southfront--2020-08-13--Belarus Authorities Continue Decisive Crackdown Of Protests Despite Their Switch To ‘Nonviolent Resi

Belarus Authorities Continue Decisive Crackdown Of Protests Despite Their Switch To ‘Nonviolent Resistance’ Phase

On August 12th , protests in Belarus continued , with a new way to present citizen ’ s disobedience : former members of the Belarusian Internal Troops are saying how disgusted they are by how the authorities are treating the people and are sharing videos of throwing away their uniforms .
Videos with these actions are widely shared by pro-opposition media outlets : At the same time , the propaganda network , especially with the Nexta Live channel heading all of them are organizing the protests , which will continue until the Central Electoral Commission allegedly reveals the true results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pro-opposition source claim that the only “ true ” and acceptable result would be if opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya is appointed president of Belarus , since according to them she was the one legally elected .
Nonetheless , the actions of the opposition demosntrate that the real goal is just to overthrow the Lukashenko-led political regime .
At the same time , the continued usage of force by law enforcements against protesters and just people that question the current actions of the government ( even after the decrease of violence by the opposition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ) contribute to the increase of the dissatisfaction of people that do not even support the opposition .
Several prominent journalists of Belarusian state TV channels resigned amid the protests .
The next opposition plan is for nobody to go to work , and organize a blockade , then use the blockade to distribute leaflets .
And all of this is reinforced by a quote from Bruce Lee – “ be water.
” The leaflets call the situation “ war ” and compare it to the fascist occupation of 1941 , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ends with a promise that in the next few days a final plan would be introduced to send President Alexander Lukashenko into retirement , and potentially even to The Hague ( the International Criminal Court , the International Court of Justice ) .
In addition , a list is being compiled of active personnel in the Ministry of internal affairs , all individuals who presumably are actively “ fighting ” against the protests .
The list is being used for opposition to message them on social media and to threaten them and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Summing up events of the recent days it becomes clear that Lukashenko and his inner circle have been able to suppress the coup attempt through street riots .
However , the further non-proportional usage of force against opposition supporters and just people that participated in the protests had a negative effect on the popularity of the current country ’ s leader and his government .
The inability of authorities to set up some ‘ red lines ’ for the usage of force against protesters that participate in peaceful actions became the main @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most of the citizens have a straightly negative view towards the current actions of the government .
Therefore , while the Luakshenko government is not falling , it will be forced to act in the very hostile environment and amid the dramatically decreasing approval rating .
Tactical successes of the opposition in organizing peaceful actions , a nation-wide strike ( not so nation-wide at the moment ) , and the flash mob with throwing of uniforms to the garbage are mostly a result of Lukashenko ’ s own actions .
The government also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Pro-opposition Telegram channels and media outlets dominate in Belarus .
This is another lesson from the Belarusian protests .
While the timely and decisive usage of force against radicals could be an effective measure to prevent the coup attempt through street riots , the usage of force itself is not enough .
It is needed to employ such measures proportionally to actions of protesters , actively inform people about the real situation and set conditions for the dialogue with the dissatisfied part of the society .
Nonetheless , so far , Minsk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has not addressed the existing social and economic problems in the society .
Thus , the provocation staged by rioters ( many of them supported , financed and coordinated from abroad , first of all from Poland ) in fact appeared to be successful creating additional divisions within the society .
If the situation develops in this direction , Lukashenko ’ s efforts to keep his power and further , and organize a controlled transfer of power to his successor ( maybe even to his son ) will be undermined .
Probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contribute to the popularity of the Lukashenko government is the global economic crisis , in the case of which Belarus ( mostly excluded from global economic processes and already prepared for the life in poor economic conditions ) will have notable chances to remain a particular island of stability in eastern Europe .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Crisis In Belarus : Democratic Neo-Nazis Against Last Emperor Of Europe

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On August 12th, protests in Belarus continued, with a new way to present citizen’s disobedience: former members of the Belarusian Internal Troops are saying how disgusted they are by how the authorities are treating the people and are sharing videos of throwing away their uniforms.
Videos with these actions are widely shared by pro-opposition media outlets:
At the same time, the propaganda network, especially with the Nexta Live channel heading all of them are organizing the protests, which will continue until the Central Electoral Commission allegedly reveals the true results of the vote on August 9th.
Pro-opposition source claim that the only “true” and acceptable result would be if opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya is appointed president of Belarus, since according to them she was the one legally elected. Nonetheless, the actions of the opposition demosntrate that the real goal is just to overthrow the Lukashenko-led political regime.
At the same time, the continued usage of force by law enforcements against protesters and just people that question the current actions of the government (even after the decrease of violence by the opposition and its switch to’peaceful ways’) contribute to the increase of the dissatisfaction of people that do not even support the opposition.
Several prominent journalists of Belarusian state TV channels resigned amid the protests.
“The workers of the state propaganda began to resign en masse and demonstratively,” pro-opposition media claim describing the sitaution.
The next opposition plan is for nobody to go to work, and organize a blockade, then use the blockade to distribute leaflets. And all of this is reinforced by a quote from Bruce Lee – “be water.”
“And also, since no one goes to work anyway … then we go out into the streets and stop all of Belarus from the very morning! In the centers of our cities, we become in a chain of solidarity, gather around our factories, distribute leaflets to passers-by and block roads! And, of course, do not forget about the wonderful principle “be water”!”
The leaflets call the situation “war” and compare it to the fascist occupation of 1941, and much more fear-mongering propaganda.
The call ends with a promise that in the next few days a final plan would be introduced to send President Alexander Lukashenko into retirement, and potentially even to The Hague (the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice).
In addition, a list is being compiled of active personnel in the Ministry of internal affairs, all individuals who presumably are actively “fighting” against the protests. The list is being used for opposition to message them on social media and to threaten them and their families if they continue doing their jobs.
Summing up events of the recent days it becomes clear that Lukashenko and his inner circle have been able to suppress the coup attempt through street riots. However, the further non-proportional usage of force against opposition supporters and just people that participated in the protests had a negative effect on the popularity of the current country’s leader and his government. The inability of authorities to set up some ‘red lines’ for the usage of force against protesters that participate in peaceful actions became the main issue. Regardless their political positions, most of the citizens have a straightly negative view towards the current actions of the government. Therefore, while the Luakshenko government is not falling, it will be forced to act in the very hostile environment and amid the dramatically decreasing approval rating. Tactical successes of the opposition in organizing peaceful actions, a nation-wide strike (not so nation-wide at the moment), and the flash mob with throwing of uniforms to the garbage are mostly a result of Lukashenko’s own actions. The government also lost the battle in the media sphere. Pro-opposition Telegram channels and media outlets dominate in Belarus.
This is another lesson from the Belarusian protests. While the timely and decisive usage of force against radicals could be an effective measure to prevent the coup attempt through street riots, the usage of force itself is not enough. It is needed to employ such measures proportionally to actions of protesters, actively inform people about the real situation and set conditions for the dialogue with the dissatisfied part of the society. Nonetheless, so far, Minsk has mostly avoided any real constructive dialogue and has not addressed the existing social and economic problems in the society. Thus, the provocation staged by rioters (many of them supported, financed and coordinated from abroad, first of all from Poland) in fact appeared to be successful creating additional divisions within the society.
If the situation develops in this direction, Lukashenko’s efforts to keep his power and further, and organize a controlled transfer of power to his successor (maybe even to his son) will be undermined. Probably, the main external factor that could contribute to the popularity of the Lukashenko government is the global economic crisis, in the case of which Belarus (mostly excluded from global economic processes and already prepared for the life in poor economic conditions) will have notable chances to remain a particular island of stability in eastern Europe.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
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southfront--2020-08-13--Colombian Electoral Council Opens Formal Investigation Of President Duque For Illegal Campaign Finan

Colombian Electoral Council Opens Formal Investigation Of President Duque For Illegal Campaign Financing

