Scott Ritter: how Americans fell for Washington’s ‘war racket’

💬 "The American style of war has become little more than a racket, and those who prosecute it racketeers. This is not the relationship between the armed forces and the citizens of America that President Harry Truman envisioned when creating Armed Forces Day back in 1949. We, the people, would do well to reflect on the present state of affairs, and take corrective action, before the original intent of the holiday is lost to us forever," Scott Ritter, a former United Nations weapons inspector and retired US Marine Corps intelligence officer, wrote in his article for Sputnik

Read his article on Sputnik’s website

Russian Deputy FM warns of ‘enormous risks’ of f-16 ‘escalation’ in Ukraine

When asked about the possibility that the Zelensky regime will be given F-16 aircraft on the sidelines of the 31st Assembly of the Council for Foreign and Defense Policy in Moscow Alexander Grushko described Russia’s position:

💬 "We can see that Western countries continue to stick to an escalation scenario, which carries enormous risks for them. In any case, we will take it into account when making plans," Grushko explained, adding that Russia has "all the necessary means to achieve our goals."

On Friday, American media reported that the US intends to greenlight the transfer of F-16 jets to Kiev by European nations. Behind closed doors, US President Joe Biden reportedly endorsed a plan to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets at the G7 summit in Hiroshima on Friday.

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🇷🇺 Putin congratulates Russian forces on liberation of Artemovsk

💬 "Vladimir Putin congratulates the Wagner assault units, as well as all the servicemen of the units of the Russian Armed Forces, who provided them with the necessary support and flank cover, on the completion of the operation to liberate Artemovsk. All distinguished individuals will be presented for state awards," the Kremlin press service said in a statement.

Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that the liberation of the city of Artemovsk had been completed:

💬 "In the Artemovsk tactical direction, as a result of the offensive actions of the Wagner assault units, with the support of artillery and aviation of the Yug Group of Forces, the liberation of the city of Artemovsk was completed," the ministry said in a statement.

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How to Solve South Africa's Energy Crisis & the Part Russia Can Play in Doing It: Activist Explains

South Africa is facing an energy crisis which is getting worse by the day. The country, which has long relied on coal-fired power, is struggling to meet its energy needs, resulting in rolling blackouts and energy rationing for households and businesses. The situation has greatly disrupted the country's economic growth.

Sputnik asked South African nuclear activist Princy Mthombeni to outline what can be done.

👉 Read the full story!

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⚡️ US President Biden announces new US arms, ammunition package for Ukraine

Joe Biden announced a new weapons package for Ukraine during his meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky in Hiroshima, which will include ammunition, artillery, and armored vehicles.

This comes a day after Biden approved a plan to train Ukrainian troops on F-16 fighter jets.

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❗️Scott Ritter told Sputnik that by liberating Artemovsk (Bakhmut) from Ukrainian forces, Russia gained momentum, but the main question is- what’s next?

💬 “War is an extension of politics by other means. And this war can be won only when Russia defines what a political victory is. Bakhmut was a military victory.”

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⚡️ Zelensky confirms Ukrainian forces lost Artemovsk (Bakhmut)

💬 "I think no … For today, Bakhmut is only in our hearts," Zelensky said on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, when asked if the city is still under Kiev's control.

Later, his press service denied that Zelensky confirmed the loss of Artemovsk.

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Russia liberating Artemovsk proves 'Kiev’s strategy has failed’

The liberation of Artemovsk (Bakhmut) shows that the strategy of Kiev's political leadership has failed, because what happened there can and will be blamed directly on Volodymyr Zelensky and his remaining cadre, Retired US Air Force Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski told Sputnik.

The fact that Russian troops proved to be highly successful in expelling the Zelensky regime’s militants from the city points to a “decisive change along the dividing line between Ukraine and Russia”, Kwiatkowski explained. The timing is important here, since it has occurred either during or before the "anticipated" Ukrainian counteroffensive, Kwiatkowski added.

According to the analyst, Zelensky is increasingly behaving “as if he does not understand the reality of the situation”: “With the complete fall of [Artemovsk], Zelensky's usefulness to the West, and to his own people, has suddenly become very limited.”

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🇧🇭🇱🇧 Bahrain returning ambassador to Lebanon

The Bahraini foreign ministry said that the Kingdom had "decided to restore diplomatic representation" at ambassador level in Lebanon to "strengthen the fraternal relations between the two countries."

Saudi Arabia and a number of other Persian Gulf countries announced the withdrawal of their ambassadors from Lebanon for consultations in late October 2021, and gave Lebanese ambassadors 48 hours to leave the respective countries. The decision came amid the scandal caused by the comments of a prominent Lebanese journalist and TV host, George Kordahi, who was later appointed Minister of Information.

Before this appointment, the journalist told Qatari news agency that the war in Yemen was pointless and that the campaign of the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia was an act of aggression, while Ansar Allah rebels (Houthis) were fighting in defense of their country. In early December 2021, Kordahi resigned.

In April 2022, Saudi and Kuwaiti ambassadors returned to Beirut half a year after being recalled from Lebanon.

