Steven Sahiounie
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Steven Sahiounie, Journalist and political commentator
US Europe Command has raised its posture to the highest level, “potential imminent threat”, as USAF surveillance flights have tracked Russia’s border over the past 48 hours.
The current flare of tensions sparked on March 26, when four Ukrainian military servicemen were killed by a landmine while inspecting minefields near the village of Shumy. Kiev and their partners the US and NATO used the deaths to blame the forces of the Donetsk People’s Republic, who denied any attacks.
Dmitry Peskov, the Russian presidential spokesman, said the Kremlin was worried the Ukrainian side might create the risk for a civil war if they initiated provocation in southeastern Ukraine. Peskov added that Russia would take “additional measures” if NATO were to use provocation.
The US forces are now on high alert in Europe and blaming “Russian aggression” in the area. An official from NATO said to Reuters that Russia was undermining efforts to reduce tensions in eastern Ukraine.
Rebels seized parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk region in April 2014, and the Kremlin says Russian “volunteers” have been assisting the rebels.
Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman, said during Friday’s briefing, “I would like to warn the Kiev regime and the hotheads that are serving it or manipulating it against further de-escalation and attempts to implement a forceful scenario in Donbass.”
Zakharova said that Ukrainian officials regularly accuse Russia, while not adhering to, and implementing the agreements reached previously on settlement in eastern Ukraine.
“At the same time, Kiev is trying to convince everyone that Moscow is allegedly a conflict side and that it allegedly has some obligations within the Minsk Package of Measures,” Zakharova added.
The Minsk Agreements outline the conflict sides in Donbass as Kiev, Donetsk, and Lugansk. However, Kiev attempts to place blame on Moscow.
Zakharova said, “The unwillingness of Ukrainian negotiators to recognize this fact and their refusal to find agreements with Donbass is the reason that hinders the establishment of long-lasting peace in the region.”
US President Joe Biden spoke by phone with Mr. Zelensky in Kiev on Friday. The White House said in a statement that the call “affirmed the United States’ unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russia’s ongoing aggression in the Donbas and Crimea.”
The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project bypasses Ukraine. When completed it will connect Russia’s Ust-Lug and Germany’s Greifswald with natural gas. The construction of the pipeline from the coast of Russia through the Baltic Sea was expected to be completed before the end of 2019 and will be 1,220 km long.
Ukraine, the US, Poland, and the Baltic States oppose the pipeline, while Russia’s Gazprom is in alliance with several European companies.
Ukraine stands to lose approximately $3 billion annually in gas transit fees because of the bypass.
The US is pressuring European allies, and private companies, involved in the pipeline to stop their involvement in Nord Stream 2, and the US is planning broader sanctions against the Russian project within the month.
The Rose Revolution was a US-instigated ‘regime change’ project in Georgia in November 2003, which culminated in the ousting of President Eduard Shevardnadze. At the same time, it served as a proxy attack on Russia, which had been close to Georgia.
Demonstrators led by Mikheil Saakashvili, who was funded by George Soros, stormed the Parliament session with red roses in hand.
US support for the Shevardnadze government declined from 2000 to 2003, with pressure coming from George Soros, Richard Miles, the US ambassador to Georgia, and allies of the Bush administration, including a visit from James Baker, the former U.S. Secretary of State.
The US and allied organizations gave financial assistance to NGOs and opposition parties within Georgia. This tactic was classical US State Department procedure to bring about ‘regime change’, or other manipulations in foreign countries.
The 2014 Ukrainian revolution from November 2013 to February 2014 culminated in the ousting of the elected Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovych, who had been close to Russia, and the overthrow of the Ukrainian government.
US Senator John McCain came in December 2013 to rally protesters, “We are here to support your just cause, the sovereign right of Ukraine to determine its own destiny freely and independently, and the destiny you seek lies in Europe.”