The National Electoral Council ( CNE ) of Colombia announced today that it has opened a preliminary investigation against President Iván Duque and his political party Centro Democrático ( CD ) .
The party allegedly failed to comply with electoral regulations on electoral financing during the campaign of 2018 in which Duque was elected president .
The CNE explained that the investigation is related to alleged contributions from the Venezuelan businessman Oswaldo Cisneros for a total value of US $ 300,000 .
According to the Colombian Constitution , national electoral campaigns are prohibited from receiving donations from abroad .
Cisneros @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry and his family is among the richest in Venezuela .
The starting point for the investigation was wiretapping requested by the Colombian Public Ministry .
The people involved in the conversations were : Nubia Stella Martínez , director of CD ; María Claudia Daza , who was an advisor to former president Alvaro Uribe and is now out of the country ; and José “ Ñeñe ” Hernández , a cattle rancher who was murdered last year in Brazil during a robbery .
María Daza spoke with both about the alleged contributions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the conversation between Martínez and Daza , published by the newspaper , Uribe ’ s former adviser asked , “ What happened with the Venezuelan ?
” , to which the director of the president ’ s political party replied , “ Yes .
Do you know how much he gave us ?
$ 300,000.
” However , the CD director herself tried to justify her words by arguing that she suffered a ‘ lapse ’ when speaking with Daza .
“ It was not ‘ gave ’ , but ‘ offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I said that sum because it was the one the businessman used .
But one thing is what people offer in the campaigns and another is what they actually end up giving , ” Martinez explained to the Colombian newspaper .
The CNE summoned both to testify , as well as Luis Guillermo Echeverri , campaign manager of current president Ivan Duque .
In addition , the electoral council sent a letter in which the “ CD is asked to send a copy of the accounting supports of the electoral campaign of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in order to determine the origin and amount of the contributions consigned in the income report and expenses of the campaign to the Presidency.
” For his part , the businessman Oswaldo Cisneros is linked to several related developments .
According to Forbes magazine , his family has a fortune that exceeds US $ 1,100 million , and is figured as one of the richest families in Venezuela .
Cisneros ventured into different business areas : Pepsi Cola Venezuela , Ditel ( telecommunications ) and the oil sector .
In Colombia , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canacol Energy ’ s Colombian subsidiary , the company CNE Oil and Gas SAS .
In Venezuela , Cisneros does not sell crude abroad since its wells have been closed down for a long time .
Last March the Prosecutor ’ s Office began investigations of the people who could be involved in the wiretapping .
In one of them , “ Ñeñe ” Hernández refers to the purchase of votes in favour of Duque in the La Guajira area .
He also mentions former President Uribe ( 2002-2010 ) .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leftist candidate Gustavo Petro , who currently leads the opposition to the government in the Senate .
Hernández was being investigated as an alleged front man for a drug trafficking organization .
It operated in the provinces of Cesar and La Guajira ( in the far northeast of Colombia ) .
‘ Ñeñe ’ was also being investigated by the Prosecutor ’ s Office for the murder of Oscar Rodríguez , which occurred in 2011 .
The CNE has also summoned former congresswoman Aída Merlano , currently imprisoned in Venezuela , to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an interview with Magazine .
Merlano affirmed that businessman Julio Gerlein and the Char family , a powerful political clan from the Colombian Caribbean , also bought votes to favour the election of Duque in the second round of the 2018 election .
The former parliamentarian was sentenced in Colombia to 15 years in prison for electoral corruption .
She fled the country last October while she was under investigation taking advantage of an appointment at a dental office in Bogotá .
She was recaptured on January 27 in Venezuela by agents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) of the Bolivarian National Police ( PNB ) in Maracaibo .
The CNE reported that Merlano ’ s summons will be made through the corresponding diplomatic channels .
The investigation was announced at a difficult time for the right-wing CD party and its political figureheads , several of whom have been cited for allegations of corruption .
Last Tuesday , August 4 , the Supreme Court of Justice ( CSJ ) ordered that former president and currently senator Alvaro Uribe be placed under preventive detention .
He is being investigated for alleged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LINK The case is potentially a political and economic development of momentous import for another reason .
Oswaldo Cisneros is from a family that has extensive ties to many of the deepest of the Deep State/ Economy/ Finance/ Religion networks embedded throughout the continent that have dominated politics , the media and the economy for many decades and left Latin America with the greatest levels of inequality , poverty and violence in the world .
The extensive portions of these networks deriving from Spain are meticulously documented in the investigation ‘ El Régimen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ en el saqueo de América Latina ’ ( The Transition Regime and Spanish capital in the plundering of Latin America ) : “ The undoubted political connection that marks the onset as well as the consolidation of the penetration of ‘ the new Spanish conquerors ’ in Latin America is located in a specific organization , the PSOE and , above all , the organization ’ s powerbroker Felipe González .
His years at the helm of the government of Spain , with an absolute majority in Parliament between 1982 and 1993 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group CiU , clearly demonstrate this driving role .
The associated embedded political-business relations are inherent to capitalism , as is the corruption that stems from them… The power of the PSOE lobby in Latin America went – and remains – far beyond its presence in government , far exceeding the influence of the PP… On 1 December 2014 , Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos granted Felipe González Colombian nationality .
Thus culminated a very long relationship between the former president of the Spanish government with a country that , along with Venezuela @ @ @ @ @ @ @ González ’ s initial Latin American contacts was Gustavo Cisneros , also through Carlos Andrés Pérez .
In 1983 , after the expropriation of the RUMASA holding , the Council of Ministers approved the sale of Galerías Preciados to the business group ‘ Organización Cisneros ’ for 1,500 million pesetas .
Only half of the amount was paid .
The State did not collect the other half .
In addition , Cisneros also received from the Administration loans for the cleaning of his new property worth 11,500 million pesetas .
Five years later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This businessman developed his fortune under the umbrella of Carlos Andrés Pérez in Venezuela and the Bush family in the US .
Today he is one of the richest men in Latin America , his businesses include more than 50 firms and include ownership of the powerful complex Venevisión media , advertising companies , real estate , tourism , cosmetics , etc .
He has been repeatedly linked to money laundering from drug trafficking .
In 1985 , the North American economist Lyndon La Rouche , specialist in the investigation of drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Review magazine for that purpose , attempted to distribute his book in Venezuela , ‘ Narcotráfico S.A. , The new Opium War ’ .
One of its chapters is entirely dedicated to the Cisneros family , considered a key figure in Latin America for this type of business .
Venezuelan intelligence services requisitioned the book and a court prohibited its sale in the country .
Felipe González ’ s relationship with Cisneros , which began so early and so strikingly , is decisive in assessing the relations of successive Spanish governments with Venezuela @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sinister and criminal face with the participation of the PP government , PSOE leaders and Spanish multinationals in the failed coup d ’ état against Chávez in 2002 .
It was carried out in close alliance with the US – and served as the spearhead of the EU ’ s involvement .
It is worth remembering because the interests that move the ubiquitous machinery of power behind the scenes are the same as those that act now in Venezuela , and even some of the protagonists.
” LINK While the preliminary investigation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Office of the Prosecutor General remain considerably removed from these underlying networks of power and control that spread across the continent , it is nonetheless exceptional that someone from one of their central figures ( the Cisnero dynasty ) should be investigated in such a high profile case at all .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Colombia ’ s Supreme Court opens another criminal investigation against former president Alvaro Uribe • Lawfare Colombian-style legal political and quasi-judicial harassment persecution and counterinsurgency operations in Colombia

