Why the West rejected Zelensky’s ‘Big Israel’ dream for Ukraine

Why is Ukraine not Israel? This is the question Zelensky has kept asking after British and American air power helped Israel thwart last weekend’s Iranian attack.

“Ukraine defends its sky by itself… And Israel was not defending [its sky] by itself. There was the protection of allies,” Zelensky told PBS radio, adding that he wanted to get the same level of aid.

The mainstream media tried to vent Zelensky’s plea in such headlines like: “Western powers shot down Iranian missiles. Why not Russian missiles?” and “Zelensky wants Ukraine to become a big Israel.”

The West, however, rejected Zelensky’s plea.

What were the motives?

▪️Racism. “Ukraine’s traumas matter less than Israel’s to the West”, The Hill wrote, acknowledging that “this stance bespeaks a moral…double standard”.

▪️Egoism. Ohio senator J.D. Vance cut to the chase: “Israel is just much more important to the United States than Ukraine.” Zelensky’s search for parallels (“Israel is not a NATO member either”) only makes the “greater importance” of Israel stand out.

▪️Cowardice. UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron explained the difference between Israel and Ukraine by the West’s fear to face Russia in a non-proxy battle: “If you want to avoid an escalation, a European war, I think one thing you need to avoid is NATO troops directly engaging Russian troops.”

▪️Provocation. The Zurich-based German newspaper Tages Anzeiger added a more dramatic twist to Zelensky’s drama by bringing up treachery: “The truth is: the West betrayed Ukraine. The Americans, the Europeans and above all the Germans… two years ago gave Ukraine hope that it could win.”

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Brave soldier, aid worker & truth teller: Story of Texas-born Donbass volunteer Russell Bentley

Russell Bonner Bentley, known by his call sign "Texas," was a 64-year-old American from the Lone Star state who tragically passed away, as confirmed by his wife Lyudmila to Sputnik. He joined the Donbass militia in 2014, actively participating in defending the region's freedom against Ukrainian neo-Nazi forces.

Born into a well-to-do family in Dallas in 1960, Bentley's worldview was shaped by the Vietnam War, leading him to become an ardent anti-imperialist and anti-racist. His commitment to justice led him to the front lines of the conflict, where he fought alongside Donetsk and Lugansk freedom fighters.

Bentley's involvement extended beyond combat. He served as a Sputnik contributor, and thanks to his reports, he provided first-hand insights into Russia's special military operation, the liberation of Mariupol, foreign mercenary forces in Ukraine, and the Kiev regime's intensified attacks on civilians.

His interviews with Russian combat veterans and fellow Americans in the Donbass war zone aimed to shed light on the truth about the conflict. Despite the dangers he faced, Bentley remained dedicated to his mission of informing the world about the situation in Donbass.

Rest in peace, Russell.

▪️Russian FM Sergey Lavrov sat down for a major interview, where for the first time ever, he divulged the details of the Istanbul deal with Ukraine.

▪️Sputnik Donbass correspondent 'Texas' Russell Bentley passed away in Donetsk

▪️Did Israel really strike Iran on April 19?

▪️Israel's credit rating may face deeper cuts after strikes against Iran

▪️Why the West rejected Zelensky’s ‘Big Israel’ dream for Ukraine

▪️'Contrary to UN Charter's letter & spirit': why US said 'no' to Palestinian statehood

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🇷🇺 The West doesn't seek peace in Ukraine, as the conflict originally broke out because of NATO expansion, expert says

"If they wanted peace, they would never have tried to expand next to Russia, because the war that has broken out between Russia and Ukraine was caused by the expansion of NATO, which poses a threat to the security architecture of Russia," Prof. Ntsikelelo Breakfast, senior lecturer at South Africa's Nelson Mandela University, told Sputnik Africa.

He added that the West's maneuvers indicate that it is "not doing things in the interest of peace." According to Prof. Breakfast, Western countries are more likely to "threaten anyone" who appears to be a "danger" to them.

The professor's comments came in the wake of earlier remarks made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in an interview with Sputnik, in which he said that Moscow has information that French military instructors are working in Ukraine.

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Israel can't afford escalation with Iran and Gaza

The Gaza war and tensions with Iran have taken their toll on Israel's economy, with major rating agencies having downgraded the Jewish state's rating by one notch, warning that cuts may deepen if ongoing hostilities escalate.

"The Israeli economy has shown remarkable resilience," argued Prof. Avi Weiss, president of the Taub Center for Social Policy Research in Israel and professor of economics at Bar-Ilan University, when speaking to Sputnik. "It is expected to grow at 1.5-2% in 2024, and over 5% in 2025. Significantly lower than 'normal,' 3.5%, in 2024, but right on target over the two-year period."

