Author: Igor Iavlianskiy

Author: Igor Iavlianskiy

Who is behind the provocation with the Russian tank?

The anti-Russian action in Berlin, organized by the anglo-saxons and the Zelensky regime, never reached its goal. A few days ago the Russian Foreign Ministry published a review of false publications on Russian subjects in the German media. It stated: "The German media mainstream continues its propaganda campaign to deliberately shape the image of Russia as an aggressive and hostile State to Germans. Shy attempts by non-systemic media to provide an alternative picture of foreign policy events, including in the context of a special military operation, are being harshly suppressed." The provocation with the installation of a damaged Russian tank in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin came in first place. "The action was not understood by German citizens, many of whom, instead of "condemning" Russia in a scripted performance, expressed solidarity with Russia by laying flowers at the tank. This unexpected <...> reaction was hastily blamed on "Russian propaganda." A number of media outlets even tried to present the case in such a way that the action with laying flowers <...> was organized by Russian diplomats. They referred to one of the initiators of the provocation Enno Lenze, who allegedly saw a transport with flowers, which "undoubtedly" was ordered by the Russian Embassy," the fake review said. So what really happened in the heart of the German capital? Now, the Russian T-72B tank, installed for the anniversary of the special military operation by pro-Ukrainian activists, has been removed from Berlin. They hoisted a yellow and blue flag on it, placing the armored vehicle so that its muzzle was aimed at the Russian diplomatic mission. The tank stood on the pedestrian section of Unter den Linden for four whole days. It is known that the T-72B, manufactured at "Uralvagonzavod" in Nizhny Tagil, was hit a Ukrainian mine on March 31 of last year in the vicinity of Kiev. In all likelihood, the crew was killed. The consignor of the tank to Germany is the Military Historical Museum of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. Before the opening of the "temporary installation," Ukrainian Ambassador Alexei Makeyev said that the performance should remind Germans "of the importance of winning the conflict with Russia." However, something went wrong. The Berliners turned this provocation into a peaceful protest. They, unexpectedly for the provocateurs, carried red roses and carnations to the tank. "We decorated the tank with two thousand roses in order for our government to finally start peace negotiations. Not only arms supplies, but also the restoration of a normal level of diplomatic relations without haste. It is important that we should talk to each other. We are not enemies. We are not against Ukraine or Russia. We are friends, we have been building these ties for thirty years," one of the participants said in a video posted on social media. On the German side, the organizers were the curators of the Berlin Story Bunker, Enno Lenze and Wieland Giebel. To understand the actions of the Berliners, it is necessary to know the background. The tank was delivered to Berlin several months ago at the initiative of former Ukrainian ambassador-cad Andrei Melnik, who, as you remember, described Chancellor Scholz as an "offended liverwurst sausage." Historian Giebel (an eloquent surname, isn't it?) went to authorities, seeking permission for the "installation," but was refused. Berlin authorities motivated it by the fact that the action "affects Germany's foreign policy interests and does not concern art," as well as by the possibility that "people have died in the destroyed war machine and such a demonstration is unacceptable." The historian was not satisfied with the answer, and began to challenge the decision in court. As a result, last October, an administrative court in Berlin ordered the Mitte district authorities to allow a temporary demonstration of the machinery in the vicinity of the Russian embassy. This was the background against which Berliners carried flowers to the tank. The emotions of most were directed against the war and in memory of those who may have died in that very car. However, the peaceful course of the protest was interrupted by aggressive youths, presumably Ukrainians, who tore the Russian flag (the tricolor was also placed on the tank) and began, despite the protests of the other participants, to pick flowers from the armor and trample it. The police were indifferent at first, but then they detained some of the especially rampaging guys and took them aside, where they let them go quietly. "The anglo-saxons and the Zelensky regime spent millions. Most of that money was stolen. They used the rest to make installations and it turned out so mediocre that it played against them," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova wrote in her Telegram Channel. It is noteworthy that at the same time at the nearby Brandenburg Gate a rally of many thousands called "Rebellion for Peace" took place. (Our website reported on this pacifist protest in detail). It was organized by Bundestag deputy from the Left Party Sarah Wagenknecht and feminist Alice Schwarzer. They called for the cessation of military aid to Ukraine and the immediate start of negotiations. The day before, these political figures posted an online petition "Manifesto for Peace," which has already been signed by more than 746,000 Germans. ...However, anti-Russian detractors can not calm down. From Berlin the long-suffering tank went further - to the Netherlands. First to Amsterdam, then to The Hague, and then - to the Freedom Museum near Nijmegen. There it will remain for several months, tentatively until July.

A split personality in Germany

Disagreements on key foreign policy issues are arising in German political circles. First and foremost, this concerns the Ukrainian crisis. According to the weekly Der Spiegel, the German authorities refused to create a National Security Council. And all because Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) after months of consultations could not agree on who would head it and who would be its members. The idea was that this structure, copied from the U.S., would "improve coordination between the Chancellor's Office and the ministries." Experts note that the frantic Annalena is pursuing an almost independent line in the same Ukrainian crisis, not really coordinating her steps with the head of the Berlin cabinet. The conflict has reached a critical level: specially trained employees in the Chancellor's Office are quietly gathering compromising material on Baerbock in a separate file. The head of the Foreign Ministry recently said that she had been warned not to joke about the Chancellor and not to say anything unnecessary. "Berbock is in conflict with Scholz. From her first day in the coalition government, she started trying to pursue her foreign policy without consulting him. She visits other countries, determines agenda by herself, first to Paris, then to Warsaw, Brussels...," says well-known German political scientist Alexander Rahr. Theoretically, he said, the head of the Foreign Ministry may not coordinate all her actions with the head of the government. However, the Chancellor has the right of the last word. Moreover, Baerbock violates the provisions of the coalition agreement, which clearly stipulates that she is not the one who determines the foreign policy strategy. This approach of the "pushmi-pullyu", colorfully described in Chukovsky's "Dr. Powderpill," significantly weakens Berlin's actions on the international scene, which are already highly dependent on the commands of the overseas sovereign. The split is also taking place at the expert level. Thus, a respected political scientist and former head of the Munich Security Conference Wolfgang Ischinger called to prepare general conditions for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. "In addition to arms supplies and financial support, we must offer a perspective to the growing chorus of critical questions in the United States as well as in Germany," he wrote in a commentary for Berlin's Tagesspiegel newspaper published March 12. His proposal seems like a good thing, but on closer inspection it doesn't look like such a thing. According to the convoluted scheme he announced, an international political-strategic contact group for the peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis should be created. This would be similar to the tried-and-true "Ramstein format," which, according to Ischinger, has proven successful in organizing military aid to Kiev. Such a group could "form the nucleus, or at least part of the mediation group," if it comes to Russian-Ukrainian negotiations. At the same time, the decision to start negotiations should be made solely by Ukraine. At present, however, he believes that such a step would be tantamount to a "partial capitulation to the aggressor." So, according to Ischinger, the contact group could include the United States, United Kingdom, France and Germany. They would rally other partner states around them, in particular Canada, Spain, Poland, Italy, the Baltic states, as well as the UN, EU, OSCE and NATO. Its task is to study in advance the possible options for a peace agreement, to discuss the principal details. Who, for example, could control the peace process? To what extent are measures for the disengagement of forces or the creation of no-fly zones necessary? According to his plan, this group should hold regular meetings at the level of foreign ministers. Is this the new UN Security Council (without Russia and China) or the "big horde" of the Council of Ministers? At the same time, Ischinger spoke sharply about German politicians calling for the cessation of military aid to Ukraine and the immediate start of negotiations. This refers to the recent protests under the slogan "Rebellion for Peace," which were organized by the politician of the Left Party, Bundestag member Sahra Wagenknecht and the well-known feminist Alice Schwarzer, about whom our website wrote in detail. Earlier, they published a petition called "Manifesto for Peace," which has already been signed by 746,000 Germans. By the way, in response to this mass action, another petition was launched - with an appeal not to stop military aid to Kiev. However, it has not yet become widespread. However, it completely demonstrates the split of political personalities in Germany.