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The National Electoral Council (CNE) of Colombia announced today that it has opened a preliminary investigation against President Iván Duque and his political party Centro Democrático (CD). The party allegedly failed to comply with electoral regulations on electoral financing during the campaign of 2018 in which Duque was elected president.
The CNE explained that the investigation is related to alleged contributions from the Venezuelan businessman Oswaldo Cisneros for a total value of US$300,000.
According to the Colombian Constitution, national electoral campaigns are prohibited from receiving donations from abroad. Cisneros is a businessman linked to the oil industry and his family is among the richest in Venezuela.
#ComunicadoDePrensa| Comisión instructora abrió indagación preliminar contra campaña de Iván Duque. pic.twitter.com/RVOzAzgxLf — CNE Colombia (@CNE_COLOMBIA) August 11, 2020
The starting point for the investigation was wiretapping requested by the Colombian Public Ministry. The people involved in the conversations were: Nubia Stella Martínez, director of CD; María Claudia Daza, who was an advisor to former president Alvaro Uribe and is now out of the country; and José “Ñeñe” Hernández, a cattle rancher who was murdered last year in Brazil during a robbery.
María Daza spoke with both about the alleged contributions of the Venezuelan businessman Oswaldo Cisneros. In the conversation between Martínez and Daza, published by the newspaper El Tiempo, Uribe’s former adviser asked, “What happened with the Venezuelan?”, to which the director of the president’s political party replied, “Yes. Do you know how much he gave us? $300,000.” However, the CD director herself tried to justify her words by arguing that she suffered a ‘lapse’ when speaking with Daza. “It was not ‘gave’, but ‘offered to give’ (…). I said that sum because it was the one the businessman used. But one thing is what people offer in the campaigns and another is what they actually end up giving,” Martinez explained to the Colombian newspaper. The CNE summoned both to testify, as well as Luis Guillermo Echeverri, campaign manager of current president Ivan Duque. In addition, the electoral council sent a letter in which the “CD is asked to send a copy of the accounting supports of the electoral campaign of the then candidate Dr Iván Duque Márquez, in order to determine the origin and amount of the contributions consigned in the income report and expenses of the campaign to the Presidency.”
For his part, the businessman Oswaldo Cisneros is linked to several related developments. According to Forbes magazine, his family has a fortune that exceeds US$1,100 million, and is figured as one of the richest families in Venezuela. Cisneros ventured into different business areas: Pepsi Cola Venezuela, Ditel (telecommunications) and the oil sector. In Colombia, it owns 19.9 percent of the shares of Canacol Energy’s Colombian subsidiary, the company CNE Oil and Gas SAS. In Venezuela, Cisneros does not sell crude abroad since its wells have been closed down for a long time.
Last March the Prosecutor’s Office began investigations of the people who could be involved in the wiretapping. In one of them, “Ñeñe” Hernández refers to the purchase of votes in favour of Duque in the La Guajira area. He also mentions former President Uribe (2002-2010). In the 2018 election, Duque prevailed over the leftist candidate Gustavo Petro, who currently leads the opposition to the government in the Senate. Hernández was being investigated as an alleged front man for a drug trafficking organization. It operated in the provinces of Cesar and La Guajira (in the far northeast of Colombia). ‘Ñeñe’ was also being investigated by the Prosecutor’s Office for the murder of Oscar Rodríguez, which occurred in 2011.
The CNE has also summoned former congresswoman Aída Merlano, currently imprisoned in Venezuela, to provide more information regarding the statements she made in an interview with Semana Magazine. Merlano affirmed that businessman Julio Gerlein and the Char family, a powerful political clan from the Colombian Caribbean, also bought votes to favour the election of Duque in the second round of the 2018 election. The former parliamentarian was sentenced in Colombia to 15 years in prison for electoral corruption. She fled the country last October while she was under investigation taking advantage of an appointment at a dental office in Bogotá. She was recaptured on January 27 in Venezuela by agents of the Special Actions Force (FAES) of the Bolivarian National Police (PNB) in Maracaibo. The CNE reported that Merlano’s summons will be made through the corresponding diplomatic channels.
The investigation was announced at a difficult time for the right-wing CD party and its political figureheads, several of whom have been cited for allegations of corruption. Last Tuesday, August 4, the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) ordered that former president and currently senator Alvaro Uribe be placed under preventive detention. He is being investigated for alleged procedural fraud and bribery of witnesses. LINK
The case is potentially a political and economic development of momentous import for another reason. Oswaldo Cisneros is from a family that has extensive ties to many of the deepest of the Deep State/ Economy/ Finance/ Religion networks embedded throughout the continent that have dominated politics, the media and the economy for many decades and left Latin America with the greatest levels of inequality, poverty and violence in the world.
The extensive portions of these networks deriving from Spain are meticulously documented in the investigation ‘El Régimen de la Transición y el capital español en el saqueo de América Latina’ (The Transition Regime and Spanish capital in the plundering of Latin America):
“The undoubted political connection that marks the onset as well as the consolidation of the penetration of ‘the new Spanish conquerors’ in Latin America is located in a specific organization, the PSOE and, above all, the organization’s powerbroker Felipe González. His years at the helm of the government of Spain, with an absolute majority in Parliament between 1982 and 1993, and until 1996 supported by the Catalan group CiU, clearly demonstrate this driving role. The associated embedded political-business relations are inherent to capitalism, as is the corruption that stems from them… The power of the PSOE lobby in Latin America went – and remains – far beyond its presence in government, far exceeding the influence of the PP… On 1 December 2014, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos granted Felipe González Colombian nationality. Thus culminated a very long relationship between the former president of the Spanish government with a country that, along with Venezuela, marked his biography… Another of Felipe González’s initial Latin American contacts was Gustavo Cisneros, also through Carlos Andrés Pérez. In 1983, after the expropriation of the RUMASA holding, the Council of Ministers approved the sale of Galerías Preciados to the business group ‘Organización Cisneros’ for 1,500 million pesetas. Only half of the amount was paid. The State did not collect the other half. In addition, Cisneros also received from the Administration loans for the cleaning of his new property worth 11,500 million pesetas. Five years later the company was sold for 30,600 million. This businessman developed his fortune under the umbrella of Carlos Andrés Pérez in Venezuela and the Bush family in the US. Today he is one of the richest men in Latin America, his businesses include more than 50 firms and include ownership of the powerful complex Venevisión media, advertising companies, real estate, tourism, cosmetics, etc. He has been repeatedly linked to money laundering from drug trafficking. In 1985, the North American economist Lyndon La Rouche, specialist in the investigation of drug trafficking and founder of the Executive Intelligence Review magazine for that purpose, attempted to distribute his book in Venezuela, ‘Narcotráfico S.A., The new Opium War’. One of its chapters is entirely dedicated to the Cisneros family, considered a key figure in Latin America for this type of business. Venezuelan intelligence services requisitioned the book and a court prohibited its sale in the country. Felipe González’s relationship with Cisneros, which began so early and so strikingly, is decisive in assessing the relations of successive Spanish governments with Venezuela. This political-business machine showed its most sinister and criminal face with the participation of the PP government, PSOE leaders and Spanish multinationals in the failed coup d’état against Chávez in 2002. It was carried out in close alliance with the US – and served as the spearhead of the EU’s involvement. It is worth remembering because the interests that move the ubiquitous machinery of power behind the scenes are the same as those that act now in Venezuela, and even some of the protagonists.” LINK
While the preliminary investigation of the Centro Democrático and related investigations by the Office of the Prosecutor General remain considerably removed from these underlying networks of power and control that spread across the continent, it is nonetheless exceptional that someone from one of their central figures (the Cisnero dynasty) should be investigated in such a high profile case at all.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
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southfront--2020-08-13--Ukraine Is Hovering Between New War And Economic Collapse

On July 27 , a next “ complete and all-encompassing ceasefire ” between Kiev troops and self-defense forces of the Donetsk and Lugansk People ’ s Republics ( DPR and LPR ) started in eastern Ukraine .
This is the most recent in a series of attempts to impose a complete ceasefire in the region .
Over two dozen previous ceasefires collapsed due to two main factors : • First , the inability of Kiev to control its own troops , including neo-Nazi armed groups , that are deployed on the frontline with the LPR and the DPR ; • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support a political solution of the conflict with the DPR and LPR because the Ukrainian government uses military tensions in eastern Ukraine to achieve its own political and financial goals , including the justification of selling of the country ’ s sovereignty to the Euro-Atlantic structures , the mass censorship , and the persecution of opposition parties , media and activists .
The ability of the Ukrainian military to participate in ceasefires was recently demonstrated near the village of Zaitsevo .
On July 14 , a sabotage and reconnaissance unit of pro-Kiev forces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gray zone ’ preparing an attack on positions of DPR forces .
However , the operation failed .
At least 2 pro-Kiev fighters , including a citizen of Estonia , died and another one received injures .
After this , Ukrainian media outlets launched an aggressive media campaign accusing the DPR of violating the ceasefire and Russia of committing one more ‘ act of aggression ’ .
However , the Ukrainian leadership represented by President comedian Volodymyr Zelenski pretends that this time the situation will be different .
On July 26 , Zelensky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vladimir Putin discussing the prospects of the ceasefire .
The sides also discussed the Law on the Special Procedure for Local Self-Government in Certain Districts of the Donetsk and Lugansk Regions , which is being considered by the TCG political subgroup , and the Law on Decentralization , which provides for amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine .
Russia is the main supporter of the DPR and LPR and the only force directly opposing plans of Kiev and its NATO backers to launch a new large-scale advance in eastern Ukraine , which in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead to the mass killings of civilians there .
An overwhelming majority of the people in eastern Ukraine are ethnic Russians or speak Russian as the main language .
All of them self-identify as Russian-speaking people .
Since the very moment , when the current political regime in Kiev came to power in 2014 , Russian-speaking people and ethnic Russians were declared enemies of the state and ‘ subhumans ’ that must be neutralized or even killed in order to allow Ukraine to go forward on its ‘ European way ’ .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a civil war in the region of Donbass .
Crimea evaded the bloodbath thanks to the involvement of Russian forces and the secession of the region to Russia .
In 2020 , the ideas of ethnic cleansing of Russians and persecutions of the Russian-speaking population in the region of Donbass and Crimea still remained an integral part of the Ukrainian political mainstream and the ideology of various radical groups that receive direct financial , administrative support from the current regime and have access to weapons from the conflict zone .
The political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the situation in the east and grant autonomy to the DPR and LPR face strong resistance on the all levels of the governance system .
Radicals attack independent journalists , bloggers , political activists , politicians and even people that visit the ‘ wrong churches ’ .
On July 23 , the house of Vitaly Shabunin , the head of the non-profit Anti-Corruption Action Centre , was set on fire .
The Centre said it believed the arson was “ an assassination attempt ” targeting Shabunin and his family .
The incident happened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kiev .
On July 13 , members of the “ National Corps ” political party ( created on the basis of the “ Azov Battalion ” neo-Nazi armed group ) attacked a house of the head of the opposition Shariy Party in Kharkov .
According to the head of the party , Anatoly Shariy , the attackers were armed with firearms and injured at least 2 people .
Earlier , on June 24 , members of the “ National Corps ” attacked and beat an activist of the Shariy Party in the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack , the man was in critical condition .
On July 26 , Ukrainian radicals and supporters of the government-backed ‘ independent ’ Orthodox Church of Ukraine seized churches of the canonic Ukrainian Orthodox Church ( Moscow Patriarchy ) in the villages of Novojivotove , Zabolotsy in Volyn Region .
Police and local authorities in fact support the seizure violating the people ’ s right to freedom of faith .
The aggressive minority of political and religious radicals , including open supporters of neo-Nazy-styled ideology , with help from the government terrorize the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Kiev and its Western backers .
During the past months , top Ukrainian officials regularly criticized the Minsk agreements , proposed to withdraw from them or revise them to meet the vision of the situation by the current regime .
The core of the contradictions over the Minsk deal is simple .
Kiev seeks to gain control over the border with Russia and the entire territory of the DPR and LPR before the implementation of the political part of Minsk .
In practice , this will mean the surrender of the DPR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ neutralization ’ of DPR and LPR resistance by force ( likely with direct help from NATO ) and mass killings and terrorizing of local populations by pro-Kiev radicals .
The DPR , LPR leadership and population are apparently not interested in this scenario .
Russia , for which the advance of Kiev forces in eastern Ukraine will mean millions of refugees and a humanitarian catastrophe on its own border , also can not allow this .
As to European backers of Kiev , they seem to be also not happy with attempts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to speculate on the escalation scenario to gain additional funding and political support from the European Union .
This is especially clear from actions of leaders of European states like France and Germany .
Meanwhile , the European bureaucracy affiliated with the Washington establishment play into the hands of the Ukrainian ‘ instigators of war ’ .
These forces are not interested in the settlement of the conflict in eastern Europe because they use it as a pressure point in their efforts to suppress the resistance of national states , which increased amid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contradictions , especially taking into account the US dominance over the Ukrainian leadership , raise serious concerns about the real motivation behind the recent political maneuvers of the Zelensky administration .
However , most likely , the explanation is even more complex .
Ukraine is experiencing a deepening crisis that came amid the decreasing direct financial support from its foreign backers .
During the past years , ‘ European partners ’ already decreased their support to Kiev , which was fueling fires of war in the interests of its own corrupt system and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , led by the Trump administration , is also not interested in any large-scale investments in Kiev adventures against Russia or funding the Ukrainian ‘ economic miracle ’ for propaganda purposes .
Taking into account the global economic crisis and the expected second wave of the coronavirus outbreak , it is unlikely that foreign support to Kiev will increase anytime soon .
It will be a gift if the Ukrainian leadership continues receiving foreign support at least at the current level .
Therefore , the Zelensky administration is forced to at least formally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country to reduce its economic needs .
The de-escalation of the conflict in the east is one of such opportunity .
On the other hand , from the political point of view , the ceasefire is needed for Zelensky to at least temporarily stabilize his approval rating which is falling dramatically .
He came to power thanks to peace-making slogans , promises to contain censorship , street violence , and battle corruption .
However , none of these things have happened .
Instead , Zelensky immediately turned into Poroshenko 2.0 and his administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against its opponents .
By supporting the ceasefire initiative , Kiev also tries to please European partners that have been pressuring the regime to finally making at least some actions in the framework of the Minsk format .
At the same time , the Zelensky administration understands that any laws or amendments to the Constitution granting the LPR and the DPR real autonomy and defending rights of the local population will not pass the Parliament .
Therefore , interests of the Washington establishment , not interested in the de-escalation , will be secured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain in a state of a stable instability until the presidential election in the United States .
If President Trump keeps his post , the Ukrainian conflict will likely remain frozen with Kiev forced to make at least some steps to de-escalate conflict , overcome the crisis and guarantee its own survival .
At the same time , if the Democratic establishment once again comes to power in Washington , the frozen conflict in eastern Ukraine will have increasingly high chances of turning into a hot war zone once again .

