Puppet MastersS


Eye 1

China accuses US of destabilizing Korean peninsula


RT
Fri, 28 Apr 2023 12:48 UTC
U.S. soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Division
© Chung Sung-Jun/Getty ImagesU.S. soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Division, Stryker Battalion Combat Team participate in the combined drill with South Korean soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division, Army TIGER Demonstration brigade at the training field on January 13, 2023 in Paju, South Korea.

Washington and Seoul have agreed on the deployment of nuclear-armed US submarines to the region.

US plans to send submarines armed with nuclear weapons to South Korea will likely aggravate tensions in the region, China's foreign ministry has said. Earlier this week, US President Joe Biden announced the deployment with his South Korean colleague, Yoon Suk-yeol.

Speaking to the press on Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning argued that the "US, in order to realize its own geopolitical interests and disregarding regional security, insisted on making use of the peninsula issue to create tension."

She went on to accuse Washington of being stuck in a Cold War mentality as well as undermining the nuclear non-proliferation system and efforts to denuclearize the Korean peninsula.

On Wednesday, President Biden received his South Korean counterpart at the White House where the two leaders unveiled the 'Washington Declaration.'

Comment: See also:

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Star

China shifts gear on Ukraine mediation

M. K. Bhadrakumar
India Punchline
Thu, 27 Apr 2023 00:00 UTC
Zaporozhya
Russian-controlled Nuclear Power Plant in Zaporozhya region where Ukrainian “counter-offensive” is expected
For all the noise out of Washington, more and more countries are integrating their supply chains with China. Even the UK Foreign Secretary is making overtures to China, while Zelensky had a "long and meaningful" phone call with Xi Jinping on Wednesday. Washington's position, sanctions and all, is disintegrating.

It is too early to predict what will emerge out of the speech on Tuesday at Mansion House by the UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly outlining the government's position on China. The Global Times gave a cautious welcome.

Clearly, Britain feels the urgency to dig its way out of the foxhole in which it found itself following the collapse of the Five Eyes attempt to ignite the Hong Kong protests. Britain cannot be far behind when the overall interests of European countries that enjoy deep mutually beneficial economic ties with the world's second largest economy, are manifesting as reluctance to be dragged into becoming a vanguard that confronts China. (See my blog Who gains from a forever war in Ukraine?)
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Nuke

'Ukraine Victory Resolution' Act - a Delusional Suicide Pact

Scott Ritter
Sputnik
Fri, 28 Apr 2023 00:00 UTC
Nuclear Bomb explosion
Two US Congressmen who sit on a bureaucratic relic of the Cold War have introduced the "Ukraine Victory Resolution" in the House of Representatives calling for the United States to support an outright victory for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.

After the presentation of the resolution, it must then be approved by the Foreign Affairs Committee and then put to a vote in Congress, both at the House of Representatives and the Senate level, before becoming law.

Comment: See also:

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Quenelle - Golden

Russia could take asymmetric measures if West pursues nuclear escalation, says Foreign Ministry


TASS
Tue, 25 Apr 2023 12:00 UTC
Kremlin
© Valery Sharifulin/TASSEarlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that, at Minsk’s request, Russia would station its tactical nuclear weapons in the neighboring country, precisely the way the United States has long kept its own nuclear warheads on the territories of its allies
Russia could take certain asymmetric steps if the United States and NATO pursue escalation in the deployment of nuclear weapons in Europe, Vladimir Yermakov, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Non-Proliferation and Arms Control Department, said in an interview with TASS.

"If the United States and NATO decide to escalate things further, we will assess the new risks to identify an [appropriate] response, including an asymmetric one," the diplomat said, when asked whether the West could deploy its nukes close to Belarus' borders in the wake of Russia's decision to station part of its nuclear arsenal on Belarusian soil.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that, at Minsk's request, Russia would station its tactical nuclear weapons in the neighboring country, precisely the way the United States has long kept its own nuclear warheads on the territories of its allies. According to Putin, Moscow has already transferred the nuclear-capable Iskander system to Minsk and is helping its Belarusian counterparts to refurbish their aircraft.

Comment: As detailed in a previous article, the West reportedly has nukes in, at least, the following countries:
US nuclear weapons are believed to be stored in six bases: Kleine Brogel in Belgium; Büchel airbase in Germany; Aviano and Ghedi airbases in Italy; Volkel airbase in the Netherlands; and İncirlik in Turkey.


