Putin Recognizes Donbass Republics, Sends Russian Military to 'Denazify' Ukraine

[Chaze]

Do you have a link to the full transcript?

I tell ya, Putin, Lavrov and co. are really coming out in the open now! Amazing.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1509518373792755720

Hope this will do. Lavrov really knows how to make the hairs on the back of the neck stand up!

 

[Solas]

Do you have a link to the full transcript?

I tell ya, Putin, Lavrov and co. are really coming out in the open now! Amazing.

Youtube The Duran

 

[Pierre]

"Al Jazeera unexpectedly filmed Ukrainian troops using Red Cross vehicles for transport"

https://twitter.com/x/status/1509809219578519553

 

[youlik]

I would like to write the following to this news.
Russian troops have so far tried to preserve the infrastructure and protect civilians as much as possible. In some places it turned out (Kherson, Melitopol), but in many places it did not work at all (Volnovakha, Mariupol). The opposing side has clearly noted a one-sided approach both in relation to "their" people, who are nothing more than a cover for them and in relation to infrastructure facilities. Numerous destruction of bridges, attempted terrorist attacks at nuclear power plants, yesterday's explosion of a dam on the Seversky Donets with flooding of territories. And to top it all off, what is said in the next article. The creatures finally and personally sign that they are not people, but animals.
How hard it is in such a situation to resist calls to take off the "white gloves". To call for the departure of the "white swans" (Tu-160) and "bears" (Tu-95) and to help them Tu-22 with all their destructive power and roll the creatures with all their fortifications into the black earth. But no, I won't call for it. Let the animals remain animals (how much time they have left there), and we will remain people as much as possible.
By the way, to talk about inhumans, some time ago there was news that a certain Ukrainian figure called for castrating wounded soldiers, not counting them as people. Today, my relatives from the LPR reported that these filthy appeals have not sunk into nowhere. In their hospital, in the city of Stakhanov, a group of wounded released from captivity appeared. All are castrated, all have Fascist crosses carved on their backs and on their chests.

1 APR, 13:04 Updated 13:25
SVR: Kiev informed London that it does not intend to comply with the Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War
The Foreign Intelligence Service reported that the Ukrainian authorities are persuading Western patrons to encourage the ICRC to abandon attempts to gain access to Russian prisoners of war

MOSCOW, April 1. /tass/. The Kiev leadership has informed the British Foreign Office that it does not intend to comply with the Geneva Convention in the treatment of Russian prisoners of war. This is stated in a statement issued on Friday by the press bureau of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) of the Russian Federation.

"The Ukrainian leadership has informed the British Foreign Office that it does not intend to comply with the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War. The captured Russian servicemen, many of whom are wounded, are not supposed to be provided with adequate food and emergency medical care under the pretext that "many Ukrainians are now deprived of this," the report says.

The press bureau of the SVR reported that Ukraine, after the publication of the torture videos of the Russian military, is trying to prevent the disclosure of new such facts.

"The Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation receives reliable data that after the publication of shocking videos with the torture of captured Russian servicemen in Ukraine, the nationalist Kiev regime is making efforts to prevent the further disclosure of such facts," the report says.

The Ukrainian authorities are persuading Western patrons to encourage the ICRC to abandon attempts to gain access to Russian prisoners of war, the report says.

"There is concrete information that the Ukrainian authorities are persuading Western patrons to encourage the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and various international humanitarian NGOs to abandon attempts to gain access to Russian prisoners of war," the text says.

Western countries are not only aware of Kiev's gross violations of international humanitarian law against Russian prisoners of war, but are also trying to help the Ukrainian authorities avoid responsibility, the SVR press bureau added.

"Such manipulations around Russian prisoners of war convincingly demonstrate that the authorities of many Western states, who consider themselves world champions of human rights, are not only aware of Kiev's gross violations of international humanitarian law, but are also trying to help him avoid responsibility. This makes them complicit in the inhumane crimes of Ukrainian neo-Nazis and requires an appropriate legal assessment," the report says.

In particular, as indicated in the press bureau, the British Foreign Ministry recommended that Kiev take actions to whitewash the image of the Ukrainian authorities and smooth out the negative consequences of "making public the torture of captured servicemen."

https://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/14253455?utm_source=yxnews&utm_medium=desktop

Spoiler: Russian spelling

К этой новости хочется написать следующее. Российские войска до сих пор максимально пытались сохранять инфраструктуру и беречь мирных жителей. Кое-где это получилось (Херсон, Мелитополь), но во многих местах это не получилось совсем (Волноваха, Мариуполь). Противная сторона четко отметилась односторонним подходом и по отношению к "своим" людям, которые для них не более чем прикрытие и по отношению к инфраструктурным объектам. Многочисленные разрушения мостов, попытки терактов на АЭС, вчерашний взрыв дамбы на Северском Донце с затоплением территорий. И в довершение всего то, о чем говорится в следующей статье. Твари окончательно и собственноручно расписываются в том, что они не люди, а звери. Как тяжело в такой ситуации удержаться от призывов снять "белые перчатки". Призвать на вылет "белых лебедей"(Ту-160) и "медведей" (Ту-95) и на подмогу им Ту-22 со всей их разрушительной мощью и закатать тварей со всеми их укреплениями в чернозем. Но нет, я не буду призывать к этому. Пусть звери остаются зверями (сколько времени им там осталось), а мы останемся людьми насколько это возможно. Кстати, к разговору о нелюдях, некоторое время назад прошла новость о том, что некий украинский деятель призывал кастрировать раненых военных, не считая их людьми. Сегодня мои родственники из ЛНР сообщили, что эти поганые призывы не канули в никуда. У них в госпитале, в городе Стаханов, появилась группа раненых, освобожденных из плена. Все кастрированы, на всех вырезаны фашистские кресты на спине и на груди.

