6 Sep, 2023 10:49

Ukrainian MPs approve new defense minister

President Zelensky had announced cabinet reshuffle last Sunday

Ukrainian MPs approve new defense minister

Ukrainian MPs voted on Wednesday to confirm Rustem Umerov as the new defense minister. President Vladimir Zelensky announced his candidacy in the past week, while also declaring he wanted then-head of the department, Aleksey Reznikov, to step down.

The country’s lawmakers supported the nominee overwhelmingly, with no votes cast against Umerov and a single abstention, according to Ukrainian media.

Several corruption scandals rocked the Defense Ministry under Reznikov’s leadership, though the man himself until last week had defied multiple predictions of imminent sacking.

Umerov, who is 41 and a businessman, and who previously headed the State Property Fund, was perceived by domestic media as a safe pick for Zelensky, as the president seeks to convince Kiev’s foreign sponsors –and the Ukrainian public– that his pledges to eradicate graft by officials are sincere. (What does he know about running the Defense Dept?)

The official previously served as an MP and was also part of the Ukrainian delegation to failed peace talks with Russia in Minsk.He is an alumnus of the US State Department’s Future Leaders Exchange program.

Kiev’s replacement of minister of defense camejust as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived thereon Wednesday for a two-day visit. It is the first such trip to Ukraine by a US official of this seniority since Kiev launched its counteroffensive against Russia in early June.

Ahead of his meetings with senior Ukrainian officials, Blinken praised progress made so far and pledged long-term support for Kiev. But Western media reports, citing insiders in the US government, said Washington was frustrated with the way the Ukrainian leadership was conducting the operation.

Earlier this week, the Russian military updated its estimate of the price paid by the Ukrainian army in its assaults. Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said that Kiev had lost over 66,000 soldiers and more than 7,600 units of heavy weaponry trying to breach Russian defensive lines.

Reznikov’sfuture career remains unclear at the moment. Sources in Ukraine have suggested that hemay be appointed Kiev’s next ambassador to the UK. Zelensky sacked Vadim Pristayko as the head of the diplomatic mission in London in July, after the envoy criticized the president’s tone in responding to criticism by foreign governments.

Earlier that month, the Ukrainian leader was chastised by some Western officials for not showing gratitude to nations sponsoring Kiev in its conflict against Russia and, in an apparent response,released a video in which he said “thank you” for the aid 47 times in less than ten minutes.

(The US State Dept now officially runs Ukraine, along with the SeeEyeAye! Kek)

https://www.rt.com/russia/582463-ukraine-defense-minister-umerov/

MTG Wants to Impeach D.C. DA for Not Letting Jan. 6 Rioters Skate

Democrats called out Republican hypocrisy on crime during a House Oversight hearing on Wednesday

Nikki McCann RamirezMay 16, 2023

Democrats called out Republican hypocrisy on crime during a House Oversight hearing on Wednesday

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) says she will introduce articles of impeachment against D.C. District Attorney Matthew Graves, accusing him of “maliciously prosecuting at least 1000 people from Jan. 6,” and not “real criminals.”

“The time for weaponizing the Department of Justice needs to come to an end,” Greene said during a Wednesday House OversightCommittee hearing on rising crime rates within the nation’s capital.

“Because you refuse to prosecute real criminals — that are violating all the crimes here in Washington, D.C. — and you want to talk about D.C. residents, they are victims of your abuse of power. And because of that, I am introducing articles of impeachment on you, Mr. Graves.”

Under Graves’ leadership, in 2022 the D.C. superior court declined to prosecute 67 percent of cases that would have been tried before the court. Graves says that while the number of declined cases has increased, violent felonies are still being prosecuted. Graves told The Washington Post that part of the reason cases were being dismissed was the lack of accreditation for D.C.’s crime lab, and increased scrutiny of arrests now that the use of bodycam footage is widely enforced.

While Republicans in the hearing lambasted Graves, Democrats took the opportunity to point out the disorder within the Republican caucus.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) called out Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) when she raised the issue of sexual assault. “I am so excited that my colleagues across the aisle care about sexual abuse considering that the front runner [for the Republican presidential nomination] has just been found liable of sexual abuse,” Crockett said, referring to a New York jury’s ruling that former President Trump was financially liable for sexual battery against author E. Jean Carroll.

“This may mean that finally, some folk will back off from supporting him because we don’t support sexual abusers in this chamber,” Crockett quipped.

Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) pointed outthat while lawmakers were “here talking about crime,” Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) is “walking around the Capitol voting,” while facing 13 criminal counts of fraud in New York.

Democrats also questioned the sincerity of Greene and her GOP colleagues’ concern about crime in the district when they so vehemently defended rioters who stormed the Capitol and attacked law enforcement officials on Jan. 6.

Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.) told the committee that it was “odd” to hear Republicans “talk so much this week about ‘backing the blue’ when they also defend so many of the January 6th defendants who violently attacked the Capitol.”

“It’s particularly rich hearing accusations from my Republican colleagues that anyone is ‘soft on crime’ considering the fact that a number of them have been to the D.C. jail to defend those violent criminals,” Goldman said.

(Too bad Rolling Stone used to decent articles on revealing corruption, now they are part of the cover up)

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/marjorie-taylor-greene-impeach-dc-da-matthew-graves-1234736664/

5 Sep, 2023 20:39

Ukraine used cluster munitions against civilians – Human Rights Watch

Kiev targeted the population of Russian-held Izyum with the controversial projectiles

The Ukrainian military used cluster munitions to shell the city of Izyum and caused civilian deaths, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday.The attack happened months before the US provided Kiev with additional cluster shells, overruling the objections of many NATO members.

