G3 News

2022-03-01 00:07:23 International Criminal Court Opening Investigation Into Possible War Crimes in Ukraine

The International Criminal Court (ICC) will open an investigation into possible war crimes or crimes against humanity in Ukraine, ICC prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan said Monday (Feb. 28).

Khan said in a statement that "there is a reasonable basis" to believe that both have been committed as Russia's invasion unfolds. The ICC is the only permanent judicial body with jurisdiction over prosecuting people for international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.

"I have reviewed the Office's conclusions arising from the preliminary examination of the Situation in Ukraine, and have confirmed that there is a reasonable basis to proceed with opening an investigation," Khan said.

"Given the expansion of the conflict in recent days, it is my intention that this investigation will also encompass any new alleged crimes falling within the jurisdiction of my Office that are committed by any party to the conflict on any part of the territory of Ukraine."

➨ axios.com/ukraine-russia-war-crimes-international-court-b01b3aaa-796f-4cab-a0ef-67b5876e5013.html Open / Comment

2022-02-28 23:25:09 Rocket Strikes Kill 11 in Ukrainian City of Kharkiv, Says Regional Official

At least 11 people were killed on Monday (Feb. 28) in rocket strikes on residential districts of the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv—Ukraine's second largest—according to the head of the regional administration Oleg Synegubov.

According to Reuters, Synegubov said it was Russian forces firing artillery at residential areas of Kharkiv where there are no Ukrainian army positions or strategic infrastructure.

"This is happening in the daytime, when people have gone out to the pharmacy, for groceries, or for drinking water. It's a crime," he said.

➨ usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-02-28/dozens-killed-in-rocket-strikes-on-ukrainian-city-of-kharkiv-says-ukrainian-official Open / Comment

2022-02-28 22:54:59 Turkey Warns All Countries Not to Pass Warships Through Straits

Turkey has warned both Black Sea and non-Black Sea countries not to pass warships through its Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was reported as saying on Monday (Feb. 28).

The 1936 Montreux Convention allows Turkey to limit naval transit of its straits during wartime but has a clause exempting ships returning to their registered base.

"We implemented what Montreux says, and we will do so from now on. There has been no request for passage through the straits until today," the state news agency Anadolu reported Cavusoglu as saying.

At least four Russian ships are currently waiting on Turkey's decision to cross from the Mediterranean.

➨ reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkey-warns-countries-not-pass-warships-through-straits-2022-02-28 Open / Comment

2022-02-28 22:30:51 Dave DeCamp: First Round of Russia-Ukraine Talks Conclude, Both Sides Agree to Hold More

Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine concluded on Monday, and the two sides agreed to hold more talks in the coming days. It was the first round of talks since the Russian assault on Ukraine began.

The talks lasted about five hours and were held in Belarus near the borders of Ukraine and Russia. “We agreed to keep the negotiations going,” said Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation, as quoted by Russia’s RIA news agency.

According to the US’s RFE/RFL, Ukraine’s presidential press service said the two sides “discussed in detail a number of key topics on which they have prospects of finding mutually acceptable solutions.”

According to RT, Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said the two sides identified a number of priority topics on which “certain solutions have been outlined.”

Medinsky said that the two delegations found points they could agree on. He said the next round of talks will take place between the borders of Poland and Belarus.

Ahead of the talks, Zelensky’s office said the Ukrainian side would demand an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian troops. The Russians have made clear that they want Ukraine to declare its neutrality and pledge not to host strategic weapons that can target Moscow.

While the talks were being held, Zelensky formally submitted an application for Ukraine to join the EU. The move is largely symbolic since it’s unlikely all 27 EU states would approve Ukraine’s membership while the country is fighting Russia, but it signals Zelensky is not ready to declare neutrality.

Fighting has continued across Ukraine, and the US and its European allies are pledging to send more weapons into the country. On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin put Russia’s nuclear forces on “special” alert in response to sanctions and threats from the West.

➨ news.antiwar.com/2022/02/28/first-round-of-russia-ukraine-talks-conclude-both-sides-agree-to-hold-more Open / Comment

2022-02-28 21:24:52 CNN: Twitter Will Label All Content That Contains Links to Russian State Media, Company Says

Twitter will now label all content that contains links to Russian state media and will demote that content algorithmically, the company said, as tech platforms have come under greater pressure to respond to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The move goes beyond previous steps that Twitter has taken in years past to label Russian state media accounts on the platform.

