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

[Persej]

It just gets crazier and crazier.

A New EU Proposal Could Cripple Russia's Ability To Transport Oil Globally
​

As part of the new 'imminent' sanctions on Russia - to include a phased ban on all Russian oil by the end of the year - it seems the European Union is ready to escalate even further, taking action to and beyond all-encompassing Iran-style sanctions.

Now it's mulling going after Russia's ability to even ship oil on the high seas with a proposed ban on European vessels and companies' ability to provide services to Russian shipping entities. As Bloomberg is reporting Wednesday, the action would constitute "a move that could dramatically impair Moscow’s ability to ship its oil anywhere in the world."

If such a ban on Russia's access to European insurers were enacted, this would leave Russian companies exposed to the tune of multiple billions of dollars every time a single tanker leaves port, given risks like accidents and oil spills can bring with it such a price tag in terms of claims and legal action.

Russian energy companies would then be left with few or no alternatives, writes Bloomberg: "While member states are still wrangling over the terms, it’s a potentially powerful tool because 95% of the world’s tanker liability cover is arranged through a London-based insurance organization called the International Group of P&I Clubs that has to heed European law."

The report makes a direct comparison of such a course of action to a key way that Washington has for years been able to severely limit Iran's ability to transport of crude, forcing the Islamic Republic to cover its risks directly.

But huge hurdles still remain in terms of inter-EU unity on a Russian oil embargo, given the rise in countries demanding exemptions - led most notably by Hungary and Slovakia. And further erecting major hurdles for European companies is expected to be even more controversial given the ripple effect at home.

The ban would prevent any European entity or individuals from transporting Russian oil anywhere in the world, which will be particularly painful to the economies of smaller Mediterranean countries like Greece, Cyprus and Malta - which play an outsized role in the European shipping and transport industry.

These countries have reportedly already registered their opposition to such a drastic punitive plan, which they say will only blowback on European companies and their ability to do business.

A New EU Proposal Could Cripple Russia’s Ability To Transport Oil Globally | OilPrice.com

The European Union is discussing the potential to ban Russia’s access to European insurers, a move that could cripple Moscow’s ability to transport oil

oilprice.com

And in the meantime, the Russian oil became much cheaper than Brent. 35% at this moment! Which means that whoever buys Russian oil will have much more competitive economy that those who don't.

Urals-Brent price difference daily 2022 | Statista

The price of Urals crude oil was recorded at around 35.8 U.S.

www.statista.com

 

[ziutek]

Dear ziutek, I hasten to reassure you (this word can be taken in quotation marks) and at the same time to make reasoned amendments to your scheme.

The first sedative (it's probably the only one) this is the fact that attempts to negotiate are always present in one form or another.

Further, it should be taken into account that the main participants in these events cannot afford to lose. In your scheme, by the way, one of the most important participants is missing -this is the United States. And so, neither Russia nor the United States, namely they are the main participants, can afford to lose. Russia's loss will be an almost immediate collapse for it. The loss of the USA will also be a 100% collapse, only perhaps a little stretched in time. In other words, the result of the Ukrainian events should look like an undoubted victory, which is impossible under any circumstances for both main participants at the same time, so they will fight until an indisputable result is obtained.

Your scheme states that those who will divide Ukraine take some territories along the edges, and although this is not indicated, it is assumed that a certain Ukraine will remain in the middle. Again, I will reassure you - this is impossible. For Russia, leaving any, the smallest piece in the form of a territory independent of itself will no longer be the desired indisputable victory, but will only be a postponement of a future final decision, possibly under worse conditions, which is also unacceptable. Thus, Ukraine in its current form will cease to exist if Russia wins.

I do not want to consider the option when Russia does not win for the reason indicated above. In short, it will be the collapse of Russia and the establishment of a monopolar world around the world.

I do not know whether Poland will control western Ukraine, Hungary - Transcarpathia and Romania - Bessarabia. This is possible, but only if the main condition is met - the main participants achieve their goals. Now, by the way, Poland is taking a pretty big risk, in my opinion. An attempt to enter Ukraine in the current circumstances will be suppressed uncompromisingly, again for the above reason.

All these theses can be developed a lot, but in short something like that.

