December 31, 2014

Oliver Stone agrees: The Maidan Square riots were just another CIA coup.

Some of us have been suggesting all along that the violent riots in Kiev which led to President Yanokovich being forced from office were stage-managed by our country's intelligence agencies. Now noted film maker, Oliver Stone, has reached the same conclusion. Perhaps when the documentary he's currently working on is released a few more will begin to see how they have been fooled by our own government's lies and propaganda?

Protesters build a barricade on February 21, 2014 at the Independence Square in Kiev (AFP)


'CIA fingerprints’ all over Kiev massacre – Oliver Stone


The armed coup in Kiev is painfully similar to CIA operations to oust unwanted foreign leaders in Iran, Chile and Venezuela, said US filmmaker Oliver Stone after interviewing Ukraine’s ousted president for a documentary. Stone spent four hours in Moscow talking to Viktor Yanukovich, who was deposed from power during the February 2014 coup, the filmmaker wrote on his Facebook page.

“Details to follow in the documentary, but it seems clear that the so-called ‘shooters’ who killed 14 police men, wounded some 85, and killed 45 protesting civilians, were outside third party agitators,” he said. “Many witnesses, including Yanukovych and police officials, believe these foreign elements were introduced by pro-Western factions – with CIA fingerprints on it.” The filmmaker added that the events in Kiev, which led to collapse of the Ukrainian government and imposition of a new one hostile towards Russia, were similar to those in other countries, which he called “America’s soft power technique called ‘Regime Change 101’.”

Historically those were CIA-perpetrated coups against Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh in 1953 and Chilean President Salvador Allende in 1973 – both leaders with policies undesired by Washington or its allies. More recently there was the 2002 coup in Venezuela, where President Hugo Chavez was briefly deposed “after pro and anti-Chavez demonstrators were fired upon by mysterious shooters in office buildings” and the anti-government protests against Chavez’s successor Nicolas Maduro, which “was almost toppled by violence aimed at anti-Maduro protestors,” as Stone put it.

“A dirty story through and through, but in the tragic aftermath of this coup, the West has maintained the dominant narrative of ‘Russia in Crimea’ whereas the true narrative is ‘USA in Ukraine.’ The truth is not being aired in the West,” Stone wrote. “It’s a surreal perversion of history that’s going on once again, as in Bush pre-Iraq ‘WMD’ campaign. But I believe the truth will finally come out in the West, I hope, in time to stop further insanity.”


(snip)

Read more, and view videos of Maidan riots, at: http://rt.com/news/218899-stone-kiev-massacre-cia/

December 31, 2014

Conflicting reports of radiation leaks at troubled Ukrainian nuclear plant.

According to official web site statements, everything is just fine at Europe's largest nuclear power plant, in southeastern Ukraine. However, documents have surfaced which raise serious doubts about those rosy claims.

Zaporozhye nuclear plant.


Radioactive leak at major Ukrainian nuclear plant – report.


A radioactive leak has been detected at Ukraine’s Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, the largest in Europe, a media report says, citing the country’s emergency services. Ukrainian officials have denied the report. LifeNews published what it claims is a leaked report by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, which denies an earlier assessment by the plant’s authorities that the radiation at the facility is equal to the natural background following an incident on Sunday. RT is trying to verify the report.

Ukrainian authorities have denied the Russian media report that a radioactive leak had taken place at the plant, Reuters reported. "The plant works normally, there have been no accidents," an energy ministry official told the news agency. No official comment on whether the leaked documents are authentic has been provided.

Two documents released by LifeNews appear to show that the plant's officials put deliberately misleading information on their website. The documents – both addressed to the head of the regional emergency services – state that radiation levels at the plant on Sunday and Monday were 16.8 times higher than the legally permitted norm.

By Monday, the levels had slightly increased – growing from 16.3 to 16.8 times higher, and Unit 6 was still shut down, the report said, contradicting the plant's statements that the problem had been fixed and that the plant was operating normally.

(snip)

Read more at: http://rt.com/news/218807-ukraine-nuclear-plant-leak/

December 30, 2014

Arabs endorse Palestinian U.N. draft urging end of Israel occupation.

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - Arab U.N. delegations on Monday endorsed a Palestinian proposal to forge a peace deal with Israel within a year and end Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories by late 2017, despite fierce Israeli and U.S. opposition. The timing for a U.N. vote on a measure that faces almost certain defeat is unclear.

