RT News - February 6 2023

Devastating earthquake hits Türkiye with at least 76 people reported dead and hundreds injured. A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck central Türkiye early Monday morning, followed by several powerful aftershocks that were felt across the region. The jolts caused widespread destruction, knocking down multiple residential buildings. The Turkish government may call for international help.

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Below via RT website N) --- Devastating earthquake hits Türkiye
N1) --- Death toll piling up in disastrous quake
1) ---West ‘blocked’ Russia-Ukraine peace process – former Israeli PM
1a) --- Putin promised not to kill Zelensky – former Israeli PM
2) --- EU taking ‘big step towards military escalation’ – Hungarian official
3) --- Microplastics found in human veins
4) --- Wildfires kill dozens in Chile
5) --- Iran pardons ‘tens of thousands’ of convicts – media
6) --- British sailors hospitalized after water contaminated
7) --- EU member to face electricity shortage – grid operator
8) --- Sanctions put global energy supplies at risk – Gulf state
8a) --- Saudi Arabia ready to ditch dollar in trade – Finance Minister
9) --- Ukraine to replace defense minister – lawmaker
10) --- Ukraine issues demands to Israel – media

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N) --- Devastating earthquake hits Türkiye 6 Feb, 2023 02:30

Dozens of buildings collapsed, burying people under the rubble

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck central Türkiye early Monday morning, followed by several powerful aftershocks that were felt across the region. The jolts caused widespread destruction, knocking down multiple residential buildings, according to disturbing footage captured by survivors.

The most powerful jolt, measured at 7.8 by the USGS and 7.4 by the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, happened around 4:17am local time, and was centered 33km northeast of Gaziantep, a major provincial capital with a population of over 2 million people.

There was no immediate estimate of total casualties, but according to Turkish media reports, scores are feared killed, as dozens of buildings were damaged or destroyed across ten provinces, including Gaziantep, Diyarbakir, Osmaniye, and Malatya, with residents trapped under the rubble.

The Turkish authorities declared the highest level of emergency, with all rescue services and first responders mobilized to aid the affected provinces, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his condolences to the victims, confirming that search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched to affected areas, while all other government institutions are coordinating their response.

see : https://twitter.com/anadoluagency/status/1622435344443383811
https://twitter.com/MilvaGauto/status/1622436160109690883
https://twitter.com/eha_news/status/1622415143970738179

Across the border in Syria, several residential buildings reportedly collapsed in Aleppo, as well as the city of Hama, according to local media. The quake was so powerful that shaking was felt all across the region, as far as Israel, Lebanon, and Cyprus.

https://sana.sy/?p=1832034
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https://www.rt.com/news/571010-turkiye-earhquake-buildings-collapse/
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6 Feb, 2023 04:29

N1) --- Death toll piling up in disastrous quake
Turkish provinces have reported initial casualty estimates amid ongoing rescue efforts

More than 70 people have been killed, and many more are feared dead or trapped under the rubble of their collapsed houses, after a series of powerful earthquakes struck central Türkiye shortly after 4am Monday morning.

By 6:30am, Türkiye’s crisis response center, SAKOM, confirmed that at least 76 people were killed and another 440 injured in the provinces of Kahramanmaras, Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, Adana, Adiyaman, Malatya, Osmaniye, Hatay, and Kilis.

At least 34 buildings were destroyed and five people killed in the province of Osmaniye alone, according to the governor, with more casualties expected as rescuers work to find survivors.

Another 15 people were killed and at least 16 buildings destroyed in Sanliurfa, according to initial estimates by the provincial governor.

The governor of Malatya reported at least 140 destroyed or badly damaged buildings, with the bodies of 23 victims pulled from the debris so far. Over 420 have suffered various injuries across the province, according to Anadolu news agency. https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/gundem/kahramanmarasta-7-4-ve-gaziantepte-6-5-ile-6-4-buyuklugunde-deprem/2807085

In Diyarbakir province, the authorities have so far confirmed six people dead and 79 injured, with at least half a dozen buildings destroyed.

