Vatican apologizes for derogatory remarks against Chechens, Buryats, says diplomat

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova © Russian Foreign Ministry/TASS

Russia has received an official statement from the Vatican apologizing for Pope Francis' racially-charged remarks against Chechens and Buryats, so the incident is over, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova revealed at a briefing Thursday.

15 DEC, 18:47 "It just so happens that within these hours, we received a letter through diplomatic channels from the Vatican, which contains an official statement on behalf of Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin in connection with the pontiff’s aforementioned statement," the diplomat revealed, "That statement says, in particular, the following: ‘The Vatican Secretariat of State apologizes to the Russian side. The Holy See has the utmost respect for all peoples of Russia, their dignity, faith and culture, as well as for other countries and peoples of the world'."

"The ability to admit one's mistakes is increasingly rare in contemporary international communication. This situation shows that behind the Vatican's calls for dialogue stands the ability to conduct this dialogue and to listen to the interlocutors. I can tell you right now that this approach evokes sincere respect," Zakharova stressed, "We think that this incident is over and we hope that we will continue constructive cooperation with the Vatican".

Earlier, Pope Francis in an interview with US media uttered derogatory remarks about the Chechens and Buryats calling them "the cruelest" of the Russian troops stationed in Ukraine.

Peace agreements with Kiev impossible after massive shelling of Donetsk — DPR head

Further peace talks with Ukraine are impossible after the most intense strike on Donetsk since 2014, inflicted by Ukraine on Thursday, acting DPR head Denis Pushilin said on Russian TV.

"If we talk seriously, then there can be no talk about agreements with Kiev. First, Kiev is not independent. We’ve learned that during the Minsk talks. Second, it also does not seem possible to count on guarantors of agreements, whoever they may be. We’ve seen the recent statement by [German Chancellor Angela] Merkel, who effectively confessed in actions, aimed at non-implementation of the Minsk Agreements. The level of trust for European states is close to zero," he said.

According to Pushilin, the DPR see no objective preconditions to talk about negotiations with the US as well.

"Washington is complacent with both this conflict and the gradual loss of Europe’s economic potential, who gradually stops being the US’ competitor even in theory. So, there is no one to negotiate with, we only have to win [on the battlefield]. There are no other ways to stop this conflict, these shellings, war crimes of the Kiev regime and its accomplices - the Western states," the official noted.

He noted that, if in 2014-2015, only the outskirts of Donetsk were shelled, today, the entire territory of the city is being targeted by massive strikes.

Pushilin also noted that about 1 million people currently live in Donetsk.

"If we count the Donetsk agglomeration, which is also being shelled - Makeyevka, Gorlovka, Yasinovataya - then the approximate population reaches 1.5 million people," the acting head said.

He reiterated that artillery strikes will stop only after Donetsk becomes unreachable for Ukrainian artillery.

"We cannot count on anything else. These are outright war criminals, who will definitely shell and harm civilians, if they can. So only the efforts of our boys, who liberate our land with weapons in their hands, can help stop the shelling of Donetsk," he underscored.

Russian troops wipe out command posts of two Ukrainian army brigades — top brass

Russian forces struck the command posts of two Ukrainian army brigades in the Kharkov Region in the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Thursday.

"Missile troops and artillery struck the command posts of the Ukrainian army’s 92nd separate mechanized brigade near the community of Petropavlovka and 105th territorial defense brigade in the area of the settlement of Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region, and also 45 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military hardware in 86 areas," the spokesman said.

Russian forces delivered artillery and heavy flamethrower fire, thwarting an attempt by Ukrainian army units to advance in the Lugansk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, preemptive artillery and heavy flamethrower fire and army aviation strikes thwarted an enemy attempt to attack the Russian troop positions in the area of the settlement of Sofiyevka in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian forces eliminated enemy manpower and military equipment during the battles, the general said.

"As many as 35 Ukrainian servicemen, a combat armored vehicle and three pickup trucks were destroyed," Konashenkov reported.

Russian army aviation and artillery strikes thwarted a counter-attack by four Ukrainian assault groups in three communities in the Lugansk People’s Republic in the past day, the general said.

