Russia Attacks Ukraine - 23 Feb 2022 #15

[PommyMommy]

Emergency response operations are currently underway in Dnipro at the site of a Russian missile strike. Preliminary reports indicate it was a ballistic missile. Unfortunately, one person was killed — my condolences to their family and loved ones. As of now, five others have been reported injured. All are receiving medical assistance.

Earlier today, there was an air raid alert in Kyiv due to an attack drone. Many regions have reported Russian strikes and shelling. In particular, Nikopol was hit by five Russian FPV drones — a completely deliberate strike on the city, near a food market, targeting civilians. Twelve people were injured, including one child.

There were also Russian attacks on Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Mykolaiv regions. Sumy region continues to suffer constant attacks by guided aerial bombs.

And all of this is happening nearly a month after the United States proposed a full ceasefire. Russia is clearly ignoring diplomacy and using its contacts with the world solely to serve its own interests — not to end the war.

What’s needed now is tactics of pressure — pressure on Russia to end the terror and the war. I thank everyone around the world who is helping us in this effort.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1910401650046492804

 

[sds71]

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Incensed by President Donald Trump’s posturing over Greenland and sweeping trade tariffs, Danish shoppers are turning their backs on American products in a show of national protest.

The small European nation and longtime U.S. ally has lately found itself in the president’s crosshairs amid his ambitions over Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish island. Meanwhile, new U.S. tariffs, recently reduced to 10%, now hinder EU exports to one of its key markets.

Trump has repeatedly said the U.S. should take control of Greenland, which houses American military facilities, in the interests national security. Danish officials have fervently rejected the notion, and now —much like in Canada, which Trump would like to make the 51st U.S. state — consumers are making a stand.

“It’s the only way they [shoppers] can make a little protest on Trump,” Sanne, a store worker at a Copenhagen branch of Danish grocery store chain Føtex, told CNBC.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/11/danish-shoppers-boycott-us-products-as-greenland-trade-tensions-escalate.html

 

[sds71]

The commander in Greenland, who spoke against VP Vance, has been fired:

"I do not presume to understand current politics, but what I do know is the concerns of the U.S. administration discussed by Vice President Vance on Friday are not reflective of Pituffik Space Base," Meyers wrote in the email, which was communicated to Military.com.

"I commit that, for as long as I am lucky enough to lead this base, all of our flags will fly proudly -- together," Meyers' email message to the base read

Space Force Commander in Greenland Sent Out Email Breaking with Vance After His Visit

The emailed remarks, confirmed as accurate to Military.com by the Space Force, mark a rare pushback within the ranks of the Trump administration's repeated criticism and critiques of NATO members and longtime allies.

www.military.com

 

[SouthAussie]

"Norway has officially joined the drone coalition for Ukraine, which is led by the United Kingdom and Latvia."
Norway joins drone coalition with UK


"Drone Coalition was formally established on 14 February 2024. It is an initiative proposed by Latvia and coordinated in conjunction with the United Kingdom.

There is ongoing cooperation together with Latvian defence industry companies in the drone manufacturing sector to provide Ukraine with combat drones of different capacities according to current needs and testing requirements."

Drone Coalition

www.mod.gov.lv

 

[SouthAussie]

"Ukraine's Western allies have agreed a record £18 billion (€21bn) of military support for Kyiv, Britain has announced.

“2025 is the critical year for the war in Ukraine, and this is the critical moment.”

Lithuania intends to provide an additional €20 million for Ukraine to purchase ammunition, Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė has said.

The Netherlands has announced the allocation of €150m to bolster Ukraine's air defense capabilities.

Two million artillery shells to be funded by EU"

Ukraine war live: Kyiv allies agree £18bn support package ahead of ‘Putin talks’

Top US diplomat Steve Witkoff has travelled to Russia for a meeting with Vladimir Putin, according to reports

www.independent.co.uk

 

[SouthAussie]

"European Commission will receive €2.1 billion due in windfall profits generated from immobilized assets of the Russian Central Bank, held by the Central Securities Depositories.

Most of these €2.1 billion will be used for the purchase of weapons, ammunition, and air defense for Ukraine in the form of grants.

In addition, five new EU-Ukraine agreements were signed yesterday.
These include three finance contracts worth €300 million between the European Investment Bank and Ukraine. The funding will empower local actors to swiftly rebuild essential infrastructure, such as water systems and energy-efficient facilities."