Since the invasion began, the "overwhelming majority" of Russian state media content appearing on Twitter has been shared by individuals, not the state media organizations' own accounts, the company said. Over the past week, individuals have shared more than 45,000 tweets per day containing media from Russian state outlets.

Monday's change will mean that any link shared by a user to a Russian state media organization's website will automatically receive a label, warning viewers that the tweet "links to a Russia state-affiliated media website."

"In addition to the label, we will reduce the visibility and amplification of this content site-wide, no matter who it comes from," said Twitter spokesperson Trenton Kennedy.

"This means that Tweets sharing state media content won’t be amplified — they won’t appear in Top Search and won’t be recommended by Twitter."

Content from state media outlets of other countries will also receive the same treatment "in the coming weeks," Kennedy added.

➨ cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-news-02-28-22/h_cb5057a3c14933af67764387d07a6ffc Open / Comment

2022-02-28 20:54:59 Corbett Report: Ukraine Crisis — What You Need to Know

You've no doubt heard the story of the crisis in Ukraine by now. But, as we've been told all our lives, there are two sides to every story. So, which side of the story have you heard?

There's the MSM/establishment/dinosaur media side of the story. Let's call it the "Team NATO" narrative. In this version of events, the bloodthirsty insane psychopathic literally Hitler leader of Russia, Vladimir Putin, woke up a few weeks ago and suddenly decided to invade the free, peaceful nation of Ukraine for ABSOLUTELY NO REASON WHATSOEVER!

And then there's the "alternative" media side of the story. Let's call it the "Team BRICS" narrative. In this version of the story, the valiant defender of human liberty, Vladimir Putin, is fighting to protect the free peoples of the world from the globalists and their sinister machinations.

As I say, you've doubtless heard one or another of these stories by now. Or, if you're really paying attention, you might have heard both. But I'm here to tell you today that you've been lied to your whole life. There aren't two sides to every story. There are at least three, maybe more.

Now, you know me. Here at The Corbett Report, I like to go deeper than the simplistic, binary narratives you get in the establishment press or in much of the so-called alternative press. So let's dive deeper today and look at the third side of the Ukraine crisis story.

Read the report:
➨ corbettreport.substack.com/p/the-ukraine-crisis-what-you-need Open / Comment

2022-02-28 20:44:59 Biden Sends Former Top U.S. Defense Officials to Taiwan After China Said “It’s Not Ukraine”

U.S. President Joe Biden will send a delegation of former senior defense and security officials to Taiwan on Monday (Feb. 28), a senior official of his administration said, a sign of support for the island after China said "it's not Ukraine."

The visit, led by one-time chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen, comes at a time when Taiwan has stepped up its alert level, wary of China taking advantage of a distracted West to move against it. Beijing claims the democratically governed island as its own and has vowed to bring it under Chinese control, by force if necessary.

Mullen, a retired Navy admiral who served as the top U.S. military officer under former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, will be accompanied by Meghan O'Sullivan, a former deputy national security advisor under Bush, and Michele Flournoy, a former undersecretary of defense under Obama.

Two former National Security Council senior directors for Asia, Mike Green and Evan Medeiros, will also make the trip, which is intended to "demonstrate our continued robust support for Taiwan," the official told Reuters.

The delegation is expected to arrive in Taiwan on Tuesday (March 1) afternoon.

➨ reuters.com/world/china/exclusive-biden-sends-former-top-defense-officials-taiwan-show-support-2022-02-28 Open / Comment

2022-02-28 18:05:38 “This is a Watershed Moment”: EU to Purchase and Deliver Weapons to Ukraine in Historic First

The European Union will finance the purchase and delivery of $500 million worth weapons to Ukraine, marking the first time in the bloc's history that it will send arms to a country under attack.

Longstanding policy taboos are falling across the EU because of Vladimir Putin's unprovoked assault on Ukraine. The new weapons program, which will be funded through the European Peace Facility, was announced Sunday alongside new sanctions on Russian aircraft, state media and the Belarus economy.

In addition to the centralized EU program, individual member states are taking their own steps to provide Ukraine with military aid and humanitarian assistance.

