Month: September 2022

EU threatens foreign observers of referenda in Donbass, Zaporozhye, and Kherson regions

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From RT

EU threatens foreign observers over Donbass referendums

The sanctions, if agreed, may also affect those monitoring votes on joining Russia in Zaporozhye and Kherson regions

The EU will slap sanctions on anyone involved in referendums on joining Russia in the Donbass republics, as well as in Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, according to Peter Stano, a spokesman for the bloc’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

“There would be consequences for all people, who participate in the illegal, illegitimate referendums,” Stano warned on Tuesday, the fifth and final day of voting.

Stano did not rule out the possibility of foreign observers, including EU citizens, also facing restrictions over any support they have given to the process. He said it would be up to member states to decide who falls under the sanctions regime.

Another high-ranking EU foreign policy official, Luc Devigne, also told European lawmakers on Tuesday that individuals who are “obviously linked” to the referendums would be targeted in the next sanctions package.

Residents of France, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Brazil and other countries have reportedly arrived to monitor voting in the Donetsk (DPR) and Lugansk People’s Republics (LPR), and the regions of Zaporozhye and Kherson, which are mostly controlled by Russian forces.

Ukraine and its Western backers have labeled the referendums a “sham,” vowing that they won’t recognize their results regardless of the outcome. The polls in the plebiscite closed at 4pm local time (1pm GMT) on Tuesday. The head of the LPR, Leonid Pasechnik, said preliminary results would be ready by this evening.

Russia sent its troops into Ukraine on February 24, citing Kiev’s failure to implement the Minsk agreements, designed to give the regions of Donetsk and Lugansk special status within the Ukrainian state. The protocols, brokered by Germany and France, were first signed in 2014. Former Ukrainian president Pyotr Poroshenko has since admitted that Kiev’s main goal was to use the ceasefire to buy time and “create powerful armed forces.”

In February 2022, the Kremlin recognized the Donbass republics as independent states and demanded that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join any Western military bloc. Kiev insists the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked.

https://www.rt.com/russia/563612-eu-referendum-donbass-sanctions/

Prelim results for referenda: majority voted to join Russia; U.S. weapons shell residential areas; Kiev continues shelling Zaporozhye

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From Strategic Stability

Report # 146. Breaking news: The majority voted to live in Russia

September 27, 2022

1. The majority of voters in four regions expressed their wish to live in Russia

Four separate referenda held in two independent republics in Donbass and in two regions in southern Ukraine, namely Kherson and Zaporozhye Oblast or Regions between September 23-27 ended at 16:00 hours local time on September 27th, 2022.

According to preliminary results (with 15% of ballot papers counted by 17:00 Moscow time) overwhelming majority of voters have OKeyed admission of all these regions to the Russian Federation as equal subjects.

All referenda have been recognized as valid. They have witnessed very high level of participation of voters despite permanent heavy shelling of the residential areas in all four regions by heavy weapons, including the U.S.-made MLRS HIMARS, by Armed Forces of Ukraine in violation of the UN Charter, the OSCE decisions and the EU basic principles.

The preliminary results in full will be announced on September 28th, and final results – some days later.

Such fantastic returns ran counter to Mrs Annalena Baerbock, German Foreign Minister’s allegations, who in a Marcus Lanza’s TV program have disseminated false information about the referenda by claiming that the voters are shot, they are raped, and then they have to put crosses for three days while soldiers with Kalashnikovs [assault rifles] in their hands stand next to them.

Where she has got this false information? Nowhere. Such cases have not been recorded during the referenda. More than 200 foreign observers who have arrived to these regions have not confirmed such false allegations. And no local citizen has lodged any respective complaint, by the way.

The German Ambassador in Moscow should be summoned to the Russian MFA to give explanations why Baerbock has used such unverified propaganda with a very bad smell. She has undermined her political carrier by many coarse and unverified false statements earlier.

This is one more and the latest vivid example of her wrong behavior. Shame that she still represents Germany as the head of the German diplomatic service.

2. Why the majority of citizens in four named regions have voted for joining Russia?

No long arguments and explanations – there are plenty of them to catalogue them here. No time. Later. Just official figures:

In LPR

Since 2014 till February 24, 2022:

killed – 1771 (here and in all other cases atrocities have been done by Armed Forces of Ukraine);
wounded – 3350;
children killed – 38;
children wounded – 91;
social infrastructure buildings destroyed – more than 7200;
social infrastructure buildings damaged – more than 26000

Since February 24 till September 23, 2022:

killed – 91;
wounded – 292;
children killed – 7;
children wounded – 26;
social infrastructure buildings destroyed – 252;
social infrastructure buildings damaged – 2846.