"In the Krasny Liman direction, army aviation strikes and artillery fire thwarted an attempt by four assault groups of the Ukrainian army to counter-attack in areas near the settlements of Ploshchanka, Golikovo and Kremennaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian forces eliminated over 40 Ukrainian troops, an infantry fighting vehicle and three armored vehicles in that area in the past 24 hours, the general specified.

Russian forces continued their offensive in the Donetsk area, gaining new advantageous positions in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, Russian troops continue their offensive operations, as a result of which they have taken new advantageous frontiers and positions. During the last 24-hour period, the enemy made unsuccessful attempts to regain its positions in areas near the settlements of Severnoye and Krasnogorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. All the Ukrainian army’s counter-attacks were repelled," the spokesman said.

In the past 24 hours, the enemy’s losses in that area amounted to about 30 soldiers killed and wounded, an armored personnel carrier and two motor vehicles, the general specified.

Russian forces eliminated two Ukrainian subversive/reconnaissance groups near Pavlovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the area of the settlement of Pavlovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, two subversive/reconnaissance groups of the Ukrainian armed forces were eliminated," the spokesman said.

Russian combat aircraft and artillery struck the Ukrainian army’s reserves in the southern Donetsk area in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the southern Donetsk direction, air strikes and artillery fire struck the enemy’s reserves in the area of the settlement of Dobrovolye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

The Ukrainian army’s casualties in that area in the past 24 hours amounted to 40 troops killed and wounded and four destroyed motor vehicles, the general specified.

Russian forces wiped out a US-made AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery radar of the Ukrainian army in the Donetsk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the area of the settlement of Kleshcheyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, an AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery radar of US manufacture was destroyed," the spokesman said.

In addition, in the area of Kupyansk in the Kharkov Region, Russian forces wiped out an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army. In the area of the community of Tyaguinka in the Kherson Region, they obliterated a depot of the Ukrainian army’s armaments, military and special hardware. In the town of Orekhov in the Zaporozhye Region, they destroyed a depot of the Ukrainian army’s supplies and equipment, the general specified.

The Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a MiG-29 fighter jet and a Mi-8 helicopter of the Ukrainian Air Force in the Donetsk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a MiG-29 plane of the Ukrainian Air Force in the area of the settlement of Yablonovka. In the area of the community of Nikolayevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter was shot down," the spokesman said.

Russian air defense forces destroyed 11 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and two Uragan rockets in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities destroyed 11 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Stepnoye, Novoandreyevka, Volnoye and Nikolskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Sadovoye and Semyonovka in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said.

In addition, they intercepted two rockets of the Ukrainian Uragan multiple launch rocket system in the area of the settlement of Novogorovka in the Zaporozhye Region, he added.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 344 Ukrainian warplanes, 184 helicopters, 2,669 unmanned aerial vehicles, 396 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,127 tanks and other combat armored vehicles, 931 multiple rocket launchers, 3,685 field artillery guns and mortars and 7,614 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.

US Military Expert on Why Patriot Systems Won’t Be Game-Changer in Ukraine

© AFP 2022 / BULENT KILIC

The Biden administration is reportedly poised to send MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile systems to Ukraine. Sputnik discussed the potential deployment with David T. Pyne, an EMP Task Force scholar and former US Department of Defense officer.

"I worked as a consultant for the Missile Defense Agency from 2003-2005 and participated in missile defense simulation exercises conducted at a facility near Washington, DC," David T. Pyne told Sputnik. "The Patriot missile defense system has proven effective against short-range ballistic missiles and rockets. It also has a limited capability to shoot down cruise missiles. I believe its capability to intercept medium range ballistic missiles is quite limited."

Pyne expects that if the Biden administration provides Ukraine with the MIM-104 Patriot systems, the batch would include two types of missiles: the Patriot Advanced Capability PAC-2 and PAC-3. According to the former Pentagon officer, PAC-2 is less advanced but has a range of nearly 160 kilometers and uses a GEM-T blast fragmentation warhead to shoot down incoming missiles.

The PAC-3 is reportedly more capable of intercepting ballistic missiles: it can intercept them at ranges of 40-60 kilometers depending on which variant is utilized; it also has a smaller explosive "hit to kill" warhead compared to the PAC-2, according to Pyne.

