That war, hidden behind the U.S. created Ukraine crisis, is designed to destroy Europe's manufacturing advantage compared to the U.S. It is more likely though to strengthen the economic position of China and other Asian economies.
I have argued that Germany must open the Nord Stream II pipeline which can bring Russian natural gas to Germany without crossing other countries' territory. It must also allow Siemens to repair the defect Nord Stream I compressors. It is in fact inevitable if German's industry is to survive.
Others have come to similar conclusion and decided to sabotage the pipelines to make their re-opening impossible:
Three offshore lines of the Nord Stream gas pipeline system have sustained "unprecedented" damage in one day, Nord Stream AG, the operator of the network, said on Tuesday in what one German official has suggested is a "targeted attack”. Nord Stream 2 suffered a gas leak which was then followed by a drop of pressure on Nord Stream 1.
The company also said that it was impossible to estimate when the gas network system's working capability would be restored.
The simultaneous sub sea damage to three pipelines is obviously not an accident.
A German economy official told Tagesspiegel: "We can't imagine a scenario that isn't a targeted attack."
They added: "Everything speaks against a coincidence."
Russian sabotage to gas supplies to Europe is feared after three offshore lines of the Nord Stream pipeline system suffered “unprecedented” damage in a single day. ... Russia has withheld gas supplies to Europe as it seeks to hit back for Western sanctions imposed for the illegal invasion of Ukraine. German newspapers reported sources saying the leaks were as a result of a "targeted attack".
As stated in yesterday's piece the claim that Russia is withholding gas from Europe is outright false:
Nord Stream II was created to make Germany independent from pipelines running through Poland and the Ukraine. Blocking it was the most stupid thing for Germany to do and thus chancellor Scholz did it.
In the following months Poland blocked the Yamal pipeline which also brought Russian gas to Germany. Ukraine followed up with cutting off two Russian pipelines. The main compressor stations of the Nord Stream I pipeline, which the German company Siemens had build and has the maintenance contract, failed one after the other. Sanction are prohibiting Siemens from repairing them.
It is not Russia that has blocked its gas and oil from European markets. It were the German, Polish and Ukrainian governments that did it.
Russia would in fact be happy to sell more. Putin has recently again offered to push as much Russian gas as possible through Nord Stream II to Germany: ...
If Russia were to cut pipelines in the Baltic Sea it would damage those that bring Norwegian gas to Europe, not the pipelines it owns and which give it some leverage.
Russia thus surely has no plausible interest in sabotaging the Nord Stream system. Others though do have such interests. They likely want Germany to 'stay in line' with their war to Decolonize Russia. The major potential actors behind this are the U.S., the British, the Ukrainian and the Polish government or a mixture of those.
Geography, and the shallow depth of the Baltic Sea, seem to exclude that a U.S. or British submarines did the damage. Ukraine does not have access to the Baltic Sea. Poland, which had already tried to prevent or hinder the Nord Stream II construction, is the most likely actor behind this though I doubt that it would dare to act alone.
The developers of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline have accused foreign naval forces of "provocative" activity in the vicinity of construction work. The controversial pipeline is about 93 percent complete, and two Russian pipelay vessels are on station and working on the project in Danish waters.
Andrei Minin, the branch director of Gazprom-run Nord Stream 2 AG, told TASS that "foreign warships and vessels were demonstrating higher activity" near the operation, and that "such actions are provocative and can lead to gas pipeline damage." He also accused Poland of deploying a military M-28 patrol aircraft to survey the site.
"The Polish Navy is not conducting provocative operations and has been carrying out its statutory tasks in agreement with international laws," responded the Polish Army's central command in a social media post. "M-28B Bryza planes regularly conduct patrol flights in the Baltic Sea region."
Poland strongly opposes the development of Nord Stream 2, which will give Gazprom a subsea alternative route for supplying natural gas to Western European customers. At present, that gas has to pass through overland pipeline networks in Poland and Ukraine, bringing in valuable transit fees and providing both nations - which do not always have cordial relations with Russia - a measure of energy security.