Several Western council diplomats told Reuters they had been surprised by the Palestinians' sudden push to submit a final draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council on Monday and put it to a vote on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Jordanian U.N. Ambassador Dina Kawar, the sole Arab representative on the council, told reporters all 22 Arab delegations endorsed the Palestinian proposal, and the Jordanians and Palestinians would consult immediately on "the best time to cast the vote in the Security Council." When asked if the vote could be delayed until next year, she said, "Everything is possible." Kawar previously said she would like a resolution that was backed by all 15 council members including the United States. A U.S. State Department spokesman said the Palestinian draft resolution was not constructive and failed to address Israel's security needs.

Nine Security Council votes are needed to adopt a resolution, which would then force the United States, Israel's closest ally, to decide whether to veto it. Washington would be expected to vote against it, diplomats say.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/29/us-mideast-israel-palestinians-idUSKBN0K70J020141229

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Mention of a delay until early next year is of particular importance since five allies of the United States will end their two year terms on the Security Council then. They will be replaced by five nations who are far more likely to vote in favor of the Palestinian resolution. The United States would then be forced to use its veto, angering a number of Arab and Muslim countries who may respond by leaving our coalition fighting the Islamic State forces in Syria and Iraq.

December 29, 2014

Time to mend fences with Russian Federation say European leaders.

Our MIC war-mongers and Wall Street greedheads may have to gradually give up their cherished plans to bring Ukraine, Russia, and, one imagines, the entire central Euro-Asian land mass under our neo-Imperial hegemony. Creating a uni-polar World Order isn't turning out to be quite as simple as some Second America Century types seem to have thought it would be.

European Union Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini (Reuters)


West wants to end confrontation with Russia over Ukraine – EU foreign policy chief


Western powers want to find common ground with Russia and end their confrontational approach over Ukraine, the EU's foreign policy chief told Italian media. She denied that the EU differs from the US in its position towards dealing with the crisis. Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, identified Ukraine as one of the top conflicts worrying Europe, especially regarding its impact on the eurozone’s relations with Russia.

During an interview with Italy's la Repubblica newspaper, Mogherini suggested opening up direct dialogue with Moscow. “On the one hand, we should strengthen our support for Ukraine, where the internal economic situation could very quickly become very serious. And, on the other hand, we should begin a direct debate with Moscow on our relations and the role Russia could play in other scenarios of the crisis,” Mogherini said. “Even in Kiev everyone asks the question of how the conflict could be brought to an end,” the official added, saying that the situation is “very difficult for Russia.” She added that it is in Moscow’s interest to “cooperate.”

At the same time, Mogherini rejected the idea that the EU’s position on the crisis differs from that of the US. “It is not true that there is a soft Europe stance, which opposes the US hardline position. On the contrary, the latest data shows that trade between Russia and Europe is declining, while trade between Russia and the US is increasing.” Mogherini said that Washington's views on Russia match those of Europe, adding that “everyone wants to get out of the logic of confrontation.” The EU foreign policy chief also identified situations in the Middle East and Libya as major concerns for Europe, pointing out that Russia plays a significant role on the international arena and could help to resolve those conflicts. “We all know Russia plays an important role not only in Ukraine, but also in Syria, Iran, the Middle East, Libya."

Meanwhile, Austrian President Heinz Fischer warned against intensifying sanctions against Russia, calling the move “unwise and harmful” in an interview to Wirtschaftsblatt newspaper. The approach that more and more sanctions should be implemented against Russia until it is “weak enough” to forcefully accept the EU’s own “political objectives” is a mistake, according to Fischer. “I support those who say that we have reached a stage where...the imposition of new sanctions against Russia will continue to hinder its development, but will not bring us closer to an amicable solution,” Fischer said, adding that it will only create a deeper rift.

(snip)



Read more at: http://rt.com/news/218271-eu-confrontation-ukraine-russia/

December 28, 2014

Should an unstable, bankrupt country operate nuclear power plants.

Ukraine currently relies on nuclear instalations for about half of its electrical power. With coal fired plants now unable to find enough fuel, those electricity producing nuke plants are more important than they have ever been; however, the aging reactors are beginning to suffer costly breakdowns, such as those described in the following article.

Zaporizhia, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, is in southeast Ukraine on the banks of the Dnieper River.


Emergency shutdown at Ukraine’s largest nuclear power plant


One of the reactors at the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant has automatically shut down after a glitch. This is the second halt in operations in recent weeks at the plant in Ukraine’s southeast, which covers at least one fifth of the country’s power needs. “Unit 6 at Zaporizhzhya NPP was disconnected from the network by the automatic system that prevents damage to the generator. The reactor is running at 40 percent of nominal power,” the plant’s official website says stressing that radiation at the facility is equal to the natural background, which is 8-12 microroentgen/hour.

