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Binoculars

Western 'network of commandos and spies' helps Ukraine - NYT


RT
Sun, 26 Jun 2022 12:02 UTC
the CIA
© Washington PostCentral Intelligence Agency
A secret network of commandos and spies from the US and its allies is working to provide weapons, intelligence and training to Ukraine, New York Times reported, citing current and former American and European officials. Much of the work takes place at bases in Britain, Germany and France. Some CIA agents have been stationed in Ukraine, mostly in the country's capital of Kiev.

The agents are tasked with sharing satellite images and other intelligence with Ukrainian troops, according to the report.

The US announced the evacuation of military instructors from Ukraine in February. Shortly after Russia launched a military campaign in Ukraine in late February, the US Army's 10th Special Forces Group set up a planning cell in Germany to coordinate military aid to Kiev, the NYT said. The cell has reportedly grown to 20 nations.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said last week that Ukraine was facing "a pivotal moment on the battlefield" and urged allies to continue aiding Kiev.
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Chess

Best of the Web: Chinese ambassador: 'USA wants to start another war, this time in Asia. Beijing will not hesitate to use force to bring Taiwan under its control'


RT
Sat, 25 Jun 2022 13:54 UTC
Chinese militray's air cushion
© People's Liberation Army
Beijing will use all possible means to regain control over Taiwan, including military ones, Chinese ambassador to France Lu Shaye has said.

"We can't leave Taiwan independent," Lu insisted during his interview on Thursday with YouTube channel Livre Noir.

"We'll retake Taiwan by all means, including military ones. If we can't reunify the country by peaceful means, what else are we left to do?" he pointed out, becoming yet another Chinese official to offer such a warning.

The ambassador has blamed the US for stirring tensions around both Taiwan and Ukraine, where Russia's military operation is ongoing.

"The Americans want to start two wars in the world: one in Europe, the other in Asia," he said.
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Pirates

Best of the Web: US & EU special forces and the CIA ARE on the ground in Ukraine after all - Coordinating Ukraine's weapons, training, and 'attack app'

Eric Schmitt
Seattle Times
Sun, 26 Jun 2022 18:24 UTC

Comment: Two weeks ago, this was an 'outrageous conspiracy theory'...


Ukraine US commando military
© Nicole Tung / The New York TimesFILE PHOTO: Ukrainian soldiers in the recaptured village of Novopil, May 25. A secretive operation involving U.S. Special Operations Forces hints at the scale of the effort to assist Ukraine's still outgunned military.
As Russian troops press ahead with a grinding campaign to seize eastern Ukraine, the nation's ability to resist the onslaught depends more than ever on help from the United States and its allies — including a stealthy network of commandos and spies rushing to provide weapons, intelligence and training, according to U.S. and European officials.

Much of this work happens outside Ukraine, at bases in Germany, France and Britain, for example. But even as the Biden administration has declared it will not deploy U.S. troops to Ukraine, some CIA personnel have continued to operate in the country secretly, mostly in the capital, Kyiv, directing much of the massive amounts of intelligence the United States is sharing with Ukrainian forces, according to current and former officials.
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NPC

No 'corridors' for sanctioned Russian goods to Kaliningrad - Lithuania


RT
Sun, 26 Jun 2022 06:43 UTC
Lithuanian parliament
© AP Photo / Mindaugas KulbisUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to the Lithuanian parliament in Vilnius, Lithuania, April 12, 2022.
Lithuania will maintain the ban on the transit of sanctioned goods between Kaliningrad Region and mainland Russia, President Gitanas Nauseda has said.

"It is absolutely clear that Lithuania must and will implement EU sanctions," Nauseda wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday.

"Lithuania must and will maintain control over the goods passing through its territory, and there cannot be any 'corridors', nor can there be any appeasement of Russia in response to the Kremlin's threats. I have made clear to the president of the European Commission how Lithuania sees the situation."

Kaliningrad Region is a small Russian exclave nestled between Lithuania and Poland. A week ago, Lithuania's national rail operator suspended the transit of sanctions goods between Kaliningrad and the rest of Russia, citing instructions from Brussels.

Since the EU closed its airspace to Russian planes in February, the only option for the authorities in Kaliningrad now is to ferry goods to and from mainland Russia via the Baltic Sea.

Comment: Notably, the EU has been silent over Lithuania's total blockade, meanwhile Russia, which expected such 'nastiness', has been readying its ferries to get goods to Kaliningrad, it has also detailed just some of the immediate losses Vilnius will incur: Lithuania's blockade of Kaliningrad receives no support from West, Russia prepares 'practical' response

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Sheriff

Argentina wants to join BRICS - President Fernandez


RT
Sat, 25 Jun 2022 10:39 UTC
Alberto Fernandez
© IP3press / Legion-MediaPresident Alberto Fernandez of Argentina, in France, 13th May 2022
Argentina wants the BRICS emerging economies to admit it as a full member, President Alberto Fernandez said on Friday at the group's 14th summit.

"Argentina wants to join this space and offer its contributions as a member of it," Fernandez said via video link.

The BRICS nations, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, account for over 40 percent of the global population and nearly a quarter of the world's gross domestic product.