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On July 27, a next “complete and all-encompassing ceasefire” between Kiev troops and self-defense forces of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) started in eastern Ukraine. This is the most recent in a series of attempts to impose a complete ceasefire in the region.
Over two dozen previous ceasefires collapsed due to two main factors:
First, the inability of Kiev to control its own troops, including neo-Nazi armed groups, that are deployed on the frontline with the LPR and the DPR;
Second, the unwillingness of Kiev to support a political solution of the conflict with the DPR and LPR because the Ukrainian government uses military tensions in eastern Ukraine to achieve its own political and financial goals, including the justification of selling of the country’s sovereignty to the Euro-Atlantic structures, the mass censorship, and the persecution of opposition parties, media and activists.
The ability of the Ukrainian military to participate in ceasefires was recently demonstrated near the village of Zaitsevo. On July 14, a sabotage and reconnaissance unit of pro-Kiev forces violated the ceasefire regime entering the ‘gray zone’ preparing an attack on positions of DPR forces. However, the operation failed. At least 2 pro-Kiev fighters, including a citizen of Estonia, died and another one received injures. After this, Ukrainian media outlets launched an aggressive media campaign accusing the DPR of violating the ceasefire and Russia of committing one more ‘act of aggression’.
However, the Ukrainian leadership represented by President comedian Volodymyr Zelenski pretends that this time the situation will be different.
On July 26, Zelensky held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin discussing the prospects of the ceasefire. The sides also discussed the Law on the Special Procedure for Local Self-Government in Certain Districts of the Donetsk and Lugansk Regions, which is being considered by the TCG political subgroup, and the Law on Decentralization, which provides for amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine.
Russia is the main supporter of the DPR and LPR and the only force directly opposing plans of Kiev and its NATO backers to launch a new large-scale advance in eastern Ukraine, which in the event of military success will inevitably lead to the mass killings of civilians there.
An overwhelming majority of the people in eastern Ukraine are ethnic Russians or speak Russian as the main language. All of them self-identify as Russian-speaking people.
Since the very moment, when the current political regime in Kiev came to power in 2014, Russian-speaking people and ethnic Russians were declared enemies of the state and ‘subhumans’ that must be neutralized or even killed in order to allow Ukraine to go forward on its ‘European way’. This policy faced an expected armed resistance leading to a civil war in the region of Donbass. Crimea evaded the bloodbath thanks to the involvement of Russian forces and the secession of the region to Russia.
In 2020, the ideas of ethnic cleansing of Russians and persecutions of the Russian-speaking population in the region of Donbass and Crimea still remained an integral part of the Ukrainian political mainstream and the ideology of various radical groups that receive direct financial, administrative support from the current regime and have access to weapons from the conflict zone.
The political process and constitutional reforms needed to de-escalate the situation in the east and grant autonomy to the DPR and LPR face strong resistance on the all levels of the governance system. Radicals attack independent journalists, bloggers, political activists, politicians and even people that visit the ‘wrong churches’.
On July 23, the house of Vitaly Shabunin, the head of the non-profit Anti-Corruption Action Centre, was set on fire. The Centre said it believed the arson was “an assassination attempt” targeting Shabunin and his family. The incident happened in the village of Gnidyn just outside Kiev.
On July 13, members of the “National Corps” political party (created on the basis of the “Azov Battalion” neo-Nazi armed group) attacked a house of the head of the opposition Shariy Party in Kharkov. According to the head of the party, Anatoly Shariy, the attackers were armed with firearms and injured at least 2 people. Earlier, on June 24, members of the “National Corps” attacked and beat an activist of the Shariy Party in the same city – Nikita Rojenko. After the attack, the man was in critical condition.
On July 26, Ukrainian radicals and supporters of the government-backed ‘independent’ Orthodox Church of Ukraine seized churches of the canonic Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchy) in the villages of Novojivotove, Zabolotsy in Volyn Region. Police and local authorities in fact support the seizure violating the people’s right to freedom of faith.
The aggressive minority of political and religious radicals, including open supporters of neo-Nazy-styled ideology, with help from the government terrorize the peaceful population. This situation is encouraged by Kiev and its Western backers.
During the past months, top Ukrainian officials regularly criticized the Minsk agreements, proposed to withdraw from them or revise them to meet the vision of the situation by the current regime. The core of the contradictions over the Minsk deal is simple. Kiev seeks to gain control over the border with Russia and the entire territory of the DPR and LPR before the implementation of the political part of Minsk. In practice, this will mean the surrender of the DPR and LPR to pro-Kiev forces, the ‘neutralization’ of DPR and LPR resistance by force (likely with direct help from NATO) and mass killings and terrorizing of local populations by pro-Kiev radicals. The DPR, LPR leadership and population are apparently not interested in this scenario. Russia, for which the advance of Kiev forces in eastern Ukraine will mean millions of refugees and a humanitarian catastrophe on its own border, also cannot allow this.
As to European backers of Kiev, they seem to be also not happy with attempts of the Poroshenko and then Zelensky administrations to speculate on the escalation scenario to gain additional funding and political support from the European Union. This is especially clear from actions of leaders of European states like France and Germany. Meanwhile, the European bureaucracy affiliated with the Washington establishment play into the hands of the Ukrainian ‘instigators of war’.
These forces are not interested in the settlement of the conflict in eastern Europe because they use it as a pressure point in their efforts to suppress the resistance of national states, which increased amid the crumbling dominance of globalists. These contradictions, especially taking into account the US dominance over the Ukrainian leadership, raise serious concerns about the real motivation behind the recent political maneuvers of the Zelensky administration. However, most likely, the explanation is even more complex.
Ukraine is experiencing a deepening crisis that came amid the decreasing direct financial support from its foreign backers. During the past years, ‘European partners’ already decreased their support to Kiev, which was fueling fires of war in the interests of its own corrupt system and the Washington establishment. The modern US, led by the Trump administration, is also not interested in any large-scale investments in Kiev adventures against Russia or funding the Ukrainian ‘economic miracle’ for propaganda purposes.
Taking into account the global economic crisis and the expected second wave of the coronavirus outbreak, it is unlikely that foreign support to Kiev will increase anytime soon. It will be a gift if the Ukrainian leadership continues receiving foreign support at least at the current level. Therefore, the Zelensky administration is forced to at least formally search for ways that would allow the country to reduce its economic needs. The de-escalation of the conflict in the east is one of such opportunity.
On the other hand, from the political point of view, the ceasefire is needed for Zelensky to at least temporarily stabilize his approval rating which is falling dramatically. He came to power thanks to peace-making slogans, promises to contain censorship, street violence, and battle corruption. However, none of these things have happened. Instead, Zelensky immediately turned into Poroshenko 2.0 and his administration funds Poroshenko-era paramilitary groups to use them against its opponents.
By supporting the ceasefire initiative, Kiev also tries to please European partners that have been pressuring the regime to finally making at least some actions in the framework of the Minsk format. At the same time, the Zelensky administration understands that any laws or amendments to the Constitution granting the LPR and the DPR real autonomy and defending rights of the local population will not pass the Parliament. Therefore, interests of the Washington establishment, not interested in the de-escalation, will be secured.
The situation in Ukraine will likely remain in a state of a stable instability until the presidential election in the United States. If President Trump keeps his post, the Ukrainian conflict will likely remain frozen with Kiev forced to make at least some steps to de-escalate conflict, overcome the crisis and guarantee its own survival. At the same time, if the Democratic establishment once again comes to power in Washington, the frozen conflict in eastern Ukraine will have increasingly high chances of turning into a hot war zone once again.
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southfront--2020-08-13--An-72 Tactical Transport Aircraft (Infographics)

True all that Only important thing hthat you forgot is that even gas turbines for the ships are replaced by @ @ @ @ @ “ problem ” ) Those 4 ships that were sold to India because Inda had @ @ @ @ @ from Ukraine…And US inspired “ sanctions ” against Russia only forced Russia to replace everything @ @ @ @ @ with their own Russia has only slightly delayed production of their ships because of that @ @ @ @ @ NEW Russian design made turbines from the scratch without making copy of Soviet design like @ @ @ @ @ YOU UKRAINE for forcing Russia to develop their own gas turbines for the ships , @ @ @ @ @ the choppers !
!
!
That has opened plenty of high paid high tech jobs @ @ @ @ @ import expences for high tech products that are now MADE IN Russia !

