flip-city news from Ukraine & Crimea

This is the War and Peace of the ‘War, No Peace allowed’ in one of the Nato-repurposed  2.0  cold war proxy wars against Russia.  I know it’s long, but it’s all of a puzzle.  Given its length, were I a reader, I’d focus on the Ukraine/Russian warships story, as a hella lot’s gonna break tomorrow, including at the UN. So far Vladimir Putin and Sergei Lavrov have refused to be drawn into responding to threats of war against The Bear, but what might be the flexion point?  Given that, I’ve chosen to give some background to what’s afoot already.  Yeppers, it’s all copy/paste, but transposing is even more impossible in my haste.

On Nov. 25 the FSB had reported that three Ukrainian Warships had illegally entered Russian territorial waters and were carrying out ‘dangerous maneuvers’.

“SIMFEROPOL, November 25. /TASS/. Three Ukrainian warships have illegally crossed Russia’s state border entering its territorial waters, and are carrying out dangerous maneuvers, the Federal Security Service’s Border Service in Crimea said on Sunday.

“This morning at around 7:00 a.m. Moscow Time three ships of Ukraine’s Navy violated Articles 19 and 21 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which define the right of a coastal state to ensure maritime security, crossed the Russian state border and illegally entered the temporarily closed waters of the Russian territorial sea,” the statement said.

The Ukrainian warships continue heading to the Kerch Strait, where the traffic is regulated under a schedule approved by the captain of the Russian sea port. A source in Crimea’s maritime authorities said the vessels are expected to reach the Kerch Strait in an hour and a half.”

Also from Tass news, Nov. 26:

“All three vessels of the Ukrainian Navy, which violated the Russian state border, have been detained in the Black Sea, weapons were used to force them to stop, the Public Relations Center of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) reported.

“The Ukrainian Navy’s vessels the Berdyansk, the Nikopol and the Yany Kapu, which violated Russia’s state border this morning, made another attempt of committing illegal activities in Russia’s territorial sea at 19:00 Moscow time on November 25,” the FSB said. “They did not respond to legitimate demands by the ships and boats of Russia’s FSB Border Guard Service escorting them to stop immediately and performed dangerous maneuvers.”

According to the FSB, “weapons were used to force the Ukrainian warships to stop.” As a result, all three vessels of the Ukrainian Navy were detained in Russia’s territorial waters in the Black Sea. “Three wounded military servicemen of the Ukrainian armed forces received medical assistance,” the FSB said, adding that there was no threat to their lives.

A criminal case has been initiated over violation of Russia’s state border.”

According to RT.com:

“Both sides have been accusing each other of violating the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Kiev argues that it had notified the Russian side in advance of its plan to sail from the Ukrainian Black Sea resort of Odessa to Mariupol, a port on the north coast of the Sea of Azov, a claim that the Russian coastguard denies.

The route goes through the Kerch strait, which separates Crimea from mainland Russia.

Kiev has called a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council [NSDC] to discuss imposing martial law, chairman Oleksandr Turchynov told media.

NATO has urged both parties to show restraint. NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said in a statement that NATO has been “closely monitoring developments in the Azov Sea and the Kerch Strait,” while voicing support to Ukraine.

“NATO fully supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and its territorial integrity, including its navigation rights in its territorial waters,” the statement read.”

Ruptly video: ‘Coast Guard traces Ukrainian vessels after breach of Russian waters’

“The FSB, which is responsible for maintaining Russia’s borders, denounced the Ukrainian vessels’ actions as a deliberate provocation aimed at creating “conflict situations” in the region.

The Ukrainian Navy said that its vessels were sailing as part of a scheduled routine transfer, at some point, adding that it warned the Russian authorities about it in advance.”

Take.that.to.the.bank.

From southfront.org’sRussia-Ukraine Black Sea Military Crisis: On The Brink Of War’:

“The existence or absence of the Ukrainian request to the Russians is out of the matter. The fact is that the Ukrainian warships violated Russian territorial waters threatening navigation in the area and provoking the Russian side.

More than 5 hours, the Russian side had been avoiding to employ any actions to block warships of the de-facto “unfriendly state” in its territorial waters. The Russian Federal Security Service’s Border Service employed real measures to put an end to hostile actions of the warships of the de-facto “unfriendly state” in own territorial waters at about 20:00-20:30 local time.

The Russian side is traditionally restrained in comments of the crisis situation during its development. From its side, the Ukrainian side is traditionally providing a surplus amount of data.”

Via strategic-culture.org Nov. 24: ‘UK Commits Extra Military Forces to Ukraine: Irresponsible Policy, Dangerous Repercussions’, Arkady Svitsky

“Ukraine’s Constitutional Court green-lighted a bill on amending the country’s main law by enshrining into it the final goal of obtaining NATO and EU membership. The decision was announced the next day after the UK and Ukraine’s defense ministries made a joint statement, stressing the need to expand military cooperation. The defense chiefs agreed that Operation Orbital, the Army training program started in 2015, was a success to be continued at least till 2020. Instructors from the British Army, most of who have significant experience in participating in combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, have trained over 9,500 Ukrainian servicemen. An unspecified number of UK soldiers would be sent to train Ukrainian special forces and marines, in addition to the 100 personnel deployed currently in the country. 

