Daily Archives: February 19, 2022

2022-02-19: Ukraine Coverage – Updated

SF015 (2022-02-19). Ukrainian Army Continues Massive Shelling of Donetsk and Luhansk. southfront.org The Ukrainian army continuously fires 120mm mortars at the settlements of Zaitseve and Dokuchaevsk in the Donetsk region. | Thousands of shells were fired during the day, mainly at civilian infrastructure and residential areas in the districts of Gorlovka and Lugansk, currently under massive artillery fire by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Dozens have been reported only in the last hour. | A few hours ago, the car of the head of the People’s Militia of the DPR Denis Sinyakov was blown up by Ukrainian saboteurs in the center…

sputniknews (2022-02-19). Ukraine’s NATO Membership Not on Agenda, Won’t Happen in Foreseeable Future, German Chancellor Says. sputniknews.com Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany has adamantly demanded membership in the Western alliance for his country, warning that Kiev may be forced to pursue nuclear weapons if its membership bid is declined. Last week, German media reported that officials in Berlin were consciously avoiding the “pain in the a**” diplomat over his “undiplomatic contact.”

Zahra Mirzafarjouyan (2022-02-19). Two explosions hit Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine (+VIDEO). en.mehrnews.com Two explosions have rocked Ukraine’s eastern separatist region of Luhansk, one hitting a gas pipeline.

TASS (2022-02-19). Donetsk says Ukraine’s shelling damaged water supply station. tass.com The situation along the contact line in eastern Ukraine took a turn for the worse on Thursday morning…

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-19). Preparations: South Ossetia boosts support for Donetsk, Lugansk, Transnistria. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com State News Agency of South OssetiaFebruary 18, 2022 The Parliament of South Ossetia supported the State Duma of the Russian Federation on the recognition of the DPR and the LPR Deputies of the Parliament of South Ossetia supported the appeal of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation to the President …

Staff (2022-02-19). Russian region declares emergency amid influx of refugees. rt.com The two self-proclaimed Donbass republics in eastern Ukraine have announced they are evacuating civilians across the border | A Russian region bordering Eastern Ukraine has declared a state of emergency on Saturday, with reports of refugees from the separatist-held Donbass crossing over the border amid a military escalation with Kiev. | The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) announced that they had begun evacuating civilians to Russia on Friday, with rebels and Ukrainian army forces accusing each other of shelling across the contact line. It is unclear how many…

TASS (2022-02-19). Russia to protect its citizens in Donetsk, Lugansk if they are in danger – Duma speaker. tass.com Russia doesn’t want war, Vyacheslav Volodin said…

sputniknews (2022-02-19). DPR, LPR Order General Military Mobilisation as Kiev Continues to Shell Donbass. sputniknews.com On Friday, the self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) and Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) announced the evacuation of their citizens to Russia’s Rostov Region after the Ukrainian army launched an attack against the republics.

sputniknews (2022-02-19). Buses Evacuating Residents From Donetsk to Russia as Kiev Forces Shell Donbass. sputniknews.com The authorities of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Lugansk People’s Republic started the evacuation of civilians to Russia on Friday, fearing military aggression by the Ukrainian government.

sputniknews (2022-02-19). TikTok Unblocks Account of RIA Novosti After Intervention of Media Watchdog. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The social network TikTok has unblocked the official account of RIA Novosti news agency and restored the deleted video with the appeal of the head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, Denis Pushilin, after Russia’s state communications regulator Roskomnadzor intervened, the watchdog said.

Staff (2022-02-19). Ukrainian breakaway republic shelled, RT crew nearby. rt.com A small town outside Donetsk came under fire as RT Arabic was covering the events | The area where an RT Arabic television channel crew was working came under fire in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic in southeastern Ukraine on Saturday, the network has confirmed. According to preliminary information, nobody was injured. | “Our correspondent said that the incident has occurred in the town of Zaitsevo, located near the line of contact between the two sides of the conflict in Donbass,” RT Arabic reported. | According to the channel’s editor-in-chief Maya Manna, the reporter Maxim Al-Toury, his camera…

sputniknews (2022-02-19). DPR Village Left Without Power, Water as Key Pumping Station Damaged in Shelling by Ukrainian Forces. sputniknews.com The Ukrainian forces shelled the village of Vasilyevka in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), firing four 82-millimeter mortars, the DPR representative office in the Joint Center for Control and Coordination on ceasefire (JCCC) said.