 

[Lucius Lu]

And of course he is speaking for the whole nation. Like each and every Pole is russophobic just like he is. What a moron.

He is not a Pole of Jewish origin. He is a Jew born in Poland. The difference is in treating Poland either as a homeland or as a land to be drained.

 

[Laurentien2]

Overview Of Military Developments In East Of Ukraine In Morning Of April 1

As of April 1, forces of Russia and the people’s republics of the Donbass continue their offensive operations in the...

southfront.org

OVERVIEW OF MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS IN EAST OF UKRAINE IN MORNING OF APRIL 1​

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Advancing troops of the people’s republics of the Donbass
As of April 1, forces of Russia and the people’s republics of the Donbass continue their offensive operations in the east of Ukraine.
According to the recent statement by the Russian Defense Ministry, units of the Lugansk People’s Republic blockaded the northern outskirts of Kremennaya and the eastern outskirts of Metelkino northwest of the Severodonetsk-Lysichansk agglomeration.
In the recent advance, LPR forces reportedly destroyed up to 40 members of 57th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, 1 artillery battery, 2 IFVs and 4 vehicles.
Fighting also continued in the area of the Severodonetsk-Lysichansk agglomeration itself. Nonetheless, it seems that in the current situation LPR troops supported by Russian units are mostly focused on blocking Lysichansk from the western direction rather than storming the city itself. The advance also continued in the direction of Slovyansk from the area of Izum where the Russian Armed Forces achieved an important tactical success.
The city of Popasnaya remains in the hands of Kyiv’s forces and also should be cleared before the further push towards Slovyansk through Bahmut from the southeastern direction.
The town of Nikolske in DPR after strikes by Kyiv’s forces:

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In the advance towards the Ukrainian defense line Mariinka-Ugledar, DPR troops achieved no notable successes. These well fortified positions slow down the advance of Russian-led forces. In the current configuration of the frontline it is likely that DPR and Russia will work to block these areas before destroying the grouping of the Ukrainian Armed Forces there.
Intense clashes continue in Mariupol. The remaining grouping of Kyiv’s forces surrounded there show fierce resistance. Nonetheless, its fate predetermined, especially in the case of the increased attention of the Russian side to covert operations involving Ukrainian helicopters.
‘Fancy cars’ in Mariupol:

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The frontline in the area of Kharkiv city in the region of Kharkiv remains stable and the Russian side undertakes little active offensive actions. This stabilization of the frontline allowed the Kyiv side to regroup its forces and carry out a successful strike with military helicopters on an oil depot in Russia’s Belgorod. Later on the same day, Russian air defense forces were once again activated in the area. Allegedly, they intercepted a Ukrainian missile there.

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At the same time, the Russian Armed Forces continued strikes on military infrastructure of Ukraine. On April 1, the Russian side reported that the new round of missile strikes destroyed 6 Ukrainian military facilities, including five ammunition and missile-artillery weapons depots in Boguslavskoe, Krestishe, Reznikov, Velikaya Novoselka and a fuel depot.
The Defense Ministry added that air defence means of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down 1 Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter near Lyubimovka and 8 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near Lisichansk, Donetsk, Chernigov, Korosun and Novomikhailovskoe, including 1 Bayraktar TB-2 near Vakhovka.
Russian Operational-tactical and army aviation hit 52 military assets of Ukraine, including 3 command posts, 3 multiple launch rocket systems, Buk-M1 anti-aircraft complex, illumination and guidance radar of S-300 anti-aircraft missile system, as well as 10 areas of military equipment concentration and 16 AFU strong points.
According to the Russian side, since the start of the operation, Russian forces have destroyed 124 aircraft and 81 helicopters, 353 unmanned aerial vehicles, 1,839 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 202 multiple launch rocket systems, 773 field artillery and mortars, as well as 1,711 units of special military vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The changing configuration of the frontline near Kyiv and Chernihiv as well as reports about the regrouping of Russian forces there may indicate that the Russian military is adjusting its current approach and planning to redeploy forces to focus on particular targets. Earlier, reports appeared that the Russian side was not planning to storm Kyiv city itself in the near future. Therefore, this redeployment of forces may mark the upcoming intensification of offensive operations in the east.
Advancing troops of the people’s republics of the Donbass:

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[Cosmos]

Hope this will do. Lavrov really knows how to make the hairs on the back of the neck stand up!

You can say that again!