A multi-role hydrographic survey ship will be deployed in the Black Sea next year to demonstrate Britain’s support for Ukraine and ensure “freedom of navigation”. HMS Echo is not a warship but it flies the naval ensign. In September, Great Britain made known it planned to increase the warships’ presence in the Black Sea next year with increasingly frequent port calls to Odessa.

NATO naval presence there is seen as provocative by Russia amid increasing tensions in the Azov Sea. A conflict appears to be imminent and the West has taken the side of Ukraine despite the fact that it was Kiev who has been provoking it. EU High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini believes many vessels flying European Union flags were threatened to make Brussels consider “appropriate targeted measures” to be taken as a signal to Moscow.

The increase in UK military presence goes against the letter and spirit of Minsk accords, which state that the conflict in Ukraine should be managed through diplomatic and political means.

The US military already runs a maritime operations center located within Ukraine’s Ochakov naval facility designed to deliver flexible maritime support throughout the full range of military operations. Hundreds of US and Canadian military instructors are training Ukrainian personnel at the Yavoriv firing range. The US is to transfer two Oliver Hazard Perry-type frigates to Ukraine. The move will actually ensure constant NATO naval presence in the Black Sea going around the restrictions imposed by the Montreux Convention because the vessels will have America sailors onboard carrying out “training missions” and remain under US command, despite official sources saying otherwise. All in all, ten ships of that class are available for export. In September, the US Coast Guard transferred two Island-class cutters, armed with .50-caliber machine guns and 25mm deck guns. The transfers urge Kiev to challenge Moscow militarily.

Nobody in Washington or London asks why an industrialized nation and a large arms exporter, with abundant resources and fertile land should depend on foreign assistance unable to defend itself. Weapons are supplied and training is provided to the country, where corruption is rampant. Even the US State Department’s recent report says it is.  Popular protests are commonplace. The conflict in Donbass is used to distract the people from domestic woes.

The frustration with Kiev’s reluctance to introduce much-needed reforms and curtail the political influence of the oligarchs is rapidly growing. The common people of Ukraine need political and economic reforms, not increased foreign military presence on their soil.

The only reason for the West to keep the failed Ukraine afloat is its obsequiousness and readiness to be converted into a springboard to threaten Russia with an aggression. Despite Ukraine’s multiple problems, the country has recently been rewarded with an official status in NATO. The 2018 North Atlantic Alliance’s summit confirmed its support for Ukraine’s full-fledged membership to make a mockery of the so called “NATO standards.” [snip]

“Russia is not watching idle. If the Minsk accords are washed out, it will have each and every reason to recognize the Lugansk and Donetsk self-proclaimed republics as independent states eligible for military cooperation agreements, including stationing Russian military bases on their soil, if their governments ask for it. No international law would be violated.

Ukraine’s government is ramping up tensions because President Petro Poroshenko is running for re-election in March 2019 on a national security platform. So he takes a tougher line on Azov. Those who rush to provide him with military assistance become accomplices in his adventurist actions that could have disastrous consequences. The UK will bear responsibility for goading Kiev into taking a confrontational approach and turning the Azov Sea into a flashpoint that can spark at any minute.”
……………………………………………………………………………………………..

‘Here’s who Washington’s sending arms – Meet Nazi Ukraine’s would be Führer; The commander of Ukraine’s influential Azov battalion extremist militia and an MP, Andriy Biletsky says he’s ready to fight the ‘untermenschen’’, Alex Christoforou, January 5, 2018, theduran.com

“We are certain that when Ukraine is completely overrun by neo-nazi leader Andriy Biletsky, the western mainstream media will wonder what could have possibly caused such an outcome.

Then again, the fact that Biletsky was invited by Czech MEP Jaromír Štětina to visit the European Parliament may in fact be a sign that Europe is welcoming of neo-nazi elements, as long as they are directed towards Russia.

(Oriental Review) – Today’s Ukraine is painfully reminiscent of Germany in the 1920s: poor governance on the heels of a lost war, which – added to the sense of betrayed hopes and the sharp decline in average incomes coupled with rising prices – is all driving a critical mass of the Ukrainian population toward an overwhelming feeling of desperation. A demand from the public for a “strong hand” – a new, authoritarian ruler – is rapidly coalescing, due to their dissatisfaction with President Poroshenko and all the other jokers they’ve been dealt from that shabby deck of political cards.

And a man like that already exists in this destitute and disintegrating country. Andriy Biletsky, the commander of the Azov Battalion who is known to his comrades-in-arms as the “White Führer,” is making an ever-bigger name for himself in the Ukrainian parliament.”

There are about six more feet of text and links, but you likely get the gist.

‘Israel is arming neo-Nazis in Ukraine’, Asa Winstanley, The Electronic Intifada, 4 July 2018

Now all of this gets a tad esoteric to the average person, but here goes:

“Israeli arms are being sent to a heavily armed neo-Nazi militia in Ukraine, The Electronic Intifada has learned.