Serbia finally loses Kosovo

President Vucic is ready to trade his sacred land for the thorny road to the European Union. These "30 pieces of silver" will hurt him. March 18 may become a black date in the history of modern Serbia. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister of the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo Albin Kurti are expected to sign the so-called Franco-German plan, coordinated with the United States, at a meeting in Northern Macedonia on this day, which implies recognition by both sides of each other's territorial integrity, refusal to use force and creation of permanent missions in Belgrade and Prishtina. Earlier, on February 27, in Brussels, in the presence of the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, the same participants discussed details of this document, which, according to the plan of the puppeteers, would open for the Kosovars a direct path to NATO and the UN, and for the Serbs - to the much desired European Union. Then Vucic was unable to put his signature, and he asked for a pause. The pause was needed to try to convince his fellow citizens that there was no other way than to agree to Kosovo's membership in the UN, "but not to recognize the autonomous province's independence." The Serbian opposition, ready to revolt, believes that Vucic is no less than on the verge of committing treason. If he recognizes de facto Kosovo, he will violate the constitution. It is clearly written that these lands are an integral part of Serbia. The clock, however, is ticking. Last week the EU special representative Miroslav Lajcak, who is responsible for implementing the plan, visited Pristina. By the way, he is an MGIMO graduate and a Slovakian citizen of Ruthenian origin. On March 13-14 the diplomat-mediator is expected in Belgrade. His task is to settle the last points of contention. There is no direct indication in the draft agreement that Serbia will recognize Kosovo's independence. But there is one point of principle, which implies that Belgrade would not mind the membership of the self-proclaimed republic in international organizations, primarily in the UN. "The parties assume that neither of them can represent the other on the international scene or speak on its behalf. Serbia will not oppose the membership of Kosovo in any international organization," Article 4 states. De facto, this is a recognition of independence of the former autonomous province. As we know, only a sovereign state whose territorial integrity and statehood are not disputed can become a member of the UN. What does the collective West want by forcing Serbia to take this unseemly anti-state step? The U.S. and Brussels want Belgrade to legitimize with its own hands the wars provoked by the Americans and their allies in the former Yugoslavia. And the bombing of Belgrade, too. As for the EU, Brussels has made recognition of Kosovo the main and indispensable condition for Serbia's possible membership in the European Union. Another principal goal is to tear this Balkan country away from Russia. Talks of pro-European Serbian politicians that Moscow could obtain "its ally" in the European Union do not hold water. They are supposed to dance to one tune and march in line. Previously, Vucic frankly admitted that he was between a hammer and anvil. It is not easy for him to maneuver. For example, he was required to support anti-Russian sanctions and condemn Moscow for conducting a special military operation, but he did not take these steps. Not yet… However, everything in modern politics is relative. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, during a meeting with Vucic on the sidelines of the Munich conference, expressed his gratitude for his support of Ukraine. What are we talking about? Belgrade has sent Kiev humanitarian aid: equipment to maintain its energy system. The point is that Serbia inherited from Yugoslavia a stock of equipment compatible with Soviet-type substations and power grids, which Ukrenergo continues to operate. It is the absence of such power equipment from Western allies that prevents Ukrainian power engineers from restoring thermal power plants destroyed by Russian strikes. A few days ago, in addition, there was information that 122mm rockets for Grad MLRS were being sent to Ukraine, through Turkey and Slovakia. They are produced by the Serbian state defense enterprise "Krusik." Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that Russia is closely following media reports about ammunition supplies from Serbia, which cause "deepest concern." She demanded Belgrade to comment on the reports. President Vucic said on TV Happy on March 9 that the batch of ammunition was shipped to Turkey with the proviso that the missiles "must not leave this country." "It was not about Ukraine or Russia, but if you export to Azerbaijan, some Arab countries, it can end up in Russia. And if you export to Spain, America (apparently, Latin America. - Auth.), Turkey, and if you export to Turkey, it can end up on any side, there are different traders. And we have to live and provide for people in Valjevo, Cacak... Our economy must develop, we produce weapons and ammunition, not heels and shoe insoles," he summarized. Let's get back to the Kosovo agreement that Vucic is being forced to sign. There is no doubt that Serbia will explode with anti-presidential protests. The unrest will also affect the Republika Srpska, which is part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its leaders have repeatedly stated that if Kosovo were to secede, they would have the moral right to seek to leave BiH and join "Mother Serbia." This will not be peaceful. And this threatens a new Balkan war.

