Putin: Almost Entirety of NATO's Military Potential Being Actively Used Against Russia

©Photo : Russian Ministry of Defence

Russian officials and some Western media and pundits have characterized the conflict in Ukraine as a proxy war between the West and Russia. The US and its allies have poured tens of billions of dollars' worth of military aid into Ukraine, trained tens of thousands of troops, and provided Kiev with intelligence and strategic level planning support.

The military potential of almost all NATO countries is being actively used against Russia, and Moscow must improve its knowledge and understanding of the Western bloc's weapons systems, experience and tactics to improve the fighting potential of the Russian military, President Vladimir Putin has said.

"It's well known that today the military potential and capabilities of almost all major NATO countries are being actively used against Russia," Putin said, speaking at a meeting with senior Russian Defense Ministry officials on Wednesday.

"All the information about NATO forces, the means which are actively used in the course of the special military operation [in Ukraine], to oppose us are well known. You have all this information before you, and it must be thoroughly analyzed, and used in the construction of our armed forces to increase the combat capabilities of the troops, as well as Russia's special services," Putin said.

Putin ordered the MoD and the General Staff to "carefully analyze" the "tremendous combat experience" gained in the course of the military operation in Ukraine, to "systematize it as quickly as possible and include it in programs and planning for the training of personnel, troops as a whole and supplying the forces with necessary equipment."

The president also pointed to the "significant resources" being spent by the United States and its allies on information and psychological warfare against Russia, including the publication of "thousands" of fake news stories in Western print and internet media and television, while covering up war crimes being carried out by the Ukrainian side.

Putin accused Moscow's geopolitical opponents of using "everything that isn't tied down" against Russia, including efforts to brainwash the population of Ukraine and other post-Soviet republics, in the aftermath of the collapse of the USSR in 1991. This process continues today, according to Putin. Russia, he said, had sought to become a part of the "civilized" world, but soon learned that it was "not expected there."

Strategic Balance

Russia will continue to build up its conventional military potential while also supporting and modernizing its nuclear triad, Putin said, referring to the latter as the main guarantee of the nation's sovereignty, and the means by which Russia helps preserve "strategic parity and the overall balance of power in the world."

"This year, the level of modern weapons systems within the strategic nuclear forces reached 91 percent. The re-equipment of the Strategic Missile Forces regiments with modern missile systems featuring the Avangard hypersonic warhead is continuing," Putin said. The president assured that the new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile will be introduced into service "in the near future."

Ukraine Conflict Shows Need for New Technologies

Praising the courage of the troops on the front lines in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Putin called on his colleagues to honor the memories of soldiers who have lost their lives with a minute of silence. The president stressed that the goals of the military operation will be met, and that the security of all of Russia's territories would be assured.

In connection with the military operation, Putin said that the conflict has demonstrated that the use of drone warfare has become "almost ubiquitous," and that Russia will have to arm itself with an interlinked arsenal of drones incorporated into every echelon, from companies and battalions to individual squads and platoons.

"In the near future, every individual soldier should have the opportunity to receive information transmitted from drones. We must push for this, strive for this," Putin said. "Targets need to be detected as quickly as possible, and information must be transmitted (immediately) to carry out strikes in real time."

Russia has the technical capabilities to realize this, the president believes, pointing to the defense sector's experience in developing unique underwater drones, a likely reference to the Poseidon nuclear-powered, nuclear-capable torpedo.

Turning to organizational problems, Putin called on the MoD to pay more attention to public criticism and initiatives for improving its work being floated by civilians, asking that the MoD take criticism into account and respond accordingly, in a timely matter. "It's clear that the reaction of people who see problems, (and problems in such large and complex work always appear) can be emotional, but it's necessary to listen to and hear out those who do not seek to hush up existing problems, but to contribute to their resolution."

West Seeks to Prolong Conflict in Ukraine as Much as Possible to Weaken Russia: Shoigu

The West seeks to prolong military operations in Ukraine as much as possible in order to weaken Russia, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Wednesday. "We are particularly concerned about the buildup of NATO’s forward presence near the borders of Russia and Belarus, as well as the desire of the West to prolong military operations in Ukraine as much as possible in order to weaken our country," Shoigu said at a collegium meeting at the Defense Ministry.

