dChan - Q Origins Project Archive

30 Mar, 2022 21:50

Pentagon explains Black Sea withdrawal

US ships were pulled from the Black Sea in January, ahead of the escalation in Ukraine

Washington made a “prudent decision” to withdraw two US Navy destroyers from the Black Sea in January, and their eventual return will be decided based on national security considerations, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.

The US Navy “routinely” moves ships into or out of the Black Sea, but made the call to withdraw the two Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers sometime in January, Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby told reporters at the Pentagon daily briefing.

Kirby was commenting on the revelation made by the European Command head, General Tod Wolters, earlier in the day, when he told the House Armed Services Committee that the two destroyers were withdrawn due to the worsening situation in Ukraine.

The US currently has no ships in the Black Sea, but should return to the area “as soon as possible,” Wolters told Congress. Currently, the US military has crewed aircraft flying in the south and drones over the northern part of the sea.

Pulling out was the “prudent” thing to do at the time, Kirby told reporters, “to make it very clear to everybody that the US was not interested in enforcing a conflict by some posture decision that we were making.”

Kirby had no information as to if and when the ships might be going back, but said that such a decision would be made “in the best interest of our national security and that of our allies and partners.”

Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in late February, following a seven-year standoff over Kiev’s failure to implement the terms of the Minsk agreements and end the conflict with the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Lugansk. Russia ended up recognizing the two as independent states, at which point they asked for military aid.

Russia demands that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join the US-led NATO military bloc. Kiev insists the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked and has denied claims it was planning to retake the two Donbass republics by force.

https://www.rt.com/news/553015-pentagon-black-sea-ships/

30 Mar, 2022 21:11

US and Germany reveal positions on Ukrainian security guarantees

They wouldnt work with Trump om security guarantees but they work with the resident? Theyve got to regretting that decision!This is freakin funny, they keep on proving Trump was right!

Berlin said that it “will be there” for Kiev, while the US talks to Ukrainian officials

Germany is “100%” prepared to provide some form of security guarantees to Ukraine, while the US government is still “in constant discussion” with Kiev, according to officials from both countries.

The comments came, on Wednesday, after leaked proposals from Russian-Ukrainian peace talks appeared to suggest an arrangement where Moscow and various Western capitals would agree to promise Kiev protection if it agreed to de-militarise.

“If guarantees are needed, then Germany will be there and give guarantees,” Germany’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock told state broadcaster ARD on Wednesday, saying Kiev could rely on her country’s support. Baerbock said Berlin was “in full solidarity, by 100%” with Ukraine.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday that Berlin had a “general willingness” to give security guarantees — but a government spokesperson did not specify whether this would include military assistance.

Kiev has consistently called on Western allies to clarify their position on Ukraine’s eventual admission into NATO, or at least to provide it with alternative arrangements. Ukraine joining the US-led military bloc has long been a stated “red line” for Russia.

Moscow launched a military assault on its neighbor, last month, and the most recent round of peace negotiations, held in Turkey on Tuesday, revealed that Ukraine was prepared to put aside its NATO ambitions, but only in exchange for detailed security guarantees from third party countries.

Baerbock emphasized on Wednesday that, at this point, the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia had not advanced enough and thus Kiev and Moscow’s understanding of the proposals could be entirely different.

Meanwhile, Washington is “in constant discussion with the Ukrainians” about ways it can remain “sovereign and secure,” White House Director of Communications Kate Bedingfield said on Wednesday. Bedingfield stated, however, there was nothing “specific” she could share “at this time.”

Bedingfield also reiterated the White House position against implementing a no-fly-zone over Ukraine, which would risk direct confrontation with Russia.

The round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul on Tuesday was seen by many as a sign that the sides were creeping closer to an agreement.

Top negotiators said Ukraine was prepared to put aside its ambition to join NATO, host foreign military bases and troops, or seek nuclear weapons. In return, Kiev wants Russia not to object to it one day joining the European Union — and has requested NATO-like guarantees of its security from other nations.

