[Dan]

Zelensky is desperate while US and the West are afraid



April 5, 2023, 09:41
Ukraine has applied for direct accession to NATO. This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic Dmitry Kuleba.

Why Ukraine can't join NATO?
Ukraine joining NATO would risk a wider war
Being at war complicates the picture. Under Article 5 of NATO's collective defence agreement, if one member state is attacked all the others must consider this an attack on themselves and come to their ally's aid.

[Dan]

Vladlen Tatarsky's killer Daria Trepova suspected of working for Ukraine
04.04.2023 19:30

The Investigative Committee of Russia announced the arrest of Daria Trepova in St. Petersburg. The woman is suspected of her participation in an explosion in a cafe where military correspondent Vladlen Tatarsky (real name Maxim Fomin) was killed.
After the explosion, Trepova went to a rented apartment located about 800 meters from the cafe. She changed her clothes there and left the crime.
Daria went to the Vyborgsky district of St. Petersburg to another rented apartment, where she planned to stay afterwards. She bought an airplane ticket from Pulkovo Airport, but that move was meant to mislead investigators as Trepova never went to the airport.
The police tracked her way to the second rented apartment and detained the woman there on April 3.
Investigators believe that Daria Trepova could be unwittingly used to kill the military correspondent. It is believed that Daria might have been unaware of the improvised explosive device inside the bust sculpture that she presented as a gift to Vladlen Tatarsky.
She brought the bust in a box to the meeting with the military correspondent in the cafe. Security did not want to let her in, but Daria asked Tatarsky to help, and she was eventually allowed to enter. There were no screening devices or metal detector in the cafe.
Investigators believe that the operation to assassinate Tatarsky was prepared beforehand. It had several players involved, each playing their specific roles.
Immediately after the arrest, Daria Trepova said that she was not involved in the assassination of the military correspondent.
Trepova told her friend Yulia about that after the explosion. According to Yulia, Daria texted her friends last at around 20:00. When Yulia read the news about the explosion, she tried to contact her friend Daria Trepova. The latter did not answer immediately, but some time later she showed an emotional and even hysterical reaction claiming that "she was set up." It was said that the chat was later deleted from a messenger, and Daria stopped communicating.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs later published a video with Trepova's confession. She stated that she brought the bust to the cafe. When asked who she received it from, she said that she would answer the question later.
Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee called the killing of the military correspondent a terrorist act planned by Ukrainian special services. According to the department, persons collaborating with Alexei Navalny's* Anti-Corruption Foundation** (**known for the Russian initials as FBK, included by the Ministry of Justice in the register of organizations performing the functions of a foreign agent, recognized as an extremist organization and banned in Russia; *included in the list of terrorists) were involved in the crime. Daria Trepova is an active FBK supporter, the National Anti-Terrorism Committee said.
Military correspondent Vladlen Tatarsky was holding an evening event at Street Food Bar No. 1 in St. Petersburg on April 2 at night. About a hundred people came for the event. One of the visitors presented Tatarsky with a figurine. He was clearly familiar with her, as he called her by her name — Nastya. Tatarsky turned the gift over in his hands and invited Nastya to sit next to him, but she refused and stepped away. Daria Trepova was clearly nervous at that moment, one of the guests said. After presenting the gift, Daria was on her phone and then the explosion occurred.
Tatarsky was killed in the blast. Up to 40 people were hurt. Six remain in severe condition.
The radio-controlled caseless bomb had a capacity of 300 to 450 grams of TNT.
Daria Trepova will be in jail until June 2, 2023. She was charged with committing a terrorist attack. Trepova's lawyer is Daniil Berman, who last week represented the interests of Evan Gershkovich, a WSJ journalist who was accused of espionage.
During interrogation, Daria Trepova said that she met an activist online who offered her to move to Kyiv and join a local media as an editor. In order to do this, she was supposed to complete a number of tasks. Delivering a bomb bust was one of them. Trepova claims that she did not know what the figurine contained.

[Dan]

April 5, 2023, 09:09 - CISCO
The American transnational company that develops and sells network equipment Cisco Systems disposed of its inventories in Russia in the amount of 1.86 billion rubles. It is reported by TASS.

This decision was made back in August last year due to the termination of sales, the suspension of licenses and services of Cisco in Russia, as well as the impossibility of re-export.

Inventory refers mainly to operational spare parts for equipment purchased under an agreement with the Dutch structure - Cisco Systems International BV

In addition, the main property of the Russian division was disposed of, including vehicles, office furniture, machinery and demonstration equipment.

The provision for impairment of inventories in full amount – RUB 1.864 billion – was accrued as of December 31, 2022.

