Israel rejected plans for a massive counterstrike on Iran under Western pressure — NYT

Israel abandoned plans for a major counterstrike against Iran after the US and other allies waged a diplomatic pressure campaign on Tel Aviv, according to three senior Israeli officials quoted by the New York Times.

Israeli leaders originally discussed hitting several military targets across Iran last week, including near the capital Tehran, in retaliation for the strike on April 13, the anonymous officials said.

However, such a broad and damaging attack would have been far harder for Tehran to overlook, increasing the chances of a forceful Iranian counterattack that could have brought the Middle East to the brink of a major regional conflict.

After US President Joe Biden, along with the British and German foreign ministers, urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to prevent a full-scale war, Israel opted for a more limited strike on Friday that avoided significant damage, diminishing the likelihood of an escalation — at least for the time being.

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US military advisers to Ukraine could be legitimate targets for Russia’s military – analyst

Any military “advisers” Washington sends to Kiev may become “a legitimate target for Russia's forces", political scientist Evgeny Mikhailov told Sputnik.

"It is quite likely that these observers and advisers will include specialists who can be given special assignments, including on the front line. In any case, all these individuals are a legitimate target for destruction by the Russian military,” he noted.

After voting to funnel more military assistance worth billions to Ukraine, US is vested in this aid reaching its intended destination, Mikhailov speculated.

“I think that, to a greater extent, advisers will be involved in maintaining logistics and overseeing weapons,” said the military expert.

“As for those of the “advisers” who, quite likely, will go to the combat line, where these weapons […] will be used, these Americans may choose to don Ukrainian uniforms,” remarked the analyst. He noted that such individuals could choose to be instructors on the combat line or guns-for-hire.

Regarding their legal status, Mikhailov reminded that Russia has clearly stated, military equipment and their overseers sent to Kiev, are all legitimate targets for the Russian military.

He opined that since one can “talk about a large-scale expansion of American presence in Ukraine, with the exception of military units”, there’s no issue if “Russian forces wipe them out in the same manner as anyone else who aids Ukraine’s fascist regime in destroying the Russian population."

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Telegram poses a ‘huge problem’ for Ukraine, secret service chief says

Ukraine needs to "legislatively force everyone to register so that it is clear" who runs each Telegram account, main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine (GUR) head Kyrylo Budanov told the media.

"If you want to prove your position, take responsibility. Why are you afraid to tell me who you are?," Budanov said. "There won’t be pressure on media."

A draft law on regulating the work of the messenger and other public platforms was submitted to the Verkhovna Rada on March 25. In particular, it requires the disclosure of the sources of funding for Telegram channels, information about their owners, including their exact location, contact phone numbers and e-mail addresses.

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Russia denounces Poland's hosting calls for nuclear weapons.

In a first for Eastern Europe, Polish President Andrzej Duda announced in a New York interview his country's readiness to host nuclear weapons from NATO members to "reinforce NATO's eastern flank.” He cited NATO's "nuclear sharing concept" as the basis for his call.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova immediately responded with a warning: American nuclear weapons on Polish territory will be part of the list of legitimate targets [of Russian forces] in case of Russia’s conflict with NATO.

While slamming Duda's call as provocative, Zakharova expressed no surprise, reminding how “Polish authorities have been making this ambition public for a long time – their desire to lean on the US nuclear weapons, deployed in Europe.”

The 1997 Founding Act on NATO-Russia Relations declared that NATO has "no intention, no plan and no reason to deploy nuclear weapons on the territory of new members." Having joined only in 1999 after the agreement, there is no room for doubt on Poland’s classification as a new member.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, met with veteran builders and employees of the Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM). The main points of the president's speech:

🔺The Baikal-Amur Mainline is a road of the future that will define global logistics for the 21st century.

🔺Russia's turn towards the east became possible thanks to the BAM.

🔺The Russian Federation invites all interested countries to participate in the project for the creation of a North-South transport corridor.

🔺The modernization of the BAM and the Trans-Siberian Railway (Transsib), as well as the development of the Eastern polygon, is crucial for the political and economic sovereignty of the Russian Federation.

🔺We need concrete steps from the government to support the workers of BAM. Russia will create favorable conditions for those who live and work there.