The Turkish authorities have declared the highest level of emergency, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan mobilizing all rescue services and first responders to aid the affected provinces, while other government institutions are coordinating their response.
https://www.rt.com/news/571011-turkiye-earthquake-death-toll/
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5 Feb, 2023 15:06

1) ---West ‘blocked’ Russia-Ukraine peace process – former Israeli PM

Both Moscow and Kiev appeared to have been ready for a ceasefire, Naftali Bennett says

Peace might’ve been agreed between Russia and Ukraine shortly after the start of the conflict, but Kiev’s Western backers blocked the negotiations between the two neighbors, former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who mediated those contacts, has said.

Bennet, who gave an almost five-hour-long video interview to Israel’s Channel 12 on Saturday, claimed that his efforts as a middleman came close to succeeding as both Moscow and Kiev appeared to be ready to make concessions and agree to a truce.

It didn’t happen because “I think there was a legitimate decision by the West to keep striking [Russian President Vladimir] Putin… I mean the more aggressive approach,” he said.

When asked by the host if the US and its allies “blocked” the peace process between Moscow and Kiev, the former PM replied: “Basically, yes. They blocked it.”

“I claim there was a good chance of reaching a ceasefire. But I’m not claiming it was the right thing,” he clarified.

(interesting, long video https://youtu.be/qK9tLDeWBzs)

Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reacted to the revelations by the Israeli politician on Telegram, saying that they were “yet another confession” that the West wasn’t interested in peace in Ukraine.

According to Bennett, his mediation “was coordinated down to the last detail with the US, France and Germany.” After the conflict broke out last February, there was no unified approach on how to deal with it among Western leaders as “[British PM] Boris Johnson adopted the aggressive line; [German Chancellor Olaf] Scholz and [French President Emmanuel] Macron were more pragmatic, and [US President Joe] Biden was both,” he said.

Some 17 or 18 drafts of the peace deal between Moscow and Kiev had been prepared with his involvement, the former PM said. Bennet claimed that, among other things, he managed to secure a pledge from Putin that he was “not going to kill [Ukrainian President Vladimir] Zelensky,” who feared for his life. The Russian leader was also ready to retract his demand for the demilitarization of Ukraine, while Zelensky promised to give up on his aspirations to join NATO, he added.

All discussion about peace ended on April 1, 2022 when the Ukrainian authorities accused the Russian military of killing civilians in the Kiev suburb of Bucha, Bennet pointed out.

The claim by Kiev – which Moscow rejected and described as being fabricated – came shortly after the two sides held a high-profile meeting in Istanbul and appeared to have been making progress towards an agreement.

Russian and Ukrainian representatives haven’t met at the negotiating table since then. Moscow maintains that it’s ready to resolve the crisis through diplomatic means but says that the peace proposals being voiced by Kiev and its Western backers have so far been unacceptable.
https://www.rt.com/news/570994-bennett-israel-ukraine-talks/
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5 Feb, 2023 15:55

1a) --- Putin promised not to kill Zelensky – former Israeli PM

The Ukrainian leader sought assurance before posting a video declaring he wasn’t “afraid of anyone,” Naftali Bennett claims

Russian President Vladimir Putin told former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett that he would not have Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky assassinated, Bennett revealed to Israeli media. The former PM flew to Moscow at the request of Zelensky, who declared that he was “not afraid of anyone,” only after Putin assured his safety.

Bennet traveled to Moscow last March, in a failed bid to broker an early ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. That trip was made at the request of Zelensky, he told Israel’s Channel 12 on Saturday.

With Russian forces surrounding Kiev, Zelensky was reportedly hiding in an undisclosed location at the time of the meeting. Bennett told Channel 12 that the Ukrainian leader had tasked him with securing an assurance from Putin that he would not be targeted for assassination.

“Are you going to kill Zelensky?” Bennett asked Putin. The Russian president said that he would not, to which Bennett again asked for his word that he wouldn’t have the Ukrainian president killed. Putin gave his word, Bennett said.

Bennett said that he called Zelensky immediately after leaving the Kremlin, telling him “he’s not going to kill you.” Zelensky asked for confirmation, and Bennett told him that he was “one hundred percent” sure that Putin would not have him eliminated.

Two hours later, Zelensky posted a video from his office in Kiev, explaining that he was “not hiding,” and “not afraid of anyone.” The video address was described as “defiant” by Western media outlets, but it was unknown until now that Zelensky essentially asked Putin permission – via Bennett – to reveal his location before making his statement.

Bennett described Putin as “smart and sharp,” and a supporter of the Jewish people. However, he said that the Russian leader’s demeanor became cold when Zelensky and his officials were mentioned, with Putin describing them as “Nazis” and “warmongers.”