Azov Battalion online propaganda shows Israeli-licensed Tavor rifles in the fascist group’s hands, while Israeli human rights activists have protested arms sales to Ukraine on the basis that weapons might end up with anti-Semitic militias.

In a letter “about licenses for Ukraine” obtained by The Electronic Intifada, the Israeli defense ministry’s arms export agency says they are “careful to grant licenses” to arms exporters “in full coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other government entities.”

The 26 June letter was sent in reply to Israeli lawyer Eitay Mack who had written a detailed request demanding Israel end all military aid to the country.

Azov’s official status in the Ukrainian armed forces means it cannot be verified that “Israeli weapons and training” are not being used “by anti-Semitic or neo-Nazi soldiers,” Mack and 35 other human rights activists wrote.

They had written that Ukrainian armed forces use rifles made in Israel “and are trained by Israelis,” according to reports in the country.

The head of the Israeli arms export agency declined to deny the reports, or to even discuss cancellation of the weapons licenses, citing “security” concerns.

But Racheli Chen, the head of the agency, confirmed to Mack she had “carefully read your letter,” which detailed the fascist nature of Azov and the reports of Israeli arms and training.” [large, but explanatory, snip]

“Starting as a gang of fascist street thugs, the Azov Battalion is one of several far-right militias that have now been integrated as units of Ukraine’s National Guard.

Staunchly anti-Russian, Azov fought riot police during the 2013 US and EU-supported “Euromaidan” protests in the capital Kiev.

The protests and riots laid the ground for the 2014 coup which removed the pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych.”

“Today, Azov is run by Arsen Avakov, Ukraine’s interior minister. According to the BBC, he pays its fighters, and has appointed one of its military commanders, Vadym Troyan, as his deputy – with control over the police.

Avakov last year met with the Israeli interior minister Aryeh Deri to discuss “fruitful cooperation.”

Azov’s young founder and first military commander Andriy Biletsky is today a lawmaker in the Ukrainian parliament.” [snip]

At a military training camp for children last year, The Guardian noticed that several Azov instructors had Nazi and other racist tattoos, including a swastika, the SS skull symbol and one that read “White Pride.”

One Azov soldier explained to The Guardian that he fights Russia because “Putin’s a Jew.”

It’s chock-full of photos and videos, tweets, etc.

“Israel’s military aid to Ukraine and its neo-Nazis emulates similar programs by the United States and other NATO countries including the UK and Canada.

So obsessed are they with defeating a perceived threat from Russia that they seem happy to aid even openly Nazi militias – as long as they fight on their side.

This is also a throwback to the early Cold War, when the CIA supported fascists and Hitlerites to infiltrate from Austria into Hungary in 1956, where they began slaughtering Hungarian communist Jews and Hungarian Jews as “communists.”

The whole nine yards are here.

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most of it reports the same thing but down in the comment section I saw a post that really made me stop and think about this one more way.
I don't know anything of the person that made the comment nor the source quoted, it just sounds quite possible.
I only hope that Russia has made that request for a UN Hearing because they have the rock solid proof of the goal of the mission and that would be blowing up the bridge,with a big side dish of an excuse for martial law as a reward.

Comment at the Hal Turner site from inteldrop333 at 17:59 11/25/2018

Very improtant Info appeared briefly on Russian media (before being scrubbed) that a NATO SADM, possibly a Diver deployable device, was being transported to the Kerch Straight to be used on the Crimean bridge. The device was being tracked by the Russians and they knew it had been loaded on to a Ukrainian Tug (escorted by 5 warships!! – 3 in the Black Sea, including one NATO vessel, and 2 waiting in the Sea of Azov).
This is why the Russians acted!
They never react with force and have never blockaded the Sea of Azov. Ground attack jets and Helicopter gunships, plus a warship armed with ASM and Torpedos were waiting.
This level of force would not be used just for a tug and a few old Ukrainian ships. But a tug carrying a tactical nuclear device about to bring down one of the worlds most strategic bridges, a bridge hated by NATO – as per the recent Op Ed in the ‘Washington Examiner’ (Ukraine should bomb the Crimean Bridge).
Ukraine regularly provokes Russia to little effect, but today the Rusians acted to stop a terrible event.
Ukraine is now in panic mode and there may be direct NATO intervention if the to cover this, if the Russians make this public.
The device may have come from the UK.
The UK have been psychologically preparing thier people for a war with Russia.
The SADM low-yield nuclear explosion would have brought down the bridge and melted the foundations, but looked like a conventional IED blast from above due to the underwater detonation and relatively low yeield of less than 1KT.
This was a WW3 level provocation STOPPED by the Russian FSB and SF’s!
All traces of these reports are being scrubbed as I write!

Get this out before the story is completly scrubbed.

https://www.moonofalabama.org/2018/11/russia-blocks-ukrainian-navy-from-...

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wendy davis's picture

@aliasalias

according to RT, maybe Tass, russia did call the SC meeting. all other news outlets just *imply* that ukraine, who knows called it. but the fsb did say that they have irrefutable proof that this whole thing was engineered in advance.

whoosh, high stakes. commenter couldn't recall which news agency, then? yeah, sputnik:
"Sputnik) - Russia requested an urgent meeting of UN Security Council members at 11 a.m. on Monday (16.00 GMT) to discuss the situation in the Sea of Azov, Russia's First Deputy Envoy to UN, Dmitry Polyanskiy, told reporters.