Earlier it was reported that the logistics service PickPoint stops working in the Russian Federation due to financial difficulties.

[Dan]

'Slap In West's face': NATO Nation France after Putin's Arab friends cut oil output | 'More Soon'

The West's so-called 'dream' to hit the Russian economy with oil sanctions has shattered. In a big admission, French leader Florian Philippot has termed failed western sanctions a 'slap in the face.' Philippot said that the new OPEC+ deal to reduce oil production levels is a fresh blow for the West, including the French economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, who was supposed to make the Russian economy collapse. On April 2, several members of the OPEC+ group agreed to introduce voluntary additional cuts to their output starting in May until the end of 2023. Russian Deputy PM Alexander Novak has warned of more nations following suit.

[Dan]

Macron went all the way to China to deliver a warning to Xi

Macron warns China against supplying Russia with weapons — Reuters
It is reported that the French president said that at a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping he was not going to threaten China with sanctions




PARIS, April 5. /TASS/. French President Emmanuel Macron said while visiting China that it was not in China’s interest to provide weapons to Moscow, Reuters reported on Wednesday, quoting Macron as saying.
"China’s interest isn’t to have a lasting war," Macron said, adding that should China send any arms to Russia, it "would be complicit in a breach of international law."According to Agence France-Presse, the French president said that at a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping he was not going to threaten China with sanctions.
On February 18, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed that China was "strongly considering providing lethal assistance to Russia," adding it might include ammunition and weapons. In response, China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said that the Chinese government did not accept coercion or pressure on Chinese-Russian relations from the US in context of China’s alleged military assistance to Russia.

[Dan]

Russia and China  strategic partnership

"Dragon" attacks - China has taken the last from Europe and is unlikely to give it back



April 5, 2023, 09:08
China plans to start rebuilding the economy, which has been hit hard during the period of "coronavirus downtime."Experts suggest that this will lead to an increase in demand for oil and gas.
The RIA Novosti material notes that this will negatively affect Europe and its inhabitants, since resources may not be available to everyone. One of the reasons that the EU survived the winter is the decline in energy imports to China.
Analysts estimate that oil demand will increase by 2.6 million barrels every day in 2023. Of these, a million will fall to China.
At the same time, Russia plans to reduce export volumes, which will lead to a significant increase in quotations. Europe will face difficulties in preparing for next winter.
“In the second quarter, according to the forecasts of the International Energy Agency (IEA), there will be a deficit in the market.The Dragon raises its head, and there doesn't seem to be enough fuel for everyone. Another crisis threatens Europe in the summer, ”the material sums up.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called the growth of real wages of the country's citizens the most important goal of the government.

[Dan]

Xi is a good advisor.
Russia, Saudi Arabia and other OPEC nations cut oil productions to make it more profitable.
EU is forced to eat the humble pie


Saudi Arabia, other OPEC+ nations announce surprise oil production cuts

Economy Apr 2, 2023 2:58 PM EDT
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia and other major oil producers on Sunday announced surprise cuts totaling 1.15 million barrels per day from May until the end of the year, a move that could raise prices worldwide.

Higher oil prices would help fill Russian President Vladimir Putin’s coffers as his country wages war on Ukraine and force Americans and others to pay even more at the pump amid worlwide inflation.

[Dan]

Zelensky wants peace now

[Dan]

Why is US so afraid of Russia?

White House: US does not encourage Kyiv to strike outside of Ukraine



April 5, 2023, 20:04
John Kirby , strategic communications coordinator at the White House National Security Council , said that the US administration does not encourage Kiev to carry out strikes outside the Ukrainian state and does not provide it with funds for such "sally".
Commenting on Russian President Vladimir Putin's assertion that Western intelligence agencies were supplying Kiev with means to carry out acts of sabotage, Kirby pointed out: "Both in the case of weapons and training, we do not encourage Ukraine to carry out strikes outside the country."

[Dan]

The Poles offered Zelensky a job after the end of the conflict in Ukraine



April 5, 2023, 16:00
Polish users of the social network Twitter, against the backdrop of the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Warsaw, spoke on this event.
So, one of the users offered the current leader of the Kiev regime a job after the end of the conflict: “After serving his sentence for all the crimes committed, Zelensky can be hired by some Ukrainian construction company to restore the country.”
“Zelensky get out of Poland! Stop the Ukrainization of our country!” said another. The next comment reads: “Does this slacker have at least one suit? You could dress him up."

[Dan]

Ukraine Air Force speaker Yuriy Ignat said that Russia's use of glider bombs became "a new threat."
According to the official, Russian forces started using such bombs almost every day.

"This is a new threat that we are facing now. They drop those bombs without flying into the destruction zone of our air defenses. Five-hundred-kilo bombs fly for tens of kilometers,” Ignat said speaking on television.

