Is the GOP trying to lose?
https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/1499411428876460032?s=20&t=4TUm-vvilMQMZgRpjBdLmA
7 Mar, 2022 14:31
NATO member bans arms supplies to Ukraine
Hungary explained its move by the need to protect its own safety and to prevent itself from entering “this war”
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban has signed a decree banning weapons supply to Ukraine, explaining the decision by the need to defend his own country’s security.
In a video statement, published on Monday on Facebook, the prime minister said that the decree has been released following an assessment of the situation in Ukraine. As the “military actions are getting closer and closer to the Hungarian border,” Orban said, it was decided to outlaw the weapons supply.
“The order makes it clear that weapons cannot be transported from Hungary’s territory to the territory of Ukraine,” Orban said.
The announcement follows a Sunday statement by the country’s foreign minister, Peter Szijjarto, who said that the government’s paramount goal was “to prevent Hungary from entering this war.”
“To this end, we resist the pressure and the demands of the opposition: We will not send neither soldiers nor weapons to Ukraine, nor will we allow the transfer of deadly weapons in our territory,” Szijarto wrote on Facebook.
The decree banning weapons supply to Ukraine allows NATO forces to be stationed in Hungary and authorizes the transport of weapons shipments via its territory to other NATO members.
Hungary, unlike many of its Western partners, condemned Russia only two days after the offensive had begun, with the country’s President Janos Ader saying that Hungary shared the “joint position of the EU and NATO.”
Later on, PM Victor Orban confirmed that his country would not veto EU sanctions against Moscow.
As tens of thousands Ukrainian refugees are fleeing from the conflict to Hungary, Orban pledged support for them, saying that “everyone fleeing Ukraine will find a friend in the Hungarian state.”
The Russian attack on Ukraine has stated goals of “demilitarizing” the country, protecting the Donbass and defending Russia’s own security. The West responded to the offensive with harsh sanctions, targeting various sectors of the country’s economy as well as Russian top officials.
https://www.rt.com/russia/551419-nato-member-bans-arms/
7 Mar, 2022 12:20
'We will never go back to Ukraine': DPR fighter jailed for his views by Kiev talks to RT
An interview with a pro-russian DPR militant from Odessa
With the military operation taking place in Ukraine, some might ask – how will the locals react? Eight years ago, the general consensus was that the southern and eastern regions were pro-Russian, but then the Kiev regime started to brutally repress activists who wanted closer ties with Moscow. An aggressive war propaganda campaign was launched targeting Russia.
RT spoke about this with Vladislav Dolgoshey, an activist from Odessa who spent four years in jail after being charged with “pro-Russian subversive activities” without any proof. In 2019, he was released as part of a prisoner exchange. After this interview, Vladislav went to the frontline as a volunteer and joined the People’s Militia of the Donetsk People’s Republic.
— What was your path to your pro-Russian political views?
I wouldn’t call my political views pro-Russian, they are just Russian. You have pro-Russian views when your position on certain issues reflects that of Russia as a state. I consider myself Russian – ethnically, spiritually, nationally. Yes, I was born in a different country, foreign to Russia, but that’s just my circumstances.
My views were shaped by my surroundings. Odessa is still the most Russian city in Ukraine. The Russian language is absolutely predominant, and even Ukrainian nationalists complain that when a Ukrainian comes to Odessa, they start speaking Russian. And the residents are very protective of their Odessa identity. That facilitates assimilation.
My upbringing also played its part. My father was a pro-Russian politician, but, to his credit, he never imposed any of his views on me, just recommended reading books. I read books written by Ukrainian, Polish, and Russian historians.
— How did the Russian movement in Odessa react to the Euromaidan events?
The situation wasn’t great for us in 2014. President Yanukovych didn’t like the Russian movement very much, and this was his attitude to both nationalists and Orthodox activists. Despite this, more and more people joined our events every year. And these were very diverse groups – nationalists, Orthodox Christians, leftists, all united by one idea – their Russian identity.
Our reaction to the Euromaidan events was negative from the very beginning. First of all, we knew who was behind it. We understood which side Euromaidan turned to and knew for a fact that the West was not the political community we wanted to belong to.
We began to form militia units in February, but we were too late. Maidan had already happened, it had its hit squads and money. We acted fast, like in that saying about Russians taking their time to prepare for something but then moving fast. But we still were unprepared for what was to come. Russians are kind people. We had no idea something like the tragic events of May 2 could really happen. (Ukrainian nationalists murdered 50 pro-Russian demonstrators in the Trade Unions House during the protests. Vladimir Putin promised to find and punish the perpetrators in his 21st February speech — RT.)