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Participants of the Congress of Moldovan politicians in Moscow being detained at Moldova's Chisinau Airport, Lawmaker Tauber told Sputnik

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Southeast Asia heading for Ukraine-style crisis amid US militarization of Philippines

The creeping US militarization of the Philippines for use as a springboard for a conflict against China is eerily reminiscent of similar US efforts against Russia in Ukraine, former US Marine-turned author, journalist and independent international observer Brian Berletic has told Sputnik.

“The Philippines were previously a US colony gaining independence only in 1945. Since then, the US has attempted to reassert political control over the country as well as maintain a large US military presence on its shores. The goal is to militarize the country and use it as part of a wider united front against China,” Berletic said, commenting on the massive Balikatan drills that kicked off on Monday.

“Exercises like Balikatan give the US an opportunity to shape the Philippines’ armed forces into a suitable proxy for a potential conflict with China,” the observer said. “Washington’s primary objective in the Asia-Pacific region is to encircle and contain China. To do this, the US is attempting to compromise the governments of nations along China’s periphery including the Philippines, establish a US military presence within their borders, and militarize these countries against China.”

In addition to allowing the US to move military assets “dangerously close to Chinese territory,” US activities in the Philippines are designed to take advantage of and artificially inflame regional maritime disputes, the observer believes.

“This will result in a similar crisis as seen in Europe where the US not only used Ukraine in a highly destructive proxy war against Russia, but also decimated Europe’s economy, socio-political stability, and placed the entire region on the precipice of a US-driven war,” Berletic fears.

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🔺Sharing is caring? Why NATO’s 'Nuclear Sharing' strategy is dangerous

🔺Israel rejected plans for a massive counterstrike on Iran under Western pressure — NYT

🔺Southeast Asia heading for Ukraine-style crisis amid US militarization of Philippines

🔺US military advisers to Ukraine could be legitimate targets for Russia’s military – analyst

🔺Ukrainian serviceman: "Tell me to march on Kiev now — I will do it"

🔺Anti-establishment Republicans slam US House leadership over $60 billion Ukraine handout

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The G7 сould take 10 years to catch up with Russian nuclear fuel output

US President Joe Biden and his G7 have vowed to end imports of Russian nuclear fuel, but leading Western economies still lag behind Moscow in innovative atomic technologies, Rosatom Corporation Public Council member Valery Menshikov told Sputnik.

"Can they walk the talk?" Menshikov asked. "We'll see, because large investments will be required. What's more, it’s not just a matter of financial investments, because new technologies are needed. We have these new technologies. Can they catch up with us? They are likely to make an effort during the next eight to 10 years."

Russia maintains leadership in global uranium enrichment services, Sputnik's commentator stressed, adding that neither US nor European scientists have been able to achieve enrichment capacities matching those of their Russian peers. In addition, Russian nuclear fuel is comparatively cheaper, Menshikov pointed out.

Presently Russia supplies around 44 percent of global uranium enrichment services and 20 to 30 percent of enriched uranium products used in the US and Europe, according to the US Office of Nuclear Energy. The Bellona Environmental Foundation reports that the EU almost doubled its purchases of Russian nuclear fuel in 2023, while US imports also saw a 19 percent increase.

"We are building a lot of nuclear power plants abroad today," Menshikov said. "These countries are Turkiye, Egypt, India, China and Bangladesh. In general, the projects are very diverse. And most importantly, we are the absolute leaders in the construction of new stations abroad. And under all construction contracts we will provide completely fresh nuclear fuel."

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🇦🇺🇷🇺 ‘Spectacular backlash’: Ordinary Australians rally to defeat Russophobic campaign against local politician

The Australian political establishment and mainstream media has for weeks been going after Adrian McCrae, a councillor from the western town of Port Hedlund, who travelled to Russia in March to take part in the 2024 presidential election as an international observer.

McCrae infuriated Australian elites by going on national television and declaring that Russian President Vladimir Putin won his landslide victory fair and square. On Monday, the Mayor of Port Hedlund attempted to oust McCrae from office via a no confidence vote. However, the motion was defeated after local residents rallied to McCrae’s defense.

Sputnik contributor Simeon Boikov (@AussieCossack) breaks down the controversy.