 

[Benjamin]

So, what happens to V for Vendetta? From RT:

EU state bans ‘V’ and ‘Z’ after honoring SS​

Latvia outlaws display of the letters ‘Z’ and ‘V’ OVER Russian “aggression,” days after holding march honoring Nazis

Apr. 1, 2022

The parliament of Latvia has adopted a law banning the display of the letters ‘Z’ and ‘V’ in public, saying the symbols used by Russian troops in Ukraine stand for glorifying aggression and war crimes. The former Soviet republic, now an EU and NATO member, acted after the government in Kiev called for the censorship of the symbols.

Latvia officially bans symbols glorifying Nazi or Communist regimes, except when used for “educational, scientific or artistic purposes.” That has not stopped annual marches honoring Latvian members of the Waffen-SS. Around 200 people gathered in Riga on March 16 to honor Hitler’s collaborators, after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The local parliament used an urgent procedure to vote on Thursday on amendments prohibiting displays of “military aggression and war crimes” at public events.

The law also says no permits for public events will be given if they are held within 200 meters of monuments commemorating the Soviet Army in Latvia. Individuals convicted under the new law will be fined up to €400, while companies can be fined up to €3,200.

“In condemning Russia’s hostilities in Ukraine, we must take a firm stand that symbols glorifying Russian military aggression, such as the letters ‘Z’, ‘V’ or other symbols used for such purposes, have no place in public events,” Artuss Kaimins, chair of the Saeima’s Human Rights and Public Affairs Commission, said in a statement.

His words echo those of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba, who earlier this week called on the entire world to “criminalize” the use of Z as support for Russian “barbarism.” A Slovenian diplomat on Thursday revealed that his embassy in Kiev was asked to take down their flag because it was too similar to that of Russia.

Several German states have already said they would fine individuals for displays of the symbol. Latvia’s neighbor Lithuania is also considering a ban on Z, as well as the black-and-orange St. George’s ribbon, used on Soviet WWII victory medals.

Neither V nor Z are part of the Russian alphabet, which uses Cyrillic. Both symbols have been used to distinguish Russian vehicles taking part in military operations in Ukraine over the past month.

Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in late February, following a seven-year standoff over Kiev’s failure to implement the terms of the Minsk agreements and end the conflict with the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Lugansk. Russia ended up recognizing the two as independent states, at which point they asked for military aid.

Russia demands that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join the US-led NATO military bloc. Kiev insists the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked and has denied claims it was planning to retake the two Donbass republics by force.

UN condemns British media censorship​

Journalists have a right to “do their work everywhere,” spokesman says

Mar. 31, 2022

British sanctions on Russian media, including RT, interfere with the right of journalists to work where they please, Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, told journalists on Thursday.

“As a matter of principle, we very much do believe in the right of journalists to do their work everywhere,” Dujarric told reporters.

Hours earlier, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss announced a new tranche of sanctions targeting state-sponsored ANO TV-Novosti, which runs RT, and Rossiya Segodnya, which operates Sputnik News.

London described the two outlets as “Russian propagandists and state media who spread lies and deceit about Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine,” although no examples of falsehoods or deceitful statements from RT or Sputnik were given. Instead, the British government claimed that RT has “propagated pro-Kremlin narratives around the invasion of Ukraine, including that neo-Nazis are present in the country and that Ukrainian soldiers have committed war crimes.”

The presence of neo-Nazis in Ukraine has been reported by both RT and the Western media, members of the Ukrainian military have openly stated that they intend to commit war crimes, and footage allegedly detailing such crimes is currently being investigated.

General Mikhail Mizintsev, a senior Russian military planner, and Sergey Brilev, a Russian TV anchor, were also among the 14 names and entities sanctioned on Thursday.

Truss’ latest sanctions came several weeks after British media regulator Ofcom revoked the broadcasting licenses of Russian media outlets, claiming they weren't in a position to cover the Ukraine crisis. Meanwhile, London's own state-controlled BBC has covered all conflicts involving the UK in living memory, including the “weapons of mass destruction” pretense for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which turned out to be false.

While UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has condemned Russia’s military offensive against Ukraine, his office has not supported all of the west’s retaliatory measures. In a briefing on Tuesday, Dujarric said that Guterres does not support proposals by US lawmakers to exclude Russia from the UN Human Rights Council, and that such a move would set “a dangerous precedent.”

 

[Benjamin]

Some economic news articles from Sputniknews:

Iran Wants to Trade With Russia in National Currencies, Deputy Head of Central Bank Tells Sputnik​

Apr. 1, 2022

Moscow took a major step toward breaking the hegemony of the US dollar in global trade this week after asking countries that have sanctioned Russia to pay for Russian natural gas in rubles. Iran officially switched from the dollar to the euro for its foreign trade in 2018.

Iran would like to conduct trade with Russia using the two countries' national currencies - the ruble and the toman, and agreements on this matter already exist, Iranian Central Bank Vice Governor Mohsen Karimi has said.

"The relevant agreements and opportunities already exist. Iran would like to use them to conduct trade operations with Russia in rubles and tomans," Karimi told Sputnik on Friday.

Trade turnover between Russia and Iran hit a new record in 2021, exceeding the equivalent of $4 billion, with Russian exports to Iran accounting for over $3 billion of this figure, and imports from the Islamic Republic reaching $967.3 million, a 21.4 percent jump compared to the previous year.

