Saturday, March 12, 2022
Saturday, March 5, 2022
NATO will pay for its weakness, Kiev says
Ukraine’s casualties will be on the US-led bloc’s hands due to its refusal to create a no-fly zone, the country’s president has said
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky lashed out at the NATO alliance on Friday, berating the block for its refusal to establish a no-fly zone over the country amid the ongoing Russian offensive that hit Ukraine last week.
“NATO knowingly approved the decision not to close the skies over Ukraine. We believe that the NATO countries themselves have created a narrative that the alleged closing of the sky over Ukraine will provoke direct Russian aggression against NATO,” Zelensky said in a videotaped address, telling the US-led bloc that “people will die because of you” in the country.
He also berated a general lack of aid from the alliance, stating that it only managed to authorize a small fuel delivery for the country. While Ukraine has been recognized as a special “partner” of the alliance, NATO has repeatedly warned Kiev that it would not go into a war with Russia over Ukraine.
“All that the alliance could do today was to allocate some 50 tons of diesel fuel for Ukraine through its procurement system,” Zelensky said, issuing a new thinly-veiled nuclear threat.
“Probably, it’s for us so that we can burn the Budapest Memorandum. To make it burn better. But for us it has already burned down in the fire of the Russian troops,” he added, referring to the 1994 document, under which Kiev surrendered its nuclear arsenal inherited from the Soviet Union.
A similar statement was made by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba, who said the ongoing conflict had exposed NATO’s “weakness.”
“Before the war, Ukrainian people believed that NATO was strong, while the EU was weak and indecisive. And after the war began, the people saw that the opposite was true,” Kuleba told the 1+1 TV channel.
This is a weakness which the alliance will, unfortunately, pay for in the future. And now Ukrainians will suffer thanks to it.
The top Ukrainian diplomat also claimed that the EU “gave us a candidate status and prospects of membership, while NATO could not decide on anything.” In reality, however, Ukraine has not been given a EU candidate status, as a country needs to meet various requirements before attaining it, with the EU Parliament only passing a non-binding resolution welcoming Kiev’s membership bid.
Source; RT.com
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky lashed out at the NATO alliance on Friday, berating the block for its refusal to establish a no-fly zone over the country amid the ongoing Russian offensive that hit Ukraine last week.
“NATO knowingly approved the decision not to close the skies over Ukraine. We believe that the NATO countries themselves have created a narrative that the alleged closing of the sky over Ukraine will provoke direct Russian aggression against NATO,” Zelensky said in a videotaped address, telling the US-led bloc that “people will die because of you” in the country.
He also berated a general lack of aid from the alliance, stating that it only managed to authorize a small fuel delivery for the country. While Ukraine has been recognized as a special “partner” of the alliance, NATO has repeatedly warned Kiev that it would not go into a war with Russia over Ukraine.
“All that the alliance could do today was to allocate some 50 tons of diesel fuel for Ukraine through its procurement system,” Zelensky said, issuing a new thinly-veiled nuclear threat.
“Probably, it’s for us so that we can burn the Budapest Memorandum. To make it burn better. But for us it has already burned down in the fire of the Russian troops,” he added, referring to the 1994 document, under which Kiev surrendered its nuclear arsenal inherited from the Soviet Union.
A similar statement was made by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba, who said the ongoing conflict had exposed NATO’s “weakness.”
“Before the war, Ukrainian people believed that NATO was strong, while the EU was weak and indecisive. And after the war began, the people saw that the opposite was true,” Kuleba told the 1+1 TV channel.
This is a weakness which the alliance will, unfortunately, pay for in the future. And now Ukrainians will suffer thanks to it.
The top Ukrainian diplomat also claimed that the EU “gave us a candidate status and prospects of membership, while NATO could not decide on anything.” In reality, however, Ukraine has not been given a EU candidate status, as a country needs to meet various requirements before attaining it, with the EU Parliament only passing a non-binding resolution welcoming Kiev’s membership bid.
Source; RT.com
Hungarian PM says countries can’t count on NATO to protect them
Viktor Orban gave an interview on relations with the EU and sanctions against Russia
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday morning that he felt he couldn’t count on the Western bloc when it comes to real action concerning the country’s security.
“NATO will protect us when we are ready to defend ourselves. Anyone who thinks NATO will protect us is wrong,” he said in an interview for Kossuth state radio.
Orban praised the fact that Hungary had managed to reorganize its army since 2010 and was strong enough to protect itself and its allies. Still, he believes the country should stay away from war, as it was not “Hungary’s job to sort out world politics.” The president added that the safety of Hungarian citizens was his top priority in this conflict.
Orban also warned that Western sanctions against Russia pose an “immediate danger” to the economy, noting that they have already had an impact in Hungary, where energy prices escalated rapidly, prompting further inflation.
“Sanctions have a price as it is a double-edged weapon, and we will pay this price in the short term,” he said in the interview, adding that it was “only the beginning of the crisis.”
Orban also commented on Ukrainian refugees arriving in Hungary. While about 70% to 80% of the 140,000 displaced citizens are going to other countries, he said Hungary wants to offer jobs to those who stay, and the prime minister has already initiated talks with employers. He added that the country is ready to accommodate refugees for three months, but warned that they will then have to integrate themselves into Hungarian society. He also stressed the importance of healthcare, as the coronavirus pandemic remains an issue.
According to the UN, more than one million people have fled Ukraine since Moscow began its offensive last Thursday, heading to Poland, Russia, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia and other countries in order to find safety.
In the wake of Russia’s invasion, the European Union and other countries have placed a number of severe sanctions on Moscow, including barring several of the country’s banks from the global payment system, SWIFT, and closing airspace to Russian aircraft. Prominent international brands such as Apple, IKEA, H&M and Airbnb have also suspended their operations in Russia over the Ukrainian conflict.
Source; RT.com
“NATO will protect us when we are ready to defend ourselves. Anyone who thinks NATO will protect us is wrong,” he said in an interview for Kossuth state radio.
