All things Russia Vs. Ukraine for March 16, 2022

1. Tucker Carlson shows us that you have liars, damned liars, and liars by hotties on TikTok

2. This is from November 8th, 2021. So a good distance before the current conflict but well into Covid. And, we have posted this before. But seeing as how the Parliament of Canada gave the Ukrainian leader a standing O yesterday in Parliament, it seems worth an honourable mention.

Canadian officials who met with Ukrainian unit linked to neo-Nazis feared exposure by news media: documents

A year before the meeting, Canada’s Joint Task Force Ukraine produced a briefing on the Azov Battalion, acknowledging its links to Nazi ideology.

Canadian officials who met with members of a Ukrainian battalion linked to neo-Nazis didn’t denounce the unit, but were instead concerned the media would expose details of the get-together, according to newly released documents.

So how did it go in Parliament yesterday?

The first 17 minutes is all you need for the content.

3. FLASHBACK: Remember this focus grouped lie?

(Cause we all know, Iraq started the war with Kuwait because they needed incubators for premees. Nothing to do with Kuwait diagnoally drilling under the border and siphoning off their oil. In this case, The Simpsons actually got it more right than the White House.)

4. Lara Logan on Ukraine as a kind of special piggy bank for corrupt US politicians

5. I find this to be a lot more believable than ANYTHING i see on CBC, CTV or Global news. Especially if you think for a minute about how they all sold Global Warming, Covid and the vaccines.

6. Hmm I wonder what Canada would do…

European Regulators Tell Banks To Put Russian Accounts Under Surveillance, Even EU Residents

In the latest alarming story that has that disturbing whiff of WWII-era Japanese internment camps, some European banks are now surveilling all Russia and Belarusian clients to ensure they are not seeking to circumvent Western sanctions on Moscow. 

What’s more is that the order to intensively scrutinize transactions merely based on an ethnicity and nationality is coming down on orders from top EU regulators. According to Reuters, “The instructions from ECB [European Central Bank] supervisors mean tens of thousands of Russians and Belarusians resident in the EU face intense surveillance by their banks, which are on alert for big payments and deposits as well as new credit applications, said sources.”

7. Dunno if this is true or not yet. If it is, it explains everything. Please click through to read the whole thread

Please check back often and in the comments for new material on Russia-Ukraine.

About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

26 Replies to “All things Russia Vs. Ukraine for March 16, 2022”

  1. zero hedge – European Regulators Tell Banks To Put Russian Accounts Under Surveillance, Even EU Residents

    In the latest alarming story that has that disturbing whiff of WWII-era Japanese internment camps, some European banks are now surveilling all Russia and Belarusian clients to ensure they are not seeking to circumvent Western sanctions on Moscow.

    What’s more is that the order to intensively scrutinize transactions merely based on an ethnicity and nationality is coming down on orders from top EU regulators. According to Reuters, “The instructions from ECB [European Central Bank] supervisors mean tens of thousands of Russians and Belarusians resident in the EU face intense surveillance by their banks, which are on alert for big payments and deposits as well as new credit applications, said sources.”

    The heaviest concentration of Russians in the EU are in Germany – at over 230,000 – and with Spain following, at more than 81,000. A source quoted in Reuters said, “At first, the measures were focused on those of Russian nationality, whether they were residents or non-residents, and later it was extended to Belarusians.”

    Lest anyone think this is just run-of-the-mill sanctions enforcement on Russian nationals and particularly that it’s all about oligarchs, there’s this glaring admission in the exclusive Reuters report that even EU residents could be under watch on the mere basis of their national origin:

    Some ECB supervisory teams, which include staff from the central bank and national authorities, have told banks to tighten control of EU residents too if they come from Russia or Belarus, said the sources, from banks and watchdogs.

    This even though on paper the sanctions laws are supposed to exempt those holding temporary or permanent EU residence permits. The EU measures restrict Russian nationals or companies from making deposits above €100,000.

    Banks are further being told by the ECB to extra careful in reviewing loan applications from any Russian or Belarusian. Already, writes Reuters, Spain is applying mass additional surveillance of thousands of bank accounts on the mere basis of having Russian ethnicity.

    “In one instance, a Spanish bank has put around 8,000 Russian clients who are not on the EU sanctions list and are residing in Spain under surveillance, said one of the sources,” according to the report. What’s more is that “All new lending to Russians who do not have Spanish residency has been halted and at least one bank will not allow non-resident Russians to open new accounts, they added.”

    https://www.zerohedge.com/political/european-regulators-tell-banks-put-russian-accounts-under-surveillance-even-eu-residents

  2. europravda -ICJ hands down ruling in Russia genocide case

    The International Court of Justice delivers its judgment in a case brought by Ukraine, in which it has accused Russia of manipulating the concept of genocide to justify its invasion.

  3. USA TODAY – Biden announces $800M in military aid for Ukraine

    Joe Biden on Wednesday praised Zelenskyy for his speech to Congress, saying his leadership has inspired not just his country but “the entire world.”

    Biden said the U.S. is adding to the military aid it is sending to Ukraine to help “fend off Russia’s assault.”

    “America is leading this effort, together with our allies and partners, providing enormous levels of security and humanitarian assistance that we’re adding to today and we’re going to continue to do more than days weeks ahead,” he said, adding the fight is “about the right of people to determine their own future, about making sure Ukraine never will be a victory for Putin, no matter what advances he makes on the battlefield.”

    Biden announced an additional $800 million in military aid for Ukraine that would bring the total U.S. support for Ukraine to more than $1 billion in just the last week.

    Biden emphasized the strength of the new military assistance, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons that will help Ukraine “fend off” Russia’s attacks. The supply includes traditional weapons ranging from guns to radar, and adds up to $1 billion “just this week,” Biden said.

    He added: “More will be coming.’

    Earlier Wednesday, Zelenskyy gave an impassioned address to an overwhelmingly supportive U.S. Congress, pleading for more military support, a “no-fly” zone over his country and even tougher sanctions for Russia.

    Zelenskyy drew parallels to horrific moments in American history to explain his country’s plight and called on the U.S. to ramp up its aid to Ukraine in a virtual address to Congress, three weeks into his nation’s fierce struggle to repel invading Russian troops.

