9 Apr, 2022 10:52

HomeRussia & FSU

Ukraine to use POWs for false flag op – Russia

Moscow claims Kiev will stage an event in Irpin to manipulate Western media

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Saturday that Ukraine will use the bodies of captured Russian soldiers to manipulate Western reporters in Irpin, a town near Kiev. Ukraine previously accused Moscow of killing hundreds of civilians in the area around the capital, which Russia denies.

Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said Kiev is “preparing another provocation with the goal of accusing Russia of mass killings of civilians.”

Konashenkov claimed that Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) officials are planning to take the bodies of people who “died from Ukrainian artillery” from a morgue to the basement of one of the buildings on the eastern outskirts of Irpin.

“The SBU will then stage the ‘neutralization’ of a ‘Russian reconnaissance unit’ at the Pushcha-Vodytsia forest, which will [according to Kiev] arrive in Irpin to ‘kill the witnesses of Russia’s war crimes.’”

The spokesman claimed that the Ukrainian forces will present the “bodies of captured Russian soldiers, who had been tortured and killed by nationalists” as “evidence” to the Western media.

Ukraine earlier accused Russian troops of killing more than 400 civilians in Bucha, also near the capital. EU officials and foreign reporters were shown what Kiev said were mass graves and bodies of people shot execution style. Moscow has denied any involvement in the deaths, insisting that the killings happened after its forces retreated from the area late last month.

Earlier, Moscow launched an investigation after several videos emerged online, purportedly showing Ukrainian fighters torturing and executing Russian soldiers. Kiev claimed the videos were staged and said that its soldiers do not violate the rules of war.

Moscow attacked the neighboring state in late February, following Ukraine’s failure to implement the terms of the Minsk agreements signed in 2014, and Russia’s eventual recognition of the Donbass republics of Donetsk and Lugansk.

https://www.rt.com/russia/553588-russia-ukraine-false-flag/

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9 Apr, 2022 09:37

Russia-US 'military confrontation' possible – Moscow

Ambassador accused the West of inciting “further bloodshed” in Ukraine

Western countries, by “pumping” weapons into Ukraine, risk leading the US and Russia “onto the path of direct military confrontation,” Moscow’s ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, said earlier this week.

Since the launch of Russia’s military offensive in Ukraine, NATO countries and their allies have refrained from direct military involvement in the conflict, but have been actively providing Kiev with weapons and ammunition. By doing so, the ambassador said in an interview with Newsweek, Western states are “directly involved in the current events” and are inciting “further bloodshed.” Antonov called these actions “dangerous” and “provocative.”

“They can lead the US and the Russian Federation onto the path of direct military confrontation. Any supply of weapons and military equipment from the West, performed by transport convoys through the territory of Ukraine__,is a legitimate military target for our Armed Forces.”

Two days ago, Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmitry Kuleba, urged NATO countries to keep providing Kiev with “weapons, weapons, and weapons,” explaining that by fighting Russia, Ukraine is not only defending itself but also bolstering the security of the bloc’s members.

Antonov also said that “a military exploration” of Ukraine by NATO began long before the start of the Russian campaign in the neighboring country. In Antonov’s words, Ukraine “was flooded with Western weaponry while President Vladimir Zelensky announced Kiev’s plans to acquire nuclear weapons.”

The ambassador was apparently referring to Zelensky’s Munich Security Conference speech. On February 19, five days before the launch of Russia’s attack, Zelensky noted that in 1994, Ukraine signed the Budapest Memorandum and gave up its nuclear weapons in exchange for security guarantees. Saying that Ukraine now has “neither weapons nor security,” he suggested that Kiev’s non-nuclear pledge could be reversed if the country is threatened by Russia.

NATO has consistently refused to grant Zelensky’s request to establish a ‘no-fly zone’ over Ukraine, explaining that the measure could lead to open confrontation between the bloc and Russia.

Antonov stated that Russia’s conditions for “the settlement of the conflict” have remained unchanged: The demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine, official neutral and non-nuclear status for the country, recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea, and the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics.

https://www.rt.com/russia/553584-antonov-confrontation-us-russia/

9 Apr, 2022 11:06

Russia eases rules on foreign currency

Sanctions-induced capital control measures relaxed as ruble strengthens

The Bank of Russia is lifting temporary capital control measures that banned individuals from buying foreign currency, the central bank said in a statement on its website on Friday.

Starting April 18, Russian citizens will once again be allowed to buy foreign currency at banks, as well as withdraw funds from their foreign currency accounts in both US dollars and euros up to $10,000 or its equivalent in euros, while amounts above this limit can be withdrawn in rubles. This limit is in place until September 9. The central bank noted that banks are only allowed to sell foreign currency banknotes that they received after April 9, 2022.

