Kidnapped Ukrainian mayor freed in 'special operation'

"The mayor of an occupied Ukrainian city allegedly kidnapped by Russian forces last week
has been freed, Ukrainian officials said Wednesday.Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov was freed from captivity in a "special operation," according to Kirilo Timoshenko, an advisor to Ukraine's presidential office.

 Melitopol has been occupied since the first days of Russia's invasion. Ukrainian officials said Fedorov, who had insisted that the southeastern Ukrainian city remain free and backed daily pro-Ukrainian protests, was kidnapped on March 11 after resisting takeover." ABC

Poll: 71% of Americans Favor Biden Restarting Keystone XL Pipeline

"High gas prices in the United States and now the banning of Russian oil imports following
Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine are causing Americans to favor domestic energy production, including a poll that shows 71 percent “favor very much” or “favor somewhat” restarting the Keystone XL Pipeline." Breitbart

Scores feared dead as Putin bombs 'hundreds' of sheltering families: Biden brands Russian leader a 'war criminal' after theatre packed with 'up to 1,200' terrified civilians is destroyed - despite having CHILDREN written outside

"Scores of people are feared dead after Russian forces last night bombed a theater where
hundreds of civilians, including children, were sheltering in the encircled port city of Mariupol, the city council said. 

Officials said it is impossible to know how many people were killed or injured in the attack on the Mariupol Drama Theater because the shelling of residential areas continues in the city, meaning rescuers can't reach those trapped in the rubble.   

Satellite imagery from Monday showed the word 'children' written in large white letters in Russian in front of and behind the theater building, where up to 1,200 civilians are believed to have been sheltering, in an apparent effort to stave off any attack by Vladimir Putin's forces." DM

Tony Blair: Promising Not To Have A Nuclear World War With Russia Is A “Strange Tactic”

"Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair declared this week that the West ruling out a full
scale war with Russia, which would almost certainly be nuclear, is a “strange tactic”.

Blair writes “Maybe that is our position and maybe that is the right position, but continually signalling it, and removing doubt in his mind, is a strange tactic.” IW

Ukrainian TV host Fahruddin Sharafmal took to the airwaves to demand the genocide of Russian children

"Ukrainian TV host Fahruddin Sharafmal took to the airwaves to demand the genocide of

Russian children, quoting top Nazi Adolf Eichmann as he called for “killing children.”

Yes, really.

Sharafmal uttered the vile comments during a segment on the Channel 24 news station.

“I know that as a journalist, I have to be objective, I have to be balanced, in order to report information to you with a cold heart, but to tell you the truth, it’s very hard to hold on now, especially at a time like this, and since we are called Nazis, fascists, and so on in Russia — I will allow myself to quote Adolf Eichmann, who said that in order to destroy a nation, you must destroy, first of all, children. Because if you kill their parents, the children will grow up and take revenge. By killing children — they will never grow up and the nation will disappear,” Sharafmal said.

He then went on to assert that he would personally kill Russian children.

“The Armed Forces of Ukraine cannot kill Russian children because it is forbidden by the rules of war, and it is prohibited by various conventions, including the Geneva Convention. But I am not from the Armed Forces of Ukraine. And when I get the chance to take out the Russians, I will definitely do it.”

“Since you call me a Nazi, I adhere to the doctrine of Adolf Eichmann, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that you and your children never live on this earth.” SumitNews

Orthodox Christian Unity Broken by 'Russian World' Heresy

"Orthodox churches, clergy and congregants inside Russia and abroad are breaking with the
Russian Orthodox Church and its patriarch over the war in Ukraine and the ideology of the “Russian world” that underpins it.

This weekend the Russian Orthodox parish of Saint Nicholas of Myra in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, requested “a canonical dismissal” from the Moscow Patriarchate and asked to be received into a diocese under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople." MT

Russian lawmaker demands return of Alaska

"A Russian lawmaker made an outlandish demand over the weekend that the United States return Alaska and a historic settlement in California, in addition to paying reparations to Russia over crippling American-led sanctions that have put Moscow’s economy in a tailspin. Oleg Matveychev, a member of the state Duma, outlined on Russian state television a set of demands for the U.S. and Ukraine after Kiv’s “demilitarization is completed,”....The demands include the return of Alaska, which the U.S. purchased from the Russian Empire in 1867 as part of the Alaska Purchase, and the former Russian settlement of Fort Ross, California, 90miles north of San Francisco." PP

Ukraine President Zelenskyy invokes Pearl Harbor, Sept. 11 in asking U.S. Congress to help fight Russia invasion

"Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy invoked the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Sept. 11  terror strikes on America on Wednesday as he pleaded with the U.S. Congress to get more aid for his embattled country to fight against its invasion by Russia.