Poland has reacted angrily to President Joe Biden’s decision to waive US sanctions on Nord Stream II, warning the move could threaten energy security across Central and Eastern Europe.
“The information is definitely not positive from the security point of view, as we know perfectly that Nord Stream II is not only a business project – it is mostly a geopolitical project,” said Piotr Muller, a spokesman for the Polish government.
On February 7 Biden stated that he would decided if Nord Stream II opens:
After both leaders appeared to avoid mentioning the pipeline, under repeated questions from reporters at an afternoon press conference, Biden, standing next to the German chancellor said Nord Stream 2 would not move forward if Russia invades Ukraine, in a warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin of potential economic consequences.
"If Russia invades, that means tanks or troops crossing the -- the border of Ukraine again, then there will be -- there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2," Biden said during the press conference with Scholz, who did not go as far as Biden, but insisted the U.S. and Germany remain "absolutely united."
On February 27 Biden sanctioned the company owning the pipeline.
Under its current rightwing leadership Poland has been extremely hostile to Germany. This month it even renewed is demand for war reparations from Germany, an issue that had been settle decades ago:
Poland’s top politician said Thursday that the government will seek equivalent of some $1.3 trillion in reparations from Germany for the Nazis’ World War II invasion and occupation of his country.
Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of the Law and Justice party, announced the huge claim at the release of a long-awaited report on the cost to the country of years of Nazi German occupation as it marks 83 years since the start of World War II. ... Germany’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday the government’s position remains “unchanged” in that “the question of reparations is concluded.”
“Poland long ago, in 1953, waived further reparations and has repeatedly confirmed this waiver,” the ministry said in an emailed response to a Associated Press query about the new Polish report.
It is high time for the German government to wake up and to recognize that a war has been launched against its country.
And no. It is not Russia that is waging it.
Posted by b on September 27, 2022 at 12:03 UTC | Permalink
⚡️🇷🇺🇺🇦⚔️ #Donbass Offensive: Situation in Eastern #Ukraine at the End of 26 Sep 2022⚡️
#Kharkov Direction:
▪️ Ukrainian formations have intensified their offensive in eastern Kharkov region to reach the LPR borders.
▪️ North of #Kupyansk, units of the Ukrainian army's 14th Brigade have advanced from the vicinity of #Gorobyevka and #Dvurechnoye in the direction of #Tavolzhanka.
▪️ The enemy advances on #Tavolzhanka from the northwest. For the time being, Ukrainian soldiers have managed to entrench themselves near the railway tracks.
▪️ The AFU command is preparing to storm #Lyman 1st in the forests north of #Kupyansk.
#Lyman Direction:
▪️ Ukrainian formations were able to bypass the AFU bridgehead at #Drobyshevo from the north and extend the frontal breakthrough near #Redkodub, taking control of #Karpovka and #Novoye. #Novoye, together with #Katerinovka, were later recaptured by the 20th Combined Army.
▪️ The village of #Drobyshevo is still controlled by Allied forces.
▪️ The AFU command is moving reinforcements to this area for further access to the #Svatovo-#Borovoye highway. There is fighting north of #Redkodub.
▪️ To the south, clashes continue on the #Drobyshevo - #Shandrigolovo line.
▪️ The enemy in two strike groups attempted to break through Allied defences at #Shandrigolovo from the #Karpovka side, but suffered losses in equipment and manpower before retreating to their initial positions.
▪️ New attempts by the Ukrainian army to storm #Lyman from #Ozernoye and #Shchurovo were also unsuccessful.
▪️ The Russian command's objective is to try to stall the enemy's advance and buy time to strengthen the defences in this area.
#Bakhmut (#Artemovsk) Direction:
▪️ The Wagner PMC assault units were able to enter #Otradovka from the east and cut off the southern part of the village from the enemy. The storming of an AFU stronghold on the #Artemovsk-#Mayorsk highway near #Nikolaevka continues.
▪️ Wagner units have taken up positions along the southern outskirts of #Zaitsevo and advanced deep into the private sector of the south-eastern part of the village. Soldiers are also advancing towards #Zaitsevo from the direction of the Donbass substation.