The regulator also scrapped the previously introduced 12% commission for buying hard currency through brokerages.

Last month, Russia placed restrictions on buying and withdrawing foreign currency to stem the drop in the ruble, which slid to historic lows after a number of Western nations slapped Russia with sanctions in retaliation for Moscow’s military operation in neighboring Ukraine.

However, the national currency strengthened significantly over the past week after Russia unveiled a new ruble payment mechanism for natural gas exports. Also helping the ruble regain ground were the central bank’s restrictions on buying forex and a requirement that exporters convert to rubles 80% of their foreign currency revenues. On April 8, the Russian currency reached its strongest level against the US dollar since November 2021, at 72 rubles to the dollar, and broke below 78 rubles to the euro for the first time since the summer of 2020.

Apart from easing capital control measures, the Bank of Russia also cut its key rate on Friday to 17%, following a recent unprecedented hike to 20%. The central bank explained that the emergency steps taken to support the country’s economy throughout the past month had been successful. According to VTB Capital analysts, this week’s moves by the regulator are likely to further reduce volatility in the ruble.

https://www.rt.com/business/553583-russia-eases-capital-control-rules/

9 Apr, 2022 10:06

Global government debt about to explode – research

The tally is set to soar to a record $71 trillion in 2022, according to asset management firm Janus Henderson

A new report by British asset manager Janus Henderson said that global sovereign debt is expected to surge by 9.5% this year to a record$71.6 trillion. The increase in debt will primarily be driven by the United States, Japan and China.

According to the research published on Wednesday, governments across the world have ramped up borrowing since the Covid-19 pandemic as they try to shield their economies from the fallout.

China’s debt rose the fastest and by the most in cash terms, up a fifth or by $650 billion last year, Janus data shows. Among the large, developed economies, Germany saw the biggest increase in percentage terms, with its debt skyrocketing by 15%, almost twice the average global pace.

The research reveals that global government debt has tripled in the past two decades but a mitigating factor was low debt servicing costs. However, these costs are now set to rise sharply, climbing around 14.5% in 2022 on a constant-currency basis to $1.16 trillion.

“The biggest impact is set to be felt in the UK thanks to rising interest rates, the impact of higher inflation on the large amount of UK index-linked debt, and the cost of unwinding the quantitative easing (QE) program,” the report said.

Bethany Payne, portfolio manager for global bonds at Janus Henderson, noted: “The pandemic has had a huge impact on government borrowing – and the after-effects are set to continue for some time yet.” She added that “the tragedy unfolding in Ukraine is also likely to pressureWestern governments to borrow more to fund increased defense spending.”

Yep, our nation is going into further debt for that shithole money laundering operation Ukraine. And the MIC wins big.

Janus Henderson pointed out that rising government borrowing levels across the world offer opportunities for investors in short-dated bonds that look attractive at present relative to riskier long-term ones.

https://www.rt.com/business/553388-global-government-debt-surging/

8 Apr, 2022 23:46

Ex-Russian president warns about 'world order'

The sanctions imposed on Moscow will lead to the collapse of international institutions, including the UN, Medvedev claims

UN you say? I’d like that is there was another way.

The unprecedented sanctions that Western nations have imposed on Russia since the start of its military offensive in Ukraine only further erode the existing system of international institutions and the authority of the UN, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned in a Telegram post on Friday.

Initially, the word ‘sanctions’ only applied to measures imposed by the UN Security Council, he argued, adding that everything Western nations call ‘sanctions’ today is nothing but unilateral restrictions that are inadmissible under international law.

Further restrictions could also lead the system of international relations to “a dead end,” since relations between many nations will either be downgraded or broken, he said.

Medvedev also said the sanctions can be viewed as nothing short of aggression, since they are “aimed at disrupting a nation’s economic independence and, thus, its sovereignty.”

“In essence… it is a declaration of economic war,” he added, warning that these actions warrant self-defense measures.

“_No one should doubt that Russia will use its right [to self-defense] through any means it deems necessary__,” he said. Nevertheless, the sanctions will fail to achieve their stated goal of weakening Russia, according to Medvedev. He added that they are only likely to make the Russian people rally behind the nation’s leaders and to view the countries that imposed the sanctions as enemies.

“This is nothing but infringement on the Russian Federation’s sovereign rights committed by certain nations and blocs,” he said, calling the penalties illegal. The “unprecedented scale” of the restrictions placed on Moscow will only lead to the “collapse of all international institutions and primarily the UN,” Medvedev, who is currently the deputy head of the Russian Security Council, warned.