TASS (2022-02-19). Lugansk and Donetsk republics head orders general mobilization. tass.com I’m urging fellow citizens who are in the reserve to report to military conscription offices, head of the DPR Denis Pushilin said…

TASS (2022-02-19). At least two powerful explosions of gas pipeline occur in Lugansk. tass.com Luganskinformcenter published a video footage, depicting a bright yellow glow illuminating the city…

Staff (2022-02-19). Gas company comments on blast amid escalation in eastern Ukraine. rt.com An explosion in the self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic was reported around midnight | A gas company from the self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) in eastern Ukraine has said that the blasts at a local pipeline were manmade. | “After assessing the damage, [we can say] that the cause of explosions is a sabotage,” Tatyana Bogorodko, the director of Luganskgaz, said on Saturday. | The first blast was reported in the village of Malaya Vergunka outside Lugansk shortly after midnight. The second explosion occurred at a pipeline in Lugansk itself around half an hour later, the company said, adding th…

TASS (2022-02-19). Explosions in Lugansk did not affect gas transit through Ukraine – pipeline operator. tass.com It underscored that the gas transit continues as usual…

Staff (2022-02-19). ‘Omens are grim’ for Ukraine, UK PM warns. rt.com Boris Johnson called on Western nations to stand with Kiev and support sanctions against Moscow | Moscow could be just moments away from ordering a full-blown invasion of Ukraine, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has alleged, amid reports of heavy shelling and explosions near the contact line in the Donbass. | Speaking at a press conference alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Johnson claimed that the world is at “a very dangerous moment in history” and stands “on the brink of what could be a war in Europe.” | “If Ukraine is invaded and if Ukraine…

Staff (2022-02-19). Explosion reported in southern Russia. rt.com Russian media quotes a police source as saying that a shell exploded close to the shared frontier | A shell has allegedly exploded on Russian territory, close to the border with the war-torn Donbass region of Ukraine, local media has reported. | On Saturday, Russian news agency RIA Novosti wrote that a police source in the southern Rostov region had claimed authorities were responding to the detonation in a rural community in the area. “The blast occurred at 4 am, 300 meters (984 feet) away from a house in the village of Mityakinskaya,” the official said. | The incident reportedly occurred one kilometer (0.6 m…

SF015 (2022-02-19). Zelensky’s Knocking At The Bear’s Door. southfront.org Written by Alex Gallant exclusively for SouthFront | The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) Following the heightened tensions of the last 48h, Kyiv continues to transfer additional units in Donbass, seemingly in preparation of a potential large-sca…

TASS (2022-02-19). Acting Minister of Emergency Situations, chief sanitary medic arrive in Rostov Region. tass.com The plane landed at the Platov airport. It also carried a Ministry task force and medics, who will organize the admission of Donbass evacuees…

WSWS (2022-02-19). Canada to arm Ukraine with lethal weapons as part of US-led war drive against Russia. wsws.org Even though recent shelling in eastern Ukraine was instigated by Ukrainian forces, Canada’s foreign ministry asserted without any evidence that “Russian military activity” was “escalating” the situation in Donbas.

Staff (2022-02-19). Putin launches nuclear war drills (VIDEOS). rt.com The exercise is taking place amid tensions with the West over Ukraine | Russian President Vladimir Putin launched strategic drills on Saturday, and is following the exercises from the situation center in Moscow, along with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. | The drills involve both nuclear and non-nuclear weapons, and are being held amid the escalation in eastern Ukraine and continuing tensions with NATO. The Russian Defense Ministry said ahead of the maneuvers that they would include the “launching of ballistic and cruise missiles.” The air force is set participate along with the country’s Northern and…

WSWS (2022-02-19). Macron announces withdrawal of French troops from Mali. wsws.org This withdrawal, driven by mounting popular opposition to French imperialism, comes amid the closely related NATO operations to provoke a war with Russia over Ukraine.

WSWS (2022-02-19). Biden threats over Ukraine roil markets. wsws.org There have been warnings of a “perfect storm” that could hit, resulting from a combination of rising geo-political conflicts and increased interest rates.