A Georgian-style Maidan

Another "color revolution," orchestrated from overseas, is sweeping Tbilisi. The ultimate goal is to open a "second front" against Russia. The second episode of the "Rose Revolution" called "20 Years Later" is showing in Tbilisi. Once again there are mass disturbances in the capital, organized by supporters of the pro-Western opposition. Veterans of the Georgian Legion, whose militants are fighting on the side of the AFU, have arrived. Ukrainian emissaries, who feel at ease in Georgia, have revived. President Salome Zurabishvili, who was born and had a diplomatic career in France, made a fiery speech in support of the US protesters in front of the Statue of Liberty instead of where the Aragvi and Kura rivers meet. The unrest started (as if on cue!) after the parliament passed the first reading of the bill "On Foreign Influence Transparency." It is based on a similar American document, and states that non-profit legal entities and media outlets will receive the status of foreign agents if more than 20% of their revenues come from abroad. Such organizations, which are a dime a dozen, must register, or face heavy fines. The Ministry of Justice will have the right to launch an investigation against them, which could even lead to imprisonment. This bill and the bill "On the Registration of Foreign Agents," which goes hand in hand with it, were introduced by parliamentarians from the "People's Power" public movement, which emerged after the start of a special military operation. One of the goals of this political association is to counter "the propaganda of liberal ideology and the desire of the West to drag Georgia into the war." The initiative was supported by colleagues from the faction of the ruling "Georgian Dream" party. However, the American ambassador to Georgia, Kelly Degnan, contrary to the obvious facts, pointed out that the document has no connection with the U.S. act. In her opinion, the submitted draft repeats the main provisions of the Russian law on foreign agents, which is "used there to suppress dissent." "Georgia does not need these laws. Georgia already has sufficient protection and transparency of financial aid, which serves the interests of the Georgian people," the puppeteer-curator stressed. On March 7-8, opposition supporters, instead of the traditional Women's Day celebration, diligently trashed Tbilisi. The police detained 76 of the most active ones. They were charged with administrative offenses of disorderly conduct and disobedience to law enforcement. About 50 law enforcement officers were injured in the clashes. The law enforcers used water cannons, tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the protesters. As a result, the "Georgian Dream" and its supporting unions let their guard down and on March 9 announced the withdrawal of the act. "We can see that the adopted bill has caused controversy in society. The lying machine was able to present it in a negative light and mislead a certain part of the population," their joint statement indicated. This reaction, which, however, is typical of hot Georgians, was spontaneous and legally unfounded. The fact is that the bill, which was passed in the first reading, cannot be buried without the obligatory parliamentary procedure. Therefore, on March 10, the document was submitted for a second reading, and the deputies rejected it according to all the rules. Logically, after that the riot should have stopped. Moreover, the Georgian Interior Ministry said that all those detained for administrative violations at the protests had been released. But that was not enough. The "Georgian-style Maidan" continues, but with a different agenda - the demand to overthrow the current government. The "colored revolution" plot, which has been repeatedly tested by the West, led by the United States, continues to work and even wins in some places! The opposition urged supporters to continue protesting until they were assured that Georgia would follow a pro-Western course. Here are the points. Overthrow the legitimate government of the "Georgian Dream," whose leaders have become too independent and even dare to push for greater sovereignty of the country. Return Georgians to the ranks of kneeling candidates for accession to the European Union and NATO. Achieve the release of Mikheil Saakashvili. And, finally, the main idea - to encourage the Genatsevale to open a "second front" against Russia, to try by force to return "the lost territories under the control of Moscow. The protesters that felt their impunity, for example, burned the Russian flag right on Rustaveli Avenue, and then started to chant loudly "Sukhum! Sukhum!", demanding the return of Abkhazia to the Georgian state. Press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov assured that Russia has no connection to the draft law that has stirred up Georgia. "We can see that someone's hand, again, we cannot say 'invisible hand' - it is visible, we can see where the President of Georgia is addressing the people, it is not from Georgia that she is addressing Georgians. She is speaking from America. And someone's visible hand is trying diligently to add anti-Russian elements here, again," the Kremlin spokesman said. ...The disgusting prank that accompanied and will continue to accompany the unrest is noteworthy. A group of provocateurs was walking around among the protesters with a severed pig's head and yellow and blue flags, calling for collective photos to be taken under the banner "No to Russian laws!". However, the Georgians seem to have forgotten that Russia has a completely different totem animal. Don't make the bear angry!

Germany: Frau want to take international affairs into their own hands

The German authorities intend to invest 12 billion euros in projects of women's rights protection, gender equality and participation of ladies in foreign policy. On the eve of International Women's Day, two ministers from Olaf Scholz's cabinet released an 88-page government plan of feminist foreign policy. This was done by the head of the Foreign Ministry, the indefatigable Annalena Baerbock (Greens) and the Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Svenja Schulze (SPD). Doesn't it remind you of anything? Personally, it reminds me of another couple. We're talking about the fiery German revolutionary Clara Zetkin (née Clara Josephine Eisner) and her comrade in arms, Rosa Luxemburg (née Rosalia Luxenburg), to whom we owe the special day of March 8. Not a day of beautiful ladies, flowers and spring, but a revolutionary celebration of women's solidarity in the struggle for their rights and emancipation. It is noteworthy that both of these flamboyant Frau are associated with Russia. Clara passed away at the Arkhangelskoye estate near Moscow, then was cremated and the urn with her ashes was placed in the columbarium near the Kremlin wall. Rosa was born in Poland, which was part of the Russian Empire, and was recorded in the metric as Rosalia Eduardovna. It turns out that their revolutionary cause lives and thrives until today. The federal government's "women's" plan stipulates, among other things, that at least 8 percent of German development funds must be aimed at projects related to gender equality. Another 85% of funds are required to have this goal as a secondary objective. A total of 12 billion euros is to be allocated to support the "women's offensive.» Even the position of "ambassador for feminist foreign policy" is introduced for the coordination. "We will work hard to make sure that our foreign service has a more feminine face and to increase the proportion of women in top positions. We will also direct our financial resources more systematically to the service of a feminist foreign policy," said Baerbock. The first female head of the German Foreign Ministry ever decidedly made the sacrifice. She has two daughters, born in 2011 and 2015, who grow up without a mother's affection and care. They see her more often on television, sometimes in a helmet and bulletproof vest. Husband Danielle gave up a profitable position at the Deutsche Post for his wife's political career and childcare. Schulze, the childless ober-diplomat's partner in introducing the initiative, noted that countries with higher levels of gender equality suffer less from hunger and poverty and are politically more stable. Baerbock, for her part, emphasized that women's participation in peace treaties makes them more sustainable. However, she does not forget to take care of her appearance (at the taxpayers' expense, of course). Not only at home, but also on trips abroad (including to Ukraine) she is accompanied by a personal makeup artist, who receives a monthly salary of 7,500 euros. In particular, he does Annalena's hair and makeup before TV and photo shoots. Now let's turn to the history of modern diplomatic feminism. It was initiated by the Swedish Social Democrat Margot Wallström, who was the head of her country's foreign ministry in 2014. She used her position to promote women's careers in the government apparatus and to allocate funds for feminist projects abroad. Christina Luntz is considered a "pioneer" in this field in Germany. Together with like-minded people, she founded the "Center for Feminist Foreign Policy" in Berlin. Its staff provides consultation, conducts research and develops proposals for international and security policy. "Feminism tries to destroy structures that rely on violence," Luntz declares. She cites the fight against terrorism as an example. According to her, 90 percent of terrorists around the world are men. This is due to the fact that society accepts aggressive behavior on the part of boys. Girls, on the other hand, are generally brought up to behave in a restrained manner. Where, then, one may ask, do the female shahids come from? In Germany, there are experts (predominantly men) who believe that the concept of a feminist foreign policy has not yet been sufficiently elaborated. Among the supporters are those who advocate a "maximalist approach" and those who adhere to the "realist school." The former want to implement a peace-loving, utopian-based international policy at all costs. Others seek primarily to help women pursue careers in diplomacy, in the armed forces, and in those areas of civil society that are related to international and security policy. Baerbock is torn between these two poles. She, on the one hand, advocates peace, but, on the other hand, demands to send "Leopards" to Kiev. Don't call me a misogynist, but, to me, she'd be better off raising her daughters… Germans do not celebrate International Women's Day widely. Germany continues to fight. For women's rights and emancipation! How do they not get tired? As for us, spring has arrived along with a bright holiday. Happy 8th of March to you, my darlings!