Orban praised the fact that Hungary had managed to reorganize its army since 2010 and was strong enough to protect itself and its allies. Still, he believes the country should stay away from war, as it was not “Hungary’s job to sort out world politics.” The president added that the safety of Hungarian citizens was his top priority in this conflict.
Orban also warned that Western sanctions against Russia pose an “immediate danger” to the economy, noting that they have already had an impact in Hungary, where energy prices escalated rapidly, prompting further inflation.
“Sanctions have a price as it is a double-edged weapon, and we will pay this price in the short term,” he said in the interview, adding that it was “only the beginning of the crisis.”
Orban also commented on Ukrainian refugees arriving in Hungary. While about 70% to 80% of the 140,000 displaced citizens are going to other countries, he said Hungary wants to offer jobs to those who stay, and the prime minister has already initiated talks with employers. He added that the country is ready to accommodate refugees for three months, but warned that they will then have to integrate themselves into Hungarian society. He also stressed the importance of healthcare, as the coronavirus pandemic remains an issue.
According to the UN, more than one million people have fled Ukraine since Moscow began its offensive last Thursday, heading to Poland, Russia, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia and other countries in order to find safety.
In the wake of Russia’s invasion, the European Union and other countries have placed a number of severe sanctions on Moscow, including barring several of the country’s banks from the global payment system, SWIFT, and closing airspace to Russian aircraft. Prominent international brands such as Apple, IKEA, H&M and Airbnb have also suspended their operations in Russia over the Ukrainian conflict.
Source; RT.com
China makes Taiwan warning
Beijing seeks peaceful reunification of the island, but rejects separatism and foreign meddling
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has warned against separatist inclinations and foreign meddling in Taiwan, which Beijing considers to be under its sovereignty. China wants to develop peaceful ties and ultimately reunify with the island, the official told an annual parliamentary session on Saturday.
“All of us, Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, should come together to advance the great and glorious cause of China’s rejuvenation,” the premier said.
The head of the Chinese cabinet made the remarks as he was delivering his working report to members of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC), which they are to approve. The NPC and a separate advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), launched their two-week annual sessions on Friday.
The annual sessions are usually used by the ruling Communist Party to outline economic and military plans for China. This year’s gatherings are remarkable since later in the year President Xi Jinping is expected to continue his leadership of the country for an unprecedented third term.
Taiwan has been administering itself since the Chinese civil war of the 1940s, during which defeated nationalist forces retreated to the island. Taipei claims to be representing the will of the Chinese people, but most of the world recognizes Beijing in that role under the so-called “One China policy.”
Tensions over Taiwan have been ramping up over the past few years amid new arms sales by Washington and visits of semi-official American delegations, which Beijing sees as undermining its claims to the island. China has ramped up military activities around Taiwan, stating that it was acting to balance similar moves by the US.
Lately, there was speculation in Western media that Beijing may attempt to take over the island by force amid the security crisis in Europe caused by Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Beijing refused to condemn Moscow for its offensive and accused the US and NATO of paving the way for hostilities by ignoring Russian national security concerns. Moscow said its attack was necessary to curb threats emanating from Ukraine due to NATO’s creeping expansion into Ukraine.
Other parts of Li’s remarks, which covered Beijing’s relationship with Hong Kong, were notably devoid of condemnations of foreign meddling, which have been common in speeches by Chinese officials since the mass anti-government protests and rioting that gripped the autonomous city in 2019. He instead focused on the potential of economic growth for Hong Kong, Macao and other Chinese cities in the Greater Bay Area.
Source; RT.com
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has warned against separatist inclinations and foreign meddling in Taiwan, which Beijing considers to be under its sovereignty. China wants to develop peaceful ties and ultimately reunify with the island, the official told an annual parliamentary session on Saturday.
“All of us, Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, should come together to advance the great and glorious cause of China’s rejuvenation,” the premier said.
The head of the Chinese cabinet made the remarks as he was delivering his working report to members of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC), which they are to approve. The NPC and a separate advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), launched their two-week annual sessions on Friday.
The annual sessions are usually used by the ruling Communist Party to outline economic and military plans for China. This year’s gatherings are remarkable since later in the year President Xi Jinping is expected to continue his leadership of the country for an unprecedented third term.
Taiwan has been administering itself since the Chinese civil war of the 1940s, during which defeated nationalist forces retreated to the island. Taipei claims to be representing the will of the Chinese people, but most of the world recognizes Beijing in that role under the so-called “One China policy.”
Tensions over Taiwan have been ramping up over the past few years amid new arms sales by Washington and visits of semi-official American delegations, which Beijing sees as undermining its claims to the island. China has ramped up military activities around Taiwan, stating that it was acting to balance similar moves by the US.
Lately, there was speculation in Western media that Beijing may attempt to take over the island by force amid the security crisis in Europe caused by Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Beijing refused to condemn Moscow for its offensive and accused the US and NATO of paving the way for hostilities by ignoring Russian national security concerns. Moscow said its attack was necessary to curb threats emanating from Ukraine due to NATO’s creeping expansion into Ukraine.
Other parts of Li’s remarks, which covered Beijing’s relationship with Hong Kong, were notably devoid of condemnations of foreign meddling, which have been common in speeches by Chinese officials since the mass anti-government protests and rioting that gripped the autonomous city in 2019. He instead focused on the potential of economic growth for Hong Kong, Macao and other Chinese cities in the Greater Bay Area.
Source; RT.com
Calls mount for probe into US bio-labs after Russian claim
By Liu Caiyu
Published: Apr 08, 2021 09:13 PM
Calls for probes into the US' mysterious bio-labs in order to better understand coronavirus origins are growing after Russia said it has every reason to believe the US is developing biological weapons in labs mainly near the China-Russia border.
Experts said that investigation of US bio-labs may offer clues to the virus origins; however, the US continues to ignore the international community's questions over its mysterious bio-labs.
