Russian Ambassador to Canada Alexander Darchiev speaks with Evan Solomon on CTV's Question Period, 2017.
Moscow hopes that Washington will show enough prudence to prevent the situation from escalating to the point of a direct confrontation, Alexander Darchiev, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's North American Department, has told TASS in an interview.
"One can only hope that Washington will heed the voice of reason and does not let the situation escalate to the point of a direct confrontation between Russia and the United States. Otherwise, severed diplomatic ties will become a reality, with all due consequences," the Russian diplomat said.
Darchiyev stressed that it was the United States who "started to spin the flywheel of destroying bilateral relations."
"Washington opted to self-isolate from Moscow, but is now trying to shift the blame, as if someone else brought those relations to the point of no return, not the current administration," he said. "We are not seeking to sever them completely, but we will not tolerate malicious provocations that leave us with no other choice.".
North Korea rejects claims of alleged arms supplies to Russia — Yonhap
The Foreign Ministry of North Korea rejected claims of alleged arms supplies to Russia, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported citing the ministry’s statement.
"The Japanese media's false report that the DPRK offered munitions to Russia is the most absurd red herring, which is not worth any comment or interpretation," Yonhap quoted a ministry spokesman as saying in an English-language statement, published by the state-run news agency KCNA.
US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby claimed on Thursday that North Korea has supplied weapons to Russia’s Wagner private military company and was planning new supplies. UN Secretary-General's Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a briefing later in the day that the global organization had no information about alleged arms deliveries from North Korea.
Russia stressed on numerous occasions that its armed forces have no need to buy weapons from abroad for the special military operation in Ukraine, since the country's defense industry is coping with its tasks.
We will unite the people and ‘crack’ Patriot missiles: what Putin told reporters
Russia seeks to end the conflict in Ukraine as soon as possible but Kiev needs to realize that a diplomatic solution is inevitable, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters on Thursday.
He also slammed the supply of US-made Patriot missiles to Kiev as an attempt to prolong the conflict and added that Russia had lived through the year "quite steadily." TASS has collected the key remarks that Putin made.
The year’s results
Perfect situations exist only on paper but Russia made it through the year "quite steadily." The current situation does not prevent the country from implementing its plans for the future. All goals will undoubtedly be achieved.
The special military operation was a forced measure.
The Russian economy is performing better than many G-20 countries and there are no troubling indicators.
On State of the Nation Address
The president will deliver his State of the Nation Address to the Federal Assembly early next year: "I won’t give you any dates but we will definitely do it next year."
The rapidly changing situation, which makes it difficult to speak about specific things, is one of the reasons why there was no address this year. The key points that could have made it into the address were touched upon in other speeches.
On US role in Ukraine situation
Putin noted that Washington has long been involved in processes in post-Soviet countries and has long sought to divide the Russian World.
Russia was being "led around by the nose" in terms of resolving the situation in Ukraine since 2014 and Moscow’s opponents achieved their goal, to a certain extent, dividing the two countries' people and setting them against each other. Moscow failed there. "No one wants the Russian people to unite.... But we will try to achieve this and we will succeed."
On Patriot supplies to Kiev
The Patriot missile systems that the US has promised to provide to Ukraine are quite old systems and don’t work the way Russia’s S-300 systems do. An antidote to them will be found and "we will crack Patriot missiles, too." "It is nothing but an attempt to prolong the conflict, that’s all."
On the possible protraction of conflict
Russia does not want to escalate the conflict in Ukraine but seeks to end the war that broke out there in 2014. The sooner the conflict ends, the better. A rise in military activities will lead to unnecessary losses.
On Western and Russian defense industries
Western countries aren’t about to run out of their resources but the stockpiles of weapons left over from the Soviet era are definitely running low. It will not be easy for Ukraine to shift to NATO weapons.
Russia is using its stock of weapons but the Ukrainian military-industrial complex is "if not completely zeroed out, then rapidly moving in that direction."
