Is the Russian military superior to any other European nation?

on Diplomacy & Warfare Quora

Wes Frank answers this question

Individually, and by the numbers, yes.

Russia will always need to maintain a good-sized army and air force regardless of whether it is peaceful or belligerent towards its neighbors. Russia is twice as populous as the next-largest European nation and sustains a large army through conscription, using it to maintain the security of a vast stretch of northern Eurasia. The road and rail link between Saint Petersburg and Vladivostok is six thousand miles long and follows a strategic population corridor that borders on Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and China for most of that distance. While the bulk of Russian military forces are based in European Russia, its rail transport system is as vital to the Russian Federation’s security as it was to tsarist Russia and the Soviet Union.

Beyond Russia’s security needs, Europe other then Russia or the former Yugoslavia has been peaceful for the last seventy-seven years. Most of the nations of Europe are part of the defensive alliance called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Because the NATO nations have almost no military rivalries with each other—there are a couple of minor ones in Southeastern Europe—none of the European members of the Alliance need to invest in large military forces.

Using the crudest statistical measure, Russia invests 4% of its GDP in military spending and most of the rest of Europe between 1% and 3%. Beyond that, NATO countries share the latest technological advances among themselves while Russia has to make do with its own research spending and what its extensive espionage networks can gather overseas. Russian per capita income ranks 33rd in Europe, its government is crippled by corruption, and the logistical infrastructure for its army, navy, and air forces are considered inadequate. Its core regular forces are as dangerous as any in the world, but the resources supporting them are questionable.

If Russia had the option of confronting or engaging only one European nation at a time, it would be a very intimidating opponent. However, the combined NATO forces in Europe are roughly three times as powerful as the Russia military. That advantage would be doubled if the two NATO members in North America, the United States and Canada, mobilized to support their European allies. This is why most of Europe is part of NATO.

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Germany backs EU proposals for Russian oil ban

The Times, May 3, 2022

Event

The European Union is moving towards a ban on Russian oil by the end of the year amid divisions over the speed of phasing out imports and the impact of the embargo on the cost of living in the West. EU energy ministers held emergency talks in Brussels yesterday before European Commission proposals on new sanctions that are expected over the next 48 hours. In a significant U-turn, Germany is backing the planned oil ban, but there are still difficulties, particularly for small, landlocked central European countries dependent on crude oil supplies from Russia. The German energy ministry hopes to achieve “total” independence from Russian oil within weeks, chiefly by importing more through Rostock in northeast Germany and the Polish port of Gdansk.

Comment

Europe is switching off Russian oil and gas as soon as it possibly can. When this happens it will be an enormous blow to Putin as 37% of its total trade comes from the EU. 40% of Russia’s total revenue comes from oil and gas. Without the flow of this money Russia would quickly go bankrupt. One country the EU is looking to to replace oil and gas is Israel! There is already a pipeline planned from Israel to the EU. Putin will see this as Israel taking his lost income and decide to take it back – hence coming to Israel to take a spoil. Germany (lead nation in the EU) is heavily dependent on Russian oil and gas. It is planning to stop all oil trade with Russia by the end of the year. Germany has also just begun building its first terminal for importing liquefied natural gas from the US and the Middle East. Germany is not part of the Gogian invasion of Israel. Germany invades Israel after Christ has returned and the saints have been judged…

And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.  These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: (Revelation 17:12-14)

Andy Walton,

Weekly World Watch > Download this week’s WWW

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Preceding

Ukraine war is veering fast towards a big power conflict

Sanctions are crippling the economy of ‘Fortress Russia’

EU to snatch Kremlin’s oil and gas profits to rebuild Ukraine

As Europe Sends $300 Million per day to Russia for Oil and NatGas, TotalEnergies Looks After Customers in Tricky Decision

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Additional reading

1. A useless but very dangerous challenge game
2. Russia invades Ukraine: A dark day for Europe
3. The first week of February 2022
4. Screws turned on Vladimir Putin & Russian oil and gas industry
5. Northern Hemisphere time of Spring & War in Ukraine
6. The Guardian’s view on Ukraine for the second half of April 2022
7. The Telegraph’s Weekly view 2022 April 30 – May 6
8. The Week from 01-07 May 2022 according to The Week
9. G7 agreed to ban or phase out Russian oil and gas imports
10. Stories to read in the week of 2022 May 05-11
11. Signs of the Times – “Distress of nations …”
12. Will the Russian War in Ukraine reset World diplomacy?
13. Ukraine war is veering fast towards a big power conflict
14. Ukraine Crisis Reading List
15. EU must fight in the diplomatic and economic frontline
16. President of Ukraine met with the Speakers of the Parliaments of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia who arrived in Kyiv
17. Can turning down our radiators turn up the heat on Putin?
18. Trade surpluses vs Most sweeping set of sanctions ever aimed at a country since World War 2

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Related

1. Ukraine Situation Report: 1300 10 March 22
2. The Russian invasion: what happened, and what happens next?
3. Russia, The US, and Crude Data
4. Russia is cutting off gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria
5. Russia’s retaliation on gas raises stakes for U.S.
6. Europe announces ban on Russian oil imports
7. A problematic oil embargo against Russia
8. Biden to ban Russian oil imports over Ukraine war
9. 01/31/22 Antiwar: NATO ‘Concerned’ About Europe’s Reliance on Russian Gas
10. Cutting off Russian gas is going to cost the EU, here’s why
11. Gas shortages expected in Europe as Russia imposes sanctions, Ukraine halts flow
12. Banning Russia oil would hit US prices hard
13. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says efforts to isolate Russia ‘are doomed’
14. Are sanctions on Russia failing?
15. The Russia-Ukraine War and the fate of Financial & Foreign Assets!
16. US and EU officially begins to sanction the Russian Federation after invading Ukraine
17. Treasury Secretary Yellen says the U.S. is ‘unlikely’ to let Moscow continue making debt payments, forcing Russia into default
18. U.S. Eyeing Russian Energy Sanctions Over Ukraine War, Officials Say
19. U.S. may take a hugely controversial step to stop Russian oil exports funding the war in Ukraine
20. Energy watchdog prescribes a miserable return to the 1970s to solve the oil crisis: car-free Sundays and crawling speed limits
21. Russian Gas – Illegal Drugs
22. Vladimir Putin demands Russian gas be paid for in roubles
23. 04/06/22 Antiwar: Breaking With EU, Hungary’s Orban Says He Would Pay for Russian Gas in Rubles
24. Putin’s Ruble Standoff With Europe Risks De Facto Gas Embargo
25. New Sanctions on Russia Could Trigger a Default That Will Be Felt Across the Global Economy
26. Cost of living crisis exacerbates Europe’s quest for consensus over Russian oil embargo
27. EU: VI Russia sanctions package blocked
28. Oil price up as EU gets set to ban Russian crude
29. Shell is already backtracking on its boycott of Russian oil
30. Ukraine’s Zelensky says EU should ban Russian oil
31. WTI regains $111.00 on surprise API inventory draw, fears of EU’s Russian oil embargo
32. U.S. reaches out to Venezuela amid possible Russia oil embargo
33. NC elected officials support oil-import ban against Russia
34. EU proposes Russian oil ban as Ukraine loses contact with soldiers in Azovstal steelworks
35. Floating liabilities: Western authorities grapple with the cost of seizing oligarchs’ superyachts
36. Most Americans are willing to pay more at the pump for Ukraine

