First, links to reports from Reuters, Tass, the Moscow Times, and the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. — MCM

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Fighting rages in east Ukraine, West eyes more sanctions on Russia, by Nick Starkov and Pavel Polityuk | Reuters   * Heavy fighting rages in eastern, southern Ukraine * Russia says US not showing ‘constructive’ approach to war * EU, G7 meetings on Monday could bring more sanctions on Russia * Zelenskiy speaks with leaders of U.S., France, Turkey | KYIV — Russian forces pounded targets in eastern and southern Ukraine with missiles, drones and artillery, Ukraine’s General Staff said today, while millions remained without power in subzero temperatures after further strikes on key infrastructure. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy spoke with the leaders of the United States, France and Turkey ahead of planned Group of Seven (G7) and EU meetings today that . . . READ MORE . . .

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EU fails to agree on 9th package of sanctions against Russia, says Borrell. From Tass. BRUSSELS — EU members failed to agree on the ninth package of sanctions against Russia in time during a meeting in Brussels among top diplomats. Disagreements do remain, so the ministerial deliberations on the sanctions will be very difficult, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrel said today. “This Council is . . . READ MORE . . .

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Kyiv Says Will Resume Counteroffensive as Soon as Ground Freezes. From the Moscow Times. Ukrainian forces will actively resume their counterattack as soon as winter weather freezes the ground and allows for the passage of military equipment, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said Sunday. He said damp soil from rains made . . . READ MORE . . .

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Dog therapy for kids facing the trauma of the war in Ukraine, by E. Eduardo Castillo | AP  BOYARKA, Ukraine — Bice is an American pit bull terrier with an important and sensitive job in Ukraine — comforting children traumatized by Russia’s war. The playful 8-year-old gray dog arrived on time this week to a rehabilitation center on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital, ready to start his duties. As . . . READ MORE . . .

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MAY BE CONTINUED

First, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, Tass, the Moscow Times, National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. Then, via Global Research and the Unz Review, a link to commentary on a Fox News interview conducted last Wednesday. Next, links to three reports from overtly partisan sources.— MCM

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Free for a month, Kherson still toils to clear Russian traps, by Inna Varenytsia and Jamey Keaten | AP  KHERSON, Ukraine — Today marks exactly one month since Russia’s troops withdrew from Kherson and its vicinity after an eight-month occupation, sparking jubilation across Ukraine. But life in the southern city is still very far from normal. The departing Russians left behind all sorts of ugly surprises, and their . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia drones smash power network in Odesa, by Nick Starkov | Reuters KYIV — All non-critical infrastructure in the Ukrainian port of Odesa was without power after Russia used Iranian-made drones to hit two energy facilities, leaving 1.5 million people without power, officials said on Saturday. “The situation in the Odesa region is very difficult . . . READ MORE . . .

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White House announces new air defense aid for Ukraine. From AFP. The White House Friday announced a new 275-million-dollar aid package to help boost Ukraine’s air defenses, against Russian drones in particular. White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters the aid “will . . . READ MORE . . .

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Medvedev says enemy entrenched global wide, Russia boosting production of powerful weapons. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russia is boosting the production of the most powerful weapons, including based on new physical principles, for countering Western countries that support Kiev’s regime, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said today. “Our enemy is entrenched . . . in Europe, North America, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and a whole number of other places that have sworn allegiance to today’s Nazis. That is why. . . READ MORE . . .

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BBC investigation verifies deaths of 10,000 Russian troops in Ukraine. From the Moscow Times. The Russian military has sustained over 10,000 verifiable deaths in the course of its nine-month invasion of Ukraine, according to open-source research conducted by the BBC and independent Russian news outlet MediaZone that was released on Friday. Among the 10,002 dead servicemen identified . . . READ MORE . . .

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Life in a Ukrainian town: rampaging Russians, power cuts, a visit by Banksy. Reported by Greg Myre | NPR  BORODIANKA, Ukraine — The Russian troops who pulverized this small town are gone. But as residents try to rebuild from the rubble, Russian missiles blasting other parts of Ukraine keep knocking out the electricity here as well. The challenges seem overwhelming. The main street is lined . . . Click HERE to listen and read more.