"In connection with the dangerous development of the situation in the Sea of Azov and the events that followed them, Russia requested an urgent convocation of an open meeting of the Security Council on the morning of November 26 under the agenda item 'Maintenance of international peace and security,'" Polyanskiy said. The meeting is tentatively scheduled for 11 a.m. (19.00 Moscow time, 16.00 GMT), he added.

well...thanks? for the scrubbed news? (by the by, alialalias is quite a screen name.)

dayum; is there even a closing lullaby for a situation like this? whooosh.

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wendy davis's picture

@aliasalias

'Hal Turner site from inteldrop333' and my first hit was at the saker (vineyard of the saker earlier). in the comments, same message as at MoA.

in response to 'anti_republocrat's' comment, this:

'Hal Turner and Washington Examiner are both desinfo fakes news sites.', this 'Hal Turner is lying now, was lying in the past, and will continue to lie well into the future. Take a look at his previous claims about things that turned out to be fake and make your own conclusions'.

well, we can check out hal turner tomorrow, eh?

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@aliasalias bullshit from a bullshit site. Fearmongering, panic inducing bullshit at that.
The ukies already acknowledged Russian control of the strait last summer, this incident seems to be a false flag to boost Poro's ability to steal an election and to get international(military) support against an 'aggressive' Russia.
Again.
The Beat don't Stop. . . !

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Ya got to be a Spirit, cain't be no Ghost. . .

Explain Bldg #7. . . still waiting. . .

If you’ve ever wondered whether you would have complied in 1930’s Germany,
Now you know. . .
sign at protest march

wendy davis's picture

@Tall Bald and Ugly

a radio show prognosticator, at least from what i could find.

on edit: and of course at the core if it to boost his election prospects as 'strong on soverignty' or whatever. on edit: and to aid the Imperium/nato, as you'd said..

the guardian's playing the same song: ‘Kerch confrontation puts Crimean crisis back in spotlight’, Tensions between Russia and Ukraine had been rising long before Sunday’s naval clash, simon tisdall

"But the basic problem remains unchanged: the crisis in relations caused by Russia’s illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014 after Ukraine’s pro-western Euromaidan protests, the subsequent low-intensity war in the eastern Donbass region bordering Russia, and the international community’s chronic failure to find a solution.

Speaking three days before the naval clash on Sunday, Stepan Poltorak, Ukraine’s defence minister, said the Donbass conflict was entering an “active phase”, with the threat of open aggression by Russia. Some in Kiev suspect Moscow of seeking to impose a de facto sea border, blocking access to the Sea of Azov and the contested Mariupol industrial region.

The political situation is contributing to the instability. Presidential elections are due in Ukraine by March 2019 and the incumbent, Petro Poroshenko, faces a tough re-election battle. Polls suggest Yulia Tymoshenko, a former prime minister, is the favourite to succeed him. Opponents believe Poroshenko could be tempted to play the security card to bolster his chances."

(i was wrong about jan.1, 2019 date, apparently, but correct on an earlier diary that the big money's on the 'formerly braided banderist one)

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mimi's picture

@Tall Bald and Ugly
has already asked the Germans for military help against the 'Russian Agressor' according to 'Der Spiegel'.
here
Of course, Germany is drawn into the middle of that shit again, like it always has been in history.

Sigh.

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wendy davis's picture

russia to crimea, preventing the ukrainian warships from passing. what a photo, my stars.

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@wendy davis out larchmonter445 comment to the HT site comments, perfect response. If you hit the Vineyard, there is a decent video of an rsf ship ramming a tug to get it to stop.
The west don't like that bridge. Apparently.

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Ya got to be a Spirit, cain't be no Ghost. . .

Explain Bldg #7. . . still waiting. . .

If you’ve ever wondered whether you would have complied in 1930’s Germany,
Now you know. . .
sign at protest march

wendy davis's picture

@Tall Bald and Ugly

could you bring it? i don't even know what HT is....

no the west doesn't like that bridge at all, not only for what it stands for, but for the engineering marvel it is, as well.

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wendy davis's picture

@Tall Bald and Ugly

this was at sputnik news; i found it while trying to kinda live-blog the UNSC meeting on twitter. but russian Ambassador Vassily A. Nebenzia to the UN tweeted in yanno, russian.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=CERjqr6dGTI]

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wendy davis's picture

gotta go with sting. ain't it ironic that the shoe's on the other foot now after so many decades?

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHylQRVN2Qs]

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k9disc's picture

@wendy davis [video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy-Y3HJNU_s]

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“Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” ~ Sun Tzu

thanatokephaloides's picture

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"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

wendy davis's picture

@thanatokephaloides

but he doesn't say 'sting'.... fancy takin' the time to out that together, though. #dedication.

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k9disc's picture

I don't even need to play that. Etched in the memory banks FOREVER!