Russia is capable of increasing weapons production but the authorities don’t plan to do that at the expense of other sectors of the economy.
On diplomatic solution to Ukraine issue
Moscow has never refused to hold talks with Kiev and it was the Ukrainian leadership that barred itself from negotiating. All conflicts end diplomatically and the sooner the Ukrainian authorities realize this, the better.
On meeting with ‘business captains’
There was no traditional meeting with Russia’s ‘business captains’ ahead of the holiday season due to the epidemiological situation. However, the president maintains contact with key entrepreneurs.
On response to price caps
A decree on Moscow’s response to the price cap on Russian oil will be signed "on Monday or Tuesday." The price cap itself won’t harm Russia but it paves the way for the destruction of the global economy.
The European Union’s move to cap gas prices will also lead to nothing good. If the decision affects Gazprom’s contracts, the need will arise to think about whether it is worth it to implement them.
On Nord Stream explosions
The explosions that hit the Nord Stream gas pipelines were acts of state terrorism as no individuals could have done that. Those who are interested in continuing the transit of Russian gas via Ukraine are behind the terrorist attack.
On plans for New Year’s Eve
The head of state will try to celebrate the New Year with his family members.
Pada acara Festival Malam Tahun Baru 2023 nanti Jalan Sudirman - Thamrin akan ditutup dan Pemprov DKI Jakarta menyiapkan 40 kantong tempat parkir saat malam pergantian tahun.
Kepala Dinas Perhubungan DKI Jakarta Syafrin Liputo mengatakan, 40 kantong parkir tersebut disiapkan sampai Jalan Jenderal Sudirman dan Jalan MH Thamrin kembali dibuka.
"Bagi para pengunjung festival, dapat menggunakan fasilitas parkir di 40 lokasi dan dibuka sampai batas waktu penutupan Jalan MH Thamrin dan Jalan Jenderal Sudirman," kata Syafrin dalam keterangan resmi, pada hari Kamis, 22/12/2022.
Ke-40 kantong parkir itu, yakni di Pelataran Parkir IRTI Monas, TPE Sabang, Kantor Pertamina Pusat, Komplek Wisma Nusantara dan Hotel Nikko, Wisma Mandiri, Hotel Sari Pan Pacific, Jakarta Teater/Sky Line Building, Sarinah Thamrin dan Gedung Jaya.
Lahan parkir juga tersedia di Four Points/Menara Topas, Plaza Sinar Mas Land, Gedung Plaza Permata, Gedung Wisma Kosgoro, Pullman Hotel, Hotel Grand Indonesia, Plaza Indonesia, Gedung Parkir Taman Menteng, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Gedung The City Tower dan di Gedung Wisma 46.
Kemudian di Wisma 46 Out Door Parking, Gedung BNI, Gedung Arthaloka Indonesia, Menara Taspen, Wisma Keiai, Gedung Prince Center Building lantai XV ruangan 1501, Menara Aetra, Gedung Midplaza dan Hotel Le Meridien Jakarta.
Ada pula di Intiland Tower, Gedung BRI 1 Sudirman, Gedung BRI 2 Jakarta, The Park Lane Hotel, Gedung Wisma GKBI, Mall FX Sudirman, Ratu Plaza, Plaza Senayan hingga di Gelora Bung Karno.
Ke-40 kantong parkir ini mempunyai daya tampung total 32.060 mobil, sebanyak 25.397 motor dan 262 bus maupun truk.
Meski demikian, Syafrin mengimbau bagi masyarakat yang hendak menuju lokasi Festival Malam Tahun Baru 2023 di Sudirman-Thamrin, untuk menggunakan berbagai transportasi publik yang rencananya akan dioperasikan hingga pukul 02.00 WIB.
"Masyarakat yang akan menuju lokasi kegiatan diimbau untuk menggunakan moda transportasi angkutan umum yang juga dilakukan pengaturan operasional," tutur Syafrin.