EU to snatch Kremlin’s oil and gas profits to rebuild Ukraine

Event 6 April

The European Union is planning to seize a share of Russian energy revenues from gas and oil imports to Europe to pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine. Under the plan a chunk of revenues, which have totalled €19 billion since Russia invaded Ukraine, will be diverted from Russian energy companies to an “escrow” bank account before being used for aid to Kyiv. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, signalled the escalation in sanctions when EU ambassadors met to discuss a ban on Russian coal imports and a possible timetable for an oil embargo.

“These sanctions will not be our last sanctions. Yes, we have now banned coal. Now we have to look into oil and the revenues that Russia gets from these fossil fuels,”

she told the European parliament.

“We really have to make an effort, for example to take a share to an escrow account, so that we will really limit the source of revenues of Russia from fossil fuels. This has to end, and this is the next step we will have to take together.”

Comment

Russia relies on selling gas to pay its bills. Russia will earn nearly $321 billion from energy exports this year, an increase of more than a third from 2021. However this calculation changes completely in case of an embargo on energy sales. The invasion of Ukraine has shocked Germany and its European Union allies into a radical shift in energy policy, and the bloc is rushing to cut its dependence on Russia. The war in Ukraine is therefore driving a wedge between the East (Russia) and the West (EU). This division is what we expect to happen.

Revelation 16 makes clear that the dragon (Russia) and the beast (the EU) are separate entities when Armageddon happens. There is no mention of the dragon in Revelation 17 only the beast. This is because the dragon does not exist (is not part of the beast) when it makes war against Christ /saints.

And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.  These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast [not Russia]. These shall make war with the Lamb, (Revelation 17:12)

Andy Walton

> Find the Weekly World Watch to download.

 

The Vikings Really Got Around, Spread Their Seeds Far and Wide

Teaching History's Slender Threads, Including 'What Ifs', Almosts, Alternatives and Turning Points

The period from the 750s to the 1100s is generally known as the Viking era in Scandinavian history. If you have Scandinavian in your DNA, it is probably from this period when the Vikings were exploring, conquering and mating with the maidens of Northern Europe. The Vikings originated in Denmark, spread into what is now Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Greenland, Northern Scotland and the Hebrides islands, Northern Ireland, Northern Europe, particularly Normandy (now France), over to Kiev, along the Dneiper River in what is now Ukraine, founding the Rus, and even way over to North America — what is now part of Canada, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and New Brunswick. In short, the Vikings really got around, spread their seeds far and wide. They were also great traders, and looking for a higher standard of living.

They were part of the Age of Exploration…

View original post 315 more words

As Europe Sends $300 Million per day to Russia for Oil and NatGas, TotalEnergies Looks After Customers in Tricky Decision

After the serious and unfounded accusations of “complicity in war crimes” leveled against TotalEnergies, the Company shares with its stakeholders its principles of conduct regarding its Russian related businesses in order to allow them understand how our Company is acting in a responsible manner. Considering the worsening conflict, TotalEnergies is also taking new steps.

…

TotalEnergies is a minority shareholder in a number of non-state-owned Russian companies: Novatek (19.4%), Yamal LNG (20%), Arctic LNG 2 (10%) and TerNefteGaz (49%). These companies are managed by their own staff with a limited number of secondees from TotalEnergies. TotalEnergies is also a 20% partner in the Kharyaga joint venture operated by Zarubezhneft. The Company did indeed contribute to the construction phase of these companies’ projects but has no activity or operational responsibility on those sites.

CarrZee Carbon

On Social Media.

This is a fascinating post from the Total CEO Patrick Pouyanne and some biting comments about how big business should / shouldn’t react to war. TotalEnergies isn’t abandoning Russia like other companies because that would hurt its customers.

Comments range from:

Sorry,Patrick Pouyanné. Time and again, you pick profits over morals as your primary responsibility to your shareholders. Shame on you for failing to rejectevil.

to

Very well stated Patrick. Thanks for your leadership especially in the face of this complex and dynamic situation……..energy just as water will always remain [a] potential weapon. Sanctions are easy to announce but often implementation comes with unintended consequences.

Here is a snip of Pouyanne’s Post

Patrick Pouyanné• Chairman and CEO at TotalEnergies — 1d • Edited •1 day ago

Responsibility requires us to seek answers to complex, sometimes dramatic,situations.

We are all deeply affected by the conflict in

View original post 149 more words

Is Putin the Antichrist?

Random Thought Farm

Russia has invaded Ukraine and the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, is at the center of it all. Many have likened his invasion to Hitler invading Poland in 1939, which started WWII. This is a fair comparison, I believe, since Ukraine was no real threat to the Russian Federation that would require invasion.

I have already seen two articles on the Internet that accuse President Putin of being the Antichrist and that this is the start of the End Times. This is a standard reaction whenever someone unliked does something bold. I found out just last Sunday that US President George Washington is the only US president who was not accused of being the Antichrist at some point during his presidency. These accusations fly far too often, and usually out of ignorance.

But, on the heels of worldwide pestilence (Covid), is Russia actually fulfilling their place in God’s final chapter of…

View original post 978 more words

Russia demonstrated it has the capability to reach out and destroy targets anywhere within 1200 miles

The Russian bear is baring its teeth.

Until a few weeks ago, one could say that Russia had stuck to conventional ordnance. But after some time the ordinary guns, tanks, bombs, were joined by weapons of war banned by international conventions, such as cluster bombs and incendiary bombs, with devastation in human lives and infrastructure in their wake.

On Saturday defence Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov confirmed what the West already suspected, that Russia fired hypersonic missiles in Ukraine, the first known use of the new weapon system in a combat environment.

Moscow claims these missiles fly at exceptionally high speeds — up to Mach 10, or 12,000 km per hour — and that combined with manoeuvrability make it extremely difficult or impossible to intercept. Some Western military experts think however that Russia might be exaggerating the capabilities of their air-to-ground hypersonic weapons.

