Ukraine conflict showed flaws in NATO's eastward push
"As NATO attempts to foment conflict and expand eastward, it has proven incapable of effectively producing enough weapons for its own defense, let alone that of Ukraine. NATO was designed for a non-defensive forward operating posture, it is currently under-equipped, it is very expensive, and it is increasingly demographically, fiscally and politically unsustainable for the US or most European countries," retired US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Karen Kwiatkowski told Sputnik.
The Ukraine conflict has exposed NATO's vulnerabilities, as Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a Defense Ministry meeting on December 19.
According to Kwiatkowski, Putin's idea of the transatlantic bloc's aggressive stance and Russia's readiness to deal with it sends a serious message to the West.
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"As NATO attempts to foment conflict and expand eastward, it has proven incapable of effectively producing enough weapons for its own defense, let alone that of Ukraine. NATO was designed for a non-defensive forward operating posture, it is currently under-equipped, it is very expensive, and it is increasingly demographically, fiscally and politically unsustainable for the US or most European countries," retired US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Karen Kwiatkowski told Sputnik.
The Ukraine conflict has exposed NATO's vulnerabilities, as Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a Defense Ministry meeting on December 19.
According to Kwiatkowski, Putin's idea of the transatlantic bloc's aggressive stance and Russia's readiness to deal with it sends a serious message to the West.
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2024 Republican primary ballot riot
Vivek Ramaswamy called on presidential candidates to refuse to participate in the primary following the Colorado Supreme Court's disqualification of Donald Trump from the 2024 Republican primary ballot.
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Vivek Ramaswamy called on presidential candidates to refuse to participate in the primary following the Colorado Supreme Court's disqualification of Donald Trump from the 2024 Republican primary ballot.
"I pledge to withdraw from the Colorado GOP primary ballot until Trump is also allowed to be on the ballot, and I demand that Ron DeSantis, Chris Christie, and Nikki Haley do the same immediately - or else they are tacitly endorsing this illegal maneuver which will have disastrous consequences for our country," Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy asserted.
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❗️Iran's Foreign Minister met with head of Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh
The Iranian FM arrived in Doha, where he will discuss the current situation in the Gaza Strip.
Abdollahian will hold a series of consultations with Qatari officials, reports Al Jazeera.
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The Iranian FM arrived in Doha, where he will discuss the current situation in the Gaza Strip.
Abdollahian will hold a series of consultations with Qatari officials, reports Al Jazeera.
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Media is too big
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❗️EXCLUSIVE❗️
A Vietnam War veteran told Sputnik about the use of a Gatling gun capable of firing Depleted Uranium munitions in the US
👉 Check out Sputnik's article to find out more
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A Vietnam War veteran told Sputnik about the use of a Gatling gun capable of firing Depleted Uranium munitions in the US
"And with DU, we knew about it and we were trained and prepared for it... I know the planes were capable of using it [depleted uranium]. They had a Gatling gun, a 20-millimetre gun, that could fire DU rounds... And the pilots trained with it on ranges here in the United States," Robert Anderson told Sputnik.
👉 Check out Sputnik's article to find out more
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❗️Russia's CEC (Central Election Commission) has received applications from 16 presidential candidates.
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🇸🇰🇨🇿Slovakia and Czech Republic seek to continue receiving Russian oil via Druzhba pipeline - Transneft
He noted that the Czech Republic has the opportunity to receive small amounts of oil through an oil pipeline from Europe. "But in general, they simply cannot exist without our oil," Tokarev stressed.
The Kremlin, in turn, has repeatedly said that anti-Russian sanctions are hitting the EU itself.
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"Both the Czech Republic and Slovakia have now appealed to Brussels with a request to maintain these volumes of Russian oil supplies, because they really do not have access to the sea, they do not have the opportunity to receive oil from other sources," Transneft President Nikolay Tokarev stated.
He noted that the Czech Republic has the opportunity to receive small amounts of oil through an oil pipeline from Europe. "But in general, they simply cannot exist without our oil," Tokarev stressed.
The Kremlin, in turn, has repeatedly said that anti-Russian sanctions are hitting the EU itself.
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Western media coverage of Zelensky's press conference
The Guardian:
Volodymyr Zelensky sought to boost the domestic mood in Ukraine and maintain western support that has been stuttering in recent weeks in an end-of-year press conference
Washington Post:
Zelensky seemed to recognize that connoscripting an additional half-million soldiers would be difficult to sell to a war-weary Ukrainian public.
New York Times:
At times during his news conference, he betrayed flashes of anger, lashing out at one reporter who questioned why he had not formed a national unity government with opposition parties.
CNN:
Ukrainian President Zelensky ends 2023 with a news conference amid failure to secure additional aid. Zelensky hosts end-of-year press conference amid criticism.
France 24:
Ukraine's President Zelensky says 'no one knows' when war will end. By contrast, Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed victory and said during a meeting with defence officials on Tuesday that society had rallied behind the war effort.
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The Guardian:
Volodymyr Zelensky sought to boost the domestic mood in Ukraine and maintain western support that has been stuttering in recent weeks in an end-of-year press conference
Washington Post:
Zelensky seemed to recognize that connoscripting an additional half-million soldiers would be difficult to sell to a war-weary Ukrainian public.
