Russian strike damages Kherson pipeline, leaving 40,000 people without heat

"...situation in Kherson......The latest Russian strike has damaged the main pipeline that
provided heating to about 600 buildings – more than 40,000 people!" Pravada

South Africans Without Electricity For Nine Hours A Day Amid "Ginormous" Blackouts

"This crisis, discussed in more detailed below, came to a head overnight when South African

utility Eskom - which is not only the largest producer of electricity in South Africa but in all of Africa, and is among the top utilities in the world in terms of generation capacity and sales - and which has been forced to implement power cuts every day this year as its fleet of old and defective coal-powered stations frequently breaks down, reached an unprecedented level of power cuts, indicated by the company spokesman. 

The company cut 7.045GW from the grid through load shedding so as to keep the grid from a total collapse, Sikonathi Mantshantsha said in a post on Twitter."in practical terms, it means households losing power 3 times a day, each time lasting ~3 hours" or a total of 9 hours without power every day. Economists polled by Bloomberg predict the economy shrank in the final quarter of 2022 and that it’s on course to contract in the three months through March largely because of the sustained power cuts." ZH

Pentagon pledged “consequences” for China if it heeds Russia's pleas for arms

"The Pentagon on Wednesday pledged “consequences” for Beijing if it heeds Moscow’s desperate pleas for arms and ammunition but yet again stopped short of detailing how it would follow through on the stern but vague threat. Spokeswoman Sabrina Singh delivered the cagey response during a press conference in which she demurred despite repeated requests for specifics.

China sees Russia as an irreplaceable economic and logistical partner, particularly if it, too, tries to execute a land-grab in the future on territory it considers its own – chiefly the independent island nation of Taiwan." USNews&WorldReport

Russian Air Force Pilot Killed in Plane Crash Near Ukraine Border

"A Russian pilot was killed on Thursday when a military plane crashed in the southern region
of Belgorod near the border with Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry has announced.   

“After completing a combat mission, a Su-25 aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces crashed while returning to its base in the Belgorod region. The pilot died," the ministry said in a statement cited by Russia’s state-run Interfax news agency.  

The plane crashed in the village of Orekhovo some 20 kilometers from the border with Ukraine." MT

Three explosions recorded in Mariupol. Russian military personnel hit

 "Three explosions were recorded in temporarily occupied Mariupol. The enemy troops were hit in the territory of the Illich Iron & Steel Works and near the airport." UKRIN

Greece Not Supplying S-300 Air Defense Systems to Kiev Despite US Requests

"Athens will not supply S-300 air defense missile systems to Ukraine, despite the United
States' relevant requests, as this would weaken Greece's defense, the country's Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos told media." Sputnik

British supermarkets begin rationing vegetables

"The UK’s largest grocer, Tesco, has joined rivals Asda, Morrisons and Aldi by slapping limits on purchases of salad vegetables due to supply shortages, the company announced....Analysts say the current troubles stem from two reasons. Firstly, suppliers in Morocco and Spain, the UK's biggest sources of fresh vegetables in the winter, have been suffering from cold temperatures, rain and flooding over the past month, which disrupted harvests and halted deliveries. Secondly, the UK’s own farmers have been struggling to power their greenhouses due to rising energy prices." RT

Ransomware Attack On Food Giant Dole Temporarily Shuttered US Production

"Dole Food is one of the world's largest producers and distributors of fresh fruits and vegetables. An alarming report reveals the company temporarily shuttered all operations across North America after a cyberattack earlier this month. 

"Dole Food Company is in the midst of a Cyber Attack and have subsequently shut down our systems throughout North America," Emanuel Lazopoulos, senior vice president at Dole's Fresh Vegetables division, wrote in a memo to retailers on Feb. 10. The memo was obtained by CNN this week. 

Dole sent the memo to supermarkets after customers complained about its prepackaged salads, which include salad blends, salad kits, and ready-to-eat salads, being out of stock. " ZH