"PAC-2 missiles that were only successful in intercepting 10% of missiles during the First Iraq War in 1991," the EMP Task Force scholar said. "However, US missile interception technology has improved significantly since then and the PAC-2 missiles have been upgraded."

The US military expert does not have doubts that the Ukrainian military would be capable of using the systems properly, assuming they undergo months of training prior to their delivery.

While normally it takes months to train soldiers to use the Patriot missile system, however, reports indicate that the US military is planning to reduce this training to weeks, as per Pyne.

He projected that the MIM-104 Patriot systems "will not be ready for use in Ukraine until late January at the earliest if not later even if they were delivered later this month."

Furthermore, in theory, "the Patriot would represent a significant boost in capability over Ukraine’s western-supplied NASAMS medium-range missile defense system which has a missile defense intercept range of only 30 kilometers," according to him. Kiev received its first National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) from Washington in November.

However, the major problem is that the supposed delivery of Patriots is unlikely to change the bigger picture, according to the former Pentagon officer.

"I don't believe that the addition of Patriot missile defense systems will have much effect on the course of the war given that Ukraine already has S-300 missiles with ranges of 40-75 kilometers," Pyne said.

First, the military expert drew attention to the fact that once the Patriot systems are identified they will become high-priority targets for Russian artillery and rocket launch systems "which we know are far more numerous and significantly more capable than most Ukrainian artillery systems."

Second, it is unlikely that the Biden administration will send a large number of PAC-3 missile defense systems to Ukraine, if the decision is confirmed, according to Pyne. "I think they will likely only send a handful of systems, perhaps no more than a dozen," he suggested.

Third, whatever number the Biden administration sends will be insufficient for Ukrainian defense requirements, the former DoD officer remarked.

"(Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky is always complaining that no matter how many weapon systems we provide to Ukraine it is an insufficient number, which has resulted in a strained relationship with President Biden so I assume this will be no exception," Pyne said. "Zelensky has repeatedly stated that western-supplied Ukrainian air defense systems are intercepting 100% of all Russian missiles they are fired at, which is a claim we know not to be true."

'Biden is Degrading US War-Fighting Capabilities'

What strikes the former DoD officer is that the Biden administration is shipping air and missile defense systems to Ukraine rather than building up national missile defense systems at home.

"I believe that the degree to which the Biden administration has degraded US warfighting capabilities by shipping such a massive amount of our missiles, rockets, rocket launch systems, artillery and munitions to Ukraine is near criminal and must be investigated by the incoming Republican-led House of Representatives as it has left the US less ready to fight a major war than we have been in a great many years," emphasized Pyne.

The GOP got the majority in the lower chamber of the US Congress, which it is due to lead starting from January 2023. Some Republican representatives have already pledged to launch investigations into the Biden family's dealings with Ukrainian tycoons and politicians and reconsider the amount of aid that is flowing from Washington to Kiev.

Pyne has repeatedly stated in his articles and interviews that a "neutral" Ukraine more corresponds to the US national interests than a protracted and senseless conflict, which is fuelled by western weapons deliveries.

"If the US and NATO had not provided Ukraine with all these weapons then the war would have ended by March or early April and Ukraine would have lost far less territory, with much less deaths and destruction to their cities," the EMP Task Force scholar pointed out. "I believe that it is contrary to US national security interests that we have provided Ukraine with any heavy weapons at all and that we should cease all weapon shipments to Ukraine."

Moreover, western military assistance to Ukraine is "creating a potentially existential threat to NATO by potentially provoking a Russian military response," Pyne noted, warning that the conflict could eventually evolve into a nuclear standoff.

"I believe that it is imperative that the Biden administration cut off weapon shipments to Ukraine to pressure President Zelensky to accept Russia’s cease-fire proposal issued in late September and sign an armistice agreement to permanently end the war as I have been advocating since that time," Pyne concluded.

Meanwhile, the White House has not yet confirmed reports of the US sending Patriot missile systems to Ukraine. "When it's ready to announce and speak to the details, we'll certainly do that," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Wednesday.

China's Xi Strengthens Trade and Energy Ties With Russia Behind Diplomatic Scenes, Reports Suggest

©Sputnik / Alexey Nikolskij / Go to the mediabank

Chinese President Xi Jinping is deepening economic ties with Russia despite the appearance of creating diplomatic distance between Beijing and Moscow, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing Chinese policy advisers.