“The hypersonic missile has a greater penetration capacity and destructive power due to its very high speed,”

explains military analyst Vassili Kachine.

First successfully tested in 2018, Kinjal hypersonic missiles hit all their targets during trials at a range of 1.000 km to 2.000 km, according to the Russian Defence Ministry. But this range can be extended because they’re fired from jets, in particular the Mig-31.

Then there are also the Zircon hypersonic missiles which are fired from a surface ship or submarine.

The advantage of these supersonic weapons is that they cannot be intercepted in time and yet they cause enormous damage when they reach their target within minutes, without being able to reach the enemy who shoots them.

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Please come to read:

1. Competing for the fastest hypersonic weapon
2. Selection from The Week: 2022 3rd week of March
3. The Guardian looking at the third week of March 2022
4. Putin Just Escalated The Destruction Of Ukraine

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Further related

1. Russians take control of Ukraine biggest nuclear power plant; no radiation released
2. Ukraine President issues plea to Russia after nuclear power plant attack
3. Russian pilots’ terror after being downed
4. “It’s a disaster” say residents fleeing Irpin
5. “Russia wants to turn Ukraine into the Syria of Europe”
6. Russia raises tension with Europe and the United States into space
7. Ukraine loses control of the Sea of ​​Azov
8. ‘Meta’ to react against invaders; Instagram banned in Russia
9. War could be over by ‘no later than in May’: Ukrainian presidential adviser
10. Blast rips new district to shreds as war reaches into Kyiv
11. Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Northrop Grumman successfully test fire hypersonic weapon
12. Russian cruise missiles target Lviv airport in pre-dawn strike
13. London plans to develop hypersonic weapons
14. Appeal by the independent labor unions of Ukraine
15. A Travel Guide Is Fleeing Ukraine — and Hosting Free Online ‘Tours’ Along the Way
16. What We Can Learn from the Ukrainian Refugee Crisis

Sanctions are crippling the economy of ‘Fortress Russia’

March 4, 2022

A shuttered stock market, close to default, business boycotts and a rush to the cash machines: the Russia economy is on its knees just eight days into the invasion. The scale of the looming economic collapse has clearly alarmed Russia’s business elite following a tidal wave of Western sanctions with oligarchs close to Vladimir Putin breaking cover to criticise the invasion. JPMorgan warned on Friday that the country is facing a hit as great as Russia’s 1998 financial crisis, predicting an 11pc peak-to-trough GDP plunge. The Centre for Economics and Business Research expects a 14pc hit in lost output in Russia over two years.
Oil and gas is still flowing from Russia to Europe, keeping a vital revenue source for its economy and the Kremlin intact.  But shoppers and industries, including banking, shipping, aviation and retail, are already feeling the heat as the West severs economic ties and turn Russia into a pariah state.

In just over a week Russia has suffered an economic meltdown. And worse is too come. The Economist said this week that the sanctions introduced by the US / UK / EU on the 26th February are causing “financial mayhem” in Russia causing Putin to increase Russia’s nuclear alert level. With incredible foresight, Brother John Thomas wrote these words in 1848,

“Let the Russian treasury be as empty as it is said to be, and its expenditure exceed its revenue by double the alleged deficit, it will only operate as a pressure from within, causing her autocrat [Gog], to enter into countries, and to overflow and pass over, and to enrich himself with the spoil of those he is destined to subdue.”

Ezekiel wrote

And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords (Ezekiel 38:4)

The hook in the jaws is the lure of spoil in Israel (gas/oil) required by Gog to replace lost revenues in Europe…

Andy Walton

Find the Weekly World Watch: Download Weekly World Watch

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Preceding

Looking at a “Man from the North” endangering the world

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Additional reading

1. 2022 Political hotchpotch
2. Ukraine Crisis Reading List
3. Nuclear-War Risk Minimized in Rare Statement by Weapon States
4. Putin puts Russia’s nuclear force on high alert
5. US insight from the Independent for the first week of March 2022

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Related

1. What is really at stake?
2. Is A Third World War Likely?
3. The end is here
4. Is this how the End of the World begins?
5. Kooks with nukes
6. Nuclear War and unaskable questions
7. When did national leadership become synonymous with global destruction?
8. Prominent Russian Journalist Quits, Says She Fears ‘We’re On The Brink Of A Nuclear War’
9. Should using nuclear weapons be a war crime?
10. The World Failed To Take Adolf Hitler Seriously And Paid The Price, We Would Do Well To Take Putin Seriously And Get Prepared For Nuclear War
11. War and prejudice
12. NATO is dead as is our leadership
13. Dallas Professor: American Concern About Ukraine ‘Inexorably Intertwined With Nuclear Weapons’
14. “Close the sky!”
15. The Letters of Last Resort
16. I do not believe that nuclear war will take place: Russian Foreign Minister informed
17. Rescuing the Future | Me and (I hope) you vs The Apocalypse
18. Why we don’t want a nuclear conflict
19. Is Russia Intentionally Losing Soldiers So That Putin Can Convince His Generals To Unleash The Nukes?
20. What if the nuclear missiles were to hit in 20 minutes?
21. Frida Berrigan: Worried about nuclear war? You can actually do something to prevent it
22. Stop chattering about nuclear war!

Нет войне

We must not forget that it is often the leaders of a country who use the inhabitants only as cannon fodder. Even when Russia invaded Ukraine, there were Russian conscripts who thought they were going to a training camp and would certainly not have to fight against their blood brothers.

Along both sides of the fighting parties, parents will not see their children alive again. At both camps, there were casualties for no gain. War always involves loss of life and is always a regrettable fact that would have been best avoided.

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Preceding

Remember (an acrostic poem)

Ines Udelnow

English translation below / Перевод на русский язык см. ниже

Angesichts des brutalen Angriffskrieges, den Russland – ein Land, dem ich mich familiär und freundschaftlich verbunden fühle – vollkommen gegen die Ukraine begonnen hat und der furchtbaren Folgen, des Leides, der Angst, der Zerstörung und der vielen Toten, fällt es mir schwer, meine Gedanken auf etwas anderes zu richten als auf den Krieg.

Ich hätte eine ganze Reihe von Fotos aus dem erwachenden Frühling, die ich zeigen könnte, aber mir steht der Sinn nicht danach. Statt verlinke ich ein Lied des in der gesamten ehemaligen UdSSR und darüber hinaus bekannten und von vielen verehrten Sängers und Schauspielers Wladimir Wysotskij, der eine Reihe von Liedern über und gegen den Krieg geschrieben hat. Ich bin mir sicher, würde er heute noch leben, dann gehörte er zu denen, die aufstehen und ihre Stimme gegen diesen Krieg erheben.