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The An-72 is a Soviet tactical transport aircraft, developed by Antonov Design Bureau. Later, it was produced by Ukraine on the basis of the production capabilities kept from the Soviet times.
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southfront--2020-08-13--Air Force Helicopter Shot At From Ground Over Virginia, Injuring Crew

In an almost unheard of and unprecedented scenario , an Air Force helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing in Manassas , Virginia after someone shot at the helicopter from the ground .
The incident happened Monday , and military sources are now revealing the dangerous incident , which actually injured a member of the crew .
McClatchy details that a UH-1N Huey helicopter which flew out of Joint Base Andrews where Marine helicopters which routinely fly members of Congress as well as the president are based ( in the president ’ s case , Marine One , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ) was on a routine training flight after an unknown individual or individuals fired on it from the ground .
McClatchy describes the following based on airport and security statements : Officials at Manassas Regional Airport said they received a call at about 12:20 p.m. alerting them that “ a military helicopter was inbound and that paramedics were on the way , ” said airport operations officer Richard Allabaugh .
A second airport official said the injured Air Force crew member was taken to a local facility for treatment .
The helicopter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was launched into the shooting incident .
The FBI immediately dispatched special agents to the area to investigate after the Huey landed at Manassas Regional Airport .
“ The FBI Washington Field Office is working jointly with our law enforcement partners , including the Air Force Office of Special Investigations , to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident .
One individual in the helicopter sustained a non-threatening injury , for which he was treated and subsequently released from the hospital , ” the FBI said in a statement .
Federal agents are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in identifying who shot at the helicopter .
The type of ammunition used has not been revealed , nor the extent of the crew member ’ s injuries , however they were reported as non-life threatening .

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Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
In an almost unheard of and unprecedented scenario, an Air Force helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing in Manassas, Virginia after someone shot at the helicopter from the ground.
The incident happened Monday, and military sources are now revealing the dangerous incident, which actually injured a member of the crew.
McClatchy details that a UH-1N Huey helicopter which flew out of Joint Base Andrews — where Marine helicopters which routinely fly members of Congress as well as the president are based (in the president’s case, Marine One, as well as Air Force One are housed there) — was on a routine training flight after an unknown individual or individuals fired on it from the ground.
Air Force UH-1 Hueys out of Joint Base Andrews, Md. Wikimedia Commons
McClatchy describes the following based on airport and security statements:
Officials at Manassas Regional Airport said they received a call at about 12:20 p.m. alerting them that “a military helicopter was inbound and that paramedics were on the way,” said airport operations officer Richard Allabaugh. A second airport official said the injured Air Force crew member was taken to a local facility for treatment. The helicopter remained at the airport as an investigation was launched into the shooting incident.
The FBI immediately dispatched special agents to the area to investigate after the Huey landed at Manassas Regional Airport.
“The FBI Washington Field Office is working jointly with our law enforcement partners, including the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident. One individual in the helicopter sustained a non-threatening injury, for which he was treated and subsequently released from the hospital,” the FBI said in a statement.
Manassas Regional Airport, via Potomac Local
Federal agents are also asking for the public’s help in identifying who shot at the helicopter.
The type of ammunition used has not been revealed, nor the extent of the crew member’s injuries, however they were reported as non-life threatening.
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southfront--2020-08-13--Three Rockets Strike Iraq’s Balad Air Base That Houses US Forces

3 rockets struck Iraq ’ s Balad air base , 80 km north of the capital Baghdad , Iraq ’ @ @ @ @ @ on August 13 .
During the US war in Iraq , Balad was the second-largest @ @ @ @ @ .
It still houses some US forces .
No casualties were reported as a result @ @ @ @ @ .
In the recent months , a number of rocket and mortar attacks hit bases @ @ @ @ @ the area in Baghdad , where the U.S. embassy is located .
The United States @ @ @ @ @ The attacks increased in response to the US assassination of Iran ’ s Qods Fores @ @ @ @ @ drone strike in the Baghdad International Airport in early Jauary 2020 .
MORE ON THE @ @ @ @ @ Photos Of Recent Attacks On Iraqi Troops In Al-Anbar • Iranian-backed Forces Challenge US Military @ @ @ @ @ Attacks

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3 rockets struck Iraq’s Balad air base, 80 km north of the capital Baghdad, Iraq’s Security Media Cell announced on August 13.
During the US war in Iraq, Balad was the second-largest US base in the country. It still houses some US forces. No casualties were reported as a result of the August 13 attack.
In the recent months, a number of rocket and mortar attacks hit bases hosting US-led coalition forces and the area in Baghdad, where the U.S. embassy is located. The United States blames Iran-backed armed groups. The attacks increased in response to the US assassination of Iran’s Qods Fores commander Qassem Soleimani by a drone strike in the Baghdad International Airport in early Jauary 2020.
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southfront--2020-08-13--C-2 Medium-Range Transport Aircraft (Infographics)

The C-2 fits a good niche between large strategic lifters like the C-17 and small tactical lifters like the C-130 @ @ @ @ @ aircraft would be the A400M , which is way too expensive , prop-powered ( slow @ @ @ @ @ technical issues .
It ’ s really surprising they haven ’ t had any export @ @ @

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The C-2 is a medium-range transport aircraft developed by Kawasaki Aerospace Company for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
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southfront--2020-08-13--Averting Barbarossa II: The Liana Space Radioelectronic Surveillance System

At the end of the Cold War , the level of international tension has considerably declined for at least a decade , thanks to widespread multilateral disarmament bolstered by a variety of arms control regimes for conventional and nuclear armaments .
That decade also saw the rapid deterioration of Russia ’ s early warning and surveillance systems as satellites launched during the Soviet era exhausted their service lives and crashed into the atmosphere without being replaced .
At first , this was either not seen as an urgent priority by Russian decisionmakers or , if it was , there were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an era of a prolonged economic crisis .
Fast-forwarding a decade , we find ourselves in a radically different situation .
There is no more “ end of history ” optimism in the air , nor is there a sense of durable US hegemony either that seemed so permanent in the 1990s .
Unfortunately , history tells us that such shifts in the global balance of power are fraught with danger , as the fading hegemon has an incentive to resort to extreme , reckless measures to preserve that hegemony .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being the first hegemonic transition of the nuclear age .
In the past , nuclear deterrence existed only in the context of relatively stable bipolar and then unipolar systems .
Does nuclear deterrence mutually assured destruction still work under conditions of a multipolar system experiencing a hegemonic transition ?
International relations theory has no answer to that question , but the US national security establishment appears to think that it doesn ’ t , particularly in an era of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence , drone and missile swarms , hypersonic delivery vehicles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Crash US programs in developing all of the above , far beyond anything that might be termed reasonable defensive sufficiency under conditions of the US spending far more on defense than anyone else in the world , do raise the possibility of long-term plans to prevail in the new round of great power competition through not only covert action and “ hybrid warfare ” , but also , if an opportunity arises , through good old fashioned strategic first strike which need no longer be delivered using nuclear weapons .
The point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to limit the number of nuclear warheads for its own sake .
Rather , it was to deprive the two superpowers of their ability to launch a disarming and decapitating strike which , given technologies of the era , could only be launched using nuclear weapons .
That is still the case today , but may not be by 2030 should the US complete its planned rearmament with a large array of land- , air- , and sea-based long-range stealthy and hypersonic weapons .
Even the US Army , with its plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again getting into the game of strategic strike , to speak nothing of land-based hypersonic missiles .
And strategic strike using non-nuclear warheads is a novel scenario in which the old “ mutually assured destruction ” calculations may not apply .
Combined with the explosive growth of US anti-ballistic missile programs , if the rest of the world stands still , by 2030 US decisionmakers might find themselves tempted to launch such a strategic strike against even a major nuclear weapons state like Russia or China , to say nothing of mid-level powers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they have no nuclear deterrent to begin with .
Except the rest of the world is not about to stand still , and the Liana space surveillance system is an important component of the Russian response to US initiatives .
The imminent era of post-nuclear strategic strike demands strategic defense and stability can not be provided solely by anti-ballistic early warning systems .
They would simply provide warning of an attack once it was underway , and in view of the possibility that large numbers of hypersonic missiles could be launched very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the territory of NATO member-states following a rapid and covert deployment , as well as submarines and stealthy bombers , that warning might come too late to make an effective response possible .
To make matters worse still , US drive to destroy the Open Skies Treaty that is supposed to prevent precisely that kind of a covert preparation for a first strike , is also indicative of what the long-term US plans are .
Liana is therefore intended to provide that kind of strategic early warning , as well as operational target @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempted surprise first strike .
The satellite constellation is to consist of two types of satellites .
The first , Pion-NKS , is a 6.5 ton satellite intended for a 67-degree , 500km orbit , with service life of more than three years .
It ’ s development is nearly complete at the Arsenal Design Bureau .
It is a high-resolution radar reconnaissance satellite , capable of positively identifying “ car-sized ” objects on the Earth ’ s surface .
The second component of the Liana will be Lotos-S , a six-ton satellite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orbit , and performing passive detection , identification , and location of electronic emitters , including radio communications .
It was developed by the Arsenal Design Bureau , in collaboration with several other scientific research institutions .
Both types of satellites are expected to be launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome , using the proven and reliable Soyuz-2-1b launch vehicles .
The complete Liana configuration is to consist of two Pion-NKS and two Lotos-S satellites , and open-source information sources suggest the two satellite types have a fair amount of component commonality in order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one another , but to perform each other ’ s primary missions though in a degraded form .
So far there have been three Lotos-S launches from Plesetsk , with the first 2009 one being a failure , and the 2015 and 2018 one a success .
No Pion-NKS launches have been scheduled yet , but the satellite ’ s advanced stage of development suggests they will occur in the coming years .
Technological advances mean that once complete , Liana will serve as a replacement for both the Legenda naval surveillance and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tselina radioelectronic reconnaissance one , thus providing Russian decisionmakers with the ability to monitor troop deployments and electronic activity that would inevitably precede a strategic first strike .
Liana will also no doubt prove itself useful in non-Doomsday scenarios as well .
The Syria experience revealed the need for reliable detection and target designation of NATO cruise-missile launch assets , including aircraft , submarines , and surface vessels .
Liana ’ s capabilities mean both the assets themselves , other than submarines , and their communications can be monitored to reveal preparations for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well .
It is not clear Russia would have been able to accurately strike at US warships launching cruise missiles at Syria had they been directed against Russian bases .
The absence of radar surveillance satellites was a painful gap in Russia ’ s capabilities at that time , one that will be filled in the coming years .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Group Of Five For The Sahel Joint Force • The Old Dependables : Russian Weapons in 21st Century Regional Conflicts • A Swarm Of Swarms : Toward Aerospace @ @ @ @ @ @