Xi recently instructed his government to deepen economic ties with Russia, which have played a crucial role for Moscow amid the Western economic pressure since the beginning of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine, the report said on Wednesday.

The strengthening of economic ties with Russia includes increasing Chinese imports of Russian oil, gas and farming goods, as well as more joint energy partnerships in the Arctic and more investments in Russian infrastructure, the report added.

The head of the Federal Customs Service of Russia, Vladimir Bulavin, said in November that the country's trade with China could grow by 27% to $160 billion in 2022.

The volume of Russia-China trade reached the $100 billion mark in 2018. On February 4, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Xi set a new target of $250 billion in trade turnover by 2024 at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, increasing the previous objective of $200 billion agreed to by both leaders.

Xi Jinping said to Putin:‘I Have a Similar Personality to Yours

In recent weeks, Xi has instructed his government to forge stronger economic ties with Russia, according to policy advisers to Beijing, building on a trade relationship that has strengthened this year and become a lifeline to Moscow in the face of Western pressure.

The plan includes increasing Chinese imports of Russian oil, gas and farm goods, more joint energy partnerships in the Arctic and increased Chinese investment in Russian infrastructure, such as railways and ports, the advisers say.

Russia and China are also conducting more financial transactions in the ruble and yuan, rather than the euro or dollar, a move that helps insulate the two against future sanctions and put the Chinese currency into wider circulation.

The tightening ties are the latest twist in the bilateral relationship, which intensified just before the Russian invasion, when a joint declaration a*serted there were “no limits” to the partnership. After appearing to have second thoughts about aligning itself so closely with Moscow, China has since moved to cement their cooperation.

“Xi has been strengthening China’s relations with Russia largely independent of the Russian invasion,” said Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, a Washington think tank. “The relationship may well be becoming ever closer.”

In a written statement, China’s Foreign Ministry said “China and Russia are comprehensive strategic cooperative partners of each other. The development of bilateral relations is based on the principles of non-alliance, non-confrontation and non-targeting of third parties.”

The Kremlin’s press service didn’t respond to a request for comment.

China’s partnership with Russia has helped to shelter Moscow from the economic fallout of the Western sanctions, enabling leader*Vladimir Putin*to sustain his war.*It is also furthering a global divide, discouraging many developing countries reliant on China for trade from taking sides in the conflict.

Russia and China have long sought to dull the U.S.’s influence in the world, a shared objective that has come into sharper focus in recent years as the two nations have grown confident they can reshape an international order that both view as biased in favor of the West and its allies.

Mr. Xi’s longstanding admiration for Russia and Mr. Putin has fortified his quest to enhance ties with China’s northern neighbor. The 69-year-old Chinese leader is expected to visit Moscow next year, likely after China’s legislative sessions in March, Russia’s ambassador to Beijing, Igor Morgulov, recently told reporters. The visit, if it occurs, will mark the two leaders’ 40th face-to-face meeting.

China’s Foreign Ministry said Beijing and Moscow “will continue to carry out exchanges at all levels.”

Still, the escalating war in Ukraine has more recently forced*Beijing to walk a diplomatic tightrope.*China still needs Western technology and close ties with other foreign powers to deliver on its aspiration of overtaking the U.S. as the world’s biggest economy.

Mr. Xi, who came to power in 2012, also faces challenges at home with China in its worst economic slowdown in decades and severe Covid-control restrictions that had sparked*a wave of nationwide protests.*Meanwhile, his*entente with Mr. Putin*has left China increasingly isolated on the world stage.

In recent months, Mr. Xi has sought to temper relations with Russia publicly to avoid provoking a collective Western backlash, say foreign-affairs analysts and government advisers in Beijing.*Most notably, the Chinese leader recently told other world leaders that he opposes the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine—after.

China hasn’t directly condemned the Russian invasion. It also continues to avoid arms deliveries or other overt support for Mr. Putin’s war effort.

Mr. Xi’s father, Xi Zhongxun, a party revolutionary who fought alongside Mao, went to the Soviet Union in the late 1950s to study its heavy industry.

The movement profoundly shaped Mr. Xi’s youth, leading to a deep-rooted admiration for Soviet values, history and culture, according to historians.