During a two-day visit to Moscow in January, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said that the two countries had discussed monetary and banking issues, and agreed to remove trade barriers to increase trade to the equivalent of $10 billion a year.

"The two countries can take steps to break the dominance of the dollar over monetary and banking relations and trade with the national currency," Raisi said during his visit.

Nearly 80 percent of trade between Russia and Iran consists of agricultural products, with Russia exporting grains and oilseeds, and importing Iranian vegetables and fruits, dried fruits and nuts, which are valued for their high quality and lack of use of potentially harmful GMOs.

Russian officials have spent years negotiating with allies and partners on trade in national currencies. The crisis in relations with the West sparked by Moscow's military operation in Ukraine gave this development new impetus, with trade partners in Asia, Africa and Latin America tapped for discussions on the issue.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir Abdollahian confirmed the two countries' desire to strengthen cooperation in all areas, notwithstanding Western sanctions, on Wednesday after meeting in Tunxi, China on the sidelines of a regional security conference.

The Islamic Republic knows a thing or two about how to use sanctions pressure to its advantage, becoming the largest industrial power in the Middle East, and creating a host of domestic economic sectors normally reserved for much larger countries - such as defence electronics and aerospace technologies. Russian officials were forced to take similar steps in recent weeks after being cut off from a broad assortment of Western goods ranging from machine tools and electronics to vehicle components, computer equipment, and more.

India-Russia Ties Have 'Continued to Grow’ and Diversify, FM Jaishankar Says at Meeting With Lavrov​

Apr. 1, 2022

Amid criticism from Western allies, India has doubled down on its decision to intensify energy ties with Russia. Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar told British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss in Delhi on Thursday that Europe has increased its crude and gas purchases from Russia by 15 percent over the last month and was buying much more than India did.

India’s “bilateral cooperation” with Russia “has continued to grow” across many areas and even “diversified” through “expanding our agenda”, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said on Friday.

The chief Indian diplomat was delivering his opening remarks at a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in New Delhi.

Significantly, Jaishankar’s comments come a day after US Deputy National Security Advisor for International Cooperation Daleep Singh warned New Delhi of “consequences” if it tried to “circumvent or backfill” the western sanctions against Russia.

He was responding to a question on recent purchases of crude oil from Russia by Indian companies.

Besides Singh, UK’s Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss also held consultations with Jaishankar in Delhi on Thursday, in a bid to convince the Indian government to scale down its commercial dealings with Russia.

Jaishankar underlined in his remarks that the meeting with Lavrov was taking place in a “difficult international environment quite apart from the pandemic”.

“India, as you are aware, has always been in favour of resolving differences and disputes through dialogue and diplomacy,” stated Jaishankar, as he spelled out New Delhi’s stance on the security crisis in Ukraine.

An official communique issued by the Indian Foreign Ministry also quoted Jaishankar as expressing "particular concern" over "global volatility in different domains" due to the crisis in Ukraine.

"It is important for both countries that their economic, technological and people to people contacts remain stable and predictable," Jaishankar said.

The Indian minister also noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin have been “in regular touch and have spoken to each other on multiple occasions this year”.

In a telephone conversation on 24 February, Modi urged Putin for “an immediate cessation of violence” and a “return to the path of diplomatic negotiations and dialogue”.

In the telephone call on 7 March, the Indian leader “welcomed” the peace talks between Russia and Ukraine and even asked for direct consultations between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Lavrov: India, Russia Have ‘Intensified’ Cooperation​

While delivering his opening remarks at Friday’s meeting, the Russian foreign minister noted that the bilateral ties have been “very sustainable during many difficult times in the past” as well.

“We have been developing a specially privileged partnership with New Delhi and this has been one of the key priorities of Russian foreign policy,” Lavrov underlined.

He said that that both the countries have “intensified” their cooperation across different fields.

Besides stepping up its energy imports from Russia, both the countries are also negotiating a government-to-government deal for India to import fertiliser.

The US Treasury has already exempted Russian mineral fertilisers from possible sanctions, as per an order by Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on 24 March.

"We continue to implement projects in the areas of energy, science and technology, outer space, pharmaceuticals and industry. We continue to cooperate in ways to fight COVID infection," Lavrov stated.

Lavrov recalled that the 21st Annual Summit between Modi and Putin in New Delhi last December was a “very useful meeting”.

At the summit, both the leaders reiterated their pledge to increase bilateral trade by $30 billion by 2025. The countries also signed an inter-governmental agreement on a programme for military-technical cooperation for 2021-2030, marking a further expansion of defence ties.

He also said that the next date for the intergovernmental meeting on economic cooperation was already under discussion.

Lavrov further appreciated India’s position on the security crisis in Ukraine, as he panned the Western countries for reducing “any meaningful international issue and processes”.

“You know our position. We don’t hide anything and we appreciate that India is taking in the situation in its factual entirety, and not just in a one-sided way,” Lavrov said, concluding his remarks.

President Putin has squarely blamed the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) for the current crisis in Ukraine, saying that that the military alliance's "eastward expansion" since 1990 threatens Moscow's security.

The major objectives of Russia's "special military operation" are to "demilitarise and de-Nazify Ukraine" and ensure that Kiev enshrines a "neutral" status in its constitution.