“We figured this out after the Russians left and our investigators went there to look into the war crimes and atrocities that were committed – and they saw remnants of cluster munitions everywhere,” HRW’s Mary Wareham told RIA Novosti. “After finding out the direction from which the fire came, they established that they had been used by Ukrainian forces.”

The 110-page Cluster Munition Monitor 2022 report, published by HRW this week, lists deployments of such weapons by both sides in the conflict. It notes that the group had first reported on the attack on Izyum in July, but that the Ukrainian Defense Ministry officially denied ever using such munitions in or around the settlement.

The city commands a key strategic position in Kharkov Region and was held by Russian forces between May 2022 and late September, when they withdrew due to a Ukrainian attack further north. In addition to the attacks documented by HRW investigators, the Ukrainian military had used cluster munitions against the area throughout 2022, the report noted, citing the UN’s Independent Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine.

Wareham pointed out that HRW had detailed testimonies about civilians who were killed or wounded by cluster bombs.

A HRW report from January also included information about the Ukrainian use of cluster munitions, as well as the targeting of Izyum by ‘Butterfly’anti-personnel mines, which killed 11 civilians and wounded around 50, including five children. HRW said that the Russian military informed the civilians about the danger of the mines, citing testimonials from around 100 local residents.

“Cluster munitions are abhorrent weapons that are globally banned because they cause both immediate and long-term civilian harm and suffering,” Wareham said while announcing the annual report. “It’s unconscionable that civilians are still dying from cluster munition attacks 15 years after these weapons were outlawed.”

Over the years, the HRW has released a number of reports about the use of cluster munitions in the Ukrainian conflict, stating that both sides were using them. The organization noted, however, that its ability to gather evidence of Ukrainian attacks is hampered because it cannot safely access Russian-controlled territories.

Ukraine, Russia, and the US are not party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), which has sought to ban this type of ordnance, citing its toll on civilians. Earlier this year, Washington rejected objections from several NATO allies who are party to the CMM and sent Kiev 155mm artillery shells loaded with dual-purpose improved conventional munitions (DPICM).

Some US outlets have reported that the Pentagon receives detailed reports from Ukraine about when and where its DPICM ordnance is used. Russia has documented multiple instances of their use against civiliansin Donetsk.

(Last time HRW reported on crimes of Ukraine, Kiev whined & they edited the article and removed the direct facts of crimes.)

https://www.rt.com/russia/582435-hrw-ukraine-cluster-civilians/

6 Sep, 2023 13:19

US forcing ‘fight to last Ukrainian’ – Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov made the remark amid media reports that the US is set to unveil another defense aid package for Kiev

The US is intent on “waging a war to the last Ukrainian,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has claimed following reports that Washington is planning to provide more weapons to Kiev. He insisted that theadditional aid would not change the course of the conflict.

“We have many times heard statements that[the US] is going to continue helping Kiev as long as necessary,” Peskov told reporters on Wednesday.

This meansWashington will “further keep Ukraine effectively at war and wage this war to the last Ukrainian, sparing no expense,”he added.

Peskov said American military supplies would not change the way Russia’s military campaign is being conducted in the neighboring country.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Ukraine for an unannounced two-day tour on Wednesday – the first such visit since the start of the Ukrainian counteroffensive in early June.

“We want to make sure that Ukraine has what it needsnot only to succeed on the counteroffensive, but [also] in the long term,”he stated following his arrival in Kiev.

Earlier, a State Department official told journalists on the trip that the secretary of state would likely announce a new $1 billion assistance package, as reported by Reuters.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed this week that Kiev had suffered “colossal” losses during its summer campaign, with more than 66,000 troops killed and over 7,600 heavy weapons destroyed.

Speaking following talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi on Monday, President Vladimir Putin declared that Kiev’s attempts to breach Russian defenses had failed.

Meanwhile, there has been growing opposition among US lawmakers to the continuation of military assistance for Ukraine at current levels, as well as calls for more oversight.

Last month, US President Joe Biden asked Congress to authorize $24 billion in additional spending for Ukraine.

(Why don’t the Ukrainian civilians have a problem with the statement “down to that last Ukrainian?” They probably do but Ukraine eliminated any independent media, only state media allowed.)

https://www.rt.com/russia/582471-peskov-us-war-last-ukrainian/

The Media Wants Us to Know That Jill Biden Has COVID – The Primary Election Variant

September 5, 2023 | Sundance |

Does anyone really care?I mean, HIPAA laws prohibit the public display of health information. So, when the people behind the wife of Joe Bidenwant to proclaim that she has the newest and fashionable variant of COVID, there’s generally a narrative engineering reason for it.

I’m sure Jill Biden will not be the last to promote their infected status, there’s certain to be a line of Hollywood and pop culture figures enlisted in the useful narrative. However,it will be interesting to see just how many people play along this time.

WASHINGTON DC – First lady Jill Biden tested positive for Covid-19 Monday evening and is “currently experiencing only mild symptoms,” according to the White House.

The first lady, 72, will remain at her home in Rehoboth Beach, Del., her communications director Elizabeth Alexander said in a statement. She has been vaccinated and received boosters. (read more)

CNN steps in with the narrative enhancement, “Jill Biden’s diagnosis comes amid renewed attention to Covid-19 as the world approaches the fourth virus season since the coronavirus arrived on the scene. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from earlier in the summer showed a slight increase in hospital admissions, emergency department visits, and positive Covid-19 tests – although not nearly as high as in past summers.”

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2023/09/05/the-media-wants-us-to-know-that-jill-biden-has-covid-the-primary-election-variant/

I talked to someone the other day that was still very pissed they had taken 3 jabs and still got covid. One of the last in the country that didn’t say, “at least I didn’t die”!