1 Feb, 2024 13:58

German spies tracking former boss – media

Hans-Georg Maassen has denied accusations of right-wing extremism, suggesting he is being persecuted for political reasons

TheFederal Office for the Protection of the Constitution(BfV), Germany’sdomestic intelligence agency, has placed its former president Hans-Georg Maassen under surveillance,suspecting him of ties to the country’s far right, local media reported.

According to the website t-online and the broadcaster ARD, the agency now maintains an extensive dossier on its former director, who stood at the helm between 2012 and 2018. The BfV has made him an “observation case”, as he is suspected of right-wing extremism.

The BfV’s former president was forced to step down after a string of scandals, including his questioning of reports of far-right wing violence against foreigners. Several media outlets have also claimed that Maassen had handed over sensitive information to theright-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. (Make Right Wing Populists Great Again, in Nazi Germany)

Maassen is now the leader of the Values Union, a right-wing party that recently splintered from the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU). Initially created in 2017, the Union originally portrayed itself as a conservative association within the CDU but the two had a major ideological falling out that eventually led to a break-up.

Some critics have also accused theValues Union of being too close to the AfD, which has consistentlycriticized Berlin’s immigration policies. (Oh the leaders like Scholz are losing control and are in turmoil because these groups are exposing that there are millions of illegals, not only committing horrendous crimes that Germany tries to hide, but the illegals are paid by every scheme the government can do.)

The BfV’s decision to place Maassen under surveillance was confirmed by the politician himself, who published the relevant notification from the agency. Among the reasons, it cited the fact that members of the Reichsburger movement – which denies the existence of the modern German state and believes that the nation’s citizens are still living in the German Reich based on the 1871 Constitution – shared his video on social media.

The letter also said that Maassen had describedauthorities’ actions against Reichsburger members as “disproportionate,”adding that some right-wing figures have described Maassen as a “staunch Republican.”

In an interview with Tichys Einblick magazine on Wednesday, the former BfV president called the allegations of right-wing extremism “without substance and unjustified,”suggesting that his former office was abusing its powers to hunt down political opponents.

”This is an attack on the free democratic basic order by the Federal Minister of the Interior, Ms. [Nancy] Faeser,” he added.

(They call this agency “The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Germany’s domestic intelligence agency”, funny, the name insinuates it protects the constitution, but it’s a spy agency. German leadership reveals they are Nazi’s. How can they ban interactions with political groups? They are simply trying to destroy political opposition to their “not free country”, They can never keep up the pretense of being a free country, or one that believes in Freedom. This will not end well for the Nazis, no wonder they love Ukraine so much that they give the public needed money to Kiev.They are creating the very shift that will expose & destroy their farce.)

I heard on Bannon when a Gen Z a young republican, that this generation is more conservative than any generation since the 1950s. So Gen Z will save America, hopefully Gen Z will do the same in Germany!

https://www.rt.com/news/591659-german-spies-tracking-former-boss/

1 Feb, 2024 13:57

Americans likely part of crew that shot down Ukrainian POWs – TASS

Russia’s Investigative Committee previously concluded that the Il-76 aircraft was destroyed with a US-made Patriot missile system

American specialists may have been part of the crew that operated the US-made Patriot air defense system that shot down a Russian military aircraft carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war last week, TASS news agency reports.

The plane, a Russian Il-76, crashed over Belgorod Region last Wednesday while carrying 65 captured Ukrainian servicemen who were set to take part in a prisoner swap later that day. All of the POWs, as well as three Russian officers and six crew members, died in the crash.

On Thursday, Russia’s Investigative Committee released a report claiming that the plane was brought down using two MIM-104A surface-to-air missiles launched from a Patriot missile system deployed at a staging area in Kharkov Region, Ukraine near the village of Liptsy, around 10km from the Russian border.

Following the Investigative Committee’s report, a source within Russia’s security services told TASS thatit is very likelythat the crew operating the Patriot system represented a mix of Ukrainian andAmerican specialists.