US Deputy NSA Faces Backlash in India for Threatening ‘Consequences’ Over Expanding Russia Ties​

Apr. 1, 2022

US President Joe Biden chastised India for its stance on Ukraine, describing New Delhi’s response as “shaky” and not in sync with Washington’s other allies and partners in Europe and the Pacific. While the White House has said that India’s oil imports from Russia won’t violate Western sanctions, it also asked Delhi to not support Moscow.

US Deputy National Security Adviser (NSA) for International Economic Cooperation Daleep Singh has incurred the wrath of the Indian public after warning India of "consequences" if it ducks Western sanctions and continues to increase its energy as well as overall commercial ties with Russia.

Singh, a Biden administration official, was visiting New Delhi on 30 and 31 March.

He met Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal as well as Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla during his two-day trip, as per pictures shared by the Indian government. However, no official readout has been released by either side about the meetings.

Significantly, Singh’s meetings with Indian officials took place just hours before Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov landed in Delhi.

The Indian-American official addressed a select group of Indian journalists on Thursday, as per reports in the Indian media.

Singh said that the US wouldn’t like to see a “rapid acceleration” of India’s imports from Russia, whether it be energy or any other items which prohibited by Washington and other Western allies under the set of coordinated sanctions.

“I come here in a spirit of friendship to explain the mechanisms of our sanctions, the importance of joining us to express shared resolve and to advance shared interests. And yes, there are consequences to countries that actively attempt to circumvent or backfill these sanctions”, he reportedly remarked.

The response was to a question about Indian companies deciding to buy discounted Russian crude offered by Moscow.

Further, Singh also reckoned in his interaction that Moscow won’t come to “India’s defence” if the Chinese People's Liberation's Army (PLA) breach the Line of Actual Control (LAC) again.

“No one should kid themselves – Russia is going to be the junior partner in this relationship with China. And the more leverage that China gains over Russia, the less favourable that is for India”, he remarked.

In June 2020, Indian and Chinese troops clashed in the Galwan Valley region of the disputed eastern Ladakh border, resulting in the deaths of 20 Indian and five Chinese soldiers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said back then that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) tried to transgress into Indian territory, but was pushed back.

The military standoff between India and China erupted in May 2020 and has involved thousands of troops deployed by both countries.
Over a dozen rounds of military-commander level negotiations as well as official meetings have failed to resolve the standoff.

Daleep Singh’s blunt remarks warning New Delhi of “consequences” haven’t gone down well with the Indian public.

Abhishek Manu Singhvi, a veteran Indian MP and prominent lawyer, has questioned if the US ever came forward to help Delhi in the past when the PLA “breached the LAC”.

Noted Indian strategic affairs expert Brahma Chellaney echoed Singhvi’s observations.

“China has been waging border aggression against India for 23 months by breaching the LAC, but Biden refuses to open his mouth on that issue”, Chellaney remarked.

Former Indian diplomat Pinak Chakravarty called out Singh for his “inexperience” in lecturing the Indian government in public.

“US Deputy NSA Daleep Singh's public remarks in Delhi may earn him brownie points in Washington but here it is being seen as a wrong move. Hectoring public remarks are a sure way of queering the pitch in bilateral ties. Maybe this is for public consumption”, he remarked.

Many Indian netizens also criticised Singh for “talking down” to India, which was rather reflective of the overall public sentiment towards the US official’s statements.

Officially, New Delhi has rejected "unilateral" sanctions imposed by the US, EU, and other allies against Russia.

While India has maintained a neutral stance on the crisis in Ukraine and abstained from voting at a United Nations (UN) resolution that dubbed Moscow as the “aggressor”, the government at the same time has called for respecting the UN Charter.

The Indian political leadership has said that the “territorial integrity” of all countries must be upheld.

Prime Minister Modi, in a conversation with President Vladimir Putin, called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and urged a dialogue to resolve the differences.

President Putin launched a "special military operation" aimed at the demilitarisation and de-Nazification of Ukraine on 24 February.

Moscow has said that it would cease its military action if Kiev enshrines a "neutral" status in its constitution and pledges that it never join NATO.

Following the most recent round of peace talks on 29 March between Ukraine and Russia to end the conflict, Russian negotiators said that Moscow would “drastically reduce” its military activity around the Kiev and Chernigov regions.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has stated that he is ready to negotiate on the Russian demands for adopting a neutral status and not joining NATO.

“Security guarantees and neutrality, non-nuclear status of our state. We are ready to go for it. This is the most important point", Zelensky said in an interview this week.

Lavrov Slams US 'Dictate, Blackmail', Says Russia-India Ties Unaffected by Washington's Threats​

Apr. 1, 2022

Russia’s top diplomat held a series of talks in New Delhi focusing on the bilateral political and economic agenda amid increasing pressure from the United States on India to join sanctions against Moscow over its military operation in Ukraine.

But Russia’s top diplomat is certain that Moscow-Delhi ties will not be affected by such threats. In his speech, he slammed America’s behaviour as “blackmail”: Russia’s special operation in Ukraine and the West’s reaction to it have obviously brought forward the need to “dot some i’s and cross the t’s” through additional negotiations between Moscow and its key partners, such as India and China.