Untuk pengaturan TransJakarta, Syafrin menjelaskan, bagi Koridor 1 Relasi Blok M-Kota, akan dioperasionalkan sampai pukul 01.00 WIB, tergantung situasi, dengan berbagai rekayasa jalur, yakni:
Dari arah Selatan hanya melayani sampai Halte TransJakarta Polda, kemudian belok kiri ke Jalan Gatot Subroto sampai Kota.
Dari arah Utara hanya melayani sampai Halte TransJakarta Harmoni, kemudian belok kanan ke Jalan Suryopranoto sampai Blok M.
"Sementara untuk operasi MRT, LRT, dan KRL, operasionalnya akan berlangsung sampai dengan pukul 02.00 WIB," ucap Syafrin menambahkan.
Dengan adanya Festival Malam Tahun Baru 2023, Jalan Jenderal Sudirman dan Jalan MH Thamrin akan diberlakukan malam bebas kendaraan (car free night) atau penutupan total terkecuali kendaraan darurat.
Selain itu, 22 akses masuk ke Jalan Sudirman-Thamrin juga dilakukan penutupan terkait dengan kegiatan festival yang akan ada tujuh panggung pertunjukan tersebut.
Puluhan kantong parkir ini diharapkan bisa mengakomodasi kebutuhan warga yang hendak merayakan malam tahun baru.
Meski begitu, Dishub mengimbau masyarakat menggunakan transportasi umum untuk menuju kawasan Sudirman-Thamrin.
Coinciding with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Washington on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a $1.85 billion package of new arms assistance, including a Patriot missile system. Moscow has repeatedly warned Western powers of the consequences of weapons assistance to Kiev.
The delivery of a battery of Patriot missile systems to Ukraine will prolong the Ukrainian security crisis, but cannot alter its outcome, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.
"Our adversaries proceed from the idea that this is supposedly a defensive weapon. Alright, we'll keep that in mind. And an antidote can always be found," Putin said, speaking to reporters after a meeting of the Russian State Council on Thursday. The president assured that the Patriot deliveries will be "in vain," and would "just prolong the conflict, that's all."
As for the combat characteristics of the Patriot missile system, Putin said it was "a rather old system that does not work like, say, our S-300."
The US promised to send a battery of Patriot missile systems to Kiev as part of a fresh package of aid which includes $1 billion worth of weaponry taken directly from the US military's own stocks. A battery of Patriots consists of six launchers and support equipment, including phased array radar, optional radar antenna masts, optional diesel generators, and an engagement control/operations center.
Putin also touched on a number of other issues, reiterating that Russia had been "fooled" in the mid-to-late 2010s by trying to resolve the slow-burning Ukrainian crisis via the Minsk Agreements, and stating that the goals of Russia's military operation in Ukraine included defending Donbass and pro-Russian Ukrainians in Ukraine proper
"Our goal isn't to further whip up the Ukrainian conflict, but on the contrary, to bring this war to an end. We are striving in this direction and will continue to do so," Putin said. "All armed conflicts end one way or another with some kind of negotiations on the diplomatic track. Russia never refused negotiations with Ukraine, it was Kiev that prohibited itself from dialog."
"Nevertheless, sooner or later, of course, parties in a state of conflict will sit down and come to an agreement. The sooner this realization comes to those opposing us, the better," Putin said.
The crisis is forcing Moscow to spend its reserves of weaponry, but these are incomparably larger than those that Kiev has at its disposal, Putin said. "I won't give figures here on say, how many shells we spend per day. These are big numbers. But the difference between us and...the Ukrainian military-industrial complex - is that if it has not been completely expended, it is approaching that point. Soon nothing will be left of their base."
Kiev's Western patrons also face problems in delivering fresh stocks of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, Putin said.
"I think the resources of the United States and NATO countries are not yet at the state of exhaustion. The thing is, Ukraine is receiving weapons from the countries of the former Warsaw Pact, mostly Soviet-made, and these really are close to exhaustion. Of these deliveries we have knocked out virtually everything," Putin said.