The Obama administration backed ‘regime change’ in Ukraine, and Vice President Joe Biden was handed the Ukrainian file to manage.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in China on March 22 and met with the Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The two discussed recent developments with the US and urged the US to rethink the damage it has caused to international peace.
Lavrov and Yi urged the US to stop its global bullying tactics, and interference in other countries’ internal affairs, and to stop forming alliances with other nations to manipulate and provoke confrontations. The two urged all countries to follow the UN Charter to boost peaceful international relations.
Chinese spokesperson Hua Chunying said, “China and Russia, standing shoulder to shoulder with close cooperation and firm opposition to hegemony and bullying, have been a pillar of world peace and stability.”
Lavrov called for promoting other international currencies that can replace the US dollar and gradually move away from the Western-controlled international payment system so that the risks posed by US or Western sanctions against Russia and China can be reduced, and several Russian banks have joined the China International Payment System to facilitate bilateral trade settlements.
The four dead Ukrainian servicemen may be used to stop Nord Stream 2 pipeline. The men who died while inspecting minefields may be used as a tool to blame Russia for Ukrainian inaction on the Minsk Agreements, and to prevent the important Russian pipeline from completion. The US-NATO war machine has worked in collusion before in Serbia, Libya, and Syria. Biden’s bullying and manipulations in Ukraine and Russia may prove to be the first test of his administration on the world stage.
Steven Sahiounie is an award-winning journalist
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
“The US-NATO war machine has worked in collusion before in Serbia, Libya, and Syria. Biden’s bullying and manipulations in Ukraine and Russia may prove to be the first test of his administration on the world stage”….Russia ain’t Serbia, Libya or Syria and if Ukraine proceeds ahead with provocations Biden’s first test will also likely be his last one.
Of course the U.S. will VERBALY stand by the Ukrainians, after all it’s Ukrainian land and it’s up to the Ukies to allegedly defend that land. Question is ; defend it from what ? We’ve heard about the Massive Russian build up in preparation for invasion, we’ve seen the alleged photos of train loads of tanks ect, allegedly being brought to the “front”, we’ve read all sorts of weird claims and allegations against the Russians emanating from the Ukies over the last SIX years. Sadly, not a one turned out to be genuine, everyone was FALSE news. The creditability the… Read more »
Lest we forget, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline was a German idea and desire.
probably since Poland was getting bugger all from Russia for transfer fee but german scum wants to control the EU gas supply and impose carbon taxes or restrictions if in breach of EU Co2 limits
You talking Bullshit! Germany acts only as distribution hub, with state of the art infrastructure not like ancient rotten decaying unreliable crap in Ukraine, but in contrast to Poland + Ukraine doesn’t extort Billions on fees. All buyers [not the end-user] of gas negotiate + deal only with the producer + seller Gazprom. The NS Project is a Joint Venture between a Russian, two German, a Dutch, a French and a Austrian Company, it’s neither a German State or a EU Project.
It was reported on May 25, 2020 that Russian natural gas transit via the Yamal-Europe pipeline, which traverses Poland, had almost dried up. This was due to that fact that the gas transit deal between Russia and Poland, dating back to the 1990s, expired on May 17 2020 “as Warsaw aligns its energy regulations with European Union rules and curbs its decades-old dependence on Russian fuel”. You can’t blame Germany for an expired transit deal between Russia and Poland! By the way, Poland wasn’t even a member of the EU until 1st May 2004, several years AFTER it signed the… Read more »
There are no negotiations on the way to a new transit contract, at least not publicly so far. I hope the Poles never will get any new contract what so ever. As a matter of facts the treacherous Poles + Baltic States always complaining about NS1+2 but all the pipes doesn’t even touch their territorial waters or economic zones.
Why German scum ? Germany is probably the best country in Europe to live in and for work. They are very civilised unlike you.
