-400 missile systems’ delivery. Our dialogue is comprehensive and forward-looking. We carry it on in the framework of the bilateral Intergovernmental Commission on military and military-technical cooperation. Our participation in dedicated international events in both countries is huge. In this sense, Russia is among the most active participants in the current Aero India 2023 exhibition taking place in Bangalore(February 13-17, 2023).

RT - How is Russia helping India’s bid for a permanent seat in the UNSC?

- Our two countries maintain intense and thorough dialogue and coordination within the framework of the UN to address the challenges facing the international community, including on the issues of the UN reform. We share the point that the UNSC needs to be adapted to new realities of emerging multipolar world order with increased representation of developing countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Russia consistently supports India’s bid for permanent membership in the expanded UNSC. The Indian non-permanent membership in the Council in 2021-2022 including its chairmanship in August 2021 and December 2022 strongly reaffirmed India’s credentials. We are engaged in trusted and in-depth discussions on that, keeping in mind that it should be a comprehensive process. It requires a maximum possible consensus to avoid divisions in the UN as well as over-representation of the Western countries, which already dominate in many bodies, including the UNSC.
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https://www.rt.com/india/571464-interview-russian-ambassador-india/
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15 Feb, 2023 10:17

5a) --- Western sanctions bring Russia and India closer – diplomat

The two countries have been deepening economic ties despite the pressure, Ambassador Denis Alipov says

The West’s sanctions on Russia have led to closer trade and economic cooperation between Moscow and New Delhi, according to the Russian ambassador to India, Denis Alipov.

“Talking about the explosive, record growth of our cooperation in the energy field, our oil supplies, it would be appropriate to say that the sanctions that were introduced and expanded against us, in this case, had the opposite effect and became a catalyst for our trade relations,” Alipov told Channel One on Tuesday.

The ambassador suggested that New Delhi “will continue to be interested in maintaining this high level” relationship. “Of course, we are also interested in this… We have a very extensive, comprehensive cooperation, including in the field of economy and trade,” he said.

The Russian diplomat hailed the positive dynamics in the two nations’ cooperation in the construction sector, as well as in petrochemicals, railway, and heavy engineering. The mining industry, agriculture, and information and communication technologies are also examples of strengthening cooperation, he said.

According to Alipov, bilateral trade has been developing dynamically, hitting a record $35 billion. “There has never been such cooperation in the history of Russian-Indian relations,” the envoy stated.
https://www.rt.com/business/571481-russia-india-trade-sanctions/
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15 Feb, 2023 08:53

6) --- Latvia invests in Nazi commander biopic

Moscow has accused Riga of trying to whitewash war criminals

The Latvian government is pouring hundreds of thousands of euros into a feature film about the Waffen-SS unit called the Latvian Legion and one of its Nazi-decorated officers. A top Russian diplomat said it exemplified a lack of conscience and historic memory in the Baltic nation.

The film titled ‘Neredzamais Cietoksnis’ (The Invisible Fortress) has been in the works for a couple of years now. The Latvian Culture ministry decided last month that the project qualified for its program to support cultural heritage projects and allocated €300,000 ($320,000) from the scheme’s €1.4 million budget, the television program ‘De Facto’ reported on Sunday.

The movie will be about Ernests Laumanis, a Latvian-born Nazi officer. He volunteered after Germany invaded during World War II, rose through the ranks to major, and served as commander of a recon unit in the Latvian Legion, a Waffen SS force composed of ethnic Latvians. He was awarded several decorations for his service, including two grades of the Iron Cross.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova rebuked Latvia over the news, adding that the Latvian Legion was involved in war crimes, including executions and torture of POWs and civilians.

“The Latvian authorities plan to valorize and whitewash those criminals in a film shot for taxpayers’ money,” she claimed in a post on Monday. She said European politicians in general “have lately shown problems with memory and conscience.”

Normunds Pucis, the creative talent behind the project, has previously received small grants from Latvian authorities. The chairman of the council of the Ogre Municipality said the story of the legionnaires needed to be told “fully,” when the body awarded €5,000 for the film last year.