Discussions during the EU-Ukraine Association Council were very good, and more support is coming - Mathernová

An exclusive blitz interview of the Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency

en.interfax.com.ua

 

[PommyMommy]

Latvian defense minister: Europe "can do a lot" with its 2 million soldiers for Ukraine peacekeeping

Latvia is ready to contribute forces while emphasizing the importance of not weakening its own defenses against Russia.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1910673688652808491

6 countries ready to send troops for Ukraine 'reassurance force' so far, AFP reports.

The U.K., France, the Baltic nations, and another unnamed country stand ready to send their soldiers, while other leaders want to see a more detailed plan first, AFP reported.

Read also: https://kyivindependent.com/6-countries-ready-to-send-troops-for-ukraine-reassurance-force-afp-reports/

https://twitter.com/x/status/1910605696942428323

Ukrainian drone pilots repelled Russian assault near Luhansk Bilohorivka on 10 April.

The Russian troops used GAZ-69 trucks from the 1950s.

Forbes: Russian assault trucks from the 1950s destroyed in eastern Ukraine

Unarmored Soviet-era "museum-grade" GAZ-69 trucks fell victim to Ukrainian drone strikes during an attempted assault near Luhansk's Bilohorivka.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1910676594311524525

 

[PommyMommy]

Update: Witkoff arrives in Russia, Kremlin confirms.

The Kremlin will announce whether Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.https://kyivindependent.com/trumps-envoy-witkoff-to-meet-putin-on-april-11-axios-reports/

https://twitter.com/x/status/1910609718189453400

Putin to meet US envoy Witkoff to discuss Ukraine, Kremlin confirms.

A possible meeting between Trump and Putin could be on the agenda, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1910676790407827733

Russia asks US to lift sanctions on its largest airline.

Aeroflot has been banned from U.S. and EU airspace and cut off from critical aviation supplies since 2022.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1910634633680584883

 

[PommyMommy]

Russian commanders reportedly employed drones to target their own retreating soldiers near Torske in Donetsk Oblast

This tactic aims to enforce discipline among troops, as Ukraine maintains strong positions along the Zherebets River

https://twitter.com/x/status/1910756735775641731

TWZ: Russia’s building a giant warship in Crimea. Why hasn’t Ukraine blown it up?

In Russian-occupied Kerch, a warship built to deploy helicopters, vehicles, and 900 troops is rising fast. Yet Ukraine’s missiles remain silent.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1910734087385481670

Estonia detains Russian shadow fleet tanker for the first time.

The Estonian Navy detained an oil tanker belonging to Russia's so-called shadow fleet in the Gulf of Finland on April 11, the Estonian media outlet ERR reported, citing Estonian Navy Commander Cdre Ivo Värk. The move marks Estonia’s first detention of a shadow fleet vessel. The vessel's captain is a Chinese citizen, and the rest of the crew are nationals of Myanmar.https://kyivindependent.com/in-first-case-estonia-detains-russian-shadow-fleet-oil-tanker/

https://twitter.com/x/status/1910771917251883256

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 11, 2025

Trump urges Russia 'to get moving' to end war against Ukraine

"Russia has to get moving. Too many people are dying, thousands a week, in a terrible and senseless war — a war that should have never happened, and wouldn’t have happened, if I were president," U.S. President Donald Trump said.

kyivindependent.com

U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on the Truth Social platform on April 11 that Russia "has to get moving" to end its war against Ukraine.

"Russia has to get moving. Too many people are dying, thousands a week, in a terrible and senseless war — a war that should have never happened, and wouldn’t have happened, if I were president," Trump said.

'Don't come, there's nothing good here' — Chinese soldiers warn against following Russian propaganda to fight in Ukraine

The Ukrainian military recently captured two Chinese soldiers fighting for Russia. Kyiv subsequently released data on a total of 163 Chinese nationals identified by Ukrainian intelligence as fighting for Moscow. "We are collecting information, we believe that there are many more," President...

kyivindependent.com

One post on Douyin, China's local version of TikTok, dates back to July 2022, shows a purported recent recruit excitedly preparing to be picked up from the Beijing airport on Sept. 1 of that year. "Your daily salary will be 30,000 Russian rubles. Welcome to Russia!" claims the new "recruit," citing a figure that is an absurdly high $350 per day.