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4 minutes of undiluted truth on mainstream TV, by Mike Whitney | The Unz Review The last thing you’d ever expect to hear on a mainstream news channel, is the truth. But — strange as it might seem —that’s exactly what happened on Wednesday night [Dec. 7] on the Tucker Carlson Show. Carlson interviewed veteran journalist Glenn Greenwald in a 4-minute segment that provided the best ‘easy-to-understand’ summary of the Ukraine War you’ll hear anywhere. And what was so shocking about . . . READ MORE . . .

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Update from Ukraine: Crimean airfields are under fire, Ukraine wants to get Melitopol this winter. Reported by Denys Davydof | DenysDavydof24h Click HERE for video commentary from yesterday, and HERE for other recent reports.

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Foreign mercenaries ready to retire from Ukrainian front lines. From South Front. Click HERE for that. Click HERE for other recent South Front reports.

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Day 291: Ukrainian War Map. From Ukraine News TV. Click HERE for Dec. 11 report, and HERE for other recent reports.

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MAY BE CONTINUED

First, a link to an op-ed article in today’s Berkshire Eagle by its foreign affairs columnist. Then, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, Tass, and Agence France-Presse; others may be accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. — MCM

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Ukraine’s elite IT bedevils Russia, by James Brooke | The Berkshire Eagle The Biden administration has made hardware and software fixes to prevent rockets from reaching Russia. American officials apparently forgot that in the Soviet era, Ukrainian engineers designed and built intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of hitting New York. This Cold War scientific legacy resurfaced this week when Ukrainian drones flew as far as 500 miles into Russia, hitting three . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia grinds on in eastern Ukraine; Bakhmut ‘destroyed,’ by Jamey Keaten | AP KYIV — Russian forces have “destroyed” the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, while Ukraine’s military today reported missile, rocket and air strikes in multiple parts of the country that Moscow is trying to conquer after months of resistance. The latest battles of Russia’s 9 1/2 month war in Ukraine have centered on four provinces that Russian President Vladimir Putin triumphantly — and illegally — claimed to have annexed in late September. The fighting indicates . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine gets more U.S. aid as Russia-Iran ties worry West, by Dan Peleschuk | Reuters  * Washington announces new military aid for Ukraine * Ukraine says Russia is shelling in east of country * Russia trying to obtain ballistic missiles from Iran, says UK * Putin accuses West of using Ukraine as ‘cannon fodder’ | KYIV — The United States announced new military aid for Ukraine on Friday and vowed to disrupt Russian ties with Iran, which a British envoy said involved Moscow seeking hundreds of ballistic missiles and offering unprecedented military support in return. Tehran and Moscow have denied . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian troops destroy US-made AN/TPQ-36 radar system, two Grad MLRS in DPR – top brass. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian troops destroyed a US-made AN/TPQ-36 mobile radar system and two Grad multiple rocket launchers in the course of the special military operation in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) in the past day, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov said today. According to him, the U.S.-made radar system was destroyed near Torskoye, while . . . READ MORE . . .

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Putin says ‘agreement will have to be reached’ to end Ukraine conflict. From AFP. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan — Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that ultimately an agreement would need to be struck to end fighting in Ukraine, nine months after the Kremlin launched its “special military operation” there. His comments came in response to remarks from former German chancellor Angela Merkel about the Minsk agreements, negotiated in 2014 with Paris and Berlin to end fighting between Russia and Ukraine. Merkel . . . READ MORE . . .

First, links to reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, and Tass; others are accessible by clicking on their initials or names below. Then, a link to a conversation between a retired U.S. Marine Corps intelligence officer and the host of MOATS (Mother Of All Talk Shows).— MCM

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Russia shells eastern front, Ukraine says, as war aims appear to shift, by Vladyslav Smilianets | Reuters * Fiercest fighting near eastern towns of Bakhmut, Avdiivka * Ukraine says it attacked Russian positions in south * Russia-U.S. prisoner swap: basketball star for arms dealer * Putin accuses West of using Ukraine as ‘cannon fodder’ | NEAR BAKHMUT, Ukraine — Russian forces have shelled the entire front line in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian officials said, part of what appears to be the Kremlin’s scaled-back ambition to secure only the bulk of territory it has claimed. The fiercest fighting was near the towns of . . . READ MORE . . .