The leaders kept saying that it was a peaceful protest, just people defending their rights and fighting for democracy. But once the West comes, there can be no democracy. All pro-Western revolutions were not about democracy – their goal was to create a corrupt system of colonial control. Democracy is something the West wants only for itself. And the West turned Ukraine into an unstable structure vulnerable to outside influence.
— What’s changed after the May 2 tragedy?
There were some legal political activities allowed by the Kiev regime. They were carried out by old people with Communist and religious views. But Ukrainian radicals had the nerve to attack even these grandmas and grandpas. Many healthy strong men went to the frontline, to the Donbass. Of course, not everybody made it. 100-150 inmates would be incarcerated in the Odessa jail at a time – these people were arrested as they tried to make their way to the Donbass.
There were also underground groups operating in Odessa and the Odessa Region. The indictment against me – and I would like to stress that the charges have never been proven – said that the allegedly sabotage unit under my command perpetrated terrorist attacks and sabotage activities across several regions in the southeast of Ukraine. The underground movement existed for around 18 months, engaged in this invisible struggle. Trust me when I say that 18 months is a really long time for an underground movement with no experience, no bases and no resources.
More
https://www.rt.com/russia/551211-dpr-militant-ukraine-interview/
7 Mar, 2022 14:40
Russia can halt offensive right away if Kiev agrees to Moscow’s terms – Kremlin
Kremlin spokesman says Russia wants Ukraine’s neutrality, recognition of Crimea, and independence for Donbass republics
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Reuters on Tuesday that Russia’s military offensive against Ukraine will stop "in a moment" if Kiev meets several key conditions. Russia wants Ukraine to enshrine neutrality in its constitution, acknowledge Crimea as Russian, and recognize Donetsk and Lugansk republics as independent states.
"They should make amendments to their constitution according to which Ukraine would reject any aims to enter any bloc,” Peskov said.
This demand is key, as a course toward NATO accession was written into Ukraine’s constitution in 2019. Ukraine’s membership in the Western alliance is considered an unacceptable security threat by Moscow, and the bloc’s expansion has been compared by President Vladimir Putin to the idea of Russia placing missiles on the US border in Canada or Mexico. During multiple rounds of negotiations leading up to Russia’s offensive, Western leaders repeatedly refused to rule out NATO membership for Ukraine.
Peskov told Reuters that Russia is not seeking to make any further territorial claims on Ukraine, but wants Kiev to recognize Crimea as Russian territory. Considered Russian land since Imperial times, Crimea was an autonomous republic within the Soviet Union until it was ceded to the Ukrainian SSR by Nikita Kruschev in 1954. Crimea voted to rejoin Russia in 2014, after several ballot-box attempts by its population to break away from Ukraine following the end of the USSR.
After amending its constitution and recognizing Russian sovereignty, Ukraine needs to “recognise that Donetsk and Lugansk [republics] are independent states. And that’s it. It will stop in a moment," Peskov stated.
Ukrainian forces have waged a military campaign against both breakaway regions, collectively known as the Donbass, since 2014. Russia has accused the Ukrainians of carrying out a “genocide” against Russian-speakers in the Donbass, and Putin recognized the two republics last month, a day before launching what he called a “military operation” to “demilitarize” and “denazify” Ukraine.
"We really are finishing the demilitarization of Ukraine. We will finish it“ Peskov told Reuters. “But the main thing is that Ukraine ceases its military action. They should stop their military action and then no one will shoot," he said.
Two rounds of negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian officials have failed to bring about a resolution to the conflict, which has now been raging for 12 days. On Monday, delegations from Moscow and Kiev arrived in Belarus for a third round of talks, while Russian forces announced a ceasefire in several cities to allow refugees to escape. Two previous ceasefires fell apart almost immediately as both sides accused each other of violations. Ukraine has criticized Russia’s latest humanitarian plan, calling it “immoral” as the routes were leading toward Russia and Belarus.
https://www.rt.com/russia/551422-peskov-russia-peace-demands/
They destroyed their armaments, Nazi’s cant Nazi without planes, arms
Recognizing those three regions as independent will eliminate the Nazis in those area. Ukraine will never be free of Nazis, but these areas will be
7 Mar, 2022 13:36
Moscow explains how it’ll do business with firms from ‘unfriendly states’
The Ministry of Finance has set up a special subcommittee to control foreign investment
Russian companies wishing to work with firms from countries which oppose Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine will have to receive government permission for the deals, the press service of Russia’s Ministry of Finance said on Monday. Permission will be granted by the Government Commission for the Control of Foreign Investments. It includes representatives from Russia’s Central Bank (Bank of Russia) and the presidential administration.