"The Israeli economy ground to a half when the Gaza War began because virtually the entire country was mobilized for the war effort," retorted Dr. Steven Terner, the manager of Terner Consultancy.

"Hundreds of thousands of Israelis were displaced in October, and many remain so to this day. The tourism industry, a major source of revenue, was destroyed by the Gaza War as well. (…) Foreign investment had already suffered greatly throughout the spring, summer, and fall of 2023."

Israel could hardly afford a further escalation in tensions with Iran or in the Gaza Strip, admit Sputnik's interlocutors.

"If you think about every couple of months or every month or every week or whatever - a rocket attack from Iran, which requires overnight expenditure of something like $1 billion in defense in one night, that is, of course, not sustainable," Benjamin Bental, professor emeritus of economics at the University of Haifa, told Sputnik.

A continuation of the war in Gaza could axe the prospects of an economic rebound for Israel, echoed Weiss. The problem is that "the conflict will not be over until there is a resolution of the Palestinian issue," warned Rodney Shakespeare, visiting professor of binary economics at Trisakti University in Jakarta, Indonesia.

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❗️ A man set himself on fire outside the courthouse in New York City where the Trump trial is being held

The man first entered a park across the street from the courthouse and threw flyers in the air, media reports said. Then he pulled something out of his backpack and set himself on fire.

At least one person used a fire extinguisher to try to put out the flames, and paramedics immediately went to the man to help him, said a CNN reporter who witnessed the incident.

It is not yet known what condition the man is in or what exactly was written on his flyers.

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Laura Kavanagh, the Fire Commissioner of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) later reported that the man, who committed self immolation survived but is in critical condition.

The man was reportedly identified by police as Maxwell Azzarello.

Semyon Yeremin, a military correspondent of the Russian media outlet Izvestiya, has died in the special operation zone in Ukraine

He was killed in an attack by a Ukrainian FPV drone, Izvestia reported.

Yeremin, who had been a special correspondent for the outlet since 2017, worked extensively in various areas of the special operation zone, particularly in Mariupol, Azovstal, and Maryinka, Izvestia reports.

He was near Volnovakha and entered the liberated city together with a rotation of storm troopers and came under mortar fire near Ugledar in August 2022, according to the publication.

It was then that a video was found on Ukrainian social networks that actually proved that the Ukrainian army was deliberately killing Russian journalists.

The UN is opposed to the killing of any journalist, UN Spokesperson Farhan Haq told Sputnik.

“We are opposed to the killings of any journalists and believe that they must be fully investigated,” Haq told Sputnik when asked about the killing of Russian journalist Semyon Yeremin from Izvestia newspaper.

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North Korea has conducted a test of a "super-large warhead" for a strategic cruise missile, North Korea's KCNA reported.

The report said a "certain goal" was achieved through the test launch.

The warhead was designed for the "Hwasal-1 Ra-3" strategic cruise missile, and the new anti-aircraft missile was the "Pyoljji-1-2," it said.

Both tests were reportedly part of the regular activities of the North Korean missile administration and "had nothing to do with the surrounding situation".

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Two civilians were killed as a result of two explosive devices being dropped from Ukrainian drones in the village of Poroz, the governor of Russia's Belgorod Region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said.

"The village of Poroz, Grayvoronsky urban district, was attacked by the Ukrainian armed forces with drones. As a result of two explosive devices being dropped, a private house caught fire... Two civilians were killed - a woman... and a man... According to preliminary data, as a result of several drops of explosive devices, a private house and a barn were completely burned down, another house was severely damaged," Gladkov wrote on Telegram.

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US progress on Ukraine aid will only prolong Ukraine’s ‘agony’

“Everything the West has done since [March 2022, has prolonged] Ukraine’s agony, causing more death on both sides and, essentially, disarm itself because the Western military-industrial complex is manifestly incapable of replacing the weapons they’ve sent to Ukraine,” Serbian-American journalist for RT Nebojsa Malic told Sputnik’s The Final Countdown. “No matter how much we send, it’s never going to be enough.”

“And here’s the US trying to bankrupt itself even more, sending even more money and weapons that… there aren’t enough people to operate them,” Malic explained.

On Friday, The House, led by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and supported by Democratic leaders, voted to bring the long-delayed legislation to the floor. The move was an about-face by Johnson, who promised during his campaign to become speaker to push only single-issue bills and was a long-time opponent of further aid to Ukraine.

However, the $95.3 billion bill, which includes $60.8 billion for Ukraine, by far its largest expense, will do nothing to change the reality for the Kiev regime, which lacks the manpower to stand against Russia.