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-19). Pentagon chief in Poland: “The most dangerous conflict since World War II” antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Quotes from video of joint press conference below. Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak: “The most dangerous conflict since World War II.” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin: “Polish and American soldiers fought and died together in Iraq and Afghanistan.” “[Poland] Fourth largest concentration of U.S. forces in Europe.” === Radio PolandFebruary 18, 2022 NATO stands united with Ukraine as …

Staff (2022-02-19). Russia rejects Moscow’s involvement in Ukraine cyberattacks. en.mehrnews.com Russian Embassy in Washington debunked claims of US Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology Anne Neuberger regarding Moscow’s alleged involvement in the recent cyberattacks in Ukraine.

TASS (2022-02-19). EU, NATO, US leaders call for immediate de-escalation of situation around Ukraine. tass.com The situation around Ukraine will become the main topic of EU Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Brussels on February 21…

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-19). VP Harris said U.S. mulling reinforcements in Baltic States — Lithuania. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com ReutersFebruary 18, 2022 U.S. is discussing reinforcement of Baltic States — Lithuanian president U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris told Baltic leaders that Washington is considering reinforcing their states militarily as the Ukraine-Russia crisis grows, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said on Friday. “We were told that yes, at this moment they are discussing the question of …

Staff (2022-02-19). EU issues warning about Russian 'isolation'. rt.com Brussels’ top official has warned of a return to the days of the Cold War | The worsening standoff between Russia and the West threatens to upend European security and ultimately could end up isolating Moscow in a way not seen since the days of the Soviet Union, the European Union has cautioned as an escalating crisis unfolds on the border with Ukraine. | Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that “the world has been watching in disbelief we face the largest build-up of troops on European soil since the darkest days of the Cold War.” | A…

Staff (2022-02-19). Germany has no plans to allow Ukraine join NATO — Scholz. rt.com The German chancellor said the row between Russia and the West is potentially dangerous but can be resolved | NATO currently has no plans to admit Ukraine as a member despite Moscow’s demands that the US-led military bloc pledge not to expand further towards its borders, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said amid a worsening standoff between the two former Soviet republics. | Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Berlin’s top politician said that “Russia has made the issue of Ukraine’s possible NATO membership a casus belli,” effectively making it a pretext for war if Kiev’s ambitions to joi…

TASS (2022-02-19). Russian embassy rejects US allegations of Moscow’s involvement in Ukraine cyberattacks. tass.com According to the statement, published on the embassy’s Facebook page, Neuberger’s claims are “blatantly anti-Russian”

sputniknews (2022-02-19). EU, Allies to Sanction Russia’s Energy & Tech Fields in Event of Ukraine Escalation – Von Der Leyen. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The European Union and its allies have prepared a package of sanctions against Russia targeting energy and advanced technology sectors in the event of escalation in Ukraine, President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen said Saturday.

United Against War, Militarism (2022-02-19). Wednesday 2/23: Roundtable Discussion: Ukraine Crisis. indybay.org On Zoom! Link: rb.gy/bxhzue…

sputniknews (2022-02-19). Russia Not Involved in Recent Cyberattacks on Ukraine, Embassy to US Says. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – Russia was not involved in the recent cyberattacks on Ukrainian banks, the Russian Embassy to the United States said, thus rejecting the US accusations.

TASS (2022-02-19). Some 25,000 people left LPR on their own. tass.com About 10,000 more people will leave the republic via organized convoys, says LPR Minister of Emergency Situations Yevgeny Katsavalov…

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-19). State Department clears way for 250 Abrams tanks for Poland. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Radio PolandFebruary 18, 2022 US State Dept. OKs sale of 250 Abrams tanks to Poland: defence minister The US State Department has approved the sale of 250 state-of-the-art Abrams tanks to Poland, the Polish defence minister announced on Friday. “Very important news for Polish security: The State Department has approved the sale of 250 Abrams …

Oakland Privacy (2022-02-19). Wednesday 3/9: Oakland Privacy: Fighting Against the Surveillance State. indybay.org Please email contact@oaklandprivacy.org a few days before the meeting to get up-to-date location information or obtain Zoom meeting access info.

WSWS (2022-02-18). Shelling in Donbass brings Europe to brink of war. wsws.org Heavy artillery shelling reported in East Ukraine’s Donbass region is the most significant military escalation of the conflict between the US-funded Ukrainian army and pro-Russian separatists since at least last spring.

sputniknews (2022-02-18). Lavrov: Russia ‘Alarmed’ by Escalation of Shelling, Use of Arms Banned by Minsk Accords in Donbass. sputniknews.com The region was thrust into a civil war in the spring of 2014, in the aftermath of a US and EU-backed coup in Kiev.

sputniknews (2022-02-18). Lugansk Suburbs Shelled in Ukrainian Military Attacks Overnight, Self-Proclaimed Republic Says. sputniknews.com Ukrainian security forces fired again at the territory of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic, opening fire in the suburbs of Lugansk, the LPR mission to the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination of the Ceasefire Regime (JCCC) said.