On Friday, the head of Russian diplomacy was invited to Hyderabad House – New Delhi’s historic mansion where most top-level talks are held.
Lavrov’s motorcade arrived in the early afternoon, with dozens of Indian and Russian journalists covering the event.

The Russian foreign minister’s meeting with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar was held behind closed doors, but journalists managed to get a glimpse of the event during an exchange of introductory comments.

“Our bilateral relations have continued to grow in many areas, and we have diversified our cooperation by expanding our agenda”, said Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, while also noting that “the meeting is taking place in a difficult international environment”.

Recently, the United States seems to have been putting a lot effort into driving a wedge between Moscow and New Delhi, with US Deputy National Security Adviser Daleep Singh saying that Washington doesn’t want to see a “rapid acceleration” in India’s energy and other commodity imports from Russia and that there will be consequences for countries that attempt to get around anti-Moscow economic sanctions over Ukraine.

But Russia’s top diplomat is certain that Moscow-Delhi ties will not be affected by such threats. In his speech, he slammed America’s behaviour as “blackmail”:

“The partnership [between Russia and India] does not depend on conjunctural considerations. Moreover, it does not depend on unlawful methods of dictate and blackmail. Using such practices against countries like Russia, India, China, is futile and it only means that people, who promote, propose and impose such vision onto everyone else, do not understand completely the nature of national identity of the countries, with whom they try to communicate using the language of blackmail and ultimatums”.

Russian and Indian companies are currently facing challenges due to the West’s attempts to cut Russia off from international economic cooperation. Nevertheless, according to Lavrov, Moscow has been moving towards replacing the US dollar and euro in trade with countries such as India and China with national currencies for several years:

“I believe in current circumstances this trend will be strengthened, which is natural and obvious”, said the minister.

While the exact mechanics of such exchanges are currently in the works, it appears that Moscow and New Delhi are getting close to a solution which may suit both sides, whether it is a situation where contracts are paid for in Indian rupees tied to the US dollar rate, which is being speculated on by the Indian press, or, perhaps, using the Chinese yuan as reference in such transactions, with both sides opening ruble and rupee accounts.

After his talks at Hyderabad House, Sergei Lavrov met with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The meeting was held behind closed doors.

Prior to his visit to India, Lavrov took part in a multinational conference on Afghanistan in China’s Tunxi, where he also met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.

Given the shift in the global economy, this conference might be quite interesting this year. Not that I know what previous years have been like, mind you.

Iran Plans to Participate in 2022 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum - Organisers​

Apr. 1, 2022

ST. PETERSBURG (Sputnik) - Iran plans to send delegation to the 25th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), which will take place from 15-18 June, SPIEF organiser Roscongress Foundation said on Friday.

According to the foundation, Russian presidential adviser Anton Kobyakov held a meeting in Moscow with Iranian Ambassador Kazem Jalali, where the participation of the Iranian delegation in the SPIEF and practical opportunities to strengthen bilateral cooperation were discussed.

"The Iranian agenda has been an integral part of the SPIEF programme since 2016. The active participation of the Iranian business community in international events and joint Russian-Iranian projects such as those being carried out in accordance with the cooperation agreement signed between the Roscongress Foundation and the Iranian Chamber of Commerce and Industry prove that there is interest in developing practical bilateral cooperation," the statement read.

According to Kobyakov, Russian-Iranian relations are intensively developing in a wide range of spheres including political, trade and economic, financial, transport, humanitarian and tourism.

"In order to maintain the high dynamics of the dialogue and increase the practical impact of the interaction between our countries, it is necessary to focus efforts on further strengthening Russian-Iranian business ties," Kobyakov said as quoted by the foundation.

During the planned visit of Iranian Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade Reza Fatemi Amin to Moscow in the spring, the business delegation is expected to discuss ways to develop cooperation with Russia in various industries. Representatives of Iranian companies are also expected to meet with Russian companies in the fields of construction, agricultural projects, light industry, woodworking and food industry.

The Roscongress Foundation is a socially oriented non-financial development institution and a major organizer of nationwide and international conventions, exhibitions; and business, public, youth, sporting, and cultural events. The Foundation was established in 2007 with the aim of facilitating the development of Russia’s economic potential, promoting its national interests, and strengthening the country’s image.

 

[Laurentien2]

Ukraine VS Red Cross: Kiev's Hysteria Endangers Its Own Civilians

It is difficult to imagine combat operations without the activities of humanitarian organizations. In this case, the conflict in Ukraine...

southfront.org

UKRAINE VS RED CROSS: KIEV’S HYSTERIA ENDANGERS ITS OWN CIVILIANS​

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It is difficult to imagine combat operations without the activities of humanitarian organizations. In this case, the conflict in Ukraine is not an exception. The international organization Red Cross is active on the territory of hostilities. The International Committee of the Red Cross is an impartial, neutral and independent organization whose goals and objectives are exclusively humanitarian and are to protect and assist the lives and dignity of people affected by armed conflict and violence.
The Red Cross has been actively working in Ukraine since 2021. Thus, on May 14, 2021, the Red Cross delivered humanitarian aid to the village of Sakhanka. In November 2021, the Red Cross brought 150 tons of coal, food, water, food, and hygiene kits to Stomariivka. Further, Red Cross employees repeatedly provided humanitarian aid, assisted in forensic medical examinations in the DPR, and supported the evacuation of civilians.
Amid the ongoing military operations, it is worth noting the willingness of the parties to the conflict to work and cooperate with the Red Cross.
On March 20, 2022, Mikhail Mezintsev, the head of the National Defense Control Center of the Russian Federation, stated that Russia sent an official appeal to the UN, OSCE, and the Committee of the Red Cross to invite members of the organizations to participate in accompanying practical measures of the humanitarian operation, which is carried out by Russia.
On 28 March, the Red Cross expressed its readiness to open an office in Rostov-on-Don to provide assistance to evacuated Ukrainian citizens.

