Tag: russia

Biden declares Russia threat ‘national emergency,’ lobs sanctions; 10 diplomats booted over election meddling

Tyler Olson, Alex Pappas – April 15, 2021

President Biden on Thursday signed an executive order declaring a “national emergency” over the threat from Russia, as his administration slapped new sanctions on the country.

The U.S. Department of State said it is expelling 10 officials from Russia’s bilateral mission.

“Today, we announced actions to hold the Russian Government to account for the SolarWinds intrusion, reports of bounties on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, and attempts to interfere in the 2020 U.S. elections,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

The White House also released a letter to Congress stating that the president has issued “an Executive Order declaring a national emergency with respect to the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States posed by specified harmful foreign activities of the Government of the Russian Federation.”

The letter said that Russia had aimed to “undermine the conduct of free and fair democratic elections,” engaged in “malicious cyber-enabled activities,” targeted journalists and dissenters outside of its borders, and violated international law.

This, Biden said in the letter, constitutes “an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.”

https://www.foxnews.com

Russia Warns NATO Against Sending Any Troops To Ukraine As “Frightening” Escalation Looms

Tyler Durden – April 02, 2021

The Kremlin’s latest statements out Friday amid the potential new Ukraine crisis which has seen a serious flare-up in fighting in the Donbass region, along with what appears to be far bigger-than-usual troop movements on Russia’s side of the border, has raised the stakes further.

Russia has vowed it will take “extra measures to ensure its own security” should it observe any deployment of NATO troops inside Ukraine, the Kremlin statement said Friday according to Reuters.

It firmly warned against any potential looming NATO troop movements following Brussels voicing concern the day prior over the widespread reports and videos purporting to show a significant Russian build-up of forces along Ukraine’s eastern border.

Reuters reports Russia’s Friday statement and “warning” as follows:

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday that the situation at the contact line in eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian government forces and Russian-backed separatist forces was quite frightening and that multiple “provocations” were taking place there.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Taran, and “condemned recent escalations of Russian aggressive and provocative actions in eastern Ukraine,” the Pentagon said.

“Our rhetoric [over Donbass] is absolutely constructive,” Peskov said in response to journalists’ questions. “We do not indulge in wishful thinking. Regrettably, the realities along the engagement line are rather frightening. Provocations by the Ukrainian armed forces do take place. They are not casual. There have been many of them.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the Russian troop movements across the border, calling the situation “muscle-flexing” likely to lead to “provocations” for which Ukraine’s army is “ready”.

https://www.zerohedge.com

BIRD OF PREY Mutant bird flu more infectious than Covid poses ‘high’ risk of transmission between humans, Russia warns

Will Stewart – March 12, 2021

Russia has warned today that mutating H5N8 Bird Flu has a high risk of human-to-human transmission.

The alert appears to contradict the low threat position of the World Health Organisation.

This comes almost a month after scientists detected the first case of H5N8 transmission to humans at a poultry farm in southern Russia.

The Kremlin’s health watchdog chief Anna Popova said there was “a rather high probability” of transmission between humans.

“It is likely to happen,” she told TASS.

“Colleagues say that the mutation is continuing very actively.”

But she said that scientists had spotted the threat “before a disaster happened”.

Popova spoke after a report from popular Russian newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda (KP) warning of the threat of a “second Wuhan – or even worse”.

Scientists at Russia’s Porton Down – Vector State Research Centre of Virology  and Biotechnology, once a Cold War biological warfare research plant in Siberia – are working on a vaccine, she said.

https://www.thesun.co.uk

BITCOINSKI Russia could become first country to make entire currency DIGITAL as cryptocurrency booms

– February 18, 2021

Discussions are underway about the launch of the digital ruble with local banks and the country’s financial watchdog has reportedly said it would present a more detailed concept by summer.

The head of the Central Bank of Russia, Elvira Nabiullina, said the regulator had received detailed feedback from the banking community about the prospect in a report back in October.

According to an RT report, most lenders expressed their support over a two-level model of the digital ruble.

The model would allow banks to open wallets for their clients on the central bank’s platform and conduct operations with the currency.

Nabiullina said: “We will develop a more detailed concept and start discussing it with the public, market participants, and banks at the beginning of summer.”

The next step would involve launching and testing a special platform.

The adoption of the new form of currency would also require amending legislation.

Russia’s central bank revealed its plan to assess the possibility of creating a digital form of the country’s national currency in its report published in October last year.