    “Right now, the destiny of our country is being decided, the destiny of our people,” said Zelenskyy, who drew a standing ovation from Congress at the start of his speech from Kyiv. “Whether Ukrainians will be free, whether they will be able to preserve their democracy.”

    https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/03/16/ukraine-invasion-live-updates-zelenskyy-congress/7056525001/

    • twitter @alexbward

      US official: The drones US sending are armed.

      “They’re Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems.”

      =============================

      The NEW $800mn Ukraine assistance package (per my notes):
      – 800 anti-aircraft missiles
      – 9k anti-armor systems
      – 7k small arms
      – 20 mil round of ammo
      – drones

      https://twitter.com/alexbward/status/1504144300866736128

  4. Former top Pentagon advisor Col. Doug Macgregor on Russia-Ukraine war

    ( 2 h 15 min )

  5. Pavel Kirienko 1 hour ago

    Breaking news!

    A militant of the Azov Nazi regiment has just fled and defected to our side. He requested anonymity and we guaranteed it for him, as his family is in the Ukrainian-controlled territory and he fears that other Ukrainian Nazis may slice them in pieces to settle accounts with him.

    He has revealed to us a whole lot of exciting information of operational importance, including details of the atrocities committed by the Ukrainian Nazis in Mariupol. But the most important benefit is the location of the Ukrainian militants’ headquarters in the basement of the Mariupol Drama Theatre, while the theatre lobby is fully packed with civilians watched over by 12 Azov fighters preventing them from escaping.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhRvR0cRNxs&lc=UgyY7uPJI0ixiqt–LB4AaABAg

    Ukrainian lawmaker says ‘thousands’ were in bombed Mariupol theater

    Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba confirms that Russian forces dropped a large bomb on Mariupol’s theater, where people in the besieged city were sheltering from Russian attacks.

    “Russians could not have not known this was a civilian shelter,” he says.

    https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/ukrainian-lawmaker-says-thousands-were-in-bombed-mariupol-theater/
    ====================================
    reuters – Russian bombing hits theatre in Mariupol sheltering residents – city council

    LVIV, Ukraine, March 16 (Reuters) – Russian forces bombed a theatre where civilians were sheltering in the encircled port city of Mariupol on Wednesday, the city council said.

    It said the number of casualties was not yet known. Reuters could not independently verify the information. Russia denies targeting civilians.

    https://www.reuters.com/world/russian-bombing-hits-theatre-mariupol-sheltering-residents-city-council-2022-03-16/

    =========================

  6. Pentagon contractors worked in Ukrainian biolabs under $80 million program

    Leaked documents give new information about the Pentagon program in biolaboratories in Ukraine. According to internal documents, Pentagon contractors were given full access to all Ukrainian biolaboratories while independent experts were denied even a visit. The new revelations challenge the US government statement that the Pentagon just funded biolaboratories in Ukraine but had nothing to do with them.

    Last week US Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland confirmed that “Ukraine has biological research facilities” and the US is worried that “those research materials” may fall into the Russian hands. What “research materials” were studied in these biolaboratories and why are US officials so worried that they may fall into Russian hands?

    The Pentagon activities in Ukrainian biolabs were funded by the Defense Threat Reduction agency (DTRA). DTRA allocated $80 million for biological research in Ukraine as of 30 July 2020, according to information obtained from the US Federal contracts registry. The US company Black & Veatch Special Projects Corp. was tasked with the program.

    The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) awarded Black & Veatch Special Projects Corp. an $80 million contract under the Biological Threat Reduction Program (BTRP) in Ukraine in 2020.

    Pentagon contractors given full access to Ukrainian biolabs

    The Ukrainian biolabs were accessible to Pentagon contractors but not to independent experts, according to internal documents published on Reddit by an alleged former employee of the Ukrainian ministry of health. The US company Black & Veatch Special Projects Corp. was given full access to freely operate in all biolabs in Ukraine that were engaged in biological research activities under the DTRA program, according to a letter dated 2 July 2019 from the Ukrainian minister of health to DTRA in Ukraine.

    A letter dated 2 July 2019 from the Ukrainian minister of health Ylana Suprun to DTRA in Ukraine gives Black & Veatch Special Projects Corp. full access to all biolaboratories in Ukraine involved in the US military biological research program. Ylana Suprun is an American national and was conferred Ukrainian citizenship by former president Petro Poroshenko in 2015.

    Ukraine rejected proposal for public control over the Pentagon-funded biolabs

    While Pentagon contractors were given full access to all biolabs involved in the DTRA program, independent experts were denied such access under the pretext that these biolabs were working with especially dangerous pathogens. According to a leaked letter, the Ministry of health of Ukraine denied experts from the scientific journal “Problems of innovation and investment development” access to the Pentagon-funded biolaboratories. The ministry rejected the proposal made by the scientific journal and did not allow independent public control group of experts to supervise these biolaboratories.

    “The Ministry of Health of Ukraine considers it inappropriate to create a working group for public control and it is not possible to allow members of the group to enter the premises of laboratories of especially dangerous infections of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine”, according to a letter dated 21 October 2016 from the Ukrainian Deputy Minister for European Integration Oksana Sivak to the scientific journal “Problems of innovation and investment development”.

    Another DTRA contractor that operated in Ukraine was CH2M Hill. The American company was awarded a $22.8 million contract (2020-2023) for the reconstruction and equipment of two new biolaboratories: the State Scientific Research Institute of Laboratory Diagnostics and Veterinary-Sanitary Expertise (Kyiv ILD) and the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection Regional Diagnostic Laboratory (Odesa RDL). According to leaked documents, CH2MHill was tasked with an $11.6 million program “Countering Especially Dangerous Pathogen Threats in Ukraine”.

    German-Ukrainian project on bird flu

    German and Ukrainian scientsist conducted biological research on especially dangerous pathogens in birds (2019-2020). The project was implemented by the Institute of Experimental and Clinical Veterinary Medicine (Kharkov) and the Friedrich Lerfler Institute (Greifswatd, Germany). According to the project’s description, the main goal of this project was to carry out sequencing of orthomyxoviruses (causative agents of avian flu) genomes, as well to discover new viruses in birds.