Spoiler: Russian spelling

Уважаемый, ziutek, я спешу вас успокоить (это слово можно взять в кавычки) и заодно аргументировано внести поправки в вашу схему.
Первое успокоительное (оно же наверное единственное) это то, что попытки договориться присутствуют всегда в том или ином виде.
Далее следует учесть, что основные участники этих событий не могут себе позволить проиграть. В вашей схеме, кстати, отсутствует один из важнейших участников-это США. И так, ни Россия ни США, а именно они и являются главными участниками, не могут себе позволить проиграть. Проигрыш России будет для нее почти немедленным крахом. Проигрыш США тоже будет 100% крахом, только возможно немного растянутым во времени. Другими словами результат украинских событий должен выглядеть несомненной победой, что одновременно невозможно ни при каких условиях для обоих основных участников, поэтому биться будут до получения неоспариваимого результата.
В вашей схеме указано, что те кто будут делить Украину забирают некие территории по краям и хоть это и не обозначено, но предполагается, что в середине останется некая Украина. Опять же успокою вас - это невозможно. Для России оставление любого, самого маленького кусочка в виде независящей от себя территории уже не будет искомой неоспариваимой победой, а будет только отсрочкой будущего окончательного решения, возможно в худших условиях, что тоже неприемлемо. Таким образом Украина в нынешнем виде прекратит существование, если Россия победит.
Вариант когда Россия не победит я рассматривать не хочу по причине, указанной выше. Вкратце- это будет крах России и утверждение монополярного мира во всем мире.
Будет ли Польша контролировать западную Украину, Венгрия- Закарпатье а Румыния- Бессарабию я не знаю. Это возможно, но только при соблюдении главного условия- достижения основными участниками своих целей. Сейчас, кстати, Польша довольно сильно рискует, по моему. Попытка зайти на Украину в текущих обстоятельствах будет подавлена бескомпромиссно опять же по вышеизложенной причине.
Все эти тезисы можно развивать очень много, но вкратце как то так.

Thank you Youlik for your feedback.
I shared this strange thought even though I basically agree with your analysis of the situation.
As for trying to comfort me, that's very cool of you, although I think my conspiracy theory was intended to do just that, but I've already realized its absurdity.
It is precisely the conclusions that you also draw, that in this war - as it must be called - either Russia or the USA must win that fills me with fear.
The stakes are extremely high and the road to victory may be and in all likelihood will be extremely expensive.
Unless the Cosmos decides to balance it out in its own way.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

The Russian forces have practised simulated nuclear-capable missile strikes in the western enclave of Kaliningrad, in the Baltic Sea.

Russia practices ‘nuclear-capable’ missile strikes amid Ukraine war

Russia has simulated nuclear-capable missile strikes in the western enclave of Kaliningrad in the Baltic Sea, in a potential signal to the West, which has been heavily backing Ukraine, and an indication of how the conflict in Ukraine could escalate.

www.presstv.ir

05 May 2022

 

[Ben]

Intel Slava Z

t.me

Great photos

 

[Metrist]

Recently, I read a short article in the local news about a 'suicide crisis' on the local military base, and nation wide. It was too short an article to provide a reason for such concern, but that the matter was being looked into.

So, if you recall the recent events in America, you'd see how factionalized it is... Riots, violence, political drama, false flags, ect. And you'd know where the mass-media stands on conservatism, police, military.... America internally is the same as it is towards its external enemies.

And they have the gall to insinuate that we are allied with each other against Russia?

One thing we learned during this turmoil is that Russia was a scapegoat for our problems.

So, this notion that we have a cohesive alliance, and righteousness, to stand against Russia is silly. We can't even stand together.

It all comes down to decency. And in this 'will the U.S. fight Russia?' concern is buried this condition that America is afflicted. Is Americas memory so short as to forget how governance is dangled before us as if it is held hostage? By political intrigue?

So, America has to consider Russia, but moreso it's own domestic enemies: conservatives, military, religious people, radicals - all of whom were targeted, silenced, defunded, ect.

Surely they must consider defections.

For all the virtues America claims its actions are based, it is in its weakest state. And while we are in-fighting, we want to fight our toughest opponent yet? Maybe as a suicide pact.

 

[Joe]

That's the thought that came to my mind and I have nothing to back it up.
If perhaps there will be a partition of Ukraine:
Russia takes - Crimea, Donbas, Transnistria
Poland - Lvov, Volhynia
Romania - Moldavia
Hungary - Transcarpathia.
Can it not be that for the masses the situation is presented as it is in the media all the time and somewhere on the level of secret services between these countries this division is already agreed?
So we are witnesses of a theater.
And things are already settled?
Also with Putin?