The West can now proceed with the delivery of their own weapons systems to Ukraine, but it is not easy to make the switch to the alternative, new standard, Putin said. The US, for example, "are now saying that they can put a Patriot [in Ukraine]. Okay, let them do it. We will crack the Patriot [like a nut] too, and something will need to be installed in its place, new systems need to be developed - this is a complex and lengthy process."
In the meantime, the Russian military will be preparing, will train new personnel, and ensure adequate stocks of spare parts and repair capabilities, Putin said
Finally, amid renewed interest in US media in who blew up the Nord Stream pipelines, Putin commented on the issue, saying the act of terror was carried out by those who would like to see Russian gas to Europe flowing only through Ukraine.
What's Behind US Media's Sudden Recognition That Russia Didn't Blow up Nord Stream Pipelines?
The Washington Post broke on December 21 that even though Western leaders were quick to accuse Moscow of blowing up the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines, after months of investigation no evidence has been found to back the allegation, according to 23 diplomatic and intelligence officials in nine Western countries.
"The recent disclosure by The Washington Post that there is no evidence Russia is behind the Nord Stream pipeline blasts is yet another example of the flimsy information war the West is desperately and recklessly waging against Russia, but at the same time losing," Scott Bennett, former US Army psychological warfare officer and US State Department counterterrorism analyst, told Sputnik.
"Essentially the West – specifically the United Kingdom and the United States – had been fanatical in their blaming of Russia for the blasts, relying on a group of useful idiot puppets like Senator Marco Rubio (Florida), Mitt Romney, and others who routinely make unsubstantiated claims and emotionally flatulent and incendiary accusations against Russia," the former counterterrorism expert continued.
The newspaper went on by saying that some European officials did not think that Russia was responsible for the explosions; and even those with inside knowledge of the ongoing investigation "don’t conclusively tie Russia to the attack."
For their part, US intelligence analysts have not intercepted anything from the Russian side indicating that Moscow was involved in the incident, according to the media.
On top of that, Moscow had little to gain from destroying pipelines that carried Russian natural gas to Western Europe and generating billions in annual revenue, the media admitted, citing European "skeptics
So, who is the culprit? Judging from the article, the Europeans believe that the sabotage attack was conducted by "a state-level actor"; still, the list of suspects isn't limited only to states that have manned submarines or deep-sea demolitions expertise.
Furthermore, the newspaper cited Western officials as expressing regret that so many world leaders rushed to blame Moscow without considering other state and non-state actors, "that might have the capability and the motive to conduct the attack."
It is also assumed in the article that it's quite probable that the explosions may never be definitively attributed. Obviously, European officials feel bad about it, lamenting the fact that "whoever did it may get away with it," the newspaper concluded.
Who is the Culprit & Who Benefits?
Bennet does not agree that it's impossible to attribute blame for the sabotage attack. There are a number of state actors who were clearly interested in cutting Russia's gas supplies to Europe, according to him.
"It is highly unlikely that any communication will be allowed to surface in Europe that identifies the true terrorists that destroyed the pipelines – which most intelligence experts assess was done by the United Kingdom and the United States in order to keep Germany in the American orbit of influence," he said.
Even before the beginning of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, the US exerted pressure on the EU, urging the Old Continent to stop buying Russian hydrocarbons. Eventually, on February 22, 2022, Berlin froze the Gazprom-led Nord Stream 2 pipeline project with Russia.
After the beginning of the spec op, the US and UK imposed an energy embargo, with the EU following suit. The Western sanctions spree limited Russia's ability to maintain and repair its gas equipment, which led to disruptions of supplies via the Nord Stream pipelines.
Nonetheless, Germany never abandoned the idea of resuming buying gas through both Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 (with a capacity of 110 billion cubic meters, or 3.9 trillion cubic feet) once Russo-Ukrainian tensions reduced. The EU's energy ban against Russia backfired on Germany, which has long benefitted from Russia's natural gas supplies. Before the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, 55% of gas consumed in Germany was imported from Russia.