Responding to a question about the origin of COVID-19, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said recently that US-controlled biological laboratories appear mainly near Russian and Chinese borders. And there is good reason to believe the US is developing biological weapons in those labs, and that outbreaks of non-typical diseases have been reported around them.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Thursday urged the US to respond to concerns and make comprehensive clarifications on biological militarization activities within and outside the US, and stop blocking the establishment of a verification mechanism under the Biological Weapons Convention.
Li Wei, a research fellow at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times that a thorough investigation of US bio-labs may offer clues to the virus origin.
The US has set up bio-labs in 25 countries and regions across the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia and former Soviet Union, with 16 in Ukraine alone. Some of the places where the labs are based have seen large-scale outbreaks of measles and other dangerous infectious diseases, the ministry said, citing media reports.
The Fort Detrick laboratory that handles high-level disease-causing materials, such as Ebola, in Fredrick, Maryland, was shut after the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a cease and desist order against the organization in July 2019, media reported.
USA Today reported that since 2003, hundreds of incidents involving accidental contact with deadly pathogens have occurred in US bio-labs at home and abroad.
Zeng Guang, chief epidemiologist of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, told the Global Times on Thursday that while China opened the Wuhan lab to the scientists with an open and welcoming altitude, the US continues to ignore the international community's questions over its mysterious bio-labs.
The US has always been such an arrogant country that only allows itself to use its power to wield sticks against other countries, but not a single peek to reflect on itself, Zeng said.
Only the US government has the answers to these questions and the key to the truth. However, the world clearly understands the US will not easily allow probes into its bio-labs, as it is driven by its usual double standards on international affairs, and a stubborn mindset of hegemony, said Wang Yiwei, director of the institute of international affairs at Renmin University of China.
After their field trips and in-depth visits in China, members of the mission led by the WHO unanimously agreed that the lab leak theory is extremely unlikely, but WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus mentioned a further investigation was needed as the team's probe into a potential lab leak was not sufficient.
More investigations could be done with laboratories around the world, including US bio-labs, if there is further evidence that the hypothesis needs to be reassessed, experts noted.
Any probe should not be treated as a criminal investigation, but the relevant countries should at least cooperate closely with WHO experts in a scientific, open, transparent and responsible manner, as China has done, they said.
In response to a question about an open letter written by 24 researchers from Europe, US, Australia and Japan on a new probe into COVID-19 origins, Zhao said on Thursday's press conference that some individual countries including the US are politicizing the issue, disrupting the cooperation between China and the WHO, smearing China and openly challenging the independent and scientific research by scientists. This harms global cooperation on virus origins-tracing and global efforts in fighting the epidemic.
The so-called open letter on a new probe into COVID-19 origins is merely aimed at pressuring the WHO and members of its expert team, and the COVID-19 origins-tracing work is indeed being hindered by politics, not from China, but from certain countries including the US, Zhao said.
Source; GlobalTimes.cn
Calls for probes into the US' mysterious bio-labs in order to better understand coronavirus origins are growing after Russia said it has every reason to believe the US is developing biological weapons in labs mainly near the China-Russia border.
Experts said that investigation of US bio-labs may offer clues to the virus origins; however, the US continues to ignore the international community's questions over its mysterious bio-labs.
Responding to a question about the origin of COVID-19, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said recently that US-controlled biological laboratories appear mainly near Russian and Chinese borders. And there is good reason to believe the US is developing biological weapons in those labs, and that outbreaks of non-typical diseases have been reported around them.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Thursday urged the US to respond to concerns and make comprehensive clarifications on biological militarization activities within and outside the US, and stop blocking the establishment of a verification mechanism under the Biological Weapons Convention.
Li Wei, a research fellow at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times that a thorough investigation of US bio-labs may offer clues to the virus origin.
The US has set up bio-labs in 25 countries and regions across the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia and former Soviet Union, with 16 in Ukraine alone. Some of the places where the labs are based have seen large-scale outbreaks of measles and other dangerous infectious diseases, the ministry said, citing media reports.
The Fort Detrick laboratory that handles high-level disease-causing materials, such as Ebola, in Fredrick, Maryland, was shut after the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a cease and desist order against the organization in July 2019, media reported.
USA Today reported that since 2003, hundreds of incidents involving accidental contact with deadly pathogens have occurred in US bio-labs at home and abroad.
Zeng Guang, chief epidemiologist of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, told the Global Times on Thursday that while China opened the Wuhan lab to the scientists with an open and welcoming altitude, the US continues to ignore the international community's questions over its mysterious bio-labs.
The US has always been such an arrogant country that only allows itself to use its power to wield sticks against other countries, but not a single peek to reflect on itself, Zeng said.
Only the US government has the answers to these questions and the key to the truth. However, the world clearly understands the US will not easily allow probes into its bio-labs, as it is driven by its usual double standards on international affairs, and a stubborn mindset of hegemony, said Wang Yiwei, director of the institute of international affairs at Renmin University of China.
After their field trips and in-depth visits in China, members of the mission led by the WHO unanimously agreed that the lab leak theory is extremely unlikely, but WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus mentioned a further investigation was needed as the team's probe into a potential lab leak was not sufficient.
More investigations could be done with laboratories around the world, including US bio-labs, if there is further evidence that the hypothesis needs to be reassessed, experts noted.
Any probe should not be treated as a criminal investigation, but the relevant countries should at least cooperate closely with WHO experts in a scientific, open, transparent and responsible manner, as China has done, they said.
In response to a question about an open letter written by 24 researchers from Europe, US, Australia and Japan on a new probe into COVID-19 origins, Zhao said on Thursday's press conference that some individual countries including the US are politicizing the issue, disrupting the cooperation between China and the WHO, smearing China and openly challenging the independent and scientific research by scientists. This harms global cooperation on virus origins-tracing and global efforts in fighting the epidemic.
The so-called open letter on a new probe into COVID-19 origins is merely aimed at pressuring the WHO and members of its expert team, and the COVID-19 origins-tracing work is indeed being hindered by politics, not from China, but from certain countries including the US, Zhao said.