▪️ The combined action of Russian units in this section of the front will allow reaching #Bakhmut from the south, east and north for its subsequent assault from several directions.
#Lugansk Region:
▪️ In the Luhansk People's Republic, the enemy shelled Rubezhnoye, Alchevsk, Travnevoe and Starobelsk, with civilian infrastructure damaged in the localities.
#Donetsk Direction:
▪️ Ukrainian units of the 56 Brigade and 79 Brigade attempted to storm allied positions in #Maryinka, but after coming under heavy artillery fire, retreated.
▪️ In the #Ugledar sector, the enemy is preparing to storm Allied positions in #Prechistovka for further access to the #Pavlovka-#Blagoveshchenka line.
#Zaporozhye Direction:
▪️ Ukrainian formations are preparing for an offensive against Russian Forces´ positions- Reinforcements from mobilised civilians have arrived at the 102nd Territorial Defense Brigade´s location in #Vozdvizhenka. Several dozen enemy troops have been moved to the #Gulyaypol area.
▪️ The Ukrainian command probably launched a disinformation campaign on the state of the AFU forces in the area in order to lure the Russian Forces into an offensive on prepared and targeted positions.
▪️ Russian Forces launched missile and artillery strikes on the AFU command post in #Gulyaypol and the location of the 3rd company of the 65th Brigade in Verhnyaya Tersa.
#KrivoyRog Direction:
▪️ There are no changes in this section of the front, but the AFU is pulling reinforcements to the #Petrovka and #Vysokopolye area.
▪️ Ukrainian SRGs are operating near #Arkhangelskoye.
@Slavyangrad/@rybar/#SMO/ t.me/SLG_MAPS/149
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[Forwarded from MoD Russia]
⚡️ Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine (September 27, 2022)
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.
💥 Attack launched by Russian Aerospace Forces has resulted in the elimination of up to 100 militants from 9th Special Regiment 'Gepard' of Ukrainian National Guard, as well as of over 50 foreign mercenaries in Zaporozhye.
💥 High-precision attack of Russian Aerospace Forces has resulted in the neutralisation of a provisional base of the units from 59th Mechanised Infantry Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in the industrial area of Nikolayev.
◽️ Up to 50 Ukrainian servicemen and 5 units of military equipment have been eliminated.
💥 Massive attack launched at a provisional base of 81st Airmobile Brigade of the AFU near Konstantinovka (Donetsk People's Republic) has resulted in the elimination of over 150 Ukrainian servicemen.
💥 Operational-tactical and army aviation, missile troops and artillery have neutralised 6 AFU command posts near Shchurovo, Soledar, Bakhmutskoye, Verkhnekamenskoye, Artyomovsk (Donetsk People's Republic) and Sukhoy Stavok (Kherson region), as well as 62 artillery units, 184 manpower and military equipment concentration areas.
◽️ The list of the destroyed targets includes 3 missile, artillery armament and munitions weapons near Monachinovka, Kupyansk (Kharkov region) and Brusin (Donetsk People's Republic).
◽️ 1 control station for Bayraktar UAVs has been destroyed near Lozovatka (Dnepropetrovsk region).
💥 Fighter aviation of Russian Aerospace Forces has shot down 2 MiG-29 airplanes of Ukrainian Air Force ear Osokorovka and Rozovka (Kherson region).
💥 Air defence facilities have shot down 7 unmanned aerial vehicles near Pershotravnevoye (Kharkov region), Charivnoye and Petrovskoye (Kherson region), Valeryanovka and Novoandreyevka (Donetsk People's Republic).
◽️ Moreover, 1 Tochka-U tactical missile has been destroyed in air near Kupyansk (Kharkov region), as well as 17 projectiles launched by HIMARS multiple rocket-launching systems near Kherson, Otradokamenka, Novaya Kakhovka, Mikhaylovka (Kherson region) and Kupyansk (Kharkov region).
