Ukraine, 12-4-22

First, in a time of reduced coverage of the war itself, links to related reports from Reuters, Agence France-Presse, the Associated Press, and Tass; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. Then, via Popular Resistance, a link to an interview for ScheerPost with an independent journalist on several aspects of the war and coverage of it. And, via the Greanville Post, a link to a young American’s first-person account of his experience in Ukraine volunteering with a company of Azov soldiers. — MCM

   

OPEC+ agrees no change to oil policy, sources say, by Alex Lawler and Ahmad Ghaddar | Reuters * No discussions of Russian price cap so far – delegates * Oil prices have come under pressure from weak economy  | LONDON/DUBAI — OPEC+ agreed to stick to its oil output targets at a meeting on Sunday, two OPEC+ sources told Reuters, as the oil markets struggle to assess the impact of a slowing Chinese economy on demand and a G7 price cap on Russian oil on supply. The decision comes two days after the Group of Seven (G7) nations agreed a price cap on Russian . . . READ MORE . . .

   

Price cap level on Russian oil ‘not serious’: Zelensky. From AFP. A $60 price cap set on Russian oil agreed by the EU, G7 and Australia is not “serious” because it is “quite comfortable” for Moscow, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday. “Russia has already caused huge losses to all countries of the world by deliberately destabilizing the energy market,” he said, describing the decision on the price cap as “a . . . READ MORE . . .

   

U.S. intel chief thinking ‘optimistically’ for Ukraine forces, by Jamey Keaten and Nomaan Merchant | AP  KYIV — The head of U.S. intelligence said Saturday at a forum in California that fighting in Russia’s war in Ukraine is running at a “reduced tempo” and suggests Ukrainian forces could have brighter prospects in coming months. Avril Haines alluded to past allegations by some that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s advisers could be shielding him from bad news — for Russia — about war developments, and said he “is becoming more informed . . . READ MORE . . .

   

Diplomat slams Nuland’s words about Western influence on decisions during special op. From Tass. MOSCOW — U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland’s words that Russia has not resorted to the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine because of Western ‘warnings’ are nothing but an attempt to shift blame, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Saturday, noting that Moscow repeatedly stated that nuclear war was unacceptable. “Victoria Nuland has once again defeated herself: first, . . . READ MORE . . .

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Alex Rubinstein on Nazism in Ukraine, NAFO, and information warfare. Diego Ramos and Max Jones of ScheerPost talk with journalist Alex Rubinstein about his recent work. Alex is an investigative journalist who has written extensively and broken news about the international effects of neoliberalism and regime change policies of the United States. Click HERE for a video of the interview.

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An American volunteer speaks. Introduced by Larry Johnson | The Greanville Post Justin Banse is a veteran of two wars in this century. In Afghanistan he served in the U.S. Army and was paid. In Ukraine, he volunteered on an unpaid basis with a company of Azov battalion soldiers, which he says was entirely eliminated by the Russian military — somehow he was “left behind.” His more-than-three-hour testimony covers before, during and after his time in  Ukraine. A video of it and an introduction are HERE.

   

MAY BE CONTINUED