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Some passengers who returned from the opposition congress in Moscow and were detained at Chisinau airport needed medical assistance, Ilan Shor, leader of the Moldovan opposition 'Shor' party, said

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Ukrainian troops have withdrawn from their positions and fled from the village of Ocheretino in the Donetsk People's Republic, Vladimir Rogov, head of the regional civic movement "We Are Together with Russia," told Sputnik.

"Good news has come from our military. The enemy left their positions in the village of Ocheretino northwest of Avdeyevka in the DNR and fled. Our guys have entered the village, our flags have been raised in the center," Rogov said.

According to him, Ocheretino is a dominant height and is a key settlement on the Ukrainian army' defense line north of Avdeyevka.

"The liberation of Ocheretino will create not just a threat to the Ukrainian soldiers, but also an opportunity for our army to strike at this section of the front," Rogov said.

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Natalia Parasca, leader of the Revival Party, which is part of the Victory political bloc, has said that officers of the Moldovan Information and Security Service (ISS) threatened her with criminal liability for her visit to Moscow.

"Immediately after the plane landed, I was met by an ISS officer, asked to go to a separate conversation with him. The conversation lasted two hours with three ISS officers, the questions they asked, in my opinion, were not very correct, [they asked me] 'why did you fly to Russia... there will be penal responsibility for this'", said Parasca.

According to her, intelligence officers wanted to know details about all meetings between opposition members and Russian officials and politicians. They also asked her about the goals of the political bloc and why it was created exactly in Moscow.

"People were intimidated, I was taken separately, and people - about 200 people - are still being held without water, without food, without explanations. Psychological pressure and illegal actions," Parasca added, noting that on the same plane to Chisinau from the US arrived three deputies of the ruling Action and Solidarity party, who were not detained.

She emphasized that she had no complaints against the ISS officers, except that she was not allowed to answer calls from her family and lawyer. Parasca considers this conversation an "instruction" from above, as all questions were read out to her on paper.

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Tucker Carlson confronted US House speaker Johnson about persecution of Christians in Ukraine

US journalist Tucker Carlson said in a newly published interview with international lawyer Robert Amsterdam that he confronted House Speaker Mike Johnson following the Saturday vote on the foreign aid packages to express his indignation over the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) by Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government.

"I've expressed it directly to the Speaker of the House, who says he is a Christian. How can you pay for the persecution of Christians with US tax dollars?" Carlson said.

Carlson emphasized that he finds it disgraceful that US Christian lawmakers are willing to spend billions of dollars to build a tyranny in Ukraine while turning a blind eye to the unlimited attacks on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Amsterdam says some elements within the Ukrainian government have declared war on the UOC and have mercilessly persecuted priests, clerics, and parishioners.

"After ten days in Ukraine, I can tell you that there is not a hint of democracy. The country is run by an organization called the SBU [Security Service of Ukraine]," Amsterdam told Carlson. "All of this talk of democracy is a complete farce."

Amsterdam also said that Zelenskyy’s government has spent about $3.5 million to persuade the US public that Russia is persecuting Christians rather than Ukraine.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said in a report in March that the Ukrainian authorities continued the practice of intimidating the priests and worshipers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church from December 2023 to February 2024.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in December that actions of the Ukrainian authorities against the UOC and the bill proposing the dissolution of religious organizations associated with Russia are contrary to freedom of religion and international law.

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Russia's Lavrov Discusses Security With Nicaragua's Presidential Envoy

Russian FM Sergey Lavrov has discussed issues pertaining to security with Laureano Ortega Murillo, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's Special Representative for Cooperation with Russia, who had arrived in Russia to participate in a forum in St. Petersburg, according to a trannoscript of the conversation published by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

"It is good to see you together with your team. As far as I understand, many structures of the government and armed forces are present here. Issues pertaining to security are of particular importance today, given the processes unfolding in the world in the environment when our Western counterparts, led by the Americans, want to prove to everyone that they have the right to decide everything and manage everything," Lavrov told a meeting with Murillo on Monday.

The Russian minister added that "history is inevitably moving forward" and that "the unipolar world is ending."