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Helping Ukraine is ‘self-preservation,’ finance chief says, by David McHugh | AP  FRANKFURT, Germany — Ukraine’s finance minister says crucial Western financial support is “not charity” but “self-preservation” in the fight to defend democracy as his country deals with growing costs to repair electrical and heating infrastructure wrecked by Russian attacks.“It’s not charity to support Ukraine,” Serhiy Marchenko told the Associated Press in an interview Thursday from Kyiv. “We are trying to protect freedom and democracy of all [the] civilized world.” READ MORE . . .

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NATO is increasingly involved in Ukrainian conflict – Russian Deputy MFA. From Tass. MOSCOW — NATO countries are increasingly involved in the conflict in Ukraine, with the United States intentionally proceeding with an escalation on this track, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Thursday. “NATO members are . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine is one of the most corrupt countries on the planet and is lying about its dead. British talk show host George Galloway interviews Scott Ritter sometime during or after French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent state visit in the United States. Click HERE to listen and watch.

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TO BE CONTINUED

A member of Boston 9/11 Truth forwarded the message below. It is an invitation by the architect Richard Gage to a webinar at. 3 p.m. EST tomorrow, Friday, Dec. 9, celebrating the life of David Ray Griffin. Click HERE to register. A remembrance of Griffin by a longtime associate is HERE. — MCM

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David Ray Griffin – 1939 to 2022

His Life and Work – A Celebration

It is with a very heavy heart that we share the news that our friend and mentor in the great 9/11 Truth work, Prof. David Ray Griffin, has succumbed to his long battle with cancer and passed away on November 25, 2022.

We invite you to join us in this special livestream tribute to the “grandfather of the 9/11 Truth Movement.” This special event is hosted by Elizabeth Woodworth, myself, Richard Gage, AIA, along with my wife & assistant Gail Gage.

Our panel of distinguished guests who will be paying their respects to this giant of an intellectual, this author of no less than 50 books (15 on the subject of 9/11 truth) include Peter Dale Scott, Paul Craig Roberts, Fran Shure, Niels Harrit, Steven Jones, Barbara Honegger, David Chandler, and Ken Jenkins.

The event is free to watch and participate. We hope you will join us and share it with all of your like-minded friends.

First, links to reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, Tass, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. — MCM

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Russia attacks in east Ukraine as Putin celebrates land grab, by Vladyslav Smilianets | Reuters  * Russia deploying reserves near Luhansk, governor says * Putin says Sea of Azov is now Russia’s “internal sea” * Russia says shoots down drone near Crimea * Putin compares himself to Peter the Great | NEAR BAKHMUT, Ukraine — Russian forces are pressing forward with air and ground attacks on several settlements in eastern Ukraine, officials said on Wednesday, a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin celebrated seizing territory during the nine-month war. Near the city of Lysychansk, Russia deployed . . . READ MORE . . .

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Scrutiny of Ukraine church draws praise, fear of overreach, by Peter Smith and Vasilisa Stepanenko | AP  The Ukrainian government is putting increased pressure on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, with its centuries-old ties to Moscow, as the brutal Russian invasion slogs into the 10th month of a war that has had religious dimensions from the start. READ MORE . . .

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Conflict in Ukraine ‘can end tomorrow’ if Kiev so wishes – Kremlin spokesman. From Tass. MOSCOW — The conflict in Ukraine can end at any moment if Kiev shows the political will, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters today. “In this case, we could speculate when all this will end until we are blue in the face,” he said, commenting on Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s remark that the conflict might end in 2023. “Zelensky knows . . . READ MORE . . .

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Olexandra Matviichuk is fighting for accountability for war crimes in Ukraine. From NPR. Nobel Peace Prize winner and Ukrainian human rights lawyer Olexandra Matviichuk speaks with NPR’s Morning Edition about Russian war crimes and accountability. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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A chance meeting in war-torn Ukraine helps reconnect friends half a world away. Kat Lonsdorf of NPR checks in on a woman in Ukraine six months after her town was liberated from Russian occupation. Click HERE to listen and read.

