16 Feb, 2023 14:241 of 2

Olga Sukharevskaya ex-Ukrainian diplomat: How the West has long planned to use Ukraine to fight a proxy war with Russia

Using Kiev to take on Moscow has been a meticulously planned strategy, long in the making.

Since the beginning of Russia’s military offensive, almost one year ago, Ukraine has received tens of billions of dollars from the West. These funds are directly responsible for the deaths of thousands of people, including civilians in the east of Ukraine. Primarily focused on their own interests, the US and its allies are full aware that the war would have ended long ago, without their largesse.

Billions spent on murder

The process of pumping Ukraine with money and weapons didn’t begin in 2022. It started eight years earlier, in the wake of the Maidan coup in Kiev. According to Transparency International, in the period from 2014 to 2017, the US alone provided Ukraine with $658 million in technical assistance. By March 2022, US military assistance to Ukraine had topped$2 billion.

Prior to Russia’s military offensive, arms supplies to Kiev were falsely labeled as ‘defensive’ and ‘non-lethal’. In 2016, for example, Lithuania gave Ukraine about 150 tons of ammunition (mainly 5.45 × 39 mm cartridges), 60 KPV, and 86 DShK heavy machine guns. In 2017, Vilnius supplied weapons worth 2 million euros: 7,000 Kalashnikov rifles with cartridges, 80 machine guns, several dozen mortars and anti-tank guns. Since 2018, the United States has been supplying Ukraine with Javelin AAWS-M missiles.

But the real pot of gold landed in Ukraine’s hands last year. By the beginning of October 2022, Western aid commitments to Ukraine amounted to $126 billion. By comparison, the country's official nominal GDP was $130 billion. According to the Kiel Institute of World Economy, direct military supplies and financial assistance intended to cover Ukraine’s budget deficit due to increased military spending amounted to about $93 billion. The figures show that three-quarters of the West's ‘aid’ to Ukraine goes into combat operations.

It added that the US made the biggest commitment to support Ukraine as of October 2022. This amounted to 45%, or $55 billion, with two-thirds consisting of military aid. Next came the European Union with $48 billion. EU institutions accounted for $19.2 billion, and the rest was provided by individual states. Poland has spent the biggest amount – $7.6 billion, including $4.5 billion on helping refugees. Next came the United Kingdom ($7.4 billion), Germany ($6.7 billion), Canada ($3.2 billion), the Czech Republic ($1.8 billion), and Norway ($1.6 billion). Finally, another $4.9 billion was allocated by international institutions (the IMF, The World Bank). Kiev’s most active “friends” are Estonia, whose aid amounted to 1.51% of its own GDP, Latvia (1.29%), Poland (1.28%), Lithuania (0.83%), and the Czech Republic (0.74%). On the whole, the EU has allocated 0.28% of its GDP, and the US – 0.26%.

Faster, bigger, further

Landing in Ukraine, the huge funds (even by Western standards), transform into masses of weapons that are used to attack residential neighborhoods in Donbass. According to Bloomberg, since the beginning of Russia’s military operation, Western countries have given Kiev over 4,000 units of armored vehicles, tanks, planes, helicopters and drones, artillery weapons, aircraft, and other weapons systems.

But that’s not all. President Vladimir Zelensky has recently toured Western Europe in search of more weapons. Germany finally gave in to his demands and promised to ship 143-145 tanks between March and May. These include: 17 Leopard 2A6s, 24 Leopard 2A4s, 30 Leopard 1A5s, 14 Challenger 2s, 30 PT-91s and 30 T-72Ms.

The donation of 31 US M1 Abrams tanks has been postponed to the end of 2023 or early 2024. Towards the end of the summer, Germany expects to put 20-25 Leopard 1A5/A5DK on order, and most of the Leopard 1 tanks (124 units) will also be delivered in 2024. That’s 249 vehicles in total.