Russian armed forces continue to deliver precision strikes targeting the Ukrainian military command and control system, military enterprises and related facilities, and destroy the military potential of Kiev, Sergei Shoigu said.

©Russian Ministry of Defence / Go to the mediabank

Russian servicemen are being confronted by the joint forces of the West during its military operation in Ukraine, Shoigu said.

"Today, in Ukraine, Russian military is being confronted by the joint Western forces. The United States and its allies are pumping the Kiev regime with weapons, training military personnel, providing [Ukraine with] intelligence information, sending advisers and mercenaries, and waging an information and sanctions war against us," Shoigu said.

Russia is always open to constructive peace talks to settle the conflict in Ukraine, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu added.

"We are taking action to save the population from genocide and terror. Russia is always open to constructive peace talks," Shoigu said.

The 2014 coup in Kiev funded by the West that brought anti-Russian forces to power has caused the current conflict in Ukraine, Sergei Shoigu stressed.

"After the revelations of (ex-German Chancellor Angels) Merkel, (ex-Ukrainian President Petro) Poroshenko and other politicians about the true goals of the Minsk agreements, it became obvious to everyone that Russia was not the source of the conflict in Ukraine. The reason is the coup d'etat in Kiev financed by the West in 2014, which brought anti-Russian forces to power and divided the fraternal peoples. This provoked an armed confrontation in Donbass," Shoigu said.

Ukraine resorts to prohibited methods of confrontation, including terrorist attacks and contract killings, shelling of civilians with heavy weapons, as well as nuclear blackmail, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said.

"The Ukrainian leadership resorts to prohibited methods of confrontation, including terrorist attacks and contract killings, shelling civilians with heavy weapons. Western countries try not to notice all this, as well as elements of nuclear blackmail, for example, provocations against the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant and scenarios for preparing the so-called dirty nuclear bomb," Shoigu said at a collegium meeting at the Defense Ministry.

The United States seeks to use the situation around Ukraine to maintain global dominance, Shoigu added.

"It is clear that the current situation is beneficial primarily to the United States, which seeks to use it to maintain global dominance and weaken other countries, including its allies in Europe," Shoigu said at a collegium meeting at the Defense Ministry.

The Russian armed forces are taking comprehensive measures to prevent civilian deaths in Ukraine, Sergei Shoigu said.

“In this context, comprehensive measures for excluding deaths among the civilian population are being taken,” he said at a collegium meeting at the Defense Ministry.

He also noted that the Russian army had been conducting precise air strikes against the military command and control system of Ukraine, enterprises of the Ukrainian defense industry complex and other related facilities.

Kerajaan mendukung Irak atas stabilitas, kedaulatan: Menlu Arab Saudi

Menteri Luar Negeri Saudi Pangeran Faisal bin Farhan menghadiri Konferensi Bagdad untuk Kerjasama dan Kemitraan di Yordania. (SPA)

Arab Saudi berdiri berdampingan dengan Irak dalam menjaga stabilitas dan kedaulatan, dan berkomitmen untuk memulihkan status sejarah negara itu sebagai tempat lahirnya peradaban, sains, dan pengetahuan, Menteri Luar Negeri Saudi Pangeran Faisal bin Farhan mengatakan pada hari Selasa.

Komentarnya disampaikan pada Konferensi Bagdad dalam rangka Kerja Sama dan Kemitraan di Yordania, yang mengumpulkan para pemimpin dari Timur Tengah dan Eropa untuk fokus memperkuat keamanan dan stabilitas di Irak.

Pangeran Faisal, yang memimpin delegasi Kerajaan di konferensi tersebut, menyampaikan pidato yang memuji kemauan politik Irak dan Perdana Menteri Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani dalam menghadapi kesulitan, Saudi Press Agency melaporkan.

Menteri tersebut mengatakan bahwa Kerajaan “menolak tindakan agresif apa pun” di wilayah Irak dan berkomitmen untuk memerangi terorisme serta ekstremisme di negara tersebut.