Zelenskyy, who was greeted with three standing ovations from an audience of lawmakers, asked the U.S. to implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine to stem the Russian attacks, additional weapons, sanctions and humanitarian support.

“Is this a lot to ask for to create a no-fly zone over Ukraine to save people?” he said. “Is this too much to ask?” NYP

Russia begins shelling Ukrainian city where thousands of refugees are sheltering after fleeing Mariupol where 500 hostages are being held in a hospital… as Kyiv is rocked by new explosions

"Russian forces have started shelling the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia where
thousands of refugees are sheltering after fleeing Mariupol - where 500 hostages are being held in a hospital as human shields.  

The bombardment came hours after an estimated 20,000 civilians arrived in Zaporizhzhia, the first port of call for those fleeing Mariupol along a humanitarian corridor - supposedly safe passages which allow civilians to leave Ukraine. 

Vladimir Putin's troops launched rocket strikes on the city near overnight, hitting a railway station.

Russian forces in Mariupol have rounded up 400 people from houses neighbouring the city's hospital number two, along with 100 doctors and patients who were already inside, and are refusing to let them leave, according to regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko. " DailyMail

United States will deploy THOUSANDS of troops in the Northern Territory after Australia admitted war with China IS possible

"Thousands of American soldiers trained to use surface-to-air missile systems, High Mobility Artillery Rockets and unmanned aircraft are bound for Australia as tensions grow with China.

The rotational US Marine force of about 2200 servicemen and women will be based in the Northern Territory during the upcoming dry season from September." DM

Saudi Arabia may accept yuan instead of dollars for Chinese oil sales

"Saudi Arabia and China are in discussions to price some oil sales in yuan instead of U.S.
dollars in a slap to the Biden administration that would decrease the dominance of the American currency in the international petroleum market.... The Kingdom is also upset over the Biden administration's efforts to enter a nuclear deal with Iran.

Saudi Arabia exports 6.2 million barrels of crude oil a day and has traded in dollars exclusively since 1974 when President Richard Nixon struck a deal with the kingdom by guaranteeing security.

China buys more than a quarter of all Saudi oil exports, according to the WSJ. If the sales are priced in yuan, it would be a major boost to China's currency as 80% of all global oil sales are done in dollars." JN

 

Biden Blows a Hole in His Sanctions By Giving Russia Guarantees on Iran Trade

"Secretary Antony Blinken promised that there was no way the United States could give
Russia guarantees about the sanctions imposed on Moscow not affecting their trade with Iran. He said Moscow’s demands were “irrelevant” and are “just are not in any way linked together.”

But on Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the press, “We received written guarantees. They are included in the text of the agreement itself on the resumption of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iranian nuclear program.” PJM

Polish, Czech, Slovenian PMs meet Zelensky in Kyiv

'The Polish, Czech and Slovenian prime ministers met Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelensky in Kyiv on Tuesday in the first visit by foreign leaders to Ukraine's besieged capital since Russia's invasion." France24

Russia Sparks Ceasefire Hope After Kremlin Says Neutral Ukraine With Army Could Be "Compromise"

"Kremlin cited a potential opening toward peace in the ongoing ceasefire negotiations,

following President Zelensky's insistence repeated Tuesday that "Ukraine must recognize it will not join NATO." 

Apparently seizing upon this as a key point of compromise - which has from the start been foremost among Russia's central security demands to NATO, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday this proposal for Ukraine to become a neutral country "could be viewed as a certain kind of compromise," as quoted in Bloomberg.

Bloomberg noted that "Peskov declined to provide details beyond confirming that the idea of Swedish or Austrian-style neutrality is under discussion in the talks now underway with Ukraine."

Despite this clear "opening" at the negotiations table based on neutrality, the fact that Zelensky has been pushing a no-fly zone hard in front of an international audience - and on Tuesday doing so in a virtual speech to Canadian parliament - could greatly complicated things with Moscow in terms of finding a possible diplomatic off-ramp." ZH

Zelensky’s appeal to Canada: Imagine if Toronto were Kyiv.

"In an emotional address to Canada’s Parliament on Tuesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky
urged its members to support his call for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, asking them to imagine cities like Vancouver or Toronto being attacked, and calling for intensifying sanctions in the face of Russian aggression." NYT