Russia

Nerve Agent Case A Nasty Reminder of Who the West is Dealing With

Op-ed: The curious case of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, both of whom were found slumped on a park bench, poisoned in Salisbury, outside of Stonehenge, England has all the makings of an assassination. And if it turns out to be just that, an assassination attempt by the Russians, which it does, it is going to set things back a very long way between the UK, the West, and Russia.

Sergei Skripal was a spy, and he was caught by the Russians, supposedly passing secrets off to the British MI6. He was arrested for treason but was traded in 2010 for numerous Russian “sleeper” agents in the U.S. He has been living in the UK quietly since then.

The investigation into the nerve agent poisoning has been turned over from the police to the Counter-Terrorism Police. The official explanation was that due to the “unusual circumstances” the counter-terrorism unit would now be heading the investigation.

British intelligence sources report that toxicology tests would be key. The fact that it was Novichok explains a lot. The Russians were very brazen in their attempt to kill Skripal and they aren’t worried about repercussions. In fact, they seem to be using this to send a message.

What is Novichok? The former Soviet Union invented Novichok agents and “pioneered their manufacturing techniques,” said Dan Kaszeta, an expert in chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense with Strongpoint Security, a defense and security consultancy in London.

In several Twitter posts, Kaszeta said the agents were “specifically developed to evade the West/NATO’s detection capabilities” and deter efforts to collect intelligence. Experts believe that Novichok, considered to be among the deadliest chemical agents, was manufactured specifically to kill people.

Kaszeta added that the Soviets, and subsequently Russian authorities, “went to great lengths to keep the program secret at a point when the USSR had already agreed in principle to chemical arms control.”

The 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention, to which Russia was a signatory, aimed to eliminate the production, acquisition and stockpiling of chemical weapons, according to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

However, Novichok was designed to circumvent those conventions. Nerve agents such as Novichok are rare, tightly controlled substances that require intimate specialized knowledge to manufacture and store safely. There isn’t any way for some domestic terrorist to cook this up at home.

Nerve agents are easily dispersed and can be absorbed through the skin, ingested and inhaled. Kaszeta said at least one Novichok agent “is a solid at normal temperatures” and “could be deployed as a dust or powder,” allowing for slower absorption. And powder would be “harder to detect with normal chemical warfare detection means.”

Novichok agents are difficult to detect because it is made up of two different compounds that are not dangerous until they are mixed together which are not only hard to detect but very easy to transport. The only countries that manufacture Novichok are Russia and countries in the former Soviet Union.

Novichok is reported to be five to eights times more lethal than VX, the nerve agent reportedly used in the slaying of Kim Jong Un’s half-brother in Malaysia last year. The effects of Novichok act rapidly, and those affected generally feel the full impact of its side effects within 30 seconds to two minutes.

Effects of Nerve Agent: The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons reported that a low dose of nerve agent could cause “minor poisoning,” with symptoms such as “increased production of saliva, a runny nose and a feeling of pressure on the chest.” Additional warning signs include impaired night vision, headaches, fatigue, slurred speech, hallucinations, and nausea.

Exposure to a higher dose of nerve agent causes more dramatic and pronounced symptoms. These include difficulty in breathing leading to coughing; discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract causing cramps and vomiting; involuntary discharge of urine and defecation; running eyes; sweating; muscular weakness; and tremors or convulsions. Victims can lose consciousness and, in some cases, suffer a rapid collapse of body functions and die. Death by nerve agents is usually death by suffocation.

And the British have done their investigation as British Prime Minister Theresa May said that the nerve agent used to poison Skripal and his daughter was “a type developed by Russia.”

May said Russia has a long history of state-sponsored assassinations and British intelligence reports have established that it has produced Novichok and is capable of doing so again.

Prime Minister May said because of the difficulties of manufacturing and handling of Novichok, it was impossible not to conclude that the attack in Salisbury was either carried out by the Russians or that the Russians had lost control of its stockpile of nerve agent that it said was destroyed and “allowed it to get into the hands of others.”