The agency’s source explained that Ukrainian officers are likely placed in lower positionswhile “Western specialists, including Americans, sit at the control and missile guidance stations.”They added that Ukrainian servicemen are often only allowed to be involved with these systems as drivers or operators of transport-loading vehicles. (Because Ukrainians break everything the get)

The TASS report noted that the Russian authorities are still in theprocess of identifying the exact peoplewho were involved in the attack and were operating the Patriot system. (Russia tracks everyone that enters Ukraine and have records. Now Americans are targets of Russia because Joe is an ass)

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the use of a US-made system in the killing of Ukrainian POWs means that US PresidentJoe Bidenand his administration have maderegular American citizens “complicit in the bloody tragedy.”

https://www.rt.com/russia/591660-us-patriot-crew-ukraine/

(Picture: Russian legal team listening to ICJ’s ruling on Wednesday.)

ICJ Rules Against Ukraine on Terrorism, MH17

February 1, 2024

By Joe Lauria

in The Hague, Netherlands1/2

The World Court ruled on Wednesday thatRussia did not finance terrorism in its defense of separatists in Ukraineand the courtrefused to find Russia guilty of downing Malaysian Airlines Flight 17as Ukraine had asked.

The case was brought to the ICJ by Ukraine in 2017, three years after the U.S.-backed coup in Kiev overthrew the democratically-elected President Viktor Yanukovych.

When Russian speakers in Donbass rebelled against the unconstitutional change in government that they had voted for, thecoup leaders in 2014 launched what it called an “anti-terrorist” military operation to put down the rebellion.

Russia responded by helping ethnic Russians with arms and other military equipment. Ukraine claimed to the court that that was in breach of a treaty barring terrorism financing.

But the ICJ ruled on Wednesday that thetreaty only covered cash transfers made to alleged terrorist groups. This “does not include the means used to commit acts of terrorism, including weapons or training camps,” the Court said in its judgement.

“Consequently, the alleged supply of weapons to various armed groups operating in Ukraine… fall outside the material scope” of the anti-terrorism financing convention, the Court ruled. The Court also said it hadno evidence to show that any of the armed militias in Donbassfighting against the governmentcould be characterized as terrorist groups.

The ICJ found only that Russia was, “failing to take measures to investigate facts… regarding persons who have allegedly committed an offense.” It added thatthe court “rejects all other submissions made by the Ukraine.”(so BTFO Kiev)

The ruling is highly significant inundermining Kiev’s claim to be fighting a war against terrorists in Donbass,an essential part of the Ukraine’s and the West’s narrative in justifying its brutal operation thatleft more than 10,000 civilians dead.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 amid indications that Kiev was beginning a new offensive against Donbass. Ukraine and the West had failed to implement two peace agreements negotiated in Minsk and endorsed by the U.N. Security Council.

Western and Ukrainian officials later admitted they never had any intention of implementing the deal and pretended to to buy time to build up its forces against Russia….

https://consortiumnews.com/2024/02/01/icj-rules-against-ukraine-v-russia-on-terrorism-mh17/

>>20340958

This just happened today, Excellent

2/2

Rejected MH17 Claim

In its complaint to the Court, Ukraine had also claimed that Russia was responsible for the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in 2014, killing all 298 civilian passengers and crew on board.Kiev wanted Russia to pay compensationto the victims.

But thecourt refused to rule whether Russia was responsible and to order compensation. This ruling appears to contradict the results of the official investigation into the incident.

The Dutch Safety Board (DSB) and a Dutch-led joint investigation team (JIT) concluded in 2016 that the plane was shot down by ethnic Russian separatists using a missile supplied by Russia. Moscow has denied involvement in the incident.

The ruling on MH17 came two weeks after the European Court of Justice decided that theDutch government was not required to release informationit has about the incident. The Dutch news outlet RTL Nieuws had brought the case before the ICJ. (Since the Dutch government did not have to reveal their records, and the court saw them, and ruled Russia wasn’t involved, then the court is covering for who really did it. Probably Ukrainians themselves, to blame Russia.)

It wanted to know what reports the Dutch government had received about Ukrainian airspace before the plane was shot down. The government refused to release that data and the European court ruled it did not have to divulge information regarding aviation safety.