Source; GlobalTimes.cn
Ukrainian opposition urges probe into US biolaboratories in Ukraine
15 APR 2020, 20:09
As an example, Opposition Platform members mentioned the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine - an international organization funded by the US authorities whose employees enjoy diplomatic immunity
KIEV, April 15. /TASS/. Ukraine’s Opposition Platform - For Life party has urged the authorities to probe into the operation of 15 US military biological laboratories. It argues that since their emergence Ukraine has seen outbreaks of dangerous diseases, as follows from a message by the head of the party’s Political Council, Viktor Medvedchuk, and parliament member from the same party Renat Kuzmin, published on the party’s website on Wednesday.
"I, as the chairman of the Political Council of the Opposition Platform - For Life, and a member of parliament from our party, Renat Kuzmin, have addressed Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, Prime Minister Denis Shmygal, Health Minister Maxim Stepanov and chief of the security service SBU Ivan Bakanov with a demand for presenting information concerning the operation of 15 US military biological laboratories in Ukraine. These laboratories carry out unlawful activity that threatens the life and health of Ukrainian citizens. The European mass media openly write about this," Medvedchuk said in the statement.
"We demand that the authorities should make public the instances of illegal ‘cooperation’ between Ukraine and the United States concerning the activity of US biolaboratories in our country. This ‘cooperation’ began back during the presidency of [Viktor] Yushchenko, continued under President [Pyotr} Poroshenko and is going on under the current authorities," the message says.
As an example Medvedchuk and Kuzmin mentioned the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU) - an international organization funded by the US authorities whose employees enjoy diplomatic immunity. "This center is involved in financing projects for the creation of weapons of mass destruction," Medvedchuk and Kuzmin say.
"The emergence of US biolaboratories in Ukraine and the financing of STCU projects was accompanied by several outbreaks of serious infectious diseases in the country," Medvedchuk and Kuzmin say in their statement. "In view of the growing rates of serious infectious diseases there are solid grounds to say that covert and non-transparent activity of dangerous foreign biological facilities in Ukraine is in reality aimed at testing viruses and bacteria on Ukrainian citizens," the opposition legislators say.
They recall that 2010-2012 probes into the biological laboratories’ observance of safety rules exposed a number of crude violations that might have caused leaks of dangerous infections. In 2013, a decision was made to terminate Ukrainian-US cooperation in the field of biological experiments. "However, with Poroshenko’s rise to power this program was resumed," the oppositional Ukrainian politicians say. "Moreover, the authorities have eliminated the sanitary rules that set certain standards of ensuring biological safety, thus endangering the life and health of millions of Ukrainians."
Medvedchuk and Kuzmin urged the Ukrainian authorities to present exhaustive information about how many US military laboratories funded from abroad operate in the country at the moment, the regulatory basis for their activity and what way the authorities control their operation. "The Ukrainian people have the right to know about secret programs. We demand the termination of experiments that the authorities have long been carrying out on its people at the demand and in the interests of the United States," Medvedchuk and Kuzmin said.
Outbreaks of infectious diseases in Ukraine
In their message Medvedchuk and Kuzmin mentioned the outbreaks of dangerous infectious diseases in Ukraine in recent years, which, in their opinion, might be connected with the activity of US laboratories. In 2009, a virus caused a hotbed of hemorrhagic pneumonia, which claimed 450 lives. In 2011, Ukraine saw an outbreak of cholera, with 33 patients taken to hospital. Three years later another 800 patients were diagnosed with cholera. One year later more than 100 cases of cholera were identified in Nikolayev.
In January 2016, at least 20 military servicemen died of a flu-like virus. Another 200 people were taken to the hospital. Two months later 364 died in Ukraine of the swine fever virus A (H1N1) pdm09, the very same strain that caused the 2009 pandemic, Medvedchuk and Kuzmin say. They recall that an outbreak of hepatitis A occurred in Nikolayev in 2017. Another one followed in the summer of that year in Zaporozhie and Odessa, one more in the autumn in Kharkov.
Source; Tass.com
As an example, Opposition Platform members mentioned the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine - an international organization funded by the US authorities whose employees enjoy diplomatic immunity
KIEV, April 15. /TASS/. Ukraine’s Opposition Platform - For Life party has urged the authorities to probe into the operation of 15 US military biological laboratories. It argues that since their emergence Ukraine has seen outbreaks of dangerous diseases, as follows from a message by the head of the party’s Political Council, Viktor Medvedchuk, and parliament member from the same party Renat Kuzmin, published on the party’s website on Wednesday.
"I, as the chairman of the Political Council of the Opposition Platform - For Life, and a member of parliament from our party, Renat Kuzmin, have addressed Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, Prime Minister Denis Shmygal, Health Minister Maxim Stepanov and chief of the security service SBU Ivan Bakanov with a demand for presenting information concerning the operation of 15 US military biological laboratories in Ukraine. These laboratories carry out unlawful activity that threatens the life and health of Ukrainian citizens. The European mass media openly write about this," Medvedchuk said in the statement.
"We demand that the authorities should make public the instances of illegal ‘cooperation’ between Ukraine and the United States concerning the activity of US biolaboratories in our country. This ‘cooperation’ began back during the presidency of [Viktor] Yushchenko, continued under President [Pyotr} Poroshenko and is going on under the current authorities," the message says.
As an example Medvedchuk and Kuzmin mentioned the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU) - an international organization funded by the US authorities whose employees enjoy diplomatic immunity. "This center is involved in financing projects for the creation of weapons of mass destruction," Medvedchuk and Kuzmin say.
"The emergence of US biolaboratories in Ukraine and the financing of STCU projects was accompanied by several outbreaks of serious infectious diseases in the country," Medvedchuk and Kuzmin say in their statement. "In view of the growing rates of serious infectious diseases there are solid grounds to say that covert and non-transparent activity of dangerous foreign biological facilities in Ukraine is in reality aimed at testing viruses and bacteria on Ukrainian citizens," the opposition legislators say.
