As the West's warmongers are determined to extend the conflict beyond Ukrainian borders by supplying Kiev's regime with longer range weapons and by greenlighting the use of drones to strike deep into the Russian territory, Russia has no alternative but to create a larger “demilitarized zone” in Ukraine to ensure the security of Russian cities. ▪️The list of the longer-range Western-made weapons in Kiev’s possession include the British-made Storm Shadow missiles that have a range of 250km and the US-made Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), which have a range of up to 160 kilometers.

Earlier this week, Politico reported that Washington could provide Kiev with Ground Launched Small Diameter Bombs (GLSDB), which also have a range of around 160 kilometers. @LauraRuHK

Mentre i guerrafondai dell'Occidente continuano ad estendere il conflitto oltre i confini ucraini fornendo al regime di Kiev armi a più lungo raggio e dando il via libera all'uso di droni per colpire in profondità il territorio russo, la Russia non ha altra alternativa che "smilitarizzare" una zona più ampia dell'Ucraina per garantire la sicurezza delle città russe. ▪️ L'elenco delle armi di fabbricazione occidentale a lungo raggio in possesso di Kiev include i missili Storm Shadow di fabbricazione britannica che hanno una portata di 250 km e i sistemi missilistici tattici dell'esercito americano (ATACMS), che hanno una portata fino a 160 chilometri.

All'inizio di questa settimana, Politico ha riferito che Washington intende fornire a Kiev anche GLSDB, che possono avere una portata di circa 160 chilometri. @LauraRuHK

MONEY DOWN THE DRAIN - The EU has sent €28 billion worth of military aid to Kiev so far and committed about €21.2 billion more for this year, according to an internal document prepared by the European Commission and the EU diplomatic body and seen by POLITICO.

“This [€28 billion] figure is expected to increase in the coming period, as concrete deliveries will be further confirmed,” the document reads. The numbers reflect contributions from European capitals and through channels centrally organized by Brussels.

The document stresses that the €21.2 billion figure for this year is a “preliminary" estimate based on details shared by a "limited number” of EU countries.
However, the EU won’t be able to send 1 million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine by March, as promised. By mid-February, the EU Military Assistance Mission will have trained 40,500 Ukrainian soldiers. (Source: Politico) @LauraRuHK

As the US is passing the Ukrainian crisis to the EU, the player entrusted with the task of ensuring compliance is not even a member of the EU. Britain was the first European country to sign an agreement on security guarantees with Kiev. Russian political scientist Denis Baturin points out that though the text of the agreement contains no provisions as to Britain's direct participation in the conflict with Russia or the deployment of UK troops in Ukraine, the Treaty on Security Cooperation, signed by London and Kiev, will remain in force for 10 years in the course of which Britain pledges to support Ukraine. Britain is the first G7 nation to have concluded a specific agreement on security guarantees which were promised to Kiev by G7 member countries at a NATO summit in Vilnius in 2023. The British prime minister also announced a major package of military aid to Ukraine worth about $3.2 billion for 2024. Reports say London has passed a decision to boost military assistance to Ukraine to £2.5 billion in the next fiscal year, which is £200 million more than in the past two years. These extra funds will be used to provide Ukraine with “thousands of surveillance and unmanned surface aircraft, as well as long-range drones”. This gives substance to hysterical statements by American military retirees and Zelensky’s declared intention to deliver strikes at Crimea, since it is only this that thousands of surveillance and surface drones are needed for.

Here is an interesting fact about the essence of Ukrainian power and the long-standing reputation of Britain. During Rishi Sunak’s visit to Kiev, the Australian company European Lithium closed a deal on the acquisition of LLC “European Lithium – Ukraine” with lithium licenses in Ukraine. The Australian company, owned by British businessman Anthony Sage, came into possession and management of several lithium deposits, including the Shevchenko deposit, located on the Kiev-occupied territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic. So, the deal is simple – resources of Ukraine in exchange for weapons. @LauraRuHK