No Discrimination

Ukraine was also denied compensationfor what it said was discrimination against ethnic Tatars and Ukrainians in Crimea after Russia annexed the peninsula in 2014.

The court only agreed that Russia failed to adequately protect Ukrainian language education in Crimea. This complaint came as Ukraine passed laws discriminating against the Russian language in the country.

US Judge Votes Against Russia

Joan Donoghue, the American judge who is president of the Court, voted to protect Ukraine against several of the measures of the judgement.

For instance,she voted (in a 10-5 vote) against rejecting “all other submissions made by Ukrainewith respect to the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism.” She only voted for the point criticizing Russia for not properly investigating the charge and against rejecting Ukraine’s demands for compensation. (The court is trying to stop the constant claims Ukraine submits to the Court. They are abusing it. If Kiev had won a victory they would file more and more, and make it the biggest propaganda for all time. Now Russia needs to submit a complaint about Ukraine downing their own POWS, thats probably why Russia is collecting so much data on it)

Donoghue also voted (in another 10-5 vote) against rejecting Ukraine’s charge regarding discrimination against Ukrainians and Tartars in Crimea.

https://consortiumnews.com/2024/02/01/icj-rules-against-ukraine-v-russia-on-terrorism-mh17/

1 Feb, 2024 11:56

Investigators have identified everyone killed in plane carrying Ukrainian POWs

DNA testing and a review of documents have confirmed the death of 74 people, the Investigative Committee has said

Russian investigators say they have identified the remains of all those who were on board a cargo plane carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war; the aircraft was shot down by Kiev’s forces in Belgorod Region last week.

Moscow has accused Ukraine of downing an Il-76 aircraft carrying 65 Ukrainian POWs as well as three Russian troops and six crew members last Wednesday. The prisoners were being transported to the region for an exchange with Kiev.

Russia has said that the plane was destroyed by two missiles fired from a US-made Patriot air defense system stationed on the other side of the border, in Kharkov Region.

In a statement on Thursday, Russia’s Investigative Committee said that it had identified the remains of the deceased as part of the ongoing criminal case. It noted that it had found and recovered more than 670 body fragments in the area of the crash as well as surviving personal documents.

Officials added thatMoscow is taking the required samples of genetic materialfrom Ukrainian POWs, which means it has the necessary information forfurther identification. As a result, they said, investigators wereable to confirm that the remains indeed belonged to 65 Ukrainian captivesas well as Russian crew members and military personnel.

The agency also released a heavily censored video showing its operative scouring through the snow-covered crash site. Investigators can be seen gathering evidence into packages, with the rest of the clip showing what appear to be blood-stained body parts with conspicuous tattoos.

Russia has condemned the downing of the plane as a “terrorist act,” and has called for an international investigation. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said thathe “does not understand” why Ukraine needed to destroy a plane with its own POWs who were about to return home. (Revenge for them surrendering. They would have been killed by the Nazis if they tried to return to life in Ukraine)

Kiev has not claimed responsibility for shooting down the Il-76, but has said that it was not informed by Moscow that they had to ensure air security over Belgorod Region at the time. Russia insists that Kiev received all the relevant information.

https://www.rt.com/russia/591654-investigators-identified-killed-ukrainian-pows/

1 Feb, 2024 14:49

West refusing to cooperate with Ukrainian POW plane crash probe – Kremlin

The countries do not want to “stumble upon themselves” as a result of an international investigation, Dmitry Peskov has said

The US and its allies have shown little interest in launching an international probe into last week’s crash involving a Russian aircraft that was carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Thursday. President Vladimir Putin called for an investigation on Wednesday.

A Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft with 65 Ukrainian POWs on board crashed in Belgorod Region on January 24. All of the Ukrainians, as well as six crew members and three Russian military personnel, died in the crash. Moscow immediately blamed Kiev for the incident.

On Wednesday, Putin said Moscow had asked “for international experts to be deployed [here] to conduct an analysis==, assess the existing material evidence” as part of an international probe.