Ich habe eine Version gewählt mit…

View original post 318 more words

Looking at a “Man from the North” endangering the world

From poetry and philosophy to political points of views. Pretty Much almost anything that can be blogged about will be eventually blogged about {About One Lifetime Blog}

at the One Lifetime Blog of Ray Barbier. Like us he claims

not to be anything but fools in search of wisdom with the hope of eventually being less foolish and a bit more wise before our time is up on this blue planet. {About One Lifetime Blog}

and looks at matters we are confronted with regularly. For him it

Seems the world is full of anger, fear and distrust now days, Hard to know where to turn for the facts and truth. We have such a vast array of sources of information but unfortunately very few are reliable and the majority is opinion based far more than fact. {Random Thoughts 1-5-2022}

In this world of information overload but also disinformation, one of the difficulties is to distinguish truth from misinformation. There are certain people who are very adept at sending misinformation out into the world as true facts. Some years already, certain people leading a nation were not afraid to call others liars whilst they themselves did nothing more than sending one false message after the other and denying what others said about them. The term “Fake News” seemed to have become the new fashion word.

In the last few years, we could find political chaos happening across the globe. There were not only political unrest and disagreements that ran high; we in many countries could find the politicisation of almost every issue involved with the pandemic. In states where many are proud of the “freedom” racial tensions and all the conspiracy theories floating around caused nothing but trouble in a time when their president instead of uniting the country created more division than ever before.

 On top of all that you have the major super powers playing sabre rattling games on top of it, seems to be times of uncertainty to say the least. {Random Thoughts 1-5-2022}

We first had a health problem disturbing the world order.

The pandemic has had many side effects when dealing with society, it has caused much distrust in science, governments and amplified the social problems we were already facing in the world. Watching people argue over mask wearing, vaccinations, political policies and social values is very disappointing during a time we should come together to face the challenges before us as a world. {Random Thoughts 9-06-2021}

When that virus seemed to run on its last legs, we came to face an even more dangerous virus.

The virus of selfishness and lust for power {Marcus Ampe}

You would think that

Most of us take big and small risks in our lives every day. But COVID-19 has made us more aware of how we think about taking risks. {An ancient Greek approach to risk and the lessons it can offer the modern world}

But out of the North seems regularly to come certain danger. Marcus Ampe a few years ago had to suffer the consequences of such a “man from the North” and his organisation, who attacked his church community from the North. He spoke of the “Man from the North” at that time, not referring to the same “Man of the North” he refers to today. The one he refers to today is much much more dangerous than the previous one. This time it is also someone who might not be so clear in his head but bringing not only his nation and its neighbour land in danger but the whole world. By this man, like the other one from the North, it is also a problem of not being satisfied with the power he has. The ‘Aim for Power’ is a serious cancer that can spread very fast.

Watching a Superpower such as Russia invading their neighbor Ukraine seems like a high school fight between the Quarterback on the football team and the average-sized kid who doesn’t play sports. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

Ray Barbier, like us, could

not see what Russia would have to fear {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

because it would have taken many years of debate and preparation for

“possibly joining N.A.T.O. or possibly the EU“. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

We can only hope that all the parties involved know the danger that looms behind the corner and how a person with a deranged mind could suddenly reach out unexpectedly.

Considering Russia’s Military strength and nuclear arsenal Mr. Barbier thinks that

Even if the U.S. were to go to war with them the use of nuclear weapons would be off the table (I would pray). Since there are no winners in a Nuclear war. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

Two power stations at Enerhodar, about 50 km from Zaporozhye in Ukraine, viewed from across the Kakhovka Reservoir on the river Dnieper. Photo taken from the “Nikopol” shore. The nearer power station is Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the biggest nuclear power station in Europe, consisting of two cooling towers (one largely obscured by the other) at the left and 6 VVER reactor buildings. The large building between the cooling towers and the reactors, and the two tall smokestacks, are at the Zaporizhzhia thermal power station about 3 km beyond the nuclear plant.

But it would be foolhardy as well as unwise to resign oneself to the fact that this “Man of the North” would not (mis)use his power to press the red button and start a nuclear conflict. That he is not even afraid of exposing his own people to atomic radiation he proved last week with the attack on two important nuclear power plants, the one in Chernobyl and on the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, in southern Ukraine’s city of Enerhodar, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

We got to see pictures of those attacks, but also stories from the other side, twisting the facts. At the same time, we should think:

What kind of things do they want you to think about what kind of people as a result of them telling you this??

What is their reason for sharing the story?” {Ask yourself why they’re telling you the story.}

From all sides, certain groups want to bombard the West with messages of doubtful content, by which they aim that bloggers and vloggers would use those messages to increase their attention and likes and as such spread fake news, but also would come to set up people against eachother.

All that disinformation is not helping at all. The other way around, it can help to give others reasons to attack other countries and to enter Europe in a new world war.

Barbier does believe though,

the 3 superpower nations and most nations, in general, do not desire a world war or the destruction of the planet we live on along with all life. Only if world leaders could put aside their differences long enough to work together on the things they all agree on, could you imagine how much as a species humankind could achieve? {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

He definitely dislikes war and does believe

there is always an alternative to war, though the parties involved would be required to be more understanding and be willing to find a compromise that is fair and balanced. The War or Military exercise as it’s been called by one side is decimating the poor civilians of Ukraine, be it intentional or unintentional they are getting caught in the crossfire. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

We can see how many beautiful buildings and art pieces are destroyed. Many artefacts gone for ever, only to be in our memories by pictures we have of them. However, that loss of artefacts does not outweigh the loss of human life.

Regardless of which side you are on or support, the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and the loss of lives on both sides militarily should be enough of an incentive to find a peaceful solution to this conflict. Human Lives are a cost that is permanent, buildings, infrastructure, etc can be replaced and rebuilt but once a person dies it is gone. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

Before this awkward affair with Russia and Ukraine completely degenerates, we hope that common sense will prevail, and that diplomacy will be able to steer everything in the right direction in time to bring everything back to a peaceful situation.

But Putin with his language of war does not make it easy. He is saying that Western sanctions are equivalent to war, adding that he wants a neutral, “demilitarised” and “denasified” Ukraine, adding:

“These sanctions that are being imposed are akin to a declaration of war but thank God it has not come to that.”

It is to God that we may pray to ask Him to talk sense into those heads of world leaders.

Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

“The world is too big for Europe and America to isolate a country, and even more so a country as big as Russia. There are many more countries in the world.”

We can only hope those countries shall also point their finger at Russia, demanding it to be careful before taking actions that can not be turned back.

