First, links to reports from the Associated Press, Agence France-Press, Reuters, and Tass; others are available by clicking on their names or initials below. Next, links to two pieces of commentary by a British writer and former diplomat. Then, a link to a Washington Post report from last week, followed by comments on it by an Australian commentator. — MCM
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Russia pushes advance on Bakhmut, bolsters defenses in south, by Samya Kullab and Yuras Karmanau | AP KYIV — Fierce battles raged outside Bakhmut as Russian forces pushed their advance on the eastern city with heavy shelling and infantry attacks, Ukraine’s presidential office said today, with at least five civilians killed and as many wounded in action across the war-torn country in the last 24 hours. The presidential office said . . . READ MORE . . .
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Moldova’s president outlines Russian ‘plan’ to topple gov’t, by Stephen McGrath and Cristian Jardan | AP CHISINAU, Moldova — Moldova’s president today outlined what she described as a plot by Moscow to use external saboteurs to overthrow her country’s government, put the nation “at the disposal of Russia” and derail its aspirations to one day join the European Union. President Maia Sandu’s briefing comes a week . . . READ MORE . . .
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Ukraine using more munitions than NATO producing: Stoltenberg. From AFP. NATO needs “to ramp up production” of ammunition as Ukraine’s rate of usage is far outstripping current capacities and draining stockpiles, the defence alliance’s chief Jens Stoltenberg said today. “The current rate of Ukraine’s ammunition expenditure is many times higher than our current rate of production,” he said. “This . . . READ MORE . . . [A brief video of part of his remarks is HERE.]
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NATO’s Stoltenberg will not seek another extension of his term, spokesperson says. From Reuters. BERLIN — NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will end his term as planned in October, a spokesperson for the alliance said. “The mandate of Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has been extended three times, and he has served for a total of almost nine years,” NATO spokesperson . . . READ MORE . . .
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Kremlin reveals why Kiev halted ceasefire talks in spring 2022. From Tass. MOSCOW — Ukrainian authorities stopped peace talks last spring suddenly, “on orders from above,” Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters today. “We are talking about the very document that was agreed upon as a result of very difficult negotiations and that was even ratified,” he said. “Suddenly, as if ordered from above, from the very top, the Ukrainian side left the negotiating table . . . READ MORE . . .
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Sy Hersh and the way we live now, by Craig Murray | Consortium News It is a clear indicator of the disappearance of freedom from our so-called Western democracies that Sy Hersh cannot get this monumental revelation on the front of The Washington Post or The New York Times, but has to self-publish on the net. Hersh tells the story of the U.S. destruction of the Nordstream pipelines in forensic detail, giving dates, times, method and military units involved. He also outlines . . . READ MORE . . .
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Profiteering from death, by Craig Murray | Consortium News How much of Shell’s record $40 billion profit was due to the Ukraine war and freezing Russia out of the market? If you apply the “excess deaths” methodology we became familiar with during Covid, . . . READ MORE . . .
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Pentagon looks to restart top-secret programs in Ukraine, by Wesley Morgan | The Washington Post The Pentagon is urging Congress to resume funding a pair of top-secret programs in Ukraine suspended ahead of Russia’s invasion last year, according to current and former U.S. officials. If approved, the move would allow American Special Operations troops to employ Ukrainian operatives to observe Russian . . . READ MORE . . .
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Pentagon wants to return special ops propagandists to Ukraine, by Caitlin Johnstone | caitlinjohnstone.com An article in The Washington Post titled “Pentagon looks to restart top-secret programs in Ukraine” contains some interesting information about what U.S. special ops forces were doing in Ukraine in the lead-up to the Russian invasion last year, and what they are slated to be doing there in the future. “The Pentagon . . . READ MORE . . .