NATO nations are increasingly assuredly stating that Russia will lose. If we assume this is actual confidence rather than just rhetoric, I think the only way they can hope to achieve such an outcome is by creating the conditions where the conflict spreads outside of Ukraine.

 

[Joe]

The Russian forces have practised simulated nuclear-capable missile strikes in the western enclave of Kaliningrad, in the Baltic Sea.

More evidence that Russia is aware of a NATO (i.e. US) plan to force the expansion of the conflict outside of Ukraine?

 

[Persej]

There you go.

India Wants Russia to Discount Its Oil to Below $70 a Barrel​

• Country wants compensation for increasing risks with the trade
• State refiners can take 15 million barrels a month of the oil

India is trying to get deeper discounts on Russian oil to compensate for the risk of dealing with the OPEC+ producer as other buyers turn away, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The South Asian nation is seeking Russian cargoes at less than $70 a barrel on a delivered basis to compensate for additional hurdles, such as securing financing for purchases, in high-level talks between the two countries, said the people, asking not to be identified as discussions are confidential. Global benchmark Brent is currently trading near $108 a barrel.

State-owned and private refiners in the world’s third-biggest oil importer have bought more than 40 million barrels of Russian crude since the invasion of Ukraine in late February, the people said. That’s 20% more than Russia-to-India flows for the whole of 2021, according to Bloomberg calculations based on trade ministry data.

India -- which imports more than 85% of its oil -- is among the few remaining buyers of Russian crude, a key source of revenue for Vladimir Putin’s regime. Evaporating European demand is putting severe pressure on Russia’s oil industry, with the government forecasting output could drop by as much as 17% this year.

India Wants Russia to Discount Its Oil to Below $70 a Barrel (1)

India is trying to get deeper discounts on Russian oil to compensate for the risk of dealing with the OPEC+ producer as other buyers turn away, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

www.bloomberg.com

 

[Laurentien2]

Ukrainian POW Reveals Problems With US-Made Javelin & British-Made NLAW Anti-Tank Missiles

The US-made FGM-148 Javelin and the British-made NLAW anti-tank missiles supplied by the West to Kiev forces had performed poorly...

southfront.org

UKRAINIAN POW REVEALS PROBLEMS WITH US-MADE JAVELIN & BRITISH-MADE NLAW ANTI-TANK MISSILES​

Support SouthFront

Ukrainian soldiers use a launcher with US-made Javelin missiles during military exercises in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, on December 23, 2021. Photo: Ukrainian Defense Ministry Press Service
The US-made FGM-148 Javelin and the British-made NLAW anti-tank missiles supplied by the West to Kiev forces had performed poorly on the battlefield, a captured Ukrainian service member said in a video released by Russia’s Defense Ministry on May 5.

“US military aid, to my mind, has been overhyped because the much-touted anti-tank weapon systems and grenade launchers, their Javelins and NLAWs that were heavily promoted, failed to prove their worth in practice. They suffered setbacks, with normally one out of four weapons firing and instances of duds or blasts 50 meters away from the target,” the Ukrainian prisoner of war said.

The Javelin, which is guided by infrared homing, has a maximum range of 2,500 meters and can penetrate up to 600 mm of rolled homogeneous armour behind reactive armour. The missile has top-attack as well as fire-and-forget capabilities.
The NLAW is guided by PLOS [predicted line of sight] with top-attack as well as fire-and-forget capability. The missile has a range of 1,000 meters only and can penetrate more than 500 mm of rolled homogeneous armour.

According to the Ukrainian POW, some weapon batches contained anti-armor systems whose service life had expired and spent storage batteries.

“Some weapons had storage batteries with an expired service life while most batches indicated years past expiration dates,” the POW said.

So far, the West has delivered 60,000 anti-tank weapons, including more than 5,000 Javelins and 4,000 NLAWs, to Kyiv forces. The delivers of some of these weapons began before the start of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine.
The Russian military and the armed forces of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) have already captured or destroyed loads of Western-supplied anti-tank weapons.
The West has been dumping its weapon stockpiles into Ukraine on the hopes of prolonging the war and weakening the Russian military.