"Don't come. There is nothing good here to come to," said Chongqing's Zhao Rui, per local media. By December, Zhao had become the first Chinese soldier to die, reportedly falling to a Ukrainian drone.

Reports from August show two young Chinese recruits joining Storm-Z units only to die on their first mission.

"Russia is reluctant to send their regular Slavic troops to charge on the front lines, so they spend money to recruit mercenaries for front-line charges, where survival chances are extremely low," the report says.

US envoy Witkoff proposes giving Russia 'ownership' of Ukrainian regions, Reuters reports

The news came as Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg to discuss a possible path toward a settlement in Ukraine.

kyivindependent.com

U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has told President Donald Trump that giving Moscow "ownership" of four occupied Ukrainian regions would be the fastest way to achieve a ceasefire, Reuters reported on April 11, citing two unnamed U.S. officials and five other undisclosed sources.

According to Reuters, Witkoff conveyed this proposal to U.S. President Donald Trump after meeting with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev in Washington in early April.

Ukraine can be split like postwar Germany after peace deal, Kellogg suggests

"You could almost make it look like what happened with Berlin after World War Two, when you had a Russian zone, a French zone, and a British zone, a U.S. zone," U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg said in an interview with the Times.

kyivindependent.com

Ukraine could be partitioned into separate zones as part of a peace deal with Russia, U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, said in an interview with the Times on April 11.

Kellogg proposed establishing a "reassurance force" led by the U.K. and France in western Ukraine and concentrating Ukrainian troops east of the Dnipro river, where a demilitarized zone would also be established near the current line of control. Territories currently under occupation would be controlled by Russian forces.

"You could almost make it look like what happened with Berlin after World War Two, when you had a Russian zone, a French zone, and a British zone, a U.S. zone," he said.

 

[PommyMommy]

Today, a new Ramstein meeting is taking place in Brussels. Our priority is air defense, and it is very important that our partners hear us.

Ukrainians know how to be precise. We have already learned to shoot down a significant amount of Russia’s weapons of terror. We just need to address the shortage of air defense systems to make our sky protection stronger.

Our partners can help with this and also speed up the implementation of all agreements reached earlier. Patriots that remain unused in storage with our partners should be protecting lives.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1910614751190589730

New sanctions steps.

We are increasing pressure on war propagandists and those who justify Russia, and together with our partners, we are blocking the activities of Russia’s shadow fleet. The relevant decrees are already on the website.

Another decision of the National Security and Defense Council regarding certain officials is also being prepared. The decree will be issued shortly.

I thank everyone who defends our state and spreads the truth about this war.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1910685758274359742

Today marks exactly one month since Russia rejected the U.S. proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire, one month that has made it completely clear – Russia is the sole cause of this war. Without strength against Russia, there will be no will in Russia to accept and implement any realistic and effective proposals for peace.

Today, I’m speaking to you from Kryvyi Rih. This city lives under almost constant air alerts – because of drones or Russian missiles. The most dangerous threat is ballistic missiles. Exactly a week ago here, in this city, in Kryvyi Rih, a Russian ballistic missile killed 19 people – including 9 children. Just children, on an ordinary street. In Ukraine, we don’t have time for metaphors. Our people, our children are under attacks in many-many cities and villages: Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Nikopol, Poltava, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Kharkiv, Odesa, Chernihiv, and many others. They all need protection from Russian missiles.

I called on the participants of today’s meeting of the Ramstein-format Contact Group to focus, first and foremost, on air defense for Ukraine. We truly need it. Ten Patriot systems – the free world has them. What is needed now are political decisions to make them work for peace. We need that result.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1910706196215967890

 

[PommyMommy]

Kryvyi Rih. An ordinary city district, surrounded by residential buildings, nothing but civilian infrastructure.

On April 4, a Russian ballistic missile struck right next to apartment buildings and a children's playground – right on the street – taking the lives of 19 people, 9 of them children.

Honored the memory of those killed. We have no right to forget the crimes Russia has committed against Ukrainians. And everyone in the world should remember as well – for Russia, human life means nothing.

Eternal memory to all whose lives were taken by Russian terror.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1910701989970714765

I visited our warriors who had been wounded while carrying out combat missions in the Donetsk region, as well as in the Kursk region. They are currently undergoing treatment in one of the medical facilities.