According to the resolution establishing the procedure, which was signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, a Russian resident company or foreign company from an “unfriendly state” must apply for permission for any business deal.
“[The application] should contain comprehensive information about the applicant, including information on the beneficial owners of the company. Based on the analysis of the documents received and the nature of the future agreement, a decision will be made to approve or refuse to implement it,” the press service said, stressing that “the main goal of this work is to ensure the country’s financial stability in the face of external sanctions pressure.”
The government on Monday also unveiled an updated list of countries which have been deemed “unfriendly states” for their positions on the Ukraine conflict. It includes the United States and Canada, the countries of the EU bloc, the UK (including Jersey, Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, and Gibraltar), Ukraine, Montenegro, Switzerland, Albania, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, North Macedonia, and also Japan, South Korea, Australia, Micronesia, New Zealand, Singapore, and China’s self-ruled territory of Taiwan.
The countries and territories were added to the list after they imposed or joined the sanctions against Russia in connection with the ongoing military operation of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine.
According to the government decree, Russian citizens and companies, the state itself and its regions and municipalities will now also have to pay for obligations to foreign creditors from countries on the list in rubles. The new temporary procedure applies to payments exceeding 10 million rubles per month, or a corresponding amount in foreign currency.
The measures have been introduced by Moscow to support the Russian economy after Western states placed Russia under heavy sanctions over the past 10 days. A number of Russia’s largest banks have been cut off from SWIFT and had their foreign assets frozen, restrictions were placed on certain Russian imports, and a growing number of companies from all sectors have been shutting down operations in the country.
https://www.rt.com/business/551412-russia-foreign-deal-permission-government/
If you are going try tell them about the genocide of innocent Ethnic Russians in the two areas of Ukraine
14,000 killed by Nazis and Putin is trying to save them.
Reinforce he wont take over Ukraine, but of they still listen to news, its useless
More human trafficking there than almost anywhere. They like pedophiles. So much more corruption
But I like Thai food
7 Mar, 2022 08:17
Russia-China trade turnover up almost 40% in two months
It climbed over $26 billion in January-February 2022
Mutual trade between Russia and China in the first two months of 2022 increased by 38.5% year-on-year, according to statistics released on Monday by China’s customs administration.
Trade turnover in January-February reached $26.43 billion.
Russian exports to China jumped by 35.8% over the period to $13.8 billion, while Russia imported $12.6 billion worth of goods and services from China, an annual growth of 41.5%.
Last year, Russian-Chinese trade peaked at a record high of over $148.8 billion, up 35.8% compared to 2020, when it dropped by 2.9% due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Overall, China’s trade surplus reached $59.77 billion in the first two months of 2022, up 16.5% compared to the same period in 2021.
“Despite the increasingly complex and unpredictable external factors, the situation in China’s foreign trade is still stable. This is primarily due to the flexibility of the Chinese economy. In general, in the long term, the positive trend remains unchanged,” Chinese customs official Li Kuiwen said, commenting on the newly-released data.
Russia’s positive balance in January-February reached $1.19 billion, up 26.3% annually.
Following last year’s positive results, Chinese President Xi Jinping forecast that trade turnover between Russia and China may soon reach $250 billion. Experts say this threshold could be reached in 2026. Among the main areas that will contribute to the growth of trade between the two countries, analysts list Russian oil and gas exports, non-ferrous metals, and agricultural goods. Last month, China lifted all restrictions on Russian wheat imports, and is now free to buy wheat from any Russian region.
https://www.rt.com/business/551389-china-russia-trade-growth/
7 Mar, 2022 11:35
Kiev promises ‘surprise’ for Russia
The West has pledged sweeping military aid to Ukraine during the Russian offensive
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleskii Reznikov has claimed that Kiev is receiving more military aid amid the ongoing Russian attack.