Synonym of the word “shit”: Ukrainians urge to boycott the Red Cross
As a result, the head of the Ukrainian parliamentary health committee Mikhail Radutsky urged the Red Cross not to do so. The official states that «the aggressor country abducts and forcibly removes Ukrainian citizens under the guise of evacuation». Earlier, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk accused the head of the organization, Peter Maurer, of making a “very questionable decision” to open the station, which is 60 kilometers from the border with Ukraine.
The Red Cross denied accusations of any forced evacuation of Ukrainian refugees to a facility in Rostov-on-Don in Russia.

“The ICRC never helps to organize or conduct forced evacuations. This applies to all the places where we work. We will not support any operation that goes against the will of the people and our principles,” the statement reads. Representatives of the Red Cross also said: “At the moment, we do not have a representative office in Rostov-on-Don. We are scaling up our activities to be able to meet needs where they arise.”

On March 29, the DPR Commissioner for Human Rights, Darya Morozova, reported violations of the Geneva Convention of August 12, 1949, on the territory of Ukraine. It is reported that Russian prisoners of war are being tortured in the Kharkiv region. Daria Morozova appealed to the Head of the delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Ukraine Pascal Hundt and the Head of the UN monitoring mission on human rights in Ukraine Matilde Bogner to intervene in the situation, give a proper legal assessment of the actions of Ukraine and take urgent measures to prevent the torture of citizens in the future.
Earlier, the Kyiv authorities accused the Red Cross of cooperating with Russia. The Ukrainian side ignores the torture of Russian servicemen. Ukrainian militants shelled Red Cross offices in Mariupol and Chernihiv. The Russian military has to paint over the Red Cross symbols to prevent Ukrainian fighters from focusing fire on Red Cross vehicles.
The head of the ICRC press service, Evan Watson, claimed “deliberate disinformation attacks on Red Cross and Crescent employees”, adding that representatives of the pro-Ukrainian Mariupol city council deceived the public with the words that the ICRC “indulges in the forced removal of city residents to the Russian Federation”. In its turn, Ukraine pledged to open humanitarian corridors after another round of negotiations with Moscow. However, it made no effort to facilitate the evacuation of Mariupol residents from the basements.

Click to see full-size image
Today, on 1 April, the Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, Colonel General Alexander Fomin, had a telephone conversation with the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Peter Maurer. The parties discussed the interaction between the Russian Ministry of Defense and the ICRC in Ukraine.
Third parties are not left apart either. A few days earlier, through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the government of Chile handed over $100,000 in humanitarian aid to Ukraine, the country’s Foreign Ministry reported.
The myopic policy of the Kiev regime has already damaged the authority of the independent humanitarian organisation which is saving lives of Ukrainians. People actively spread the Kiev’s claims and reduced their donations to the Red Cross, instead they send donations to not credible actors, alleged volunteers, companies, who often turn out to be marauders. Such cases are more and more frequent.
The Red Cross is not only an organization that conducts humanitarian aid in Ukraine but also an organization that serves as a platform for all countries in the field of humanitarian action. The Red Cross affirms its commitment to help the people of Ukraine and all those affected by the conflict until the end of hostilities.

 

[Tyomodachi]

Russia has very "reliable" rears in Central Asia.

Kazakhstan promises not to become a tool to circumvent sanctions against Russia


Kazakhstan will not be a tool to circumvent the US and EU sanctions imposed on Russia because of the war in Ukraine. “We will comply with the sanctions. Despite the fact that we are part of an economic union with Russia, Belarus and other countries, we are also part of the international community,” Timur Suleimenov, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan, said on Friday, April 1. “Therefore the last thing we want is for Kazakhstan to be subject to secondary US and EU sanctions."

According to Suleimenov, Kazakhstan "will continue to invest in Russia and attract investments for Russia," because the republic's economy does not work in any other way. "But we will do our best to control the sanctioned goods. We will do our best to control any investments in Kazakhstan by persons or organizations that are under sanctions, and this is what we wanted to openly convey to the Europeans," the First Deputy Head of Administration noted the President of Kazakhstan.

Казахстан обещает не помогать России в обходе санкций – DW – 01.04.2022

Поскольку Казахстан является частью не только экономического союза с РФ и Беларусью, но и международного сообщества, Астана заверяет, что будет соблюдать санкции, введенные против Москвы из-за войны в Украине.

www.dw.com

Does Kazakhstan have a problem calling the war in Ukraine a war? You said “military action” in the beginning…

No, we don’t have problems calling things what they are. Russia chose to introduce legislation to prohibit the word “war”. They are calling it a special military operation. But in Kazakhstan, we call it what it is, unfortunately.