I talked to the warriors and presented them with Orders “For Courage” III class. Thank you for your service and for defending Ukraine, for being with us. I wish you a speedy recovery.

I also thank our doctors for supporting our defenders, for treating them, helping them recover, and literally bringing them back to life. Your work is priceless.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1910715765721817452

Today I visited the Dnipro region, Kryvyi Rih. I honored the memory of those killed by a Russian ballistic missile strike—exactly one week ago. 19 people were killed by a Russian missile, including 9 children. I’m now in a shelter at the very school where three of those children studied—tragically, they were killed. That same day, there was also a Shahed drone attack, which claimed even more lives. Eternal memory to them all.

Today, from right here in Kryvyi Rih, I addressed the participants of the Ramstein meeting in Brussels. Our top priority is air defense: additional systems and missiles for them—to protect lives and our cities. We are counting on our partners’ decisions. The world has the necessary systems, and what’s needed is a political decision for them to work here in Ukraine – in Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Nikopol, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, and many other cities and communities.

We discussed this with President Trump—Ukraine is not just asking, we’re ready to purchase these additional systems. Only powerful weapons can truly be relied upon to protect life when you have a neighbor like Russia.

So that Ukrainian children can study safely—not just online, but in person, like in America, like across Europe—and not in underground classrooms, which may provide greater safety but which should not be the norm anywhere, but simply in schools.

Air defense is our first priority. I thank all our partners who are already helping.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1910731158918234180

 

[TootsieFootsie]

MSN

Euronews

The US will no longer chair the group of key Ukraine allies known as the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG), leaving it permanently up to Europeans from now on, Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans has told Euronews.

“The chairmanship has been taken over by Germany and the UK,” Minister Brekelmans said.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

I am trying to figure out Washington. I feel tRump is acting like he really does want Putin in a cease fire.... so he cna pretend all if good, and he will throw out the seeds to do business with Putin.
His lame statement yesterday just seems to be dribble because Wittkoff is in Russia right now.

The US is still working on real estate rather than ending a war..........

Trump envoy: Ukraine could be divided like postwar Berlin

General Keith Kellogg suggests UK and France could lead western zone of control in interview with The Times

www.thetimes.com

resident Trump’s envoy to Ukraine has said the country could be partitioned “almost like Berlin after World War Two” as part of a peace deal.

Witkoff meets Putin as Trump urges Russia to 'get moving' on Ukraine ceasefire

Steve Witkoff held talks with the Russian president, meanwhile Moscow's ambassador to the UK told the BBC the US is not Russia's ally.

www.bbc.com

Russia's army, he (Kellogg) reportedly suggested, could then remain in the occupied east. "You could almost make it look like what happened with Berlin after World War Two," the paper quoted him as saying.

Kellogg later took to social media to say that the article had "misrepresented" what he said.

"I was speaking of a post-ceasefire resiliency force in support of Ukraine's sovereignty," he wrote on X, adding: "I was NOT referring to a partitioning of Ukraine."

 

[nhmemorymaker]

My frustration over this total mind game with Russia to come to the table to end this war, is just driving me mad.
tRump is still just starting things with no intent on finishing.......

so this post is total moo, moo, moo............
Can some of you smart folks try to help me research more on the under belly or Putin and his Mafia?

And does anyone have any ideas how to get Americans away from marching over ideological and behavioural issues and get the protests where they belong...on world order???

Where are all those planes that were taking "unlawful immigrants and gang members" to all those foreign countries???
TO CHAOS
Where are all these tariff rollercoasters going???
TO CHAOS
Is Musk getting bored with his DOGE???
All there is is CHAOS..
So we don't focus on Russia.

Quite honestly, this is where all the world should be focussing. I am convinced that this is the ultimate plan ... to give in to Russia on some weak promise that tRump thinks he will get "part of the world" too.

Putin, his oligarchs and the underground Russian Mafia.... have tRump by the finger nails (to be polite), and we have to figure out what can be done to "get the word out" about this deadly longer range scenario.

"old" article... but no one has cared.