@thanatokephaloides

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“Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” ~ Sun Tzu

wendy davis's picture

@k9disc

thanks. actually now that you've brought it, i do remember it.

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mimi's picture

I was asked, if criticizing Obama means one is a racist. I asked if the question often asked years ago, if Obama is black enough, is a racist question or not.

Reading your essay, I had the itch to ask if the Azov Battalion guys (Arsen Avakov, Vadym Troyan) are too white, but then I rememberd that it would be a racist thing to ask that question.

So, I decided to look into the mirror like snowwhites' step mother and ask ...
"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the whitest of them all".

My mirror is darkened by soot and rust like FUBAR. I see nothin'.

Then something pooped up in my mind. Is there too much intelligence on here? I guess only a dumbfuck like me could have that impression.

Thanks Wendy, for putting this together. It looks like it helps dumbfucks like me. Wink

In general, not to anyone specific, beware of using political video porn. It's like sex, but not the real one.

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gulfgal98's picture

@mimi Please do not bring a personal disagreement from another essay into this essay. Please edit your comment.

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

mimi's picture

@gulfgal98
I will pretend not to have understood the question I was asked. I will edit out the name of the person who asked the question. Sorry for this mishap.

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wendy davis's picture

@mimi

'aryan nation' enough? followers of stepan bandera.

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mimi's picture

@wendy davis @wendy davis
and afaik the folks of the 'aryan nation' were all white. So, my comment was uncomfortably direct but not that wrong imo.

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wendy davis's picture

@mimi

they at least claim to be so. but the term aryan, i'd discovered by bingling has three definitions:

1.relating to or denoting a people speaking an Indo-European language who invaded northern India in the 2nd millennium bc, displacing the Dravidian and other aboriginal peoples.

•dated term for Proto-Indo-European or for Indo-Iranian.

•(in Nazi ideology) relating to people of Caucasian race not of Jewish descent.

that was one thing that killed me the nazi azov dude said: 'we fight russians because putin's a jew!'

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Alligator Ed's picture

Then again, the fact that Biletsky was invited by Czech MEP Jaromír Štětina to visit the European Parliament may in fact be a sign that Europe is welcoming of neo-nazi elements, as long as they are directed towards Russia.

With strong growth of right wing governments in Europe (Hungary, Poland, et. al.) and weakening Neolibs like Macron and Merkel, whose own countries are leaning rightward, as well as UKIP, the importation of full blown Nazi fascism (as opposed to our Oligarchic fascism), such support for a white power/anti-semitic/anti-Hamitic group as the Azov battalion has the realistic potential to fully engulf Europe in a rising tide of right wing fascism. Theresa May, herself is holding on to power by her finger nails. Marine LePen and Nigel Farage must be salivating at this right-wing embrace by the Brussel sprouts is reminiscent of Neville Chamberlain appeasing der erste Führer

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wendy davis's picture

@Alligator Ed

do constitute one whole picture-puzzle, don't they? that one author had said that ukraine resembles 1920s germany, and wasn't it funny that it took the guardian four years until they'd noticed neo nazis? they of course were at the maidan slaughters in 2013, iirc.

but i keep reading how many people love strong leaders, as they love 'being led'. no thinking, and they react on a gut-level to even dark polemics. an yeppers to farage and le pen's salivating. mr. wd had said something a bit more crudely after seeing nikki's tweet above.

from RT last night, this morning?: 'Moscow warns Kiev of ‘consequences’ for attempts to provoke conflict after Kerch Strait standoff'

"Moscow has protested Kiev’s “planned” breach of Russian waters in the Kerch Strait and cautioned Ukraine’s foreign backers against blowing the incident out of proportion. Russia will “strongly” respond to similar “provocations.”

The actions of the Ukrainian Navy “violated the rules of passage through Russian territorial waters,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday, adding that Moscow has summoned an emergency UN Security Council meeting to discuss the incident.

q

“Russia has repeatedly warned the Kiev regime and its Western supporters that fanning up the hysteria over the Azov Sea and the Kerch Strait was dangerous. It’s obvious that there was a provocation, carefully planned in terms of location and form, which is aimed at flaring up yet another point of conflict in the region and creating a new pretext to impose more sanctions against Russia.”
Q
Kiev has used the clash to justify declaring martial law – something Moscow says only benefits Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko ahead of the March elections. Poroshenko has been struggling to campaign for re-election, with his popularity decimated by harsh economic problems and recent corruption scandals."

moscow was also outraged by the rampant vandalism of russian consulates in ukraine.

but this video explaining coming a new iteration of 'martial law' in ukraine speaks volumes, imo:

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLu_5AWJQPc]

including 'moving the elections back (from jan. 1st if i remember correctly).

the UNSC should have convened by now; usually the guardian live blogs them, yes?

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mimi's picture

@Alligator Ed

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magiamma's picture

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Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation

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wendy davis's picture

@magiamma

a commenter at the café had brought it the other day. i told him whitney webb's version was far easier to follow for the likes of me, lol. 'coming home to roost', indeed.

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gulfgal98's picture

that the CIA is somehow involved in this? Otherwise, none of this makes sense to me.

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

dervish's picture

@gulfgal98 The fact that the Atlantic Council is selling us this war pretty much says it all.