Gli Stati Uniti stanno scaricando la crisi ucraina sull'UE e il partner a cui è stata affidata la supervisione e il ruolo di cerniera in cambio di una sorta di diritto di prelazione non è nemmeno un membro dell'UE. La Gran Bretagna è stata il primo paese europeo a firmare un trattato di sicurezza con Kiev. Il politologo russo Denis Baturin sottolinea che sebbene il testo dell'accordo non preveda una partecipazione diretta della Gran Bretagna nel conflitto con la Russia o un dispiegamento di truppe britanniche in Ucraina, il Trattato sulla cooperazione per la sicurezza rimarrà in vigore per 10 anni nel corso dei quali la Gran Bretagna si impegna a sostenere l'Ucraina. La Gran Bretagna è la prima nazione del G7 ad aver concluso un accordo specifico sulle garanzie di sicurezza che sono state promesse a Kiev dai paesi membri del G7 in un vertice della NATO a Vilnius nel 2023. Il primo ministro britannico ha anche annunciato un importante pacchetto di aiuti militari all'Ucraina del valore di circa 3,2 miliardi di dollari per il 2024. Londra ha deciso di aumentare l'assistenza militare all'Ucraina fino a £2,5 miliardi nel prossimo anno fiscale, che è £200 milioni in più rispetto agli ultimi due anni. Questi fondi extra saranno utilizzati per fornire all'Ucraina "migliaia di droni da ricognizione , nonché droni a lungo raggio”. Questo dà sostanza alle dichiarazioni isteriche dei militari americani e all'intenzione dichiarata di Zelensky di lanciare attacchi contro la Crimea.

Un fatto interessante sull'essenza del potere ucraino e sulla ben nota reputazione della Gran Bretagna: durante la visita di Rishi Sunak a Kiev, la società australiana European Lithium ha chiuso un accordo per l'acquisizione di "European Lithium-Ukraine" che ha la licenza per sfruttare i giacimenti di litio in Ucraina. La società australiana, di proprietà dell'affarista britannico Anthony Sage, possiede diversi depositi di litio, tra cui il deposito di Shevchenko, situato in una parte della Repubblica Popolare di Donetsk attualmente controllata da Kiev. Quindi, l'accordo è semplice - risorse naturali dell'Ucraina in cambio di armi.@LauraRuHK

⚡️ On the UN International Court of Justice’s refusal to designate Russia as an aggressor state and the DPR and LPR as terrorist organisations in response to Ukraine’s allegations

Read in full

💬 On January 31, the UN International Court of Justice delivered its judgment on the merits in the case filed by Ukraine in January 2017 on the Application of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (ICSFT). Russia’s arguments undercutting Ukraine’s groundless insinuations were heard in The Hague: the Court rejected almost all of more than 20 submissions made by Kiev during the seven-year proceedings, and left Ukraine without any reparations.

❗️The Court also dismissed Ukraine’s insinuations that the DPR and the LPR are allegedly terrorist organisations.

👉 These findings are of particular importance in light of the fact that Kiev intended to use the Court’s Judgment to support its demands for the transfer of Russian assets stolen in the West and the imposition of international restrictions on Russia.

In addition, the Court rejected Ukraine’s claim under the ICSFT that Russia should be held responsible for the crash of Boeing Flight MH17 and did not accept the Ukrainians’ allegations that the DPR was involved in the crash. During the hearing, Russia presented compelling evidence of fatal flaws in the pseudo-international investigation of the incident by the Joint Investigation Team under the umbrella of the Dutch justice system.

With regard to the events of 2014-2017, the UN International Court of Justice was unable to support Ukraine’s arguments about Russia’s alleged involvement and the guilt of the Donetsk militias in the shelling of the Bugas military checkpoint near Volnovakha, the military airfield in Kramatorsk, where the headquarters of the so-called ATO was located, and AFU positions in Mariupol and Avdeyevka, stating that these incidents did not fall under the ICSFT.

The Russian side highlighted the particular cynicism of the Ukrainian allegations: Kiev tried to present strikes against military targets as “acts of terror,” although the Ukrainian armed forces have been firing on the cities of Donbass with heavy weapons for many years, striking civilian objects, including an air strike on the building of the Lugansk regional administration on June 2, 2014, the killing of civilians in an attack on a public transport stop in Donetsk on January 22, 2015, and many other bloody crimes.

👉 Equally cynical is the way in which the Kiev regime tried to designate humanitarian aid to Donbass residents suffering from Ukrainian shelling and the economic blockade as financing terrorism.