 

[ApotheosisMMC.]

Russia denounces at the UN a "world war" in the economic sector: "It is perceived that the West was preparing for it in advance".

Vasili Nebenzia stated that, apart from sanctions and appropriation of private property, the West froze bank accounts of the country worth $300 billion, which constitutes "theft".
Russia denounces at the UN a "world war" in the economic sector: "It is perceived that the West was preparing for it in advance".
Russia's permanent representative to the UN Security Council, Vasili Nebenzia, declared Thursday that at the moment "a world war" is underway in the economic sector, adding that Western countries were preparing for it "in advance."

"You are simply stealing, in the best tradition of the Wild West," the Russian ambassador affirmed. In that framework, he detailed that, apart from sanctions and appropriation of private property of Russian citizens, the West froze bank accounts of the country worth 300 billion dollars.

"What international law are they talking about then?" he asked in that context, stressing that the actions in question constitute "theft."

During his speech, Nebenzia argued that the West needs Ukraine only as an "arena for a confrontation with Russia." He further stressed that Kiev should have no illusions: the Western countries are not going to help it, except through arms supplies and attempts to "prolong the conflict."

According to his words, the West is already engaged in "a 'proxy' war" against Russia.

Rusia denuncia en la ONU una "guerra mundial" en el sector económico: "Se percibe que Occidente se estaba preparando para ella de antemano"

 

[Voyageur]

It just gets crazier and crazier.

Now it's mulling going after Russia's ability to even ship oil on the high seas with a proposed ban on European vessels and companies' ability to provide services to Russian shipping entities. As Bloomberg is reporting Wednesday, the action would constitute "a move that could dramatically impair Moscow’s ability to ship its oil anywhere in the world."

A sneaky move to pressure insurers, and speaking of which, Lloyds had this to say a few days ago concerning Sovcomflot:

Sanctions force massive Sovcomflot tanker sale

Up to a third of Sovcomflot’s owned fleet is up for grabs as the Russian state tanker giant looks to repay outstanding western loans before restrictions take effect
[...]

Under the terms of sanctions issued by both UK and EU governments, banks have been given a grace period to extricate themselves from Russian contracts. Both jurisdictions have set May 15 as the deadline for cutting ties.

Banks will need to receive all outstanding loans before that date, prompting Sovcomflot to sell off a significant portion of its fleet at short notice to any willing buyer outside of the scope of international sanctions.

So far, only eight ships have been confirmed as sold, with four of them known to have gone to Dubai-based Koban Shipping. However, Chinese buyers are also known to be taking on vessels and several deals are understood to be nearing completion.

Four separate finance and legal officials directly involved in separate deals have confirmed that en bloc vessel sales are under way, with more being added daily.

Sovcomflot management have not responded to requests to discuss the deals.

The precise exposure of western banks to Sovcomflot is not clear. However, the last available consolidated accounts detail $2.1bn of debt, made up of short- and long-term bank loans.

The accounts do not detail how much of that is owed to western lenders. But it is likely that only a small amount of that total will come from Russian banks.

“Basically, all banks and charterers have until May 15 to actually terminate the contracts, which means Sovcomflot has a very short window to pay back the loans and realistically there is only one way it can do that and that is to sell the ships,” said one senior banker currently negotiating terms with Sovcomflot.

According to those dealing directly with Sovcomflot, the process is being conducted in a “genuine and very professional manner”, indicating that Sovcomflot senior management are seeking to maintain relationships with financiers and charterers beyond the current sanctions.

[...]
There has been speculation that further sanctions will pull the plug on even those stems, but in practical terms, many countries simply need the oil right now.

Another P&I source added: “That depends on the appetite of Europeans not to take any oil from Russia. That’s a political position and will depend on public opinion.

“The ports in the countries to which those trades are being carried would want there to be a solid insurer to resolve any pollution or environmental or property damage. Unless there’s a political decision to withdraw, we need to be there.”

Lloyd’s List understands that registry officials for flags used by Sovcomflot have requested an urgent update on the insurance status of all its vessels. At the time of publication, the company had not responded.

From @Cosmos April 4th post (citing Putin asking this question from March 31st, 2022):

Putin:

Now something that is not directly linked with aviation industry or not linked at all – shipping services. I would like to ask the Minister of Transport to evaluate the situation with the use of Sovcomflot vessels by Russian consignors. They have their own freight and chartering problems. Sovcomflot also has trouble using these vessels. It is necessary to combine the capabilities and requirements of Russian consignors and carriers. I ask you to analyse this matter and to submit your proposals.