Staff (2022-02-18). Breakaway Ukrainian region orders evacuation. rt.com

TASS (2022-02-18). Ukraine’s security council chief sees no threat of Russian attack. tass.com Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Secretary Alexey Danilov said Kiev is registering “provocations by Russia in Donbass”

Staff (2022-02-18). Lavrov labels Western ‘Russia invasion’ claims ‘propaganda, fakes and fiction’. rt.com “If they enjoy it, let them,” the foreign minister told RT regarding claims from officials and media | Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has lashed out at Western officials who have been peddling the purported threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. Apparently, they do it for the sheer pleasure of accusing Moscow, he told RT in an exclusive interview on Friday. | “I am certain that even casual observers of foreign policy have long confirmed to themselves that all of it is propaganda, fake news, fiction,” Lavrov said of the accusations. | He suggested that Western officials making such claims simply like…

TASS (2022-02-18). UN received Russian documents about crimes in Donbass. tass.com The Russian Investigative Committee earlier said it had launched a criminal case into the discovery of mass graves of Donbass civilians killed in shelling…

sputniknews (2022-02-18). Ukraine’s Prospects of Joining NATO Were Never Strong, Ex-MI6 Chief Reveals. sputniknews.com Ukraine switched from a policy of bloc neutrality toward aspiring to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 2014, after a US and EU-backed coup overthrew the country’s democratically elected government.

TASS (2022-02-18). US condones forceful assimilation of Russians in Ukraine – Russian ambassador to US. tass.com We see here not just double standards of the United States, but quite a primitive and crude cynicism, Anatoly Antonov said…

_____ (2022-02-18). Civil Defence Sirens Sound In Donetsk After Mass Evacuation Announcement. popularresistance.org Loud civil defense sirens have been heard in Donetsk after the announcement of mass evacuation from the self-proclaimed republic to Russia, a Sputnik correspondent reported. | The sirens can be heard in the videos captured by the correspondent, and streets are seen to be completely deserted. Local authorities have yet to announce why the sirens sounded. The civil defence sirens go off in Donetsk regularly (once every two or three months) but, as a rule, the authorities of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) warn the population in advance. | The sirens went off shortly after Denis Pushilin, the DPR…

TASS (2022-02-18). Donetsk, Lugansk republics need Russia’s support – statement of State Duma’s LDPR faction. tass.com At these moments hundreds of thousands of Russian inhabitants of Donbass are at risk of being annihilated by the Ukrainian military, said in a statement…

Anonymous103 (2022-02-18). Saving Their Lives: Mass Evacuation From Eastern Ukraine To Russia (Videos). southfront.org Click to see full-size image | The Ukrainian army continues the massive shelling of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR). On February 18th, thousands of shells hit the territories of the republics. In addition to attempts to break through the defenses of local fighters on the front lines, the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) are targeting civilian facilities in the DPR and LPR. | Settlements along the entire front line are suffering from the intense shelling by the UAF for the second da…

TASS (2022-02-18). DPR emergencies ministry plans to evacuate 700,000 people to Russia. tass.com First buses with people from Donetsk are already heading to the border with Russia…

Anonymous349 (2022-02-18). Determined To Instigate War In Ukraine (Videos, Photos). southfront.org Click to see the full-size image | Over the past 24 hours, forces of the Kiev regime have been consistently taking efforts to deploy even more forces to the contact line with Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics in the East. At the same time, particular units of the Ukrai…

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-18). Donetsk, Lugansk announce evacuation of citizens to Russia. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Donetsk News AgencyFebruary 18, 2022 Ukrainian aggression prompts civilians evacuation from DPR to Russia — Pushilin See also: Preparations: South Ossetia boosts support for Donetsk, Lugansk, Transnistria DPR has announced evacuation of civilians, first of all women, children and elderly citizens to the Russia Federation. “From today, February 18, a mass centralized departure of the …

TASS (2022-02-18). State of high alert declared in Rostov region over evacuation from Donetsk, Lugansk. tass.com