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Written by J.Hawk exclusively for SouthFront
At the end of the Cold War, the level of international tension has considerably declined for at least a decade, thanks to widespread multilateral disarmament bolstered by a variety of arms control regimes for conventional and nuclear armaments. That decade also saw the rapid deterioration of Russia’s early warning and surveillance systems as satellites launched during the Soviet era exhausted their service lives and crashed into the atmosphere without being replaced. At first, this was either not seen as an urgent priority by Russian decisionmakers or, if it was, there were more urgent priorities for scarce defense funding in an era of a prolonged economic crisis.
Fast-forwarding a decade, we find ourselves in a radically different situation. There is no more “end of history” optimism in the air, nor is there a sense of durable US hegemony either that seemed so permanent in the 1990s. Unfortunately, history tells us that such shifts in the global balance of power are fraught with danger, as the fading hegemon has an incentive to resort to extreme, reckless measures to preserve that hegemony. What makes the current situation unprecedented is this being the first hegemonic transition of the nuclear age. In the past, nuclear deterrence existed only in the context of relatively stable bipolar and then unipolar systems. Does nuclear deterrence mutually assured destruction still work under conditions of a multipolar system experiencing a hegemonic transition?
International relations theory has no answer to that question, but the US national security establishment appears to think that it doesn’t, particularly in an era of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, drone and missile swarms, hypersonic delivery vehicles, and possibly even directed energy weapons. Crash US programs in developing all of the above, far beyond anything that might be termed reasonable defensive sufficiency under conditions of the US spending far more on defense than anyone else in the world, do raise the possibility of long-term plans to prevail in the new round of great power competition through not only covert action and “hybrid warfare”, but also, if an opportunity arises, through good old fashioned strategic first strike which need no longer be delivered using nuclear weapons.
The point of Cold War-era nuclear arms treaties was not to limit the number of nuclear warheads for its own sake. Rather, it was to deprive the two superpowers of their ability to launch a disarming and decapitating strike which, given technologies of the era, could only be launched using nuclear weapons. That is still the case today, but may not be by 2030 should the US complete its planned rearmament with a large array of land-, air-, and sea-based long-range stealthy and hypersonic weapons. Even the US Army, with its plans for “1,000-mile cannon” is once again getting into the game of strategic strike, to speak nothing of land-based hypersonic missiles. And strategic strike using non-nuclear warheads is a novel scenario in which the old “mutually assured destruction” calculations may not apply. Combined with the explosive growth of US anti-ballistic missile programs, if the rest of the world stands still, by 2030 US decisionmakers might find themselves tempted to launch such a strategic strike against even a major nuclear weapons state like Russia or China, to say nothing of mid-level powers like Iran or North Korea, particularly if they have no nuclear deterrent to begin with.
Except the rest of the world is not about to stand still, and the Liana space surveillance system is an important component of the Russian response to US initiatives. The imminent era of post-nuclear strategic strike demands strategic defense and stability cannot be provided solely by anti-ballistic early warning systems. They would simply provide warning of an attack once it was underway, and in view of the possibility that large numbers of hypersonic missiles could be launched very close to Russia’s borders from the territory of NATO member-states following a rapid and covert deployment, as well as submarines and stealthy bombers, that warning might come too late to make an effective response possible. To make matters worse still, US drive to destroy the Open Skies Treaty that is supposed to prevent precisely that kind of a covert preparation for a first strike, is also indicative of what the long-term US plans are.
Liana is therefore intended to provide that kind of strategic early warning, as well as operational target designation, in the event of an attempted surprise first strike. The satellite constellation is to consist of two types of satellites. The first, Pion-NKS, is a 6.5 ton satellite intended for a 67-degree, 500km orbit, with service life of more than three years. It’s development is nearly complete at the Arsenal Design Bureau. It is a high-resolution radar reconnaissance satellite, capable of positively identifying “car-sized” objects on the Earth’s surface. The second component of the Liana will be Lotos-S, a six-ton satellite operating on a 67-degree, 900km apogee orbit, and performing passive detection, identification, and location of electronic emitters, including radio communications. It was developed by the Arsenal Design Bureau, in collaboration with several other scientific research institutions. Both types of satellites are expected to be launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, using the proven and reliable Soyuz-2-1b launch vehicles. The complete Liana configuration is to consist of two Pion-NKS and two Lotos-S satellites, and open-source information sources suggest the two satellite types have a fair amount of component commonality in order to allow them not only to complement one another, but to perform each other’s primary missions though in a degraded form. So far there have been three Lotos-S launches from Plesetsk, with the first 2009 one being a failure, and the 2015 and 2018 one a success. No Pion-NKS launches have been scheduled yet, but the satellite’s advanced stage of development suggests they will occur in the coming years.
Technological advances mean that once complete, Liana will serve as a replacement for both the Legenda naval surveillance and target designation satellite network, and the Tselina radioelectronic reconnaissance one, thus providing Russian decisionmakers with the ability to monitor troop deployments and electronic activity that would inevitably precede a strategic first strike. Liana will also no doubt prove itself useful in non-Doomsday scenarios as well. The Syria experience revealed the need for reliable detection and target designation of NATO cruise-missile launch assets, including aircraft, submarines, and surface vessels. Liana’s capabilities mean both the assets themselves, other than submarines, and their communications can be monitored to reveal preparations for a strike and provide targeting information as well. It is not clear Russia would have been able to accurately strike at US warships launching cruise missiles at Syria had they been directed against Russian bases. The absence of radar surveillance satellites was a painful gap in Russia’s capabilities at that time, one that will be filled in the coming years.
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southfront--2020-08-13--ISIS Released Photos Of Recent Attacks On Iraqi Troops In Al-Anbar

On August 12 , ISIS ’ news agency , Amaq , shared photos of two recent attacks on Iraqi troops in the western province of al-Anbar .
In the first attack , ISIS terrorists blew up a booby-trapped motorcycle next to a gathering of Iraqi troops near the town of Kubaysah on July 27 .
Two service members were killed and another was injured , according to the terrorist group ’ s claims .
The second attack also took place near Kubaysah .
ISIS terrorists targeted a vehicle of Iraqi forces with an improvised explosive device on July 28 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was injured .
The photos confirm that the vehicle , a Humvee , was completely destroyed .
Kubaysah which is surrounded by the desert is located 20 km away from the city of Hit and 60 km away from the city of Ramadi .
ISIS cells are active around the town .
Iraqi government forces have launched a number of security operations in al-Anbar in the last few months .
However , ISIS terrorists are still present there especially in the province ’ s desert , their historical stronghold in the country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Forces Challenge US Military In Iraq With Increasing Rocket Attacks

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On August 12, ISIS’ news agency, Amaq, shared photos of two recent attacks on Iraqi troops in the western province of al-Anbar.
In the first attack, ISIS terrorists blew up a booby-trapped motorcycle next to a gathering of Iraqi troops near the town of Kubaysah on July 27. Two service members were killed and another was injured, according to the terrorist group’s claims.
The second attack also took place near Kubaysah. ISIS terrorists targeted a vehicle of Iraqi forces with an improvised explosive device on July 28. Two soldiers were reportedly killed and another was injured. The photos confirm that the vehicle, a Humvee, was completely destroyed.
Kubaysah which is surrounded by the desert is located 20 km away from the city of Hit and 60 km away from the city of Ramadi. ISIS cells are active around the town.
Iraqi government forces have launched a number of security operations in al-Anbar in the last few months. However, ISIS terrorists are still present there especially in the province’s desert, their historical stronghold in the country.
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southfront--2020-08-13--HTS Arrested American Journalist\Propagandist Bilal Abdul Kareem