Trump’s ties to the Russian mafia go back 3 decades

Journalist Craig Unger talks Russia, Trump, and “one of the greatest intelligence operations in history.”

www.vox.com

Russian mafia - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

ok. so off soapbox.
(and certainly not saying the tariffs rollercoaster is not dangerous as well)

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 11, 2025

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 11, 2025

Ukraine's European partners announced new military aid during the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting on April 11.

www.understandingwar.org

Russian forces recently executed Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) in western Zaporizhia Oblast amid continued reports of systematic executions of Ukrainian POWs across the theater of war. The Associated Press (AP) reported on April 10 that it obtained a video from Ukrainian and Russian drones showing Russian soldiers executing Ukrainian POWs surrendering in Pyatykhatky (northwest of Robotyne).[23] Ukrainian officials reacted to the footage confirming the executions and reiterated that Russian executions of Ukrainian POWs are "systematic."[24] ISW observed a sharp increase in credible reports and footage of Russian forces executing Ukrainian POWs throughout 2024 and 2025 and continues to assess that Russian military commanders are either complicit in or directly enabling subordinates to execute Ukrainian POWs in violation of international law.[25]

Key Takeaways:

• Ukraine's European partners announced new military aid during the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (the Ramstein format) meeting on April 11.
• US Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev in St. Petersburg on April 11 to discuss the war in Ukraine.
• Kremlin officials continue to demonstrate Russia's unwillingness to make territorial compromises in Ukraine in a future peace settlement.
• Russian authorities continue efforts to extract concessions from the United States as part of ongoing bilateral US-Russian negotiations while delaying progress towards peace in Ukraine.
• Ukrainian sources continue to speculate about which directions Russian forces will prioritize in Spring and Summer 2024. ISW is updating the axis sections in its Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment to reflect shifting Russian operational efforts along the frontline.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to emphasize Russia's large-scale and long-term investments in Russia's navy and naval strategic nuclear forces.
• Russian forces recently executed Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) in western Zaporizhia Oblast amid continued reports of systematic executions of Ukrainian POWs across the theater of war.
• Russian forces recently advanced near Kupyansk, Siversk, Novopavlivka, and Velyka Novosilka.
• Russian opposition media provided additional details regarding Russia's efforts to recruit Chinese citizens to serve in Ukraine following Ukrainian reports about Chinese nationals fighting in Ukraine.

 

[Mo Thuairim]

US ‘demands control’ from Ukraine of key pipeline carrying Russian gas

Senior Kyiv economist describes latest postion of Trump administration in talks as ‘colonial-type’ bullying

The US has demanded control of a crucial pipeline in Ukraine used to send Russian gas to Europe, according to reports, in a move described as a colonial shakedown.

US and Ukrainian officials met on Friday to discuss White House proposals for a minerals deal. Donald Trump wants Kyiv to hand over its natural resources as “payback” in return for weapons delivered by the previous Biden administration.

Talks have become increasingly acrimonious, Reuters said. The latest US draft is more “maximalist” than the original version from February, which proposed giving Washington $500bn worth of rare metals, as well as oil and gas.

Citing a source close to the talks, the news agency said the most recent document includes a demand that the US government’s International Development Finance Corporation take control of the natural gas pipeline.

It runs from the town of Sudzha in western Russia to the Ukrainian city of Uzhhorod, about 750 miles (1,200km) away, on the border with the EU and Slovakia. Built in Soviet times, the pipeline is a key piece of national infrastructure and a major energy route.

[...]

US ‘demands control’ from Ukraine of key pipeline carrying Russian gas

Senior Kyiv economist describes latest position of Trump administration in talks as ‘colonial-type’ bullying

www.theguardian.com

 

[nhmemorymaker]

APR 11, 2025

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 11, 2025

Ukraine's European partners announced new military aid during the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting on April 11.

www.understandingwar.org

Russian forces recently executed Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) in western Zaporizhia Oblast amid continued reports of systematic executions of Ukrainian POWs across the theater of war. The Associated Press (AP) reported on April 10 that it obtained a video from Ukrainian and Russian drones showing Russian soldiers executing Ukrainian POWs surrendering in Pyatykhatky (northwest of Robotyne).[23] Ukrainian officials reacted to the footage confirming the executions and reiterated that Russian executions of Ukrainian POWs are "systematic."[24] ISW observed a sharp increase in credible reports and footage of Russian forces executing Ukrainian POWs throughout 2024 and 2025 and continues to assess that Russian military commanders are either complicit in or directly enabling subordinates to execute Ukrainian POWs in violation of international law.[25]

Key Takeaways:

• Ukraine's European partners announced new military aid during the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (the Ramstein format) meeting on April 11.
• US Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev in St. Petersburg on April 11 to discuss the war in Ukraine.
• Kremlin officials continue to demonstrate Russia's unwillingness to make territorial compromises in Ukraine in a future peace settlement.
• Russian authorities continue efforts to extract concessions from the United States as part of ongoing bilateral US-Russian negotiations while delaying progress towards peace in Ukraine.
• Ukrainian sources continue to speculate about which directions Russian forces will prioritize in Spring and Summer 2024. ISW is updating the axis sections in its Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment to reflect shifting Russian operational efforts along the frontline.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to emphasize Russia's large-scale and long-term investments in Russia's navy and naval strategic nuclear forces.
• Russian forces recently executed Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) in western Zaporizhia Oblast amid continued reports of systematic executions of Ukrainian POWs across the theater of war.
• Russian forces recently advanced near Kupyansk, Siversk, Novopavlivka, and Velyka Novosilka.
• Russian opposition media provided additional details regarding Russia's efforts to recruit Chinese citizens to serve in Ukraine following Ukrainian reports about Chinese nationals fighting in Ukraine.

When is Washington going to state that Russia is NOT going to participate in any cease fire.
And what is Washington going to do about it?

 

[nhmemorymaker]

US ‘demands control’ from Ukraine of key pipeline carrying Russian gas

Senior Kyiv economist describes latest postion of Trump administration in talks as ‘colonial-type’ bullying

The US has demanded control of a crucial pipeline in Ukraine used to send Russian gas to Europe, according to reports, in a move described as a colonial shakedown.

US and Ukrainian officials met on Friday to discuss White House proposals for a minerals deal. Donald Trump wants Kyiv to hand over its natural resources as “payback” in return for weapons delivered by the previous Biden administration.

Talks have become increasingly acrimonious, Reuters said. The latest US draft is more “maximalist” than the original version from February, which proposed giving Washington $500bn worth of rare metals, as well as oil and gas.

Citing a source close to the talks, the news agency said the most recent document includes a demand that the US government’s International Development Finance Corporation take control of the natural gas pipeline.

It runs from the town of Sudzha in western Russia to the Ukrainian city of Uzhhorod, about 750 miles (1,200km) away, on the border with the EU and Slovakia. Built in Soviet times, the pipeline is a key piece of national infrastructure and a major energy route.

[...]

US ‘demands control’ from Ukraine of key pipeline carrying Russian gas

Senior Kyiv economist describes latest position of Trump administration in talks as ‘colonial-type’ bullying

www.theguardian.com

WHY are these demands coming.

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 13, 2025

Trump extends Biden's sanctions executive order against Russia

U.S. President Donald Trump has extended the national emergency and the associated sanctions against the Russian government for a further year, according to a document from the U.S. Federal Register.

kyivindependent.com

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order extending for one year the sanctions against Russia originally imposed by former President Joe Biden in April 2021 over Russia’s harmful foreign activities, according to an April 10 document from the U.S. Federal Register.

"Specified harmful foreign activities of the Government of the Russian Federation continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. For this reason, the national emergency must continue in effect beyond 15 April 2025," the document says.

Reuters: Chinese military officers have been present behind Russian lines with Beijing’s approval

More than 100 Chinese nationals fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine are acting as mercenaries and do not appear to have direct ties to Beijing, according to two U.S. officials cited by Reuters. However, a former intelligence official told Reuters that Chinese military officers were...

kyivindependent.com

More than 100 Chinese nationals fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine are acting as mercenaries and do not appear to have direct ties to Beijing, according to two U.S. officials familiar with intelligence reports and a former Western intelligence official, Reuters reported on April 11.

However, the former intelligence official told Reuters that Chinese military officers have been present behind Russian lines with Beijing’s approval to observe and draw tactical lessons from the war.

Ukraine diplomat slams X for hiding posts about child casualties - Euromaidan Press

"This is sweeping Russian war crimes under the rug," declared Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesperson after discovering X had hidden posts about child casualties from the ministry's official account.

euromaidanpress.com

Tykhyi shared his concerns in a post on X, backed by a screenshot showing how the network had hidden a publication from the official Ukrainian Foreign Ministry account that contained statistical data about child casualties.

“For real, @X? Since when is the number of Ukrainian kids killed by Russia considered “graphic content?This isn’t preventing users from exposure to graphic content. This is sweeping Russian war crimes under the rug,” Tykhyi wrote.