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-18). U.S., EU pushing kindergarten Raƒçak theme. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com The EU’s Borrell has been even more bellicose than Biden and Stoltenberg over the past year. See also: Canadian junta accuses Russia of shelling kindergarten in Ukraine UkranewsFebruary 18, 2022 U.S. Considers Kindergarten Shelling In Stanytsia Luhanska Minsk Agreements Violation By Russia The United States Embassy in Ukraine considers the shelling of a kindergarten in …

_____ (2022-02-18). US Doubles Downs On Russian ‘Invasion’ Rhetoric At UN. popularresistance.org The United States and Russia again clashed at the U.N. Security Council on Thursday, with the U.S. repeating its alarmist message that Russia is poised to invade Ukraine at any time. | The incessant U.S. accusation of Russian aggression against Ukraine was accompanied by reports Thursday by OSCE monitors of more than 500 explosions at the line of confrontation in the Donbass region of Ukraine. | Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin, who chaired the council meeting as this month’s president, said 122,000 Ukrainian military forces were lined up at the front with Donbass with the possible intention of la…

_____ (2022-02-18). US Doubles Downs on Russian ‘Invasion’ Rhetoric at UN Amid Signs of Donbass Offensive. strategic-culture.org Blinken’s certainty about an “invasion” is suspicious. He may know more than he’s saying: such as the date of the Kiev offensive, perhaps designed to provoke the invasion he is so sure will happen, writes Joe Lauria. | By Joe LAURIA | The United States and Russia again clashed at the U.N. Security Council on Thursday, with the U.S. repeating its alarmist message that Russia is poised to invade Ukraine at any time. | The incessant U.S. accusation of Russian aggression against Ukraine was accompanied by reports Thursday by OSCE monitors of more than 500 explosions at the line of confrontation in the Donbass region…

TASS (2022-02-18). First civilians evacuated from Donbass arrive in Russia’s Rostov region. tass.com It was reported that temporary accommodation facilities would be put up at several healthcare and resort centers in the area…

TASS (2022-02-18). Over 80 buses with people evacuated from Donbass reach Russia’s Rostov region. tass.com The evacuation of children was organized in the course of priority…

TASS (2022-02-18). DPR leader says situation in Donbass is on brink of war. tass.com The situation along the contact line in eastern Ukraine deteriorated on Thursday morning, when the self-proclaimed republics reported the most intense shelling attacks by Ukrainian troops…

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-18). Lavrov: Russia investigating Bosnian, Kosovo, Albanian mercenaries in Donbass, warns of new Raƒçak. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com TASSFebruary 18, 2022 Russia checking reports about mercenaries for Donbass from Kosovo, Albania, B&H — Lavrov (With correct spelling of William Walker’s name.) Russia is double checking reports that mercenaries are being sent from Kosovo, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina to Donbass, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with RT television, which …

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-18). Netherlands to deliver more arms, equipment for Donbass war. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com UkrinformFebruary 18, 2022 Netherlands to supply weapons, military equipment to Ukraine According to Ukrinform’s correspondent in The Hague, the Dutch government made such a decision on Friday, February 18, in response to Ukraine’s request for military assistance…. In particular, the Netherlands is to provide sniper rifles, helmets, body armor, radars and metal detectors to Ukraine …

Dana Sanchez (2022-02-18). ‘We’re Headed For War’: Political Observers Say Expected Russian ‘False Flag’ Operation Has Already Started In Eastern Ukraine. moguldom.com U.S. officials are warning of an imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine in the next few days with weapons that could include cyber warfare, ballistic missiles, fighter jets and tanks. Russian military personnel in Crimea and areas near Ukraine have increased from an estimated 100,000 on Jan. 30 to as much as 190,000, said Michael Carpenter, …

TASS (2022-02-18). First buses with people evacuated from DPR reach Russia’s Rostov region. tass.com The situation along the contact line in eastern Ukraine deteriorated on Thursday morning…

John Wojcik (2022-02-18). War danger rises after continued U.S. fearmongering on Ukraine. peoplesworld.org After U.S. credibility was strained again Thursday by yet another declaration coming from President Joe Biden that he expects a Russian invasion of Ukraine in the next few days, Secretary of State Antony Blinken rushed to the U.N. to assure the Security Council that “I am here today not to start a war but to …

PAI (2022-02-18). U.S. Labor Against War opposes U.S. moves towards Ukraine combat. peoplesworld.org

Kenya Elliott (2022-02-18). Ukraine crisis escalates after U.S. swats away Russian olive branch. liberationnews.org The crisis in Ukraine continues to escalate as U.S. and allied politicians turn up the temperature with aggressive rhetoric and extreme accusations.