Banjir Lahar dingin Gunung Semeru Melumpuhkan Jalur Jalan Lumajang - Malang

Banjir lahar disertai letusan sekunder menerjang jalur alternatif Curah Kobokan, Rabu, 14/12/2022.

Hujan deras di lereng Gunung Semeru yang berada di Dusun Curah Kobokan, Desa Supiturang, Kecamatan Pronojiwo, Kabupaten Lumajang pada Rabu, 14/12/2022, menyebabkan banjir lahar dingin menutup jalur Besuk Kobokan dan Besuk Lanang kembali.

Aliran lahar dingin meluncur sekitar pukul 16:40. Dinginnya aliran air menembus material vulkanis yang masih panas di dalam. Sehingga muncul uap dan asap mengepul dari dalam material.

"Beberapa hari terakhir selalu hujan, begitu di lereng dan puncak Semeru. Tadi sore Ada getaran banjir sekitar amak 25-30 mm," ujar Kepala Bidang Pencegahan, Kesiapsiagaan dan Logistik BPBD Kabupaten Lumajang Wawan Hadi Siswoyo ketika dikonfirmasi.

Kata Wawan, aliran banjir mengalir dari puncak Semeru ke area Kali Lanang yang berjarak lebih dari 11 kilometer.

"Aliran banjir mengarah ke curah kobokan dan kali lanang. Karena sisa material masih ada, sehingga membuat bahaya letusan sekunder di aliran sungai tersebut. Dari puncak Semeru sekitar lebih dari 11 kilometer," ungkap Wawan.

Guna menghindari potensi bahaya, BPBD Kabupaten Lumajang menutup total akses menuju Curah Kobokan dan Kali Lanang sampai banjir dinyatakan mereda.

Banjir terekam seismograf Pos Pantau Gunung Api Semeru mulai pukul 16.41 WIB, dengan amplitudo maksimal 25 mm.

Hujan lebat terus mengguyur kawasan puncak gunung yang membuat getaran banjir yang terekam seismograf terus meningkat hingga 30 mm.

Banjir lahar juga disertai dengan letusan sekunder dari titik-titik endapan sisa awan panas guguran (APG) yang mengeluarkan asap putih.

Letusan sekunder terjadi karena endapan lava bekas erupsi di lereng gunung sepanjang Besuk Kobokan meletus. Biasanya, hal ini dipicu oleh adanya air yang mengenai endapan panas itu.

"Jadi mulai terlihat ada letusan sekunder baru sampai Sumbersari, kita langsung tutup tol cikali (jalur penyeberangan Besuk Kobokan)," kata relawan desa setempat, Imam.

Sementara itu, BPBD Kabupaten Lumajang masih belum menerima laporan dampak kerusakan dan korban jiwa akibat banjir lahar dingin.

Kepala BPBD Kabupaten Lumajang Patria Dwi Hastiadi mengimbau masyarakat menjauhi wilayah sekitar sungai yang dilalui banjir lahar Semeru.

Khususnya, di sepanjang Besuk Kobokan dan Besuk Lanang sejauh 13 kilometer dari puncak gunung.

"Sementara, banjir lahar masih ada di jalurnya tapi masyarakat diminta tetap waspada, khawatir nanti malam masih hujan sehingga memungkinkan terjadi perluasan luberan banjir," terang Patria.

Russian troops eliminate five Ukrainian subversive groups in Donbass — top brass

©Sergei Bobylev/TASS

Russian forces eliminated five Ukrainian subversive/reconnaissance groups in the Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics in the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Wednesday.

"In the area of the settlement of Stelmakhovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, strikes were delivered against a column of the Ukrainian army’s reserves. In addition, five enemy subversive / 8reconnaissance groups were eliminated in areas near the settlements of Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Torskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroyed roughly 100 Ukrainian troops in four communities in the Kharkov Region and one community in the Lugansk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, as many as 100 Ukrainian servicemen, an armored personnel carrier and six pickup trucks were eliminated as a result of artillery fire against the amassment areas of the Ukrainian army’s manpower and military equipment in areas near the settlements of Sinkovka, Kotlyarovka, Tabayevka and Berestovoye in the Kharkov Region and Novosyolovskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian forces thwarted three counter-attacks by Ukrainian assault groups advancing towards two communities in the Lugansk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Krasny Liman direction, artillery fire and active offensive operations of Russian troops thwarted counter-attacks by three Ukrainian assault groups advancing towards the settlements of Ploshchanka and Kremennaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.5

In the past 24 hours, the enemy lost over 60 soldiers killed and wounded, one infantry fighting vehicle and two pickup trucks in that area, the general specified.