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Arrow Up

Pope Francis denounces gender ideology and abortion rights, praises Hungary's family policies during official visit

Ian Miles Cheong
Rebel News
Fri, 28 Apr 2023 12:00 UTC
pope
© AP Photo/Andrew MedichiniHe emphasized the need for a Europe that isn't hostage to political parties or self-referential populism, but also doesn't dissolve into an abstract supranationalism disconnected from people's lives.
Pope Francis delivered a powerful message against gender ideology and abortion rights, calling them elements of a "nefarious path" culminating in "tragic defeat" rather than progress.

The Pope addressed civil and religious leaders on the first day of his trip to Hungary, with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the country's first female president, Katalin Novák, among those present.

During his speech, Francis commended Hungary's commitment to preserving culture, tradition, and family values. He praised Novák, whose controversial pro-family policies as the former State Secretary for Family and Youth Affairs were credited with reversing the nation's demographic decline, the Daily Wire reported.

Comment: Still, the Pope has expressed grave concern over the trajectory our planet is taking: Pope warns he has seen 'omens of even greater destruction and desolation' for mankind

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Arrow Up

Moldovan MP tears apart NATO flag at protest

A . Edward Swensson
Political Lore
Thu, 27 Apr 2023 12:00 UTC
moldova nato
Member of the Moldovan Parliament Alexander Nesterovsky tore apart a NATO flag printed on cardboard at a rally against the violation of the republic's neutrality.

The parliamentarian doused the second similar flag with red paint.
"This blood symbolizes the blood of children and those citizens who were killed by NATO. I hope that the people will support us and the NATO people will understand that they have no place in our peaceful and blessed country. We are ready to do everything so that this bloc does not exist. We will fight for peace. And NATO should go to the dustbin of history," he said.

Comment: It seems the West is going to struggle to maintain Moldova as its pawn: Moldova resumes gas purchases from Russia's Gazprom, just a few months after declaring 'independence' from its supplies

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X

Biden's team fears the aftermath of a failed Ukrainian counteroffensive

Jonathan Lemire, Alexander Ward
Politico
Mon, 24 Apr 2023 11:14 UTC
soldier
© John Moore/Getty ImagesUkrainian army soldier • Irpinsky Lipky residential complex
Irpin, Ukraine • April 28, 2022
Behind closed doors, the administration worries about what Ukraine can accomplish.

The Biden administration is quietly preparing for the possibility that if Ukraine's spring counteroffensive falls short of expectations, critics at home and allies abroad will argue that America has come up short, too.

Ukraine's ever-imminent counteroffensive will attempt to retake Russian-seized territory most likely in the east and south, though for operational reasons no senior officials from Kyiv have detailed specifics.

Publicly, President Joe Biden's team has offered unwavering support for Ukraine, pledging to load it up with weapons and economic aid for "as long as it takes." But, if the impending fighting season yields limited gains, administration officials have expressed privately they fear being faced with a two-headed monster attacking it from the hawkish and dovish ends of the spectrum.

One side will say that Ukraine's advances would've worked had the administration given Kyiv everything it asked for, namely longer-range missiles, fighter jets and more air defenses. The other side, administration officials worry, will claim Ukraine's shortcoming proves it can't force Russia out of its territory completely.

That doesn't even account for the reaction of America's allies, mainly in Europe, who may see a peace negotiation between Ukraine and Russia as a more attractive option if Kyiv can't prove victory is around the corner.

Inside the administration, officials stress they're doing everything possible to make the spring offensive succeed.

Comment: Assessments claim Ukraine will lose Western support if counteroffensive fails:
Ukraine has no guarantees of success with a counteroffensive against Russia, despite receiving Western weapons, training, and intelligence support, the New York Times has reported. An underwhelming outcome would likely prompt Kiev's backers to press it to negotiate for peace, the newspaper predicted.

Kiev has long touted an upcoming push as the next decisive phase of the conflict with Russia. The New York Times claimed on Monday that the offensive could be launched as early as May, although Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmigal recently assessed that it might not get underway until the summer.

According to classified documents shared as part of the Pentagon leaks, Ukraine is planning to use 12 combat brigades of about 4,000 troops each in its renewed campaign against Russian forces. The US and its allies have helped train nine of those units, with soldiers being taught to use Western-provided equipment and receiving tactical advice at American military facilities in Germany. Ukraine's backers are also expected to provide it with intelligence for the proposed assault.