The 14th BRICS summit was hosted by China, which currently holds the rotating presidency.
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Colosseum

German economy minister reveals gas crisis is unprecedented, consequences could be 'catastrophic'


RT
Sat, 25 Jun 2022 09:01 UTC
Robert Habeck germany climate
© Bündnis 90/Die GrünenFILE PHOTO: German Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck
Germany is facing a "more significant" crisis than during the world's first oil shock in 1973, according to Economy Minister Robert Habeck.

In a worst-case scenario, the coming winter could see factories shut down, workers laid off, and people going into debt to pay their heating bills, the minister told Der Spiegel in a lengthy interview published on Friday.

Habeck warned that price hikes for the German population are "not over yet" and energy costs are only "gradually" being raised for consumers. "More people will be affected," he said, adding: "we are already in a situation in which Germany has never been" due to the "gas crisis."
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Eye 1

Best of the Web: Amid food crisis EU tells Africa to not buy Russia's fertilizer, nor to create own, as to do so would clash with 'green goals'

Francesco Guarascio
Reuters
Mon, 20 Jun 2022 08:43 UTC

Comment: "Let them eat euros!"


africa food
© REUTERS/Mike HutchingsEU split over fertiliser plants in poorer nations as food crisis bites
The European Union is divided on how to help poorer nations fight a growing food crisis and address shortages of fertilisers caused by the war in Ukraine, with some fearing a plan to invest in plants in Africa would clash with EU green goals.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has prompted a global food crisis and fears of worse to come because of a drop in grain exports from Ukraine and a spike in prices of chemical fertilisers, of which Russia and Belarus are major producers.

The EU has for weeks tried to help its poorer neighbours in Africa and the Middle East to weather the crisis by offering them fresh funds, while trying to convince them EU sanctions against Moscow and Minsk are not to be blamed for the food emergency .


Comment: Africans can't eat the EU's 'fresh funds', and, even if they were to trickle down, food costs are rising, and fast. Further, the West's war on Russia and the sanctions regime is a significant factor in the current crisis, and Africans know it, that's why many of their leaders are refusing to condemn Russia's special operation: China surpasses US in the eyes of young Africans as having 'most positive influence' - poll


Comment: So the EU's solution is to 'urge' Africa to be 'more efficient' with their fertilizer use... When food costs are soaring and shortages are already occurring, wasting time like this will likely have deadly consequences: Egypt's finance minister echoes warning of looming global famine where 'millions could die', intends to remove country's bread subsidies

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Quenelle

Russia agrees to supply Iskander-M missile systems to Belarus in coming months - Putin


TASS
Sat, 25 Jun 2022 19:40 UTC
Luka and Putin
© UnknownFILE PHOTO: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko • Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian leader also proposed to instruct Russian and Belarusian defense ministers and chiefs of staff to work through all the details related to this issue.
Moscow will supply Iskander-M missile systems to Minsk in the coming months, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the opening of talks with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko on Saturday.

"As you and I have agreed upon, you were asking about this, we made a decision. In the coming months, we will supply Belarus with Iskander-M tactical missile systems which, as it is known, can use both ballistic and cruise missiles both in the standard and nuclear modifications," Putin said.

The Russian leader also proposed to instruct Russian and Belarusian defense ministers and chiefs of staff to work through all the details related to this issue. "I agree absolutely," said Lukashenko. "It's a deal," concluded Putin.

Comment: See also: Lithuania's blockade of Kaliningrad receives no support from West, Russia prepares 'practical' response

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Green Light

BRICS summit affirms support for Russia-Ukraine talks, increase cooperation and trade, reform of UN


ThePrint.in
Sat, 25 Jun 2022 21:07 UTC
BRICS Ukraine 2022
BRICS leaders discussed the ongoing situation in Ukraine
Member countries of the BRICS grouping on Thursday issued a declaration stating that they discussed the situation in Ukraine and supported the negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.

The Beijing Declaration of the XIV BRICS summit issued on Thursday reads: "We have discussed the situation in Ukraine and recall our national positions as expressed at the appropriate fora, namely the UNSC and UNGA. We support talks between Russia and Ukraine."

Leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) adopted a final declaration following the organization's 14th summit today. The summit was held online and was chaired by China.

Comment: See also: New World Order: China promotes 'non-Western' multilateralism at BRICS summit

And check out SOTT radio's: NewsReal: Russia, China and the New World Order



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Bullseye

Many EU countries are in 'direct war' with Russia - Serbia's President


RT
Sat, 25 Jun 2022 14:53 UTC
Aleksandar Vucic
© Darko Vojinovic / APSerbian President Aleksandar Vucic. Europeans are sending weapons to Ukraine and are angry that Serbia "is not in their shoes," President Aleksandar Vucic claims.
Many EU states are in "a direct war" with Russia and are "angry" with Belgrade for refusing to go along with sanctions, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Saturday.

Speaking at a press conference two days after attending a meeting between the 27 EU leaders and six heads of government from the West Balkans, Vucic claimed the Balkans "were not important that day" for the EU, as the bloc is "completely at war with Russia" and its priority was to provide Ukraine and Moldova with EU candidate status.

"Viktor Orban [Hungarian prime minister] said that in the economic sense, Serbia and Montenegro are much more ready to be part of the EU than some other countries. But who cares?" Vucic remarked.
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