There are also active discussions around supplying Kiev with missiles with a range of up to 550 kilometers. According to The Times, these could be Harpoon anti-ship missiles with a range of 240 kilometers and Storm Shadow cruise missiles that can hit targets at a distance of over 550 kilometers. Moreover, Kiev has been eager to get its hands on Washington’s ATACMS ballistic missiles with a firing range of up to 310 km and MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones that can be equipped with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles.

https://www.rt.com/russia/571578-how-west-sponsors-killing-of-people/

>>18358648

2 of 2

Military jets are also on the agenda. Both the Netherlands and Poland said that they will transfer F-16 Block 70/72 Viper fighters to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. During a meeting with Zelensky, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak asked Secretary of State for Defense Ben Wallace to find out which jets London could potentially hand over to Ukraine, and expressed readiness to train Ukrainian pilots. The British military then suggested other means of guarding Ukrainian airspace, including longer-range missiles and drones.

Regarding fighter jets, German Minister for Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock commented that it’s “not a discussion we are having.” Yet, given how Berlin initially refuted tank supplies as well, these words can hardly be trusted.

__Slaughter machines as a gift from NATO___

Western ‘aid’ is killing Ukrainians by the thousands. In November 2022, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, estimated that Kiev had lost at least 100,000 servicemen, before deleting her comments after uproar from supporters of Ukraine. Three more months have passed since then.

Big expansions to cemeteries have sprouted up all over Ukraine. Trying to make up for losses, the authorities have ordered more mobilization. This process has turned into a hunt, with men being dragged to war by force, as dozens of videos freely available online show.

Given equipment losses, it's likely that attacks on the civilian population of Donbass, Zaporozhye, and Kherson, as well as Russia’s border regions, are carried out almost exclusively using Western weapons.

Evidence of this is seen from video footage of destroyed civilian infrastructure in Donbass. American “gifts” in the form of HIMARS strikeresidential areas in Donetsk and in the deep rear of the Lugansk city of Schastye. The Kalinin hospital in Donetsk and a hospital in Novoaidar, Lugansk, were both destroyed by NATO weapons. And this is only a small portion of the slaughter being committed by Kiev, using Western supplies.

According to UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu, at least 7,100 civilians have been killed in the course of combat operations since February 2022. “The real numbers are probably much bigger,”Nakamitsu said. Norwegian Chief of Defense Eirik Kristoffersen estimates civilian casualties at 30,000 people.

There is also evidence that some long-range missiles currently publicly only under discussion have already been provided to Kiev. The head of the administration of the Russian part of Zaporozhye Region, Vladimir Rogov, has reported that Ukrainian missiles hit the hotel complex ‘Hunter's Camp’ in Melitopol, resulting in civilian deaths. However, the city is located more than 100 km from the frontline.

Fighting Russia until the last Ukrainian

The lives of the Ukrainian people have been sacrificed in the interests of a geopolitical confrontation planned by the West. At a meeting of the Council of Europe on January 24, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said, “We (the EU) are waging a war against Russia, not against each other.” She was subsequently forced to take her words back, but other Western officials have said the same thing, even if in less straightforward ways.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has stressed, “If Putin prevails, it will mean a defeat not only for Ukraine but for all of us.” As for Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, he went so far as to call the defeat of Russia “the Polish and European meaning of life.”

Politicians generally tell the truth only after resigning. Statements from former German chancellor Angela Merkel and former French president Francois Hollande have revealed that the 2014 and 2015 Minsk (peace) Agreements were signed only in order to arm Ukraine and buy it time before a full on military confrontation with Russia.

In other words, waging war with Russia by proxy through Ukraine has been a meticulously planned strategy, long in the making.

https://www.rt.com/russia/571578-how-west-sponsors-killing-of-people/

16 Feb, 2023 16:17

Russia showcases fighters, helicopters and drones at Asia’s biggest air show

Talks on jointly manufacturing the Su-75 “Checkmate” are likely to happen at Aero India 2023

By Joydeep Sen Gupta, Asia Editor

Russia has reportedly reached out to India about manufacturing the Su-75 light tactical fighter jet, also referred to as the “Checkmate.”