    According to the Russian ministry of defense, DTRA funded a similar project in Ukraine UP-4 in 2020. The project’s goal was to research the potential of especially dangerous pathogens to be transmitted via migratory birds, including the highly pathogenic H5N1 flu, whose lethality for humans can reach 50%, as well as Newcastle disease. The use of migratory birds for possible delivery of pathogens was a major research program between Smithsonian Institute and the US Department of Defense in the past.

    http://dilyana.bg/pentagon-contractors-worked-in-ukrainian-biolabs-under-80-million-program/

    ===================================

    2018 – Pentagon Biolaboratories – Investigative Documentary

    ( 27 min 37 )

  7. MARCH 16 2022

    President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Colleagues, good afternoon.

    Our meeting is attended by government leaders, presidential plenipotentiary representatives in the federal districts, and heads of Russian regions.

    We are meeting at a difficult time, when our Armed Forces are conducting a special military operation in Ukraine and Donbas. Let me remind you that at the very beginning of it, in the early morning of February 24, I publicly and openly named the reasons and the main goal of Russia’s actions. This is assistance to our people in the Donbas, who for almost eight years were subjected to real genocide by the most barbaric methods – blockade, large-scale punitive actions, terrorist attacks and constant artillery shelling. And for what? Only for the fact that they sought basic human rights – to live according to the laws and traditions of their ancestors, to speak their native language, to raise their children the way they want.

    At the same time, the Kiev authorities not only ignored and sabotaged the implementation of the Minsk Package of Measures for the Peaceful Settlement of the Crisis throughout all these years, but at the end of last year they publicly refused to implement it altogether.

    They have also begun to put into practice plans to join NATO. Moreover, there were also statements by the Kiev authorities about their intention to create their own nuclear weapons and their means of delivery. It was a real threat. Already in the foreseeable future, with foreign technical assistance, the pro-Nazi regime in Kiev could get its hands on weapons of mass destruction, and the target for it, of course, would be Russia.

    In Ukraine, there was also a network of dozens of laboratories where military biological programs were conducted under the leadership and with the financial support of the Pentagon, including experiments with samples of coronavirus, anthrax, cholera, African swine fever and other deadly diseases. Traces of these secret programs are now being intensively tried to cover up. But we have every reason to believe that in the immediate vicinity of Russia, on the territory of Ukraine, in fact, biological weapons components were created.

    Our repeated warnings that such a development poses a direct threat to Russia’s security have been rejected by Ukraine and its patrons in the United States and NATO, with ostentatious and cynical disdain.

    Thus, all diplomatic options were completely exhausted. We were simply left with no options to peacefully solve problems that arise through no fault of our own. And in this regard, we were simply forced to launch a special military operation.

    The appearance of Russian troops near Kiev and other cities of Ukraine is not connected with the intention to occupy this country. We do not have such a goal, and I also explicitly stated this in my address on February 24.

    As for the tactics of combat operations, which were developed by the Ministry of Defense of Russia and our General Staff, they have fully justified themselves. And our guys – soldiers and officers – show courage and heroism, do everything that depends on them to avoid losses among the civilian population of Ukrainian cities.

    I want to say this for the first time: at the very beginning of the operation in the Donbas, the Kiev authorities were asked through various channels, in order to avoid senseless bloodshed, not to enter into hostilities, but simply to withdraw their troops from the Donbass. They didn’t want to. Well, that’s their decision. Awareness of what is happening in the real world, on the ground, will inevitably come.

    The operation is developing successfully, in strict accordance with pre-approved plans.

    I would like to note that Ukraine, encouraged by the United States and a number of Western countries, purposefully prepared for a scenario of force, carnage and ethnic cleansing in Donbass. A massive offensive into the Donbas and then Crimea was only a matter of time. And our Armed Forces foiled these plans.

    Kiev was not only preparing for war, for aggression against Russia, against Donbass– they were fighting it. Attempts to organize sabotage and terrorist underground in Crimea did not stop. In recent years, hostilities have continued in the Donbas, shelling of peaceful settlements. During this time, almost 14,000 civilians were killed, among them children.

    On March 14, as you know, a missile strike was launched on the center of Donetsk. It was an outright bloody terrorist attack that claimed the lives of more than 20 people. And such shelling has been going on in recent days. They beat indiscriminately, in squares, with fanaticism and frenzy of the doomed, like fascists who in the last days of the Third Reich tried to drag with them to the grave as many innocent victims as possible.

    But what is striking in its exorbitant cynicism is not only Kiev’s shameless lies, statements that it was Russia (they thought of this!) that allegedly launched a missile at Donetsk, but also the fact that the so-called civilized Western world, the European and American press did not even notice the tragedy of Donetsk, as if nothing had happened.

    Just as hypocritically, they have averted their eyes for the past eight years, when mothers in the Donbas buried their children. When old people were killed. It’s just some kind of moral, moral degradation, complete dehumanization.

    The long-term mockery of the residents of Donbass could no longer be tolerated. And in order to put an end to the genocide, Russia recognized the people’s republics of Donbass, concluded treaties of friendship and mutual assistance with them. On the basis of these agreements, the republics appealed to our country for military assistance in repelling aggression. And we provided this assistance – we simply could not, we had no right to do otherwise.

    But what I want to stress and ask you to pay attention to this is that if our troops had acted only on the territory of the people’s republics, helped them to liberate their land, this would not have become a final decision, would not have led to peace and would not have eliminated the threat to our country, already to Russia. On the contrary, a new front line would lie around Donbass and along its borders, shelling and provocations would continue. That is, the armed conflict would drag on indefinitely, be fueled by the revanchist hysteria of the Kiev regime, and NATO’s military infrastructure in Ukraine would unfold even faster and more aggressively: we would be confronted with the fact that the shock and offensive weapons of the Alliance are already at our borders.

    Let me repeat that we had no other option for self-defense, for ensuring Russia’s security, except for conducting a special military operation. And all the tasks set, of course, will be solved. We will reliably ensure the security of Russia and our people and will never allow Ukraine to serve as a springboard for aggressive actions against our country.

