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US To Send Drones, Humvees To Ukraine, Boost Russia Sanctions As Moscow May "Deploy Nuclear Weapons In Crimea"
11
March, 2015
So
much for the second Minsk ceasefire. A few hours ago, the US returned
to its strategy of escalating Russian "costs" when
it placed sanctions on eight Ukrainian separatists and a Russian
bank,
warning that recent attacks by rebels armed by Russia violated a
European-brokered ceasefire in the war-torn country.
"If
Russia continues to support destabilizing activity in Ukraine and
violate the Minsk agreements and implementation plan, the already
substantial costs it faces will continue to rise," Adam Szubin,
the Treasury Department's acting undersecretary for terrorism and
financial intelligence, said in a statement announcing the sanctions.
As Reuters
adds,
"the sanctions signal Washington is ratcheting up pressure on
Moscow a day after accusing Russia of sending tanks and heavy
military equipment into Ukraine, which a top U.S. official also said
breached the Minsk accord agreed on Feb. 12." What was not
said is that this also comes a day
after the US sent over 100 tanks and armors to
Russia neighbor Latvia in a move that would, from the Kremlin's
perspective, signal further NATO arms build up on its borders.
Among the more prominent individuals sanctioned was Roman Lyagin, who chairs an election commission in separatist territory. The U.S. Treasury accused him of preventing voting in Ukraine's May presidential election.
Lyagin said he was not a fighter and was playing a peaceful role in the separatists' activities.
"It's the opposite, I do my best to stop the bloodshed," he said.
The
full list of sanctioned individuals, as well the Russian National
Commercial Bank, can
be found here.
The
Russian response to the latest sanction pending, but the response may
have been hinted at earlier today when
an official from Russia's Foreign Ministery said the nation has the
right to deploy nuclear arms in the Black Sea peninsula of
Crimea, however
he added "he knew of no plans to do so."
"I
don't know if there are nuclear weapons there now. I don't know about
any plans, but in principle Russia can do it," said Mikhail
Ulyanov, the head of the ministry's department on arms control, was
quoted as saying by Interfax news agency.
And
finally, indicating that the semi-hot escalation between the US and
Russia is close to getting out of control,
AP reported moments
ago that Vice President Joe Biden told Ukraine's president Wednesday
the U.S.
will send more aid to the country, which U.S. officials said will
include small drones and armored Humvees.
The White House said in a statement that Biden delivered the news in a call to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, while expressing concern that Russian-backed separatists are violating cease-fire agreements in eastern Ukraine and keeping out international monitors.
U.S. officials, speaking on a condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the aid on the record, said the aid includes some small Raven drones systems, which can be launched by hand. The U.S. will also send 30 heavily armored Humvees and 200 other regular Humvees, as well as radios, counter-mortar radars and other equipment. All of the aid is nonlethal, and the drones are not armed.
AP
adds that the drones and other equipment, not including the Humvees,
are worth about $75 million. It's not clear how many drones would be
sent or what the Humvees cost.
The
good news: unlike US Humvees in Iraq, there are no ISIS soldiers in
Ukraine who will "confiscate" this latest US taxpayer
funded gift. At least not yet.
Finally,
anyone curious why Joe Biden may have an extra special interest in
preserving the Ukraine stats quo, here
is a reminder:
R.
Hunter Biden will be in charge of the Holdings’ legal unit and will
provide support for the Company among international organizations. On
his new appointment, he commented: “Burisma’s track record of
innovations and industry leadership in the field of natural gas means
that it can be a strong driver of a strong economy in Ukraine. As a
new member of the Board, I believe that my assistance in consulting
the Company on matters of transparency, corporate governance and
responsibility, international expansion and other priorities will
contribute to the economy and benefit the people of Ukraine.”
The
Chairman of the Board of Directors of Burisma Holdings, Mr. Alan
Apter, noted: “The company’s strategy is aimed at the strongest
concentration of professional staff and the introduction of best
corporate practices, and we’re delighted that Mr. Biden is joining
us to help us achieve these goals.”
R.
Hunter Biden is a counsel to Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP, a
national law firm based in New York, USA, which served in cases
including “Bush vs. Gore”, and
“U.S. vs. Microsoft”. He
is one of the co-founders and a managing partner of the investment
advisory company Rosemont Seneca Partners, as well as chairman of the
board of Rosemont Seneca Advisors. He is an Adjunct Professor at
Georgetown University’s Masters Program in the School of Foreign
Service.
Mr.
Biden has experience in public service and foreign policy. He is a
director for the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, The Center for
National Policy, and the Chairman’s Advisory Board for the National
Democratic Institute. Having served as a Senior Vice President at
MBNA bank, former U.S. President Bill Clinton appointed him an
Executive Director of E-Commerce Policy Coordination under Secretary
of Commerce William Daley. Mr. Biden served as Honorary Co-Chair of
the 2008 Obama-Biden Inaugural Committee.
Mr.
Biden is a member of the bar in the State of Connecticut, and the
District of Columbia, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the Court of
Federal Claims. He received a Bachelor’s degree from Georgetown
University, and a J.D. from Yale Law School.
R.
Hunter Biden is also a well-known public figure. He
is chairman of the Board of the World Food Programme U.S.A., together
with the world’s largest humanitarian organization, the United
Nations World Food Programme. In this capacity he offers assistance
to the poor in developing countries, fighting hunger and poverty, and
helping to provide food and education to 300 million malnourished
children around the world.
“We are today providing immediately some 75 million dollars of additional non-lethal assistance, immediately, to Ukraine in order to help them in non-lethal assistance,” Kerry told the Senate on Wednesday afternoon during a hearing concerning a proposed war powers act offered by the White House. “And, as you know, other things are currently under consideration.”
US to send more drones, Humvees to Ukraine
Secretary
of State John Kerry confirmed US was to send Ukraine more non-lethal
military aid, including drones and armored Humvees.
“We are today providing immediately some 75 million dollars of additional non-lethal assistance, immediately, to Ukraine in order to help them in non-lethal assistance,” Kerry told the Senate on Wednesday afternoon during a hearing concerning a proposed war powers act offered by the White House. “And, as you know, other things are currently under consideration.”
Russia Launches Simultaneous Military Drills in West, South, Far East
According to Russian Defense Ministry a series of military exercises with live firing was launched simultaneously in Russia’s southern and western regions and in the Far East.
As part of Russian territory Crimea can host nuclear weapons – Foreign Ministry
The Russian Foreign Ministry has no information on nuclear weapons deployment in Crimea, but maintains that the country has the right to do so in principle.CrossTalk: Russia Watching
The west’s mainstream loves to loath Russia, anything related to Russia, and of course the Russian President Vladimir Putin. Where do these intense biases come from? And has anyone noticed that bad media coverage in the West only strengthens the resolve of the average Russian at home?..
CrossTalking with Charles Bausman, Ben Aris, and Alexander Mercouris
Very interesting interview of Paul Craig Roberts with Ellen Brown! (UPDATED)
Dear
friends,
I
want to draw your attention to a very interesting interview of Paul
Craig Robers with Ellen Brown. You can listen to it right here:
By
the way, I would like to get in touch with Paul Craig Roberts. If
you have his email, please send it to me.
Enjoy
this most interesting interview, kind regards,
The
Saker
UPDATE: got his email, thanks, and I emailed him today. thanks to all!
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