Scholz whispered to Biden about his concerns

The German chancellor paid a visit to Washington for the first time since the start of the special military operation. The conversation at the White House, without witnesses, touched upon a sensitive and failing subject: what to do about Ukraine? It was a strange visit. The head of the Berlin cabinet arrived in the U.S. on March 3 without informing the Bundestag deputies in detail about the purpose and content of the upcoming talks. This is something new in his policy, because Germany is a parliamentary republic, and previously it was customary here to consult with the people's deputies. Scholz was not accompanied by a journalist pool (20-25 people), which used to be considered a common practice. The talks in the Oval Office were held face-to-face, without assistants, advisors, or note-takers. A press conference was not scheduled. The only thing done was a joint photo and, afterwards, short statements to the media. Four minutes for everything. "I would like to note that in addition to the military assistance, the moral support that you provided to the Ukrainians was also of great importance," the American leader stressed. Scholz: "It is important to send the message that we will continue to support (Ukraine) for as long as it takes and for as long as necessary." Also, on the eve of the voyage, the chancellor posted a message on Twitter in German and English: "Thank you for your leadership and friendship, Joe! It's good to be back here in Washington. Transatlantic coordination is indispensable and has never been stronger. We are steadfast in our support for Ukraine. Freedom and peace for Ukraine is our common goal." The tête-à-tête conversation was brief, too - only a little over an hour. Should Scholz have had to fly to a far country for such a short contact with the sovereign? According to German experts, it was worth it, because the main sponsors of Kiev discussed the tactics and strategy of their joint actions on the Ukrainian track, which is now in a deadlock. And there was a lot to whisper about. We can assume that Scholz was speaking out about a burning issue. For example, how should Berlin behave in the story of the undermining of Nord Stream, which the U.S. claims was carried out by Americans? Germany, as we know, released its Leopards only after Biden gave in to the chancellor's insistence and agreed to supply Ukraine with Abrams tanks. But where is this formidable machine? The States first promised that 31 vehicles (which is a drop in the ocean!) would be shipped at the end of this year. Then that it will most likely happen next spring. So what to expect? Biden with all his recent actions unambiguously demonstrates that now he sees not Berlin and Paris, but Warsaw as the main military and political ally in Europe. The Germans traditionally do not have the best relations with the Poles, so Scholz is worried and disappointed… And how should we understand the unfriendly actions of the United States, which has set out to lure German firms to its territory with tax breaks and energy incentives? Another pain point is the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act. Germany and the EU are worried that it will severely damage European exports. Why would the U.S. "sink" its allies, whose economy has already "gone into a tailspin" due to the special military operation? It appears that the Ukrainian crisis has significantly exacerbated the contradictions between Berlin and Washington. Although in public the leaders of these countries demonstrate mutual understanding, unwavering determination, and a deep alliance. It should be understood that the negotiations were closely watched in Kiev. The general uneasy mood was expressed by the former ambassador - boor (the one who called the chancellor an "offended liverwurst") and now Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Melnik: "Of course, from the Ukrainian perspective, it is important that the United States and Germany - as our key allies - coordinate their military assistance as closely as possible. The fact that things are not going well in this process worries us." It is unclear what Scholz and Biden talked about and in what details. According to scant official information, the U.S. president emphasized that the United States was acting in unison with the FRG to provide critical military assistance to Ukraine. He confirmed that he was referring to the full range of arms supplies to Kyiv, from ammunition and artillery to tanks and air defense systems. Biden also joked that politicians had "solved all the world's problems." We will learn more about specific agreements, if they have been reached, of course. We would like to believe that a confidential conversation would at least put an end to the chaos that currently reigns in bilateral relations. Before Scholz's visit, for example, there were voices in the FRG about the advisability of transferring a number of German defense enterprises (in particular, manufacture of 155 mm NATO standard shells, which the AFU is desperately short of) to the US. But there is another trend: the German concern Rheinmetall began negotiations with Ukraine on the construction of a plant on its territory to produce modern tanks (up to 300 pieces per year!). This seems to be a bad situation. If the German shells will really be produced overseas, how much time and effort will it take to deliver this "consumable material" to the theater of combat operations? If German tanks will be made in Ukraine, how is it planned to protect the plant from missile attacks by the Russian Armed Forces? That's not good. Think, Scholz. "Old Joe" is not your best adviser here.

Lambrecht asked to resign

Note: this is a machine translation from the original Russian text German Defense Minister Lambrecht, who became a universal irritant and a joke, could not resist the barrage of criticism and asked for her resignation. The military Frau explained her step by excessive media attention to her modest persona, while "the Bundeswehr soldiers and the goals of the defense department require attention." Lambrecht filed her resignation on her own last week. She wisely decided that it was not worth waiting for Chancellor Scholz to dismiss her. With her constant punctures, which our website wrote about in detail just last week, she literally pinned the head of the Berlin cabinet to the wall. Not only has Lambrecht long been a bone in the throat of the conservative opposition, military experts and the leadership of the Bundeswehr, she decided to flee and encroached on harmony. After winning the elections and forming a "traffic light" coalition (Social Democrats, Greens and Free Democrats), Scholz promised that half of his cabinet would consist of female ministers. "Now the chancellor has a problem with the ladies," wrote the influential German newspaper Bild. His trouble, according to the publication, is that, following the principle of gender equality and his promise, he will again look for another frau as a candidate for the post of head of the military department. A vicious and vicious circle. The Bundeswehr, which has almost given up the fighting spirit, has been under a sharp ladies' heel for ten years. Lambrecht was the third minister in a skirt. Is it really necessary to wait for the fourth? "The Chancellor has accepted his resignation and will present a new candidate in a timely manner," Cabinet Speaker Christiane Hoffmann said at a briefing on Monday. According to her, Scholz respected the decision of the Minister of Defense, thanked for the good work. According to the Ministry of Defense, Lambrecht will perform duties until the official presentation of the document on dismissal. That is, until Scholz finds a new woman... It is unclear, however, whether she will take part in the next meeting in the so-called "Ramstein format", which will be held on January 20 at the American air base located on the territory of Germany. It was previously planned that she would be the one to lead it. However, now the situation is as follows: Lambrecht no longer goes to work at the ministry, but is involved in the "remote". "The Federal Chancellor should fill out the Ministry of Defense, which is extremely important for the security of Germany, not from the point of view of gender, but based solely on the competence of the employee," commented Vice-president of the Bundestag, free Democrat Wolfgang Kubitsky. Let me remind you of some of the most striking transgressions of the military Frau over the past year. With the beginning of the SVO in Ukraine, Kristina "roused the whole Ivanovskaya" about the decision to send a valuable gift to the Nezalezhnaya – as many as five thousand beush military helmets. The whole of Europe laughed at her, and President Zelensky was offended to tears. At the end of April last year, on the sidelines of the international "meeting", which US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held at Ramstein Air Base, she issued a written statement according to which the Berlin cabinet pledged to transfer 50 Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine in an accelerated mode. However, it turned out that there are only 23 thousand shells for them in warehouses. This "reserve" will be enough when using all the promised ZSU for only 20 minutes of continuous combat. The original ammunition is produced by the Swiss company Oerlikon. However, Switzerland refused to supply them, as local law prohibits the export of military goods to conflict zones. The necessary shells were searched all over the world and, in the end, they were found for a lot of money... in Brazil. As a result, the first "Cheetahs" were sent to Ukraine only at the end of July, and most of the main batch – in August-September last year. Note: not in May-June, as promised. The last embarrassment happened quite recently – after the publication of her New Year's address to the German people. The video was shot on one of the streets of Berlin against the background of fireworks and the roar of firecrackers. "Fighting continues in the center of Europe. There were a lot of impressions that I got from it, and also met wonderful and interesting people. I want to say a heartfelt thank you for this," Lambrecht said. The video with explosions and positive impressions of the fighting on the territory of the Nezalezhnaya caused a completely justified negative reaction. A scandal stands out due to the fact that Lambrecht used a Bundeswehr helicopter for a private trip with her son. Just a couple of days ago, the details that the minister hid from the media were revealed. It turned out that Lambrecht went on a military helicopter on a business trip to inspect one of the army units in the north of Germany. She took her 22-year-old son Alexander with her. After visiting the barracks, they took a car provided by the Bundeswehr on vacation to the nearby Sylt Island in the North Sea. No one would have found out about this transgression if the heir had not posted photos with his mother on social networks at the rotorcraft and on vacation. Journalists paid attention to the picture. And off it went... There was a court, a lawsuit was filed by journalists of the Tagesspiegel publication. They demanded that Lambrecht answer all their questions related to the ill-fated trip. The line of defense was as follows: Lambrecht's trip took place, but within the framework of the law; she reimbursed the expenses for her son; this is officially confirmed. The official refused to name the amount of compensation. Meticulous "journalists" found out that such expenses are calculated in the departments according to the economy class fares of the airline Lufthansa. But civil aviation does not fly to the remote northern province. And yet the approximate price of the son's "air ticket" was set at 261 euros. A trifle, but as the newspaper Bild wrote, the principle is more expensive. The court of First Instance ruled that Lambrecht is obliged to answer all inconvenient questions. The Administrative Court of the second instance of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia rejected her complaint against the earlier decision of the administrative court in Cologne. According to German law, it is no longer possible to challenge the original decision. The military Frau had to give details and repent. It turned out, in particular, that it was she who took one of the photos of her son against the background of a helicopter. Lambrecht rejected the accusation that she mixes personal and official, although she admitted that "next time she would have acted differently." The story is actually instructive. This is how our colleagues from the German media defend their right to closely monitor officials of even the highest rank. Let it be about some trifle – 261 euros. This scandal added fuel to the fire, in which, figuratively speaking, Christina burned. R.I.P.