Dia menambahkan bahwa Kerajaan akan "berusaha keras" dalam mendukung kemajuan ekonomi dan pembangunan Irak, dengan mengatakan bahwa kemakmuran negara itu "terikat pada kemakmuran seluruh wilayah."

Pangeran Faisal mengatakan bahwa Kerajaan berkomitmen untuk mengembangkan rencana aksi bersama di bawah naungan Dewan Koordinasi Saudi-Irak, serta bekerja sama dengan pemerintah Irak untuk mempromosikan peluang investasi dalam energi terbarukan dan bersih, desalinasi air, dan pertanian.

Kedua negara bekerja sama melalui OPEC dan OPEC+ dalam upaya menjaga pasar minyak global tetap stabil, tambahnya

Sementara itu, menteri luar negeri mengatakan bahwa Prakarsa Hijau Saudi dan Timur Tengah Kerajaan, serta proyek Sabuk Hijau di Irak, tetap menjadi bidang kerja sama penting dalam memperkuat hubungan bilateral.

Raja Yordania Abdullah II mengatakan bahwa konferensi edisi kedua berlangsung pada saat wilayah tersebut menghadapi krisis keamanan dan politik, serta tantangan ketahanan pangan, air, kesehatan dan energi.

Perdana menteri Irak mengatakan bahwa memperkuat ikatan kemitraan di antara negara-negara yang hadir melalui saling ketergantungan infrastruktur, integrasi ekonomi dan investasi bersama merupakan prioritas.

Menteri Luar Negeri Yordania Ayman Safadi mengatakan konferensi edisi ketiga akan berlangsung di Mesir tahun depan.

Konferensi Bagdad untuk Kerja Sama dan Kemitraan Menekankan Keamanan, Kedaulatan Irak

Konferensi Bagdad kedua untuk Kerja Sama dan Kemitraan pada Selasa menekankan dukungan kepada Irak karena Irak menghadapi semua tantangan, termasuk terorisme.

Konferensi diadakan di Laut Mati, Yordania. Diselenggarakan oleh Raja Abdullah II, acara ini mempertemukan para pemimpin dari seluruh wilayah, serta pejabat dari Eropa, Türkiye, dan Iran.

Pernyataan penutup menyoroti kemenangan dan pengorbanan bersejarah Irak dalam perjuangannya melawan terorisme yang dilancarkan dengan dukungan internasional dan regional.

Para peserta mengatakan mereka akan terus mengembangkan hasil dari konferensi Bagdad pertama dan terus bekerja sama dengan Irak untuk mendukung keamanan, stabilitas dan kedaulatannya, jalur demokrasi, proses konstitusional dan upaya untuk mengkonsolidasikan dialog sebagai sarana untuk menyelesaikan perselisihan regional.

20 Desember 2022, Yordania, Sweimeh: Para pemimpin berpose untuk foto keluarga selama Konferensi Bagdad untuk Kerja Sama dan Kemitraan di Sweimeh di tepi pantai Laut Mati di tengah-barat Yordania. (Petra/dpa)

Mereka menggarisbawahi dukungan terhadap upaya Irak dalam mengkonsolidasikan negara hukum dan konstitusi serta membangun institusi yang mampu merekonstruksi negara dan memenuhi aspirasi rakyatnya.

Mereka menyoroti pentingnya mekanisme kerjasama tripartit antara Yordania, Mesir dan Irak dan proyek ekonomi yang mereka sepakati. Mereka menekankan pentingnya proyek kerja sama antara negara-negara Dewan Kerjasama Teluk (GCC) dan Irak, terutama di bidang listrik dan transportasi.

Para peserta mengatakan bahwa mencapai pembangunan ekonomi dan memastikan keberhasilan proyek kerja sama regional menuntut hubungan regional yang konstruktif yang didasarkan pada ketetanggaan yang baik, menahan diri dari mencampuri urusan orang lain, menghormati hukum internasional dan mengadopsi dialog untuk menyelesaikan perselisihan.