“Yes, our grandfathers wore foreign uniforms, but they fought for Latvia to be free,” Egils Helmanis stated. “We have to tell this story to the end to ourselves and also to the foreigners living in Latvia, in order to understand what the Latvian Legion is and what it fought for.”

Pucis has directed two works so far, set in Latvia in the aftermath of World War II and showing the Red Army and the Soviet government as the villains. After Zakharova’s criticism, he sneered at the fact that both the Russian government and ‘De Facto’ journalists took issue with ‘Neredzamais Cietoksnis’.

The Latvian report questioned the way the funding would go through the Latvian Museum of National History, which normally would not be involved in cinematography. The director denied any impropriety.
https://www.rt.com/russia/571503-latvian-legion-film-zakharova/
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15 Feb, 2023 08:23

7) --- Two EU states refuse to send Leopard 2 tanks to Kiev – media

The Netherlands and Denmark will not transfer modern tanks to Ukraine, Die Welt reports

The Netherlands and Denmark will not send their German-made Leopard 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine, Die Welt newspaper reported on Tuesday, citing government officials in both countries.

The news comes as Kiev’s backers have tried to form a ‘Leopard coalition’ of countries that would supply Ukraine with enough tanks to fight Russia.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said last month his government was considering purchasing the 18 Leopard 2s that have been leased from Germany and transferring them to Ukraine. However, that option has now been scrapped, according to Die Welt.

“The decision was made in close coordination between the Netherlands and Germany,” Dutch officials were quoted as saying.

Denmark and the Netherlands previously agreed to fund the refurbishment of Leopard 1A5 tanks from German stocks that would be donated to Ukraine. The Leopard 1A5 is an older model and the predecessor of the Leopard 2.

Finland, meanwhile, has 200 Leopard 2s, but hammering out the specifics of Helsinki’s participation in the coalition is “still an ongoing process,” Die Welt quoted the government spokesman as saying. The Wall Street Journal cited a senior NATO official this month who said that Finland would likely transfer the tanks only after it officially joins the alliance.

Speaking at a summit of Ukraine’s supporters in Brussels on Tuesday, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that “a consortium” of states, including Canada, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Poland, were working to supply Kiev with the Leopards. However, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius acknowledged the same day that the coalition was not moving “so astonishingly, to put it mildly.”

Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine nearly a year ago, citing the need to protect the people of Donbass and Kiev’s failure to implement the 2014-15 Minsk peace accords. Moscow has warned that foreign arms would not change the course of the conflict and that Western tanks would “burn” on the battlefield.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that NATO’s close involvement in the conflict has been becoming more obvious, with a slew of new pledges of military aid to Ukraine.
https://www.rt.com/news/571505-denmark-netherlands-tanks-ukraine/
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15 Feb, 2023 08:57

8) --- EU to force banks to reveal Russian assets – Bloomberg

The tenth sanctions package will reportedly target accounts belonging to the Central Bank of Russia as well as sanctioned companies and individuals

The European Union plans to order its banks to provide information about Russian assets as part of the next package of Ukraine-related sanctions against Moscow, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing draft proposals.

According to the news agency, European banks would be required to report on frozen funds that belong to the Central Bank of Russia and those linked to sanctioned Russian companies and individuals. Banks that fail to disclose information will reportedly face fines of up to €50,000 ($53,500) for individuals and 10% of annual turnover for entities.

The move is seen as the first step in efforts to seize the funds in question for the reconstruction of Ukraine, despite the EU currently having no legal capability to do so.

Brussels has thus far adopted nine sanctions packages against Russia, targeting numerous sectors of the economy, as well as businessmen, politicians, and journalists. The tenth set of sanctions will reportedly include more Russian lenders, adding Alfa Bank, Rosbank, and Tinkoff Bank to the EU blacklist. It will also ban Russian residents from holding posts in the governing bodies of critical European companies, and restrict the provision of gas storage capacity to entities established in Russia.