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TO BE CONTINUED

Emily Dickinson, whose 192nd birthday is this coming Saturday, Dec. 10, completed the poem below in five quatrains — at least as handed down last Thursday by the people at the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst, Massachusetts. At some date in the future, it may appear in this blog that way.* — MCM

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First, links to reports from Agence France-Presse, Reuters, the Associated Press, National Public Radio, and Tass; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. Then, via Popular Resistance, links to a retired intelligence official’s article about government and media activities shaping perceptions toward Russia. — MCM

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Time magazine’s ‘Person of the Year’ is Volodymyr Zelensky and ‘spirit of Ukraine.’ From AFP. Time magazine today named President Volodymyr Zelensky as well as “the spirit of Ukraine” as its 2022 person of the year, for the resistence the country has shown in the face of Russia’s invasion. “Whether the battle for Ukraine fills one with hope or with fear, Volodymyr Zelensky galvanized the world in a way we haven’t seen in decades,” Time editor in chief Edward Felsenthal wrote.

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Ukraine appears to show ability to strike deep within Russia. From Reuters. * Third Russian airfield reported hit in drone strike * Ukraine’s Zelenskiy meets troops near eastern front * Oil price cap gives G7 leverage on Russia – U.S. official * U.S. lawmakers approve $800 mln more for Ukraine defence | A third Russian airfield was set ablaze by a drone strike Tuesday, a day after Ukraine demonstrated an apparent new ability to penetrate hundreds of kilometres into Russia with attacks on two air bases. Officials in the Russian city of Kursk, about 90 km (60 miles) north of the Ukraine border, released pictures of black smoke above an airfield after the latest . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia blames Ukrainian drones for explosions at two air bases within the country. From NPR. Max Bergmann of the Center for Strategic and International Studies talks about the implications of reported Ukrainian air strikes deep within Russia. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Donors race to get generators, other aid to hard-hit Ukraine, by Jamey Keaten | AP  KYIV — When Russian forces launched a military campaign against infrastructure in Ukraine nearly two months ago, they opened a front that carried the war along power lines, water mains and heating systems to homes, schools, offices and churches. As  winter looms millions of Ukrainians are without regular access to heat, electricity and water in sub-freezing . . . READ MORE . . .

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Large number of residents return to Mariupol, DPR leader says. From Tass. DONETSK — Numerous residents who left Mariupol due to military activities have returned to the city and markets have reopened, Acting Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Denis Pushilin said in an interview with TASS. “There are now traffic jams in Mariupol, which point to positive changes,” he said. The authorities have done their best to place city residents who were left homeless in temporary accommodation . . . READ MORE . . .

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Americans dumbed down on Russia, by Ray McGovern | anti-war.com Five years ago today [Dec. 5], Congress learned from sworn, horse’s-mouth testimony that there is no technical evidence that Russia (or anyone else) hacked the DNC emails showing how the DNC had stacked the deck against Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton’s rival for the Democratic nomination. I can almost hear readers new to this website cry out in disbelief: “That cannot be. Official Washington and the media assured us that . . . READ MORE . . .

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MAY BE CONTINUED

First, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, National Public Radio, and Tass: others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. Next, via the Justice Integrity Project, a column written less than a month after Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24; appended to it is a selection of related recent New York Times and Washington Post articles.  — MCM