They recall that 2010-2012 probes into the biological laboratories’ observance of safety rules exposed a number of crude violations that might have caused leaks of dangerous infections. In 2013, a decision was made to terminate Ukrainian-US cooperation in the field of biological experiments. "However, with Poroshenko’s rise to power this program was resumed," the oppositional Ukrainian politicians say. "Moreover, the authorities have eliminated the sanitary rules that set certain standards of ensuring biological safety, thus endangering the life and health of millions of Ukrainians."
Medvedchuk and Kuzmin urged the Ukrainian authorities to present exhaustive information about how many US military laboratories funded from abroad operate in the country at the moment, the regulatory basis for their activity and what way the authorities control their operation. "The Ukrainian people have the right to know about secret programs. We demand the termination of experiments that the authorities have long been carrying out on its people at the demand and in the interests of the United States," Medvedchuk and Kuzmin said.
Outbreaks of infectious diseases in Ukraine
In their message Medvedchuk and Kuzmin mentioned the outbreaks of dangerous infectious diseases in Ukraine in recent years, which, in their opinion, might be connected with the activity of US laboratories. In 2009, a virus caused a hotbed of hemorrhagic pneumonia, which claimed 450 lives. In 2011, Ukraine saw an outbreak of cholera, with 33 patients taken to hospital. Three years later another 800 patients were diagnosed with cholera. One year later more than 100 cases of cholera were identified in Nikolayev.
In January 2016, at least 20 military servicemen died of a flu-like virus. Another 200 people were taken to the hospital. Two months later 364 died in Ukraine of the swine fever virus A (H1N1) pdm09, the very same strain that caused the 2009 pandemic, Medvedchuk and Kuzmin say. They recall that an outbreak of hepatitis A occurred in Nikolayev in 2017. Another one followed in the summer of that year in Zaporozhie and Odessa, one more in the autumn in Kharkov.
Source; Tass.com
Are US-run biological labs in Ukraine one of the reasons behind Russia invasion? Read how Russian govt had raised ‘bioweapons’ alarm
24 February, 2022 : OpIndia Staff
As per the details made available by the US government, the US Department of Defense's Biological Threat Reduction Program has been working with partner countries to "to counter the threat of outbreaks (deliberate, accidental, or natural) of the world's most dangerous infectious diseases."
As Russia has started attacking military installations in Ukraine, there are speculations that the United State’s Biolabs that have been established in Ukraine in the name of research and defence are also among the targets. The US has several such labs in Ukraine under its “Biological Threat Reduction Program”.
Social media has been abuzz with discussions on how the Russian government, in addition to objecting to NATO’s expansion in the region, has been highlighting their concerns, accusing the USA of running bioweapon labs near their border. A Twitter handle named @WarClandenstine (the account has unfortunately been suspended) claimed that it may be a possibility that Russia is targeting the Biolabs. Nothing has been confirmed yet.
There is a lot of discussion on social media regarding the alleged bioweapons labs run and funded by the US government on Ukrainian soil.
As per the details made available by the US government, the US Department of Defense’s Biological Threat Reduction Program has been working with partner countries to “to counter the threat of outbreaks (deliberate, accidental, or natural) of the world’s most dangerous infectious diseases.”
In 2019, BTRP established two laboratories for the Consumer Protection Service of Ukraine with Biosafety Level 2 in Kyiv and Odesa. Both regions are under Russia’s attack. The US not only provides support for laboratory establishment but has also been funding research projects in Ukraine where the Ukrainian and American scientists work together.
Russia has accused the US of developing bio-weapons at its borders, at Ukraine and Georgia
On several occasions, Russia has accused the US and Ukraine of developing bio-weapons close to its borders. In 2021, while talking about the inability of the World Health Organisation to establish the origin of the Covid-19 virus, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev told Kommersant reporter that Russia believed the US was developing bio-weapons near its borders.
He said, “you pay attention to the fact that in the world, more and more new biological laboratories under the control of the United States are growing by leaps and bounds. Moreover, by a strange coincidence – mainly at the Russian and Chinese borders.” He added that the US claims they work with local scientists to develop ways to fight dangerous pathogens but what happens inside those walls was unknown.
He added, “We are told that peaceful sanitation stations operate near our borders, but for some reason, they are more reminiscent of Fort Detrick in Maryland, where Americans have been working in the field of military biology for decades. By the way, we should pay attention to the fact that outbreaks of diseases that are not typical for these regions are recorded in the surrounding areas.”
When asked if he meant Americans were developing biological weapons at those Biolabs, he said, “We have good reason to believe that this is the case.” He further said, “Not a day goes by at the headquarters of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague that the Americans and their allies do not come forward with another chapter of the anti-Russian chemical dossier.”
Speaking about the allegations against Russia over the development of chemical weapons, he said there were no evidence and only conjectures. The Russian government has made similar allegations multiple times.
It has been now been established by now that scientists from the USA, with NIH funding, had been running gain of function research into a number of SARS-like viruses in the Wuhan laboratory in China, which is widely believed to be the origin of Covid-19 infection. In September 2021, it was revealed in a book that the US had funded research on deadly viruses in Wuhan under the supervision of Anthony Fauci.
US scientist Peter Daszak, who had received an NIH grant, through his organisation EcoHealth Alliance had been engaged in ‘gain of function’ research for years in the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China. Daszak has himself admitted on numerous occasions that they are running breakthrough research into coronaviruses.
Earlier this year, an investigation by Project Veritas had revealed that coronavirus research deemed ‘too dangerous’ by DARPA, was approved by Anthony Fauci’s NIAID and was conducted by Daszak’s EcoHealth Alliance at Wuhan.
In October 2021, it was revealed via leaked emails that Anthony Fauci’s NIAID funded institute trained researchers at Wuhan lab housed fatal aerosol-borne viruses.