📊 In total, 304 airplanes and 155 helicopters, 2,094 unmanned aerial vehicles, 377 air defence missile systems, 5,118 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 847 combat vehicles equipped with MRLS, 3,423 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 5,909 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
#MoD #Russia #Ukraine
@mod_russia_en
⚡️🇷🇺🇺🇦⚔️ Situation in the #Lyman Section at 13:00 on 27 Sep 2022⚡️
▪️ Allied Forces repulse attacks on #Lyman from the direction of #Ozernoye and #Shchurovo.
▪️ An AFU company is entrenched in the village of #Novoye. From a bridgehead at #Redkodub - #Novoye, AFU units attempt to build on their success and move towards Zelonaya Dolina village and the Zherebets River to encircle the Russian Lyman grouping from the north and reach the rear of the troops defending #Lyman town.
▪️ On the western flank, the BARS-13 Army Reserve unit successfully repelled all enemy attacks on #Novoselovka, #Drobyshevo and #Shandrigolovo.
▪️ East of #Lyman, AFU units set up several pontoon crossings between Krivaya Luka and #Belogorovka, established a bridgehead on the northern bank of the Seversky Donets, moved equipment to the bridgehead and began preparations for an active offensive against Allied positions in this area.
▪️ Enemy mobile reconnaissance teams on light armoured vehicles carried out reconnaissance combat reconnaissance of the Russian Armed Forces' positions in #Yampol, #Torskoye. The #Kremennaya-#Lyman road is shot through and unsafe.
▪️ The last safe supply route for the Lyman group of troops runs along the Svatovo-Makeevka-Terny-Lyman road. The route is under threat of blockade by the AFU from both the west from #Novoye and from the south from Seversky Donets.
@Slavyangrad/@rybar/#SMO/ t.me/SLG_MAPS/150
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⚡️🇷🇺🇺🇦⚔️ YURI - Battles for #Lyman as of 12:00 on 27 Sep 2022 - The enemy continues to attack the town, from the West, South and North⚡️
The situation near Krasny #Lyman continues to escalate. Last night the Ukrainian armed forces built several pontoon crossings over the Seversky Donets near #Serebryanka village and began to consolidate their hold on the bridgehead on the northern bank of the river.
The goal is obvious, to stretch our forces as much as possible and make them simply not enough to cover all directions, thus ending the battles for #Lyman in their favor.
At the same time there are attacks from the "gut" north of the town. According to the information I have in the morning, the enemy with its reconnaissance group occupied #Stepnoye village and tries to fortify in #Novoye village in order to deliver a joint strike with the Silver grouping on the basis of these positions and thus surround #Lyman, or force the city garrison, which heroically repelled all its attacks, to retreat to LPR territory near #Kremennaya.
In other words, the climax of fighting here has not yet come, and the danger to #Lyman has not been removed, but on the contrary is intensifying.
@Slavyangrad/ t.me/yurasumy/5137 /
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⚡️🇷🇺🇺🇦⚔️ What do Foreigners think of the Partial Mobilisation in Russia⚡️
Foreign Telegram was not too surprised by the announcement of a partial mobilisation in Russia. According to most bloggers and journalists, on the contrary, it is surprising that it has not taken so long while Kiev has already carried out four waves of general mobilisation. The mainstream media, on the other hand, actively promotes Ukrainian stories of "mass fleeing" from Russia and the instant dispatch of mobilised people to the frontline.
▪️ Briton iEarlGrey (https://t.me/iEarlGreyTV/2997), who moved to Russia, and Spanish journalist Liu Sivaya (https://t.me/liusivaya/1505) ironically comment on the news about mobilisation fugitives that filled the pages of Western publications. According to Liu, it's a great topic to distract citizens from utility bills and shop prices.
▪️ The French from ActualiteFR (https://t.me/actualiteFR/18240) drew attention to the problems with the conscription campaign, noting that the swift response of the independent press and the Russian telegram community had corrected the mistakes of the first days and would help to fine-tune the mobilisation process. And at the same time, they regretted that the French press does not have anywhere near the same influence on the socio-political agenda.