Staff (2022-02-18). Venezuela Expresses Total Support for Russia on Ukraine Tensions. orinocotribune.com “Russia has the full support of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in the fight it is putting up to dispel the threats from NATO and the Western world,” said the President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, this Wednesday, February 16, during his meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Yuri Borisov. | During the meeting of the High-Level Intergovernmental Commission (CIAN), where strategic agreements were signed between both nations at Miraflores Palace in Caracas, the Venezuelan head of state stated his position, expressing his belief that Russia will continue to be a peaceful nation. | “

JANET (2022-02-18). Ukraine crisis: who fabricates a war, and how? iacenter.org By Sergio Rodriguez Gelfenstein The author is a Venezuelan international relations expert, who was previously Director of the International Relations of the Presidency of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, his country’s ambassador to Nicaragua and an advisor for international politics for TELESUR. Translation: United World International, edited by John Catalinotto. Feb. 2 — It is almost natural that countries (especially the powers that have more capability of doing so) would like to resolve their internal problems by unleashing conflicts abroad. For that, they invent attacks on their national security,…

JANET (2022-02-18). Not Another U.S. War! Demo TOMORROW @3PM: Grand Central Terminal, NYC. iacenter.org DANGER! Not Another U.S. War! SATURDAY, February 19, 2022, at 3 PM Inside GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL, At the Clock, Park Avenue & East 42nd Street, NYC Stop the war with Russia Every U.S. war in our life time is based on lies, provocations and false flag operations. We need healthcare and education, not endless US wars. Stop the NATO expansion! Stop sending U.S. weapons to Ukraine, Poland, Romania and throughout the European Union. Fight Racism! Not Russia With participation from: Antiwar, social justice, anti-racist, environmental, human rights and veterans groups. An Emergency Action with activists from groups incl…

Staff (2022-02-18). A Call for Peace: Russian & U.S. Women Push for Diplomacy, Not Military Action, to Resolve Crisis. democracynow.org U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov have agreed to meet next week as tension remains high over Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia has announced plans to stage massive drills on Saturday of its nuclear forces, including multiple practice missile launches. We speak with Russian journalist Nadezhda Azhgikhina, one of a group of two dozen independent Russian and American women who released an open letter this week calling for peace. The letter reads, “We are united in the belief that diplomacy, dialogue, engagement and exchange are urgently needed to end the current crisis an…

Staff (2022-02-18). Headlines for February 18, 2022. democracynow.org Biden Claims Russia Is Plotting a “False Flag” Operation as Pretext for Ukraine Invasion, COVID-19 Cases Hit Record Highs in Asian Countries as Omicron Variant Surges, Donald Trump, Trump Jr. and Ivanka Ordered to Testify in New York Civil Fraud Probe, Florida Lawmakers Advance Bill to Ban Abortions After 15 Weeks, More Than a Quarter of World’s Women Worldwide Have Experienced Domestic Violence, Haitian Sweatshop Workers Strike to Demand $15 a Day, Death Toll in Brazil Landslides Rises to 117, with 100+ Still Missing, Canadian Police Investigating Sabotage of Coastal GasLink Pipeline Worksite,…

_____ (2022-02-18). America’s Dirty Habit… Another Historic Intelligence Operation to Incite Aggression and War. strategic-culture.org Western media are complicit in selling war propaganda by distorting the danger and falsely attributing the aggression to Russia. | Well, there it is for the whole to see. Great expectations and theatrical predictions that Russia would invade Ukraine this week failed spectacularly to materialize. | But the situation is far from funny nor far from the danger of war being yet incited. That’s largely because the United States, from its president and his top officials to an army of ghoulish media pundits, are crying wolf even more hysterically. | The combustible conflict in Ukraine between a U.S.-backed Neofascist re…

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-18). Canadian junta accuses Russia of shelling kindergarten in Ukraine. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Several sites have run the Canadian Press account with identical language. Foreign Minister Joly seems alone in blaming Russia for the shelling in question. This is the leader of Canada’s martial law regime in characteristic form yesterday. His government has trained the most Ukrainian government troops (over 30,000 as of last autumn) for the intensifying …