Turkey: foreign warships will not pass through the straits

Note: this is a machine translation from the original Russian text Ankara continues to build mutually beneficial relations with Russia, ignoring the angry shouts of the West. Planes, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles stationed on the boards of foreign military vessels that have received permission to stay in Turkey's internal waters or visit its ports will not be able to take off freely in the country's airspace without special permission. In addition, foreign military divers are also prohibited from diving unsupervised. An exception is made only for those cases when urgent quarantine control or repair is required. And then – with the permission of the authorities and accompanied by a Turkish diving team. Foreign warships are required to notify Turkish services 5 miles (8 km) before entering its internal waters or ports. This decision was made by a special decree of the Government on the basis of international law. We are talking about the "Straits Regime Convention" (better known as the "Montreux Convention"), which restored Turkey's sovereignty over the Black Sea Straits, as well as guaranteed the special rights of coastal States in terms of their use. It was signed on July 20, 1936, following a conference in the Swiss city of Montreux. Let me remind you that the document regulates in detail the passage of warships through the straits, putting the fleet of the Black Sea states in a preferential position. These countries have the right to conduct any of their warships in peacetime (subject to prior notification to the Turkish authorities). For the navies of other States, the convention establishes class restrictions, allowing passage to small surface ships, small combat and auxiliary vessels. "We have fulfilled and will continue to fulfill the provisions stipulated by the Montreux Convention. Until today, no request has been received. We have warned all countries that warships will not pass through the straits," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said. This, according to him, is connected with a special military operation carried out by the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine. Prior to that, in principle, warships of the United States, Great Britain and other NATO countries freely scurried through the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles, despite restrictions, which created a nervous situation in the Black Sea region. This decision of the Turkish authorities, if you look at it more closely, opens up wide opportunities for conspiracy theory. For example, various aircraft may well launch from foreign military vessels in the interests of the Ukrainian regime. Why not? The attack on October 29 of nine UAVs and seven autonomous naval unmanned aerial vehicles of the Nezalezhnaya on the ships of the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol is well known. "The preparation of this terrorist act and the training of servicemen of the Ukrainian 73rd Special Center for Naval Operations were carried out under the leadership of British specialists located in the city of Ochakov, Mykolaiv region of Ukraine," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement. Those who took a similar part in a larger–scale crime - the undermining of the "Northern Streams" in the Baltic Sea. Indeed, who is immune from the fact that such an attack will not be carried out, let's say, from British warships located in Turkish territorial waters? With divers, too, "oil painting". The "Turkish Stream" passes through the bottom of the Black Sea, through which gas comes from Russia. What is not an object for another attack? By the way, the USNI News website recently reported on the data received that three US Navy ships were simultaneously in the area of the Danish island of Bornholm during the explosion on the threads of the "Northern Streams". These are the landing ship Oak Hill, which arrived from Polish Gdynia, as well as the landing transport ships Arlington and Gunston Hall docks. What did they forget there? But they could, theoretically, deliver anything to the place of the terrorist attack: explosives, marine drones, combat swimmers, and deep-sea divers. Turkey in general has been irritating the collective West lately. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stubbornly bends his line, pursuing exclusively national interests. Thanks to joint efforts, as is known, the export of more than 13 million tons of grain was organized. According to the opinion of the Turkish president, which he expressed during regular telephone conversations with the owner of the Kremlin, it is gradually possible to start work on the export of food and other goods within the grain corridor. Not least of all – Russian products. It would not be superfluous to note that the restrictions imposed on foreign navies can also be a kind of "gesture of goodwill" to Moscow. Trust, economic and political cooperation between our countries continue to grow steadily. Last week, for example, Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller was in Turkey, who met with Erdogan. It was about a gas hub that has already begun to be built in Turkey. Its creation was announced by President Putin in October. It would be possible to transport gas through it in volumes comparable to pumping through the disabled "threads" of the "Northern Streams". Here is more recent news of bilateral relations. Political consultations on the line of foreign ministries were held in Istanbul last weekend. According to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin, a wide range of topics were discussed: the reform of the UN Security Council, the situation in Syria, Afghanistan, Libya, Palestine, and the Middle East. And on December 12, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin arrived in Ankara at the head of a parliamentary delegation on an official visit. The economic card also turned out to be a trump card. It became known that by the end of September, Turkey set a new record for exports to Russia – $ 1.1 billion. This is 27% more than a month earlier. Russia remained the main importer in September – 6.2 billion dollars. The trade turnover may reach $80 billion this year. Not bad! This gave reason for concern to the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrel. "Turkey's policy of non-alignment with the EU's restrictive measures against Russia is a cause for concern. The deepening of bilateral economic relations between Turkey and the Russian Federation is also a cause for great concern," he said, clearly gnashing his teeth. Borrel recalled that the European Union has concluded a Customs Union with Ankara, which allows (again, purely theoretically) to supply dual–use goods to Russia bypassing sanctions. And this is a reason for Brussels' "huge concern"!