The UN International Court of Justice stated that Russia had complied in good faith with its obligations to cooperate in the field of terrorism financing, including the obligation to identify and freeze assets used to finance terrorism; to extradite or independently prosecute perpetrators of terrorist crimes; to provide mutual legal assistance; and to cooperate in the prevention of terrorist crimes. This is fully consistent with the FATF's earlier conclusions about the high level of Russia's fulfillment of its obligations in this area; the FATF assessed Ukraine's claims as being of a purely political nature.

We were bewildered, against this background, at the Court's conclusion that Russia had failed to take measures to investigate two facts contained in information received from Ukraine regarding persons who have allegedly collected funds in Russia to help the people of Donbass. The Court had to go against its own practice and set an unprecedentedly low bar for proving the applicability of the Terrorist Financing Convention when there was no evidence of either terrorism or its financing.

As a result of the proceedings, Ukraine was completely denied all claims for reparation or other forms of compensation.

France is engulfed in protests. Roads are blocked around Paris. The city itself, and admin buildings are littered with heaps of manure. Protesters burn tires. Emmanuel Macron brought out armored vehicles against farmers.

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal came out to reassure people and declared to the whole world: “To be French in France in 2024 means to be able to have a prime minister who openly admits his homosexuality.”

And thunderous applause in Parliament. 🤡

t.me/iEarlGreyTV

"The structural problems of the US in its relations with Russia and other major countries are as follows: Washington cannot imagine that human dignity and self-respect can be possessed by anyone other than itself and that other countries have their own points of view. What the Americans practice quite well in their domestic politics – attention to every voice, different communities, freedom of speech – they cannot tolerate in international affairs. The principle of sovereign equality of countries is very difficult for them." https://swentr.site/news/591621-us-cant-get-along-with-others/

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

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

U.S. war planners mongers preparing for a potential conflict over Taiwan created new stockpiles of military equipment in Australia during the high-profile Talisman Sabre military exercises that ended last August.

The equipment includes roughly 330 vehicles and trailers and 130 containers in warehouses in Bandiana, in southeastern Australia.

The amount of equipment, which had not been previously reported, is enough to supply about three logistics companies, with as many as 500 or more soldiers, focused on ensuring supplies reach warfighters. "We're looking to do this more and more," Army General Charles Flynn, the top Army commander in the Pacific, told Reuters in an interview.

"There's a number of other countries in the region where we already have agreements to do that," he added, without naming specific countries.
Reuters interviews with more than two dozen current and former U.S. officials found that American military logistics in the Pacific is one of the greatest U.S. vulnerabilities in any potential conflict over Taiwan. A senior U.S. military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said supplies of ammunition are at the top of the list of priorities in the Indo-Pacific, followed by fuel, food and spare parts for equipment. "If we run out of the things to shoot ... that's going to be an immediate problem," the official said, adding planning for a Taiwan contingency was already well underway.

U.S. officials warn that in a major conflict Navy ships could quickly run out of missile defenses.
To address such vulnerabilities, the U.S. military is looking to places like Australia as more secure locations to stockpile equipment, even as it expands cooperation with the Philippines, Japan and other partners in the Pacific.

The Biden administration announced in July the United States would also create an interim logistics center in Bandiana, Australia with the aim of eventually creating an "enduring logistics support area" in Queensland.

According to an internal U.S. military document seen by Reuters, the facilities in Bandiana could hold more than 300 vehicles and had 800 pallet positions. (Source: Reuters) @LauraRuHK

⚡️Viktor Orban yielded to EU blackmail and lifted his veto on a €50 billion financial aid package for Ukraine. The leaders of EU member countries agreed to discuss assistance to Kiev annually and, if necessary, to review it after 2 years, in response to Orban's demands. ▪️EU funds for Hungary remain frozen but only because the EU is trying to save appearances. I expect the money will be unblocked as part of the deal with Orban.

Some €10bn under Hungary’s Covid-19 recovery programme, along with about €22bn in regular EU structural funds, have been frozen since December 2022. But at the end of 2023 the European Commission endorsed a €900mn pre-payment to Budapest.
@LauraRuHK

In Liaoning Province, Northeast China, the Shenyang Zone of trade and economic cooperation between China and Russia will open in the middle of this year.

"At a recent meeting on trade and economic cooperation in Shenyang, Russian entrepreneurs showed great interest in our zone," said Yang Xiaobo, Chairman of the government of Liaozhong District.