Germany, which had come under intense criticism for refusing to export weapons to Ukraine during the military buildup, reversed its position and said it would send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger missiles to Ukraine.

Sweden, an EU member that is not in NATO and has historically maintained a neutral position in global conflicts, said it will send 5,000 anti-tank weapons, 5,000 helmets, 5,000 body shields and 135,000 field rations — as well as $50 million in funding directly to the Ukrainian military.

Denmark will transfer 2,700 anti-tank weapons and allow volunteers to join a foreign brigade to fight with Ukraine.
Belgium is sending an additional 3,000 machine guns and 200 anti-tank grenade launchers.

Hungary said it would not provide arms to Ukraine but committed to sending 100,000 liters of fuel and 28 tons of food, according to Ukrainian authorities.

Additionally, NATO said Sunday that Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, the U.K. and the U.S. "have already sent or are approving significant deliveries of military equipment to Ukraine."

➨ axios.com/eu-weapons-ukraine-russia-invasion-331bfcbc-5193-47b0-8afb-03f194d95619.html Open / Comment

2022-02-28 17:49:20 Russia Will Keep Coordinating With Israel Over Syria

Ongoing military coordination between Israel and Russia, an important aspect of the ongoing Syrian War and Israel’s repeated attacks therein, will be unaffected by recent tensions surrounding the Ukraine conflict.

Israel was deeply critical of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Russia is “unhappy” with that. The deconfliction in Syria, meant to avoid direct conflict, will continue anyhow.

While Russia could’ve chosen to reverse this process, either formally over Ukraine or because of Israeli violations of Syrian sovereignty, Russia appears to believe this wasn’t necessary.

It’s likely the Ukraine issue is not that significant in this case, with Israel’s criticism really just mirroring US policy, and probably no surprise to anyone paying attention. Since Ukraine is not directly related to Syria, the surrounding chatter could likely be dismissed.

➨ news.antiwar.com/2022/02/27/russia-will-keep-coordinating-with-israel-over-syria Open / Comment

2022-02-28 04:26:14 Germany Breaks Post-WWII Tradition and Transfers Arms to Ukraine

Germany has announced a shipment of 1,000 anti-tank missiles and 500 shoulder-fired anti-aircraft stinger missiles to Ukraine. Previously, Berlin had only offered non-lethal aid, but German Chancellor Olaf Scholz explained his country had reached a “turning point.”

“It is our duty to do our best to support Ukraine in defending itself against Putin’s invading army,” he said.

Further, Berlin approved an arms transfer of German-made weapons from the Netherlands to Kiev. In another policy reversal, Germany will allow countries to use its airspace to bring weapons to Ukraine. The decisions mark a break with Germany’s post-WWII tradition not to provide weapons to countries at war.

The aid to Ukraine is just part of Berlin’s evolving defense policy. Sholtz separately announced his country would place $113 billion in a special armed forces fund to boost military spending over 2% of GDP (a requirement of the NATO alliance long unmet by Germany).

The European Union announced it would join its member state in donating arms to Ukraine. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the decision was “a defining moment for European history.” The organization will provide “lethal arms” and “lethal assistance” to the Ukrainian army worth some $502 million, and another $56 million for “non-lethal supplies,” fuel and protective equipment.

Other European nations are also making donations to Ukraine’s weapons stockpile. Belgium will transfer 3,000 machine guns and 200 anti-tank grenade launchers, while the Czech Republic and Slovakia announced arms packages without specifying what would be included. Non-NATO member Finland is offering non-lethal aid, but is considering an arms delivery as well.

Meanwhile, Joe Biden instructed the State Department to release an additional $350 million in weapons to Ukraine. The new shipment comes after officials in the White House debated if supplying additional arms would make America a party to the war. In a recent press conference Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said there were logistical challenges getting weapons to Ukraine.

It remains to be seen how the Kremlin will interpret the West’s ongoing military aid to Kiev. When Putin announced his war in Ukraine, he suggested he could use the nuclear option for countries that opposed the Russian invasion. On Sunday, Russia put its nuclear deterrent on high alert, citing Western sanctions and other hostile policies.

➨ news.antiwar.com/2022/02/27/germany-breaks-post-wwii-tradition-and-transfers-arms-to-ukraine Open / Comment