TheOldGuy @TheOldGuy@qoto.org

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US Republicans vows Israel aid vote after Iran attack - Politico

House Republican leadership announced on Saturday that the chamber will vote next week on Israel legislation after Iran launched an aerial attack that quickly fueled new bipartisan calls for a foreign aid package.

“In light of Iran’s unjustified attack on Israel, the House will move from its previously announced legislative schedule next week to instead consider legislation that supports our ally Israel and holds Iran and its terrorist proxies accountable,” Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) Scalise said in a statement.

The announcement didn’t immediately make clear what legislation the House will vote on, or what it means for a broader Senate foreign aid package, which would pair funding for Israel with assistance for Ukraine and Taiwan, that has languished in the House.

Scalise said that “more details… will be forthcoming.”

Republican leaders are facing growing bipartisan pressure to take up an aid package in the wake of Iran’s attack.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell pushed for the House to take up the Senate-passed foreign aid package, saying it would “provide critical resources” for Israel, “overdue lethal assistance” for Ukraine and help for Taiwan. It marks the latest example of the Republican leader trying to nudge his GOP counterparts across the Capitol into taking up a bill they’ve so far resisted.

“The Commander-in-Chief and the Congress must discharge our fundamental duties without delay. The consequences of failure are clear, devastating, and avoidable,” McConnell (R-Ky.) added in a statement.

The US is attempting to thwart a Russian project aimed at extracting liquefied natural gas in the Arctic, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.

Liquefied gas has swiftly become one of the world’s foremost energy sources, sparking tensions between Russia and the United States.

This competition is most pronounced in Russia’s arctic north, where a massive new offshore liquefied natural gas facility, a pivotal endeavor for Russian President Vladimir Putin, is under construction.

To impede the initiative, known as Arctic LNG-2, the US has deployed a barrage of sanctions. These measures have hindered Russia’s acquisition of the specialized, immense tankers required for gas transportation and have complicated efforts to construct alternative vessels domestically.

“Our objective is to ensure that the Arctic LNG-2 project does not come to fruition,” stated US Assistant Secretary of State for Energy, Jeffrey Payette, during a conference in Switzerland.

Putin aims to more than triple LNG exports in the coming years. His objective: to attract additional funds to finance the conflict in Ukraine and to offset the decline in Russia’s traditional gas pipeline export business.

The US may escalate pressure due to Russia’s limited dominance in the LNG market, making blockades less risky compared to oil markets, according to Maria Shagina, a sanctions researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

“Russia had ambitious plans, but these were thwarted by the invasion of Ukraine. Russia will face limitations in LNG development, as well as challenges in securing contracts, funding, and technology,” said Jason Fir of Poten & Partners, a shipping and brokerage firm.

The number of denunciations in Putinistan has tripled in two years

Russians are increasingly writing denunciations against relatives, neighbors and just strangers. The causes can be completely different - from conversations over a cigarette at the front door to photographs on social networks. Police sources reported in the first quarter of 2024, 575.000 denunciations throughout the country.

"Many informants are engaged in outright nonsense. Someone saw yellow laces in a neighbor's blue sneakers, and considers it necessary to report it. Of course, this is nonsense, but we must respond to every denunciation. And some of these letters end in real cases under the article on discrediting the army,” says a source in the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

He says that the total number of requests is growing every year and sees this as a manifestation of patriotism, although he admits that sometimes the appeals are frankly idiotic in nature.

“It happens that competitors want to set the police against each other. They write that they play Ukrainian music in this coffee shop. We are forced to react,” says another source and adds that an sharp increase in the number of requests was noticed after the start of the war. In February-March 2022, just under 200.000 requests were written throughout the country.

@freerussia_report

In just two years, participants in the war have committed more than 2.000 criminal offenses.

Over the past two years, Russian courts have handed down more than 2,500 criminal sentences to participants in the war in Ukraine. 2/3 of them were mitigated due to the "participation of the defendants in the special military operation." A study by Novaya Gazeta Europe.