Brussels plans to adopt the tenth sanctions package next week. As with previous measures, it will need the backing of all EU member states to be adopted.
https://www.rt.com/business/571501-eu-sanctions-frozen-russian-assets/
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14 Feb, 2023 18:57

9) --- Russia wants UN probe into Nord Stream blasts

A legislative proposal cites Seymour Hersh’s expose to blame US for the pipeline attack

The Russian parliament’s committee for international relations has approved a motion to ask the UN Security Council for an investigation into last September’s explosions on the Baltic Sea pipelines, for which they blame the US. The motion was introduced on Tuesday and is expected to be approved by the State Duma later this week.

The proposal describes the blasts as “an act of international terrorism” and a “monstrous sabotage,” calling on the UN to hold accountable both those who gave the order and those who carried it out. The criminal act has threatened the security of all Eurasia, TASS reported, quoting the text of the document.

US President Joe Biden’s administration “gave the illegal order and bears full responsibility for the multi-billion-dollar damage to the infrastructure of Russia, Germany, France and the Netherlands,” according to the document. It describes the pipeline sabotage as inflicting long-term damage to the security, economy and environment of the entire region.

The lawmakers are referring to last week’s expose by American investigative reporter Seymour Hersh, who described how the pipelines were damaged in a joint operation between the US and Norway. US actions require “a thorough international investigation, punishment of those responsible and compensation for the damage caused.”

The committee has requested putting their proposal on the agenda of Thursday’s session of the State Duma, where it may be up for a vote.

A series of explosions heavily damaged both Nord Stream pipelines, which were built under the Baltic Sea to deliver Russian natural gas to Germany and the rest of the EU.

The blasts happened near the Danish island of Bornholm, in an area where the US Navy and its NATO allies conducted BALTOPS 22 exercises several months prior. Last week, Hersh described how American divers planted the explosives under the cover of the naval exercise, saying they were later activated by a Norwegian patrol airplane.

When Hersh asked the US government for comment, it denounced the story as “fiction” and “false.” It has received little to no media attention in the West since. On Monday, NATO’s secretary-general – and former Norwegian prime minister – Jens Stoltenberg announced the formation of a new “coordination cell” to work on securing undersea infrastructure.
https://www.rt.com/russia/571484-duma-un-nordstream-probe/
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QS - also see yesterday's post re NATO concentrating on pipelnes)
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14 Feb, 2023 21:23

10) --- Lithuanian politician quotes Hitler in mayoral debate

The TV contest for candidates to run the EU member’s cultural capital took an unexpected turn

One of the candidates for mayor of Kaunas in the upcoming local elections dropped a quote from Adolf Hitler during Monday evening’s debate on Lithuanian state television. The EU member state’s Jewish community has condemned the remarks as inappropriate in any context.

Darius Treciakauskas of the Christian Union was among the six candidates who faced off in the first debate, which was broadcast by LRT. He chose to invoke the “wisdom” of the Nazi German leader to criticize the current city government for the slow pace of renovating the housing blocks.

“A man known to everyone, Adolf Hitler, said the rulers are happy when people don’t think. Unfortunately, this is our situation today,” Treciakauskas said on air. “Fish rots from the head, our people say, and it is so. These repairs could have been done long ago, but in reality the government didn’t feel the need.”

Lithuania’s Jewish community reacted to the remarks on Facebook, saying that “quoting the murderer, regardless of the context, is promoting his crimes.” Over 90% of Jews in Lithuania were killed in the Holocaust, and fewer than 2,300 remain today.

“Quoting Hitler during the Kaunas mayoral debate is too much,” said Culture Minister Simonas Kairys, who used to be a member of the municipal council.

The Lithuanian Human Rights Center has called on the Christian Union to denounce its candidate’s remarks and apologize to the public, according to LRT.

Located in central Lithuania, Kaunas was the country’s first capital (1920-1939) and is still considered a center of cultural, academic and business life.

Monday’s debate was also controversial because the draw did not include the current mayor, Visvaldas Matijosaitis, meaning that he could not respond to criticism. The rest of the candidates are supposed to debate on February 22, with the local elections scheduled for March 5.

