Ukraine, 4-28-22

First, a link to an April 12 Summit News report, relayed today by the Centre for Research on Globalization. Second and third, links to Associated Press and Reuters reports from this morning EDT, linked to others. Then, links to several segments heard on National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition.” Finally, from the Greanville Post, an independent journalist’s analysis originally posted in early March.  MCM

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Americans Are ‘In Charge’ of the War Says French Journalist Who Returned From Ukraine, by Paul Joseph Watson | Summit News A French journalist who returned from Ukraine after arriving with volunteer fighters told broadcaster CNews that Americans are directly “in charge” of the war on the ground. The assertion was made by Le Figaro senior international correspondent Georges Malbrunot. Malbrunot said he had accompanied French volunteer fighters, two of whom had previously fought against ISIS. “I had the surprise, and so did they, to discover that to be able to enter the Ukrainian army, well it’s the Americans who are in charge,” said Malbrunot. Click HERE for full article, which includes video of Malbrunot interviewed on C News TV.

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Occupied Ukrainian city fears sham Russian referendum plans, by Francesca Ebel and Yuras Karmanau | The Associated Press LVIV, Ukraine — Ever since Russian forces took the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson in early March, residents sensed the occupiers had a special plan for their town. Now, amid a crescendo of warnings from Ukraine that Russia plans to stage a sham referendum to transform the territory into a pro-Moscow “people’s republic,” it appears locals guessed right. After Russian forces withdrew from occupied areas around Kyiv in early April, they left behind scenes of horror and traumatized communities. But in Kherson — a large city with a major ship-building industry . . . READ MORE . . .
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NATO says it’s ready to back Kyiv for years in war against Russia. From Reuters. BRUSSELS — NATO is ready to maintain its support for Ukraine in the war against Russia for years, including help for Kyiv to shift from Soviet-era weapons to modern Western arms and systems, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said today. He spoke after the Kremlin warned that Western arms supplies to Ukraine, including heavy weapons, posed a threat to the security of the European continent “and provoke instability”. “We need to be prepared for the long term,” Stoltenberg told a youth summit . . .  READ MORE . . .
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U.S. accuses Russia of planning to shut down Ukrainian democracy. From Reuters. VIENNA — The United States accused Russia today of planning to short-circuit Ukrainian democracy by forcing the government from power and dismantling local authorities. “We have information that Russia’s planning for its further invasion of Ukraine includes a forced capitulation of Ukraine’s democratically elected government, including dissolving all local municipal governments in Ukraine,” U.S. Ambassador Michael Carpenter said in an address to the Vienna-based Organization for Security and Cooperating in Europe (OSCE). READ MORE . . .
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Britain says Russia’s Black Sea fleet retains ability to strike Ukraine. From Reuters Russia’s Black Sea fleet retains the ability to strike Ukrainian and coastal targets, despite its losses of the landing ship Saratov and the cruiser Moskva, Britain’s defence ministry said today. About 20 Russian Navy vessels, including submarines, are in the Black Sea operational zone, the ministry said on Twitter. “The Bosphorus Strait remains closed to all non-Turkish warships, rendering Russia unable to replace its lost cruiser Moskva in the Black Sea,” it added . . . READ MORE . . .
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U.N. investigators have documented nearly 3,000 civilian deaths in Ukraine. NPR’s Rachel Martin speaks with Matilda Bogner, the U.N. human rights monitoring mission chief in Ukraine, about her team’s work documenting the conflict. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, to read.
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Bristling under economic sanctions improved by the West, Russia fires back. Reported by Jackie Northam | NPR Russia is cutting off natural gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria, and has demanded countries pay for energy in rubles. The move is seen as a warning by Russia to bigger European energy consumers. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, to read.
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Experts expect Putin will try to weaponize its energy resources. NPR’s Steve Inskeep talks to Daniel Yergin, vice chairman of S&P Global, about the impact of Russian President Putin’s move to cut off gas to Poland and Bulgaria on Europe’s energy economy. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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The Man Who Sold Ukraine, by Mike Whitman | The Greanville Post Volodymyr Zelensky is the current President of Ukraine. He was elected in a landslide victory in 2019 on the promise of easing tensions with Russia and resolving the crisis in the breakaway republics in east Ukraine. He has made no attempt to keep his word on either issue. Instead, he has greatly exacerbated Ukraine’s internal crisis while relentlessly provoking Russia. Zelensky has had numerous opportunities to smooth things over with Moscow and prevent the outbreak of hostilities. Instead, he has consistently made matters worse by blindly following Washington’s directives. Zelensky has been lionized in the west and praised for his personal bravery. But . . . READ MORE . . .