Since the beginning of the war, at least 2,605 former combatants have been prosecuted. Of these, 1,130 committed crimes "in civilian life", the rest - against military service. In most cases, this is an unauthorized abandonment of a military unit. At the same time, in 2023, the number of sentences to war veterans increased by 7 times, and the number of violent crimes against life and health committed by them increased by 13 times.

Former combatants are much more likely than other defendants to receive fines and suspended sentences for their crimes, despite the fact that "participation in the special military operation" is not included in the list of mitigating circumstances enshrined in law. At the same time, the majority of those convicted of unauthorized abandonment of the military unit received real terms of imprisonment.

At the end of March, Putin signed a law exempting from criminal liability conscripts, mobilized and contract soldiers who entered military service during mobilization or martial law after receiving a state award or dismissal.

@freerussia_report

95 bodies of killed residents of the Perm Territory were delivered by military aircraft Il-76 the day before by military personnel Andrei Belshev and Gabibula Kamaliev from the so-called "DPR" to Perm.

Local FSB and military commissars are trying to negotiate with cemeteries on uniform burial in different places so as not to cause unrest and widespread indignation among the population.

Nevertheless, employees of the airfield and local services are outraged by this and send data and documents to the "No to War" channel as confirmation. Kamaliev is settling everything on the spot these days, Belshev flew to Rostov for a new batch of “200s”.

Extermination What Putin is doing to Russians and Ukrainians cannot be called by any other name. Not only did they kill so many men, but they also hide it and try to bribe and persuade the company of widows and orphans. Normal?

No to war!🕊

@8freerussia_report

In Moscow, security forces broke into the apartment of a diplomat from Kyrgyzstan and beat his wife.

We are talking about the adviser to the Kyrgyz embassy in Moscow, Manas Zholdoshbekov. Two police officers burst into his home demanding that he provide documents confirming his migration registration. “VChK-OGPU” writes that the security forces broke the lock on his door. Zholdoshbekov and members of his family showed diplomatic passports, but this did not stop the police - they inflicted “bodily injuries” on the diplomat’s wife in front of the children.

The Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry expressed concern after this incident. Moscow received a diplomatic note from official Bishkek. According to the deputy of the Supreme Council of the country Dastan Bekeshev, the security forces simply went wild: “If they do this to embassy employees, then I can’t even imagine what they do to citizens who do not have immunity.”

@freerussia_report

People no longer blame the local authorities for their troubles, but the Kremlin - Abbas Gallyamov.

The rally during the flood in Orsk also had political motives.

“There is failure of the mayor. An bad statement by Kurenkov, who accused people of not evacuating. People are outraged by the lies. Discontent begins to seethe and bubble.”

The formula “the king is good and the local officials are bad” has stopped working.

“Putin has ceased to be Teflon. For many years, negativity did not stick to him. People said it was the local's fault. But after 25 years this attitude is changing. When the slogan “Kyiv in 3 days” turned into failures and a lot of bloodshed, the trend finally took shape. People realized that the entire vertical is tied to Putin. Officials are Kremlin appointed, not elected. Responsibility for the actions of them falls on the Kremlin."

Appeals to Putin should not deceive, it's a last hope. If hopes are not met, disappointment is inevitable.

@freerussia_report

Ukrainian Strikes on Russian oil refineries: What's the impact?

Drone strikes on Russian oil refineries and their economic impact have become one of the more successful Ukrainian campaigns.

As the war in Ukraine continues past the two-year mark, the intensity of the armed conflict between Moscow and Kyiv isn't letting up. While Russia is increasing its bombing runs of the Ukrainian frontlines and rocket attacks on the country’s energy grid, Ukraine has focused on drone attacks on the Russian oil refineries and its Black Sea Fleet. Both have their separate economic impacts.

Starting from January and up to the end of March, the Ukrainian armed forces launched 23 attacks on Russian oil refineries and storage facilities. Washington hasn't been supportive of attacks, as they go against the general strategy of the Biden administration that Ukraine shouldn't bring the war to Russian soil.

However, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently stated in an interview with the WP: "The reaction of the US was not positive on this … We used our drones. Nobody can say to us you can’t." The US can limit the use of only those armaments it has provided to Ukraine, he explained, which isn't the case in the campaign against Russian oil infrastructure.

So far, Ukraine has temporarily put 16% of Russia's motor fuel production out of commission. Some hit oil refineries to varying results, the Volgograd plant, for example, has been severely damaged, and it might take approximately until the start of summer to repair according to Kommersant. Others were not seriously damaged, like the Ilsky oil refinery, which was repaired in less than a month.

The consequences:
"These strikes will create a lot of damage and putting refineries back on track will be incredibly challenging. They rely on sophisticated technology and a lot of large imported components," says Elina Ribakova, director of the International Programme at Kyiv School of Economics

Russian oil refineries play a crucial role in the country's economy and its global energy presence. As one of the world's largest oil producers, Russia relies heavily on its refining capacity to maintain its position in the global energy landscape.

The Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries have disrupted this vital sector, causing immediate production losses and infrastructural damage. These strikes not only target Russia's economic infrastructure but also serve as a strategic move by Ukraine to retaliate against Russian aggression. As a result of the strikes, Russian refineries are facing operational challenges, leading to reduced output and supply chain disruptions.

"Since Russian import capacity for refined oil products is limited in the short run, since they're set up to export, it's actually a fairly clever way of causing disruption in the Russian market with limited impact globally," states Aslak Berg, Research Fellow at the Centre for European Reform. Ukraine's strategy so far has been to conduct strikes against Russian oil refineries and not Russia's crude oil production facilities or export platforms.

"The Ukrainians have been hitting refineries, not Russian crude oil production or export facilities. This causes problems for Russia's domestic market for refined products, but for the rest of the world, a decline in Russia's exports of products will be compensated for by increased exports of crude oil," Berg explained.

There is also a good video from Anders Nielson.

It's legal? Oil refineries in Russian territory are “legitimate” targets for Ukrainian drone strikes, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during a joint press briefing with Finnish President Alexander Stubb on April 10. Stoltenberg reiterated that Ukraine has the right to defend itself by military means. (The whole briefing is interesting)

@freerussia_report

Russian schoolchildren will be taught to sew their own clothes after the departure of foreign brands.

Primary and secondary school students will be taught to sew, repair and design their own clothes in labor classes from the next school year, according to the order of the Ministry of Mis-education.

The new subject will be called "Labor (Technology)". Schoolchildren are planned to be taught how to process textile materials, make a pattern of parts, sew and repair clothes, draw and create models of products according to the project task. Students will also be taught to work with wood, metal and plastic.

Students in grades 5 to 7 will study a new subject twice a week (68 hours per year), in grades 8 and 9 - one lesson per week (34 hours per year). Primary school students also receive one lesson per week.

"The labor lesson is a vivid example of how the valuable experience of the Soviet school can be filled with a new meaning, based on modern realities, the current demand of society," said Sergei Kravtsov, Minister of Education.

Since February 2022, hundreds of foreign brands have closed their Russian stores in response to the invasion of Ukraine. Among manufacturers of shoes, clothing and accessories, Adidas, Nike, Reebok, Decathlon, Puma, Levi's, H&M, Zara, Pull & Bear, Bershka, Massimo Dutti, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga and others have done so.

In response, the Ministry of Industry and Trade legalized the so-called "parallel import" — the import of goods without the permission of the right holder, which was previously considered smuggling. However, in November last year, the department began to think about limiting such supplies.

Some well-known firms have sold their Russian businesses to companies from Turkey, the UAE and other countries. For example, the Spanish Inditex (brands Zara, Bershka, Pull& Bear and Stradivarius) did this. The new owner, Dubai-based Fashion And More Management DMCC, was given 200 sites in Russia, but the Maag chain of stores turned out to be much less popular than its predecessor and began to explore the possibility of reducing its presence in the country.