On August 13 , al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay ’ at Tahrir al-Sham ( HTS ) arrested Bilal Abdul Kareem , an American journalist working in the Syrian region of Greater Idlib .
Abdul Kareem runs On the Ground News , an outlet that has been promoting terrorist groups in Syria , including HTS , for several years .
A few hours before his arrest , Abdul Kareem shared a report accusing HTS of torturing British aid worker Tauqir Sharif .
Abdul Kareem claimed that infamous British doctor , Shajul Islam , covered up the torture of Sharif during his first arrest in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mismanaging ” relief funds and supporting some projects that “ incited division ” in Greater Idlib .
The group presented no evinced to the public to back its accusations .
Abdul Kareem ’ s support for Sharif ’ s case generated much pressure on HTS , which was forced to release him on bail on July 15 .
Back then , scandalous photos of Abdul Kareem were leaked .
HTS was blamed for this .
Sharif was arrested again by HTS earlier this week .
Abdul Kareem interviewed Sharif ’ s wife , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the group and that he even confronted his torturer before his second arrest .
The arrest of Abdul Kareem was expected by many local observers .
The iron fist of HTS ’ regime in Greater Idlib doesn ’ t tolerate any criticism .
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On August 13, al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) arrested Bilal Abdul Kareem, an American journalist working in the Syrian region of Greater Idlib.
Abdul Kareem runs On the Ground News, an outlet that has been promoting terrorist groups in Syria, including HTS, for several years.
“HTS have arrested Bilal Abdul Kareem from Atma town in northern rural Idlib. He was assaulted and taken to an unknown location by masked HTS members,” On the Ground News said in a brief statement.
A few hours before his arrest, Abdul Kareem shared a report accusing HTS of torturing British aid worker Tauqir Sharif. Abdul Kareem claimed that infamous British doctor, Shajul Islam, covered up the torture of Sharif during his first arrest in June.
HTS accused Sharif of “mismanaging” relief funds and supporting some projects that “incited division” in Greater Idlib. The group presented no evinced to the public to back its accusations.
Abdul Kareem’s support for Sharif’s case generated much pressure on HTS, which was forced to release him on bail on July 15. Back then, scandalous photos of Abdul Kareem were leaked. HTS was blamed for this.
Sharif was arrested again by HTS earlier this week. Abdul Kareem interviewed Sharif’s wife, who confirmed that he was tortured by the group and that he even confronted his torturer before his second arrest.
The arrest of Abdul Kareem was expected by many local observers. The iron fist of HTS’ regime in Greater Idlib doesn’t tolerate any criticism.
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southfront--2020-08-13--Former Sharia Judge Assassinated In Syria’s Daraa

On August 13 morning , unidentified gunmen assassinated a former Sharia [ Islamic law ] judge in the southern Syrian governorate of Daraa .
The judge , Nadim Qwaider al-Miqdad , was reportedly shot by the gunmen on a road linking the villages of Mia ` rbah and Ghasam in the eastern countryside of Daraa .
The former judge died on the spot .
According to local sources , Sheikh al-Miqdad was a judge in the House of Justice in Houran , an Islamic court that ruled over Daraa when the governorate was controlled by Free Syrian Army Factions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Army liberated the last rebel ’ s stronghold in Daraa , al-Miqdad stayed in the governorate .
However , he didn ’ t join the reconciliation process .
No group has claimed responsibility for the assassination of al-Miqdad , so far .
ISIS , whose cells are active in eastern Daraa , may be behind the attack .
The Syrian intelligence or local fighters could be also responsible .
In the last few months , dozens of Syrian service members and local fighters were assassinated in Daraa .
A state of lawlessness is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the government and local factions are hindering necessary security measures .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • In Video : Bashar al-Assad Almost Passed Out While Delivering Speech To Parliament Members

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On August 13 morning, unidentified gunmen assassinated a former Sharia [Islamic law] judge in the southern Syrian governorate of Daraa.
The judge, Nadim Qwaider al-Miqdad, was reportedly shot by the gunmen on a road linking the villages of Mia`rbah and Ghasam in the eastern countryside of Daraa. The former judge died on the spot.
According to local sources, Sheikh al-Miqdad was a judge in the House of Justice in Houran, an Islamic court that ruled over Daraa when the governorate was controlled by Free Syrian Army Factions.
In 2018, when the Syrian Arab Army liberated the last rebel’s stronghold in Daraa, al-Miqdad stayed in the governorate. However, he didn’t join the reconciliation process.
No group has claimed responsibility for the assassination of al-Miqdad, so far. ISIS, whose cells are active in eastern Daraa, may be behind the attack. The Syrian intelligence or local fighters could be also responsible.
In the last few months, dozens of Syrian service members and local fighters were assassinated in Daraa. A state of lawlessness is prevailing over the governorate. The disagreements between the government and local factions are hindering necessary security measures.
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southfront--2020-08-13--Turkish Fairy Tales: Ankara Promises Syrian Militants Jobs In Qatar Before Sending Them To Libya – S

Turkish Fairy Tales: Ankara Promises Syrian Militants Jobs In Qatar Before Sending Them To Libya – SOHR

Turkey had sent a new batch of Syrian militants to Libya after promising them security jobs in Qatar , the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights ( SOHR ) reported on August 13 .
The new batch consisted of more than 120 militants from the Suleyman Shah Division , the Sham Legion and the Sultan Murad Division .
The three factions are a part of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army .
“ At first , this batch was agreed with that they [ the militants ] will be transferred to Turkey and from there to Qatar to protect government institutions there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ territory , they were told that your destination is Libya , not Qatar , ” the SOHR ’ s report reads .
Turkey has been deploying Syrian militants in Libya in order to support the Government of National Accord ( GNA ) since last year .
The GNA is also receiving support from Qatar .
According to the SOHR , more than 17,420 Syrian militants , including 350 minors , have been deployed in Libya , thus far .
At least 6,000 of them returned to Syria in the last few months after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Syrian militants allowed GNA forces to make significant achievements in west and northwest Libya .
The militants , however , suffered from more than 400 casualties within a few months .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • In Video : Bashar al-Assad Almost Passed Out While Delivering Speech To Parliament Members

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Turkey had sent a new batch of Syrian militants to Libya after promising them security jobs in Qatar, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on August 13.
The new batch consisted of more than 120 militants from the Suleyman Shah Division, the Sham Legion and the Sultan Murad Division. The three factions are a part of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army.
“At first, this batch was agreed with that they [the militants] will be transferred to Turkey and from there to Qatar to protect government institutions there, but after their arrival on Turkish territory, they were told that your destination is Libya, not Qatar,” the SOHR’s report reads.
Turkey has been deploying Syrian militants in Libya in order to support the Government of National Accord (GNA) since last year. The GNA is also receiving support from Qatar.
According to the SOHR, more than 17,420 Syrian militants, including 350 minors, have been deployed in Libya, thus far. At least 6,000 of them returned to Syria in the last few months after fulfilling their contracts.
The deployment of Syrian militants allowed GNA forces to make significant achievements in west and northwest Libya. The militants, however, suffered from more than 400 casualties within a few months.
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southfront--2020-08-13--Iran And Hezbollah Set Up New Force To Knock Out Israeli Forces In Golan Heights

Iran , the 220 Branch of the Syrian Military Intelligence Directorate and Hezbollah are together establishing a new force to monitor the situation on the contact line with Israeli forces near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights , local sources claim .
According to reports , the new force will be mostly made up of personnel of the Syrian Army and local fighters from the Golan Regiment armed group .
Mamoun Jridah and Hazem Kabul , two local figures who are close to Hezbollah , are reportedly recruiting fighters to this new force .
At least 175 fighters have signed up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be tasked with contributing security efforts in the area and preventing Israeli sabotage activities there .
Despite the attempts of Israel to deter Iranian influence in central and southern Syria , Iran , Hezbollah and Iranian-backed groups maintain a significant presence in the southern Syrian provinces .
Over the past weeks , the situation has become especially dangerous following the destabilization of Lebanon , the Israeli military buildup on the contact lines with Lebanon and Syria , and the increased number of incidents between Israeli and Iranian-backed forces .
If the regional situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to expect that the southern part of Syria and southern Lebanon will become the hot points of the confrontation between Israel and the Hezbollah-Iran bloc .
Late on August 12 , the Turkish military and its proxies in northeast Syria launched several small-scale attacks on positions of the Syrian Army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces ( SDF ) in al-Hasakah and Raqqa provinces .
Turkish forces clashed with army troops near the towns of al-Qasmiyah and al-Rashidiyah , and with the SDF near the town of Kur Hasan .
Turkish forces also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ northern Raqqa .
Fire erupted in several farmlands bordering the camp .
There are no confirmed reports of casualties resulting from this series of incidents .
Since late June , Turkish forces have increased the number of artillery strike and tactical attacks on the Syrian Army and the SDF in northeastern Syria .
These ceasefire violations go contrary to the agreements reached by Ankara with the US and Russia .
Some sources even speculate that the Erdogan government is preparing for a resumption of full-scale military operation in the northeast .
ISIS ambushed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro-government Palestinian militia , near the town of al-Tabni in southern Deir Ezzor .
After this , terrorists also detonated several explosive devices in the path of reinforcements from the 4th Armoured Division as it deployed to the area .
A truck and a SUV of pro-government forces were destroyed in the attacks .
Depending on the sources , from 1 to 3 pro-government fighters died .
ISIS always intensifies their attacks on government forces during an increase of tensions between Turkey and the US-Israeli alliance .