According to TASS, quoting sources in Russia’s state-owned defense consortium Rostec, cooperation with India on the Su-75 project will be discussed during the 14th biennial Aero India 2023 International Aerospace Exhibition. The show started on Monday at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru.

Rosoboronexport, the Russian state agency for international arms trade, is the organizer of Russia’s collective display at the event.

“Rosoboronexport is a permanent exhibitor at Aero India, one of the world’s largest air shows, where the Russian display traditionally stands out for its scale and the range of exhibited products for the Air and Air Defense Forces. The exhibition gives us an excellent opportunity to showcase modern Russian-made weaponry and discuss the areas for further bilateral cooperation with India,” said Rosoboronexport Director-General Aleksandr Mikheev in a press release.

“The military-technical cooperation between Russia and India is an example of industrial partnership with a number of completed and ongoing joint projects for all services of the armed forces. Today we are offering new points of cooperation within the joint development and production of high-tech products on the premises of Indian enterprises under the national ‘Make in India’ program in compliance with all localization and technology transfer requirements,” he added.

About 200 examples of advanced Russian-made armaments and military hardware are on display, including the advanced Su-57E fifth-generation multirole fighter, the Checkmate light tactical aircraft, the IL-76MD-90A(E) military transport aircraft, the IL-78MK-90A tanker aircraft, the Su-35 and the Su-30SME super-manoeuvrable fighters, and the MiG-35D multirole frontline fighter.

Rosoboronexport also showcased the Ka-226T light utility helicopter, the production of which has been suggested for launch under the “Make in India” program on the premises of Indo-Russian Helicopters Limited, a joint venture with the participation of Russian and Indian companies. A wide range of Russian military helicopters are present as well. Among them are the upgraded versions of the Ka-52E and Mi-28NE attack helicopters and the Mi-171Sh military transport helicopters, which are in high demand in the Asia-Pacific region.

Russian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are also on display, including some of the same models used in the fighting against the Ukrainian armed forces. The line-up includes the Orion-E reconnaissance/strike UAV, the Orlan-10E reconnaissance UAV and the Orlan-30, a new product launched last year, designed for conducting aerial surveillance, and locating, spotting, and identifying objects in both the visible and infrared spectrums.

In the air defense segment, Rosoboronexport is showcasing an entire range of assets that can operate both independently and as part of an echeloned air defense system – the S-350E Vityaz air defence missile system, the Viking, Tor-M2KM, Tor-M2E SAM systems, and the Pantsir-S1 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun/missile (SPAAGM) system, as well as the Igla-S and Verba man-portable air defense systems and anti-drone weapons.

Russia is engaged in technical consultations with India on the production of the Pantsir-S1 and the Tor-M2KM, as well as the Boomerang infantry fighting vehicles and UAVs, in line with the memoranda of understanding that were signed with India’s Bharat Earth Movers Limited.

The Russian delegates plan to hold meetings and negotiations with representatives of defense ministries and other security agencies from India and other countries of the Asia-Pacific region…

The Su-75 Checkmate, one of the main projects reportedly being discussed, was first unveiled in Russia in July 2021 and later put on display at the Dubai Airshow in November the same year.

Rostec plans to roll out a batch of piloted Checkmate aircraft, which is based on stealth technology and capable of carrying air-to-air and air-to-ground armaments, in 2026. Mass production is likely to start the following year…

Russia remains one of India’s top military suppliers, having exported around $13 billion worth of hardware over the past five years…

Aero India is Asia’s biggest air show, with this year’s event attended by representatives of 98 countries and over 700 defense companies from across the world…

https://www.rt.com/india/571477-russia-aero-india-2023/

“We Are In The 3rd World War”: Frank Gaffney Breaks Down How The U.S. Needs To Secure Itself. It is likely to fan out to the CCP soon

https://rumble.com/embed/v276w3c/?pub=4