Bennett noted that prior to the winter season, "Germany had been remarking about the need to re-engage with Russia, and even seeking to end the sanctions out of their own self-preservation." He suggested that the CIA and NSA – US federal agencies who constantly monitor the communications of European politicians – "determined that Germany was pulling away and needed to be reminded of their enslavement to the United States." As a result, three out of four pipelines were destroyed on September 26, 2022.
Remarkably, just moments after the sabotage, then-UK Prime Minister Liz Truss allegedly sent a mysterious "It’s done" iPhone message to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The latter's reaction to the attack was also remarkable: the US secretary of state dubbed the incident "a tremendous opportunity" for the EU "to once and for all remove the dependence on Russian energy." It appears that the destruction of the pipelines provided a "tremendous opportunity" for the US as well, since the EU doubled down on buying American liquefied natural gas (LNG) to substitute Russia's hydrocarbon supplies.
At the time, a number of American public figures and media pundits, including Fox News host Tucker Carlson, retired US Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor, Columbia Professor Jeffrey Sachs, and Ron Unz, voiced the assumption that Washington could somehow have been involved in the infamous attack.
For instance, Sachs cited several reasons to back his assumption: first, "direct radar evidence that US military helicopters that are normally based in Gdansk were circling over this area"; second, Biden's threat earlier this year that "one way or another, (the US is) going to end Nord Stream"; third, the "remarkable statement" by Blinken.
Meanwhile, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden launched separate investigations into the suspected sabotage, with German media reporting trust issues between the three EU nations. Neither of them, however, engaged with Russia's specialists, under the pretext that Moscow was the "likely culprit" behind the blasts.
Nonetheless, the Russian Ministry of Defense conducted its own investigation into the incident and came to the conclusion that the UK Royal Navy had taken part in the planning and executing the sabotage.
What's Behind the Explosive Article's Release?
It's still unclear, however, why The Washington Post decided to return to the issue in late December 2022.
"One of the reasons for the release of this article (and others that may follow) is the recognition by the collective West of the obvious defeat of Ukraine by Russia in the conflict," suggested Bennett.
"Additionally, the European Union is currently experiencing serious protests and potential revolutionary movements in their own nations in protest to the high cost of energy and the backfire effect of the American sanctions war against Russia which has only ended up harming the European and American economy and consumer."
The former US counter-terrorism specialist believes that European leaders are scrambling to prepare for alternative plans of action when Ukraine ultimately falls.
Another reason, according to Bennett, might also be the recent embarrassment of the European Union over the corruption scandal involving EU officials.
Two weeks ago, Belgian prosecutors charged four people with money laundering, corruption, and participating in a criminal organization in Brussels. It is alleged that a Middle Eastern state actor sought to influence EU policy by bribing European Parliament officials.
"This has helped to define the EU as hypocrites and eroded their credibility and integrity in the eyes of the world, and so their continuing participation in the American-British propaganda of the Nord Stream pipelines being blown up by Russia was essentially defeated and dead," suggested Bennett.
Whatever the real reason might be, it appears that divisions are growing within the Western camp amid a simmering energy crunch and looming recession. Major EU states do not conceal their irritation with Washington's high LNG prices and protectionist Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which are hitting European industries and crippling the economy. For its part, Washington is expressing concerns about the EU's latest carbon border tax and gas price capping mechanism, which may backfire on American producers.
"This admission by Europe that Russia is not responsible for the Nord Stream pipeline may be the first step in Europe departing from the life of economic prostitution it has suffered under the United States, and seeking to return to a relationship with Russia, reminiscent of a returning 'Prodigal Son,'" Bennett concluded.
The joint naval exercises, air patrols and other drill of Russia and China are a response to the aggressive build-up of US military potential in the region, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov said on Thursday.