According to Peskov, Western nations have demonstrated no interest in the Russian initiative. “The president stated it publicly and openly yesterday that we are ready for an international investigation,” he said, adding that theUS and its allies were demanding official written requestsand refusing to consider the issue without such documentation.

The West’s position came as no surprise for Russia, since it is a “direct participant” in the ongoing conflict, Peskov said. “It is clear that not one of them [the US and its allies] would be interested in conducting a probe and stumbling upon themselves as a result,” he added. (So Putin put this out to prove the West was involved and the West confirmed it. This is literally and legally a terrorist attack on the Ukraine and Russia soldiers on the plane. This will not be the end of this.The West refused all evidence of Nord Stream 2 explosion to Russia, that owned the pipeline. The West can only justify it, because it was them, that did it.)

Earlier, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky had disputed Moscow’s claims and called for an international probe into the incident as well.

On Thursday, the Russian Investigative Committee confirmed that the aircraft had been shot down by a US-made Patriot air-defense system. Such systems have been provided to Kiev’s troops by the Western backers.

(Joe Bidan and allies are incompetent buffoons. Just figured outwhy Kiev announced a Spring Offensive yesterday, to try and get it out of news, get attention off “them blowing up their own soldiers that were coming home”. No wonder, no men want to sign up and fight for Kiev!)

https://www.rt.com/russia/591665-west-refuse-ukrainian-pow-crash/

1 Feb, 2024 12:02

How NATO brainwashes Western society with its anti-Russia wargames

Steadfast Defender 2024, the bloc’s largest exercise in decades, is not only about military cohesion – it’s about selling war to the people

NATO has launched its largest exercise since the Cold War ended.Steadfast Defender 2024 will last several monthsand involve about 90,000 troops, over 50 naval vessels, 1,100 ground vehicles (including at least 133 tanks and 533 armored troop carriers), and 80 aircraft of various kinds (planes, helicopters, and drones).

All 31 alliance members will participate. However, it’s not only a matter of numbers and duration. The massive event is also special for two more reasons, one fairly straightforward, the other more complicated and worthy of serious scrutiny.

In simple terms,the exercise will test regional defense plans, which NATO has not done since the end of the Cold War.A political benefit of returning to such detailed plans is that they provide leverage, in essence to Washington through NATO’s SACEUR office, to make European governments toe the line by committing troops, gear, and money.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko’s observation is correct:The maneuver marks an “irrevocable return” of the alliance to Cold War mode, although, this, too, is only a new peak of a long period of aggressive development. Hence its no surprise either thatthe enemy targeted in this imaginary fight is Russia(even if appearing only as a “near-peer adversary” in Steadfast Defender’s official announcement).

The more complicated issue is that the exercise waspreceded by a veritable onslaught of propaganda- or in up-to-date NATO-speak,cognitive warfare.One dead give-away that this has been deliberate is that the Western think tank/information-war platform the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) is alreadyaccusing Russia of engaging in “an information operation to misrepresent”the purely “defensive” Steadfast Defender.

Remember the old rule of thumb:Usually, what the West accuses others of doing (for instance, genocide) is what it is doing itself.

In reality, NATO's representatives and spin masters (official and in the guise of academics and think tank experts), politicians, and journalists were laying down a narrative barrage. Through official statements, interviews, and even Tom-Clancy-style fantasy scenarios, the Western public, especially in the EU, was made to imagine a scary – and near – future in which Moscow launches an invasion of European NATO member states. In this sense, “Steadfast Defender” is not merely a return to Cold War patterns but to the dark tone of its most virulent and dangerous phases, for instance, the early 1980s. Think of deep-frosted Cold War Hollywood classics such as “Firefox,” “Red Dawn,”. That kind of vibe.

It’s important to note that there is nothing self-evident about this propaganda blitz. NATO could conduct its big maneuver but make less of a fuss about it. Or accompany it with a different, less strident message, stressing due security diligence but refraining from detailed statements about Russia’s putative actions, as it were, tomorrow.Hence, this cognitive warfare offensive is deliberate. It was driven so far, that, after the initial wave attack of panic-mongering; even the formal figurehead of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, got cold feet and felt compelled to remind everyone that there is “no direct threat.”