The former PM – who shared office with Yair Lapid until stalwart conservative Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power in December – said that “everything” he did on his trip to Moscow was “coordinated with the United States, Germany and France.”

Bennett’s interview came a day after French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre confirmed that President Emmanuel Macron “mainly” spoke to Putin by phone at the request of Zelensky. Meanwhile, as the leaders of France and Israel carried his messages to Moscow, Zelensky himself publicly declared that he would never talk to Putin, and forbade his officials from engaging in any negotiations with the Russian leader.
https://www.rt.com/russia/570996-bennett-putin-kill-zelensky/
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5 Feb, 2023 14:44

2) --- EU taking ‘big step towards military escalation’ – Hungarian official

Calls for more weapons for Ukraine do not contribute to peace, Csaba Domotor has said

The new EU Parliament resolution calling for more Western arms for Ukraine and a full energy embargo on Russia will only add fuel to the conflict between Moscow and Kiev and prove detrimental to the European economy, Csaba Domotor, the secretary of state in the Hungarian prime minister's office, has said.

On Thursday, the bloc’s legislature approved a non-binding document encouraging member states to adopt a tenth package of sanctions against Moscow as soon as possible.

Among the measures being proposed are an embargo on imports of fossil fuels and uranium from Russia, further arms shipments to Ukraine, and for the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines to “be completely abandoned.” The EU Parliament is also seeking to target oil company Lukoil and Russia’s nuclear agency Rosatom.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, Domotor blasted the resolution, noting that it includes two “most serious” points.

The first provision calling for military aid to Ukraine to be increased and accelerated is “anything but a call for peace. Rather, it is a big step towards military escalation,” he said.

Meanwhile, an embargo on fossil fuels and uranium from Russia would essentially mean a complete ban on imports of gas and nuclear fuel from the country, Domotor pointed out.

Should the European Parliament impose these restrictions, they would “not only support the previous sanctions, but also inflation,” which is largely attributable to skyrocketing energy prices, the official warned.

“If a total embargo is announced, it is a guarantee of further price increases. I think this is [going in] a very bad direction,” Domotor stressed.

Hungary, which is heavily dependent on Russian energy, has long been critical of the sanctions the West has imposed on Moscow over the Ukraine conflict. It has argued that the restrictions have adversely impacted the EU economy but failed to meaningfully weaken Russia.

Budapest has also refrained from supplying Ukraine with arms while signaling last month that it would veto any EU sanctions targeting Russian nuclear energy.
https://www.rt.com/news/570992-eu-resolution-escalation-inflation/
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5 Feb, 2023 18:50

3) --- Microplastics found in human veins

Researchers discovered 15 particles of the contaminants per gram of vein tissue in the first study of its kind

Microplastics have been found for the first time in human vein tissue, a team of researchers from the University of Hull revealed last week. Five distinct types of microplastic were discovered in samples taken from the saphenous (leg) veins of patients undergoing heart bypass surgery.

“We were surprised to find them,” Professor Jeanette Rotchell said in a press release accompanying the paper’s publication in the journal PLoS One. “We already know microplastics are in blood…but it was not clear whether they could cross blood vessels into vascular tissue and this work would suggest they can do just that.”

The UK-based researchers found an average concentration of 15 particles of plastic per gram of vein tissue, similar to or higher than the levels found in lung and colon tissue, but observed that the shape and types of plastic found in the vascular tissue was markedly different from other tissue types.

“These first human tissue analyses suggest that the distribution of the microplastics’ predominant types may be tissue-specific,” Rotchell observed.

The most common types of plastic found in the samples include alkyd resin, which is found in synthetic paints and varnishes; polyvinyl acetate, an adhesive used in food packaging and shipping; nylon, and EVOH-EVA, used for food packaging and watertight lamination.

While Rotchell stressed that “we don’t yet know the implications of this on human health,” she acknowledged that microplastics had been shown to cause “inflammation and stress responses” in laboratory settings.

Co-author Professor Mahmoud Loubani added that the presence of the microplastics might contribute to the failure of coronary artery bypass surgery involving grafts from the saphenous veins, suggesting the contaminants “may well play a role in damaging the inside of the vein leading to it becoming blocked with the passage of time.” Removing the microplastics was a possibility, he said in the press release.