With Ray Barbier we

pray for peace, world stability, and the return to some form of normalcy. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

Like him, we are sure, that many

desire the peaceful, harmonious, and happy co-existence of all people on earth. {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

Together we should be united to aim for peace and brotherhood

Be Blessed, Be Safe and may you all find happiness and show compassion to one another {Random Thoughts 3-7-2022}

Photo by Katie Godowski on Pexels.com

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Preceding

US bolsters Europe with 3,000 extra troops

Make Ukraine A Buffer State Between Russia & the EU

The biggest ground offensive in Europe since World War II

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Additional reading

1. Putin plays dangerous poker game
2. A useless but very dangerous challenge game
3. Ukraine and Estonia taking further steps to intensify bilateral cooperation
4. Russian bombers fly over Belarus as border crisis deepens
5. Restrictions in Russia because of sanctions from the West for peace mission in Ukraine.
6. Will Ukraine Escape Russian Domination?
7. Will the Russian War in Ukraine reset World diplomacy?
8. Ukraine keeps standing strong despite Russian predictions
9. Russian forces fired at Europe’s largest Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant
10. Peace Takes You

+++

Related

1. Geopolitics and War
2. Russia-Ukraine war: the vulnerabilities of strategic thinking in Europe
3. WATCH: Rubio Reveals the One Thing That Could Trigger World War III Amid Worsening Russia-Ukraine War
4. The world is too big for Europe and America to isolate Russia – Peskov
5. Propaganda of War… Czekmate
6. Re-reading “Foucault’s Pendulum” in the Age of Q-Anon: Pt. 2 – Ur-Fascism and the Russia-Ukraine Connection
7. The First Great Information War 
8. Ukraine crisis: How to spot misleading information online | CBBC Newsround
9. Misinformation
10. Misinformation & Infographics
11. Misinformation madness
12. Debunking Misinformation: Images
13. Debunking information on Ukraine’s war – An analysis of Russia’s false narratives
14. Lies for Likes
15. Unblurring the truth
16. Audrey Watters on the technology of wellness and mis/disinformation
17. Lose Money, Restore Humanity
18. TikTok Suspended Live Streaming in Russia Due to its Fake News Law
19. TikTok Never Signed Up To Be War Propaganda
20. Twitter to show ‘Birdwatch’ community fact-checks to more users, following criticism
21. Twitter Expands Birdwatch Pilot Program to US Users For Testing
22. Twitter Banned Over 100 Accounts Spreading Pro-Russian Content
23. Twitch will ban streamers who frequently share misinformation
24. WE are the fake newsmakers
25. Stamp out Fake News
26. Ukraine: have we reached peak fake news?
27. As Russia’s War Grinds On, Media Obsessed With “What Would Donald J. Trump Do?”
28. Media, “Culture Wars” And Rural Voters
29. Stop fake news: fake news destroys
30. Is this fake news?
31. Fighting misinformation in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – BBC News
32. Resiliency Through Strength
33. Teaching Students When to Believe What They Read on the Internet
34. Ads join the resistance
35. Watching War
36. The ‘West’ as a whole suffers from a lack of credibility even as they unite in their opposition to war.
37. Ukraine Crisis Shows Fault Lines of Multipolar World
38. Communicators must sever ties with Russia
39. Mental Health On Demand
40. BBC Radio WM interview on social media and’fake news’ during Ukrainian conflict   
41. Putin thinks he’s shooting fish in a barrel
42. What is Putin Afraid Of?
43. Backdoor Diplomacy: Russia’s Pivot to China and its Consequences for the Future
44. Sanctioned Con Men
45. Understanding India’s neutrality on Russia and Ukraine
46. Ukraine war ǀ China feels uncomfortable with Putin’s methods — Friday
47. Our So-Called Foreign Policy: Utterly Incoherent Polling on Ukraine
48. The Screws Tighten on Russia. Might It Accept a Diplomatic Solution to Ukraine Crisis?
49. Ukraine’s foreign minister confirms meeting with Lavrov – Politics –
50. UK plots attack on Putin and Russian oligarchs
51. Anti-NATO Activism: Is Now The Time?
52. All the wars of the world…
53. To Paraphrase President Kennedy: ”I am from Kyiv.”

Praying For The Victims Of Ukraine

Although far from the ongoing violence, the terror threat is close by, and we are with the Ukrainian people with our souls, hearts and prayers.

Becoming the Oil and the Wine

Today, I have decided to postpone my usual Fun Friday post to pause and take some time to pray for the people of Ukraine.

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A letter from Kyiv

It is good for us who live in Western Europe to hear various voices from the North-East. Knowing that after the corona crisis an even more dangerous virus may now affect the world, we should not allow ourselves to be misled by propaganda, and it is, therefore, all the more important to also hear the voice of the ordinary man in the street of a country under attack from a power-hungry individual who will not hesitate to lead Europe into a third world war.

Not everyone is gifted to find a good place to shelter his or her life.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who must now face the harsh reality of the world’s most heinous acts.

 

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Additional reading

Towards a Third World War or not

the scroll

CN: war, trauma

SUPPORT ON PATREON

When I woke up on 24 February, I was expecting a day like any other. I’d have breakfast, make coffee, and head to work. I’d smile at our customers, trade anecdotes with my colleagues, call my friends and family to ask them about their plans for the upcoming weekend. “Maybe we can go see a movie”, I’d suggest, or “maybe we’ll go out dancing”. I’ve always enjoyed the stability of this routine, the comfort of an ever-constant schedule. That comfort is long gone.

When I woke up on the 24 February, it was to the sound of my mother’s voice through the receiver, an audible tremor in her words as she told me that a full-scale invasion by Russian forces was no longer a threat, but a crushing reality. I wasn’t oblivious to the gravity of my country’s situation — I’d packed a suitcase…

View original post 679 more words

The biggest ground offensive in Europe since World War II

Russia started its invasion of Ukraine on Thursday February 24, 2022, with airstrikes on cities and military bases. Russian troops and tanks then entered the country on three sides and reached the outskirts of the capital, Kyiv, on Friday, in the biggest ground offensive in Europe since World War II. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned other countries not to come to Ukraine’s aid, reminding the world of Russia’s nuclear weapons stockpile and threatening “consequences you have never seen.” Ukrainian leaders said their military was fighting back, and that dozens of their soldiers and hundreds of Russian troops had been killed. They said Russian forces had seized control of the decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear power plant in an attack that could “cause another ecological disaster” at the site of the world’s worst nuclear meltdown. [The Associated Press, The Washington Post]

Thousands of people across Russia took to the streets but were silenced. Opposition activist Tatyana Usmanova called the invasion “a disgrace” and she asked for “forgiveness” from Ukrainians.