The result will be a destroyed world order and extremely heavy consequences for the global economy,” Medvedev warned, adding that by that time, “it will be clear to everyone that thesupposed effectiveness of sanctions is an absolute lie.”

The comments were made as the EU announced a new round of sanctions against Russia. Earlier on Friday, the bloc said it would impose penalties against the financial and trade sectors, as well as an embargo on Russian coal. Oil and gas exports remained unaffected. On Thursday, Russia was also suspended from the UN Human Rights Council.

https://www.rt.com/russia/553575-sanctions-collapse-interantional-institutions-medvedev/

9 Apr, 2022 07:44

US cuts Russian access to fertilizers, pipe valves

Similar export restrictions target Belarus

Bidan admin stopping the production of fertilizer the US desperately needs to punish Russia? Sounds like hes gearing up to create a US World food shortage.

The US on Friday broadened the list of export sanctions against Russia and Belarus in connection with Moscow’s operation in Ukraine. According to the list published on the website of the US Department of Commerce, Washington is banning US-made fertilizers, pipe valves, ball bearings, and hundreds of other materials and chemicals from being sold to the sanctioned countries directly.

Russia and Belarus would have to apply for a special license if they wish to buy the listed goods from US suppliers, which Washington plans to deny.

“This rule expands license requirements for Russia and Belarus under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to all items on the Commerce Control List (CCL),” the document reads.

Similar procedures will apply to products made outside of the US but with American tools.

The sanctions list is the latest addition to multiple restrictions already placed on Russia and Belarus, banning a broad range of commodities, software, and technology from being exported to the countries.

In a coordinated effort with over 30 other nations, the US has slapped Russia with multiple sanctions and export restrictions over the past six weeks in response to Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine. Russia says the aim of the operation is to demilitarize the neighboring state. This was met with harsh criticism in many Western nations, which view it as unprovoked aggression.

The sanctions pressure on Moscow has been increased over the past week, after a mass grave was discovered near the Ukrainian capital, Kiev. Ukraine blames the deaths on Russian troops, while Moscow says it’s a provocation on the part of Kiev.

https://www.rt.com/business/553578-us-cuts-russian-access-fertilizers/

9 Apr, 2022 05:21

Pakistan won’t accept ‘imported government’ – Khan

The prime minister alleged that a “foreign country” is seeking to oust him from power ahead of a postponed no-confidence vote

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has accused opposition leaders of seeking to install an “imported government,” saying he would not tolerate foreign meddling after the country’s highest court ruled that the PM must face a no-confidence vote.

Speaking during an address late Friday night, Khan again took aim at his political opponents, suggesting the upcoming vote is part of a conspiracy to remove him from office backed by external powers.

“I will not accept an imported government, and I am determined to vehemently agitate against it,” he said, adding that he is “ready for a struggle,” while urging supporters to hold protests in his favor over the weekend.

The remarks followed similar charges from the PM in recent weeks,having previously named the United States as the foreign meddler, claiming to have evidence that a senior US official told Islamabad’s envoy that relations with Pakistan would improve in Khan’s absence.

Pakistan’s parliament will hold the no-confidence vote on Saturday, which could end Khan’s term early. Though it was set to occur in March, it was postponed by the government, but the country’s Supreme Court has since ruled that the PM must face the vote after all.

Khan lamented the decision but noted that he would not challenge it.

“I am disappointed by the Supreme Court verdict… It has saddened me, but we accept it,” he said, adding that he had hoped the court would take the meddling claims with more gravity.

“It was a very serious allegation that a foreign country wants to topple the government through a conspiracy,” Khan continued.

Should he lose the no-confidence vote, opposition parties will put forward their own candidate for PM, with Shehbaz Sharif – the younger brother of Nawaz Sharif, who served as prime minister three times prior – recently nominated for the role.

https://www.rt.com/news/553577-pakistan-khan-imported-government/

8 Apr, 2022 23:41

HomeWorld News

Verdict issued in ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ financier case

Roger Ng faces up to 30 years on money laundering and bribery charges

DOJ once again prosecutes a lower level criminal and lets off the big fish involved. I’m sure the DOJ will celebrate as they do punishing innocent J6 protestors.

Former Goldman Sachs head of investment banking for Malaysia Roger Ng has been convicted of bribery and corruption related to the theft of $4.5 billion from the state investment fund 1MDB. The banker was found guilty on Friday following a two-month trial in a Brooklyn federal court.