“I’m not going to comment on the deliveries of weapons and ammunition – it’s a delicate moment. Let there be a surprise for the enemy. Know this: there’s been a significant progress,” Reznikov wrote on social media on Monday.
The minister said Kiev has purchased more than 50,000 helmets and flak jackets, including the uniforms made for NATO member states.
On Sunday, CNN quoted a source saying that US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, General Mark Milley, had inspected an arms shipment hub at an undisclosed airfield near the Ukrainian border. The “massive” shipment operation was coordinated by the US European Command “in real time,” the source said. It was reported that as many as 17 flights have been landing at the airfield each day.
European countries previously pledged to supply Ukraine with anti-tank weapons, air defense missile systems, and machine guns. At the end of February, the EU promised €450 million ($487 million) worth of “lethal arms” to Kiev.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has been pleading with the West to set up a no-fly zone over Ukraine, or at least provide military aircraft. NATO countries have so far refused to do so, fearing a conflict with Russia.
Russia attacked its neighbor on February 24, insisting that it was defending the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR), which broke off from Ukraine shortly after the 2014 coup in Kiev. Moscow also said it was seeking “demilitarization and denazification” of the country, insisting that Ukraine should never become a NATO member.
Ukraine said the attack was completely unprovoked and denied the claim that it was planning to retake the breakaway republics by force.
https://www.rt.com/russia/551408-ukraine-surprise-russia-weapons/
Recent arrests in Mississippi show other damage done to our elections by so-called ‘Zuckbucks,’ this time with embezzlement and fraud.
Three people were arrested in Mississippi in the last two weeks in another chapter in the story of the harm done to our elections by so-called “Zuckbucks,” this time with alleged embezzlement and fraudulent spending.
Facebook Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg poured millions into a nonprofit called the Center for Tech and Civic Life, or CTCL, in 2020. That nonprofit then gave more than $350 million in private funds to elections offices around the country. CTCL said its goal was to provide funding for the “safe administration” of elections during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Once the 2020 election was in the rearview, journalists and academics started turning over the stones of CTCL’s spending. What they found wasn’t pretty.
As The Federalist Editor-In-Chief Mollie Hemingway details in her book “Rigged,” CTCL focused its funding on Democratic counties (no surprise, given that CTCL’s leadership consisted of former Democratic staffers). While the money was supposed to be spent on pandemic-related items, Hemingway has written that much of it went to “measures that allowed elections offices to hire activists to work the election.”
That, of course, is just the spending we know about. CTCL “has been reluctant to share information about how its operation was run,” says Hemingway. Even when CTCL has described its spending, the Mississippi arrests show CTCL itself may not even know what they paid for or where it ended up.
Theft of Election Funding
Here’s more of the story. Several months ago, the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor started investigating allegations of fraud at the Hinds County Elections Commission, an office that received $1.9 million in CTCL grants. Agents eventually discovered that election commissioners purchased two 85-inch Samsung televisions that never made it into the commission’s building. The TVs were allegedly bought to allow election workers to socially distance and still watch the 2020 results, but instead the TVs went to the homes of private individuals, including one commissioner.
Thousands of dollars worth of personal protective equipment also walked away. That, too, was found at a private residence. Fake invoices — one by a local movie production company and the other by a hairdresser’s LLC — were submitted for sanitizing buildings, Covid testing, and voting machine audits. The work described in the invoices was never done, but the people submitting the invoices were paid.
The total loss due to fraud in this case will tumble into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Also, to no one’s surprise, evidence shows that the culprits submitted false paperwork to CTCL describing how they were spending Zuckerberg’s money.
Huge Risk of Fraud with Massive Funding
CTCL’s spending on elections is problematic for a variety of reasons, but the danger of financial fraud, like the kind discovered in Mississippi, hasn’t been discussed as extensively. When a private organization spends that much money that quickly, the risk of fraud is huge.
That risk skyrockets if the organization is not accustomed to handing out and then monitoring grants of this size. Again, according to Hemingway, CTCL’s budget before Zuckerberg arrived was a paltry $1.4 million in 2018. CTCL clearly was not ready to manage hundreds of millions of dollars. It appears they did not have the internal controls, the reimbursement procedures, or the property audit functions in place that could have prevented this kind of theft.
https://twitter.com/FDRLST/status/1500848751002341376?s=20&t=4TUm-vvilMQMZgRpjBdLmA
That’s interesting
https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/1500816656196636675?s=20&t=daRNucnQ9SLTdaAnMgbTFg