This accident took place on Sunday morning at 05:59 am local time (03:59 GMT). Causes are still being investigated, while the Energy Ministry hopes to restart the unit in the coming days. The remaining five reactors continue to generate an estimated 4,530 MW. The previous incident at Zaporizhia NPP happened on November 28, but the fact went public five days later, when Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk revealed it during the first session of his new cabinet. At that time the shutdown was caused by a short circuit. As a result, Unit 3 was switched off and put into maintenance to resume operations on December 5.

Zaporizhia is the largest nuclear power plant not only in Ukraine, but also in Europe and also the fifth largest NPP in the world. It is on the bank of the Kakhovka water reservoir on the Dnieper River, some 200 kilometers from the rebel Donetsk region. Ukraine’s four nuclear power plants constitute a huge part of the country's energy system. Fifteen nuclear reactors produce at least 50 percent (over 13 megawatt) of all electric power in Ukraine. Zaporizhia NPP alone produces up to 22 percent of all electricity generated in the country. Two Zaporizhia NPP reactors are to be decommissioned for complete overhaul in February 2015 having operated for 30 years. Unit 1 will be out for maintenance for 129 days.

The new accident at Zaporizhia NPP might deteriorate the catastrophic energy shortage Ukraine is currently witnessing, as its fossil power plants have run out of coal. National energy company Ukrenergo has launched emergency power cuts all over the country to help sustain energy. Consumers are experiencing blackouts that last for hours every day. Ukrainian enterprises are forced to limit their energy consumption and to switch to night production. Kiev authorities have been refusing to buy coal from the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, as they don’t want “to sponsor” the rebels, and instead turned to other countries. Those attempts were unsuccessful due to general inability to pay or the fact that the supplied coal didn’t fit Ukraine’s energy production.

(snip)

Read more, and watch related video, at: http://rt.com/news/218199-ukraine-nuclear-reactor-shut/

December 28, 2014

Russian Proton-M rocket takes European satellite safely into orbit.

Commentary is in English:

December 28, 2014

Russia's sends gift to Ukraine in honor of the New Year.

Russia President, Vladimir Putin, is lifting the conditions on coal and electrical power supplies to Ukraine as a good will gesture to honor the New Year. The government will not be required to pay in advance for these energy supplies, as has been the situation since Kiev fell so far behind in it's payments for earlier deliveries.

The Russian President is doing something very generous for millions of people who are in real need this Winter. He is doing this despite the fact that some of those same needy people like to shout publicly how much they hate him. I wonder if our American President will do anything of the same value and good will in return?

A rotary dredge works on the coal face of the Borodinsky opencast colliery, near the Siberian town of Borodino, east of Krasnoyarsk (Reuters)


Moscow to supply coal, electricity to Ukraine without repayment.


Russia will supply coal and electricity to Ukraine without prepayment, Vladimir Putin's spokesman said. Ukraine is trying to cope with energy problems amid an ongoing crisis in the industrial east. This proves the president’s political goodwill and support, “particularly before New Year,” said presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Saturday, as quoted by TASS. “Against all the odds as President Putin said earlier in the hard times he had never given up the consistent policy towards supporting the Ukrainian people and providing real and not eventual support, due to the critical energy situation Putin took a decision on such supplies regardless the absence of prepayment, which is the condition of making them,” he added.

Moscow will supply 500,000 tonnes of coal to Ukraine per month, according to Russian Vice-Premier Dmitry Kozak. "If an additional corresponding agreement may be reached, we're ready to supply another 500,000 tonnes, totally 1 million tonnes of coal, to Ukraine in order to help it solve energy problems," Kozak told Rossiya24 TV channel. He added that energy carriers will be supplied to Ukraine on easy terms. However, the amount of electricity planned to be transferred to Ukraine is unclear.

The decision comes in response to Ukraine’s request, he said. Previously, Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko ordered the Energy Ministry to discuss the supply issue with Russia. Earlier on Saturday, the Ukrainian Regional Development Ministry said on its website that Kiev will begin receiving Russian coal without prepayment, citing the presidential press service. However, the ministry's spokeswoman, Nadezhda Petruniak, later said that the website had been hacked and the ministry did not have any information about energy supplies from third countries. Kozak expressed hope that Russia’s decision will help ensure reliable energy supplies to Crimea. On Friday, Ukraine again fully ceased electric power supplies to Crimea without any notification, said Crimea's fuel and energy minister, Sergey Yegorov. Power cuts started on Wednesday.

Though Crimea joined Russia in March, it is still dependent on power supplies from Ukraine. It is suffering from supply disruptions due to a production deficit in Ukraine. Ukraine is experiencing a shortage of gas and coal for public utilities such as heating and electricity. The gas shortage was prompted by Ukraine’s debt to Russia, while the lack of coal is related to military operations in the Donetsk Basin, which houses most of the country's coal mines.