Despite the participation of several others in the scheme, including its alleged mastermind, Malaysian financier Jho Low, Ng was the only Goldman Sachs banker to end up on trial, pleading not guilty to conspiracy to launder money and two counts of conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. While his defense lawyers acknowledged that the theft was “perhaps the single largest heist in the history of the world,” they insist American prosecutors scapegoated Ng for the crimes of others who gave evidence to the government, specifically fellow Goldman banker Tim Leissner.

After raising $6.5 billion for 1MDB through bond sales, Ng and his co-conspirators diverted $4.5 billion from the massive sum into bribes, kickbacks, and a slew of luxury purchases. Their ill-gotten gains included a giant $200 million yacht, jewelry, art, and real estate, and they bankrolled wild parties,even investing in the 2013 Leo DiCaprio film ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ – itself the story of an investment banker who financed his lavish lifestyle by defrauding wealthy clients.

Ng “is basically the fall guy for this whole thing,” his defense lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, declared in his closing arguments, adding that “Tim Leissner is looking to close the biggest deal of his life.” Leissner, who was Ng’s boss at Goldman, “never stopped lying ever, and he didn’t stop lying in this courtroom,” the attorney claimed, arguing that the banker had falsely implicated Ng and made up stories to curry favor with the government.

Leissner cut a deal to testify against Ng, forfeiting $43.7 million and pleading guilty to paying millions of dollars in bribes to government officials in Malaysia and Abu Dhabi. During the trial, he described how he, Ng, and Low “disguise[d] the flow of funds” out of 1MDB using offshore accounts and shell companies, as well as fake bank contracts. “If we told any bank the truth, it wouldn’t work,” the admitted fraudster testified, adding that Ng had specifically expressed happiness he was “going to be paid some money,” believing he had not been adequately paid by Goldman over the years.

The trial revealed the inner workings of the scheme, which saw Low divert billions in stolen money out of the fund following every Goldman bond deal, funneling the cash to co-conspirators including former Malaysian PM Najib Razak and his stepson. The lavish spending of the trio helped draw government attention, with Low dropping millions of dollars on lavish parties and gambling, while Leissner married multiple women at once, buying them houses when they threatened to disclose his fraud to the authorities.

The 1MDB scandal ultimately brought down the Malaysian government in 2018, sending Najib to prison for 12 years for abuse of power and other crimes. A subsidiary of Goldman Sachs acknowledged it had conspired to violate US anti-bribery laws, the first time the infamous investment bank had ever pleaded guilty, and was forced to pay over $5 billion in penalties for its role in the scandal.

Ng, who made $3 million from two of the bond deals, faces as much as 30 years in prison.Low, who allegedly took home $1.42 billion from the scam, remains at large.

https://www.rt.com/news/553574-1mdb-banker-convicted-bribery-goldman/

8 Apr, 2022 16:21

'Sociopathic grandpa from Omaha' is Bitcoin's enemy No. 1 – tech guru

PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel calls Warren Buffett, Jamie Dimon and Larry Fink enemies of crypto

PayPal co-founder and billionaire venture capitalist Peter Thiel has accused some of the most prominent American financial figures of trying to lock cryptocurrencies out of the mainstream.

Speaking at the Bitcoin 2022 conference in Miami Beach on Thursday, Thiel said that Berkshire Hathaway's Warren Buffett was “enemy number one.” He described the investment icon as a “sociopathic grandpa from Omaha.” Kekkity and he’s right you know!

Next up on the crypto-unfriendly list are JPMorgan chief executiveJamie Dimon and BlackRock CEO Larry Fink.

“ PayPal co-founder and billionaire venture capitalist Peter Thiel has accused some of the most prominent American financial figures of trying to lock cryptocurrencies out of the mainstream.

These names on my list stand in the way of Bitcoin's progress. These are the things we have to fight for to get Bitcoin to go 10x or 100x from here,” said Thiel, who has been claiming that digital currencies could supplant the current financial system.

The businessman also argued that traditional investors should be putting money in Bitcoin. “When they choose not to allocate to Bitcoin, that is a deeply political choice, and we need to be pushing back against them,” he said.

Thiel also pointed to the ESG (environmental, social, and governance standards) problem, which is an increasingly popular way to evaluate investments and the impact they have on the world.

“Thefinance gerontocracythat runs the country through whatever silly virtue signaling slash hate factory term like ESG they have, versus what I would call, what we have to think of as a revolutionary youth movement,” he said.

According to the billionaire, Bitcoin-associated companies are a target for ESG firms because they're among the few entities not subject to heavy government influence. “Perhaps the real enemy is ESG,” said Thiel.

https://www.rt.com/business/553531-bitcoin-enemy-omaha-grandpa/