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An explosion occurred at the Kalsu military base south of Baghdad in the Iraqi province of Babil, an Iraqi security service source told Sputnik.

“An explosion, the nature and causes of which are still unclear, occurred at the Kalsu military base in the north of Babil province,” the source said.

The related footage has spread on social media.

According to Al Arabiya broadcaster, one person was killed and two others injured in the blast.

The US-led Coalition said in a statement that it did not participate in a strike on locations in Jurf Al Sakhar, Iraq, but is continuing to monitor reports of the attack.

"Coalition Forces did not participate or strike locations in Iraq. We are monitoring reports of an incident in Jurf Al Sakhar and remain prepared to support our Iraqi partners," the Coalition said in a statement.

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Medvedev: alleged Zelensky assassination attempt may be 'evidence' that the West wants him gone

Deputy Head of the Russian Security Council and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on social media that the alleged assassination attempt against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly thwarted in Poland may be a warning from the West against Zelensky.

“An attempt on the life of the chief Banderite [Zelensky] in Poland? That is truly serious,” he wrote. “It may be the first piece of evidence that people in the West have made a decision to liquidate him. Be afraid, clown!”

The US has a long history of removing allies that become an impediment to its strategic goals, Caleb Maupin an independent journalist and reporter for RT told Sputnik’s The Critical Hour.

“We know during the Vietnam War, for example, that the government of South Vietnam was basically purged by the CIA,” he explained.

“As Ukraine is kind of hopeless, there may be a feeling on the part of the US that before this wraps up, the guy who has been the face of all this, the guy who knows where all the bodies are buried, he needs to be removed from the picture,” Maupin speculated.

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The US will withdraw 1,000 US military personnel from Niger in the coming months, the New York Times reported.

The report said that the US government had notified the transitional government in Niger about its plan.

According to the Washington Post, State Department Deputy Secretary Kurt Campbell met with Niger's prime minister earlier in the day and accepted the government's demand.

The report noted that this move will transform the US' posture in West Africa.

Last month, a spokesperson for the Nigerien military said that the country’s transitional government, which took power last July, ended the military agreement with immediate effect, citing the interests of the Nigerien people.

Niger’s Interior Ministry recently said the US had promised to submit a plan for the "disengagement" of troops from the West African country after Niamey ended its military pact with Washington. The statement was published on social media after Nigerien Interior Minister Mohamed Toumba hosted US Ambassador Kathleen FitzGibbon for talks earlier in the day.

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US 'begged' Israel not to strike Iran but request was embarrassingly ignored

The United States allegedly begged Israel not to carry out a counterattack against Iran in the early hours of Friday, but the Israeli decision to ignore Washington is part of an "embarrassing" trend, Politico reported, citing a US official.

"The US begged [Israel] not to do it, and literally no one from the Pentagon to the Joint Chiefs to the CIA to the intel community thinks this is a good thing," the official was quoted by Politico as saying on Friday. "At this point, it’s truly embarrassing how much Israel does not listen to us, but yet this doesn’t keep President Biden from blind fealty."

The US' silence on this Israeli strike on Iran is part of an effort to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East between Israel and Iran, according to the report.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment on the matter during an earlier briefing, and the Pentagon and US Central Command also declined to comment to Sputnik on this matter.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's only comment on this matter was to rule out any US involvement in the Israeli attack.

Earlier on Friday, Israel carried out an airstrike against Iran in response to Tehran's missile and drone attack over the weekend, media reported.

Explosions were reported near the city of Isfahan. Air defense systems responded to the approach of drones in a number of the country's provinces.

Israeli drones shot down over the city of Isfahan by Iranian air defenses caused no damage, but pro-Israel media are trying to exaggerate the impact of the airstrike, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.

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Fifty Ukrainian UAVs were destroyed and intercepted by by Russian air defense forces, including twenty-six over the territory of the Belgorod region, ten over the territory of the Bryansk region, eight over the territory of the Kursk region, two over the Tula region and one each over the territories of the Smolensk, Ryazan, Kaluga and Moscow regions, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

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Israel fired three air-launched ballistic missiles into Iran overnight, targeting an Iranian airbase, NBC News reported, citing officials familiar with the operation.

The officials rejected reports that Israel also struck a target near Baghdad as part of Friday's response, although the missile parts found on the ground in Iraq were related to Israel’s strikes on Iran, they reportedly added.

US media reported that Israel on Friday carried out a “limited” retaliatory strike on sites in Iran. Explosions were reported near the city of Isfahan.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said the drones shot down over Isfahan did not cause any damage and accused "pro-Israel" media of trying to exaggerate the impact of the Israeli attack.

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A man who set himself on fire outside a New York City courthouse where an anti-Trump case was being heard has died, the New York Post reports.