Russian forces established control of the major part of the settlement of Vodyanoye in their offensive in the Donetsk area, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, the major part of the settlement of Vodyanoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic was placed under control as a result of offensive operations by Russian troops. About 50 Ukrainian soldiers, one tank, three armored combat vehicles and four pickup trucks were eliminated," the spokesman said.

Russian forces repelled counter-attacks by four Ukrainian assault groups in the southern Donetsk area in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

Russian forces established control of the major part of the settlement of Vodyanoye in their offensive in the Donetsk area, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, the major part of the settlement of Vodyanoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic was placed under control as a result of offensive operations by Russian troops. About 50 Ukrainian soldiers, one tank, three armored combat vehicles and four pickup trucks were eliminated," the spokesman said.

Russian forces repelled counter-attacks by four Ukrainian assault groups in the southern Donetsk area in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the southern Donetsk direction, four Ukrainian assault groups attempted to counter-attack the Russian troop positions in areas near the settlements of Pavlovka, Novomayorskoye and Neskuchnoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. All the counter-attacks were repelled and the enemy was pushed back to initial positions," the spokesman said.

The Ukrainian army lost as many as 80 soldiers, three combat armored vehicles and four motor vehicles during the battles in that area in the past 24 hours, the general specified.

Russian forces delivered strikes at Ukrainian military columns in the Donetsk People’s Republic, thwarting the enemy’s attempt to redeploy reserves to the southern Donetsk area, Konashenkov reported.

"An attempt to redeploy the enemy reserves was thwarted as a result of strikes at Ukrainian army columns in areas near the communities of Novosyolka and Prechistovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian forces wiped out the command post of the Ukrainian battlegroup Liman near Kramatorsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the area of the community of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the command post of the Ukrainian army’s operational-tactical battlegroup Liman was obliterated," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroyed two US-made AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery radars of the Ukrainian army in the Donetsk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the areas of the settlements of Yampolovka and Kalinina in the Donetsk People’s Republic, two AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery radars of US manufacture were destroyed," the spokesman said.

In the area of the community of Kamenskoye in the Zaporozhye Region, Russian forces obliterated a missile/artillery armament depot of the Ukrainian army, the general said.

Russian forces destroyed the Ukrainian army’s ammunition depot of about 2,000 Grad rockets in Kramatorsk in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the community of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic, an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army’s 81st air mobile brigade storing about 2,000 rockets of Grad multiple launch rocket systems and over 3,000 artillery shells of various caliber was wiped out," the spokesman said.

Russian air defense forces destroyed a HIMARS rocket and three Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities destroyed three unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Peremozhnoye and Tokmak in the Zaporozhye Region and Rachevka in the Kherson Region. In addition, a rocket of the American HIMARS multiple launch rocket system was intercepted near the community of Kremennaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 343 Ukrainian warplanes, 183 helicopters, 2,658 unmanned aerial vehicles, 396 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,099 tanks and other combat armored vehicles, 931 multiple rocket launchers, 3,685 field artillery guns and mortars and 7,599 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.

FBI, Ukraine IT Army & Fauci: How Elon Musk's Twitter Files Sent Liberals Into Meltdown

©AFP 2022 / ANGELA WEISS

Twitter’s new owner Elon Musk is continuing to release material within the framework of his "Twitter Files" dump, which remains largely ignored by the US mainstream media. Jason Goodman, a US investigative journalist and founder of Crowdsource the Truth has discussed with Sputnik why Musk dubbed the platform "a crime scene."

Opinion & Analysis

Sputnik news: What's you take on Elon Musk's Twitter dumps? Have they been truly "revealing" so far? What is the most damning among Twitter exposes, in your opinion?

Jason Goodman: Musk taking over Twitter is encouraging and has revealed evidence that corroborates what many of us have long suspected, but there are still many unanswered questions and of course no indication that Musk is near the end of his revelations.