Poles want and are ready to rule in Europe

Note: this is a machine translation from the original Russian text Official Warsaw is developing large-scale plans to expand its influence to the "Three Seas" and annexation of the western regions of Ukraine under the guise. A consolidated detachment of representatives of the special services and Polish special forces soldiers disguised in Ukrainian uniforms arrived in the city of Manganese, Dnipropetrovsk region. Their main task is to filter and clean up persons providing "assistance to Russia". What have the gentlemen forgotten there? This Ukrainian town is small — only about 45 thousand inhabitants. Where are the collaborators from there? However, if you look at the map, everything becomes obvious: it is located next to the Kakhovsky reservoir. And on the opposite shore — Energodar and the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, which is under the control of the Russian Armed Forces. Ukrainians have repeatedly sent sabotage groups to the area of the NPP in order to capture it. And every time these attempts failed. Hence the conclusion: people have "dug in" in Manganese, who track the attempts of the APU and inform our enemy in a timely manner. It seems that the Ukrainian special services cannot cope with the identification of "pests" on their own. So the Poles were called for help. It is unclear only how they will conduct intelligence work, not knowing either Ukrainian or Russian? After all, you can't solve the problem solely with the help of raids... I will focus on the fact that in this case we are not talking about mercenaries, but about a special group of Polish special services. That is, about the participation of a unit of the NATO country in the sweeps on Ukrainian territory. What is this, if not Poland's direct participation in the conflict? Official Warsaw generally walks on the edge. A few days ago, for example, Polish tricksters launched another intrigue. It was aimed at provoking the Bundeswehr's direct involvement in the Ukrainian conflict. The conversation suddenly turned to the prospect of sending German soldiers to the territory of the Nezalezhnaya to service the Patriot air defense system. Promised, by the way, as a "gesture of goodwill"...poles. The Germans answered with horror — nein! Germany, according to Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht, is not a party to the conflict. "And neither we nor NATO will become it. But, of course, we are very intensively supporting Ukraine, including with weapons," she said. And the story began with the almost outbreak of the third world nuclear war. After two missiles arrived on Polish soil from Ukraine on November 15 (announced first by Russian, and turned out to be Ukrainian), the compassionate Frau Lambrecht took the initiative: "We offered Poland assistance in ensuring the security of airspace – with the help of our Eurofighter fighters and Patriot air defense systems." Panov, as always, everyone shuddered. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, chairman of the ruling Law and Justice party Jaroslaw Kaczynski and Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, who joined them, unanimously spoke in favor of deploying German Patriots with personnel in Ukraine, near the Polish border. Interception of missiles in this case will, in their opinion, be more reliable! That is, the pani launched a kind of trial balloon to frame the Germans. Let me remind you that the Patriot air defense system belongs to the class of object-based air defense systems designed to protect large areas from aviation and ballistic missiles. The maximum detection range of a high—altitude target is 170 km. The radar station and control center make it possible to identify and escort 125 aerial targets over the entire range of ranges and altitudes. It also provides simultaneous targeting of missiles at eight targets, three for each. Lambrecht eventually rejected the provocative offer of Polish "friends". German air defense systems are, they say, part of the general NATO air defense system, their maintenance is carried out by specialists of the Bundeswehr. In order to use them outside the alliance, it is necessary to discuss this in Brussels first. Such decisions are "made only collectively." In fact, Germany has some experience in this regard. On March 16, shortly after the start of the SVO, the Patriot complex and the personnel of the Bundeswehr anti-aircraft missile group 26, which is based near the city of Husum (Schleswig-Holstein) on the North Sea coast, were transferred to Slovakia for six months. This was done on the instructions of NATO to "strengthen the eastern wing of the alliance." According to the Brussels strategists, this step will strengthen the deterrent potential of the alliance, protect the Slovak territory and its inhabitants from missile threats. As for Poland, it is strenuously looking for an excuse to bring its troops into the territory of Ukraine. "The information received by the SVR of Russia indicates that Warsaw is accelerating preparations for the annexation of Western Ukrainian lands: the territories of Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and most of the Ternopil regions of Ukraine," Sergei Naryshkin, director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, said recently. In the case of Patriot, Warsaw's trick is clear: to push itself forward (Polish. naprzód siebie) in the crisis region, a division of the Bundeswehr. And see what happens. By the way, British intelligence recently published an official report, according to which there are more Polish "soldiers of fortune" in Nezalezhnaya — 2,300 "bayonets". But it's not about them, but about regular troops. The goal is "to exercise tight military and political control over their historical possessions." But the introduction of army units, assuming a lightning-fast and very painful response of the Russian Armed Forces, will not allow the use of article No. 5 on the collective defense of NATO. And they are afraid to fight one-on-one with Moscow. Because of the "Daggers", and in general... It is no secret that Poland has been discussing options for a possible strengthening of the country, expanding its influence and borders for a long time and persistently. The plans are as follows. The first scenario, which is called "confederate", is based on the project "Intermarriage" (Polish. Międzymorze) of the former Prime Minister (head of State of Poland) Jozef Pilsudski, formulated after the First World War. It was about a confederate state that would include Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova, Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and possibly Finland. It was supposed to extend from the Black and Adriatic Seas to the Baltic. Now this project exists under the name "Three Seas". Croatia and Slovenia were added to the number of possible participants (after the breakup of Yugoslavia). In this union, Poland sees itself as the leader of the entire Eastern Europe. The second scenario is a conditional federation within the framework of the historical "Great Poland". The countries that were part of this state at different periods are considered: Poland itself within the modern borders (including the former German lands), Ukraine (without Novorossiya), Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and the Kaliningrad region. The third scenario is based on the possible defeat of the collective West in Ukraine and the proposed division of the independent between the neighbors. Poles believe that in this case, its western regions themselves will wish to find "a safe haven within Poland." ...Truly: I want to, and it stings. Official Warsaw, no matter how hot the ruling lords are, is afraid to carry out its plans to expand its territory "under the guise" and increase its influence not only in Eastern Europe, but also in the European Union without the support of NATO. But the Poles, supported by the United States, have already become so emboldened that they are not afraid to substitute their influential neighbor, Germany. Dangerous games! Official Berlin is unlikely to forget this.