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📹 Russia's 2S4 Tyulpan heavy mortar system disrupts rotation of Ukrainian troops

The Tyulpan (Tulip) remains the world’s most powerful self-­propelled mortar, with its 240mm caliber projectile having a range of about 20 kilometers (about 12 miles). At such a range, the Russian mortar is capable of obliterating fortified buildings, manpower and armed vehicles of a potential enemy.

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🇮🇪🇬🇧 Sinn Fein clinches majority in Northern Ireland's local government

The Irish nationalist party, Sinn Fein, won a majority of seats in Northern Ireland's local government for the first time in Thursday's elections in the region.

Sinn Fein, which favors Northern Ireland's secession from the United Kingdom, won 30.9% of the vote (a 7.7 percentage point increase from 2019) and the number of seats won by its members rose from 106 to 144. Supporters of unification with Ireland thus have a majority in both local councils and the regional parliament.

The Democratic Unionist Party, which backs unity with the UK, retained its previous position with 122 seats (23.3% of the vote, up from 24.1% four years ago). However, the Social Democratic and Labour Party and the Ulster Unionist Party lost about a third of their mandates.

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🇵🇱🇷🇺 Russian lower house council to weigh measures against Poland on Monday

"The right thing to do would be to ban Poland from profiting from Russia today: to stop Polish trucks from passing through our country. Let them reload goods onto Russian trucks. Our citizens will earn from the shipping. Poland's expenses in this case could be around 8.5 billion euros," State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said on Telegram.

Although Poland owes its statehood to Russia, it has betrayed the historical memory by demolishing World War II monuments to Soviet soldiers and closing Russian schools, the speaker said. The Soviet people spent over $750 billion in today's money for Poland's post-war reconstruction and development, having built over 800 industrial, energy and transport facilities, he added.

Poland should therefore return the territories it acquired after WWII and repay the funds spent on it during and after the war to Russia, Volodin said.

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Leaders of US, S Korea, Japan discuss coordination amid North Korea's 'nuclear threat'

"President Biden met today with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan and President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea in Hiroshima, Japan … The leaders discussed how to take their trilateral cooperation to new heights, including with new coordination in the face of the DPRK's illicit nuclear and missile threats," the White House said.

The three leaders also discussed cooperation on their Indo-Pacific strategies and economic security.

Earlier on Sunday, media reported, citing an unnamed senior US administration official, that Biden invited the Japanese and South Korean leaders to formal tripartite talks in Washington.

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❗️Key points of Joe Biden’s press conference after G7 Summit:

▪️US will continue to provide economic, humanitarian, and security assistance to Ukraine as long as it needs;

▪️US together with allies is going to begin training Ukrainian pilots on fourth generation fighter aircraft, including F-16;

▪️Highly unlikely F-16s would take place in Ukraine's counteroffensive;

▪️Washington is not looking to decouple from China, but wants to derisk and diversify relationship;

▪️US does not expect Taiwan to declare independence, but will continue to put Taiwan in position where they can “defend themselves”;

▪️Relationship with China will begin to thaw very shortly after “silly balloon” incident;

▪️US is not prepared to trade certain items with China;

▪️Default is not an option, US expects all congressional leaders to live up to commitments;

▪️Agreement on raising debt limit can be reached.

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❗️Russian MoD briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:

▪️In the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces destroyed up to 85 Ukrainian troops, two armored combat vehicles, and one Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer;

▪️In the Krasny Liman direction, Russian forces neutralized up to 60 Ukrainian personnel, three armored combat vehicles, as well as one Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer and one D-20 howitzer;

▪️In the Artemovsk direction, the liberation of the city of Artemovsk has been completed. Ukrainian losses amounted to more than 100 servicemen, one tank, an infantry fighting vehicle, a Polish Krab self-propelled howitzer, one Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer, one US-made AN/TPQ-50 counter mortar radar, as well as an ammunition depot. An automobile bridge was destroyed on which UAF reinforcements were transferred to Artemovsk.

▪️In the Donetsk direction, Ukrainian losses amounted to more than 120 servicemen, two infantry fighting vehicles, one US-made M777 artillery system, a US-made M109 self-propelled artillery unit, as well as D-20 and D-30 howitzers;

▪️In the South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, Russian forces destroyed over 50 Ukrainian troops, one US-manufactured M777 artillery system, a Msta-B howitzer, as well as one ammunition depot;

▪️In the Kherson direction, Russian troops neutralized up to 15 Ukrainian servicemen, one Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer, as well as one ammunition depot;

▪️A Ukrainian S-300 anti-aircraft missile system was destroyed in the DPR;

▪️Russian air defenses shot down one US-made GBU-32 guided bomb, 15 Storm Shadow cruise missiles and HIMARS missiles, Uragan projectiles, and 9 unmanned aerial vehicles in the LPR, DPR, and Kharkov region.

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🇬🇧 UK to start training Ukrainian pilots this summer

💬 "We are supporting Ukraine to develop the air force it needs for the future, with the UK training Ukrainian pilots starting this summer," UK PM Rishi Sunak told a press conference on the sidelines of G7 summit in Japan, adding that "we've made a real breakthrough at this summit."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, also attending the G7's summit in Hiroshima, vowed to continue training Ukrainian troops.

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