Mereka menekankan perlunya kerja sama untuk memperkokoh keamanan dan stabilitas serta memerangi terorisme.

Para peserta meninjau dampak krisis regional dan internasional terhadap Irak dan kawasan. Mengatasinya menuntut kerja sama regional yang komprehensif dan pendekatan ekonomi dan politik yang serius yang mencerminkan kepentingan bersama dan mendukung proses pembangunan di Irak dan kawasan itu, kata mereka.

Raja Abdullah II

Raja Yordania Abdullah menggarisbawahi peran penting Irak di wilayah tersebut dan perlunya menyatukan sudut pandang untuk meningkatkan kerja sama regional.

Dia menyatakan bahwa penyelenggaraan konferensi tersebut menggarisbawahi tekad semua pihak untuk bekerja sama dengan pemerintah dan rakyat Irak agar mereka dapat mencapai kemakmuran yang lebih besar.

Dia mencatat bahwa konferensi diadakan pada saat kawasan itu mengalami krisis keamanan dan politik serta tantangan pangan, air, iklim, dan energi dan kesehatan.

Raja Abdullah mengatakan Yordania percaya bahwa kawasan membutuhkan stabilitas, perdamaian yang adil dan komprehensif serta kerja sama regional, terutama di bidang ekonomi dan pembangunan.

Al-Sudani

Perdana Menteri Irak Mohamed Shia al-Sudani menekankan bahwa negaranya tidak akan digunakan sebagai platform untuk mengancam negara-negara di kawasan.

Irak menjauhkan diri dari poros dan menyerukan eskalasi, tambahnya.

Dia juga meminta Türkiye dan Iran untuk menjaga keamanan air Irak, mencatat bahwa negaranya sedang menghadapi krisis eksistensial karena kekurangan air.

Dia juga menyerukan untuk mempertahankan kerja sama untuk memerangi ideologi ekstremisme.

Macron

Presiden Prancis Emmanuel Macron mengatakan bahwa Yordania memainkan peran sentral dalam mendukung dialog dan memperkuat diplomasi di wilayah tersebut.

Para peserta konferensi berusaha mengkonsolidasikan keamanan dan stabilitas di Irak dan kawasan, tambahnya.

Setiap orang berkomitmen untuk memiliki hubungan yang seimbang dengan Irak, lanjutnya. “Jika kita ingin mengamankan stabilitas Irak, maka kita harus menyelesaikan masalah dengan tetangganya,” tegasnya.

Kawasan, kata dia, berpotensi menjadi peserta aktif dalam pengambilan keputusan internasional.

Sisi

Presiden Mesir Abdul Fattah al-Sisi mengatakan situasi di Irak telah mengalami peningkatan yang nyata.

Dia menyoroti pengorbanan berani rakyat Irak dalam perjuangan mereka melawan terorisme, menambahkan bahwa Kairo menolak segala campur tangan dalam urusan internal Irak.

Dia menegaskan kembali dukungan Mesir untuk semua upaya yang bertujuan memastikan keamanan di Irak.

Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah

Menteri Luar Negeri Saudi Pangeran Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah menggarisbawahi penolakan kategoris Kerajaan atas setiap serangan di wilayah Irak.

Arab Saudi mendukung Irak dalam perjuangannya melawan terorisme dan ekstremisme dan melawan setiap orang yang ingin menimbulkan perpecahan, tambahnya.

Itu mendukung upaya Irak untuk merebut kembali kedudukan bersejarahnya sebagai tanah peradaban, pembelajaran dan pengetahuan, lanjutnya.

Pangeran Faisal mengatakan, Riyadh menyambut baik pemulihan peran positif Irak dalam memperdalam kepercayaan, kemitraan, dan perdamaian di tingkat regional dan internasional.

Kerajaan memuji kemauan politik di Irak saat menghadapi tantangan dan mengkonsolidasikan keamanan dan stabilitas untuk mencapai aspirasi rakyat, tegas Pangeran Faisal.

Arab Saudi tidak akan menyisihkan upaya apa pun untuk mendukung ambisi ekonomi dan pembangunan Irak karena keyakinannya bahwa stabilitas Irak akan berdampak pada seluruh kawasan, katanya.