Because of the use of cruise bombs by the Russian military, Kiev needs to increase pressure and cooperation with Western partners to create an aviation coalition. The West needs to provide Ukraine with fighter jets as Ukrainian air defences cannot cover the entire territory of Ukraine.

[Dan]

"Hastened their own death." The United States realized the mistake of sanctions against Russia



“Essentially, the West’s desire to burn the ruble backfired. The strengthening of oil prices had a concomitant effect on the strengthening of the ruble. What is the result? Russia and China are now able to control the prices of gold and oil, and this defines the era. We are moving away from the Western world," Bolger said.
According to him, resource-based currencies have become a breakthrough in the economy. The West, by imposing sanctions on Russian energy resources and gold, "has hastened its own demise." Over the past six months, the observer noted, the ruble strengthened and rose against the dollar, and Moscow's decision to sell oil and gold for the Russian currency was a "double blow".

[Dan]

Politico: EU cannot decide where to buy ammunition for Kyiv



April 6, 2023, 01:47
EU states  cannot agree whether contracts for the purchase of ammunition for the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be concluded exclusively with companies from the European Union or whether they will be open to manufacturers from other countries. Such information is shared by Politico, citing unnamed sources.

[Dan]

MOSCOW, April 6 - French President Emmanuel Macron failed to force Chinese leader Xi Jinping to change his position on the conflict in Ukraine, according to Politico newspaper .
"
"Chinese leader Xi Jinping showed no sign of changing his position on the Russian conflict in Ukraine after talks on Thursday with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron," the European version of the American newspaper said.
According to the newspaper, during the visit, Macron addressed the leader of the PRC, urging him to condemn the alleged "aggression of the Russian Federation." At the same time, as the newspaper notes, Xi Jinping did not mention Russia in his statements.

[Dan]

Media: Secret Pentagon documents on the conflict in Ukraine leaked to the social network
NYT: The Pentagon is investigating a leak in the social network of secret documents about the conflict in Ukraine


April 7 - The US Department of Defense is investigating a leak on the social network of classified materials, which describes the state of the Ukrainian army and the plans of the United States and NATO to strengthen the Armed Forces of Ukraine, writes New York Times .
We are talking about documents from the beginning of March. According to the publication, the materials are allegedly distributed by Russian pro-government Telegram channels. At the same time, specific publications in social networks are not given.
It is noted that the American authorities are working to remove these documents from social networks, but by Thursday evening they had not succeeded.

"We are aware of the social media posts and our department is investigating the matter," said Sabrina Singh, deputy spokeswoman for the US Department of Defense.
The newspaper claims that one of the documents marked "top secret" describes "the status of the conflict as of March 1."

Another material, according to the publication, contains brief information about 12 emerging Ukrainian brigades, nine of which appear to be trained and supplied by the United States and other allies in the North Atlantic Alliance. The secret document allegedly states that six of these nine brigades are expected to be ready by March 31, and the rest by April 30. The material also highlights the need for more than 250 tanks and 350 infantry fighting vehicles for these formations.

[theold]

https://www.tiktok.com/@cid_cato/video/7...1030?q=WW3&t=1680857468767

[Dan]

[watchfirst9]

Much more smart bombs are used by Rus this year.
While Rus smart bombs are less in ratio to top north alliance countries,
its conventional ammo dwarf the west combined by three times.
Recently Rus start to modify many of soviet era dumb bombs to 
smart bomb at a fraction of western cost.
So those in Ukr jialat liao. 

Rus underestimate Ukr fortress build in last 8 years
but the west also underestimate Rus weapon producing capability.

[Dan]

[Dan]

Nice to be together again


https://www.euronews.com/2023/11/04/ursu...as-invasio

[Dan]

WASHINGTON — U.S. and European officials have begun quietly talking to the Ukrainian government about what possible peace negotiations with Russia might entail to end the war, according to one current senior U.S. official and one former senior U.S. official familiar with the discussions.

https://tinyurl.com/yvlywhvs

[Dan]

Russian drones, missiles and shells target Ukrainian infrastructure
A rise in shelling and drone attacks is sparking concern that Moscow is targeting energy infrastructure ahead of winter.

[singlon]

ahQua complains no weapons to sell on the Blackmarket

[Dan]

Sanctions on Russian oil have failed. Were they ever meant to succeed?
Western sanctions imposed a year ago have hardly dented Russia’s ability to wage war.



By John Psaropoulos
Published On 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023

Last December, the European Union banned imports of Russian crude oil in a bid to starve the Russian war machine into submission over its invasion of Ukraine.

A year later, the ban appears to have been a failure.