“We didn’t vote for those who unleashed the war,”

she said.

Despite hundreds of arrests daily, and nearly 3,000 total since the invasion began, demonstrators held signs and marched through the centres of cities from Moscow to Siberia, chanting “No to war!” in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Russia’s smaller neighbour.

It is good to hear how International businesses operating in Russia and Ukraine one after the other started closing offices and factories after Russia invaded Ukraine, all facing dark days for all of us.

Siemens Energy CEO Christian Bruchtold shareholders at their annual meeting.

“The attack on Ukraine represents a turning point in Europe; a war was simply unthinkable for many people, especially the younger generations.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had agreed to send a Ukrainian delegation to negotiate with Russia near Ukraine’s border with Belarus. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who allowed Russian President Vladimir Putin to use Belarus as a staging ground for his invasion, arranged the meeting. But we could see yesterday that Russia did not keep to the agreement to have a corridor for the civilians to flee the terrorised cities. As soon they drove out of those cities they were shot at by the Russians, and as such were driven back to where they came from.

The European Union has shut down its airspace to commercial and private Russian airplanes and committed, along with several member countries (including non-NATO Sweden and Finland), to arming Ukraine. And perhaps most astonishing of all, Europe and the United States (joined even by perennially neutral Switzerland) have put together a package of economic sanctions far more severe than anything anticipated prior to the outbreak of hostilities. There’s now a very real possibility Russia could be plunged into a catastrophic economic tailspin.

Last Sunday Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was putting Russian nuclear deterrence forces on high alert due to what he called “aggressive statements” Western nations were making against Russia.  Yesterday he went a step further, calling all those who wanted to interfere with his peace mission, dangerous attackers of his state, to which he will not shrink from counterattacking. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen her call for promptly opening EU membership talks, Putin considers as a war declaration.

Elon Musk came to help Ukraine maintain internet access as it fights a Russian invasion. Musk’s private rocket company SpaceX has deployed thousands of Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit, establishing a network over the last three years to beam high-speed internet service to users from more than 100 miles up. The service can work in parts of the world with limited conventional internet infrastructure. Since Russia invaded, Ukraine has experienced internet disruptions, so Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, asked Musk to send Starlink terminals.

Russia’s central bank on Monday hiked a key interest rate from 9.5 percent to 20 percent to fight inflation and depreciation of the ruble, after the Russian currency fell by 30 percent to a record low against the dollar as Europe and the U.S. imposed harsh sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The move came after the United States, European Union, Canada, and the United Kingdom over the weekend announced plans to cut off some Russian banks from the SWIFT financial support network, a global payment system connecting international banks. The allies also said they would take steps to thwart the Russian central bank’s attempt to boost Russia’s economy with its more than $600 billion in reserves, part of an escalating push by the West for Moscow to negotiate peace.

Ukrainians are fleeing en masse to clogged borders of European neighbours, with the biggest share heading to Poland while smaller numbers try to reach Hungary, Moldova, Slovakia, and Romania. More than 500,000 Ukrainians have left for Europe since Russian forces invaded on Thursday and Europe expects this going to grow to 1,5 million. Over previous weekend, one crossing into Poland had a line nearly nine miles long. The exodus has been the biggest Europe has seen in years, with some authorities bracing for a humanitarian crisis like the one that occurred in 2015 when more than a million refugees arrived from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries. Many European nations were hostile to the refugees who arrived in 2015, but so far they have said they would welcome Ukrainians.

Big question for Europe is now how long it can stand at the sideline.

Switzerland has edged away from its long-standing tradition of neutrality. Finland is not comfortable with Putin’s aggressive expansionism, which may also have its eyes on several of Russia’s neighbouring countries. It is on the cusp of asking for admission into the NATO alliance after decades of standing to the side. Germany, after a nearly 80-year break from militarism, is suddenly beefing up its defence budget and sending arms to Ukraine.  Previously, neutrality for countries like Finland and Switzerland had benefits to those countries — and to the world at large, but in which way is a neutrality tenable?

 

Last week’s saying about Russia signing decrees ordering military forces into two separatist regions of Ukraine for “peacekeeping” purposes

The White House said Putin’s action

“refutes Russia’s claimed commitment to diplomacy, and undermines Ukraine’s sovereignty.”

The U.S. and its allies expressed concerns that Russia might use skirmishes in the Donetsk and Luhansk separatist regions as a pretext for a broader invasion.

The U.S. says Putin’s moves violate a 2015 peace agreement aiming to return the two regions to Ukrainian control. [The Washington Post, The New York Times]

Russia takes issue with Israel’s sovereignty over Golan Heights and Jerusalem

Moscow took issue with Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and Jerusalem just prior to its attack on Ukraine.

“Russia doesn’t recognize Israel’s sovereignty over Golan Heights that are part of Syria,”

Central Israel and Area C (blue), the part of the West Bank under full Israeli control, 2011

its deputy ambassador, Dmitry Polyanskiy, told the UN Security Council, which held a debate on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the end of last month. The monthly Security Council meeting took place as the General Assembly debated the Russian-Ukrainian crisis. Polyanskiy spoke just hours after Israel broke its neutrality on the conflict, as it gave a nod in support of Ukraine.

Moscow has presented itself in its conflict with Ukraine as the supporter of the Russian-speaking population in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine. At the Security Council, Russia reminded Israel that it stands with Syria, where it is militarily entrenched, regarding Damascus’ demand that Israel returns the Golan, which the IDF captured during the defensive Six-Day War in 1967.

Israel has said it

“supports the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of Ukraine,”

and once again expressed concern for Israeli citizens and the Jewish community in the affected regions. Israel’s Foreign Ministry expressed “concern” over the “serious escalation.” Israel has very close relations with Ukraine and also with the United States so it has to side with Ukraine. But this in turn drives a wedge between Israel and Russia. Incredibly on the day Russia invaded Ukraine they made a statement at the UN that Russia does not recognize Israel’s sovereignty over Golan Heights. Also in the statement they mentioned Tel Aviv not Jerusalem in relation to the government of Israel.

Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces Jerusalem will become the centre of the conflict – this happens before Russia invades. (Zech 12:2)

Andy Walton

> Weekly World Watch

 

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Additional reading

1. Palestine, Israel, God’s people and democracy
2. Signs of the times – “Gaza – once more a flashpoint”
3. Signs of the times – “Israel’s security and the Golan Heights”
4. Signs of the times – “Israel’s security”
5. Signs of the times – “The US, Israel and the Golan Heights”
6. WWW on our position 50 years after Israel captured Jerusalem during the Six Day War.