The digital ruble would exist along with cash and non-cash rubles, and would allow private and corporate users to freely transfer digital rubles to their electronic wallets.

The revelations come amid a boom in the price of the cryptocurrency bitcoin, which surged to record highs last week.

https://www.the-sun.com

STRATCOM Commander: ‘Real Possibility’ of Nuclear War With China or Russia

Sandy Fitzgerald – February 03, 2021

There is a “real possibility” that a regional crisis with either China or Russia could escalate to nuclear war, the head of U.S. Strategic Command is warning in a call for federal and military leaders to change their approach to nuclear deterrence.

“There is a real possibility that a regional crisis with Russia or China could escalate quickly to a conflict involving nuclear weapons, if they perceived a conventional loss would threaten the regime or state,” STRATCOM Commander Adm. Charles Richard wrote in the February issue of “Proceedings,” the monthly magazine for the U.S. Naval Institute. “Consequently, the U.S. military must shift its principal assumption from ‘nuclear employment is not possible’ to ‘nuclear employment is a very real possibility,’ and act to meet and deter that reality.”

He also warned that China and Russia are beginning to “aggressively challenge international norms and global peace using instruments of power and threats of force in ways not seen since the height of the Cold War. He also cited investment in advanced arms, such as nuclear weapons, as well as a rise in cyberattacks and threats in space.

Meanwhile, recent actions from both countries will “increase the risk of great power crisis or conflict” if U.S. officials leave the matter unchecked.

Russia is “aggressively modernizing” its nuclear arsenal, Richard wrote, and China is on a “trajectory to be a strategic peer,” so it shouldn’t be dismissed as a lesser threat.

https://www.newsmax.com

Lawmakers Asking Whether Cyberattack Is Act of War

Jeffrey Rodack – December 18, 2020

Congressional lawmakers are questioning whether the cyberattack on the federal government is an act of war.

According to The Hill, the cyberattack, widely attributed to Russia, may be the biggest in U.S. history.

It noted any U.S. response could be complicated by the presidential transition.

“We can’t be buddies with Vladimir Putin and have him at the same time making this kind of cyberattack on America,” Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told CNN. “This is virtually a declaration of war by Russia on the United States and we should take that seriously.”

And Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, told SiriusXM’s Olivier Knox in a Thursday interview: “What I find most astonishing is that a cyberhack of this nature is really the modern equivalent of almost Russian bombers reportedly flying undetected over the entire country. And they didn’t drop bombs, but they had the capacity to show that our defense is extraordinarily inadequate.”

The Energy Department and its National Nuclear Security Administration, which maintains America’s nuclear stockpile, were targeted as part of a broader attack, according to a person familiar with the matter. The hack didn’t affect mission-essential national security functions.

In addition, three unidentified states were also targeted.

CNN reported that Marco Rubio urged people not to jump to conclusions.

“There’s still information gathering occurring, so I’d caution anyone reaching conclusions or making pronouncements until all that is in,” said Rubio, who is Senate Intelligence Committee chairman.

https://www.newsmax.com

Major solar flare triggers 3 strong earthquakes in Alaska (M6.3), Argentina (M6.3), Russia (M6.4)

Strange Sounds – December 1, 2020

Well, if you look back at data from the past two days, there is a clear correlation between the proton density sent from the sun and the occurrence of large earthquakes (M > 5.6), with a time shift of 1-2 day(s).

The biggest solar flare in more than 3 years occured on Nov. 29th, triggering widespread radio shortwave outages and hurling a huge CME in space.

Luckily, the small sunspot that erupted wasn’t facing Earth during its explosive event. But still, particles from the solar eruption may have triggered a series of 4 strong earthquakes that hit across the world within less than 12 hours between Nov. 30th and Dec. 1st.

M6.4 Russia – Nov. 30th, 22:54:34 (UTC)

The first earthquake of the series is a very deep M6.4 quake that hit 88 km SSE of Sovetskaya Gavan’, Russia.

The offshore quake epicenter was situated at a depth of 587km (364.7 miles) and no tsunami was created.

M6.3 Argentina – Nov. 30th, 22:54:59 (UTC)

Just 20 seconds after the first strong quake of the series, another big blast rattled 76 km WSW of San Antonio de los Cobres, Argentina.

Although very deep (147.8 km or 91.8 miles), the quake was reported by at least 16 people, most reporting very small shaking.