    It was the fundamental issues for Russia, for our future – the neutral status of Ukraine, demilitarization and denazification – that we were ready and are now ready to discuss during the talks. Our country has done everything to organize and conduct these negotiations, realizing that it is necessary to use every opportunity to save people and their lives.

    But we are convinced again and again that the Kiev regime, to which its Western masters have set the task of creating an aggressive “anti-Russia”, does not care about the fate of the people of Ukraine itself. The fact that people are dying, the fact that hundreds of thousands, millions have become refugees, the fact that in the cities held by neo-Nazis and their armed criminals released from prisons, there is a real humanitarian catastrophe – everything does not matter.

    It is also obvious to us that Western patrons are simply pushing the Kiev authorities to continue the bloodshed. They are being supplied with new shipments of weapons, intelligence, and other assistance, including the dispatch of military advisers and mercenaries.

    As a weapon, they have chosen economic, financial, trade and other sanctions against Russia, which are now hitting the Europeans and Americans themselves, by the way, through the rising prices of gasoline, energy, food, through the loss of jobs associated with the Russian market. And there is no need here, as they say, to shift from a sick head to a healthy one, blaming our country for everything.

    I want ordinary citizens of Western countries to hear me: they are now persistently trying to convince you that all your difficulties are the result of some hostile actions of Russia, that from your own wallet you need to pay for the fight against the mythical Russian threat. It’s all a lie.

    The truth is that the current problems faced by millions of people in the West are the result of years of actions by the ruling elites of their states, their mistakes, short-sightedness and ambition. These elites are not thinking about how to improve the lives of their citizens in countries. They are obsessed with their vested interests and super-profits.

    Evidence of this is the data of international organizations that directly say that social problems, even in the leading Western countries, have only worsened in recent years, that inequality, the gap between the rich and poor are growing, racial and national conflicts are making themselves felt. The myth of a Western welfare society, of the so-called golden billion, is crumbling.

    Let me repeat that today the entire planet has to pay precisely for the ambitions of the West, for its attempts by any means to maintain its elusive dominance.

    The imposition of sanctions is a logical continuation, a concentrated expression of the irresponsible, short-sighted policies of the governments and central banks of the United States and the EU countries. In recent years, it has been they who have dispersed the spiral of global inflation with their own hands, led to the growth of global poverty and increased inequality, to new flows of refugees around the world. And this begs the question: Who will now be responsible for the millions of starvation deaths in the world’s poorest countries due to growing food shortages?

    I repeat, a serious blow has been dealt to the entire global economy and trade, to confidence in the US dollar as the main reserve currency.

    Thus, illegitimate actions to freeze part of the Bank of Russia’s foreign exchange reserves draw a line under the reliability of so-called first-class assets. In fact, both the United States and the EU have declared a real default on their obligations to Russia. Now everyone knows that financial reserves can simply be stolen. And seeing this, many countries in the near future can begin – I am sure that this will happen – to convert their paper and digital savings into real reserves in the form of commodities, land, food, gold, and other real assets, which will only increase the deficit in these markets.

    I would like to add that the seizure of foreign assets, accounts of Russian companies and individuals is a lesson for national business, that there is nothing more reliable than investing in your own country. I’ve said this personally many times.

    We appreciate the position of those foreign companies that, despite the shameless pressure from the United States and its vassals, continue to work in our country. In the future, they will certainly receive additional opportunities for development.

    We also know those who cowardly betrayed their partners, forgot about their responsibility to employees and customers in Russia, hurried to earn ghostly dividends by participating in the anti-Russian campaign. At the same time, unlike Western countries, we will respect property rights.

    What do I want to emphasize? We must clearly understand that a new package of sanctions and restrictions against us would have followed in any development of events. I want to emphasize this. Our military operation in Ukraine for the West is only a pretext for the next sanctions. Yes, of course, they are now concentrated. But in the same way, the referendum in Crimea, which took place on March 16, 2014, exactly eight years ago, during which Crimeans and Sevastopol residents made their free choice to be together with their historical Motherland, became the same [occasion] for them, for Westerners.

    I repeat: we are talking only about the reasons. But the policy of containment, weakening of Russia, including through economic isolation, blockade, is a conscious, long-term strategy. The leaders of the West themselves no longer hide the fact that the sanctions are not directed against individuals or companies, their goal is to strike at our entire domestic economy, at our social and humanitarian sphere, at every family, every citizen of Russia.

    In fact, such steps aimed at worsening the lives of millions of people have all the signs of aggression and war by economic, political and information means. It is total, undisguised, and, I repeat, the so-called Western political beau monde does not even hesitate to talk about it in direct text.

    All the verbal tinsel about political correctness, the inviolability of private property, freedom of speech – all this flew away overnight. Even the Olympic principles were trampled upon. They did not hesitate to settle scores with the Paralympians – this is such a “sport beyond politics”.

    In many Western countries, people are subjected to real harassment today just because they come from Russia: they refuse medical care, expel children from schools, deprive their parents of their jobs, ban Russian music, culture, literature. Trying to “abolish” Russia, the West tore off all the masks of decency, began to act in a boorish way, demonstrated its true nature. There are just direct analogies with the anti-Semitic pogroms that the Nazis staged in Germany in the 30s of the last century, and then their henchmen from many European countries who joined Hitler’s aggression against our country during the Great Patriotic War.

    A massive attack has also been launched against Russia in cyberspace. An unprecedented information campaign has been unleashed, in which global social networks and all Western media are involved, the objectivity and independence of which turned out to be simply a myth. Access to information is limited, people are stuffed with a huge number of fakes, propaganda fakes, in other words, “fake”. It came to the point that one of the American social networks directly stated the possibility of publications calling for the murder of Russian citizens.

    We understand the resource of this empire of lies, but it is still powerless against truth and justice. Russia will consistently convey its position to the whole world. And our position is honest and open, and more and more people hear it, understand it and share it.

    I want to say very frankly: behind the hypocritical conversations and today’s actions of the so-called collective West there are hostile geopolitical goals. They do not need, they simply do not need a strong and sovereign Russia, they will not forgive us either for our independent course or for defending our national interests.