Iran dan Türki

Di akhir konferensi hari Selasa, Menteri Luar Negeri Prancis Catherine Colonna mengatakan beberapa peserta menangani masalah campur tangan asing dalam urusan Irak.

Dia mengatakan Iran harus menghormati hukum internasional dan Piagam PBB tentang Hak Asasi Manusia, menghentikan campur tangannya dalam urusan tetangganya dan membebaskan sandera Prancis.

Menteri Luar Negeri Irak Fuad Hussein menekankan bahwa negaranya menginginkan diakhirinya campur tangan Iran dan Turki dalam urusan dalam negerinya. Dialog harus diadakan untuk menyelesaikan krisis.

Dia menolak Irak digunakan sebagai platform untuk melakukan serangan terhadap tetangganya, yang pada gilirannya harus menghormati kedaulatan Irak.

Bagdad sedang mencari negosiasi untuk menyelesaikan masalah, dimulai dengan serangan Turki dan Iran di wilayahnya.

Mesir akan menjadi tuan rumah Konferensi Baghdad untuk Kerjasama dan Kemitraan ketiga pada tahun 2023 dengan partisipasi Arab Saudi, Yordania, Uni Emirat Arab, Bahrain, Türkiye, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Mesir, Liga Arab, Organisasi Kerjasama Islam, Dewan Kerjasama Teluk, PBB dan Uni Eropa.

Jutaa Hama Belalang di Kupang

Ribuan ekor belalang yang berhamburan di lapangan umum dan jalan raya SD Tataum 1 di Amfoang Timur Kabupaten Kupang. Screen shot Video Ano Manggar

Jutaan belalang menggerumuni jalanan beraspal di RT 008, RW 006, Dusun 002, Desa Netemnanu Selatan, Kecamatan Amfoang Timur, Kabupaten Kupang.

Fenomena tersebut tampak dari video amatir yang diterima Pos Kupang, Selasa 20 Desember 2022 dan menurut salah satu warga Ano Manggar membenarkan hal tersebut.

Dalam video berdurasi 31 detik itu tampak jutaan belalang memenuhi jalanan aspal yang menjadi perhatian anak-anak sekolah dan warga sekitar.

Setiap kali ada kendaraan motor melintas, belalang-belalang tersebut lansung terbang namun setelah itu kembali hinggap diatas jalan.

Dari suara yang terekam di video tersebut mengungkapkan fenomena itu baru pertama kali terjadi disana dan membuat kaget warga sekitar.

"Ia itu di kami punya Desa, sampai saat ini belalang masih berhamburan," ujar Ano Manggar.

Ano menjelaskan kemunculan jutaan belalang itu sudah masuk hari ketiga masih berhamburan di lapangan umum SD Tataum 1 dan penuhi jalan raya.

"Sudah tiga hari ini saya lihat belalang masih banyak di lapangan SD dan jalan raya," terangnya

Sementara Camat Amfoang Timur Alfred Tameses yang dikonfirmasi mengungkapkan mereka masih mengecek kembali kejadian tersebut.

Dirinya sudah meminta sekertaris camat agar turun ke lokasi dan melakukan pemantauan sehingga laporan bisa lebih akurat.

Kata dia lokasi tempat jutaan belalang tersebut memang dekat dengan lahan pertanian yang berada di pinggir kiri dan kanan jalan.

"Iya dekat sawah tapi belum ditanami padi, jadi sekcam saya masih minta untuk turun ke.lokasi supaya informasinya betul-betul akurat," terangnya.

Antisipasi Penyebaran Hama Belalang, Pemkab Kupang Sudah Berkoordinasi Dengan Pemprov NTT

Pemkab Kupang melalui Dinas Pertanian Kabupaten Kupang telah berkoordinasi dengan Pemprov NTT melalui Dinas Pertanian dan Ketahanan Pangan Provinsi NTT terkait penyebaran ribuan belalang di Amfoang Timur

Beberapa hari lalu, ribuan ekor belalang tiba-tiba muncul dan menghebohkan warga desa Netemnanu Selatan, Kecamatan Amfoang Timur, Kabupaten Kupang.