The team has previously discovered the ubiquitous pollutants in blood and lung tissue, as well as in surgical operating theaters. By some estimates, 15 tons of plastic waste enters Earth’s oceans every minute, breaking down into smaller particles and entering the body through the food chain and through the air people breathe.
https://www.rt.com/news/571000-microplastics-found-veins-tissue/
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5 Feb, 2023 15:56

4) --- Wildfires kill dozens in Chile

Scorching summer temperatures have helped spread the flames, some of which were apparently started intentionally

At least 23 people have died and nearly 1,000 have been injured in wildfires raging across several regions of Chile, the country’s government said. A state of emergency was extended on Saturday, and officials expect the situation to worsen.

The death toll was announced at a briefing shortly after the government extended the emergency order to the region of Araucania, located roughly halfway down the country’s 2,700 miles (4,300 km) of Pacific coastline. Similar orders, which allow for the deployment of the military, were given in the regions of Biobio and Nuble earlier in the week.

"Weather conditions have made it very difficult to put out (the fires) that are spreading and the emergency is getting worse," Interior Minister Carolina Toha told reporters at the briefing, according to Reuters.
https://twitter.com/HotshotWake/status/1621541946794582017

Some 76 fires took hold on Friday, while a further 16 began on Saturday, Toha stated. These blazes spread rapidly across forests and farmland as temperatures climbed above 40 degrees celsius.

Among those killed were a Bolivian helicopter pilot who was working to put out the fires in Araucania. Both the pilot and his mechanic died when their aircraft crashed. In addition to the 23 killed and 979 injured, more than 1,100 people from the sparsely-populated provinces have sought emergency shelter.

As of Saturday, 231 fires in total were burning, and an area of 40,000 hectares had been scorched.

In a press conference on Friday, Chilean President Gabriel Boric said that there were “signs” that some of the fires were started intentionally. “In case there is intentionality we will move heaven, sea and earth to find those responsible,” he warned.
https://www.rt.com/news/570991-chile-wild-fire-deaths/
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5 Feb, 2023 15:47

5) --- Iran pardons ‘tens of thousands’ of convicts – media

Iranians sentenced for participating in mass protests were among those granted amnesty by the supreme leader

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, has agreed to grant amnesty to “tens of thousands” of prisoners, among which are people convicted for their role in the recent protests and riots, state media reported on Sunday.

The move coincided with the 44th anniversary of the Iranian Islamic Revolution, which is celebrated in Iran between February 1 and 11.

Those who participated in the protests and riots could have their sentences reduced or be pardoned altogether, as long as they were not accused of espionage, contacting foreign intelligence agents, did not damage state property, and did not injure or kill anyone during the riots, state news agency IRNA said.

Khamenei reportedly approved a request for the pardons that had been made by Iran’s Judiciary Chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei. The supreme leader regularly issues similar verdicts on occasion of various religious festivities.

The exact number of those covered by the amnesty has not been revealed, but IRNA reported “tens of thousands” could be pardoned. It is also unclear how many of those were convicted over participation in the protests.

Iran experienced months of protests and riots sparked by the death of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, in police custody in September. Amini was arrested for wearing an “inappropriate” hijab and died in police custody hours later. Her family insisted that she was beaten to death while the Iranian authorities said she died due to a medical condition.

The US, EU and some other nations accused Tehran of a violent crackdown on the protesters and imposed a series of sanctions against Iran. The EU Parliament adopted a resolution last month calling on Brussels and EU member states to blacklist the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization.

The move sparked an angry reaction in Tehran, with the Iranian parliament warning the EU that if it did so, Iran would retaliate by declaring all EU armies as terrorist organizations.

Iran also denied claims that Amini’s death was the result of police brutality and has insisted that the unrest in the country was incited from abroad. Washington and Brussels used the protests as an excuse to impose additional sanctions and stir up social tensions in Iran, Tehran said.
https://www.rt.com/news/570998-iran-pardon-convicts-protesters/
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5 Feb, 2023 14:20

6) --- British sailors hospitalized after water contaminated

The frigate HMS Portland had to return to its base after a crew member used the wrong chemicals on the water supply

A “small number” of sailors have been hospitalized “as a precaution” after a crew member on board the HMS Portland added the wrong chemicals to the system meant to convert sea water into drinkable water, officials confirmed on Saturday.