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Iran, the 220 Branch of the Syrian Military Intelligence Directorate and Hezbollah are together establishing a new force to monitor the situation on the contact line with Israeli forces near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, local sources claim.
According to reports, the new force will be mostly made up of personnel of the Syrian Army and local fighters from the Golan Regiment armed group. Mamoun Jridah and Hazem Kabul, two local figures who are close to Hezbollah, are reportedly recruiting fighters to this new force. At least 175 fighters have signed up, so far. The force will also be tasked with contributing security efforts in the area and preventing Israeli sabotage activities there.
Despite the attempts of Israel to deter Iranian influence in central and southern Syria, Iran, Hezbollah and Iranian-backed groups maintain a significant presence in the southern Syrian provinces. Over the past weeks, the situation has become especially dangerous following the destabilization of Lebanon, the Israeli military buildup on the contact lines with Lebanon and Syria, and the increased number of incidents between Israeli and Iranian-backed forces.
If the regional situation continues escalating, it’s easy to expect that the southern part of Syria and southern Lebanon will become the hot points of the confrontation between Israel and the Hezbollah-Iran bloc.
Late on August 12, the Turkish military and its proxies in northeast Syria launched several small-scale attacks on positions of the Syrian Army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in al-Hasakah and Raqqa provinces. Turkish forces clashed with army troops near the towns of al-Qasmiyah and al-Rashidiyah, and with the SDF near the town of Kur Hasan. Turkish forces also shelled the Ain Issa refugee camp in northern Raqqa. Fire erupted in several farmlands bordering the camp. There are no confirmed reports of casualties resulting from this series of incidents.
Since late June, Turkish forces have increased the number of artillery strike and tactical attacks on the Syrian Army and the SDF in northeastern Syria. These ceasefire violations go contrary to the agreements reached by Ankara with the US and Russia. Some sources even speculate that the Erdogan government is preparing for a resumption of full-scale military operation in the northeast.
ISIS ambushed a convoy of Liwa al-Quds, a pro-government Palestinian militia, near the town of al-Tabni in southern Deir Ezzor. After this, terrorists also detonated several explosive devices in the path of reinforcements from the 4th Armoured Division as it deployed to the area. A truck and a SUV of pro-government forces were destroyed in the attacks. Depending on the sources, from 1 to 3 pro-government fighters died. ISIS always intensifies their attacks on government forces during an increase of tensions between Turkey and the US-Israeli alliance.
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southfront--2020-08-13--Lebanon: Caught Between Two Systems

Lebanon: Caught Between Two Systems

The August 4 explosions in the Port of Beirut have garnered an increasing mountain of speculations in recent days , and unfortunately , these speculative voices have increasingly turned into noise and , the forest is getting lost in the trees .
Now that the entire government has resigned in the face of the controlled deployment of chaotic protests across Beirut in the wake of this attack , it is obvious that powerful agendas are at play and have targeted this small yet strategic nation during a historic period of change and potential .
Although these explosions were undoubtedly caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasingly anomalous that neither Israeli Defense Forces nor Hezbollah claimed responsibility for them which means that other factors occurring behind the scenes are undoubtedly at play .
What are those higher forces ?
How do we come to understand them ?
Is it possible that the explosions which rocked Lebanon were planned by those western social engineers never forgave Aoun or Hezbollah for sabotaging their 2005 Cedar Revolution ?
Is it possible that these explosions are connected to the vast array of explosions and fires which have spread across the Arab world in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
How is all of this connected to the dramatic rise of China ’ s New Silk Road which has spread hope and development across the war-torn middle east and Africa for the first time in decades ?
In this interview delivered to Rogue News , the Canadian Patriot Review ’ s Matthew Ehret discusses not only how the collapsing neoliberal order has driven western policy in the Middle East but how that same collapse process has driven an obsessive drive to destroy the Multipolar potential represented by the China-Russia alliance and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the Editor-in-Chief of , and has authored 3 volumes of .
In 2019 he co-founded the Montreal-based .
He can be reached at matt.ehret @ tutamail.com MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Chaos In Lebanon Marked Start Of New Round Of Israeli-Iranian Standoff • International Community Promises To Aid Beirut As Political Crisis In Lebanon Intensifies

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Submitted by Matthew Ehret
The August 4 explosions in the Port of Beirut have garnered an increasing mountain of speculations in recent days, and unfortunately, these speculative voices have increasingly turned into noise and, the forest is getting lost in the trees. Now that the entire government has resigned in the face of the controlled deployment of chaotic protests across Beirut in the wake of this attack, it is obvious that powerful agendas are at play and have targeted this small yet strategic nation during a historic period of change and potential.
Although these explosions were undoubtedly caused by foreign intelligence operations, it is increasingly anomalous that neither Israeli Defense Forces nor Hezbollah claimed responsibility for them which means that other factors occurring behind the scenes are undoubtedly at play. What are those higher forces? How do we come to understand them?
Is it possible that the explosions which rocked Lebanon were planned by those western social engineers never forgave Aoun or Hezbollah for sabotaging their 2005 Cedar Revolution? Is it possible that these explosions are connected to the vast array of explosions and fires which have spread across the Arab world in the UAE and Iran in recent weeks? How is all of this connected to the dramatic rise of China’s New Silk Road which has spread hope and development across the war-torn middle east and Africa for the first time in decades?
In this interview delivered to Rogue News, the Canadian Patriot Review’s Matthew Ehret discusses not only how the collapsing neoliberal order has driven western policy in the Middle East but how that same collapse process has driven an obsessive drive to destroy the Multipolar potential represented by the China-Russia alliance and the economic/security pacts being finalized with Iran.
Matthew Ehret is the Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Patriot Review , a BRI Expert on Tactical talk, and has authored 3 volumes of ‘Untold History of Canada’ book series. In 2019 he co-founded the Montreal-based Rising Tide Foundation. He can be reached at matt.ehret@tutamail.com
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southfront--2020-08-13--Israel And UAE Reached Historical Peace Agreement

Israel and the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) have reached a historical peace agreement with support from the U.S. President Donald Trump announced the “ breakthrough ” agreement on the afternoon of August 13 , calling Israel and the UAE the “ great friends ” of the U.S .
The agreement was sealed in a phone call between Trump , Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed , crown prince of Abu Dhabi .
In a joint statement , Israel , the UAE and the U.S. said the agreement will advance peace in the Middle East @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diplomacy ” and “ vision ” of the three country ’ s leaders .
According to the statement , Delegations from Israel and the UAE will meet within a few weeks to sign bilateral agreements regarding investment , tourism , direct flights , security , telecommunications , technology , energy , healthcare , culture , the environment , the establishment of reciprocal embassies , and other areas of mutual benefit .
In the framework of the peace agreement , Israel will suspend declaring sovereignty over areas outlined in Netanyahu ’ s “ Vision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Tel Aviv will focus its efforts on “ expanding ties with other countries in the Arab and Muslim world.
” The agreement will also provide Muslims with greater access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and other holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem .
Israel and the UAE will also expand and accelerate cooperation regarding the treatment and the development of a vaccine for the coronavirus under the agreement .
This is the first peace agreement between an Arab state and Israel in more than 25 years .
Other Gulf states , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow the UAE ’ s footsteps .
This will lead to more pressure on the Palestinians , as well as Syria and Lebanon .
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Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have reached a historical peace agreement with support from the U.S.
President Donald Trump announced the “breakthrough” agreement on the afternoon of August 13, calling Israel and the UAE the “great friends” of the U.S.
The agreement was sealed in a phone call between Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed, crown prince of Abu Dhabi.
In a joint statement, Israel, the UAE and the U.S. said the agreement will advance peace in the Middle East. The statement praised the “bold diplomacy” and “vision” of the three country’s leaders.
“All three countries face many common challenges and will mutually benefit from today’s historic achievement,” the statement reads.
According to the statement, Delegations from Israel and the UAE will meet within a few weeks to sign bilateral agreements regarding investment, tourism, direct flights, security, telecommunications, technology, energy, healthcare, culture, the environment, the establishment of reciprocal embassies, and other areas of mutual benefit.
In the framework of the peace agreement, Israel will suspend declaring sovereignty over areas outlined in Netanyahu’s “Vision for Peace” in the Western Bank. Tel Aviv will focus its efforts on “expanding ties with other countries in the Arab and Muslim world.”
The agreement will also provide Muslims with greater access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and other holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem.
“Along with the United States, Israel and the United Arab Emirates share a similar outlook regarding the threats and opportunities in the region, as well as a shared commitment to promoting stability through diplomatic engagement, increased economic integration, and closer security coordination,” the three countries said in their statement.
Israel and the UAE will also expand and accelerate cooperation regarding the treatment and the development of a vaccine for the coronavirus under the agreement.
This is the first peace agreement between an Arab state and Israel in more than 25 years. Other Gulf states, including Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, may follow the UAE’s footsteps. This will lead to more pressure on the Palestinians, as well as Syria and Lebanon.
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southfront--2020-08-13--Military Situation In Yemen On August 13, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Yemen : • The Liaison and @ @ @ @ @ ( loyal to Ansar Allah ) reported 94 ceasefire violations in al-Hudaydah over the past @ @ @ @ @ Allah and popular committees captured several villages from ISIS and Al Qaeda forces northwest of @ @ @ @ @ THE TOPIC : • Ansar Allah Forces Avdance On Positions Of Saudi-led Forces In Najran @ @ @ @ @ Video , Map )

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A brief overview of the recent developments in Yemen:
Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 2 airstrikes on the Maheliyah area;
Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 2 airstrikes on the Kitaf area;
Saudi-led coalition warplanes targeted a civilian car in the Qifah area;
The Liaison and Coordination Officers’ Operations Room (loyal to Ansar Allah) reported 94 ceasefire violations in al-Hudaydah over the past 24 hours.
Ansar Allah and popular committees captured several villages from ISIS and Al Qaeda forces northwest of Baydha province.
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