    We remember how they supported separatism, terrorism, encouraging terrorists and bandits in the North Caucasus. As in the 1990s and early 2000s, they want to repeat the attempt to squeeze us, to put pressure, as they say, to drive after Mozhai, as they say, to turn us into a weak, dependent country, to violate territorial integrity, to dismember Russia in the best possible way for them. It didn’t work out for them then, and it won’t work out now.

    Yes, of course, they will try to rely on the so-called fifth column, on national traitors, on those who earn money here, here, but live there, and “live” not even in the geographical sense of the word, but according to their thoughts, according to their slave consciousness.

    I am not at all judging those who have a villa in Miami or on the French Riviera, who cannot do without foie gras, oysters or so-called gender freedoms. This is absolutely not the problem, but, I repeat, the fact that many of these people are inherently mentally located there, and not here, not with our people, not with Russia. That’s what they think it is– in their opinion! – A sign of belonging to the upper caste, to the higher race. Such people are ready to sell their mother, if only they were allowed to sit in the hallway at this highest caste. They want to be like her, imitating her in every possible way. But they forget or do not understand at all that this so-called upper caste needs them, if at all, as expendable material to use them to inflict maximum damage on our people.

    The collective West is trying to split our society, speculating on combat losses, on the socio-economic consequences of sanctions, to provoke a civil confrontation in Russia and, using its “fifth column”, seeks to achieve its goal. And the only goal, as I have already said, is the destruction of Russia.

    But any people, and even more so the Russian people, will always be able to distinguish true patriots from scum and traitors and will simply spit them out, like a midge accidentally flew into their mouths, spit them out on the panel. I am convinced that such a natural and necessary self-purification of society will only strengthen our country, our solidarity, cohesion and readiness to respond to any challenges.

    The so-called collective West and its “fifth column” are accustomed to measuring everything and everyone by themselves. They believe that everything is sold and everything is bought, and therefore they think that we will break down, retreat. But they don’t know our history and our people well.

    Yes, many countries in the world have long resigned themselves to living with their backs bent and obsequiously accepting all the decisions of their sovereign, looking subserviently into his eyes. This is how many countries live. Unfortunately, in Europe as well.

    But Russia will never be in such a miserable and humiliated state, and the struggle we are waging is a struggle for our sovereignty, for the future of our country and our children. We will fight for the right to be and remain Russia. An example to us is the courage and perseverance of our soldiers and officers, faithful defenders of the Fatherland.

    Dear colleagues!

    It is obvious that the events taking place draw a line under the global dominance of Western countries both in politics and in the economy. Moreover, they question the economic model that has been imposed on developing countries and indeed on the world in recent decades.

    I emphasize that the sanctions obsession of the United States and its supporters is not shared by countries where more than half of the world’s population lives. It is these states that represent the rapidly growing, most promising part of the global economy. Among them is Russia.

    Yes, it’s not easy for us now. Russian financial companies, large enterprises, small and medium-sized businesses are facing unprecedented pressure.

    The banking system was the first to be hit by sanctions, but Russian banks coped with this challenge. Working literally around the clock, they continue to make payments and settlements of citizens, to ensure the activities of enterprises.

    The second wave of sanctions was designed to provoke panic in the trade sphere. It is estimated that over the past three weeks, the additional demand for goods has exceeded a trillion rubles. But domestic manufacturers, suppliers, transport and logistics companies have done everything to avoid a large-scale shortage in retail chains.

    I would like to express my gratitude to the Russian business community, the labor collectives of companies, banks and organizations that not only provide an effective response to sanctions challenges, but also lay the foundation for the further sustainable development of our economy. I would like to note separately the Government, the Bank of Russia, the heads of the regions, and regional and municipal teams. In the current difficult conditions, you responsibly solve the tasks facing you.

    Obviously, it was not possible to organize an economic blitzkrieg against Russia, to demoralize our society, to take us by snoring, so we will certainly see attempts to increase pressure on our country. But we will overcome these difficulties. The Russian economy is necessarily adapting to new realities. We will strengthen our technological and scientific sovereignty, allocate additional resources to support agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure and housing construction, and continue to develop foreign trade relations with the expectation of fast-growing, dynamic international markets.

    Of course, the new realities will require profound structural changes in our economy, and I will not hide the fact that they will not be easy, will lead to a temporary increase in inflation and unemployment.

    In this situation, our task is to minimize such risks. Not only to strictly fulfill all social obligations of the state, but also to launch new, more effective mechanisms to support citizens and their incomes.

    The focus is on the protection of motherhood, childhood, support for families with children. A decision has already been made – as you know this – to introduce payments for children aged 8 to 16 inclusive, who grow up in families with low incomes, from April 1. The amount of payment will be from half to one subsistence minimum for each child of this age. Now the national average is up to 12300 rubles. Thus, we will build a single support system from the moment when the expectant mother is still waiting for the birth of a child, and until the child reaches the age of 17.

    I instruct the Government to ensure the work of this system in such a way that it promptly takes into account changes in the financial situation of families. That is, if parents are faced with the loss of work, other difficult life circumstances, the family should begin to receive assistance from the state as quickly as possible.

    I instruct the Government to ensure the work of this system in such a way that it promptly takes into account changes in the financial situation of families. That is, if parents are faced with the loss of work, other difficult life circumstances, the family should begin to receive assistance from the state as quickly as possible.

    I also ask the Government to assess the effectiveness of measures to support people who have lost their jobs as soon as possible. Obviously, such measures should be expanded, including through the mechanism of the social contract.

    I understand that rising prices are seriously hurting people’s incomes, so in the near future we will make a decision to increase all social payments, including benefits and pensions, increase the minimum wage and the subsistence minimum, and increase salaries in the public sector. I ask the Government to calculate the exact parameters of such an increase.

    I would like to emphasise that even in the current difficult situation, we need to reduce poverty and inequality by the end of the year. This is a feasible task even today. I ask the Government and the regions to focus on this task. And I will add that it is not only economic in nature, we all understand, but it is also a matter of social justice.