There were two non-binding resolutions by the UN General Assembly calling to end the war in which Kazakhstan abstained. Is this due to your treaty obligations with Russia?

Indeed, Kazakhstan is a member of both the Eurasian Economic Union and CSTO, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, so we are members of both the economic and military alliances of Russia. But the provisions of the treaties don’t apply to this particular case.

Of course, Russia wanted us to be more on their side. But Kazakhstan respects the territorial integrity of Ukraine. We did not recognise and will not recognise the Crimea situation and neither the Donbas situation because the UN does not recognise them. We will only respect decisions taken at the level of the United Nations.

Kazakh official: We will not risk being placed in the same basket as Russia

In a wide-ranging interview, Timur Suleimenov, the First Deputy Chief of Staff to the President of Kazakhstan, discussed the war in Ukraine, the impact on his country of the Western sanctions, the drive for modernization following the January unrest in his country and the changing geopolitical...

www.euractiv.com

 

[ziutek]

I see it as Zelenski performing on the green screen. Who believes he is there, on the street in Kiev?

Gonzalo Lira

When the rats start leaving, you know the ship is sinking. And when the captain starts barking about “traitors everywhere!”, then you KNOW that there are no lifeboats on the ship.

t.me

And those Western journalists in brand-new bulletproof vests. They all live in an imaginary world. An artificial one. It really is like a matrix.
I see this artificiality among my friends. They don't say anything because they don't have anything to say due to the lack of templates and some external change they can't respond to internally. They only react emotionally to old familiar stimuli.
That's why talking to most people now seems completely pointless. I get the impression that I am talking to automatons.
These are only my observations.

 

[lilies]

CIA-Kiev spreads its demonic tentacles to defile countries close to Ukraine:

Minister warns of ‘new Maidan’ in Europe ​

Serbia is holding presidential, parliamentary and local elections on April 3. Interior Minister Aleksandar Vulin has stated that the country’s pro-western political parties will challenge the vote results and try to organize a ‘Maidan’. The 2014 violent unrest in Ukraine, known as the ‘Maidan Revolution’, ousted President Viktor Yanukovych.

Hungary is holding elections parliamentary elections on April 3 too with similar Kiev-CIA meddling attempts reported. I wonder, how much these opposing parties are funded by CIA?

They are sure trying to create a bunch of disturbed wasp nests around Russia:

Kremlin responds to alleged Ukrainian attack on Russian soil ​

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said that Friday's reported Ukrainian helicopter raid on an oil terminal, inside Russia, will not help future peace talks with Kiev. The facility, which is located in the Belgorod region, caught fire after the attack.

If you can't prevent the collapse of the petro-dollar, just double down on creating more chaos! I think, CIA appears to be on a roll:

Plot to assassinate Pakistani PM uncovered, minister claims​

Pakistani Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry announced on Friday that the country’s security agencies reported a plot to assassinate Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. “After these reports, the prime minister’s security has been beefed up as per the government’s decision,” Chaudhry said, as cited by the Dawn media outlet.
A similar statement was made earlier this week by Faisal Vawda – leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, of which the PM is a member – who said there was a conspiracy developed to assassinate Khan over his refusal to “sell the country.”

 

[goyacobol]

Putin is concerned about hatred of the Russian people, not personal hatred of them. You are speaking very strangely.

The letters are to Putin not for the general Russian public. I am sure he does not want hatred for all Russians either. I do not want that for Putin or Russia but the negative press continues. Putin has been very strong but any support he may receive I would think might help.

 

[Iggdrasil]

Dear Poles, French, Canadians and citizens of other countries!

Putin is wise and profound. He does not looking for the enemies, only the friends. He has saved Erdogan from the coup in Turkey. He helped to many people in Africa, Syria and other countries. And I'm sure he does not think, that all people in your countries support the Ukrainian Nazis. But now the USA's clique captured the governments nearly everywhere on the West, and it's impossible to reach an agreement with them, because they have only one goal -- to take all in our world. And now there is no way to backward.

This is an existential fight, we cannot stop now. It was necessary to start it, but Putin nearly cried when was declaring about the Special War Operation. He knew, that it would be too much blood and pains, but there was no other way. If you maybe tracked the events, Putin, and Lavrow, and our speakers in the UN Churkin, and then Nebenzja after his die, always said about the peaceful solution. But always I had feeling like they were talking to robots.

Now there are many video clips with the refugees, captured militants, and I cannot believe, that this takes a place in the real life. This is terrible, what they say.

And right now Putin does not want to cause suffering. Sure he has a plan for any cases. I don't know, how it will be done, but one day Europe and the North America will be cleansed of filth, and will become a part of wonderful shining new world! Be sure, that your aid very important for him and for all Russians, who is Russians, Burjats, Dags, Laks, Khanty, Kalmyks and else about 180 nations of Russia. Maybe you are Russian too? As I've said here, Russian is not a nation, Russian is a state of mind...

Of course, Russia is on the first place for Putin. "What do we need a world for, where there will be no Russia?" -- he have said.

Thanks for all for your support, this is really important in this hard time. Victory will be ours! Now it needs, that everyone does what he can.