New York Times:
At times during his news conference, he betrayed flashes of anger, lashing out at one reporter who questioned why he had not formed a national unity government with opposition parties.
CNN:
Ukrainian President Zelensky ends 2023 with a news conference amid failure to secure additional aid. Zelensky hosts end-of-year press conference amid criticism.
France 24:
Ukraine's President Zelensky says 'no one knows' when war will end. By contrast, Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed victory and said during a meeting with defence officials on Tuesday that society had rallied behind the war effort.
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📹 The gunners with a howitzer, which was named "Natasha" in honor of the commander's wife, destroyed command posts and infantry of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kupyansk region, the Ministry of Defense reported.
According to the crew, "Natasha" always hits the target.
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According to the crew, "Natasha" always hits the target.
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Reporters Without Borders (RSF) refused to comment to Sputnik on why its military correspondent Rostislav Zhuravlev and Rossiya 24 TV channel correspondent Boris Maksudov were not included in the list of journalists killed in Ukraine in 2023, citing "editorial policy."
When asked what kind of media she was referring to, Garcia simply ignored the question and ended the call by hanging up.
Zhuravlev was killed by a Ukrainian cluster bomb attack in the Zaporozhye region in late July. Maksudov was injured in a targeted Ukrainian drone attack on journalists in the Zaporozhye region on November 22 and died of his wounds the following day.
However, according to RSF's annual report, only 11 journalists have been killed in Ukraine since the conflict began in February 2022, with two of them - Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalist Arman Soldin and Ukrainian journalist Bohdan Bitik - killed in 2023 alone.
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"We do not comment on this type of media. It is against our editorial policy," the RSF spokeswoman told Sputnik in a telephone conversation.
When asked what kind of media she was referring to, Garcia simply ignored the question and ended the call by hanging up.
Zhuravlev was killed by a Ukrainian cluster bomb attack in the Zaporozhye region in late July. Maksudov was injured in a targeted Ukrainian drone attack on journalists in the Zaporozhye region on November 22 and died of his wounds the following day.
However, according to RSF's annual report, only 11 journalists have been killed in Ukraine since the conflict began in February 2022, with two of them - Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalist Arman Soldin and Ukrainian journalist Bohdan Bitik - killed in 2023 alone.
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📹 Vladimir Putin: Ukraine, with the support of foreign intelligence services, has embarked on the path of terror
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"These are attacks on civilian transport and energy infrastructure facilities, terrorist attacks against civilians, representatives of the authorities and public figures," Putin said.
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EXPOSED: American merc eliminated in Ukraine near Avdeevka
Ethan Hertweck from California, a 21-year-old, ex-US Marine serving as a mercenary for the Ukrainian army, was neutralized in the area of Avdeevka on Tuesday, Sputnik has learned. This information was confirmed by his mother via social media (photo 1).
He came to Ukraine as an instructor with the Trident Defense Initiative (a private military group based in Ukraine) in mid-2023 (photo 2). Subsequently, he started performing missions as a part of the 131st Recon Battalion called Vidmak or "the witcher" in Ukrainian (photo 3).
In August last year, Ethan allegedly made derogatory comments about Russian soldiers and mocked anti-mercenary chat groups on Telegram (see photos 4 and 5). He also attempted to hide his American identity (see photo 6).
His mother is now requesting donations through social media to cover the expenses of repatriating his body and organizing a funeral in Ukraine (see photo 7). Additionally, the mercenary's family is actively seeking coverage from local media outlets, portraying Ethan as a 'hero' (see photo 8).
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Ethan Hertweck from California, a 21-year-old, ex-US Marine serving as a mercenary for the Ukrainian army, was neutralized in the area of Avdeevka on Tuesday, Sputnik has learned. This information was confirmed by his mother via social media (photo 1).
He came to Ukraine as an instructor with the Trident Defense Initiative (a private military group based in Ukraine) in mid-2023 (photo 2). Subsequently, he started performing missions as a part of the 131st Recon Battalion called Vidmak or "the witcher" in Ukrainian (photo 3).
In August last year, Ethan allegedly made derogatory comments about Russian soldiers and mocked anti-mercenary chat groups on Telegram (see photos 4 and 5). He also attempted to hide his American identity (see photo 6).
His mother is now requesting donations through social media to cover the expenses of repatriating his body and organizing a funeral in Ukraine (see photo 7). Additionally, the mercenary's family is actively seeking coverage from local media outlets, portraying Ethan as a 'hero' (see photo 8).
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"I am confident that the US will not betray us," Zelensky says about sending to Kiev more US taxpayers money.
At the year-end press conference, the Ukrainian president expressed his full confidence in their closest ally - Joe Biden.
🤔 But what is Biden saying about this?
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At the year-end press conference, the Ukrainian president expressed his full confidence in their closest ally - Joe Biden.
🤔 But what is Biden saying about this?
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WATCH LIVE: Vladimir Putin holds meeting with Russian Council of Legislators
👉 Follow the live here or on Sputnik's website
👉 Follow the live here or on Sputnik's website
Sputnik International
Putin Holds Meeting With Russian Council of Legislators
Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a meeting with the Council of Legislators of the Russian Federation on December 20.
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