Internal chat messages have helped us understand the process that led to the banning of Donald Trump and other major milestones, but we do not yet understand the full scope of malfeasance that took place at Twitter 1.0, prior to Musk's ownership, that created the environment and practical infrastructure that enabled this. Troubling as this information is, it really isn't yet telling us about too much we didn't already know. The most damning information likely has not yet come to the surface.

Sputnik News: Some experts say that Musk's releases have not shed enough light on the FBI's role in censoring conservative netizens, banning Trump, suppressing the NY Post's Hunter Biden story. Could it be intentional? Or did the previous team get rid of all possible traces?

Jason Goodman: Musk is not a prosecutor, congressional representative, or the Department of Justice (DOJ). He is a private individual looking through the files of his new private property and revealing whatever he deems appropriate, in the timeframe he deems appropriate. He is on no particular schedule and we have no idea how long he might go on or how much he will ultimately release.

The fact that he has chosen to do this, particularly given the detrimental effect it could have on his public image and the stock price of his public companies, is laudable to say the least. We have not seen a private individual challenge the deep state in this manner prior to Trump.

Critics who say Musk's efforts haven't gone far enough to expose FBI manipulation of Twitter and the election should ask themselves "who among us has done more and what more could be done?" A Republican-led Congress now needs to take the information provided by Musk and use it to hold accountable those in the US government who participated in this unprecedented, extra-constitutional power grab.

Questions have been raised about former FBI General Counsel Jim Baker or other past and current Twitter employees destroying evidence or otherwise working to undermine Musk. These are valid lines of inquiry that should be considered.

People seem to have already forgotten that Twitter's former major shareholders and board members initially bristled at Musk's takeover plans, even invoking the investor protection strategy known as the poison pill.

It remains unclear and even suspicious that Twitter went from such a strong defensive position to an immediate flip flop demanding Musk buy even bringing legal action to force the sale. Why the sudden change of heart? Doesn't Twitter's public behavior cause anyone to be even slightly suspicious of their motives? Shouldn't we expect some other form of "poison pill" lurking somewhere deep in the bowels of the dirty bird that is intended to explode in Musk's face and damage him in some unexpected way? Why would Twitter owners, including Jack Dorsey, willingly put all of this damning information about their own wrongdoing into the hands of an adversary?

Sputnik News: What happened to Alexander Vindman, a retired United States Army lieutenant colonel, who emerged as a "star witness" during the 2019 impeachment hearings against then-President Donald Trump? Why is he having a meltdown over Musk's Twitter Files release, as if he could soon be busted for something bad?

Jason Goodman: Alexander Vindman has been having a very public Twitter meltdown. It could seem overly dramatic to those who do not understand what Twitter is. If you perceive it as a social media platform mostly intended for wasting time, having fun or arguing with strangers, Vindman's behavior seems over the top.

But if you see Twitter as what it actually is, it makes sense. Twitter may have begun as an innocent social media network, but as it has grown in popularity and use, it has been infiltrated by a vast network of criminals, including what many refer to as the "Deep State." In fact, by exposing the number of former US Intelligence Community ("IC") professionals who had careers at Twitter and elsewhere in social media, the deep state is being defined by their own resumes.

Elon Musk has revealed Twitter to be one of the tools of a frighteningly well established, previously hidden, neo-fascist arm of the US government that is enabled by a network of former IC professionals, think tank advisors, non-profit financiers, and foreign infiltrators, including Vindman.

While Vindman has publicly admitted to declining an offer to take up the position of Ukrainian Defense Minister, he has recently appeared in an interview with Kyiv Post which was recorded in Ukraine.

He said things in the interview that could cause a reasonable observer to believe he is in fact involved in Ukraine’s defense in some substantial capacity. Americans should be asking themselves where Vindman's loyalties truly lie and if the Ukrainian military or any other would be beyond the capability of infiltrating the US Armed Forces with an individual like Vindman.

Sputnik News: Given Vindman's apparent ties to Kiev, could his meltdown be connected with a potential exposure of the Ukrainian troll factory (aka "Ukraine IT Army") after Musk declared war on bots and scammers?