The frigate returned to its base in Portsmouth on Friday after the sailor responsible for the mixup realized the mistake and notified superiors, the Daily Telegraph reported. A Navy source confirmed to the outlet the nature of the “poisoning” and commended the individual responsible for coming clean right away.

“We can confirm that HMS Portland has returned to HMNB Portsmouth as a precautionary measure, following an issue with one of the ship’s fresh water systems,” a Royal Navy spokesman told the Telegraph. “The health and safety of our personnel is of the utmost importance and we are taking a number of measures to safeguard the ship’s company while the issue is investigated.”

The Navy said “a small number of personnel were taken to hospital as a precaution.”

The HMS Portland left port last month. It was monitoring the activities of a Russian frigate and tanker in international waters and tracking Russian submarines in the North Sea.
https://www.rt.com/news/570995-royal-navy-crew-poisoned-water/
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5 Feb, 2023 15:20

7) --- EU member to face electricity shortage – grid operator

Industrial demand in Sweden is growing faster than energy production, Svenska kraftnat says

Sweden will have to reckon with a dearth of electricity starting in 2027, as industrial power demand is growing faster than energy production, Mattias Jonsson, a manager for electricity market analysis at the country’s grid operator, Svenska kraftnat, said on Sunday.

The projection takes into account the latest report prepared by the country's energy agency in cooperation with state regulatory bodies, including the Swedish Transport Agency, Energy Markets Inspectorate and Svenska kraftnat.

“We see a risk that large industrial investments won't be possible if we do not get a faster expansion of electricity production started,” Johansson told Swedish national public television broadcaster SVT.

Sweden's power consumption is on the rise after years of remaining steady, which was accompanied by growing power availability, according to a five-year outlook report issued earlier this week.

The report outlines that demand for electricity in Sweden could double by 2035. Analysts expect onshore wind power to be technically and economically feasible in the short-term, but highlight that in the long run new nuclear power facilities will be needed. It says existing wind power capacities should be expanded

According to the estimates, electricity generation in Sweden will grow by about 17 terawatt-hours (TWh) by 2027, while consumption will grow by 44 TWh. The current energy surplus of 33 TWh will decrease to about 6 TWh.

The outlook also predicted that electricity consumption in Finland would increase slightly, while production would expand as well, helping the country to move from deficit to surplus. Meanwhile, the growth of solar and wind energy in Denmark is expected to keep pace with demand. Norway, however, should move from surplus to deficit.

In total, the available electricity surplus in the Nordic region will reportedly decrease from 38 TWh in 2023 to 13 TWh in 2027. The lower reserve is anticipated to lead to a bigger power crunch during adverse weather conditions.
https://www.rt.com/business/570990-sweden-electricity-shortage-energy-production/
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5 Feb, 2023 11:53

8) --- Sanctions put global energy supplies at risk – Gulf state

The restrictions against Russia will lead to shortages, a Saudi minister warns

The sanctions policies pursued by the US, EU, and allies against Russia, one of the world’s top producers of crude oil, will result in energy shortages in the future, according to Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman.

EU member states have imposed ten rounds of sanctions on Russia in an effort to reduce the country’s revenues from energy exports, in response to the military operation in Ukraine. The latest measures, backed by the Group of Seven and Australia, came into force on February 5.

“All of those so-called sanctions, embargoes, lack of investments, they will convolute into one thing and one thing only, a lack of energy supplies of all kinds when they are most needed,” the minister warned on Saturday, responding to a question over how trade measures will affect the energy market.

The latest penalties imposed on Russia, the world’s third-biggest oil exporter after the US and Saudi Arabia, include a price cap for refined petroleum products of $100 per barrel of diesel and $45 per barrel of fuel oil. The caps followed similar measures targeting Russia’s seaborne oil exports, which came into force on December 5 and ban Western companies from providing services for Russian oil cargoes unless they are purchased at or below $60 per barrel.

Asked what lessons have been learned from the energy market dynamics in 2022, the Saudi prince said the most important thing was for the rest of the world to “trust OPEC+.”

“We are a responsible group of countries … we don’t engage ourselves in political issues.”