It is unclear how and when the Skripals were exposed to the poison. They were reported to have visited a local restaurant and pub before being found slumped unconscious on a park bench. But the effects come on so quickly, it had to take place in the park or very close to the bench that they were found

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons reported that a low dose of nerve agent could cause “minor poisoning,” with symptoms such as “increased production of saliva, a running nose and a feeling of pressure on the chest.” Additional warning signs include impaired night vision, headaches, fatigue, slurred speech, hallucinations, and nausea.

Exposure to a higher dose of nerve agent causes more dramatic and pronounced symptoms, the agency reported. These include difficulty in breathing leading to coughing; discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract causing cramps and vomiting; involuntary discharge of urine and defecation; running eyes; sweating; muscular weakness; and tremors or convulsions. Victims can lose consciousness and, in some cases, suffer a rapid collapse of body functions and die.

Sending A Message: One former Russian operative has said nerve agents were used only if the goal was to draw attention to the target. “This is a very dirty method. There’s a risk of contaminating other people, which creates additional difficulties,” he told the British media, adding: “There are far more delicate methods that professionals use.”

So why did the Russians try to send a message in such a brazen fashion? One is the election that Putin hasn’t even campaigned for because it was already decided. Voter apathy is projected to be extremely low. The opposition’s leaders are calling for the populace to boycott the vote giving the impression that Putin is supported by very few of the populace. The Russians have been largely trumpeting this as a British plot to turn the world against Russia. It is a ploy that plays well to the majority of the population and has been used forever by Moscow.

Another possible scenario may be tied to the Skripal case across the pond in the U.S. President Trump hasn’t made a ton of friends with his silence on this. The President is on Twitter non-stop but this hasn’t registered on his radar. Reportedly, he made a phone call to Theresa May, the British PM and said that the Russians have to give unambiguous answers on how this particular nerve agent came to be in England. But that’s it.

Rex Tillerson was the only member of the administration to come out and say anything close to the Russians were responsible. And he was fired, so the British, our closest allies in the world since the 1940s are getting precious little support.

The U.S. through the Mueller probe is looking into any Russian involvement in the 2016 election meddling. This could be a not-so-subtle message from Putin to Russian and American alike, that three can keep a secret if two are dead. Open your mouth to anyone and not only yourself but your families can be dealt with as well.

That is who you’re dealing with…

Photo: Wikipedia

German Defense Minister Blasts Russian Nerve Gas Attack in Britain

Ursula von der Leyen, Germany’s defense minister in the most strongly worded statement yet on the Sergei Skripal nerve agent poisoning, said that the Russians were most certainly behind the attack and tied this into the use of chemical weapons in Syria.

Von der Leyen appeared Thursday on Morgen Magazin, a joint breakfast show by public broadcasters ARD and ZDF and stated that the Russians must cooperate in the investigation and vowed “consequences”.

The nerve agent attack was a “serious violation of international agreements on chemical weapons,” she said.

Britain has said it was “highly likely” Moscow was behind the attack, or that it had “lost control” of the military-grade nerve agent used against ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia nearly two weeks ago. The two remain in critical condition.
“It’s the very first time since World War II that a horrible chemical weapon has been used on European soil,” von der Leyen said, demanding Russia contribute to providing clarity on the incident.
Russia has denied any involvement in the nerve-agent attack, which prompted a UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday.
Tom Tugendhat, a British MP and chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the House of Commons, told DW that Russia’s actions were “war-like.”
“Had [this chemical] been opened on the London Underground, for example, it would have killed hundreds of people. And to use it next to a children’s playground, where, had the children been there, it would have killed 30 or 40 children. This is a completely unacceptable, war-like act by a violent, deranged regime that is weakening and lashing out. This is a corrupt dictatorship that has to stop,” he said.
Von der Leyen also tied the UK nerve-agent attack to events in Syria, where Russia is allied with President Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian regime has been accused of using banned chemical agentsagainst civilians and rebels.
“We see the Assad-allied forces using poison gas. Russia is the one the allies of Assad. That’s why it’s crucial for Russia to clarify what happened there,” von der Leyen said.