Kepala Dinas Pertanian kabupaten Kupang, Amin Djuriah, saat menghubungi victorynews.id lewat sambungan telepon pada Selasa (20/12/2022) malam mengatakan, sebaran belalang itu mencapai 10 hektare.

"Karena ribuan belalang itu berhamburan di lahan milik masyarakat setelah jembatan Netemnanu dan memenuhi jalan raya hingga mencapai bibir pantai. Tetapi lahan sawah milik warga Desa Netemnanu belum ditanami," jelasnya.

Dia mengatakan, kahan sawah milik warga Desa Netemnanu baru selesai panen padi dan biasanya para petani mengolah lahan sawah milik mereka pada bulan Februari

Sehingga sementara ini, belalang itu belum merugikan warga Desa Netemnanu Selatan di Amfoang Timur dan hanya memakan rerumputan hijau yang ada di Desa Netemnanu Selatan.

"Saya sudah berkoordinasi dengan Dinas Pertanian dan Ketahanan pangan NTT khususnya tim pengendalian hama. Supaya kami bisa melakukan pengendalian terpadu terhadap munculnya belalang itu," katanya.

"Dalam dua hari ke depan kami akan melakukan penyemprotan insektisida supaya tidak menyebar lebih luas lagi belalang itu," lanjutnya.

Dia mengatakan, dalam upaya pengendalian hama belalang itu supaya tidak menyebar lebih luas lagi, pihaknya akan bekerja sama dengan UPT Pertanian dan Ketahanan pangan NTT untuk penyemprotan insektisida.

Dia mengatakan, jenis belalang yang ada di Desa Netemnanu Selatan, Amfoang Timur itu, jenisnya tidak sama dengan belalang Kembara yang sering menyerang tanaman warga di pulau Sumba.

"Karena belalang di Desa Netemnanu itu ukurannya kecil-kecil, tetapi spesisnya belum diketahuinya apa jenis belalang itu," tandas Djuriah.

Xi Jinping speaks in favor of peaceful settlement of crisis in Ukraine — Chinese TV

Chinese President Xi Jinping
©Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

Chinese President Xi Jinping has spoken in favor of a peaceful political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, the China Central Television reported on Wednesday. He said this during a meeting with the head of the United Russia party Dmitry Medvedev in the Chinese capital.

"China takes an objective and fair position on the Ukrainian crisis issue. I hope that the parties concerned will show restraint and start a comprehensive dialogue and eliminate each other's security concerns through political means," Xi Jinping stressed.

As the Chinese leader noted, Beijing intends to actively contribute to the restoration of peace between Russia and Ukraine.

"On the issue of Ukraine, China takes a position and pursues a policy, making decisions based on its own understanding of the situation," he said.

Xi Holds Meeting With Medvedev at State Residence in Beijing on Wednesday

Chinese President Xi Jinping held a meeting with Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev in the state residence in Beijing on Wednesday.

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev has conveyed President Vladimir Putin's message to Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in Beijing, Medvedev's secretariat said on Wednesday.

©Sputnik / Ekaterina Shtukina / Go to the mediabank

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev has conveyed President Vladimir Putin's message to Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in Beijing, Medvedev's secretariat said on Wednesday.

"Medvedev conveyed to the head of China a message from Russian President V.V. Putin, which, in particular, notes the unprecedented level of Russian-Chinese political dialogue and practical cooperation, expresses confidence in the constant progressive development of interstate and inter-party ties in close cooperation with the new leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, elected following the recent party forum of the Chinese Communists," the secretariat said.

Dmitry Medvedev and Xi Jinping have exchanged views on a wide range of issues of bilateral agenda during a meeting in Beijing.

"Medvedev and Xi Jinping were unanimous in their high assessment of the current state and prospects of Russian-Chinese relations, and had a thorough exchange of views on a wide range of issues on the bilateral agenda," the secretariat said in a statement.