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Hungary vetoes EU Ukraine aid, deepening rift with Brussels, by Raf Casert | AP BRUSSELS — A rift between the European Union and member state Hungary deepened today when Budapest vetoed an 18 billion euro ($18.93 billion) financial aid package to Kyiv. Hungary’s veto made sure that the EU’s other 26 member states would need work out a more complicated technical . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine leader defiant as drone strikes hit Russia again, by Jamey Keaten | AP  KYIV — In a new display of defiance from Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to an eastern city near the front line today, while Russia reported that strategic sites inside the country were hit by drone attacks for a second day. A fire broke out at an airport in Russia’s . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine appears to expose Russian air defence gaps with long-range strikes, by Pavel Polityuk and Sergiy Chalyi | Reuters * Three killed at Russian base just hours from Moscow * One of bases hit was home to Russian bomber fleet * Ukraine minister jokes that careless Russian smokers to blame | KYIV/NOVOSOFIIVKA — A third Russian airfield was ablaze today from a drone strike, a day after Ukraine demonstrated an apparent new ability to penetrate hundreds of kilometers deep into Russian air space with attacks on two Russian air bases. Officials in the Russian city of . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian airstrikes cause electricity outages, but Ukraine says it shot down missiles. Reported by Greg Myre | NPR  Russian airstrikes caused electricity outages in some Ukrainian cities. However, Ukraine says it shot down many missiles, and the damage was substantially less than in previous attacks. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Putting ZNPP under IAEA’s control impossible – Rosenergroatom. From Tass. MOSCOW — Putting the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant under International Atomic Energy Agency control will be impossible, because that organization does not have the authority to manage nuclear power plants, Renat Karchaa, an adviser to the CEO of the Rosenergoatom concern, said today. “The idea . . . READ MORE . . .

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In an ongoing race, Ukraine tries to repair faster than Russia bombs. Reported by Greg Myre | NPR  Ukraine’s power companies, including state-run Ukrenergo and private firms like DTEK, have been able to make repairs quickly when Russia attacks. Power is usually restored within 24 hours. It’s dangerous work. Several workers have been killed in the missile strikes on dozens of facilities. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Russia’s Ukraine invasion is Europe’s 9/11, by Ray Kreig | Must Read Alaska. The U.S. has an essential national interest in a Russia that stands down from authoritarianism, becomes a functioning democracy and reduced military threat.  We would save trillions of dollars and live in a better world. The future of Ukraine is critical to that . . . READ MORE . . .

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MAY BE CONTINUED

First, links to reports from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, Tass, and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. Then, via Popular Resistance, a link to a political scientist’s view of the Russian-supervised September referenda in Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson. Finally, a link to an analyst’s interpretation of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s views as expressed in an interview with the weekly Der Spiegel.  — MCM

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Ukraine reports new barrage of widespread Russian strikes, by Jamey Keaten | AP  KYIV — Ukrainian officials today reported a new barrage of Russian missile strikes across the country, an attack that was anticipated as Russia seeks to disable Ukraine’s energy supplies and infrastructure with the approach of winter. Media reports referred . . . READ MORE . . .

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A price cap on Russian oil exports agreed to by the G7 goes into effect today. Reported by Jackie Northam | NPR  The restrictions come a day after the members of OPEC Plus — which includes Russia — met and agreed to maintain current oil production targets while they wait and see the effect of the sanctions. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Russian air defenses down two Mi-8 military helicopters in Ukraine operation – top brass. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian air defense forces shot down two Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopters in the Donetsk People’s Republic in the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported today. Also, . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia renews missile attacks on Ukraine as G7 pressures Moscow with oil price cap, by Pavel Polityuk | Reuters  * Air alerts sound across Ukraine, south and north hit * Russia has been striking Ukraine’s infrastructure since October * Price cap of $60 for Russian oil comes into force | KYIV — Ukraine said Russia had destroyed homes in the south and knocked out power in the north in a new round of missile attacks tonday as the West tried to limit Moscow’s ability to finance its invasion by imposing a price cap on Russian seaborne oil. Russian attacks later today destroyed . . . READ MORE . . .

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The narrative of sham elections, by Wayne Cristaudo | The Postil Magazine Every mainstream media outlet described the referenda in September in the Donetsk, Lugansk People’s Republics (LPR and DPR), Kherson Region and part of Zaporozhye as a “sham” and therefore “rigged.” The results were certainly not what one finds in Western style party political contestations . . . READ MORE . . .

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Merkel reveals West’s duplicity, by Scott Ritter | Consortium News Recent comments by former German Chancellor Angela Merkel shed light on the duplicitous game played by Germany, France, Ukraine and the United States in the lead-up to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February. While the so-called “collective west” . . . READ MORE . . .