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Related

1. Israel plans to double settlement in occupied Golan Heights
2. Nd: Golan Heights plan
3. Israel’s leftist Meretz party is on board– for flagrant colonialist war crimes in the Golan
4. naftali bennett: Israelis will double in the Golan Heights; New project approved – Israel vows to double occupants in golan heights says prime minister naftali bennett
5. The Jordan Times: Another nail in the coffin of the ‘peace deal’
6. The Hindu: Far from over: On Israel missile strike on Syria
7. Prophecy Foreshadowed on the Golan Heights
8. A Picture of Bible Prophecy from the Golan Heights
9. Now Russia Sets Its Sights On Israel, And Tells Them That They No Longer Recognize Jewish Sovereignty Over The Golan Heights In Northern Syria
10. Russia Rejects Israel’s Claim to Golan Heights

Why Putin’s Attack on Ukraine Could Mean World War 3

Even though Russian President Vladimir Putin had said that it were fabrications by the West to smear him and attack Russia, he insisted that he would not invade Ukraine, but early this morning the tanks stormed into Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming Russia was invited by the Donbass People’s Republic,  announced a military operation in Ukraine on Thursday 2022 February 24, with explosions heard soon after in the capital and other parts of the country, prompting outrage from Joe Biden who warned of a “catastrophic loss of life”.

In a live broadcast before the first explosions were heard in Ukraine’s major cities, Putin cited part 7, Article 51 of the United Nations charter as valid grounds for recognising the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic as independent breakaway states.

In the previous months, there were already suggestions that in case the situation in Ukraine would escalate, this could bring us to the verge of a new world war.

The Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) an independent, not-for-profit organisation that combats injustice, which wants to hold power to account and speaks for the voiceless, also looks at the current situation in Ukraine. In their article “Why Putin’s Attack on Ukraine Could Mean World War 3” they look at Putin to see if he is right when he said attacking Ukraine is a form of defence according to the UN charter.

Article 51 of the UN charter gives countries the right “to engage in self-defence, including collective self-defence, against an armed attack”.

FIJ says

It is impossible to consider the charter without first considering what ‘countries’ Putin referred to as “suffering abuse and genocide” in his statement on Thursday.

The Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republic are two countries on the east of Ukraine that are only recognised as countries by each other and Russia.

Both regions are part of Ukraine in the eyes of 192 of the UN’s 193 member states, but Russia relies on a May 11, 2014 referendum as enough backing for its stance.

 

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Please come to read more about this

Why Putin’s Attack on Ukraine Could Mean World War 3

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Find also to read:

1. A Brief Look at NATO and Russia’s Push to Reform the Old Soviet Union
2. Entering a new period of ‘Cold War’
3. Risk of accidental war with Russia highest in decades, general warns
4. A lot of talk about a war beginning soon
5. The world on the very brink of conflict
6. Russia reacting to attempts to break ‘strategic parity’
7. Putin plays dangerous poker game
8. A useless but very dangerous challenge game
9. Sings of the times – Difficult moments at the borders of Europe
10. Wars and Rumors of War…Russia Moves into Belarus
11. Interference in internal affairs
12. Are we shambling into WWIII?
13. Tensions increase along Ukrainian frontlines amid Russia conflict
14. Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Russian troop movements
15. If Russia chooses to fail to de-escalate
16. Putin and Xi form a new axis against Nato
17. 2022 Political hotchpotch
18. Key element to the Ukrainian-Russian conflict
19. Russian government planning a “false-flag” operation
20. Ukraine’s Day of Unity
21. A country willing to stand tall against any invasion
22. Ukraine ready for any format of talks with Russia to establish peace
23. Putin Lies And Manipulates History To Gain Domestic And International Support For His Military Buildup On The Ukrainian Border
24. Threat of an invasion of Russian troops soon a serious reality
25. A world leader deciding over other regions or countries
26. Putin speaks plainly – and the West is speechless
27. Russia is planning an “invasion of Ukraine”!
28. Volodymyr Zelenskyy launching a program of economic patriotism
29. Ukraine and Estonia taking further steps to intensify bilateral cooperation
30. The one who claimed he was not planning an invasion in Ukraine
31. US bolsters Europe with 3,000 extra troops
32. Will Ukraine Escape Russian Domination?
33. Prepare for Russian invasion of Ukraine, US warns European allies
34. The strategic error Putin is potentially about to make
35. Boris Johnson warns Putin against Ukraine invasion
36. Britain warns Russia over Ukraine
37. PM warns Vladimir Putin against ‘tragic mistake’ as tensions rise with Ukraine
38. Moscow lists demands for defusing Ukraine tensions
39. Russia has ‘no trust’ in Nato over Ukraine
40. Biden predicts Russia will attack Ukraine but warns Putin of a ‘stiff price’
41. President Biden threatened to impose personal sanctions on President Putin if Russia moves to invade Ukraine
42. Joe Biden warns Russia could attack next month
43. Israel weighing options amid deepening Russia-Ukraine crisis
44. ‘Ten Plagues’ Facing Israel if Russia Invades Ukraine
45. Putin’s ‘staged atrocity’ plan to justify Russian invasion of Ukraine
46. Sergey Lavrov dismisses Liz Truss meeting as ‘like talking to a deaf person’
47. Make Ukraine A Buffer State Between Russia & the EU
48. Ukraine prepares
49. The mainstay of Ukrainian statehood
50. What a Russian assault on Ukraine would look like
51. Lisa Rozner reports how Russian troops have begun moving into Ukraine

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Related

1. Boris Johnson news – live: PM pledges to support Ukraine ‘militarily’ and warns invasion will ‘end in failure’
2. Many Ukraine maps
3. Not Just a Snapshot: The History of the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
4. Russia Attacks Ukraine; Harmony in Europe ‘broke’
5. Blood Investments
6. Diplomacy, prayers: Things to know about the Ukraine crisis
7. Ukraine crisis ‘most dangerous moment’ for Europe in decades: UK Prime Minister
8. Biden condemns Russia for ‘unjustified’ attack on Ukraine
9. Special military op for ‘demilitarisation, denazification’ of Ukraine: Putin
10. Prime Minister’s address to the nation on the Russian invasion of Ukraine
11. ‘Brutal act of war’; Russia attacks Ukraine as Putin warns US and NATO
12. Foreign Secretary’s statement on Ukraine situation: 24 February 2022
13. STOP Putin’s aggression immediately
14. Explainer: Why Putin’s Attack on Ukraine Could Mean World War 3
15. Quebec Premier François Legault condemns ‘Russian aggression’ in Ukraine invasion
16. Ukraine says Russian forces trying to seize Chernobyl
17. Russia Launches Invasion of Ukraine
18. Ukraine crisis Uefa to move Champions League final after Russian invasion
19. Utah legislators react to Russia-Ukraine attacks
20. Ontario political leaders express support for Ukraine amid Russian attack

Optical illusions

delrossocartoons

Is it me, or is the Russian army smaller?

