❗️The shelling was allegedly carried out with a US-supplied HIMARS multiple-launch rocket system, a representative of the Russian Investigative Committee said.

Seven people were killed after Ukrainian shelling of a bakery in Lisichansk. 23 people could still be trapped under the rubble, the military commandant’s office told Sputnik.

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Strikes on Iraq and Syria show US battle against terrorism is a sham

“A lot these militias are probably fighting against ISIS,*” retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel Earl Rasmussen told Sputnik, referring to the militia groups attacked by the US in a series of airstrikes in Iraq and Syria on Saturday morning.

US operations in the Middle East are “not really against ISIS,” Rasmussen stressed. “They say they are, but they’re really not. If you look at them, they’ve supported ISIS indirectly. They’ve protected them. Al-Qaeda* as well. They can’t tell the American public that, but look at the weapons they’re using, the extremist groups, look at the conflict in Syria for many years.”

“Look at the Mujahideen in Afghanistan as well,” the former officer added, referencing to the militia and terrorist group used by the CIA as a proxy against the Soviets in Afghanistan in the 1980s.

“We’ve kind of nurtured extreme groups for years. And actually, you can even look at western Ukraine – the ultra-right neo-fascist groups there, Banderites essentially. We’ve nurtured them since after World War II. Many different classified CIA projects helped that. I think we use ISIS and Al-Qaeda to help maintain instability in the region and our potential influence or justification for us to have a presence there to ‘provide stability’. But in actuality, it just doesn't provide stability.” Rasmussen concluded.

* Terrorist groups outlawed in Russia and other countries.

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US will be made to understand that it can’t support Israel in Gaza without regional blowback

The Biden administration’s Middle East policy, and attempts to pretend that militia attacks against US forces in Iraq and Syria, and the Houthis in the Red Sea have ‘nothing to do with Israel’s war against Gaza’, reflect “either arrogance or ignorance” on Washington’s part, former Jordanian Senator and international legal and human rights commissioner Dr. Muhannad Alazzeh said, commenting on Saturdays’ American strikes in Syria and Iraq.

“America shall understand and make Israel understand as well that they might be able to set fire in Gaza, West bank or any country individually but they absolutely can’t prevent its spreading to other countries, and this is exactly what’s happening now gradually,” Dr. Alazzeh stressed.

“While the Iraqi parliament is calling for a US withdrawal, it's premature to expect immediate action,” believes Dr. Imad Salamey, an associate professor of political science and international affairs at the Lebanese American University. “In fact, considering the current developments, a US military buildup might be more likely in the near future rather than an imminent withdrawal. The situation remains unstable and evolving while the Biden administration needs to demonstrate ‘victory’ rather than defeat as the presidential elections draw near,” he said.

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The United States and Britain launched strikes on Yemeni armed forces positions in the south and north of Hodeidah province on the Red Sea, a source in local authorities told Sputnik.

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🏭 The production process at the Volgograd Oil Refinery has not been disrupted by the fire that occurred due to the fall of a drone, a source at the enterprise said.

The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations previously reported that a fire occurred in the Krasnoarmeysky district of Volgograd early on Saturday morning. It said oil products were burning over an area of 300 square meters.

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11 people were killed in the Ukrainian armed forces' strike on Lisichansk, 10 were handed over to medics during the rescue operation, Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations said

Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called the Ukrainian armed forces' strike on Lisichansk "gratitude" of Ukrainian extremists for the "generous" financial support of the EU

The US House of Representatives next week will consider and vote on a $17.6 billion aid bill for Israel without new aid to Ukraine, according to a letter from Speaker Mike Johnson to congressmen.

Johnson noted that while the Senate is willing to release its bill for additional homeland security funding, including aid to Israel and Ukraine, but by not including the House in negotiations, senators have deprived themselves of the opportunity to quickly consider such a bill.

⚠️ WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations publishes a video of bodies being recovered from under the rubble in Lisichansk after shelling by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

So far, 15 bodies have been recovered, the ministry said.

The US Central Command said its forces struck six Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles that it claimed prepared to launch against vessels in the Red Sea.

"On Feb. 3, at approximately 7:20 p.m. (Sanaa time), US Central Command forces conducted strikes in self-defense against six Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea," the statement read.

The US military claimed that the missiles presented an imminent threat to US Navy ships and merchant vessels.