Brazil: Lulu is back

Note: this is a machine translation from the original Russian text The change of power in the leading country of South America is unlikely to have, despite the attempts of the States, an impact on positive relations with Russia. The current President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, announced that he would not go to the G20 summit, which will be held on November 15-16 on the Indonesian island of Bali. Thus, he, in fact, admitted his defeat. Why rush to the end of the world with his agenda if his term of office expires at the end of the year. On January 1, power passes into the hands of the elected president, the leader of the left Party of Workers, 77-year-old Luis Inacio Lulu da Silva. Or just Lulu (this is a diminutive form of the name Louis. - Auth.), as it is called in a country where "there are so many wild monkeys." In the second round, he scored 50.9% (against Bolsonaro's 49.1%), which gave a difference of only 2.1 million out of 120 million votes cast. Bolsonaro's supporters are still standing at the gates of the barracks, demanding to carry out a military coup and return Lulu to prison, from where he left not so long ago. But Jair seems to have decided to peacefully transfer power and not provoke a conflict. Let me remind you that in July 2017, Lulu was behind bars. He was sentenced to 9.5 years in prison in a case of corruption and money laundering. During the investigation, it was found that during his tenure as head of state (two terms), a corruption scheme was organized in which construction companies received contracts for major projects for Petrobras oil, transferring kickbacks to the ruling Workers' Party and its leaders. In November 2019, Lulu, after spending 580 days in prison, was released. And in March 2021, the Federal Supreme Court cleared him of all charges. The 35th (2003-2011) and 39th (elected) president of Brazil played such a "Latin American roulette": if they wanted to, they put them in jail, if they wanted to, they released them. Who launched it? All the intrigues are connected with the active participation of the US Embassy (read – the White House) in the internal life of Brazil. When Donald Trump, a supporter of traditional values, was at the helm in the States, the American diplomatic mission actively supported Bolsonara. Leftist forces in Latin America claimed that the whole story of Lula's trial was initiated by his republican administration in order to open the way to the presidential palace to his protege. Now Democrat Joe Biden, a supporter of liberal values and gender ideology, rules the ball in Washington. From his point of view (or rather, from the point of view of his puppeteers), Bolsonaro, who preaches Christian morality, is an enemy. He had to be removed. It is no coincidence that since 2020, when the government changed in the United States, he was attacked inside the country - by governors and the judiciary, who denounced him, accusing him of authoritarianism and other sins. At the same time, Lulu, perhaps the only Brazilian charismatic politician who could seriously compete with the current president, was also put forward to the forefront. To begin with, American well-wishers thoroughly "laundered" him, assisted in the removal of all charges, coached him in the right liberal way (during the election campaign he flirted with the LGBT community and even decided to support abortion freedom), after which they threw him into battle. Lulu is an experienced politician. For example, he quickly realized that in Brazil, where 70% of the population does not support the topic of artificial termination of pregnancy, democratic agitation will not take place. In the second round, he abruptly changed his position, speaking in favor of banning abortions. And he switched to economic issues, putting the fight against poverty at the forefront. And now, actually, the main question is: why did the Biden administration bet on Lulu? Today, Brazil is a major player in the regional and international arenas. It claims to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council. Related to this is her activity in the "Group of Four" (Brazil, Germany, India, Japan). The members of this association have pledged to support the application of any of its participants for a permanent seat in the Security Council in the event of its expansion. Brazil is a member of the BRICS and the group of twenty leading economies in the world. It is considered the "locomotive of development" in South America. This leads to the conclusion that the leader of this country, no matter who supports him – Trump or Biden – knows his own worth and will definitely not be a puppet of the States (in the literal sense of the word). And yet the list of expectations for Lulu from "Washington a la Biden" is very wide. I will name the main ones. Globalists expect him to become a kind of symbol of the commitment of the "third world" to liberal values, so that he is like a new (old!) the leader of the largest and most influential country in Latin America, set the "right example", at least, to his continent, which is experiencing a "left march". This is when left-wing politicians who oppose the dictate of the United States come to power here. Another extremely important topic for the States is an attempt to slow down the process of strengthening and expanding the BRICS with the help of a "lured" Lulu. Let me remind you that Lulu, during his first presidency, was one of the founders of this political and economic center, an alternative to Western associations. While the Brazilian was in prison, and after being released, he was preparing for a new throw into power, the structure straightened its shoulders. This year, Argentina and Iran have applied for membership. Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have expressed their desire to join it. Let's see if the Biden administration can use Lulu as a "Cossack sent"? The elected President of Brazil, as well as his predecessor, who is retiring, are positive – I want to believe! – to develop relations with Russia. This country with a strong agricultural sector is unlikely to be able to do without our fertilizers in the foreseeable future. Last year, 9.8 million tons were exported from Russia (85% of all Brazilian imports of these products). Interestingly, in 2021, the volume of trade between the countries increased by 86%, reaching 7.5 billion dollars. In the first half of this year, despite international difficulties, it has already grown by 78% (!). As for the political aspects, Brazil quite predictably voted for the UN Assembly resolution condemning the annexation of four Ukrainian territories to Russia. I note that this approach is traditional for Brazilian diplomacy. At the same time, she, again following her beliefs, categorically opposes the economic sanctions of the West against our country, has not joined them. I want to believe that with the arrival of Lulu on the presidential bridge, this position, despite the machinations of the United States, will not change. Moreover, almost half of Brazilian society supports Bolsonara. He managed to promote many of his people to important posts – in both houses of parliament and in the governor's corps. In particular, his henchmen will head two main states – Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. In other words, he is leaving, but Bolsonarism remains an active opposition force.

When will the "Pakistani stream" flow?

Note: this is a machine translation from the original Russian text Moscow and Islamabad, despite the machinations of the West, are putting pressure on gas. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently rushed to Beijing. He became the second foreign guest (after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz) who met with President Xi Jinping at the end of the Twentieth Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. They agreed that China and Pakistan "will further strengthen communication, coordination and cooperation on regional and international affairs, defend true multilateralism, international honesty and justice, and contribute to the promotion of peace, development and prosperity." "The two countries have supported each other in recent years amid unstable changes in the international landscape, demonstrating their iron friendship," Xi added. Among other important issues, the negotiators discussed the "Afghan case". Pakistan is looking for a common language with the Taliban* in order to open a vital path for economic (and, first of all, energy) cooperation with Russia and the countries of Central Asia. This year Islamabad finally managed to establish a relatively stable transport corridor in this direction, through which Pakistani trucks were able to deliver hundreds of tons of cargo to our country. However, the Taliban do not control the whole of Afghanistan. In the north, the Uzbek-Tajik opposition, supported by the West, dominates, in the south and in a number of central regions, the influence of Daesh is still strong*. Islamabad's plan is to attract to this project such a key player as China, which has a special influence not only on the Taliban, but also on other Afghan players. And who is able to change the rules of the game in the region, giving guarantees of the safety of this transport artery. In this case, Pakistan will be able to safely proceed with the implementation of the "Pakistan Stream", through which Russian gas, so necessary for this country, will flow. It is noteworthy that Prime Minister Sharif decided to leave the country for a meeting with the Chinese leader at an alarming time – after the assassination attempt on his predecessor and political opponent Imran Khan, who in April of this year was given a vote of no confidence for the first time in Pakistani history. A few days ago, ex-Prime Minister Khan was seriously injured in both legs after the car he was in was fired at a protest march of his party demanding early elections. In total, seven people were injured and one killed as a result of the attack. Its participants planned to reach Islamabad from Lahore by November 11. After the assassination attempt on Khan, they said they would continue the action. By the way, such crimes, when scores are settled with undesirable politicians by force, are in the order of things in Pakistan. In 1996, Benazir Bhutto, the first female prime minister of this Muslim country, was killed at a rally of supporters. Her predecessor, Mohammed Zia-ul-Haq, also did not die a natural death: the plane he was on board lost control as a result of the terrorist attack and crashed to the ground. However, let's return to Imran Khan, who has not left us yet. He underwent surgery, doctors assess his condition as stable. So, his official visit to Moscow as acting prime Minister fell on February 23-24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of a special military operation in Ukraine. The guest not only refused to negotiate, but also defiantly laid flowers at the grave of the Unknown Soldier at the Kremlin Wall. It turned out that the speech in the Russian capital was just about the construction of the "Pakistani Stream". At that time, this topic was not officially advertised, since there were many "pitfalls" (not least Western sanctions against the Russian Federation) that prevented the implementation of this extremely important project for both participants. What is the loud statement of US President John Biden, who called nuclear-armed Russia and Pakistan "the most dangerous countries in the world". Khan, by the way, after his resignation, directly accused Washington of plotting to overthrow his government, calling on the Pakistani people to revolt against the United States. I will especially note that a vote of no confidence was announced to him shortly after his trip to Moscow. Fusing together? We still have to figure out where he "flew" from. The arrest of one of the attackers is reported. He claims that he acted alone, at the behest of his heart. Agree that it is hard to believe in this. Now about the "Pakistani Stream", which is being looked at with curiosity in the East and with irritation across the ocean. This is a "remake" of the American project of Unocal, which in the mid–1990s was going to build a gas pipeline from Central Asia to Pakistan, and then to Mumbai (India). But then the United States recklessly introduced its troops into Afghanistan in 2001 and had to forget about the implementation of the project. Later it reappeared, but as a Russian one. In 2015, the governments of Russia and Pakistan signed an agreement on the construction of a gas pipeline. It was planned that our side would own a controlling stake, assume 85% of the costs and manage it for 25 years. For information: the projected capacity of the "Stream" is 12.4 billion cubic meters per year with the possibility of increasing to 16 billion cubic meters. The approximate cost is 2-2.5 billion dollars. In November 2020, Moscow and Islamabad revised the terms of the agreement. The share of Pakistani companies increased to 74%, while Russian companies decreased accordingly. In short: everyone seemed to be in favor, but the process progressed very slowly. The Pakistanis were clearly in no hurry to implement the project. The country lived off imports of liquefied natural gas, but recently suppliers broke long-term contracts and sent LNG to Europe, ready to pay any money for energy. Guard! And that's when President Putin took up the case. The Russian leader has already communicated with Pakistani prime ministers three times this year: in addition to the February meeting with Khan, in September he met Sharif twice (in Samarkand "on the sidelines" of the SCO summit, and then in Astana, where the VI summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence–building Measures in Asia was held. And everywhere the main theme was "The Pakistani stream". The result is as follows: a few days ago, the Pakistani Ambassador in Moscow Shafqat Ali said that "the implementation of the project (read – the beginning of construction. – Ed.) may begin next year." Looks like the ice has broken. * Terrorist organizations banned in the Russian Federation.