The sides also discussed the situation in former Soviet countries, including the Ukrainian crisis, as well as a number of significant issues of the international agenda, the statement read.

Additionally, Medvedev and Xi reached an agreement to intensify cooperation between the parties they lead.

Medvedev leading a delegation from the United Russia party is currently on a visit to the Asian country at the invitation of the Chinese Communist Party.

US Defense Budget Promises No Funding for Notorious Azov Regiment: Now What?

©AP Photo / Alexander Zemlianichenko

Congress is rushing through another tranche of aid to Ukraine in its $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package, with some $44.9 billion in assistance to Kiev tacked on to the legislation. The bill includes a curious proviso prohibiting US support for a Ukrainian ultra-right fighting force. Whether it’s worth the paper it’s written on is another story.

The Ukrainian military’s notorious neo-Nazi-linked Azov Regiment* will be formally barred from enjoying any of the tens of billions of dollars in US taxpayer dollars earmarked for Ukraine in 2023, according to the text of a draft spending bill which includes the US defense budget and foreign aid.

“Section 8138 prohibits the use of funds to provide arms, training, or other assistance to the Azov Battalion,” reads an explanatory note in the "Defense" section of the bill. “None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to provide arms, training or other assistance to the Azov Battalion,” the bill itself reads.

The provisions are probably worthless. Just above them, a stipulation reads that “none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this or any other Act shall be obligated or expanded by the United States Government…to exercise United States control over any oil resource in Iraq or Syria.” And yet the US and its Kurdish allies have been systematically looting Syria’s oil resources for years on end, with no signs of any plans to stop these illegal activities.

It’s not clear how the "no funding for Azov" could even be enforced, since the Azov Regiment, which is part of Ukraine’s National Guard, is spread out across the country’s entire military, often serving as punitive or blocking detachment fighters to shoot retreating troops or deserters, and for "cleansing" operations against pro-Russian activists, civilians, and officials in recaptured areas.

Prior to the escalation of the eight-year-old Donbass crisis into a full-blown military confrontation between Ukraine and Russia this February, Western media and intergovernmental organizations occasionally reported on “Ukraine’s neo-Nazi problem,” and even the war crimes carried out by Azov militants in Donbass.

However, as the conflict escalated this year, articles on the prickly subject trickled to a halt, with Western media attempting to rebrand Azov as a softer “right-wing” militia, questioning whether they even are neo-Nazis, or, in the case of one tragicomical piece by CNN, accusing Russia of “exploiting” Azov’s “neo-Nazi history” for propaganda purposes. Some outlets have even sought to play up Azov as heroes, with The Jerusalem Post penning a glowing report this week titled "Ukraine’s Azov Regiment Visits Israel: Mariupol is our Masada," a reference to the Jewish-Roman War of 73-74 CE.

The "no funding for Azov" reference is a leftover from old legislation, as evidenced by its reference to the militia as a "battalion" (the group has since grown into a regiment). In 2015, the now-late Democratic Congressman John Conyers of Michigan put forward an amendment banning US support for the militia, with the Conyers Amendment subsequently tacked on to annual defense budgets.

Leaked Video: Joe Biden Admits Iran Nuclear Deal is 'Dead' Even as Talks Continue

Joe Biden was vice-president when the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was ratified by then-president Barack Obama in 2015. He has since pledged to reverse his predecessor Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the deal, but talks between Washington and Tehran have been stalled since August.

A video has emerged of Joe Biden declaring the peaceful nuclear energy deal with Iran "dead" even as talks continue.

The US president made the comments to Iranian emigrés at a campaign rally with fellow Democrat congressman Mike Levin in Oceanside, California on November 4, at a time when violent protests were raging in Iran with support from Washington.

"President Biden, can you please announce that JCPOA is dead? Can you just announce that?" asks one woman. Biden replied "no", prompting the woman to ask "why not?"

"A lot of reasons. It is dead, but we're not gonna announce it," Biden told her. "Long story, but we're gonna make sure..."

Biden seemed unfazed when the woman disparagingly referred to the Iranian government as "the Mullahs."