View original post

Russia announces troop withdrawals from Crimea in response to the Ukraine crisis

The coming months will be important for the world to see how propaganda has been used by which powers not only to mislead the people but also to manipulate many government leaders and groups.

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Preceding

Risk of accidental war with Russia highest in decades, general warns

A lot of talk about a war beginning soon

Britain warns Russia over Ukraine

US bolsters Europe with 3,000 extra troops

The strategic error Putin is potentially about to make

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Additional reading

1. United States of America once more showing how it wants to Distort Historical Facts and Truth
2. Sings of the times – Difficult moments at the borders of Europe
3. Entering a new period of ‘Cold War’
4. The world on the very brink of conflict
5. A Brief Look at NATO and Russia’s Push to Reform the Old Soviet Union
6. Wars and Rumors of War…Russia Moves into Belarus
7. Putin plays dangerous poker game
8. A useless but very dangerous challenge game
9. Interference in internal affairs
10. Prepare for Russian invasion of Ukraine, US warns European allies
11. Joe Biden warns Russia could attack next month
12. Biden predicts Russia will attack Ukraine but warns Putin of a ‘stiff price’
13. President Biden threatened to impose personal sanctions on President Putin if Russia moves to invade Ukraine
14. PM warns Vladimir Putin against ‘tragic mistake’ as tensions rise with Ukraine
15. RAF jets in Russia warplane alert for second day
16. Putin’s ‘staged atrocity’ plan to justify Russian invasion of Ukraine
17. Moscow lists demands for defusing Ukraine tensions
18. A country willing to stand tall against any invasion
19. Liz Truss does not see any evidence the Russians are withdrawing from border regions near Ukraine
20. Sergey Lavrov dismisses Liz Truss meeting as ‘like talking to a deaf person’
21. Countries around the world urging their citizens to leave Ukraine immediately

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Related

1. The Influence of Leaders through Propaganda
2. A Biased Take on Truth and Lies in Politics
3. Capitalist Propaganda
4. US war hysteria over UkraineThey Don’t Just Lie To Us About Wars. They Lie To Us About Everything
5. “Russian Propaganda” Means Disputing US Propaganda
6. Now it turns out that the Ukrainian crisis was just a propaganda war
7. Russian Invasion Prognosticators Are Like Cult Leaders Repeatedly Predicting The Apocalypse

FLIXNEWS

Following the termination of military drills, Moscow stated the drawdown of forces near Ukraine will continue for a second day, but Western nations remain doubtful.

Russia announced on Wednesday that military drills in the annexed Crimean peninsula had concluded and that troops were being withdrawn.

The news comes a day after Moscow announced that an undefined number of soldiers stationed near the Ukrainian border had been returned to their posts.

“Units of the Southern Military District are moving to their permanent deployment positions after completing tactical exercises,” Moscow’s Defense Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Military units, including tanks and artillery, were also seen crossing a bridge from Crimea — the Ukrainian peninsula held by Russia since 2014 — to the Russian mainland in scenes broadcast on official media.

The West’s mistrust
Observers and Western officials, on the other hand, remain suspicious of Russian assertions, warning that Russia may…

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The strategic error Putin is potentially about to make

British defence minister Ben Wallace, speaking to Sky News, warned Russia President Vladimir Putin that Moscow’s aggressive military actions in 2014 resulted in “more troops on your borders, more defence spending throughout NATO.

“That is the strategic error Putin is potentially about to make,”

he added.

US bolsters Europe with 3,000 extra troops

The US is deploying an extra 3,000 troops to Germany, Poland and Romania amid fears about President Putin’s intentions as he continues to amass Russian forces around Ukraine. In his delayed phone call with the Russian president on Wednesday February 2, Boris Johnson urged Putin to stop the “current hostile activity on the Ukrainian border”. He warned that any Russian incursion would be a “tragic miscalculation”, adding that Ukraine — like all European democracies — has the right to “aspire to Nato membership”, according to a Downing Street spokesman.

“The leaders agreed that aggravation was in no one’s interest.”

The US troops are in addition to 8,500 put on standby last week. The Pentagon said they were requested by Poland and Romania, both of which have long borders with Ukraine, reflecting nervousness over Russia’s build-up amid no clear intelligence of President Putin’s plans.

The United States and Russia have both said they have no interest in fighting a war over Ukraine, yet the two nations have spent the past several weeks building up military forces and inching them closer together on the European continent. The Biden Administration had initially relied on diplomacy to resolve the deteriorating situation, but the lack of progress—and continued build-up of Russian forces—has prompted the U.S. to draw up more aggressive strategies to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Bible says that the king of the south (US/UK) will push at Gog (the king of verse 36-39 in Daniel 11). The word “push” is the Hebrew word “gore” – as in a horned animal like a goat or ram goring someone. If a goat was to “gore” you it would be extremely painful. But probably not life threatening. For this reason we see the push or the goring as a military provocation. The US sending its forces is part of the push against Putin.

And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. (Daniel 11:40)

Andy Walton

Please find this week’s Weekly World Watch

+

Preceding

Risk of accidental war with Russia highest in decades, general warns

A lot of talk about a war beginning soon

Boris Johnson warns Putin against Ukraine invasion

Britain warns Russia over Ukraine

++

Additional reading

1. PM warns Vladimir Putin against ‘tragic mistake’ as tensions rise with Ukraine
2. Moscow lists demands for defusing Ukraine tensions
3. Prepare for Russian invasion of Ukraine, US warns European allies
4. Sings of the times – Difficult moments at the borders of Europe
5. Biden predicts Russia will attack Ukraine but warns Putin of a ‘stiff price’
6. Putin is sabre-rattling at the West’s moment of maximum weakness
7. Putin’s ‘staged atrocity’ plan to justify Russian invasion of Ukraine
8. Key element to the Ukrainian-Russian conflict
9. Russian government planning a “false-flag” operation
10. Joe Biden warns Russia could attack next month
11. President Biden threatened to impose personal sanctions on President Putin if Russia moves to invade Ukraine
12. Israel weighing options amid deepening Russia-Ukraine crisis
13. A Brief Look at NATO and Russia’s Push to Reform the Old Soviet Union
14. Wars and Rumors of War…Russia Moves into Belarus
15. RAF jets in Russia warplane alert for second day