I'm guessing that this "analyse" has taken much into account, so likely more here than meets the eye.

 

[Benjamin]

RT:

Popular Ukrainian Zelensky critic arrested in Spain​

Kiev accuses the exiled opposition figure of "treason"

May 5, 2022

Prominent blogger and critic of the Ukrainian government, Anatoly Shariy, has been detained by Spanish police as part of an international operation, the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) announced on Thursday.

Shariy was arrested on Wednesday in a joint operation by Spanish and Ukrainian cops, as well as international "partners", the SBU said in a statement.

The agency, Kiev's successor to the Soviet KGB, said that the opposition figure is wanted on charges of treason by Kiev, among other things. Shariy has been infringing Ukraine’s national security through his activities in the media realm, while allegedly acting on behalf of “foreign” forces, it insisted. The case against the YouTuber with almost 3 million subscribers was launched in February 2021.

Shariy’s arrest “is more proof that every traitor of Ukraine will sooner or later receive his well-deserved punishment. It is inevitable,” the SBU claimed.

The Ukrainian announcement was confirmed by the Spanish police, who told RIA-Novosti that Shariy was detained in the coastal city of Tarragona on May 4 on an international arrest warrant.

Shariy had been granted political asylum in the EU by Lithuania back in 2012. Back then, he said that he was fleeing persecution by the government of Viktor Yanukovich, whom the Western media branded pro-Russian.

Yanukovich was deposed after the Maidan coup in 2014, but the blogger remained a harsh critic of authorities in Ukraine, be it President Petro Poroshenko or his successor Volodymyr Zelensky.

He condemned Russia’s military operation in Ukraine after it was launched in late February but kept pointing out what he saw as flaws in Kiev’s conduct during the ongoing conflict.

The blogger's political asylum was cancelled by Lithuania in January this year.

Shariy was absent from social media on Wednesday, but on Thursday he took to Telegram to share a photo of his wife feeding parrots in Barcelona, accompanying it with a comment reading: “This really is a comedy.”

According to media reports, the blogger was released from Spanish custody and placed under travel restrictions. He’s to remain in Barcelona where he has a home pending a decision on his extradition to Ukraine.

President Zelensky’s representative at the Constitutional Court has already expressed confidence that Shariy will “face a Ukrainian court and will be held liable in line with Ukrainian laws.”

 

[f1esk]

NATO nations are increasingly assuredly stating that Russia will lose. If we assume this is actual confidence rather than just rhetoric, I think the only way they can hope to achieve such an outcome is by creating the conditions where the conflict spreads outside of Ukraine.

There is another option that they are counting on - this is an internal traitor. It is not for nothing that the "whole" Western world shouts "let there be Brutus."

For the same reason, the militants do not leave Azovstal, they were ordered to sit and wait for a coup d'état to happen in Russia, Putin will not be there, Russia will sign a surrender and everything will be fine, resources will flow like water again, free of charge. No, it won't, and America and Europe will be reformatted.

 

[lilies]

Sane minds already planning an Eastern Union of countries to create a livable future:

Forward to the USSR and Operation Z+​

On 28 April 2022 President Lukashenko of Belarus spoke of a possible coming together of various independent countries, former Soviet republics, to join the Russian Federation and Belarus in a ‘Union State’

Geopolitically, the formation of a Sovereign Union (not Soviet Union) of the peoples and nations of Northern Eurasia is now perhaps the only way of overcoming the vacuum created, which has been at the root of planetary chaos since 1991.

I'm glad someone else also recognizes that future expectations must not be all doom & gloom oriented. Everyone's personal choice, where one expects to live: a Twilight Zone future or a prosperous one, closer to STO Governance? I don't want to be dragged into a hellish Battleground Europe future..
I want to be part of a future, where a Prosperous Union State of Free Eastern Countries is created!
Therefore I'm setting my mind towards the latter!

 

[ziutek]

Sorry.
I just want to share.

Russell TEXAS Bentley

🇬🇧🇺🇦 "I landed in Krakow. The next stop is Lviv" - says a British sniper who is in a hurry to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine... yes, he is a sniper 🤣

t.me