What is all of this about?

The most frightening interpretation would be that NATO is dead set already on fighting Russia, come what may. That would be highly irrational and suicidal, but, then again, the West has not shown much rationality recently.Call it the “Baltic Kamikaze” or “Britain is Suicidally Bored” explanation of NATO behavior. (Kek)

My guess: We are, luckily, not quite there yet. Don’t get me wrong: I am certain that there are nutcases in NATO (and the EU) who’d love to go to war, better yesterday than tomorrow. Yet what is more likely is a messy internal compromise: Where some already want war, others are playing for something else:Compensating for the West’s looming defeat in Ukraine.

War – and preparing for war – remain essentially political activities, but not in the shortsighted manner NATO is applying now: Imbuing societies with a sense of a great outside threat can work, for a while. However, it will be futile in the not-so-long-run when two things happen: That outside threat fails to materialize, and, instead, the frustration that most people really feel in their own lives keeps coming from the inside.

https://www.rt.com/news/591608-steadfast-defender-2024-nato/

1 Feb, 2024 15:20

Flames and angry protests rage outside EU parliament (VIDEOS)

Thousands of farmers descended on Brussels, where they burned manure and pelted the legislature with eggs

A crowd of furious farmers picketed the EU Parliament building in Brussels on Thursday to protest environmental regulations and the threat to their livelihoods posed by cheap Ukrainian imports. The protesters hurled stones, eggs, and abuse at the bureaucrats behind police lines.

Convoys of tractors began streaming into Brussels on Wednesday night, and by Thursday morning the streets of the Belgian capital were blockaded by around 1,300 vehicles, according to a police estimate.

The farmers assembled in front of the European Parliament building on Luxembourg Square where they burned pallets and piles of manure. The crowd lobbed eggs, stones, fireworks, and flaming projectiles at the legislature, while similar scenes took place outside the nearby headquarters of the European Council.

Riot police used water cannons to extinguish the fires and push back stone-throwing protesters. As of Thursday afternoon, no arrests or injuries had been reported.

The protest was a culmination of months of demonstrations in different EU countries. Farmers in Germany have blocked city streets since December,demandingthat ChancellorOlaf Scholz abandon his plans to scrap a diesel subsidy, while those in France have also protested rising energy costs. In Eastern Europe, farmers have been demonstrating against anEU policy allowing tariff-free imports of cheap Ukrainian grain, which significantly undercuts local produce.

Across the bloc, decisions made in Brussels are a common source of grievance. Farmers have condemned the EU’s planned Mercosur trade deal, which wouldallow the tariff-free importation of produce from Latin America, thereby forcingEU farmers to sell at a lower price. The farmers have also demanded that the EU roll back regulations, including a requirement thatthey leave 4% of their land fallow and reduce livestocknumbers to lower nitrogen emissions.

A short walk from the protest, the European Council met on Thursday morning, but agricultural issues were not on the agenda. Instead, the council agreed on a €50 billion package of economic aid to Ukraine. However, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo told reporters that the farmers’ concerns would be discussed, stating that EU leaders “need to make sure that [the farmers] can get the right price for the high-quality products that they provide.”

With European Parliament elections coming up in June, the European Commission announced on Wednesday that itwould grant the farmers some limited concessions, including a one-year exemption from the fallow land rule for some producers, and a promise to cap imports of Ukrainian poultry, eggs, and sugar. However, thecommission said that it would extend the tariff-free regime for all other Ukrainian produce until June 2025.

(The EU will be dead in a couple of years, Climate Alarmism will be dead too.)

https://www.rt.com/news/591666-brussels-eu-farmers-protest/

>>20341270

Make Europe, Europe Again. Break the EU into pieces

Look at this picture

February 2022: the U.S. House speaker during an official visit to Israel.

(Oh she wasn’t just babbling, it was another “wrap up smear”. Russia, Russia, Russia can be used to dodge responsibility for anything.)

Russiagate & Gaza. 1/2

January 31, 2024 By Elizabeth Vos

Just a few years ago, the Russiagate narrative dominated the news sphere: anyone who questioned the status quo was labeled a Putin puppet or a Russian bot, including American journalists.