The irony is killing me, and some other sovereign states. Its really too funny

https://www.rt.com/russia/553014-ukraine-security-washington-us/

30 Mar, 2022 18:57

Russia's Putin and Germany's Scholz talk gas for rubles

New title of this article: Russia has the catbird seat

Vladimir Putin assured his German counterpart that gas contracts wouldn’t be affected by the switch to Russian currency

Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke by phone on Wednesday to discuss Moscow's demand that Berlin pay for Russian gas with rubles, rather than in euros or dollars.

According to the German version of events, Putin agreed that payments would continue for the moment in either of the two Western currencies, with the Kremlin stating that these payments would then be converted into the Russian currency.

Moscow claimed that Putin explained to Scholz that his government is now demanding payment in rubles “due to the fact that, in violation of international law, the foreign exchange reserves of the Bank of Russia were frozen by the EU member states.” However, Putin told Scholz that the switchover would not result in less advantageous contract conditions for German importers.

Germany relies on Russia for more than half of its gas supply, and for a third of its imported oil. Leaders in Berlin have been less enthusiastic about sanctioning Russian energy than some of their EU counterparts, with Scholz describing Russia’s energy as “essential” for the survival of Germany’s economy, and Economy Minister Robert Habeck urging citizens this week to reduce their consumption amid the growing likelihood of rationing.

Nevertheless, Germany has sent shipments of arms to Ukraine and backed EU sanctions on Russia. It has therefore been labeled an “unfriendly” country by Moscow, meaning it will be affected by the Kremlin’s policy that it pay for gas in rubles. This policy is set to come into effect on April 1, with Russia warning that those who refuse to comply will see their gas supply cut off.

Scholz rejected Putin’s gas-for-rubles demand last week, but Wednesday’s call suggests a softening of his position. According to readouts from both sides, Scholz demanded written information explaining how the switchover would work, while Russia said that “experts of the two countries would discuss this issue further.”

According to Berlin, Putin told Scholz that payments could still be made in euros or dollars to Russia’s Gazprombank, which is not subject to EU sanctions. Gazprombank would then convert the payments into rubles.

“Scholz did not agree to this procedure in the conversation, but asked for written information to better understand the procedure,” said a German spokesperson.

Though the Group of Seven major Western economies have collectively agreed to reject Moscow’s demand for payment in rubles, Putin has fielded calls from individual leaders whose countries are still dependent on Russian energy. As well as speaking to Scholz, Putin talked to Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi on Wednesday and French President Emmanuel Macron the day before.

https://www.rt.com/russia/553009-putin-and-scholz-talk-gas/

30 Mar, 2022 21:02

Twitter deletes ‘pro-Moscow’ Indian accounts

The platform yanked 100+ Indian-based accounts for pro-Russian sentiment

A number of allegedly "pro-Russian" Twitter accounts in India have been suspended for apparent “coordinated inauthentic behavior” after posting messages supportive of Moscow’s military offensive in Ukraine, the New York Times has reported.

Twitter suspended more than 100 users following research published by Marc Owen Jones at Qatar’s Hamad bin Khalifa University and Graham Brookie of the Atlantic Council’s digital forensic research lab.

The pro-NATO lobby group is funded by the US and British governments, as well as a number of Ukrainian oligarchs.

The Times itself admitted, however, that “there was no hard evidence [the accounts] are part of a coordinated influence campaign aimed at shifting sentiment about the war” in Ukraine. The paper also pointed out that India’s government has maintained a neutral policy toward the war thus far – and a Twitter spokeswoman claimed the company was still investigating.

The platform acknowledged in a recent blog post that it has deleted 75,000 accounts for violation of its “platform manipulation and spam policy” since the war in Ukraine began. Those accounts are not thought to “represent a specific, coordinated campaign associated with a government actor.”

Jones highlighted alleged “suspicious behavior” among those Indian accounts promoting the Russian government’s view on the war, including accounts using stock photos in profiles and gaining plentiful likes and retweets despite few followers. The profiles had also used the #IStandWithPutin hashtag.

It’s unclear how many of the accounts belonged to real people, but some of them most likely were real, Jones said.