Jason Goodman: Senior Cyber Security Researcher Stefan Soesanto released a detailed report on Ukraine’s IT Army in June. Soesanto described a hybrid military and civilian unit unlike anything seen before that relies on “individuals located outside of Ukraine” as well as Ukrainians “working for Western companies,” among others, in its vast ranks.

Soesanto describes a tactic that fundamentally relies upon infiltration, and although he doesn’t specifically identify Vindman, the lieutenant colonel's prior public behavior certainly makes him a suspect in any investigation of Ukraine’s IT Army as described by Soesanto.

I personally believe Vindman is an active participant in the Ukraine IT Army and his social media posts include operational instructions for other members of the organization who openly communicate via steganographic messages in plain sight on Twitter and elsewhere. If Musk is allowed to continue revealing evidence, perhaps we will soon know more about Vindman and other traitors utilizing the platform as a venue for conducting cyber warfare against US civilians.

Sputnik News: What's your take on Musk's recent hint about "prosecuting" Anthony Fauci? The new Twitter owner also said that Fauci had "lied to Congress and funded gain-of-function research that killed millions of people." What damning information about Fauci could the Twitter Files contain?

Jason Goodman: Musk has made careless, legally actionable statements in the past that have gotten him into trouble. He was famously sued for calling a British diver "pedo guy" in or around 2019. Although Musk was vindicated by a victory in that suit, he clearly speaks his mind at will, leaving potential consequences as a secondary consideration. He's recently revealed that his maverick milestone interview with Joe Rogan in which he smoked marijuana live in studio with the podcast host resulted in mandatory drug testing for all SpaceX employees. His comments on the subject seemed to indicate regret.

Perhaps now that he is over 50, Musk has greater consideration of the possible unintended side effects of his actions, but we can't necessarily assume any statement he makes is based on conclusive evidence so much as it may be based on Musk's own unique opinions. That being said, there is a lot of evidence that is likely to prove that Fauci lied and pushed a predetermined narrative rather than actually following any legitimate scientific method.

Additional attention has been paid to the fact that Fauci's daughter Alison remains employed at Twitter and active on the platform. Since the moment I revealed her account about two years ago, Alison Fauci has locked the account and has protected her tweets, which now can only be seen by her followers as she remains hidden on the platform.

Sputnik News: Musk's Neuralink has already come in the federal crosshairs. Do you think the Biden administration and liberals will unleash an all-out war against Musk?

Jason Goodman: It is clear to see "World War Musk" has already been unleashed. We have not seen the press turn on a formerly beloved celebrity billionaire executive like this since Donald Trump announced his presidential candidacy.

As an immigrant to the United States from South Africa, Musk is ineligible to run for president, but still, he occupies pop culture consciousness like few others before him. What he has done with Twitter is the single largest effort to expose the deep state since Trump's departure from the main public stage.

Sputnik News: Is Musk acting alone or does he have some influential "backers" behind him (given that he has long been rumored to have supporters in the Defense Department/Washington)?

Jason Goodman: Musk is a difficult mystery to unravel. We know he has numerous direct ties to various departments of the US government as a result of his involvement in space exploration, motor vehicle and medical device manufacturing. These areas are heavily regulated, subsidized, and even utilized by numerous government agencies. Much of the "evidence" presented by independent researchers into Musk's background does not hold up to strict scrutiny.

Like any controversial figure, Musk has long been maligned with innuendo and partial truths. He clearly had financial backing in his Twitter takeover, but by all measures, those institutions and individuals bet on Musk and his unique style rather than the financial viability of Twitter as evaluated through traditional means. It is reasonable to assume those backers take a "give him the money and get out of his way" approach based on implicit trust in the unique genius and undeniable track record of Elon Musk. As far as any elements in the US government supporting Musk's current Twitter related efforts, I see no signs of that.

Musk needs to start looking into the Brookings Institution and other think tanks meddling in US policy, social media policy and the Department of Homeland Security oversight. I have important questions about Twitter's former head of news, government and elections Adam Sharp, who left abruptly in December 2016 after being widely recognized as the single most important executive in the politicization of Twitter.

We need to go back to the beginning to truly understand how Twitter was turned into a political weapon, who did it, and for what purpose. I think I know, but we need more evidence from Elon Musk to prove it.