(snip)

Read more at: http://rt.com/business/218103-russia-coal-electricity-ukraine/

December 24, 2014

Witness claims Ukrainian jet shot down MH17 by mistake.

December 24, 2014

Witness to fighter pilot's comments after airliner's destruction passes lie detector test.

The eyewitness who claims to have overheard a Ukrainian fighter pilot speak about shooting down the, "wrong plane," immediately after Malaysian airliner MH17 was destroyed over eastern Ukraine has passed a lie detector test concerning his comments.

Once again, allow me to caution those of you who seem determinedly unwilling to even consider this evidence with an open mind. I suggest you stop reading now and leave the commenting to those who have constructive replies to add. Thank you.

Emergencies Ministry members walk at the site of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash, MH17, near the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region, July 17, 2014. (Reuters)


Witness account of Ukraine MH17 takedown confirmed by lie detector – investigators


Russia’s Investigative Committee has confirmed the claims by a Ukrainian, who said he witnessed the deployment of a Ukrainian warplane armed with air-to-air missiles on the day the Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was shot down. The interview was conducted on Tuesday, spokesman for the committee Vladimir Markin told the media on Wednesday. This followed a report in a Russian newspaper, in which the Ukrainian citizen, who preferred to remain anonymous, voiced his allegations.

The investigators used a polygraph during the interview, which showed no evidence of the witness lying, he added. “The facts were reported by the witness clearly and with no inconsistencies. The investigators lean towards considering them truthful. A polygraph examination confirmed them too,” the official said.

According to his account, he personally saw the plane piloted by [Ukrainian military pilot] Voloshin armed with R-60 air-to-air missiles,” Markin said. “He added there was no need for such weapons during regular air missions of the Ukrainian Air Forces because the rebel forces had no military aircraft.”

Markin said that the Investigative Committee will continue gathering and analyzing evidence perpetrating to the downing of MH17 and will share the information with the Netherlands-led international probe into the incident, “if they really interested in establishing the truth and send an inquiry.” The witness is likely to be taken into protective custody in Russia because his life may be threatened, Markin said.

(snip)


Read more and view related videos at: http://rt.com/news/217295-mh17-ukraine-military-plane/

December 23, 2014

MH17 was the, "Wrong plane," says Ukrainian fighter pilot after shootdown.

This is fascinating new information, provided by an eye-witness on the Ukrainian military air base from which fighter jets were operating at the time of MH17's destruction. Those of you who still have an open mind and who are interested in finding the truth regarding the tragedy will appreciate this article. Those of you who have closed your minds to additional evidence, or who merely want to continue your endless Russia-bashing should stop reading now, and post your own OPs for such purposes. Thank you.

Journalists look at parts of the Malaysia Airlines plane Flight MH17 as Dutch investigators (unseen) arrive at the crash site near the Grabove village in eastern Ukraine. (AFP Photo)


Russia to probe media reports that Ukraine military shot down MH17


Russia’s Investigative Committee is to investigate a Russian newspaper report alleging that a Ukrainian military jet shot down Malaysian Airlines passenger plane MH17 over the rebel-held eastern part of the country last summer. “The Investigative Committee has taken interest in today’s publication in ‘Komsomolskaya Pravda’ newspaper. Naturally, the information they report citing a Ukrainian citizen is of much interest, since it touches upon the committee’s ongoing criminal investigation into the use of banned weapons and warfare tactics [in Ukraine],” said spokesman Vladimir Markin. “We will get in touch with the newspaper’s editor-in-chief and journalists to establish how genuine this source is and get his contacts for a subsequent interview,” he added.

A witness, who chose to remain anonymous, told Komsomolskaya Pravda (KP) daily that a pilot of a Ukrainian Su-25 fighter jet was behind the MH17 flight downing on July 17. He claimed that the pilot used air-to-air missiles to shoot down the Malaysian Boeing, which he concludes was probably mistaken for a military plane.

“About an hour before the catastrophe, three fighter jets took off [from Dnepropetrovsk]. One of the planes was an Su-25, which was equipped with these kind of [air-to-air] missiles,” the witness told KP in an interview, adding that he was on the airport grounds at the time. Once the surviving pilot got out of the plane, he looked “very frightened.” The Ukrainian pilot’s first words as he got out of the jet were: “Wrong plane,” the alleged witness claimed. Later in the evening that same pilot also reportedly stated: “The plane happened to be in the wrong place at a wrong time.”

While the daily could not immediately verify the interviewee’s claims, its readers soon discovered the allegedly involved pilot – Vladislav Voloshin – is real, and has been awarded for his role in Kiev’s so-called “anti-terrorist operation” in eastern Ukraine.

(snip)

Read more, and view related videos, at: http://rt.com/news/216871-ukraine-military-mh17-report/