Nothing wrong with the idea, or the practice. The Ukrainians were STEALING gas and charging exhorbitant prices for transit, then even refusing to pay Russia for the gas they used. Russia is quiet within it’s rights, to divert the transit of that gas via a more ethical and honest route. The Ukrainians are most upset that their lucrative income will cease, so they are prepared to burn their own country to the ground, whilst their good buddies the Americans watch from the sidelines and laugh all the way to the bank.
The Ukrainian people are fine, just like most Europeans. Their political leaders however are basically crooks. Porochevsky and Zelensky were and are US Empire puppets.
Slow Joe best remember we’re reliant on Russia and two of its former satellite countries, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan for more than 40 percent of our uranium imports. Sanctions can work both ways too.
Ah don’t you worry yourself about that. Your good old side kick Aussies will gladly step in an take up the slack. We’ve more uranium than we know what to do with it. Just have to get the greenies. do gooders and our indigenous people’s to see the light, then it’ll be All The Way With Good Old Joe.
indeed, finally a correct assessment of the stakes but not in full!
EU is ultimately the set up target for UK/US hegemon wanting to rule forever 😈
AND let’s not forget Pale (not -stine) which must be reclaimed!
In the middle of all this the US hypocrites increased their imports from Russia last year. They even buy Russian LNG when it suits them.
All the bragging of the AmeriCunts, specialy under the Trump Regime, that they are self-sufficient do to their oil fracking was/is total Bullshit. The sad truth is the fracking oil produces only light crude which can only refined to gasoline but for producing Diesel, Aviation Fuel and the countless other products needed for a economy they need heavy crude, they previously imported mostly from Venezuela and all the Refineries that are set-up specially for that in Texas Lousiana + Ilinois AKA Citgo belonged to PDVSA the Venezuelan State. Those Corportate Properties, Assets + Funds are stolen looted plundered seized by… Read more »
The US appropriated Ukraine’s gold in the dead of night and flew it (for safe keeping, ho-hum) to NYC in March 2014. Someone videotaped the secret operation and uploaded it on YouTube. It seems as though it is no longer available. Funny thing that.
How about the Libyan gold ? Simply disappeared into nothing ness.
Or the Iraqi Gold stolen by the genocidal AmeriCunt War-Criminal/World-Terrorist Invaders justified on 100% fabricated lies.
Sarkozy got that, when Britain and France ruined the best country Africa ever had.
When the dollar goes down the real fireworks will start. We are at the beginning of a new cycle leading to another very large war.
And US astronauts get rides to the International Space Station on Russia’s Soyuz shuttle. The US also buys Russia’s rocket engines and other types of fuel. Hypocrites!
They have starved NASA to near death, they don’t come up with any substantial except some fancy concepts presentations + videos, a total shame the once proud NASA is nearly a shadow of its former self. Where are all those relocated funds go? To improve the decaying + waning infrastructure, for a proper healthcare system for everyone like in any civilised country around the globe, to a proper education system for everyone, for save drinking water for everyone or anything usefull for the ordinary people country or society? – You can guess! – It’s gone to the Military, MIC +… Read more »
Yep,as a child I was in awe of America back in the day and admired the achievements of NASA, it’s kinda sad to see a once great country fall soo far…
America was NEVER a great country. Right from it’s very inception, it was a corrupt enterprise.
Sometimes I think the leaders in America have lost the plot, I mean what has it got for the bullying, arm twisting and general beligerence, yes a few arms dealers got rich,some politicians got got fat pay cheques from lobbyists and well financed places on boardrooms,but now the American empire is poorer,and in full decline,with a devided nation,the question I would ask is ,was it worth it??
I’m pretty sure, everyone of them will tell you, IT SURE WAS. As they dive into their pile of money.
As far as America and international relations are concerned, things are going to get much, much worse. With the de-dollarisation likely to come from many countries, The Empire will resort to war. The American people have been hijacked by the Rothschild/ Rockerfeller cartel and there is no way out for them. The US is now a totalitarian kleptocracy and anything an happen.