    A lot now depends on the initiative of the heads of the regions of the Russian Federation, on their readiness to take responsibility. Today I have signed a decree on additional powers for the heads of the regions – they will be able to make flexible and prompt decisions to support our citizens, the economy and the social sphere based on the real situation on the ground. Let me remind you that it is in this logic, which allows us to take into account the situation in each region, in the city, in the village – and it is different everywhere – that is how we built measures to combat the coronavirus.

    I instruct all units of federal authorities in the constituent entities of the Federation to coordinate their work with regional authorities in the next six months, and the governors to create operational headquarters to ensure economic development and personally lead this work.

    What should be the priority here?

    A key role in overcoming the current problems should be played by private business, which is able to rebuild logistics in a short time, find new suppliers, and increase the production of popular products. How quickly private business will find the necessary decisions, make them, depends on the preservation of employment, incomes and salaries of citizens, in general, ensuring the stable, rhythmic work of the economy. Therefore, we must respond to external pressure with maximum entrepreneurial freedom and support for business initiative.

    I ask the Government, law enforcement agencies and supervisory bodies to continue working to remove unjustified administrative and regulatory barriers. Moreover, it is impossible to distract business and regional authorities from solving the most acute, urgent tasks, loading them with various kinds of inspections and control measures.

    One of the key problems for enterprises now is the shortage of working capital, inaccessibility and high cost of loans, but the Central Bank was forced to take appropriate measures. In this regard, I instruct to implement the following steps.

    First. Enterprises that fulfill the orders of government bodies and companies with state participation should receive money for the goods and services supplied as soon as possible, put them back into business. In this regard, I propose increasing the volume of advance payments for state contracts. The advance payment should be at least half of the total amount of the contract, and the payment period for the goods and services supplied should be reduced to seven working days. A similar decision should also be made at the level of the constituent entities of the Federation, municipalities and companies with state participation.

    Second. It is necessary to expand the ability of entrepreneurs to attract additional resources from development institutions. We are talking about expanding the work of the Project Finance Factory (it works in our country, and it works well, practice has shown demand), the provision of resources for business investment plans through the Industrial Development Fund (one of the really well-working tools), the Bank of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses as well, and in addition, through regional support institutions, including guarantee funds. I instruct the Government to allocate additional funds to the regions for such regional instruments.

    I would like to draw the attention of the Government and my colleagues in the regions to the fact that the most important task is to ensure the availability of goods on the consumer market, primarily essential goods, medicines and medical devices. It is necessary to promptly solve logistical and other objective problems that lead to price spikes. At the same time, it is necessary to exclude manual interference in price regulation. It is the increase in supply that should lead to a decrease and stabilization of prices.

    Separately, I would like to address our exporters. In a situation where there are difficulties with supplies to foreign markets, it is necessary not to reduce production, but, on the contrary, to send additional volumes of goods to the domestic market. Objectively, this should lead to a decrease in prices within the country, including for gasoline, diesel, bitumen, metals, and other export goods. I ask the Government, the FAS and the regional authorities to constantly monitor the situation in these markets.

    Further. Taking into account the new challenges facing Russia, we must preserve and expand our long-term development agenda, including continuing the implementation of all planned projects, both at the federal and regional levels. We must make full use of the potential of our budget system as a stimulus tool.

    Federal financing of projects and construction projects will be carried out, as agreed, in full. Moreover, back in December, it was decided to allocate additional funds if the cost of construction objectively increased.

    What I think is important to note: in the current situation, there will be no problems with financing from the federal budget. Our economy generates a sufficient, good amount of income today, which means that we will not need to resort to emission. Simply put, the central bank will not need to print money. We have revenues – marketable, healthy incomes. The problem now is not money. We have the resources, I repeat. Key difficulties are associated with the supply of components, equipment, building materials, with the organization of the work of contractors. Therefore, the timing and methods of implementing specific projects, their stages may change, and this will require coordinated work of authorities and business representatives, accelerated implementation of import substitution projects – this is what is important.

    At the same time, it is important to simplify the procedure for interaction between the regions and federal authorities, to give the regions more freedom in maneuvering resources, as well as opportunities to launch new construction projects and programmes.

    Thus, the regions have already been allocated additional funds for road construction. I would like to ask the Government to work on increasing funding for other infrastructure facilities that can be put into operation this year, as well as on increasing purchases from Russian enterprises, including the renewal of public transport, for example.

    It is clear that the budgets of the regions of the Russian Federation now bear a serious additional burden, therefore, as agreed, we will additionally index subsidies to equalize budget capacity. We also use other measures to support regional finance, namely, all payments on budget loans planned for the current year will be deferred, transferred, as they say, to the right, and payments on commercial loans, where necessary, will be replaced by budget loans. I ask the Government to study this issue in detail and look into each specific case. Only such individual work will lead to the desired result.

    In addition, the Ministry of Finance will additionally provide an unconditional credit line to each constituent entity of the Russian Federation. It will be ten percent of the total income with a maturity not earlier than the end of this year.

    We will preserve the volume of infrastructure budget loans. I instruct the Government to organise flexible management of this programme and take into account all the difficulties associated with the implementation of projects – I have already mentioned them just above. The regions should be able to quickly make decisions on changing the portfolio and content of projects, to concentrate on those of them that in the current conditions can be implemented with maximum efficiency. If necessary, we will consider a possible increase in the volume of infrastructure loans. It’s possible, it can be done. In general, we will closely monitor the situation with regional finances, make additional decisions to support them, if necessary.

    I would like to emphasise that direct communications between all levels of government and a clear algorithm of actions are now fundamentally important. And here the State Council and its relevant commissions have already proved their effectiveness. I ask the State Administration Commission, which is headed by Sergei Sobyanin, together with his colleagues from the Government, to work out the problematic issues on the regional agenda, develop optimal solutions and scale them to all Russian regions. We had good experience in the fight against the epidemic.

    Dear colleagues!

    Our economy, the state budget, and private business have all the necessary resources to solve long-term problems. All the strategic and national goals that we have set for the period up to 2030 must be achieved. The current challenges and the opportunities that they open up should only mobilize us – this is what we must set ourselves up for, aim at achieving tangible results in the interests of citizens.