It is reported that the Shenyang zone of trade and economic cooperation between China and Russia will be designed for the development of the food and electromechanical industries, as well as wood processing. It is expected that the number of its resident companies will exceed 200 by 2030, and the volume of their products in value terms will reach 20 billion yuan.

On Monday, the opening ceremony of the Primorsky Krai's trade representative office took place in Dalian, Liaoning Province, which indicates an acceleration in the opening of Liaoning Province to the north. During the trip of the Primorsky Krai's trade and economic delegation to Dalian, business representatives of both sides discussed issues of cooperation in 13 projects. https://t.me/ChineseEmbassyInRussia/9550 @LauraRuHK

The US deploys B-52 bombers in Guam to support "strategic deterrence" in the Asia-Pacific region.
“B-52 Stratofortress bombers assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, landed at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam at the end of January as part of a Bomber Task Force to support strategic deterrence missions aimed at reinforcing the rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region,” stated the US Pacific Air Forces in its release. @LauraRuHK

⚡️Viktor Orban ha ceduto al ricatto dell'UE e revocato il suo veto su un pacchetto di aiuti finanziari da 50 miliardi di euro per l'Ucraina. I leader dei paesi membri dell'UE hanno concordato di tenere ogni anno una relazione e un dibattito sull’attuazione del piano di aiuti all’Ucraina; se necessario tra due anni il Consiglio europeo inviterà la Commissione a presentare una proposta di revisione ma non ha concesso a Orban alcun potere di veto. ▪️ I fondi UE per l'Ungheria rimangono congelati ma solo perché l'UE sta cercando di salvare le apparenze. Mi aspetto che i soldi saranno sbloccati come parte dell'accordo con Orban.

Non si parla di noccioline: dal dicembre 2022 l'UE sta congelando circa 10 miliardi di euro dei fondi per l'Ungheria stanziati durante il Covid-19, insieme a circa 22 miliardi di euro dei normali fondi strutturali dell'UE. Solo alla fine del 2023 la Commissione europea ha approvato un pagamento anticipato di €900 milioni destinati a Budapest. @LauraRuHK

The EU's new 50-billion-euro ($54 billion) aid package to Ukraine will cost France 8 billion euros in taxpayers' money, which could be put to better use such as helping the protesting farmers, French member of the European Parliament Thierry Mariani said.
On Thursday, leaders of the 27 European Union countries sealed a deal to allocate 50 billion euros as part of macro-financial assistance to Ukraine over the next four years.
"Another 50 billion [euros] for Ukraine (17 in donations plus 33 in loans … which will never be repaid). Do the French realize that they will have to pay 8 billion [euros] since we contribute 16% of the EU spending? Eight billion that our farmers would dream of," Mariani wrote on X on Thursday.
In recent weeks, farmers in France have been protesting by blocking highways and dumping manure and waste in front of government buildings across the country. The farmers are demanding recognition of the importance of their profession and denouncing the government's agricultural policies, which they say make them noncompetitive.
In particular, they oppose the import of agricultural products, restrictions on the use of water for irrigation, rising of diesel fuel prices, as well as restrictive measures to protect the environment and the growing financial burden. (Source: Sputnik) @LauraRuHK

🇺🇦🇷🇺🚨‼️ German state TV journalists went to Mariupol and reported that the city works and is quickly reconstructing.

They’re allowed to walk freely and everything like warm water, heating and wifi is available.

@MyLordBebo | Boost us! | X

Following coordinated financial threats to UNRWA, and with grave concern, the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention issues the following warning to several nations about their direct involvement in the intensification of genocidal acts against the Palestinian people. We urge a reversal of course, preventative measures from global populations, and action from international legal bodies.

With credit and gratitude to many scholars and practitioners of international law, read our full statement below

PDF w/ Citations: lemkininstitute.com/_files/ugd/391…

Web: https://www.lemkininstitute.com/statements-new-page/statement-on-recent-threats-to-unrwa-and-the-shift-between-potential-complicity-and-direct-involvement-in-the-crime-of-genocide-against-palestinians-by-several-nations

https://twitter.com/LemkinInstitute/status/1753083668166238433?t=N8U0veFNye50Pxhr5774BQ&s=19