"Russian-Chinese maritime and air patrols in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as exercises and drills have become the practical implementation of the strategic partnership with China. The purpose of such actions is to increase the combat coherence of the troops and forces of the two countries and the ability to withstand new challenges and threats," Gerasimov told a briefing of foreign military attaches.
The Russian official underscored that neither Russia, nor China are planning to create any alliances and new dividing lines in the region, but the joint drills are a simply a natural reaction to the actions of the US.
Speaking about Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), Valery Gerasimov said that not all mechanisms of the New START operate after the COVID restrictions, and sanctions on any military contacts also complicate the situation.
"Currently, only the START Treaty has been preserved from the entire set of arms control instruments. However, after the COVID restrictions, not all the mechanisms of this agreement operate as it was intended before the signing of the agreements. Sanction restrictions, thoughtlessly imposed by European countries on any military contacts, have also been adding to problems," Gerasimov said.
According to the defense ministry official, the actual collapse of the arms control system established in previous decades was the result of Western actions.
Only 86 of 213 House Republicans attended Volodymyr Zelensky’s address to a joint meeting of the US Congress, a US newspaper reported.
On Wednesday, Zelensky visited Washington to meet with US President Joe Biden and appeal to Congress for further security assistance for Ukraine.
According to the newspaper, the goal of Zelensky's visit was to secure support from Republicans as they are set to take control of the House next month.
Over a third of House members had active letters to vote by proxy on Wednesday, with many worrying about weather-related travel disruptions just before Christmas, the report said.
Even though Republican supporters of aiding Ukraine welcomed Zelensky’s speech, critics of this aid showed little openness to changing their minds even following the Ukrainian leader's address, the report said.
Prior to the speech, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie wrote on social media that he is in Washington but "will not be attending the speech of the Ukrainian lobbyist."
Rep. Warren Davidson, in turn, doubted that Zelensky should be speaking from the House floor. The United States "should be focused on trying to contain the war, not expand the war," the lawmaker argued.
Some Republicans, however, have been demanding more transparency from the government when it comes to helping Ukraine. “Sadly, what I didn’t hear tonight was a clear explanation of where the first $50 billion we sent to support their efforts went,” Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, who attended Zelensky’s speech, said in a video message on Twitter. She said that she would “not support sending additional money to this war” until an audit was completed.
Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who spearheaded the bill to audit aid to Ukraine, was among those who ditched Zelensky’s address. “The American taxpayers are literally paying to prop up many countries all over the world in foreign aid, but America is virtually crumbling before our eyes,” Greene tweeted on Wednesday. She added that families in her district were struggling with growing food prices while the US was concerned with sending funds to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Representative Chip Roy described Zelensky’s speech as “more of the theater” used by the Democrats to convince voters that the funds slated for Ukraine were “just going to be magically created out of thin air.”
On Tuesday, Congress rolled out a spending bill containing more than $44 billion worth of aid to Ukraine. But Republicans calculated that the money set aside for Kiev exceeded $47 billion, according to the New York Times.
The Pentagon has unveiled an additional $1.85 billion aid package for Ukraine, which includes the Patriot air defense missile systems, armored vehicles, and grenade launchers, as well as artillery and tank rounds. Russia has repeatedly said that foreign weapons would not change the course of the conflict and would only cause more deaths in Ukraine.
Among the biggest critics of Zelensky were Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) who tweeted that he would not attend the speech of a "Ukrainian lobbyist." Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who also did not attend Congress, tweeted before the speech that global foreign aid is like Americans being "raped everyday at the hands of their own elected leaders."
According to the Hill pool, only 86 of 213 House Republicans attended the speech Wednesday evening. More than a third of House members had active letters to vote by proxy on Wednesday, with many worrying about weather disrupting travel just before Christmas.
Republican skepticism of and resistance to Ukraine funding is layered. Some members oppose aid altogether based on an “America First” or anti-war philosophy. Others support more military aid but less economic and humanitarian aid, and still others believe the U.S.-Mexico border should be prioritized more.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that Ukraine’s accession to NATO would be perceived by Russia as yet another step towards confrontation, even though the country’s admission into NATO was not guaranteed.