    Obviously, it will be necessary to fine-tune our programmes, and the initiatives of business circles, scientists and public associations are in demand here. In this regard, I ask the regions to actively join the organization of the Forum of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives “Strong Ideas for a New Time”, within the framework of which every citizen of Russia will be able to submit their proposals, specific projects aimed at the development of their city, region and country as a whole.

    Let me repeat once again: the current situation is certainly a test for all of us. I am sure that we will pass it with dignity, through hard work, joint work and mutual support, we will overcome all the difficulties and become even stronger, as it has always been in the history of thousand-year-old Russia. That’s what I want to set you up for.

    Let’s move on to discussing the agenda.

    I give the floor to Sergei Sobyanin.

    =================================

    video ( 1 h 47 min )

    http://www.kremlin.ru/misc/67999/videos

    ==============================
    video ( 37 min )

    • Thanks Martin.

      Putin places the country on a war footing, getting the country’s bureacratic ducks in a row, so to speak. Pay up front 50% of domestic contractors’ contracts. Increase baby bonuses and minimum wages. Streamline red tape. Don’t stop producing anything. Our foreign markets remain the majority of the world’s population. Among all our problems money is not one of them. We have the money to sustain ourselves.

      He sees Western elites exactly the same way we see them: corrupt, decadent, anti-family and anti-sovereign.

      He may be a monster, but nothing in this speech makes him worse than our own monsters. In fact he goes out of his way, even, to affirm his belief in private property ownership, which is the very bedrock of a free society, and which is under threat in the West.

      This won’t end quickly. Putin tells the country to prepare for tough times. Western sanctions are already backfiring, and reliance on hard assets is a must. The West is weaker than it appears. He is correct.

        • ~ty~ @martin

          I was thinking of this Rand report when I watched the speech (subtitled). After reading the transcript now, it jumps out at me.
          Martin on my wavelength.

          Absolutely. This sanctions spree was a trap set even before 2014. A war plan. The propaganda ever more shocking. Ipso facto national identity – hate is politically correct.

          Smug Western politicians figure they can keep their hands clean: “aggression and war by economic, political and information means”.

          Dehumanize, demonize. From one individual – Putin – to everything Russian. From PTrump to everything MAGA.

          That can ONLY end in bloodshed.

      • 2014 – WaPo – Kissinger -How the Ukraine Crisis Ends

        Public discussion on Ukraine is all about confrontation. But do we know where we are going? In my life, I have seen four wars begun with great enthusiasm and public support, all of which we did not know how to end and from three of which we withdrew unilaterally. The test of policy is how it ends, not how it begins.

        Far too often the Ukrainian issue is posed as a showdown: whether Ukraine joins the East or the West. But if Ukraine is to survive and thrive, it must not be either side’s outpost against the other — it should function as a bridge between them.

        Russia must accept that to try to force Ukraine into a satellite status, and thereby move Russia’s borders again, would doom Moscow to repeat its history of self-fulfilling cycles of reciprocal pressures with Europe and the United States.

        The West must understand that, to Russia, Ukraine can never be just a foreign country. Russian history began in what was called Kievan-Rus. The Russian religion spread from there. Ukraine has been part of Russia for centuries, and their histories were intertwined before then. Some of the most important battles for Russian freedom, starting with the Battle of Poltava in 1709 , were fought on Ukrainian soil. The Black Sea Fleet — Russia’s means of projecting power in the Mediterranean — is based by long-term lease in Sevastopol, in Crimea. Even such famed dissidents as Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and Joseph Brodsky insisted that Ukraine was an integral part of Russian history and, indeed, of Russia.

        The European Union must recognize that its bureaucratic dilatoriness and subordination of the strategic element to domestic politics in negotiating Ukraine’s relationship to Europe contributed to turning a negotiation into a crisis. Foreign policy is the art of establishing priorities.

        The Ukrainians are the decisive element. They live in a country with a complex history and a polyglot composition. The Western part was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1939, when Stalin and Hitler divided up the spoils. Crimea, 60 percent of whose population is Russian, became part of Ukraine only in 1954 , when Nikita Khrushchev, a Ukrainian by birth, awarded it as part of the 300th-year celebration of a Russian agreement with the Cossacks. The west is largely Catholic; the east largely Russian Orthodox. The west speaks Ukrainian; the east speaks mostly Russian. Any attempt by one wing of Ukraine to dominate the other — as has been the pattern — would lead eventually to civil war or breakup. To treat Ukraine as part of an East-West confrontation would scuttle for decades any prospect to bring Russia and the West — especially Russia and Europe — into a cooperative international system.

        Ukraine has been independent for only 23 years; it had previously been under some kind of foreign rule since the 14th century. Not surprisingly, its leaders have not learned the art of compromise, even less of historical perspective. The politics of post-independence Ukraine clearly demonstrate that the root of the problem lies in efforts by Ukrainian politicians to impose their will on recalcitrant parts of the country, first by one faction, then by the other. That is the essence of the conflict between Viktor Yanukovych and his principal political rival, Yulia Tymoshenko. They represent the two wings of Ukraine and have not been willing to share power. A wise U.S. policy toward Ukraine would seek a way for the two parts of the country to cooperate with each other. We should seek reconciliation, not the domination of a faction.

        Russia and the West, and least of all the various factions in Ukraine, have not acted on this principle. Each has made the situation worse. Russia would not be able to impose a military solution without isolating itself at a time when many of its borders are already precarious. For the West, the demonization of Vladimir Putin is not a policy; it is an alibi for the absence of one.

        Putin should come to realize that, whatever his grievances, a policy of military impositions would produce another Cold War. For its part, the United States needs to avoid treating Russia as an aberrant to be patiently taught rules of conduct established by Washington. Putin is a serious strategist — on the premises of Russian history. Understanding U.S. values and psychology are not his strong suits. Nor has understanding Russian history and psychology been a strong point of U.S. policymakers.

