Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev once again threatened the West with the use of nuclear weapons, stating that it is not a bluff. He warned of the escalating conflict with NATO and the possibility of the conflict reaching its final stage due to increasing NATO weaponry in Ukraine. This statement follows the Pentagon's permission for Ukraine to use U.S. weapons against military targets in Russia near Kharkiv.
@noelreports
Aesop's fable of an ass and a fox comes to mind,
"An ass, having put on a lion's skin, roamed about, frightening all the silly animals he met. Seeing a fox, he tried to alarm him also. But having heard his voice, the fox said, "Well, to be sure! And I should have been frightened too, if I had not heard you bray."
Moral: whatever the deception, an ass is still an ass.
"This is a rigged disgraceful trial. With a rigged judge. I did not do anything wrong, I am a honest man. This is done by the Biden administration in order to hurt a political opponent. It is a disgrace. We will fight and we will win," Trump in a first response said.
Putin is ready to halt the war in Ukraine with a negotiated ceasefire that recognises the current battlefield lines, saying he is prepared to fight on if Kyiv and the West do not respond.
@noelreports
Yeah, saw this news item earlier. Hold the action while I rebuild my forces. How can Ukraine not accept?
Some swag might think it's a sign of desperation, that Putin's war is not going according to plan, if there ever was a plan other than the reestablishment of the Soviet empire with czar Putin at the helm.
The US has not changed its policy regarding Ukraine striking targets inside Russia.
"Our policy hasn't changed. We are focused on providing Ukraine with capabilities that it needs to defend itself within its own sovereign territory," Pat Ryder said.
@noelreports
More twisted logic from Ukraine's "ally". If your focused on providing Ukraine with the capabilities to defend itself, then logically you need to allow Ukraine the capabilities to do so...i.e. let them strike back at the aggressor in the locations from which the aggression arises.
I don't know who makes the decisions in the Biden admin., but this is music to Putin's ear.
@noelreports
Didn't work as well as she hoped (?):
"She was promptly booed by colleagues as she formally announced the effort."
Speaker Johnson is still speaker Johnson.
The US House voted to bring up for consideration a bill on aid to Ukraine, 316 voted in favor, 94 against. All amendments will now be considered after which a final vote will take place on Saturday.
Defense Secretary Austin warned that Ukraine’s recent attacks on Russian oil refineries risk impacting global energy markets and urged the country to focus on military targets instead.
"Those attacks could have a knock-on effect in terms of the global energy situation. Ukraine is better served in going after tactical and operational targets that can directly influence the current fight," he emphasized.
@noelreports
When Ukraine has the weapons they need, then discuss Russian Oil Refineries. Shh.. if this isn't another example of Biden administration's slow death defense, then I don't know what is.
A report claiming that Trump has a plan to end the war in Ukraine by pressuring Ukraine to give up territory to Russia was dismissed as "fake news" by Trump's campaign adviser, insisting that Trump will not settle on a peace plan until he is in office and can properly weigh all the options.
A US House vote on Ukraine aid isn’t likely until at least mid-April and possibly later with Speaker Mike Johnson still searching for ways to soften opposition from Republican hardliners, multiple party leadership officials said.
@noelreports
Mike J. is too afraid of Ms. Potato Head and shit britches trump to act on any convictions he may have, although the word "conviction" may be a stretch in this case.
🤷♂️Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Charles Brown, stated that the risks of escalation of the war associated with the supply of ATACMS long-range missiles to Ukraine have decreased today compared to what they were before.
@noelreports
“the risk of escalation is not as high as maybe it was at the beginning."
"Maybe" the assumed risk never was, not that the situation has changed. If you play the fool, certainly no adversary will stand in your way.
Putin has made new statements regarding the attack at the Crocus City Hall, attributing it to radical Islamists. He criticized the United States for suggesting ISIS involvement and downplaying any connection to Ukraine. Putin suggested the attack may be part of ongoing anti-Russia efforts since 2014 and raised questions about why the terrorists attempted to flee to Ukraine afterward. Additionally, he viewed the attack as fitting into a pattern of intimidation.
Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the Russian state-controlled broadcaster RT, claims the attack on the Moscow City Hall has nothing to do with ISIS, but that Ukrainians are behind it.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham proposes to offer the lethal aid to Ukraine entirely as a loan. He also wants Title 42 reinstated, which Trump invoked in 2020.
Graham voted against the bill for aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan in US Senate.
"We are the only country in the world that can destroy the United States in one hour. Well, theoretically it can and they will not be able to cope with this," Kremlin propagandist and editor-in-chief of the Russian state-controlled broadcaster RT, Margarita Simonyan, said.
@noelreports
Lady with the mohawk type hairdo doesn't look too convinced. Maybe whipping Moscow and St. Petersburg off the map is (theoretically) not shared by all Russians.
@noelreports
The irony here is when Stalin attempted to overrun Finland way back then, the Western world did nothing. Now that Russia is attempting to annihilate Ukraine, Finland itself steps forward.
Bravo Finland!
Orban questions if the invasion should be called war.
"This is a military operation. There was no declaration of war between the two countries. When Russia declares war then there will be war," Orban said at a conference in Budapest.
"I will block Ukraine's accession to NATO, as it will be the beginning of the Third World War. As long as I have the opportunity to influence the Slovak political scene, I will use the right to veto such a decision," Prime Minister of Slovakia Fico said.
@noelreports
Not in agreement punishing Slovakia because of populous rabble rouser having the microphone. What is ironic here is this guy was elected on a platform of keeping immigrants out. Who's using flow of immigrants as a weapon against EU/NATO countries? going back far as the Syria uprising, could it be Russia?
Criticize the culprit if you want to keep in line your far-right rhetoric.
"Ukrainians have already done the impossible - resisted one of the largest armies in the world," US Secretary of State Blinken said.
He added that Putin has already lost the war with Ukraine, because he did not achieve his main goal - to wipe Ukraine off the face of the earth and absorb it into Russia.
Russian channel Two Majors about the situation near Krynky.
"The situation in the area near the settlement of Krynky remains tense, the enemy is concentrating heavy equipment on its bank. EW continues to cover the positions, and also at night the SOF/GUR groups are actively working with 120-mm mortars. We have been waiting for a meeting with the commander of the Dnipro group to discuss pressing problems, including communication and supply issues. So far, the meeting has been postponed."
@noelreports
Reminds me of the situation earlier on the Inhulets river. Ukraine had a bridgehead there too, evolving into a continued presence on the left bank. Of course the Inhulets is not the Dnipro, but it does demonstrate an ability of Ukraine forces to attack over a water obstacle. Of note, Russia attempted to sabotage the Inhulets crossing by bombing an up stream dam, repeating this tactic on a grander scale with the Dnipro. a questionable strategy given how events play out..
"Real incomes in Russia have grown by more than 12%. Our defense and security spending has roughly doubled, now it is about 6% of the dross domestic product. But all previously announced plans for the country's development and all social commitments are being fully implemented."
@noelreports
"The dollar exchange rate exceeded RUB 100, and the euro reached RUB 105.37 on 5 October"
Was this part of plans for "community development"?