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"Obama promised transparency, but Assange is the one who brought it."

wendy davis's picture

@gulfgal98

which is why you believe so. i'd thought ukraine was still 'under Nato's umbrella, but the one author said 'they're in'. so i dunno. but that that the US, UK, and canada all have troops in ukraine certainly leads one to believe that both special ops/cia were in the astro-turfed maidan putsch, whether in the guise of NED or USAID funding sources.

you may remember how big into funding maidan Pierre Omidyar was, for instance, as he had substantial investment there, as did (then) monsanto, thus bill gates. but this is simply nato repurposed gladio: then it was commies, now it's Russia herself...shall have no power in the world. we can't a multi-polar world: the US (nato) must rule!

well, i take it back: gladio false flags are quite evident in VZ, and the T administration is contemplating naming VZ to the 'state sponsors of terrorism' list. i keep checking, it hasn't happened yet, but it will open the door to bolnisaro in brazil, ecuador (with its military MoU w/ amerika), colombia (now Nato, as well) arranging a nice little putsch in VZ. i feel a coup coming on by way of R2P.

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wendy davis's picture

but nikki haley's live-blogging her comments of the twit machine.

so is the UNSC on twitter, not that i get russian, but they're also live streaming it for those who can handle translators and whatnot.

check that: you can choose a language. chinese ambassador is up now. 'commit to the minsk agreement', etc.

ukraine: harkening back to the 1939 winter war. russians were swearing! not much truth in his 25 min speech, i'd warrant.

@SwedenUN 7m7 minutes ago
We call on #Russia to respect #Ukraine’s sovereignty & territorial integrity. #Russia has international legal obligations to refrain from blocking the access to Ukrainian ports in the Azov Sea & elsewhere as well as to respect #OSCE principles & commitments.

@franceonu 9m9 minutes ago
call on Russia to: respect freedom of passage at Kerch Strait respect freedom of navigation in Azov Sea release Ukrainian sailors & return seized vessels act towards immediate de-escalation

@SwedenUN 11m11 minutes ago
The detained naval vessels & crewmembers should be immediately & unconditionally released. This would be an important step towards de-escalation.

@SwedenUN 18m18 minutes ago
#Sweden is deeply concerned about the escalation in the #SeaofAzov & the Kerch Strait. #Russia’s blocking of maritime traffic to & from #Ukrainian ports, using military force, is a serious violation of international law.

@NLatUN 28m28 minutes ago
#UNSC discusses situation in #Ukraine under agenda item 'Situation in Ukraine'. Proposed Russian agenda item 'Violation of the borders of the Russian Federation' did not find enough support.

@UKUN_NewYork 30m30 minutes ago
"Russia was responsible for a Chemical Weapons attack on British soil in #Salisbury. Russia has steadily increased tension in the Sea of Azov & has now by its own admission fired on Ukrainian ships, injuring sailors on board. These are not the actions of a responsible country.

PLinUN 6m6 minutes ago
#Poland at #UNSC mtg on #Ukraine #AzovSea: We have gathered today to discuss additional demonstration of disregard for #InternationalLaw and undermining efforts to achieve peace in #EasternEurope. #Russia added another dimension to the conflict in and around #Ukraine
This state-2-state conflict initiated & fueled by #Russia has one aim. To destabilize #Ukraine. We urge @UN system to give a proper attention to this active armed conflict. We can’t turn a blind eye to this situation only because one of #UNSC perm. members is a side in it.

@NLatUN (netherlands) In #UNSC meeting on situation in #Ukraine, ambassador @LiseGvH called on Russian Federation to halt all restrictions on the freedom of navigation it has imposed in and to the Sea of #Azov.

@RussiaUN 5m5 minutes ago
#Полянский о нарушении госграницы #России в #Керченском проливе: Эта провокация планировалась заранее у нас на глазах и при полном попустительстве западных государств, которые уже давно дали «карт-бланш» на любые действия своих киевских подопечных. #CБООН https://bit.ly/2TKyjfD

Jeremy Hunt‏Verified account @Jeremy_Hunt 3h3 hours ago
The UK utterly condemns Russia's use of force against Ukrainian vessels entering the Sea of Azov. Once again, we see Russian CONTEMPT for international norms and Ukrainian sovereignty. Russia must release detained Ukrainian sailors and guarantee free passage through Kerch Straits

from sputnik news:

"Speaking at the meeting, Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyanskiy said that Ukraine violated key provisions of international law, including UN charters, during the Kerch incident.

"The fact that such a violation occurred and using very dangerous measures in a narrow strait can create the risk for normal movement of all vessels in that particular area of water," Polyanskiy said. "We would urge partners in the Security Council not to shoulder responsibility for the dangerous conduct of the Ukrainian authorities."

The official further noted that Ukraine premeditated its recent provocation in the Kerch strait with the approval of its Western supporters.

"This provocation was preplanned, that is obvious. It was okayed by the Western states," he said at a meeting of the UN Security Council.

US Position on the Kerch Strait Incident

At the same time, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said that the United States voiced its support for Ukraine after the incident.