The outrage of the brazen attack on Skripal in the UK is opening up the investigations of more than just his attack. And the European NATO countries are going to be watching the events closely. But if history is any indication, the Russians won’t stop what they’ve always done and Putin’s administration will only grow stronger.

To read the entire article from Deutsche Welle, click here:

Photo courtesy Wikipedia

Russia Test Fires Hypersonic Kinzhal Nuclear-Capable Missile

The Russian military successfully test-fired a new, nuclear-capable hypersonic missile which was announced by President Putin earlier this month.

Putin showed video graphic where nuclear missiles were raining down on the state of Florida in the United States.

The country’s defence ministry released video footage showing the missile detaching from a fighter jet and leaving a fiery trail behind it.
It said the intended target was hit.
On 1 March, Mr Putin described the Kinzhal missile – named after a type of dagger – as “an ideal weapon”.
He said it was part of a new stockpile of “invincible” weapons.
The Kinzhal is said to travel at 10 times the speed of sound and have a range of 2,000km (1,200 miles).
The defence ministry said the missile was launched from a MiG-31 jet that took off from an airfield in south-west Russia on Saturday.
“The launch went according to plan, the hypersonic missile hit its target,” the ministry said.
Mr Putin is widely expected to be re-elected as Russia’s president in a week’s time.
As part of his annual state of the nation speech on 1 March, Putin played a video graphic that appeared to show missiles raining down on the US state of Florida.
The US state department said this was not “the behavior of a responsible international player”.

With Putin’s election all but assured, his boldness is coming thru, from an attack on U.S. troops in Syria by Russian contractors, the unsafe buzzing of American aircraft in international airspace, the nerve gas attack on an ex-Russian spy in Britain…now showing graphic video of a nuclear attack on Florida.

To read the entire article from the BBC, click here:

Photo courtesy Wikipedia

March 8, 1917, The “February” Revolution, Marks the End of the Tsar

Russia, which had been battling decades of problems with an archaic social, economic and political structure with a monarch as its head, was ripe for revolution in early 1917. Starving peasants, an unpopular and a very costly war against the Germans finally was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Tensions had been rising in Russia for decades, but early in the 1900s, there had been a humiliating military defeat at the hands of Japan, a mutiny on the battleship Potemkin, and the awful firing on peaceful crowds by soldiers on Bloody Sunday had turned the people against Tsar Nicholas II.

So when the food riots in Petrograd, (modern day St. Petersburg) began, it set forth a chain of events that would initially lead to the tsar’s ouster and eventually set the table for the Bolsheviks under Vladimir Lenin to take over Russia. The country would then become the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). But before that, the riots in Petrograd would encompass 90,000 people, many clamoring for bread and over 1300 Russians would be killed in the violence.

Tsar Out of Touch: The Russian monarchy like many of the dynastic rulers of the early 20th century were incompatible with modern systems of capitalism. And coincidentally, the reason it is called the “February Revolution” was that Russia continued to use the Julian calendar. Corruption was rampant in the Imperialist regime and the Russian military was ill-prepared, ill-equipped and led during World War I. The army suffered horrendous casualties against the much better equipped and led German army.

On March 8th, protesters hit the streets over the lack of bread, flour, and fuel. There, they teamed with over 90,000 people on strike and the crowds clashed with police. Women were marching in large numbers in accordance with International Women’s Day. And they encouraged protesters to demand an end of food rationing, to get out of World War I and to end the monarchy.

The next day, the crowds had swelled to 200,000. They demanded the Russian get out of the war, and that the Tsar be replaced with a more progressive leader. By March 10th nearly all of Petrograd was brought to a standstill by the strikes and protests. The Tsar, who had been visiting the front, ordered a Russian general, Sergey Semyonovich Khabalov to disperse the crowd with rifle fire and “to suppress the rioters with force.”

The capital was in chaos, certain units in the military had begun to mutiny and the government of the Tsar was frozen with indecision. The Tsar was wired with a bleak picture of the events:

The situation is serious. The capital is in a state of anarchy. The Government is paralyzed. Transport service and the supply of food and fuel have become completely disrupted. General discontent is growing … There must be no delay. Any procrastination is tantamount to death.