In recent months,Israeli officialshave similarly labeled anyone and any organization who opposes them asanti-Semitic or Hamas sympathizers, even going so far as to label the International Court of Justice anti-Semitic.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took both narratives a step further over the weekend,calling on the F.B.I. to investigate pro-Palestinian protests for alleged financial ties to Russia.

Her statements came in the wake of the ruling from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which stated that there is prima facie evidence of Israel committing genocide in Gaza though the ruling stopped short of ordering a cessation of Israel’s military actions in the strip.

Instead of turning away from Israel, as one might expect if a nation is credibly accused of genocide,Pelosi attempted to deflect from Israel’s guiltand its loss of support among the U.S. public by blamingpro-Palestinian protestson Russia, andspecifically Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, Pelosi claimed:

“… for them to call for a ceasefire is Mr. Putin’s message, Mr. Putin’s message. Make no mistake, this is directly connected to what he would like to see. Same thing with Ukraine. It’s about Putin’s message. I think some of these protesters are spontaneous and organic and sincere. Some, I think, are connected to Russia.” (Pelosi is literally insane!)

Pelosi continued:

“Some of these protests areRussian plants, seeds or plants… I think some financing should be investigated. And I want to ask the F.B.I. to investigate that.” (Her paranoiah about Russia and Putin was well earned by her)

Pelosi’s statements were quickly followed up by corporate media articles echoing Pelosi’s logic, with Rolling Stone reviving the debunked Russiagate narrative, writing:

“Russia and Putin have supported a ceasefire and have used Israel’s aggression in Gaza to criticize the United States for its role in the conflict. Russia has also attempted to interfere in the last two U.S. presidential elections.”

Russia is just one of a majority of nations who have voted at the U.N. General Assembly for an immediate ceasefire. There isnothing particularly Russianabout theworldwide condemnation of the continuing slaughter.

To see the old Russiagate and current pro-Israel narratives converge in Pelosi’s call for the F.B.I. to investigate pro-Palestinian protesters for being “Russian plants” is remarkable in its audacity, but true to form.

Scrambling in the wake of the ICJ ruling, Democrats — along with Republican counterparts — have no leg to stand on morally for their complicity in Israel’s ongoing atrocities.

They have no answers for the voters they ignore — just as they ignored them in previous elections….

https://consortiumnews.com/2024/01/31/russiagate-gaza/

>>20341392

2/2

In 2016 the Democratic Party undercut democracy in their primary, then circulated false allegations of Russian election interference for years after establishment-favorite Hillary Clinton lost the presidency to Donald Trump.

Anyone who pointed out the obvious fallacies of the Russiagate narrative was labeled a purveyor of Russian talking points, including the editor of Consortium News.

Thousands of young people, many of whom were not politically engaged in the era of Russiagate, are now seeing through the pro-Israel propaganda.

U.S. PresidentJoe Biden is suffering in the polls, particularly among young Democrats and Arab-Americans, because of his administration’s complicity in genocide, no matter what deflection former Speaker Pelosi attempts.

Biden is additionally losing support among African-American voters. The New York Times reports that “a coalition of more than 1,000 Black pastors representing hundreds of thousands of congregants nationwide” issued a demand that the Biden administration push for a ceasefire.

Pelosi’s sentiments highlighted the reality of a broken political system: If Americans lived in a functioning democratic society, politicians from Pelosi to Biden and Trump would be rushing to take advantage of growing voter numbers against Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Politicians would be eagerly courting this new voter base that combines so many demographics, promising to put an end to U.S. support for Israel immediately.

Instead, the Biden administration is confirming its support for Israel despite the very real possibility of losing this year’s presidential election. Even retaining the presidency takes second place to continuing support for Israel it seems.

It’s important to underscore that Pelosi’s cartoonish characterization of pro-Palestinian protesters as water carriers for Putin followed theInternational Court of Justice’s rulingthat there is prima facie evidence thatIsrael is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

https://consortiumnews.com/2024/01/31/russiagate-gaza/