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Kiev continued shelling residential areas during referenda; international observers — referenda conducted lawfully

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From Strategic Stability

Report # 145. Despite barbaric Ukrainian shelling, four referenda go on

September 25,2022

1. Four referenda are conducted in a democratic way

Four separate referenda started on September 23, 2022 in four regions uncontrolled by Ukraine, namely in Donetsl and Lugansk People’s Republics, as well as in Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions where the majority of populations expressed their wish join the Russian Federation as equal subjects (the slogan displayed at the public rally on the picture runs: We are together with Russia”)

Such referenda that are permitted by international law will end on September 27. Final results will be announced the next day. If the majority of voters say positive to the accession with Russia, the Russian State Duma, the lower house of Parliament will pass its decision to the President who is understood will sign a decree on the admission of all four regions to Russia. It may happen on September 30, 2022.

During last two days since the beginning of the referenda so far nearly 55% of voters participated in them in the DPR, 46% in LPR, 36% in Kherson Region and 32% in Zaporozhye Region. It has been announced by four referenda commissions by 17:30 Moscow time on September 25. The referenda commissions predicted that by evening September 27 around 80-90% of voters would take part in these events.

Locals are explaining their desire to participate in the referenda by noting: “Ukraine killed us, while Russia defended us. Do you see the difference?”

International observers (there are 179 of them in Donbass only) who came to all these territories are noting that the referenda are conducted in accordance with the international law and European standards. Voters can cast there will freely and without any intimidation from local authorities.

Unfortunately, Armed Forces of Ukraine or AFU controlled by a neo-Nazi regime implanted in Kiev continued shelling residential areas in all four regions intending to disrupt these will-expression process in violation of the UN Charter, OSCE and ODIHR principles (The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights). It is irrelevant that the UNO, OSCE and ODIHR have said no single word of criticism about such cruelty and barbarism during the days when referenda are being held. What for they are paid?

Kiev also sent several saboteur groups to stop referenda. All teams have been eliminated.

The DPR representative office in the Joint Coordination and Ceasefire Commission or JCCC reported that on September 23 there have been 55 instances of shelling by the AFU and 297 rounds of ammunition were fired. In the Donetsk direction, the enemy used 155mm and 152mm artillery. In the Yasynuvata direction – artillery of 155 and 152 mm. On the Gorlovka direction – Grad MLRS, artillery of 155, 152 and 122 mm, tanks, 120 mm mortars have been used,

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Kiev attacks on Zaporozhye continue

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Report # 138. Chain of Ukrainian provocations vs ZNPP continues.

Who will stop such nuclear terrorism if the UN SC is unable?

September, 5 , 2022

1. Kiev continues nuclear terrorism. It has a specific blackmail scheme

Despite the presence of IAEA representatives at Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, Kiev regime continues provocations aimed at posing a threat to create a technological disaster at ZNPP.

While Kiev regime and its western sponsors were preparing an operation aimed at capturing Zaporozhye nuclear power plant on September 1, the international community had to be informed about the establishment of Kiev’s control over the plant by specially selected and prepared ‘mass media representatives’ from Ukraine, USA and United Kingdom in presence of the mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

With this purpose, as it was confirmed on September 2 in the public statement by Zelensky, Kiev regime added extra motor cars with Ukrainian and Western journalists on board to the convoy of IAEA without prior arrangement with anybody. The attempt to carry out this provocation was made by Kiev in disregard of mission’s working scenario documentally predetermined by IAEA Secretariat and UN Department for Safety and Security.

According to thoroughly studied and agreed documents, the access to the territory of ZNPP was to be provided only pursuant to the lists previously presented by Russian MoD to UN Department for Safety and Security. There are no representatives of Ukrainian or other mass media tasked to accompany IAEA’s convoy on September 1 from Kiev-controlled territory to ZNPP in the agreed lists. Zelensky blocked any participation of Ukrainian journalists in the reporting to the IAEA visit to ZNPP.

Despite that order, some persons disguised as “newsmen” wanted to visit ZNPP with specific aims. Considering this fact, in order to implement the security arrangements for IAEA mission’s work, all unauthorised “journalists” were stopped and did not get access to cross the delimitation line together with IAEA’s convoy.