Source

Strange. I always thought that domestic science and handicraft lessons were basics in any school. 🤔

@freerussia_report

https://open.substack.com/pub/malcolmnance/p/warning-april-15th-day-of-terrorism?r=70k1h&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

https://open.substack.com/pub/jefftiedrich/p/this-week-in-stupid-april-13-edition?r=70k1h&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

https://open.substack.com/pub/malcolmnance/p/warning-the-israel-iran-war-has-started?r=70k1h&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

The State Duma begins to think about the consequences of nationalization

The massive campaign of the Prosecutor General's Office to confiscate enterprises from the owners will kill any desire to invest in ruZZia, says deputy Valery Hartung.

“You say: the next source of attracting investment is the stock market. But after the court decision on the shares of minority shareholders in the Solikamsk plant, what investments can we talk about? Who will buy shares in organized trading? What are we talking about?” he said.

What nationalization? Putin says there is none, nothing is happening. 😁

@freerussia_report

US Republicans vows Israel aid vote after Iran attack - Politico

House Republican leadership announced on Saturday that the chamber will vote next week on Israel legislation after Iran launched an aerial attack that quickly fueled new bipartisan calls for a foreign aid package.

“In light of Iran’s unjustified attack on Israel, the House will move from its previously announced legislative schedule next week to instead consider legislation that supports our ally Israel and holds Iran and its terrorist proxies accountable,” Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) Scalise said in a statement.

The announcement didn’t immediately make clear what legislation the House will vote on, or what it means for a broader Senate foreign aid package, which would pair funding for Israel with assistance for Ukraine and Taiwan, that has languished in the House.

Scalise said that “more details… will be forthcoming.”

Republican leaders are facing growing bipartisan pressure to take up an aid package in the wake of Iran’s attack.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell pushed for the House to take up the Senate-passed foreign aid package, saying it would “provide critical resources” for Israel, “overdue lethal assistance” for Ukraine and help for Taiwan. It marks the latest example of the Republican leader trying to nudge his GOP counterparts across the Capitol into taking up a bill they’ve so far resisted.

“The Commander-in-Chief and the Congress must discharge our fundamental duties without delay. The consequences of failure are clear, devastating, and avoidable,” McConnell (R-Ky.) added in a statement.

In the Moscow region, the most extensive military training call in a decade has been announced, as reported by The Moscow Times.

Enterprises are required to provide military enlistment offices with detailed information about employees, including names, dates and places of birth, fitness categories, military specialties, ranks, positions, places of residence, and phone numbers.

An employee from one of the military enlistment offices stated, “Letters are being sent to all organizations registered in the Moscow region. Our military enlistment office aims to assemble all conscripts for training in mid-June for a two-week period.”

It is noted that increased quotas for call-ups may also be implemented in other regions of Russia. The decree issued by Putin regarding “partial mobilization” in September 2022 remains in effect indefinitely, according to the publication.

Meanwhile, Western media reports suggest that Russia is preparing for a new offensive at the end of May or beginning of June. The Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia directions are highlighted as priority areas for the occupying forces, according to the Financial Times.

https://www.palmerreport.com/analysis/the-most-hilarious-scenario-possible-could-end-up-playing-out-in-the-republican-house/55473/

The number of denunciations in Putinistan has tripled in two years

Russians are increasingly writing denunciations against relatives, neighbors and just strangers. The causes can be completely different - from conversations over a cigarette at the front door to photographs on social networks. Police sources reported in the first quarter of 2024, 575.000 denunciations throughout the country.

"Many informants are engaged in outright nonsense. Someone saw yellow laces in a neighbor's blue sneakers, and considers it necessary to report it. Of course, this is nonsense, but we must respond to every denunciation. And some of these letters end in real cases under the article on discrediting the army,” says a source in the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

He says that the total number of requests is growing every year and sees this as a manifestation of patriotism, although he admits that sometimes the appeals are frankly idiotic in nature.

“It happens that competitors want to set the police against each other. They write that they play Ukrainian music in this coffee shop. We are forced to react,” says another source and adds that an sharp increase in the number of requests was noticed after the start of the war. In February-March 2022, just under 200.000 requests were written throughout the country.

@freerussia_report