Russia invades Ukraine
On 24 February, after weeks of speculations, Russia finally invaded Ukraine, triggering a massive outrage all over the world. It is notable here that NATO, USA and Russia have been at loggerheads for years over NATO’s alleged plans to expand eastward, threatening Russia’s security. As Russian troops gathered on Ukraine’s borders over the last few weeks, NATO and USA have dropped billions of dollars worth of weapons in Ukraine, proclaiming support for Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Addressing the people, Putin had announced that it is launching a military operation directed towards the ‘demilitarization’ and ‘denazification’ of Ukraine. The alleged biological weapons program is one of the many concerns Russia had raised regarding Ukraine.
NATO countries including the USA have promised to impose severe sanctions on Russia as a retaliatory measure against the invasion.
Source; OpIndia.com
As per the details made available by the US government, the US Department of Defense's Biological Threat Reduction Program has been working with partner countries to "to counter the threat of outbreaks (deliberate, accidental, or natural) of the world's most dangerous infectious diseases."
Social media has been abuzz with discussions on how the Russian government, in addition to objecting to NATO’s expansion in the region, has been highlighting their concerns, accusing the USA of running bioweapon labs near their border. A Twitter handle named @WarClandenstine (the account has unfortunately been suspended) claimed that it may be a possibility that Russia is targeting the Biolabs. Nothing has been confirmed yet.
1) HOLY SHIT! I think I may be onto something about #Ukraine.
Zelensky said the Russians are firing at “military installations”. How broad is that term?
I am seeing speculation that could include US installed biolabs.
At first I was like no way.
Then I started digging. pic.twitter.com/tm72HFAXNK
— Clandestine (@WarClandestine) February 24, 2022
There is a lot of discussion on social media regarding the alleged bioweapons labs run and funded by the US government on Ukrainian soil.
In Ukraine, the program’s aim is to consolidate and secure pathogens and toxins of security concerns and provide support to the nation in detecting and reporting outbreaks caused by dangerous pathogens before they “pose any stability or security risks.”
In 2019, BTRP established two laboratories for the Consumer Protection Service of Ukraine with Biosafety Level 2 in Kyiv and Odesa. Both regions are under Russia’s attack. The US not only provides support for laboratory establishment but has also been funding research projects in Ukraine where the Ukrainian and American scientists work together.
Russia has accused the US of developing bio-weapons at its borders, at Ukraine and Georgia
On several occasions, Russia has accused the US and Ukraine of developing bio-weapons close to its borders. In 2021, while talking about the inability of the World Health Organisation to establish the origin of the Covid-19 virus, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev told Kommersant reporter that Russia believed the US was developing bio-weapons near its borders.
He added, “We are told that peaceful sanitation stations operate near our borders, but for some reason, they are more reminiscent of Fort Detrick in Maryland, where Americans have been working in the field of military biology for decades. By the way, we should pay attention to the fact that outbreaks of diseases that are not typical for these regions are recorded in the surrounding areas.”
When asked if he meant Americans were developing biological weapons at those Biolabs, he said, “We have good reason to believe that this is the case.” He further said, “Not a day goes by at the headquarters of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague that the Americans and their allies do not come forward with another chapter of the anti-Russian chemical dossier.”
Speaking about the allegations against Russia over the development of chemical weapons, he said there were no evidence and only conjectures. The Russian government has made similar allegations multiple times.
US-funded gain of function research to ‘enhance’ viruses at Wuhan laboratory in China
It has been now been established by now that scientists from the USA, with NIH funding, had been running gain of function research into a number of SARS-like viruses in the Wuhan laboratory in China, which is widely believed to be the origin of Covid-19 infection. In September 2021, it was revealed in a book that the US had funded research on deadly viruses in Wuhan under the supervision of Anthony Fauci.
US scientist Peter Daszak, who had received an NIH grant, through his organisation EcoHealth Alliance had been engaged in ‘gain of function’ research for years in the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China. Daszak has himself admitted on numerous occasions that they are running breakthrough research into coronaviruses.
Earlier this year, an investigation by Project Veritas had revealed that coronavirus research deemed ‘too dangerous’ by DARPA, was approved by Anthony Fauci’s NIAID and was conducted by Daszak’s EcoHealth Alliance at Wuhan.
In October 2021, it was revealed via leaked emails that Anthony Fauci’s NIAID funded institute trained researchers at Wuhan lab housed fatal aerosol-borne viruses.
Russia invades Ukraine
On 24 February, after weeks of speculations, Russia finally invaded Ukraine, triggering a massive outrage all over the world. It is notable here that NATO, USA and Russia have been at loggerheads for years over NATO’s alleged plans to expand eastward, threatening Russia’s security. As Russian troops gathered on Ukraine’s borders over the last few weeks, NATO and USA have dropped billions of dollars worth of weapons in Ukraine, proclaiming support for Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Addressing the people, Putin had announced that it is launching a military operation directed towards the ‘demilitarization’ and ‘denazification’ of Ukraine. The alleged biological weapons program is one of the many concerns Russia had raised regarding Ukraine.
NATO countries including the USA have promised to impose severe sanctions on Russia as a retaliatory measure against the invasion.
Source; OpIndia.com
Kende u het Azov bataljon al?
Fausto Biloslavo/TRANSTERRA Media Aug 6, 2014
Almost 80 years ago, ideological true believers from all over the world flocked to Spain to fight in a civil war, serving in the famed International Brigades on the Republican side. These days, echoes of Spain can be found in Ukraine, where foreign ideologues now can be found battling separatists backed by Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
So far, the scale of foreigners going to Ukraine to fight is far smaller than was the case during the Spanish Civil War. For example, of the roughly 250 volunteers in the Azov Battalion, an irregular unit fighting for the Ukrainian government, 12 are foreign and 24 reinforcements from abroad are expected to arrive soon.
“We are not mercenaries, we are volunteers who receive no pay at all and fight for a righteous cause,” said Gaston Besson, a former French paratrooper who helps oversee the battalion’s foreign cohort. “We are anti-communist, but the spirit is the same as that of the International Brigades that fought [against Fascism] in Spain in the thirties.”