        Leaders of all sides should return to examining outcomes, not compete in posturing. Here is my notion of an outcome compatible with the values and security interests of all sides:

        1. Ukraine should have the right to choose freely its economic and political associations, including with Europe.

        2. Ukraine should not join NATO, a position I took seven years ago, when it last came up.

        3. Ukraine should be free to create any government compatible with the expressed will of its people. Wise Ukrainian leaders would then opt for a policy of reconciliation between the various parts of their country. Internationally, they should pursue a posture comparable to that of Finland. That nation leaves no doubt about its fierce independence and cooperates with the West in most fields but carefully avoids institutional hostility toward Russia.

        4. It is incompatible with the rules of the existing world order for Russia to annex Crimea. But it should be possible to put Crimea’s relationship to Ukraine on a less fraught basis. To that end, Russia would recognize Ukraine’s sovereignty over Crimea. Ukraine should reinforce Crimea’s autonomy in elections held in the presence of international observers. The process would include removing any ambiguities about the status of the Black Sea Fleet at Sevastopol.

        These are principles, not prescriptions. People familiar with the region will know that not all of them will be palatable to all parties. The test is not absolute satisfaction but balanced dissatisfaction. If some solution based on these or comparable elements is not achieved, the drift toward confrontation will accelerate. The time for that will come soon enough.

        https://www.henryakissinger.com/articles/how-the-ukraine-crisis-ends/

      • Johnny-
        In fact he goes out of his way, even, to affirm his belief in private property ownership…

        He’s lying.
        Everything’s up for expropriation.
        Foreign and domestic.

        • I can’t address Putin’s lies because I’m sure they are many. It’s his currency of discourse. He was trained in it.

          What I’m trying to do is find order in this chaos. This Kissinger statement I find to be a glimpse into why he is who he is–a brilliant man of diplomacy and geopolitics.

          I also know there is a relatively fresh player involved who Kissinger pays no attention to: the Globalist. Why ignore an elephant in the room? Is it a figment of our imaginations? At this point it is unlikely. HK is conspicuously silent on this subject, don’t you think?

          Maybe Putin is a hypocrite on abortion and private property ownership. He has also maintained the public purse incredibly well compared to our own leaders. If you counter that he considers that purse to be his own, how does this differ from our own corrupted betters?

          For the first time in history we have a new kind of Cold War. East vs West vs WEF. This is my take. HK seems to be playing 2D chess when a 3D player is what we need.

          • I agree with all you say.
            Yesterday, I saw a post of Putin disagreeing with digital facial recognition.
            He might be lying or not. What is important is he is addressing the issue, waking up people to the problem of no longer having a private life.

  8. 2- I can’t take more than 17 seconds of Dear Retard. And ovations have always sounded to me like a public urinal flushing. Especially this one.

  9. CNN – American veterans train Ukrainian volunteers in combat

    US veterans speak to CNN’s Anderson Cooper about why they traveled to Ukraine to help train volunteer fighters.

  10. CBC – CRTC bans Russian state-controlled TV channels RT, RT France from Canadian airwaves

    Broadcasters Rogers, Bell and Shaw removed RT from their networks in February

    Canada’s telecommunications regulator has removed the the state-controlled Russian television network RT from Canadian airwaves.

    The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced Wednesday afternoon that it was removing RT and RT France from the list of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution in Canada.

    The decision means broadcasters in Canada are no longer legally permitted to carry the channel.

    The multilingual 24-hour news channel launched in 2005, when it was known as Russia Today, and now appears in more than 100 countries, according to its website.

    Funded by the Russian government, the channel has long been described by critics as a propaganda outlet for the Kremlin.

    “RT’s programming is not consistent with the standards against which Canadian services are measured nor the policy objectives set out in the Broadcasting Act,” the CRTC said in its decision.

    “The CRTC is also concerned with programming from a foreign country that seeks to undermine the sovereignty of another country, demean Canadians of a particular ethnic background and undermine democratic institutions within Canada.”

    The decision is not a surprise. On March 3, the CRTC published a “preliminary view” that suggested it was inclined to ban the channel.

    “The Commission is of the preliminary view that RT’s programming may not be consistent with the Commissions’s broadcasting regulations, in particular, the abuse comment provisions such as those set out in Section 5 of the Television Broadcasting Regulations 1987,” the CRTC said on its website.

    Under Section 5, abuse is defined as words or images that “expose an individual or a group or class of individuals to hatred or contempt on the basis of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age or mental or physical disability.”

    Broadcasters pull RT’s plug

    The CRTC said in its decision Wednesday that non-Canadian news services should be held to the same standards as Canadian news outlets.

    “Freedom of speech and a range of perspectives are a necessary part of our democracy. However, it is a privilege and not a right to be broadcast in Canada,” said CRTC CEO Ian Scott in a statement.

    Jason Woycheshyn, president of the Ukrainian Canadian Bar Association, was one of the individuals who made a submission to the CRTC. He asked the CRTC to ban RT, arguing that there is “no need [for] or interest” in Russian propaganda in Canada.

    “That’s the basis upon which we are requesting that the CRTC ban all access, whether it be on the airwaves, television, radio or internet, to Russia Today or any other state-sponsored propaganda media Russia is currently promoting,” he said.

    On Feb. 27, Rogers, Bell and Shaw announced that they would no longer carry RT.

    “Customers who subscribe to RT as a pick and pay service will receive a credit in the next billing cycle,” Shaw said in a tweet at the time.

    The following day, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that while broadcasters had started removing RT from their lineups, he would ask the CRTC to review the broadcaster’s licence to ensure that any decision to ban the channel goes through an arm’s-length process.

    “There is a significant amount of disinformation circulating from Russia, including on social media, and we all need to keep calling it out,” Trudeau said at the time.

    The day after Trudeau’s announcement, Regina-based Access Communications announced that it too was removing RT from its AccessNexTV Stream lineup.

    https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/crtc-russia-today-broadcasting-decision-1.6386929

    ======================================

    RT on Odysee :

    https://odysee.com/@RT:fd?view=content

    RT Documentary on Odysee :

    https://odysee.com/@RTDocumentary:4

    ==============================
    CBC – Roméo Dallaire says ‘slaughter going on in Ukraine’ reminds him of Rwanda

    • My friends wouldn’t survive without Russian-language TV. It’s constant background music, familiar voices that sound like home.