The Tsar left the front but was unable to get to Petrograd because the revolutionaries controlled the railroads. The Imperial Guards left their posts, basically abandoning the Tsar and his family. His closest confidantes advised him to abdicate the throne. Which he did on 3 p.m. on the afternoon of the 14th. He tried to hand over the throne to his brother Michael. Once he refused, it was done.

Three hundred years of Romanov rule in Russia was over. The Romanov family was placed under protective custody in the palace at Tsarskoye Selo along with their royal retainers.

The Provisional Government had shared dual power with the Petrograd Soviet and as a result, neither had the control needed to right the ship. Meanwhile, Vladimir Lenin, who had been in exile in Switzerland, returned to Petrograd on 16 April. He immediately tried to gain control of the Bolsheviks and do everything in his power to undermine the provisional government.

Initially, he didn’t curry favor with the Bolsheviks and the riots of July caused the government to put out arrest warrants on all of the prominent Bolshevik leaders. Lenin fled to Finland with many of the Bolshevik leaders. The new head of the provisional government, Kerensky never had firm control of the government and he constantly feared that troops would mutiny against him.

Finally, Lenin and the Bolsheviks would overthrow the Kerensky government during the October Revolution. Lenin survived two assassination attempts and finally moved the capital to Moscow as they feared the Germans would take Petrograd. He never liked the city but once there he rarely left for the rest of his life.

At first, Lenin tried to downplay his Marxist ideology to not scare off any support from non-Bolsheviks. The first order of business was getting Russia out of the war. He agreed to terrible terms from Germany and the Central Powers but it was just the beginning of a few years of civil war, strife with Poland and a consolidation of power that would give him absolute rule over the country.

Photos: Russian archives

Russian Plane Crash in Syria Kills 39 on Board

A Russian transport plane crashed in Syria, killing 39 passengers and crewmembers as it was attempting to land at Hmeimin air base in northwest Syria, Russian state media reported.

Initial reports put the crash as a technical malfunction and not combat related. Hmeimin is located about 150 miles north of Damascus and is home to the Russians largest base in Syria.

All 33 passengers and six crew members were killed in the crash, state-run RIA-Novosti reported, citing the Defense Ministry. Earlier, it had been reported that 32 people had died.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was briefed on the incident by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu during a working visit to Russia’s Sverdlovsk region, the Kremlin said in a statement.
The crash occurred as the Antonov-26 transport plane came down 500 meters (about 550 yards) short of the runway, the Defense Ministry said in a statement quoted by the state-run news agency, Tass.
The ministry said it was investigating the crash, adding that “preliminary data suggests it could be a technical malfunction.” It also ruled out the possibility that the plane had been fired upon.
Russia’s Investigative Committee has launched a criminal case over the crash, committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko told Tass.
Tuesday’s crash was not the deadliest air incident related to Russia’s military intervention in Syria.
In December 2016, a Tupolev Tu-154 aircraft crashed after taking off from the Adler airport near the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, killing 84 passengers and eight crew members. The plane was carrying more than 60 members of the Alexandrov Ensemble, the Russian army’s official dance and choir company, on its way to Syria to give a holiday performance for troops.
Putin visited Hmeimin in December, using the opportunity to meet with his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad.

Most Russian people support their involvement in the war in Syria, but opposition politicians were quick to point fingers at the Putin administration.

“How does the draw-down of forces look now? For the sake of what are these people dying? When will this senseless war end?” Dmitry Gudkov, a former member of parliament said on social media.

To read the entire article from CNN, click here:

Photo courtesy Wikipedia

US Disputes Russian Numbers of ISIS Fighters in Afghanistan

The United States military in Afghanistan has disputed Moscow’s claim the number of Islamic State militants in the country runs into the thousands, and urged Russia and Iran to support the Kabul government, not the Taliban, to help defeat IS in the country.

Commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan General John Nicholson made the remark Saturday while responding to recent Russian accusations Washington is intentionally downplaying the spread of IS militants in the country.
“The numbers that are spread about the number of Daesh fighters by Russia is grossly exaggerated. It is around 1,500,” Nicholson told a news conference in the Afghan capital. He used the Arabic acronym for IS.
The general said that IS militants are operating in parts of the eastern Afghan provinces of Nangarhar and Kunar and maintain a “pocket” in the northern Jowzjan province.
Nicholson said that Afghan forces, backed by U.S. counterterrorism troops and airpower, are attacking all three of the locations
“We have cut their numbers in half over the last two years. We have killed their ‘amirs’ (chiefs), we have reduced their territory, again, we have driven their fighters out of parts of the country,” explained the general, who also commands NATO’s Afghan military mission.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, while speaking in Moscow, asserted that thousands of IS terrorists are present in northern and eastern Afghan regions and are being joined by militants fleeing Syria and Iraq.

The Russians and Iranians continue to insist that the US is supporting the rise of the Islamic State in Afghanistan, with the Russians insisting that they’ve monitored flights of helicopters which they claim belong to NATO, that fly over the ISIS-held areas, which he says no one can explain.

Both Iran and Russia claim that their support for the Taliban is only in the area of the hope to increase the likelihood of peace talks.

To read the entire article from Voice of America, click here:

Photo courtesy Wikipedia

US Show of Force in the Black Sea Sending Russia a Message

The US Navy has taken what it calls proactive measures by sending an increased presence into the Black Sea to counter what it has termed increased Russian presence there. Lately, the Russians have become belligerent to any US or NATO presence there, which it considers their territory.

It’s a region that has become increasingly fraught with tensions as Russia has reinforced its military forces in the area following its seizure of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, a move rejected by the vast majority of the international community.
On Saturday the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney joined the USS Ross in the Black Sea to “conduct maritime security operations,” according to a statement from the US Navy’s 6th Fleet, which oversees US naval operations in the region. It’s the first time two US Navy warships have been in the Black Sea since July 2017.
“Our decision to have two ships simultaneously operate in the Black Sea is proactive, not reactive,” US Navy Vice Adm. Christopher Grady, the commander of 6th Fleet, said in a release announcing the Carney’s arrival.
“We operate at the tempo and timing of our choosing in this strategically important region,” Grady said, adding that “the continued presence of the U.S. Navy in the Black Sea demonstrates our enduring commitment to regional stability, maritime security of our Black Sea partners, and the collective defense of our NATO allies”

The Russians are sensitive about any NATO ships in the Black Sea, which it considers their territory. That’s why they’ve buzzed US surveillance planes, in one case coming within 5-feet of one last month. They’ve also deployed submarines to the area in response.

NATO officials counter that their countries own more coastline on the Black Sea than the Russians do and they’ll continue to operate there. One official was quoted as stating “The Black Sea isn’t a Russian lake.”

To read the entire article from CNN, click here:

Photo courtesy: US Navy

Russian Proxies Upping the Ante in Syria, A Dangerous Precedent

Over the weekend, U.S. airstrikes decimated an attack by a battalion-sized force of fighters loyal to President Bashar Assad supported by tanks and rocket launchers. The pro-Assad forces attacked a coalition U.S. Special Operations, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) base with about 500 pro-Assad troops in eastern Syria.

While the numbers are still unclear, several of the dead were Russian military contractors. Reports are varying from just a handful to as many as 200. The Russian Ministry of Defense doesn’t report contractor deaths and it is a way to keep their “official” casualties down. Especially with President Putin running for re-election soon.

What began as just a series of protests against Assad in 2011, has turned into an international conflict and is now an international quagmire. The Iranians and Russians are supporting Assad as they both try to increase their influence and possibly reap the spoils of the oil fields.

The United States was there at first, simply to rid the country of Islamic State terrorists, but their ties to the Kurds, and deciding to remain in place to counter Iranian influence, and keep Syrian neighbor’s borders secure is a long-term commitment, with a very indistinct end-game plan that sets up US troops for attack. This incident on Saturday may have been the first case of US troops coming under attack, but it most assuredly won’t be the last. The Syrians, Iranians, and Russians all want the U.S. out.