In June, Besson posted an appeal for foreign volunteers to join the Azov Battalion on his Facebook page. “You will find nothing but trouble, war, adventure, and perhaps death or serious injury, but you will definitely have great memories and make life-long friends,” he wrote.
“Every day I receive dozens of requests to join us by e-mail, especially from countries like Finland, Norway and Sweden,” added Besson, who has lots of combat experience from conflicts all over the world. “I reject 75 percent of them. We do not want trigger-happy fanatics, drug addicts, or alcoholics. The volunteers must pay for their own ticket and then begin training in Kyiv before being sent to the front lines.”
The battalion, which was formed in April, had its baptism of fire on June 13, when the unit participated in an operation to retake the pro-Russian controlled city of Mariupol, situated on the north coast of the Sea of Azov, in southeastern Ukraine.
Many of the Azov Battalion members describe themselves as ultra-right Ukrainian nationalists. They proudly wear symbols and use slogans associated with neo-Nazis, such as black t-shirts with the Celtic cross. Football ultras have also joined the ranks of the battalion, which was founded by the National Social Assembly, a confederation of ultra-nationalist organizations, as well as Ukrainian groups that oppose alignment with the European Union and NATO. This far-right ideology is what continues to draw like-minded activists from Sweden, Italy, France, Italy, Canada and even Russia.
For an Italian citizen in the Azov Battalion, 53-year-old Francesco F., the fight in Ukraine has given him a sense of purpose. “On the Maidan barricades I was like ET, finding ‘home’ on the side of Ukrainian nationalists”, said Francesco, who during the 1970s and 80s was affiliated with the National Vanguard ultra-right movement in Italy. “After the annexation of the Crimea and the explosion of the Eastern part of the country, I could not abandon them [Ukrainians] to face the Russian threat alone. That’s why I chose to enlist and fight.”
At their camp at Berdyansk, a city on the Azov Sea roughly 80 miles southwest of Donetsk, members of the battalion lined up one day recently, all wearing balaclavas to cover their faces for fear of repercussions should they be identified. At the order of their commander, they ran to a battered van that was to take them to a firing range.
On their way to shooting practice and maneuvers, fighters paid homage to their Italian comrade Francesco F. by singing a hymn honoring Mussolini. Francesco, whom everybody calls “Don,” or “uncle,” fights under the nom de guerre Stan.
Francesco was sitting next to Severin, a 20 year-old Swedish volunteer who has a tattoo on his bodybuilder-like biceps with the inscription “son of Odin.” A pounding nationalist rock song called “Death to the Enemy” played from a mobile phone, and battalion members took turns insulting Russian President Vladimir Putin's manhood.
At the firing range, a Swedish instructor offered training on urban warfare. The man, who did not want to be identified, was dressed in black, shaved, lean, and muscular. “I came to train you in the most difficult tactics, urban warfare.” He harangued the battalion with the attitude of an officer. “I will show you how to break into a building, take it and, if you are lucky, get out of it alive.”
Mikael Skillt is perhaps the most well-known foreign fighter of the battalion. This Swedish sniper, with seven years' experience in the Swedish Army and the Swedish National Guard, was a member of the neo-Nazi Svenskarnas party in Sweden. He is one of the few fighters who agreed to speak without covering his face; he supposedly has a 5,000 euro (80,000 gryvna) bounty put on his head by pro-Russian elements. This amount in Ukraine is worth over the average yearly wage.
“They can come get me if they want. I fight against the idiots who believe in what Putin says,” he declared. “At Mariupol, a sniper tried to shoot me from a window. After locating him, I waited until he was a little uncovered and then pulled the trigger. He just had no hope,” Skillt said.
Dressed in his camouflage combat fatigues, Skillt explained what drove him to enlist in the Azov Battalion, “I saw on TV snipers killing civilians and nationalists on Maidan Square, so I decided to join in.” He confessed that he gets a rush out of combat, “There is something special when your heart is beating like mad and you see all these bullets flying around and bouncing on the ground near you.”
Muran, a young Russian who also fights with the Azov Battalion, said he came to Ukraine because he wanted to help bring down Putin’s government. He does not know if he will be able to go back to Russia, as he is now considered a traitor. “I would rather blow myself up with a grenade than be captured alive,” said the masked 24 year old from the Ural Mountains.
Bron; Eurasia.net
Het Azovbataljon (Oekraïens: Батальйон Азов) is een in mei 2014 opgerichte Oekraïense rechtsextremistische nationalistische militie, die onderdeel uitmaakt van de Oekrainse Nationale Garde en valt onder het Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken. Het bataljon is gevestigd in Marioepol aan de kust van de Zee van Azov.
De eerste commandant van het bataljon was Andriy Biletsky (Oekraïens: Андрій Білецький), het hoofd van de extreemrechtse bewegingen Sociaal-Nationale Assemblee en Patriotten van Oekraïne. Omdat hij in 2014 verkozen werd in de Verchovna Rada nam hij zijn ontslag omdat Oekraïense parlementariërs niet in het leger mochten dienst nemen. Zijn opvolger is Denys Prokopenko.
Het vroegere embleem van het bataljon bevatte een wolfsangel op een zwarte zon met daaronder golven en het wapen van Oekraïne. Het huidige embleem bevat nog steeds een wolfsangel. Bovenaan het embleem staat AZOV in cyrillisch schrift.
Het bataljon is tijdens de Russisch-Oekraïense oorlog actief in de strijd tegen de separatisten en het Russische leger.
Source; Wikipedia.org
Almost 80 years ago, ideological true believers from all over the world flocked to Spain to fight in a civil war, serving in the famed International Brigades on the Republican side. These days, echoes of Spain can be found in Ukraine, where foreign ideologues now can be found battling separatists backed by Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
So far, the scale of foreigners going to Ukraine to fight is far smaller than was the case during the Spanish Civil War. For example, of the roughly 250 volunteers in the Azov Battalion, an irregular unit fighting for the Ukrainian government, 12 are foreign and 24 reinforcements from abroad are expected to arrive soon.