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-18). Canadian dictatorship announces Biden to speak with NATO, EU leaders on Ukraine. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Interfax-UkraineFebruary 18, 2022 US President organizes meeting of EU and NATO leaders on Ukraine — Canadian PM’s Office U.S. President Joe Biden is organizing a meeting with the heads of EU and NATO countries to discuss the situation around Ukraine, the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada reports. “The Prime Minister will participate in …

Staff (2022-02-18). Iran ready to help resolve crisis in Ukraine peacefully. en.mehrnews.com Referring to the crisis in the relations between Ukraine and Russia, the Iranian Foreign Minister said that Iran is ready to provide any necessary assistance and take any necessary action to resolve the crisis peacefully.

TASS (2022-02-18). Blinken ready to meet with Lavrov late next week. tass.com US–ê ready to accept the proposed dates for late next week, “provided there is no further Russian invasion of Ukraine,” US Secretary of State said…

Middle East Monitor (2022-02-18). How the Russia-Ukraine Conflict is Lose-Lose for Israel. juancole.com By Adnan Abu Amer | — ( Middle East Monitor ) — It is almost 3,000 kilometres from Tel Aviv to Kyiv, and yet the crisis between Ukraine and Russia is having a huge impact on Israel. Why does it seem to be a party to the crisis when it shares no border with either …

Nikola Mikovic (2022-02-18). Ukraine: Waiting for an ‘imminent’ war to start. asiatimes.com The situation in Ukraine continues to be very tense, fluid and evolving. The Donbas conflict that erupted in 2014 threatens to escalate, while Western media, politicians and analysts speculate about the exact date Russia may invade its neighbor. The very same pundits who claimed Russian President Vladimir Putin would attack Ukraine on February 16 now …

Dave DeCamp (2022-02-18). Russia Expels US Deputy Ambassador From Moscow, Says It’s a Retaliatory Move. news.antiwar.com The State Department said Thursday that Russia had expelled Bart Gorman, who served as the deputy US ambassador in Moscow, amid heightened tensions between the US and Russia over Ukraine. Moscow said the move was a response to the US’s “unreasonable expulsion” of a senior Russian diplomat by Washington. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova …

Staff (2022-02-18). Second Ukrainian tests positive for banned drug at Olympics. rt.com The bobsledder’s Winter Olympics sample contained a steroid, doping chiefs announced in the wake of a Ukrainian skier testing positive for three banned substances | Strongwoman-turned-bobsledder Lidiia Hunko has become the second Ukrainian to fail a drugs test at the Beijing Winter Olympic Games this week, the International Testing Agency (ITA) has announced. | The 28-year-old, who is a former world champion deadlifter, was tested by the ITA during an in-competition anti-doping control check on Monday, when she finished 20th in the women’s monobob. | A World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited (WADA) laboratory in B…

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-18). Britain deploys troops, tanks, warplanes to Estonia, Poland, Cyprus. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Ukraine 112February 17, 2022 UK to send more troops and tanks to Estonia, to NATO’s eastern flank UK will double the number of troops in Estonia as part of NATO deployment. This was stated by Britain’s Ministry of Defense…. “The UK is doubling the number of personnel in Estonia and sending additional equipment, including tanks …

TASS (2022-02-18). British embassy in Ukraine temporarily moving to Lvov. tass.com British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said that the British embassy had relocated some of its staff to Lvov, however, she promised to keep diplomatic presence in Kiev…

Dave DeCamp (2022-02-18). US Still Claims Russian Invasion of Ukraine Could Happen in the ‘Coming Days’. news.antiwar.com US officials continue to warn that Russia is preparing to invade Ukraine despite Moscow’s repeated denials and Ukraine’s downplaying of the threat. At a UN Security Council meeting on Thursday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken Blinken claimed that the US has evidence that Russian forces “are preparing to launch an attack against Ukraine in the coming days.” He accused Russia of creating a pretext fo…

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-18). Headlines that cause wars. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com And are designed to do just that. Recent stories picked up and circulated by Yahoo News. The first is only missing the adjectives Young and Innocent before the word Kids. Daily BeastPro-Russian Forces Shell Ukrainian Kindergarten Full of Kids The HillRussia likely to launch ‘limited’ attack against Ukraine, Estonia foreign intelligence agents say AxiosU.S. warns …