The death toll from an Ukrainian armed forces strike on a bakery in Lisichansk has risen to 20, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations said

British forces would be rapidly ‘wiped out’ if UK proceeds with deranged idea to deploy troops to Ukraine

“If this is true and if this is somebody's dream, it could rapidly become a nightmare for the British and NATO forces…But it is not a realistic solution or proposal,” retired US Army Lieutenant-Colonel Earl Rasmussen said, remarking on information provided to Sputnik by an informed source that London has urged its NATO allies to consider sending an “expeditionary force” to Ukraine.

“Russia has complete air dominance, escalatory dominance, logistical dominance, ammunition dominance. This would be catastrophic for any UK forces and definitely would show a symbol of direct NATO involvement, which could really be dangerous, as far as escalation goes,” Rasmussen emphasized, noting that “the British forces would probably be wiped out, fairly rapidly.”

The US Army vet suggested that someone in the UK military may be having “some type of delusional experience” for even proposing such a scenario. “It is a suicide mission for those troops. And it definitely would pull NATO into a much more dangerous situation and direct confrontation [with Russia].”

According to Sputnik’s source, in addition to an “expeditionary force,” the UK’s proposal is said to include setting up a “no-fly zone” over Ukraine, and increasing the supply of arms and equipment to Kiev. The proposal, expected to be controversial among allies, proposes the “secret transfer” of NATO troops to Ukraine via Romania and Poland to occupy positions along the Dnepr River, while Ukrainian reserves are sent to the frontline with Russia.

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The US-led coalition conducted strikes on 36 Houthi targets across 13 locations in Yemen on Saturday in response to the movement's continued attacks against international and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, the coalition said in a joint statement, issued by the Pentagon.

"Today, at the direction of their respective governments, the militaries of the United States and United Kingdom, with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand conducted an additional round of proportionate and necessary strikes against 36 Houthi targets across 13 locations in Yemen in response to the Houthis' continued attacks against international and commercial shipping as well as naval vessels transiting the Red Sea," the statement read.

The coalition added that Saturday's strikes "specifically targeted sites associated with the Houthis' deeply buried weapons storage facilities, missile systems and launchers, air defense systems, and radars" and are intended to "disrupt and degrade the capabilities that the Houthis use to threaten global trade, and the lives of innocent mariners."

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🇸🇴 AU committed to completing withdrawal from Somalia by the end of 2024

The statement was made by Alhaji Sarjoh Bah, Director of Conflict Management in the AU Commission's Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security, at the end of a five-day visit by a delegation from the department to the East African country.

"We absolutely remain committed to ensuring that, number one, we stick to the timelines of the drawdown. Of course, we’ve had two extensions in the last two drawdowns. And so, except in situations of force majeure, we remain determined and resolute in ensuring that by 31st December 2024, we will have completed the drawdown," he said in a statement.

Bah added that the African Union will "show flexibility" and address any challenges that may arise to ensure a smooth transition and to ensure that there are no security gaps.

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Israel’s decision to withdraw from parts of Gaza and Hamas’ resurgence in the area shows that Israel failed in its goal to eliminate Hamas, former security analyst and international geopolitical consultant Dr. David Oualaalou told Sputnik’s Political Misfits on Friday.

“Israel has lost the war. Not just yesterday, but way back,” Oualaalou argued. “They don't want to come forward and say publicly that defeating Hamas is wishful thinking. Hamas will always be there. So what Israel is doing [is] bombing those places, that's for me personally, that's not a strategy, that's a failure.”

Oualaalou also said that US President Joe Biden’s decision to place sanctions on four Israeli settlers rang hollow for the rest of the world.

“[If] you are to do this, why didn't you support the ceasefire against the atrocities that [the] Israeli government is committing against the Palestinians? Because to me, it just doesn't make any sense. When you behave like this on the international stage, you really demonstrate your lack of credibility,” Oualaalou said, describing Biden as “our incompetent president.”

He also said that despite their more critical messaging, European countries are in the same boat as the US.

“Europeans are under the same umbrella with the US because they are under the thumb of the US,” he said, adding that the United States continues to “pressure them one way or another.”

“I’m telling you, in geopolitics or international relations, it’s not what you see, it’s what’s behind the scenes that matters.”

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The Biden administration objects to the House bill on aid to Israel without additional funds to Ukraine, the White House said.