Greece reminds Chancellor Scholz about the debt

Note: this is a machine translation from the original Russian text The country's authorities believe that the issue of reparations for damage during the Second World War has not yet been settled. The visit of Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Athens on October 27 was generally without serious excesses, in a friendly (one might say even friendly) atmosphere. Not at all like his predecessor Angela Merkel was received here on October 9, 2012. Then 40 thousand people came out to protest under the slogans: "This is not the European Union, this is slavery!", "Merkel – out, Greece is not your colony!". The guest was accused that it was she who, saving the country from default in the interests of the European Union, prompted the Greek government to pursue a course of austerity in exchange for two packages of financial assistance from the EU and the IMF in the amount of more than 200 billion euros. Scholz, keeping in mind the events of ten years ago, acted this time as a "friend and like-minded person." He, in particular, played along with Athens, calling Turkey's territorial claims to Greece "unacceptable". "It is unacceptable for one NATO partner to challenge the sovereignty of another. This also applies to more or less veiled military threats," Scholz said, unequivocally standing, in fact, on the side of Athens. Let me remind you that Turkey accuses Greece of violating the Lausanne Peace Treaty signed back in 1923 (it legally formalized the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and secured the Turkish territory within its modern borders. – Auth.), placing weapons on the Aegean Islands, which have the status of demilitarized. Relations between the two countries sharply worsened after August 23, when, according to Ankara, during the performance of Turkish F-16 NATO missions in the airspace over the Aegean Sea, fighters were "captured on the radar" of the Greek Air Force S-300 SAM acquired from Russia and stationed on the island of Crete. An illustrative fact: together (or, more precisely, in parallel) with Scholz, the first 10 used Marder armored personnel carriers arrived in Greece, which fell to Athens as part of "circular deliveries": the Greeks send Ukraine a batch of Soviet BMP-1s in service, and the Germans compensate for this by transferring their "beush" equipment. As a result of the visit, a "golden rain" of 3.5 billion euros was poured on the German defense industry. Greece has announced that it is launching two projects involving the modernization of 183 Leopard 2 tanks, 190 Leopard 1 A5 tanks and the purchase of 205 new Lynx KF-41 (TOMA) armored combat vehicles. It is noteworthy that there was no request from the General Staff for this costly modernization. The military assessed it as "unnecessary" and "sky-high". The Greeks do not need so many tanks at all. This direction is not a priority of the Armed Forces. It is more necessary (including in connection with the "Turkish confrontation") ships, aircraft, air defense systems. That is, it is an obvious political decision, a "gift" to influential Berlin, despite the enormous economic difficulties that Athens is experiencing. Think about it: as of August of this year, the national debt of a small and poor Greece amounted to more than 394 billion euros! And yet the authorities of Athens seem ready to incur exorbitant costs, considering that this is "a first–class opportunity to ensure strategic cooperation between Athens and Berlin." Scholz was clearly pleased. Nevertheless, his visit was not without a spoon (true, a teaspoon!) tar. According to tradition, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that the issue of payment of reparations for the damage caused to the country by Nazi Germany during the Second World War is still not settled. According to the estimates of the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank and the relevant parliamentary commission, we are talking about payments in the amount of 269 to 332 billion euros. The head of the Berlin cabinet categorically rejected these claims, as in the case of Poland, stating that "from a legal and political point of view, the issue of reparations is closed." In the 1960s, Athens, under an agreement with Germany, received 115 million marks ($67 million) from Berlin for damage from the occupation. Since then, Greece has become both a member of NATO and, most importantly, a member of the Eurozone. Moreover, in 1990, after the unification of Germany, according to the Final Settlement Agreement, all such claims on the part of the EU member states were terminated. But still, the topic of a loan of 1.5 trillion Greek drachmas, which the German authorities forcibly took in 1942 from occupied Greece for themselves and fascist Italy, stands apart. Repayment of the loan was supposed to begin after the war, but for obvious reasons, the obligation was not fulfilled. Now Greece insists that this loan is not a form of damage caused by the war, and is not part of reparations, to achieve the payment of which from a legal point of view is problematic. It is proposed to regard it as an ordinary international loan. The Greeks are ready to issue an invoice for 11 billion euros. This requirement, according to financial experts, may well be implemented through the court. The amount of debt is quite realistic and Berlin can afford it. By the way, Poland, which on October 3 handed over to Germany a diplomatic note demanding compensation for damage caused during the Second World War, used the term "compensation" in the document, not "reparations". This was not done by chance. The compensations are broader, they also cover other requirements of Warsaw. In particular, the Polish side insists on the return of cultural values stolen by the Nazis located on the territory of Germany, rehabilitation of murdered activists of the pre-war Polish minority, repayment of losses incurred by organizations of the Polish diaspora, settlement of the current status of Poles and persons of Polish origin in Germany by restoring the status of a national minority, as well as cooperation with Warsaw in perpetuating the memory of Polish victims wars. Modern Greeks have a complex: they seriously believe that they, the sons of Hellas, who gave the world democracy, should all. Besides, they are noble, not as clever as the gentlemen. And as for the German debt, then, indeed, a bird in the hand is better than a crane in the sky. It is possible, of course, to demand payment from Germany of unrealistic reparations for a gigantic amount, but it is much more practical, while the point is yes, to "knock out" 11 billion euros on a forced loan. It's real. And then – as the card will fall.