The former Soviet republic joined the EU and NATO in 2004. Treciakauskas’s party was founded in 2020, as a splinter of the ruling Homeland Union, and has no parliamentary representation.
https://www.rt.com/russia/571486-lithuania-hitler-kaunas-debate/
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15 Feb, 2023 00:22

11) --- US wants to send ‘Iranian’ weapons to Ukraine – WSJ

With NATO stocks running low, Washington eyes loot from the Yemen blockade

The US government is trying to find a legal way to send Ukraine weapons allegedly sent to Houthis in Yemen by Iran but which were confiscated en route, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

Citing anonymous US and European officials, the WSJ said the White House is looking for “wiggle room” in UN regulations so that the rifles, rockets, and ammunition seized on the high seas can be redirected to Kiev.

Though the number of weapons seized is small compared to what the US and its allies have sent Ukraine over the past year, the unnamed officials say it would be a symbolic punishment for Iran supplying Russia with drones – which both Tehran and Moscow have denied.

“It’s a message to take weapons meant to arm Iran’s proxies and flip them to achieve our priorities in Ukraine, where Iran is providing arms to Russia,” one unnamed US official told the WSJ.

According to the Journal, the cache amounts to 5,000 rifles, 1.6 million rounds of ammunition for them, a score of anti-tank rockets, and around 7,000 proximity fuses. The loot came from three fishing boats boarded by US and French sailors over the past several months in the Gulf of Oman.

“What change can this make to war?” the Houthi deputy information minister, Nasr al-Din Amir, told the Journal when asked about the idea of sending the weapons to Ukraine. “They’ve been sending much heavier weapons.”

Washington, Berlin, and London announced last month they would deliver heavy tanks to Kiev. As of this week, according to the Pentagon, the US alone has provided Ukraine with over 100 million bullets.

At Monday’s meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg admitted that “the current rate of Ukraine’s ammunition expenditure is many times higher than our current rate of production,” which he said was putting a strain on the West’s military industry and “depleting allied stockpiles.”

Russia has warned the US and its allies that continuing to send weapons to Ukraine risks involving them in the conflict directly and only delays the inevitable.
https://www.rt.com/news/571489-us-seized-yemen-weapons-ukraine/
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5 Feb, 2023 10:08 Recap

i) --- Train carrying hazardous chemicals derails

50 cars went off the tracks sparking a massive blaze in the state of Ohio

A train carrying chemicals derailed in the US state of Ohio late on Friday, causing a massive fire and triggering an evacuation of residents in the area.

Some 50 cars from a 140-car train went off the tracks in the village of East Palestine not far from the state border with Pennsylvania, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said on Saturday.

There were no reports of fatalities or injuries as a result of the derailment, but a massive blaze broke out at the site, which continued burning into Saturday.

“It's an active fire scene,” NTSB board member Michael Graham said. Several explosions were heard at the crash site on Saturday, according to media reports.

Firefighters in East Palestine were forced to work in hazmat suits as the ill-fated train had been transporting chemicals, among other things.
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https://twitter.com/ismithKDKA/status/1621941466355441665
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According to the NTSB, ten of the derailed cars contained hazardous materials, including five carrying vinyl chloride, a colorless gas used to make tubes for plumbing and other plastic products. The US National Cancer Institute warns that exposure to vinyl chloride is associated with the risk of several forms of cancer.

So far, only a small amount of vinyl chloride was released through special pressure release devices, which are set up on train cars to prevent explosions, the NTSB said.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency told CNN that as of Saturday evening it hadn’t discovered any dangerous levels of air contamination in the area around the crash. Experts will remain on site “as long as necessary,” the agency assured.

The massive fire and the threat of chemical explosions prompted local authorities to order an evacuation of residents living within 1 mile (1.6km) of the site of the incident. Around 2,000 people, roughly half of East Palestine’s population, had to leave their homes, with the remaining inhabitants told to stay indoors.

An investigation is currently underway to determine the causes of the derailment.
https://www.rt.com/news/570986-ohio-chemicals-train-derailment/
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