At the same time, on request of IAEA Secretariat, Russian side has provided the arrival of over 60 representatives of mass media, including from France, the USA, the PRC, Denmark, Japan, Germany, Turkey, Qatar, UAE, RoK, Vietnam and other countries to cover the mission’s work

It has been established that the group of faked “newsmen” without IDs or with faked IDs was tasked to immediately report to the world that ZNPP has been captured by AFU in the presence of the IAEA and declared as “a DMZ”. After that with a free hand in its activity at this plant Kiev could have implemented any wrong-doing with the facility, even melt down any nuclear reactor or several reactors and blackmail any nation by enhanced radiation. The next step would have been to demand from Russia to sign “a treaty” specifying provisions totally favorable to Kiev.

In the morning on September 1, the group of bona fide journalists that arrived in Energodar city where ZNPP is located witnessed the unsuccessful attempt to assault ZNPP by Ukrainian saboteurs and by heavy artillery shelling launched by AFU at Zaporozhye nuclear power plant and residential areas of Energodar exactly from Nikopol and Marganetz controlled by Zelensky.

After so many attacks made by Ukrainian military only one reactor is operating at the plant – and not at full capacity

“Today, as a result of a fire caused by shelling, the (last working) transmission line was disconnected,” Energoatom, Ukraine’s state nuclear power company, incorrectly announced in a statement on Telegram on September 5, without mentioning who was responsible for such act, but at the same preferred not to point at Moscow only as it usually did.

Comment: It is quite exceptional case for a Ukrainian side that always has been blaming Russia for shelling ZNPP with Ukrainian and American projectiles from “nowhere land”

[see Reuters report: last-reactor-unit-ukraine-nuclear-plant-disconnects-after-shelling-energoatom-2022-09-05/].

According to the IAEA, two members of the International Atomic Energy Agency mission have been left at the plant as observers. The other group of inspectors left ZNPP on September 5 at 9:00 AM. Rafael Grossi, DG of the IAEA, left the area earlier

The reasons why Kiev still shells ZNPP have been disclosed by Petro Kotin, head of the during an interview with Reuters September 5, 2022 that it was vital that a mission by a UN inspectors’ team to the plant should lead to the end of Russia’s “occupation of the facility” and called for new missions to the site, including by UN peacekeepers

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Ukraine resumes shelling Zaporozhye nuclear plant after IAEA visit; Russia stops AFU sabotage attempt

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Strategic Stability

Report # 137. Kiev resumed ZNPP shelling after the IAEA team visit

September, 4, 2022

1. AFU again attacked ZNPP and Energodar city

Local authorities in Zaporozhye reported renewed shelling of the Zaporozhye NPP (ZNPP) by Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) after the IAEA head Rafael Grossi’s visit there was over. Ukrainian artillery targeted ZNPP and the city of Energodar once again, local military-civilian Administration member Vladimir Rogov said on September 2 night.

Four rounds impacted the area of plant, Rogov announced in midnight on September 2, with at least one heavy projectile exploded between reactors # 2 and # 3, while three struck about 400 meters to the east.

The shelling has cut the main power line along the Dnepr river, so the ZNPP had to divert emergency power for its own operational needs. After the attack all electricity supplies from ZNPP to the rest of Ukraine stopped.

Around 20 Ukrainian shells hit Energodar city where ZNPP is located.

The renewed attack came after the departure of the main International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission, which visited the plant on September 1. However, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi told reporters the same day that six of the agency’s experts stayed behind in Energodar. Four of them will return after the weekend and two will remain “permanently” there at the plant, Grossi clarified after returning to Vienna.

“If something happens or if any limitation comes, they are going to be reporting it to us. It’s no longer a matter of A said this and B said the contrary,” Grossi noted. “For those who may have intentions on the plant, knowing that international inspectors are there, witnessing and informing immediately what is happening, has, I think, an inherent very important stabilizing effect.”

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian General Staff admitted for the first time that it were “troops uncontrolled by Kiev” that have shelled the area of ZNPP.

However, such allegation is false, because “troops uncontrolled by Kiev” do not possess and therefore cannot use against ZNPP and Energodar the U.S.- made M777 howitzers or attack drones fitted with HE.

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu: “There have been 29 Ukrainian attacks against ZNPP since July 18, involving 120 artillery shells and 16 kamikaze drones”.

The USA and NATO/the EU never have criticized Zelensky for such nuclear terrorism

2. AFU sent another sabotage groups to capture ZNPP

On September 2, at about 11.00 PM (Moscow time), two groups of a total of 42 motor boats with over 250 Ukrainian servicemen from Special Operations Forces and foreign mercenaries on board made an attempt to disembark at the shore of Kakhovka Reservoir near Energodar and Dneproprudnoye.