It is worthwhile to report that a M5.9 earthquake (so a big one too!) hit about the same region on Sunday, Nov. 29th at 1:40 p.m. local time – the same day than the solar eruption.

M6.3 Alaska – Dec. 1st, 16:22:40 (UTC)

Finally a M6.3 earthquake hit offshore, 38 km (23.6 miles) ESE of Nikolski, Alaska at a depth of 23 km (14.3 miles).

Eight reports of shaking have already been published on the USGS homepage.

https://strangesounds.org

Mongolia warns of bubonic plague outbreak as SEVENTEEN provinces bordering Russia are deemed at risk

Jonny Tickle – July 17, 2020

While the spread of Covid-19 is starting to slow down in Russia, the world’s largest country may have another outbreak on its doorstep.

An expert in Mongolia has warned that the bubonic plague may spread throughout the country on Russia’s border.

Bandikhuu Amgalanbayar, the deputy director of Mongolia’s National Center for the Study of Zoonotic Infections, has warned that over a hundred districts in 17 of the 21 provinces are at risk of a bubonic plague outbreak. Russia and Mongolia share an almost 3,500km border.

The potential of an outbreak first came to light on July 3, when Mongolian media reported that a man and a woman from Mongolia’s western Khovd region were suspected of having contracted the disease after eating raw marmot meat.

Less than two weeks later, on July 16, Mongolian doctors announced another suspected case of the plague, when a 16-year-old had a high temperature after eating marmot meat. Just days before, a 15-year-old died from the disease before getting to the hospital.

https://www.rt.com

A powerful & game-changing Russia/China military alliance is ‘quite possible’ in future but not on the cards yet, says Putin

Jonny Tickle – October 23, 2020

An alliance between two of the planet’s three most powerful militaries would profoundly alter the world order. Vladimir Putin believes that it is possible in the future that Russia and China could unite, but not yet necessary.

Speaking on Thursday at a virtual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club, Putin stressed that Russia “does not need” an alliance with China, “but, theoretically, it’s quite possible to imagine.” The superpowers are increasingly close, and conduct joint exercises together.

Valdai is a Russian think tank and forum established in 2004. It hosts an annual meeting attended by Putin. The event is usually held in Sochi, but because of the Covid-19 pandemic was condensed this year.

“Russian-Chinese relations have reached an unprecedented high level,” the president said. “We treat each other with great confidence, have strong, stable, and, most importantly, effective working relations in all areas.”

Moscow and Beijing currently cooperate closely in many fields, including militarily. In September, China took part in Russia’s large-scale joint exercise, Kavkaz-2020, along with other Kremlin allies. According to Putin, the two countries “exchange best practices in the field of military construction,” and have high-level cooperation in the technological sphere. As well as benefiting the Russian Armed Forces, the partnership also increases China’s defense capability, he explained.

“It’s not only about the exchange of products, sales of military goods and the exchange of technologies,” the president explained. “There are some very sensitive things here.”

https://www.rt.com

Sea of troubles: Tensions flare across Mediterranean as world powers jockey for power

Guy Taylor -September 2, 2020

The Mediterranean — an on-again, off-again geopolitical hot spot since before the pyramids were built — is emerging anew as a sea of division and instability, with powers including Russia, China, Turkey and Israel jostling aggressively for influence, natural resources and military advantage.

Moscow is eyeing a possible military base along the oil-rich shores of Libya. China is seeking investment deals across the region. Turkey is clashing with NATO partner Greece over drilling rights and militarized islands. Newly discovered offshore natural gas deposits have nations scrambling to stake their claims.

Even the Trump administration on Wednesday partially lifted an arms embargo with Cyprus in what was widely interpreted as a shot across Turkey’s bow.

Analysts generally agree that NATO is failing to ease regional tensions. The U.S., despite multiple interests, lacks leverage in many of the disputes, with President Trump accelerating a U.S. pullback begun under President Obama that opened a power vacuum that others are now scrambling to fill.

While a range of unsavory players are making moves — Iran, Hezbollah and the Islamic State are among those seeking to exploit the situation — many in Europe and Washington are pointing the finger at Turkey for escalating the crisis by threatening to use force to take possession of natural gas finds beneath a string of Mediterranean islands that most in Europe say belongs to Greece.

The two NATO member states are now locked in a dangerous maritime standoff that is shaking the alliance to its core, with mediation attempts by Germany and others in the European Union so far going nowhere while the Trump administration warily monitors the situation.

https://www.washingtontimes.com