Now Turkey is involved. The U.S. staunch ally for years is attacking Kurdish troops working with U.S. SOF troops in Afrin. The Turkish military launched an offensive against the Kurds who they consider terrorists and now, they too will come in close proximity to U.S. forces.

And if things couldn’t possibly get any worse, Israel, the wildcard in any Middle East conversation is involved. The Iranians launched a drone against Israel and the Israelis responded in true form. After they shot down the drone, they launched a massive attack at a Syrian complex as they are worried, legitimately so about their security.

Make no mistake about any of this. Last week’s attack was a test. And our Special Operators passed. Now we’re going to need our politicians in Washington to pass theirs. Because this is just the first round. Also, don’t be under illusions about these “Russian contractors” possibly going off half-cocked. A “rogue operation?” Please.

These Russian contractors conducted that mission with full knowledge of the Russian MOD and no doubt with President Putin himself. Why? Because unlike the American group that they’re most compared to, Blackwater, headed by Erik Prince, These Russian work for the shadowy Wagner Group which is in essence, just a very thin, deniable extension of the Russian MOD. These Wagner Group contractors have already fought in the Crimea as well as Ukraine.

The Wagner group was founded by retired Lt. Col. Dmitry Utkin, who came into U.S. radar in June after the government watchdogs said the company had recruited former soldiers to join the separatists fighting in Ukraine. Utkin is a close friend of and was photographed a year ago at a Kremlin banquet thrown by Putin to honor military veterans.

So the idea of the Wagner Group leading a force of Syrian with up to 200 former members of the Russian military on a rogue operation? It is ludicrous to even contemplate. A mistake in their navigation perhaps? Nyet again. These troops had to cross a river to get in contact with the SDF and the U.S. operators. As per the agreed upon procedures earlier, the U.S. called the Russians and told them about the incursion. The Russian knew their troops were there and didn’t care. Once they got within about 5 miles of the U.S. coalition base as they advanced on oil fields in the eastern Deir el-Zour province, U.S. aircraft struck them hard.

U.S. commanders on the hotline called the Russians to report that they were hitting the attackers. The Russians continued to play dumb because to actively respond would be to admit their guilt in this farce.

The Russians insisted they would not respond to the attack on the hotline and assured the U.S. that no Russian troops were involved. Putin and the Russian MOD gambled with the lives of their contractors as pawns and left them out in the wind. Officially they claimed that just 25 Syrians were wounded in the attack.

Not so coincidentally, the Iranians launched a drone towards Israel. After the Israelis shot it down, they launched a huge raid at a military complex where the Syrians were stockpiling chemical weapons as well as a command and control unit that Iran was manning.

We don’t know what the end game was for the Syrians and Russians, other than to maybe give the Americans a bloody nose big enough for the in-fighting Congress to call for all of our troops to withdraw while seizing the oil fields in the Deir el-Zour area. Truth be told, the Russians probably didn’t care about the Iranians being hit as they are an unnecessary third party that Putin and Moscow don’t want muddying up their plans for Syria in the first place.

Neither the Americans or Russians were commenting on anything to do with Russians being killed in the attack on the American base. Russian media watchdogs are the ones claiming the higher casualty rates but the Russians were caught red-faced and red-handed on this one and paid the price. The worst they can do right now is to play politics. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday that “Americans have taken dangerous unilateral steps.” He never mentioned the U.S. airstrikes but Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov, wouldn’t comment on the reports either, saying they needed to be verified.

The Americans are playing it close to the vest as well. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said they had no verification of any Russian casualties, nor Russian involvement.

Putin has to keep this entire fiasco low key for the time being. He is facing a re-election bid on March 18. But this won’t be the last time U.S. troops are in harm’s way in Syria. The Russians, Syrians, Iranians, and/or Turks all want the United States out. This civil war has turned into a powder keg and the politicians need to get it diffused before it blows up in everyone’s faces.