"Accession of Ukraine to NATO will be perceived by Russia as something confrontational... Regardless of whether Ukraine will join NATO, and this is not the most likely scenario, or not, it must be given security guarantees," Macron said in an interview with the Monde newspaper.
He noted that the security architecture in Europe must include guarantees not only for Ukraine, but also for Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and, eventually, Belarus.
"We can’t think about the security of this zone through the prism of NATO only," he said.
NATO members supported Ukraine and Georgia's early admission into NATO at the 2008 Bucharest Summit. In June 2022, at the summit in Brussels they reiterated their commitment, however no deadline was suggested.
In December 2021, Russia proposed draft agreements on security guarantees for NATO and the United States, requesting that the alliance would not expand eastward and will not incorporate Ukraine and other post-Soviet countries. On January 2022, the US and NATO officially rejected Russia's proposal, stressing that the alliance would not change its stance on the right of sovereign nations to join the bloc. Following this deadlock, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine in February.
The offensive comes as Donbass militia units and regular Russian army formations continue a grueling effort to push heavily entrenched Ukrainian forces out of the region.
Donetsk People’s Militia units have shelled the positions of Ukrainian forces outside the settlement of New York, a Sputnik correspondent embedded with the forces has reported.
“At the moment armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles have been detected in the area, an APC has been destroyed. At the moment, they’re trying to evacuate,” the commander said.
The People’s Militia also indicated that Ukrainian ultranationalist detachments appear to have set up blocking detachments to try to prevent regular Ukrainian army troops from falling back – a tactic common to notorious neo-Nazi militias such as the Azov Regiment.
Video shows DPR troops preparing camouflaged howitzers for fire, arming, aiming and firing at enemy positions.
New York adalah pemukiman perkotaan kecil yang terletak di utara-tengah Donetsk. Kota yang berpenduduk sekitar 9.700 jiwa ini menerima nama bergaya Amerika pada tahun 1840-an setelah dihuni oleh sekelompok orang Mennonit yang diundang ke Donbass oleh Catherine yang Agung dari Rusia. Pemukiman itu berganti nama menjadi Novgorodskoye pada tahun 1951. Pada tahun 2021, parlemen Ukraina mengesahkan undang-undang untuk mengganti nama pemukiman kembali ke New York.
The settlement has been situated near the frontline of fierce fighting between Ukrainian and DPR militia since 2014.
After liberating most of Lugansk in the summer, Russian and Donbass People’s Militia forces have concentrated on attempting to dislodge Ukrainian forces from Donetsk. The Ukrainian military spent years building entrenchments and fortifications in the region, and has placed artillery there, using it to launch indiscriminate artillery strikes against the city of Donetsk and other settlements. Hundreds of civilians have been killed and injured in these attacks.
Putin: Kiev Deliberately Strikes Residential Areas of Donetsk, Targeting Civilians
Kiev conducts strikes against residential areas of Donetsk, targeting civilians, while no foreign media and human rights activists say anything about it, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.
"As for these attacks, I understand that the strikes of Ukraine military directly hit residential areas of Donetsk... These are civilians [that are targeted]... No foreign media, nor any human rights organizations is commenting on this," Putin said at a meeting with the acting head of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), Denis Pushilin.
Pushilin, in turn, appealed to Putin with a request to strengthen the republic with modern air defense systems against the background of increased Ukrainian shelling.
More statements by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu:
Russian forces continue to inflict precision strikes on military command systems, military-industrial complexes, and related facilities in Ukraine;
Russian Armed Forces take comprehensive measures to prevent civilian deaths in Ukraine;
Total of 27 countries have already spent $97 billion on arms supplies to Ukraine;
NATO officers, artillerymen, and other specialists, more than 500 NATO satellites are working for Kiev;
Total silence of Western media about war crimes of Ukrainian military is cynical