"New centers of power have emerged, including such structures as BRICS, SCO [the Shanghai Cooperation Organization], CELAC [the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States] and the African Union. There is no doubt that the days of colonialism and neocolonialism are passing. Latin America and the Caribbean will become one of the major centers of a multipolar world order," Lavrov said.

The Russian official also wished the Nicaraguan delegation success at the 12th international meeting of high representatives for security issues, which will take place in St. Petersburg.

The 12th international meeting of high representatives for security issues will be held under the auspices of the Russian Security Council in St. Petersburg from Tuesday to Thursday. Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev will be representing Russia at the meeting. The meeting has been held under the auspices of the Russian Security Council since 2010.

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Privacy concerns about TikTok are ‘absurd’

The US Government’s assertion that its potential TikTok ban is designed to protect the privacy of Americans is absurd, journalist and podcaster Peter Coffin told Sputnik’s Fault Lines.

“If you’re talking about privacy concerns, our [domestic] social networks are not guarding our privacy. That is a silly, silly prospect. It’s absurd. It’s an entirely hypocritical idea, and I can’t stand the whole thing,” Coffin explained.

On Saturday, the US House of Representatives passed a bill that requires TikTok parent company ByteDance to sell the app within a year or face a ban in the United States. The primary justification for the proposed ban has been to protect American citizens, particularly children, from the dangers of Chinese data collection and algorithm manipulation.

But that doesn’t hold up to scrutiny, says Coffin.

“Just go back to the Twitter files,” Coffin said. “You have plenty of evidence that they were able to push Twitter to do exactly what they wanted in terms of boosting content or banning content.”

“I think a lot of this has to do with what is taking place in Israel and Gaza in regards to this push [of] ‘we need more control over this platform.’ But more to the point, they want control. It’s not about protection.”

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Sponsor of TikTok ban & Iran-Palestine sanctions gets 1,400% bump in AIPAC donations

Michael McCaul (R-TX) who sponsored the 21st Century Peace through Strength Act that passed the US House of Representatives and is expected to pass the Senate and be signed into law by US President Joe Biden this week, saw American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) contributions to his campaign increase an incredible 1413% during the 2024 election cycle compared to the 2022 cycle.

Elected in 2004, McCaul received no contributions from pro-Israel groups until the 2020 cycle when another group, Pro-Israel America PAC contributed $32,600 to his campaign, his largest donor that year, according to Open Secrets.

The next cycle, McCaul received $7,900 from AIPAC itself (in addition to another $6,000 from other pro-Israel groups). But it was not until this year that McCaul became the Republican darling for AIPAC in the House of Representatives. In 2024 – so far– he has received $119,550 from AIPAC, by far his largest contributor.

In November, McCaul blamed TikTok for the rise in support among young people for Palestinians.

“China controls the algorithms on TikTok, so if you type in Israel or Palestine you are going to get a lot of Pro-Palestinian, Hamas material and videos pop up and that's primarily the source of education for our young people,” he claimed.

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Potential ban on Russian LNG supplies to cost EU one-fifth of imports

Russia is the second largest supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the EU, which means that the bloc's potential ban on Russian LNG will cost it a 19% share of its imports, Sputnik estimated based on data from Eurostat.

Earlier in the day, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom told reporters that the EU member states were planning to include a ban on LNG imports from Russia in the 14th package of sanctions against the nation.

In January-February, the EU imported LNG worth a total of 7 billion euros ($7.46 billion) from nine countries, with the US being the major supplier. Washington covered 48% of the EU's total imports compared to 37% a year earlier.

Over the past year, Russia increased its share of the bloc's imports by 5 percentage points to 19%. In the first two months of 2024, it supplied LNG worth 1.3 billion euros to the EU.
Algeria came third, also increasing its share of the EU's total imports to 9% from 6% in 2023.

Meanwhile, Qatar's share, on the contrary, almost halved to 8% from 15%. Nigeria, Norway, Trinidad and Tobago each accounted for a 4% share of the EU's LNG purchases, while the United Kingdom had only a 2% share.

The largest LNG consumers in the EU include France, the Netherlands and Spain, with their LNG imports worth 1.8 billion euros, 1.5 billion euros and 1.2 billion euros, respectively. At the same time, Belgium and Greece are still actively buying Russian gas.

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