In 2022, the alliance, which includes members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and other oil producers, including Russia, agreed to reduce its production target by 2 million barrels per day, or 2% of global demand. The measure came into effect in November and will be valid until the end of 2023 to support the market.
https://www.rt.com/business/570988-saudi-sanctions-shortages-lack-supplies/
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18 Jan, 2023 11:11

8a) --- Saudi Arabia ready to ditch dollar in trade – Finance Minister

Shift from US to Chinese currency has previously been discussed between Beijing and Riyadh

Saudi Arabia is ready to discuss trading in currencies other than the US dollar, according to the Kingdom’s finance minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan, as cited by Bloomberg.

Al-Jadaan's comments come a month after China’s President Xi Jinping said that Beijing is ready to make energy purchases in yuan instead of the US dollar in trade exchanges with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). China's leader highlighted the necessity of the shift while speaking at a Chinese-Arab summit hosted by Saudi Arabia earlier this week.

“There are no issues with discussing how we settle our trade arrangements, whether it is in US dollar, in euro or in Saudi riyal,” Al-Jadaan said on Tuesday during an interview with Bloomberg in Davos, Switzerland.

The oil-rich kingdom is seeking to deepen its ties with vital trade partners, including China. The readiness for talks on the issue expressed by Riyadh may signal that the world’s biggest oil exporter is open to diversifying away from the US dollar after decades of pricing crude exports in the US currency. The riyal, the Saudi national currency, has been pegged to the greenback, too.

The trend towards the shift to national currencies that is recently being observed among the major participants in global trade chains is partially attributed to the policies of secondary sanctions that Washington is pursuing. Initially, the steps towards ditching the US currency in trade, particularly in the energy sector, were intensified in the wake of the sweeping sanctions introduced by Western nations against Russia, one of the world’s major energy producers and exporters, over the military operation in Ukraine.
https://www.rt.com/business/570056-saudi-arabia-dump-dollar-trade/
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5 Feb, 2023 22:13

9) --- Ukraine to replace defense minister – lawmaker

Aleksey Reznikov is expected to be reassigned following a corruption scandal within the military

Ukrainian Defense Minister Aleksey Reznikov will be relieved of his duties and instead appointed minister for strategic industries, according to David Arakhamia, who heads the parliamentary faction of President Vladimir Zelensky’s political party. The planned reshuffle follows multiple corruption scandals and resignations by other officials, including Reznikov’s deputy.

The chief of the Ukrainian Intelligence Directorate (GUR), Kirill Budanov, “will head the Defense Ministry, which is absolutely logical in wartime,” Arakhamia announced in a Telegram post on Sunday night.

Arakhamia did not offer a timeline, but according to RBC-Ukraine news agency sources, the parliament is expected to finalize the reshuffle during the next session.

Asked about his rumored dismissal on Sunday, Reznikov said that it was up to President Zelensky to decide his fate, but he was “ready for anything” and his conscience was “absolutely clear.”

Multiple senior Ukrainian officials have resigned or have been fired in recent weeks, with an alleged graft scandal affecting the Defense Ministry as well. According to a Ukrainian media investigation published last month, various foodstuffs for the military ended up costing several times more than average retail prices.

Reznikov has dismissed the allegations, stating that the documents cited in the investigation were inaccurate and some prices ended up inflated due to a “technical error.” However, Deputy Defense Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, who was in charge of logistics, took the fall and was dismissed on January 24.

The situation also threatened Reznikov, one of the most prominent faces in the Ukrainian defense apparatus, but the profile committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine decided to keep him in office at the time.

Arakhamia said on Sunday that Reznikov is the most “logical” candidate to head the Ministry of Strategic Industries, given his “expertise” in securing Western military aid at Ramstein Air Base meetings and directing the endless flow of weaponry for the Ukrainian army.

Reznikov, however, said there must have been a mistake, as he had not heard anything about the new appointment, and would reject the offer even if it came from the president himself, arguing that he is not qualified for the job, according to ICTV Facts.

Budanov, who is tapped to become the new defense chief, is best known for his veiled threats of more strikes and terrorist attacks deeper into Russian territory, while refusing to confirm or deny Ukraine’s responsibility for previous strikes inside Russia. In October 2022, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) called Budanov a suspect behind the car bombing attack on the Crimean Bridge, which killed three people.
https://www.rt.com/russia/571008-ukraine-defense-minister-reznikov/

(QS: his "resignation" was predicted/inevitible? see post from 27th January 2023)
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6 Feb, 2023 02:12

10) --- Ukraine issues demands to Israel – media

Kiev wants money and public condemnation of Moscow

Ukraine has laid out a set of requests to “test” Israel’s support and commitment during a planned visit of Foreign Minister Eli Cohen to Kiev, according to several media reports citing unnamed Israeli and Ukrainian officials on Sunday.