Their main mission was to capture ZNPP where the IAEA left its six inspectors to conduct additional monitoring and report back to its HQ in Vienna.

The other task was to remove Russian National Guard units from the plant, and to use it as a much deadlier nuclear blackmail source

In this case the latest attacking force was four times as larger that AFU group that tried to attack ZNPP September 1 that has been nearly totally destroyed by Russian National Guard units maintaining security at the nuclear power plant.

The Ukrainian manpower sailing on September 2 was attacked by four Su-30 and two Ka-52 helicopters of Russian Aerospace Forces that has resulted in the elimination of 20 boats. The rest of the vessels turned back and headed towards the Ukrainian coast.

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BTWC member states will hear evidence of U.S. and Ukrainian violation of Biological and Toxin Weapons Treaty

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From Strategic Stability

Report # 136. The USA and Ukraine violate BTWC

September 3, 2022

Briefing of the Chief of Nuclear, Biological, Chemical and Radiological Defence troops of the Russian Federation Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov (Moscow, September 3, 2022):

On the initiative of the Russian Federation, consultative meeting of the member States of the Convention on the Prohibition of Biological and Toxin Weapons (BTWC) will be hosted in the upcoming week regarding non-compliance with the obligations of the USA and Ukraine within the abovementioned international treaty. The event will include presentation of documentary evidence of the violation of the articles I and IV within the convention on their part.

We want the organisations responsible for compliance with the Convention and the international community to pay their attention to various biological hazards.

First, there are currently over 50 Pentagon-controlled biological laboratories modernised with its funds and located in close proximity to the borders of the Russian Federation. In total, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, the U.S. Defence Department controls 336 biolaboratories in 30 countries.

Their activities are supplemented by deterioration of the epidemiological situation regarding to the most dangerous and economically significant infections, as well as by appearance of contagious diseases untypical for a certain region.

Since 2010, the territories of the Russian Federation bordering Ukraine have recorded an increase in the incidence of brucellosis, Congo-Crimean fever, West Nile fever and African swine fever, as well as an uncharacteristic expansion of vector ranges.

The Russian Federation, as a responsible party to the BTWC, is fully aware of the full range of threats associated with the possible consequences of its violation during the works performed in Ukrainian biolaboratories.

We have received information about U.S.-sponsored biological research in Ukraine. The decree of the Ministry of Healthcare of Ukraine (February 24, 2022) for emergency destruction of pathogen collections has reinforced our concerns about possible violation of the articles I and IV within the BTWC requirements in the Pentagon-commissioned work. The obtained materials have served as a basis for the Russian Federation’s investigation of U.S. biological activities at the territory of Ukraine.

The research in Ukrainian biolaboratories was carried out in accordance with the Agreement ‘On cooperation in the field of prevention of the spread of pathogens, technologies and knowledge that can be used in the development of biological weapons’ of 2005 between the U.S. military department and the Ministry of Healthcare of Ukraine.

The U.S. has spent over $250 million on biological programs in Ukraine.

The work was coordinated by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency of the U.S. Department of Defense (DTRA), the research was conducted under conditions of secrecy with limited access of Ukrainian professionals to information and premises.

We are currently witnessing a change in the tactics of the U.S. administration in an attempt to withdraw this office, the activities of which have become the subject of an international investigation. According to available information, the functions of the customer of military-biological programs in the Central Asian region have been transferred to civilian specialised organisations, the work of which will be under control of the U.S. Navy, which is the most closed structure.

In addition, the Pentagon intends to transfer unfinished programs in Ukraine as soon as possible to other post-Soviet countries, as well as to Eastern European states (such as Bulgaria, the Czech Republic) and Baltic countries.

The expansion of the network of biolaboratories, which can be used to create and store components of biological weapons, poses a threat to the military security of the Russian Federation. Unlike the nuclear weapons the U.S. deploys on the territory of NATO partner countries, the Alliance’s similar policy in the biological sphere allows it to approach our borders uncontrolled. This is the first issue we would like to emphasise.

Second, the focus of the Pentagon’s work does not correspond to the current problems of public health in Ukraine, the main of which are socially significant diseases: measles, rubella, tuberculosis, AIDS.

At the same time, the customers from the U.S. are interested in a completely different nomenclature: cholera, tularemia, plague, Congo-Crimean fever and hantaviruses. These pathogens were studied as part of the so-called Ukrainian UP and Tap projects. U.S. military biologists are interested because these pathogens have natural foci both in Ukraine and Russia, while their use can be disguised as natural disease outbreaks.

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