Photo: DOD

UK Accuses Russian Military of “Malicious Cyber Attack”

The British Foreign Minister has pointed the blame at the Russian government, specifically their military for a global cyber attack that ripped thru European businesses a year ago, accusing the Russians of “weaponizing information” in the realm of cyber warfare.

Foreign Minister Tariq Ahmad said, “the U.K. government judges that the Russian government, specifically the Russian military, was responsible for the destructive NotPetya cyberattack of June 2017.”

The fast-spreading outbreak of data-scrambling software centered on Ukraine, which is embroiled in a conflict with Moscow-backed separatists in the country’s east. It spread to companies that do business with Ukraine, including U.S. pharmaceutical company Merck, Danish shipping firm A.P. Moller-Maersk and FedEx subsidiary TNT.
Ahmad said the “reckless” attack cost organizations hundreds of millions of dollars.
British Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson accused Russia of “undermining democracy, wrecking livelihoods by targeting critical infrastructure and weaponizing information” with malicious cyber attacks.
“We must be primed and ready to tackle these stark and intensifying threats,” Williamson said.
Denmark’s defense minister, Claus Hjort Frederiksen, said that the hack was meant to specifically cause damage. “Russians have lifted this up to a higher level where the aim is to cause harm just like in a military attack,” he was quoted as saying by the Jyllands-Posten newspaper.
President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, denied Russia’s involvement.
“We categorically deny the accusations. We consider them unfounded and baseless and see them as a continuation of a groundless Russophobic campaign,” he said in a conference call with reporters.

While the Russians continue to claim that they are blameless, it remains a fact that too many of these attacks come from within their own borders and they’ve done precious little to stop them. And their businesses have been scarcely affected.

To read the entire article from the Washington Post, click here:

Photo courtesy Wikipedia

Russian Civilian Contractors Killed in US Airstrikes Of Assad Loyalists

There are increasing reports that Russian military contractors were among those killed when a U.S.-led coalition airstrike wiped out an attack by pro-regime Syrian forces loyal to President Assad.

About 500 Syrian and Russian forces attacked a coalition base where U.S. Special Operations troops were advising a Kurdish unit. At least a 100 of the attackers and possibly as many as 300 were killed. And Russian media sources are reporting that scores of them were Russian contractors.

“We detected and saw a tank that took a shot at us,” Lieutenant General Jeffrey Harrigian, the head of U.S. Air Forces Central Command told reporters said via teleconference from Qatar.
“It continued to move, so we… executed self-defense rules of engagement to protect ourselves.”
Without mentioning the U.S. strike, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday “Americans have taken dangerous unilateral steps.”
“Those steps look increasingly like part of efforts to create a quasi-state on a large part of Syrian territory — from the eastern bank of the Euphrates River all the way to the border with Iraq,” he said.
The attack comes just days after U.S. forces for several hours used drones and B-52 bombers against several hundred “pro-regime” fighters equipped with artillery and a tank in Deir el-Zour province, an area in eastern Syria where the last IS fighters have converged among oil fields.
Russian media have been reporting that dozens of Russians were among those killed when the U.S.-led coalition conducted air and artillery strikes on Feb. 7, killing an estimated 100 pro-regime fighters, according to a coalition statement.

The attack on the coalition base where U.S. troops were advising an SDF unit was supported by 122mm howitzers, tanks, and rocket launchers 5-miles east of the Euphrates River. The river has been used as a buffer zone between U.S. and Russian troops. The Russian troops reportedly manned T-55 and T-72 tanks and were firing rounds close to the base which is nearby the rich oilfields that the regime wants.

The U.S. responded with devastating air strikes consisting of AQ-9 drone attacks, B-52 bombers, AC-130 gunships, F-15s, F-22s, Army Apache helicopter gunships and Marine Corps artillery.

Despite what the Russians are saying officially, this provocation is a sign that they were trying to escalate the tensions there without official Russian troops there. They were attempting to take advantage of a situation where they can’t be “officially tied” to it, but there is no way that an attack of that size without the knowledge and approval of their leaders.

To read the entire article from Voice of America, click here:

Photo courtesy Wikipedia