Alexander Vershbow, a former US ambassador to Russia and senior NATO official, said of the future operation:
"Everything hinges on this counteroffensive. Everybody's hopeful, maybe over-optimistic. But it will determine whether there is going to be a decent outcome for the Ukrainians."
Kiev has ruled out negotiations with Moscow until it recaptures all the territories that it claims as its own. However, even with all Western help, "big gains are not guaranteed, or even necessarily likely," the NYT warned. The newspaper cited Ukrainian battlefield losses, heavy expenditure of munitions, and Russian troops digging in and preventing the enemy from using Western-taught warfare as working against Kiev.

After the push is over, "there is little chance that the West can recreate the buildup... for the foreseeable future" the report argued. The US and its allies have largely exhausted their military inventories after flooding Kiev with military aid, causing gaps that are unlikely to be filled until next year, experts assessed.

Meanwhile, Russia is ramping up pressure against Ukraine despite previous setbacks, meaning that "the window to make significant gains... may not remain open indefinitely," the NYT stated. With larger reserves at its disposal, Moscow could emerge victorious in the conflict, it acknowledged.
Perception management evaporates when reality replaces delusion.

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Pistol

Did Bellingcat get Ukrainian forces killed?

Kit Klarenberg
The Grayzone
Wed, 26 Apr 2023 00:00 UTC
bellingcatGZ
Christo Grozev of Bellingcat gained a front row seat to a bungled Ukrainian intelligence operation that left a friendly airfield destroyed and soldiers dead. His narrative about his role in the plot is filled with holes.

Criminal charges of treason and abuse of power have been leveled against an unspecified number of Ukrainian servicemen by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). In a bizarre plot to seize Russian aircraft and transfer the planes to Ukraine, the accused soldiers disclosed sensitive information that allowed Moscow to strike an important Ukrainian airfield with a Kalibr missile. A commander was killed, 17 airmen were wounded, two fighter jets destroyed, and "significant damage" was inflicted to the airstrip and several nearby buildings.

Will Ukrainian authorities now level criminal charges against members of Bellingcat, the Western government-funded open source investigations collective, for its role in the connivance? Christo Grozev, the organization's "lead Russia investigator," was inexplicably granted a front row seat to the chicanery by the individuals who attempted to carry it out.

Once the plot unravelled spectacularly, Grozev attempted to spin it as an embarrassment for Russia, while denying the SBU or Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR) played any role in its execution. Instead, he claimed, it was the work of "maverick ex-operatives."
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Chess

'Truth is our most potent weapon' - ex-US Navy technician behind pro-Russian 'Donbass Devushka' collective


RT
Wed, 26 Apr 2023 12:54 UTC
D Devushka
© YouTube
Former US Navy enlisted aviation electronics technician Sarah Bils was recently revealed to be behind Donbass Devushka - a team running several social media channels that was among the first to spread the recent Pentagon leak.

The group publishes information and views on the Ukraine conflict, and geopolitics in general, from a pro-Russian, anti-NATO and anti-Kiev perspective. In a written interview to RT, Bils shared her vision of Donbass Devushka's mission, its strengths and her concern for her own safety.

RT: Were the Pentagon leaks a one-off stroke of journalistic luck, or should we expect more insider information to be revealed by your team in the future?

Sarah Bils: Our commitment to journalistic integrity and the protection of our sources prevents us from disclosing specific details about their identities. However, I can share that the information in question came to our attention via a tip we received through our Telegram chat. Another admin received the images and posted them to the channel. It's crucial to emphasize that no members of our team played a role in the initial leak, in fact, we are now discovering that leaks were occurring as far back as February 2022.

We periodically receive tips through our chat, and we make all attempts to verify any information before disseminating it to our audience. As for potential future breaking news, our primary focus remains on uncovering and sharing the truth.
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Bad Guys

US blackmails nations into confronting Moscow and Beijing - Shoigu


RT
Fri, 28 Apr 2023 19:14 UTC
Sergey Shoigu
© Sputnik / Pavel Bednyakov / FileRussian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu
Washington is resorting to various forms of coercion as it pushes to create regional alliances aimed against its geopolitical rivals, including Moscow and Beijing, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has claimed.

He was speaking to his counterparts representing other members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) at a meeting in New Delhi. The group, which was established by Russia and China, has six other members, including India.

"Unprecedented pressure is being applied to independent nations through the use of open blackmail, threats, 'color revolutions,' coups, and dissemination of blatant disinformation. All those tools long ago became the Western calling card," the minister said on Friday.

The goal of the US and its allies is to undermine the emerging multipolar world and preserve their dominance, according to Shoigu. Washington chose to dismantle the system of global security in pursuit of its ambition and withdrew from multiple treaties with Russia, the minister told his audience.
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