"We just don' t want any deals with the Mullahs," she said. "No Deals! They don't represent us, they're not our government." "Oh, I know they don't represent you," Biden replied, "but they'll have a nuclear weapon that they'll represent."

The Biden administration began talks with Iran last year on the US returning to the deal, which his predecessor Donald Trump withdrew from.

Talks between the European Union (EU) and Iran on reviving the talks are still ongoing in the Austrian capital Vienna, although the US delegation has not participated directly since August.

The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreement between Iran, the US, UK, France, Germany, Russia, China and the the EU was signed when Biden was vice-president to Barack Obama.

The deal stipulated gradually lifting sanctions on Iran, while in return, Tehran would greatly reduce its enrichment of uranium fuel for its nuclear power stations and allow International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors access to its facilities to verify compliance.

Obama quickly soured the deal by slapping more sanctions on Iran over its testing of short-range ballistic missiles designed to carry conventional warheads.

Obama quickly soured the deal by slapping more sanctions on Iran over its testing of short-range ballistic missiles designed to carry conventional warheads. Obama's successor Donald Trump kept his 2016 campaign pledge to withdraw from the deal in May 2018, but did not follow that up with a promised renegotiation. Iran waited a year, by the terms of the agreement, before restarting high-grade uranium enrichment.

The US, Israel and other Western countries allege that enriched uranium is intended for a nuclear weapons programme — something which Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has repeatedly said is forbidden by Islam in a fatwah or religious judgement.

*Banned as a terrorist organization in Russia.

Watch Stunning Video of US Train Slamming Into Truck Stuck on Tracks Before Derailing

A freight train flew off the tracks in southeastern Tennessee on Tuesday after striking a concrete truck that had become stuck at a grade-level road crossing. According to railway officials, the train is not believed to have been carrying any hazardous cargo.

Just after noon on Tuesday, a large truck carrying a 60-foot-long concrete barrier intended to protect roadside construction became stuck as it tried to navigate a rail crossing in Collegedale, Tennessee. As it waited for the traffic light to turn green, a Norfolk Southern freight train came barreling through town, smashing through the truck and its cargo that lay straddled across the tracks.

A bystander captured the stunning incident on film. The train can be seen slamming into the concrete barrier, dragging the pieces of it along with the truck for a significant distance. By the end of the footage, the entire area is covered in dust.

Train derailed in Collegedale Tennessee (near Chattanooga)… photo from Tiffany Rozek pic.twitter.com/SotK4O73B3

— James Spann (@spann) December 20, 2022

While it cannot be seen in the footage, the train’s three locomotives all fell off the tracks, as did 10 freight cars carrying a variety of cargo, snarling the rails and creating a tangled mess of steel, wood, and stone.

Not even kidding! Don’t go into Collegedale this afternoon. #collegedale @newschannelnine pic.twitter.com/qtmEqmxbBy

— Sukie (@sah2m) December 20, 2022

#BREAKING Train derailment in Apison snarls traffic pic.twitter.com/5vchDRM55S

— Latricia Thomas (@LatriciaTnc9) December 20, 2022

Chattanooga Fire is assisting with a train derailment in Collegedale. It happened Tues afternoon (12/20/22) at Apison Pike & University Dr. Chattanooga companies on scene: Battalion Chief for District 1, Battalion Chief for District 2, Special Operations Division, CFD Hazmat Team pic.twitter.com/yFWcgbwbBX

— Chattanooga Fire Department (@ChattFireDept) December 20, 2022

The Chattanooga Fire Department responded to the scene, where a large amount of diesel fuel was leaking from two of the locomotives. Fortunately, no fire was sparked by the crash. However, two people were taken to area hospitals for treatment, although reportedly neither was the truck driver.

The Norfolk Southern Railway told area media that "initial reports do not indicate any hazardous material cars involved."

Traffic remains blocked on the road where the truck was hit, as well as nearby roads, as cleanup efforts continue.

According to industry statistics, in 2021, there were 9,251 accidents or incidents involving railways in the United States, including industrial accidents and crashes, with 901 people being killed in them. The US has about 140,000 miles of railway.