"I make the statement on behalf of the United States, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. We stand united in opposing Russia's attack," Haley said. "We strongly support Ukraine sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders extending to its territorial waters. We express our deep concern over the incident which represents a dangerous escalation and violation of international law."

The US ambassador also said that she spoke earlier in the day with both President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about the naval incident.

"This morning, I spoke with both President Trump and Secretary Pompeo, and my statement reflects the concerns at the highest level of the American government," Haley said during the meeting.

Russia's FSB security agency accused the ships of ignoring warnings to stop and manoeuvring dangerously. Ukraine's national security council responded by declaring 60 days of martial law, signed by the country's President Petro Poroshenko earlier in the day."

more from sputnik news:

Kerch Strait Incident Aims at Escalating Tensions Between Russia, Ukraine, Finding New Ways to Impose anti-Russia Sanctions - Russian Envoy to OSCE
"The fact that this was a provocation is also evidenced by the records on the Internet of the negotiations of sailors ... All of this is aimed at artificially exacerbating the Russian-Ukrainian disagreements, creating new pretexts for unwinding the thesis on the need for new sanctions against Russia, " Lukashevich said at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council.

Ukrainian President Poroshenko Says Proposed Parl't to Impose Martial Law For 30 Days Instead of 60 Not to Disrupt Elections

UN Security Council Votes Against Russian Agenda For Monday Meeting on Kerch Strait Incident

"The result of the voting is as follows, four votes in favor, seven votes against, four abstentions," the Chinese ambassador to the United Nations said. "The provisional agenda has not been adopted having failed to obtain the required number of votes."

guess we'll the vote list some time...the four abstentions are quite noteworthy.

more live tweet reTweeting, and this un's a pip, but no small wonder:

Poland in the UN‏ @PLinUN 12m12 minutes ago
At joint press stakeout following #UNSC mtg on #Ukraine #AzovSea the current & incoming #EU8 #UNSC members called on #Russia to restore freedom of passage at the #KerchStrait and to ensure unhindered access to Ukrainian ports in the #AzovSea.

but it’s the message partially hidden under the photo op that’s key. as ever, it must say ‘that the situation is a direct result of the illegal annexation of crimea by russia. (for one major reason unspoken): ‘we can’t have russia having a warm water port in sevastapol’, nor the one in syria, tartus.

https://twitter.com/PLinUN/status/1067129419599368192

for some reason, the russian ambassador to the UN's tweets are in english, and he had a hella lot more to say. yu can read it yu want; i need a break.

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mimi's picture

to cancel the upcoming elections, thus keeping him in power for unforessen time.
So, what's not to understand in this?

Das ukrainische Gesetz zur Verhängung des Kriegsrechts betrifft übrigens auch den Punkt Wahlen. Sie sind in solch einem Fall nicht möglich - auch nicht die Vorbereitungen dazu.

Am 31. Dezember soll eigentlich die Vorwahlphase für die Präsidentschaftswahlen beginnen, die für den 31. März geplant sind. Diese müssten dann verschoben werden.

my unprofessional translation:

The Ukrainian Martial law is related also to election laws. They (the elections) are not allowed then (during Martial Law times) - even not the preparations for elections. On December 31rst the supposed pre-election phase was to to begin for the planned elections on March 31rst. Those elections then must be post-poned.

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wendy davis's picture

@mimi

apparently it allows poroshenko to move the elections back to...er...may 31st, i gather. unless, of course, the rada votes to extend martial law for another 60 days, etc.

unfortunately, your hyperlink went to a c99 'page not found'.

on edit: sputnik's reporting that the chocolate king dialed martial law back to 30 so as not to 'disrupt' the elections, fwiw.

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Lookout's picture

The Turkish Stream’s first line is planned for commissioning in 2018; the second, which it is intended to supply the countries of South and South-Eastern Europe, is expected to enter operation in 2019.
https://www.middleeastobserver.org/2018/11/24/russia-considers-running-t...

Then there's the idea NATO, the UK, and Ukraine planned to blow up the bridge...
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/ukraine-should-blow-up-putins...
Which they discuss in this video (in the last few minutes if I remember correctly)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ6QRGMKUIk

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

wendy davis's picture

@Lookout

on the pipeline, although i confess i couldn't make sense of it after reading all day, but i vguely remember pepe escobar talking about syria being grou d zero in pipelinestan, perhaps ukraine a bit lesser.

wow, the rogan dude really maligns putin, doesn't he? it's as tough he works for the atlantic council or something. well, it's a more reasonable plan (not really) than the one aliasalias said was on a comment thread at moon of alabama:

Very improtant Info appeared briefly on Russian media (before being scrubbed) that a NATO SADM, possibly a Diver deployable device, was being transported to the Kerch Straight to be used on the Crimean bridge. The device was being tracked by the Russians and they knew it had been loaded on to a Ukrainian Tug (escorted by 5 warships!! – 3 in the Black Sea, including one NATO vessel, and 2 waiting in the Sea of Azov).
This is why the Russians acted!

but when i'd gone a-bingling, and i entered this upthread, i found that same comment at the saker, with this response from another commenter:

'Hal Turner and Washington Examiner are both desinfo fakes news sites.', this 'Hal Turner is lying now, was lying in the past, and will continue to lie well into the future. Take a look at his previous claims about things that turned out to be fake and make your own conclusions'.'