Kiev sees the visit by the highest-ranking Israeli official in over a year as an opportunity to verify the new Israeli government’s “intentions and policy” towards Ukraine, a diplomatic source told Axios. Cohen apparently asked for a meeting with President Vladimir Zelensky, but it may depend on whether the diplomat is ready to denounce Moscow in a public speech.

“The president won’t meet Cohen for a photo-op,” the Ukrainian source allegedly said, while the Israeli side expects the meeting to take place regardless.

Israel has tried to walk a diplomatic tightrope between Moscow and Kiev since the conflict erupted last year, refusing to impose sanctions on Russia. Former PM Yair Lapid took a harder stance on the conflict, condemning Moscow publicly, and Kiev apparently hopes for a similar pledge of allegiance from the new Israeli administration.

Ukraine also requested the approval of a $500 million loan, according to a separate report by the Walla news site. Israeli officials cited by Axios said that Cohen was ready to offer only $50 million.

In a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmitry Kuleba, last month, Cohen accepted an invitation to visit Kiev, but the exact date of the trip remains unknown. He also reportedly pledged to fully reopen the Israeli Embassy in the coming months.

Cohen signaled after his appointment as foreign minister in late December that West Jerusalem would “talk less” about the ongoing hostilities, while vowing that Israel would continue to send “significant humanitarian aid” to Ukraine. Some Ukrainian officials expressed concerns that Israel could take a more “pro-Russian” line on the conflict.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that his new cabinet would revise the country’s foreign policy in a way to make it more suited to its national interests instead of “giving in to dictates from the international community.”

Unlike many Western countries, Israel has thus far not sent weapons to Ukraine and has only supplied Kiev with protective equipment, such as gas masks, flak jackets, and helmets, as well armored ambulances and various humanitarian aid. In several recent interviews, Netanyahu dodged questions about whether Israel would provide any military aid to Kiev, saying he will “look into” everything as part of a policy review.
https://www.rt.com/russia/571009-ukraine-israel-cohen-demands/
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5 Feb, 2023 19:24

11) -- EU and US threaten ex-Soviet republic with sanctions

Georgia will be punished if it resumes flights to Russia, Western officials warned

American and EU officials have threatened Georgia with economic sanctions if Tbilisi resumes air travel with Russia. No planes have flown between Russia and the former Soviet republic since 2019.

“The European Union calls on Georgia to join the sanctions…against Russia in the aviation sector and to remain vigilant against any possible attempts to circumvent the sanctions,” a spokesman for the bloc’s External Action Service told Georgia’s Netgazeti news site on Saturday. He added that the EU is “considering imposing sanctions” on countries attempting to circumvent its sanctions on Russia – including by allowing air travel.

The US State Department has taken a similar line, with a spokesperson telling Voice of America on Thursday that companies servicing Russian aircraft at Georgian airports would be hit with import and export controls. https://www.amerikiskhma.com/a/6944996.html

“Now is not the time to increase engagement with Russia,” the spokesperson said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov raised the prospect of resuming air routes between the two countries last month, when he praised Georgia for declining to impose sanctions on Russia in the wake of Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine.

"The fact that a small country and its government has the courage to say that they will be guided by their own interests…that inspires respect," he said. Hailing the deepening trade ties between Russia and Georgia, he added that “I hope we will soon be able to resume direct air links as well.”

The ruling Georgian Dream party in Tbilisi welcomed Lavrov’s statement, with party chairman Irakli Kobakhidze calling the resumption of flights a “welcome” move that would be “important for our fellow citizens.” However, Georgia’s pro-Western president, Salome Zurabishvili, called the idea “incomprehensible,” and accused Moscow of attempting to drive a wedge between her country and the West.

Brussels in particular has some leverage over Georgia, given that the former Soviet republic applied for EU membership last year and is awaiting a decision on receiving formal candidate status.

Russia unilaterally suspended air links with Georgia in 2019, after a mob of nationalists and pro-Westerners attempted to storm the country’s parliament building during a speech by Russian lawmaker Sergey Gavrilov.
https://www.rt.com/russia/571002-georgia-sanctions-russia-travel/
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