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-18). German Eurofighters arrive in Romania on NATO deployment. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com ReutersFebruary 17, 2022 German Eurofighters reach Romania for NATO missions amid Ukraine crisis German Air Force Eurofighters arrived at a military air base in eastern Romania on Thursday as part of a deployment to NATO’s eastern flanks amid a Russian military build-up on Ukraine’s border, the defence ministry said. The three Eurofighters and roughly 60 …

Dave DeCamp (2022-02-18). Zelensky Downplays Ukraine’s Chances for Potential NATO Membership. news.antiwar.com On Thursday, Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelensky downplayed the chance of Ukraine joining NATO Zelensky said that despite Ukraine’s desire to join the Western military alliance, the process was not advancing. Some NATO member states would not approve Ukraine’s membership, which Zelensky recognized. | “Not only Russia is against [our] membership. Some individual NATO members support Moscow’s position. That is an open secret,” he told Bild. Z…

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-18). 2014: The Ukraine crisis and the battle for former Soviet space. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com The audio improves after a few minutes. Most of the presentation deals with matters preceding the overthrow of the Ukrainian government in early 2014 and as such gives the lie to NATO’s claims that its offensive actions over the past 23 years were primarily if not entirely a reaction to Russian “aggression.” Note the mention …

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-18). Estonia delivers Javelin missiles to Ukraine. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com UkrinformFebruary 18, 2022 Estonia delivers Javelin missiles to Ukraine Estonia on February 18 delivered military aid to Ukraine in the form of missiles for American Javelin anti-tank missile systems. Estonia did not disclose the number of Javelin missiles. Earlier, [Estonian ambassador to Ukraine Kaimo] Kuusk said that it was a “significant number” of missiles. As …

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-18). NATO chief praises Biden-Harris regime VP for aid in war with Russia, confrontation with China. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com NATOFebruary 18, 2022 Secretary General’s warm words with US Vice President Kamala Harris Thank you so much, Madame Vice President.It’s really a great pleasure to meet with you. NATO remains the cornerstone for our security.The security of Europe and for North America.And therefore, I am extremely grateful for your personal commitment to our Alliance, to …

Internationalist 360 ∞ (2022-02-18). Was the Hacking of Ottawa Trucker Convoy Donors a US-Canadian Intelligence Operation? libya360.wordpress.com Kit Klarenberg Aubrey Cottle, the hacker claiming credit for stealing convoy donor info, has boasted of work with the FBI and Canadian law enforcement. The data was published by DDoSecrets, an anti-Wikileaks non-profit which has targeted states in the crosshairs of US intelligence. On February 13th, the names and personal details of almost 100,000 individuals…

Internationalist 360 ∞ (2022-02-18). Behind the Headlines: Trudeau Cracks Down on Trucker Convoy. libya360.wordpress.com Join Behind The Headlines correspondent Dan Cohen and independent journalist Kelli Kieley for a discussion on the Freedom Trucker Convoy protesting vaccinate mandates in Ottawa as Canadian authorities move to break up the protest. We’ll be joined by trucker O’Jay Laidley, who is currently in the protest. Join @BTHeadline correspondent @dancohen3000 and independent journalist Kelli…

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-18). Romania prepared for deployment of NATO battle group. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Nine O’Clock NewsFebruary 18, 2022 President Iohannis: We are prepared to host NATO battle group, we know where it will be positioned Romania is prepared to host NATO’s battle group, the place where it will be positioned is known, president Klaus Iohannis declared on Thursday, but specified that details will be made public when it …

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-18). NATO enhanced partner Sweden assists Georgian military buildup. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Georgian Ministry of DefenseFebruary 17, 2022 Within the framework of the NATO Defense Ministerial, the Minister of Defense of Georgia met with the Minister of Defense of Sweden, Mr. Peter Hultkvist. At the meeting, the sides discussed issues of defense cooperation between the two countries and future plans for relations. Juansher Burchuladze thanked Peter Hultkvist …

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-18). Pentagon, NATO, NATO Military Committee chiefs meet with Georgian DM. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com The MessengerFebruary 18, 2022 Minister of Defense of Georgia Meets NATO Gen-Sec and US Secretary of Defense [T]he strong political and practical support of NATO for both countries was discussed. Georgian Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze has held meetings with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Military Committee Chair Admiral Rob Bauer, in the framework of …

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