“We are not mercenaries, we are volunteers who receive no pay at all and fight for a righteous cause,” said Gaston Besson, a former French paratrooper who helps oversee the battalion’s foreign cohort. “We are anti-communist, but the spirit is the same as that of the International Brigades that fought [against Fascism] in Spain in the thirties.”
In June, Besson posted an appeal for foreign volunteers to join the Azov Battalion on his Facebook page. “You will find nothing but trouble, war, adventure, and perhaps death or serious injury, but you will definitely have great memories and make life-long friends,” he wrote.
“Every day I receive dozens of requests to join us by e-mail, especially from countries like Finland, Norway and Sweden,” added Besson, who has lots of combat experience from conflicts all over the world. “I reject 75 percent of them. We do not want trigger-happy fanatics, drug addicts, or alcoholics. The volunteers must pay for their own ticket and then begin training in Kyiv before being sent to the front lines.”
The battalion, which was formed in April, had its baptism of fire on June 13, when the unit participated in an operation to retake the pro-Russian controlled city of Mariupol, situated on the north coast of the Sea of Azov, in southeastern Ukraine.
Many of the Azov Battalion members describe themselves as ultra-right Ukrainian nationalists. They proudly wear symbols and use slogans associated with neo-Nazis, such as black t-shirts with the Celtic cross. Football ultras have also joined the ranks of the battalion, which was founded by the National Social Assembly, a confederation of ultra-nationalist organizations, as well as Ukrainian groups that oppose alignment with the European Union and NATO. This far-right ideology is what continues to draw like-minded activists from Sweden, Italy, France, Italy, Canada and even Russia.
For an Italian citizen in the Azov Battalion, 53-year-old Francesco F., the fight in Ukraine has given him a sense of purpose. “On the Maidan barricades I was like ET, finding ‘home’ on the side of Ukrainian nationalists”, said Francesco, who during the 1970s and 80s was affiliated with the National Vanguard ultra-right movement in Italy. “After the annexation of the Crimea and the explosion of the Eastern part of the country, I could not abandon them [Ukrainians] to face the Russian threat alone. That’s why I chose to enlist and fight.”
At their camp at Berdyansk, a city on the Azov Sea roughly 80 miles southwest of Donetsk, members of the battalion lined up one day recently, all wearing balaclavas to cover their faces for fear of repercussions should they be identified. At the order of their commander, they ran to a battered van that was to take them to a firing range.
On their way to shooting practice and maneuvers, fighters paid homage to their Italian comrade Francesco F. by singing a hymn honoring Mussolini. Francesco, whom everybody calls “Don,” or “uncle,” fights under the nom de guerre Stan.
Francesco was sitting next to Severin, a 20 year-old Swedish volunteer who has a tattoo on his bodybuilder-like biceps with the inscription “son of Odin.” A pounding nationalist rock song called “Death to the Enemy” played from a mobile phone, and battalion members took turns insulting Russian President Vladimir Putin's manhood.
At the firing range, a Swedish instructor offered training on urban warfare. The man, who did not want to be identified, was dressed in black, shaved, lean, and muscular. “I came to train you in the most difficult tactics, urban warfare.” He harangued the battalion with the attitude of an officer. “I will show you how to break into a building, take it and, if you are lucky, get out of it alive.”
Mikael Skillt is perhaps the most well-known foreign fighter of the battalion. This Swedish sniper, with seven years' experience in the Swedish Army and the Swedish National Guard, was a member of the neo-Nazi Svenskarnas party in Sweden. He is one of the few fighters who agreed to speak without covering his face; he supposedly has a 5,000 euro (80,000 gryvna) bounty put on his head by pro-Russian elements. This amount in Ukraine is worth over the average yearly wage.
“They can come get me if they want. I fight against the idiots who believe in what Putin says,” he declared. “At Mariupol, a sniper tried to shoot me from a window. After locating him, I waited until he was a little uncovered and then pulled the trigger. He just had no hope,” Skillt said.
Dressed in his camouflage combat fatigues, Skillt explained what drove him to enlist in the Azov Battalion, “I saw on TV snipers killing civilians and nationalists on Maidan Square, so I decided to join in.” He confessed that he gets a rush out of combat, “There is something special when your heart is beating like mad and you see all these bullets flying around and bouncing on the ground near you.”
Muran, a young Russian who also fights with the Azov Battalion, said he came to Ukraine because he wanted to help bring down Putin’s government. He does not know if he will be able to go back to Russia, as he is now considered a traitor. “I would rather blow myself up with a grenade than be captured alive,” said the masked 24 year old from the Ural Mountains.
Bron; Eurasia.net
Het Azovbataljon (Oekraïens: Батальйон Азов) is een in mei 2014 opgerichte Oekraïense rechtsextremistische nationalistische militie, die onderdeel uitmaakt van de Oekrainse Nationale Garde en valt onder het Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken. Het bataljon is gevestigd in Marioepol aan de kust van de Zee van Azov.
De eerste commandant van het bataljon was Andriy Biletsky (Oekraïens: Андрій Білецький), het hoofd van de extreemrechtse bewegingen Sociaal-Nationale Assemblee en Patriotten van Oekraïne. Omdat hij in 2014 verkozen werd in de Verchovna Rada nam hij zijn ontslag omdat Oekraïense parlementariërs niet in het leger mochten dienst nemen. Zijn opvolger is Denys Prokopenko.
Het vroegere embleem van het bataljon bevatte een wolfsangel op een zwarte zon met daaronder golven en het wapen van Oekraïne. Het huidige embleem bevat nog steeds een wolfsangel. Bovenaan het embleem staat AZOV in cyrillisch schrift.
Het bataljon is tijdens de Russisch-Oekraïense oorlog actief in de strijd tegen de separatisten en het Russische leger.
Source; Wikipedia.org
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)