“If you can get enough people spreading a message, then real people will join in,” he told the Times.

Brookie noted the “longstanding and deep security and economic relations” between India and Russia, saying Moscow would be “looking to countries like India” to abstain from international efforts to isolate it.

After an Indian student was killed in Ukraine during the fighting earlier this month, some of the 20,000 Indian citizens struggling to escape were reportedly subjected to racism, as Ukrainians at the border refused to allow them on trains and buses headed for safety, telling them they would have to walk – reports that may have added fuel to anti-Ukrainian and pro-Russian sentiment in the country.

Hundreds of Indians belonging to an organization called the Hindu Sena marched in New Delhi earlier this month, chanting messages of support for Russia. The country continues to purchase most of its weapons from Russia, giving its government little reason to torpedo a mutually beneficial relationship.

India is not the only place where Twitter has nuked accounts for alleged inauthentic posting. In the months preceding the 2020 US election, for example, Facebook removed over 10,000 accounts and pages from 13 countries – including a multitude of then-president Donald Trump’s supporters – for just such behavior.

Facebook (now Meta), Twitter, and other major social media platforms have long worked hand in hand with highly politicized think tanks like the Atlantic Council, and Western news agencies, to help them fight “disinformation” online during elections and times of political upheaval.

https://www.rt.com/news/553013-twitter-deletes-pro-putin-indians/

30 Mar, 2022 23:14

HomeWorld News

Another EU state declares gas emergency

Austria follows Germany in anticipating shortages due to anti-Russian sanctions

30 Mar, 2022 23:14

Another EU state declares gas emergency

Austria follows Germany in anticipating shortages due to anti-Russian sanctions

Russia planned this for 8 years. Russia is saying dont kill people ethnic Russians indiscriminately and expect us not to be prepared.

The Austrian government has declared a stage-one alert regarding the supply of natural gas, shortly after Germany did the same on Wednesday. Vienna made the move fearing shortages should Russia insist on payments in rubles, rather than the sanctioned dollars or euros.

The stage-one alert means there are “concrete and reliable indications that the gas supply could deteriorate,” Austria’s Climate Ministry announced, adding that it will be “monitoring” the situation. The country’s reserve tanks currently stand at 13%, which is about average for the season, local media reported.

“Everything will be done to ensure the gas supply for Austria’s households and businesses,” Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on Wednesday. If disruptions happen, businesses will be encouraged to seek out alternatives, while gas rationing won’t happen until stage three, the government said.

Vienna’s declaration comes hours after Berlin declared the identical stage-one emergency, fearing a possible disruption of natural gas supplies as the clock ticked closer to Russia’s deadline for “unfriendly countries” to start paying in rubles.

Germany and the rest of the EU were designated unfriendly by Moscow over their embargo on trade in euros, imposed due to Russia’s military operation in Ukraine that began last month. If Russia is unable to receive payments for the natural gas shipments in euros or dollars – the US has likewise sanctioned its currency – then it will be rubles or nothing, Moscow said.

When EU leaders complained about how this would be breach of contract, Russia responded that their sanctions amounted to as much. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made it clear on Tuesday that Russia had no intention of supplying gas to Europe for free.

Germany’s top industrial unions have warned that delivery interruptions could result in “the rapid collapse of the industrial production chains in Europe – with worldwide consequences.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz discussed the problem earlier on Wednesday, with Moscow and Berlin providing somewhat conflicting readouts of their call.

According to the Germans, Putin said payments could still be made to a bank that hasn’t been embargoed, and Scholz asked for written information to better understand the procedure. The Kremlin said that “experts of the two countries would discuss the issue further.”

https://www.rt.com/news/553016-austria-gas-alert-russia/

Anonymous ID: 6baf32 March 30, 2022, 7:35 p.m. No.15980513 🗄️.is 🔗kun >>0559

>>15980303

None of EU countries want to be involved because they know this is all about Biden and his sons involvement; they resent having to cover for these criminals. Even though they are just as guilty for money laundering, their info didnt come out. They didnt brag on the world stage. Obama was right

“Don’t underestimate the ability of Joe to fuck things up”