▪️ Former US military officer and journalist Brian Berletic (https://t.me/brianlovethailand/834) questions the claims of Western speakers who believe that mobilisers should be trained for 3 months before being sent to the front and that a training period of two weeks is supposedly a gesture of "desperation". In his view, 3 months is the duration of basic training for a US Marine and two weeks is enough to recall skills.
▪️ The authors of ASB Military News (https://t.me/asbmil/5645) expect mobilised units to take care of securing Russia's newly formed borders and frontline area to free the hands of a professional army that will concentrate on the offensive.
▪️ The CIG channel (https://t.me/CIG_telegram/23324) emphasises that the mobilisation will require additional military-industrial capacities and a rearrangement of logistics, which has clearly not been ready for a manpower-intensive war since the Soviet era.
▪️ According to military expert Scott Ritter (https://t.me/ScottRitter/381), with the mobilisation and referendums the objectives of the Russian operation are being expanded, its goal now being the complete defeat of Ukraine with the liberation of Odessa and Kharkov at the very least. However, it will be a long time before Russia consolidates its forces through reinforcements to achieve it.
▪️ The authors of the French channel (https://t.me/terrabellum/656)Terra Bellum (https://t.me/terrabellum/656) agree with him. They believe that the word "special operation" will gradually change its meaning once the political background for the conflict, which will actually take place on Russian territory, changes. But to develop an effective offensive, Russian troops are likely to establish an echelonised defence on the borders, similar to the one that was created near Kherson, and then move on to active operations.
▪️ The channel @rocknrollgeopolitics expressed an idea (https://t.me/rocknrollgeopolitics/4815) that many Western experts agree with: 300,000 soldiers will be enough for an offensive on Odessa, but hardly enough to liberate Kiev and hold a 1,000 km front. And so new mobilisations will follow.
The main thing is that this process should take place in conjunction with strikes on Ukraine's strategic infrastructure - then there is a chance to win this war with fewer losses.
@Slavyangrad/ t.me/rybar/39412 /
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‼️🇺🇺🇦 Heavy fighting: the enemy is throwing large forces at Krasny Liman
Data from ours from the field:
▪️The enemy continues to throw troops into attacks in different parts of the front at Liman, trying to cut off our grouping.
▪️An AFU assault company supported by a BMP attempted to break through the defences on the eastern side of Liman. Meeting fierce resistance from our fighters, the Nazis lost 3 BMPs and 2 pickups, the remnants retreated to Dibrovo without even taking with them the wounded and bodies of those killed.
▪️ Near Drobyshevo and Novoselovka, five attempts at infiltration by Ukrainian DRGs were prevented. Novoselovka itself was practically wiped out and the main forces withdrew from it.
▪️ The Ukrainian Armed Forces are attempting an offensive from Ozernoye and Shchurovo.
▪️ A militant group entrenched in the area of Novoye, from where enemy forces are attempting to advance towards Zelenaya Dolina.
▪️The enemy continuously attacks Drobyshevo, using artillery and helicopters, the enemy attacks are repelled by Bars-13 (Russian Legion) and units of the 40th Army.
▪️Tough battles in the Shandrigolov area, the enemy was able to advance here.
▪️ The Ukrainian Armed Forces are trying to cut off the Liman grouping's supply lines, striking along the Svatovo-Kreminna route.
▪️Our forces are moving reinforcements and actively working with artillery.
▪️The Russian air force continues to strike the enemy.
▪️The AFU reconnaissance teams are working in the areas of Yampol and Torskoye.
Also the timing, as sort a response to the enlargement of Russia, speaks to the likely culpability of this US of lies and Arrogance.
This makes me so sad, as I sit by the sea, to know all the aquatic life that now suffers because of US that pretends to care about the planet sometimes
It's making sense now:
Soaring natural gas prices are prompting European companies to move their manufacturing operations to the US https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/europe-natural-gas-prices-energy-crisis-manufacturing-work-shift-us-2022-9
Also the timing, as sort a response to the enlargement of Russia, speaks to the likely culpability of this US of lies and Arrogance.
This makes me so sad, as I sit by the sea, to know all the aquatic life that now suffers because of US that pretends to care about the planet sometimes