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@Lookout the first of the Turkish lines are operational Now.

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Ya got to be a Spirit, cain't be no Ghost. . .

Explain Bldg #7. . . still waiting. . .

If you’ve ever wondered whether you would have complied in 1930’s Germany,
Now you know. . .
sign at protest march

wendy davis's picture

i still haven't been able to find which nations voted to abstain on the final USSC vote, and
magiamma emailed me this opinion piece i haven't had the energy to read.

Strategic Waterways and “The Kerch Strait Incident”: Towards Military Escalation?, Prof Michel Chossudovsky, Global Research, November 26, 2018

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wendy davis's picture

given that rastafarians call the western empire 'babylon', roughly 'satan's white empire'
this is tonight's lullaby to NATO and the Imperium.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ais53rladFU]

g' night, she sayed hopefully. (i'm frazzled.)

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wendy davis's picture

website and found the vote:

That first agenda item was rejected by a procedural vote of 7 against (France, Kuwait, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States) to 4 in favour (Bolivia, China, Kazakhstan, Russian Federation), with 4 abstentions (Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Peru).

now i might be reading wrong, but it seems as the undersecretary was either taking the ukie ambassador at his word, or engaged in a very sloppy and incendiary narrative:

The representative of Ukraine, calling Moscow’s actions an open military aggression meant to establish Russian Federation maritime control in the area, said that his countrymen had acted strictly in line with international law and the bilateral agreement on the Kerch Strait, which was, in any case, part of Ukrainian territorial waters. Requests by the Ukrainian vessels for passage were made to the Russian Federation maritime authorities. However, those requests were not answered until one of the Ukrainian vessels was rammed.
[no 'he further claimed']
In addition, Ukrainian navy ships that came to offer assistance were pursued by Russian vessels that were given clear orders to shoot to kill. He urged everyone to consult the video and audio recordings of the incident that have been posted online.

now this might be what the FSB had called evidence of Kiv's intentions for provoking the incident. according to RT, the head of sec. services of the sbu admitted there were intel agents on board, but *after*

...the FSB said there were two Ukrainian operatives on board who coordinated the “provocation” in the Kerch Strait. Russia’s security agency also filmed three men, identified as an SBU counterintelligence agent, a Navy officer and a sailor.

Speaking on camera, they said the crews deliberately ignored orders to stop after the ships entered Russia’s territorial waters. There were small arms on board the ships as well as machine guns with ammunition, according to service members.

The FSB has also asserted that the provocative mid-sea encounter was in fact ordered by the Ukrainian government. Top Russian officials had previously voiced similar statements, accusing Kiev of trying to win sympathies in the West, put pressure on Russia and help President Petro Poroshenko cement power.

it's been noted that this 'incident' occurred ahead of the G-20 summit later this week; putin will attend.

Gritsak accused Russia of using excessive force against Ukrainian vessels. Citing some “confirmed intelligence,” the statement alleged that a Russian aircraft had fired two missiles at the Ukrainian vessels during the standoff, leaving one SBU officer “seriously wounded.”

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wendy davis's picture

'Russia-Ukraine stand-off over Azov Sea continues as Poroshenko declares martial law’.

she adds a number of things i hadn’t known, including:

“Footage released by the FSB shows one of the Ukrainian vessels ramming a Russian warship.”

“Behind the scenes, more open discussions about a military escalation are taking place among the strategists of US imperialism. In a publication by the Atlantic Council, a leading foreign policy think tank in Washington, Michael Carpenter, former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, urged the US to “respond immediately by giving Ukraine radars to boost its maritime domain awareness and land-based anti-ship missiles so it can defend its Azov Sea littoral.”

Taras Berezovets, a Ukrainian TV host and founder and CEO of Free Crimea, said: “The US should sanction Nord Stream 2. NATO should increase its military presence in the Black Sea to send a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukraine should declare martial law, impose visa regime, and break the 2003 Azov Sea Treaty.” The Azov Sea Treaty from 2003 regulates relations between Ukraine and Russia, dividing up both the Azov Sea and the Kerch Strait between the two, and provides for a ban on foreign ships—including NATO—unless their passage is sanctioned by both countries.

Phillip Karber, who was worked for various US government agencies and now heads the Potomac Foundation, an American NGO that has close ties to the State Department, was even more explicit: “It’s time to spell it like it smells—it’s war!” He demanded “full wartime level of mobilization” in Ukraine; the re-equipment of the Ukrainian military “with modern Western military technology”; that NATO include Ukraine in the alliance, and that the US provide Ukraine “with the hardware needed to sustain a long-term competitive posture.”

then some boiler plate ‘putin fears the socialist mobilization f the working class more than he fears assaults by the imperium...

and i haven't taken the time to read michael chossudovsky's 'toward military escalation' yet.

then some boiler plate ‘putin fears the socialist mobilization f the working class more than he fears assaults by the imperium.'..stuff.

i tried to find the video on youtube, but failed.

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